Private companies oppose Preferential Market Access

16 Saturday Mar 2013

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The private telecom operators have demanded the DOT to suspend the Preferential Market Access (PMA) Policy announced vide DOT notification dated 30th October 2012, according to which the telecom operators will have to give preference to India-made telecom products due to security issues.

The private companies has stated that the application of PMA to private companies would violate India’s World trade Organisations obligations and is an unprecedented interference in the procurement of commercial entities. Hence they are demanding for its suspension.

The government should not surrender to the unjustified demand of these private companies. The PMA policy should be implemented both in PSUs as well as Private companies.

Check Prise rise! Demand by Parliament Members.

15 Friday Mar 2013

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Lok Sabha members today raised serious concern over the prevailing high inflation and sought government’s intervention to check price rise along with streamlining the Public Distribution System (PDS).     Moving a private member’s resolution on steps to control the rise in prices of essential commodities, Mahendra Kumar Roy (CPI-M) said people are suffering because of high inflation and demanded ban on futures trading in commodities.     Roy also raised the issue of hoarding and suggested that at least 35 kg foodgrains at Rs 2/kg should be distributed to people every month.     “The stored foodgrains should be distributed among people and not exported. Foodgrains are rotting in godowns, but government is doing nothing to distribute it,” Roy said.     He also favoured doing away with the distinction between the APL and BPL categories in foodgrains distribution.  Supporting Roy, Satpal Maharaj (Cong) said inflation should be brought down and the government should take steps to strengthen the PDS.     “PDS is full of irregularities and lacuna. We need to plug this lacuna and bring down inflation,” Maharaj said. Shailendra Kumar (SP) said 3-4 per cent inflation would be acceptable, but not the current high level of price rise.    WPI based Inflation stood at 6.84 per cent in February while the retail inflation was 10.91 per cent.     Mahendra Sinh Chauhan (BJP) said poor should benefit from government’s initiative to check price rise. (Courtsey: Ganashakti)

 

Shame India! All growth for Rich – India’s worst record in HD Index

15 Friday Mar 2013

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The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human development report 2013 has torn down and exposed the claims of the Indian Government of the high economic growth and development of the people of this country. India is placed at No.136 out of 187 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI), a composite indicator of health, education and income. Many backward countries of Africa and South East Asia are above India.

India has grown economically, but the condition of the common people has not improved accordingly. In Gross National Income (GNI) India is above many countries, but on HDI, it is below many of them. The worst is the rank in the Gender Inequality Index(GII). In this India ranks much below even of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, our neighbours. See the table below:

Country                                GNI                     GII

  1. India                      3285                       132
  2. Sri Lanka                5170                       75
  3. Nepal                     1137                       102
  4. Bangladesh             1785                       111
  5. Pakistan                  2566                       123

With regard to the HDI, India is far below its partners in BRICS Group with Russia (55th), Brazil (85th) and China (101st) with India (136th). Its Human Development Index is below even of Sri Lanka which is having an HDI of 99.

This clearly shows that the benefit of growth in India has not gone to the common people. The saying that the ‘Rich has become Richer and the Poor has become Poorer’ is fully applicable to it. The poor people are not able to get adequate education, health facilities etc.

The Government of India has to open its eyes! This is wake up call for it. Instead of self-praise, it should introspect and concentrate not only the economic growth, but also how the growth is benefitted the poor and common people.

1.97 million GSM subscribers reduced in February

15 Friday Mar 2013

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1.97 million ( 19.7 lakhs) GSM subscribers have been reduced in February 2013 compared to January with most of the telecom companies affected. This information is stated by Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI), the organisation of the private telecom companies. The present total GSM connections is stated to be 655.59 million.(CDMA subscribers are not included in this).

As per the COAI statement the number of GSM connections and the market share of each company is as given below:

Name of company       GSM Connection   Market share

1. Bharti Airtel             186.62 million     28.47%

2. Vodafone                 149.89 million     22.86%

3. Idea                        119.26 million     18.19%

4. BSNL                       97.17  million      14.82%

5. Aircel                       60.87 million        9.29%

6. Uninor                     31.77 million        4.85%

7. MTNL                        4.92 million        0.75%

8. Loop                         3.03 million        0.46%

9. Videocon                   2.06 million        0.37%

Meerut Conspiracy Case 1929 – 1933

14 Thursday Mar 2013

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The British Government was always on the look out for anything that will disturb their colonial rule in India. The Soviet Revolution which resulted in the fall of the hated Czars and the formation of USSR in 1917 had unnerved the entire capitalist and imperialist countries. In many countries, formation of Communist parties started  with the help and guidance of the Comintern. In India also many workers unions started  in Bombay, Calcutta and other places . The British Government was fully aware about these movements and wanted to crush the workers movements and the Communists in the initial stage itself. The Kanpur Conspiracy case, the Meerut Conspirace Case etc. were part of this witch hunt against the early communists in India. Some of the leaders of the British Communist Party were also made accused in these conspiracy  cases.

