India links Golden Triangle by Train

 

At present, the key points of the “Golden Triangle” Delhi, Jaipur and Agra are linked by advanced comfortable trains that run daily along this route. The testing of Shatabdi Express was started in late November. And it has become clear that this is the most advanced train that will carry passengers to their destinationsfaster than before.

At present, passengers spend one hour to travel from Jaipur to Agra, while earlier, they spent 4-5 hours. The train was launched after the reconstruction of the old railroads which have been made wider. The express is air conditioned. The government is planning to replace gradually all long-distance trains with advanced new ones

Two-day strike wll cost the nation Rs15,000-20,000 crore: Assocham

Industry body Assocham on Tuesday urged central trade unions to withdraw the February 20-21 two-day-strike as the economy would lose Rs15,000-20,000 crore due to the disruption.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said it estimated the national loss figures based on the daily erosion of about 30-40% to the country’s gross domestic production (GDP) for two days.

“The strike would take its toll on at least 30-40%, or Rs15,000 crore to Rs.20,000 crore,” Assocham said in a statement here.

“The national economy, battling a slowdown, can ill-afford this situation” Assocham president Rajkumar Dhoot said. “In fact, the strike would aggravate the price situation because of disruption in the supply of essential commodities.”

“Given the nature of the strike and involvement of the all five major central trade unions, it is going to affect the services sector, including banking, financial services, tourism, transportation, etc, which are the major contributors to the country’s GDP,” Dhoot added.

The central trade unions have given a two-day nationwide shutdown call February 20-21 against price rise, inflation and poor employment.

“The government has adopted an economic policy which creates inflation and recession. This is frustrating,” Ramakrushna Panda, national Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, told IANS.

Candidates get power by using money, and money by using power: Anna Hazare

Declaring that he would mobilize six crore people over next one and a half years for his anti-graft campaign, Anna Hazare on Sunday said Jan Lokpal alone cannot root out corruption and called for comprehensive electoral reforms and empowering of village-level bodies.

Addressing a public meeting here, he said his fight was for changing the entire system and called upon youths to join hands with him. The 75-year-old said Jan Lokpal can control 50 to 55 percent corruption.

“What about the remaining corruption? That is why we are demanding right to reject a candidate (in the elections),” he said.

“If all five contesting candidates in an election are goondas, whom the people will choose? We are saying that you provide an option to the voters to reject them. If maximum number of voters reject the candidates, the election should be cancelled and these five should not be allowed to contest again,” Anna Hazare said.

He felt this reform is a must to check corruption in elections and pointed out that a candidate is spending Rs5 crore to Rs6 crore in each election to bribe voters.

“They get power by using money, and money by using power. There is need to put an end to this vicious circle,” he said.

He vowed to continue fight for Jan Lokpal and alleged that the government is not sincere in bringing the anti-graft legislation.

Hazare explained that