The Meerut Conspiracy case started with the issuing of arrest warrants against 31 Communists and other persons on 15th March 1929. The charges were that these persons conspired to overthrow the British Government of India through strikes and other militant methods. By 20th of March almost all were arrested. The arrested included almost all the known communists including Muzafr Ahamed, S.A.Dange, S.V.Ghate, Dr.G.Adhikari, P.C.Joshi, S.S.Mirajkar, Shaukat Usmani, Philip Stratt and others.

The case continued for about 4 years till 1933. The Communists and other accused utilised the case to explain to the people the demands of the workers, the need to fight against the British, the cruel exploitation etc. Wide publicity was received in the press. The working class and independent movement got inspiration and strenth from the bold stand taken by the accused against the British government. The plan of the British to isolate the communists did not succeed. Indeed, it strenthened the independence movement.

Meerut Conspiracy Case and the General Statement given in the court by the Communists exposing the colonial rule, the right of the people to fight against it, the revolutionary ideology of the Communist Party etc. inspired an entire generation of young communists.

The Communist movement in India has come up facing severe repression and attack from the British as also the national government after independence in 1947. This great struggle for the toiling masses continue even now. Meerut Conspiracy Case will always be a milestone in the growth of the Communist Party in India.

Telcos owe Rs. 9,600 crore to Govt. on licence fee, spectrum charges

14 Thursday Mar 2013

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To a question in the Parliament, Milind Deora, Minister of state for Communications informed that the telecom companies owe Rs. 9,636.34 crore towards of payment of licence fee and spectrum charges to the government. This includes the amount to be paid by the telecom PSUs also. The details also have been given. Bharti Airtel: Rs. 3,275.56 crore, BSNL: Rs. 2,092.95 crore, Reliance: 1,656.23 crore, Vodafone: Rs. 1,122.01 crore, Tata: Rs. 458.32 croew and Idea cellular: 428.06 crore.

Private telcos issued notice for cheating government.

14 Thursday Mar 2013

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5 private telecom companies viz. Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Tata teleservices and Reliance have been issued notices by the government for understating their revenues and paying less charges, thus cheating the government. As per the Special Audit conducted by the Government for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08 the cheating was found out. Reliance has understated  Rs. 3,402.92 crores, Tata Rs. 3,156.46 crore, Bharti Airtel 1,927.50 crore, Vodafone Rs. 1,490.94 crore and  Idea Cellular 848.87 crore. The total amount comes to Rs. 10,826. 69 crore which also includes an interest of Rs. 1,841.67 crore.The information was given by Minister of state for Communications Shri Milind Deora to Parliament Question.

This is one way by which the private companies cheat the government and increase the profits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working Men of All Countries Unite! – Communist Manifesto

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

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On this 130th death Anniversary of Karl Marx, I am quoting below the last few paragraphs of the “Manifesto of the Communist Party!”

” In short, the Communists everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things.

In all these movements they bring to the front, as the leading question in each, the property question, no matter what its degree of development at the time.

Finally, they labour everywhere for the union and agreement of the democratic parties of all countries.

The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.

Working Men of All Countries, Unite!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karl Marx – Birth 5th May 1818 – Death 14th March 1883

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

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Today is the 130th Death Anniversary  of Karl Marx, one of the greatest philosophers the world has ever seen. He is the author of Communist Manifesto and Capital (4 Volumes) (along with Friedrich Engels) who expired on 24th March 1883. He analysed capitalism and explained that it is a stage in the development of the human society, but not the last and the ultimate. It is an interim  stage in the forward march to socialism and then Communism. Marx was born  on 5th May 1818 in a rich Prussian (Germany) family and was well-studied. He had to run from country to country since the authorities were afraid of his revolutionary theories. In his last phase of life he was staying in London continuing his research and writings using the vast collection of books at British Library. After the present global recession, his writings have become a matter of serious study.

When I went to London, I had the opportunity to visit the High Gate cemetery where he is laid at rest and paid homage to him. What is written on the tomb is relevant for all times: “Workers of the World Unite!”

I pay my respect and Revolutionary Greetings to one of the greatest revolutionaries of all times – Karl Marx !

DOT should take strong action against illegal 3G service by private companies

13 Wednesday Mar 2013

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It has been reported several times that DOT has asked Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular to stop providing 3G services in those circles where they have not been allotted 3G licences. These private telecom operators were illegally providing the services for the last so many months against the existing rules. Though notices have been issued more than once, no action has been taken by DOT against these erring companies.  BSNL has been compelled to pay for 3G in all circles at the rate of the highest bid, even though it was not allowed to bid in the auctions. BSNL had to pay for all the circles. But the above companies paying for a few circles are providing services in all circles sharing the spectrum between them.

Immediate and strong action, including cancellation of their existing 3G spectrum and imposing high penalty are required without any further delay.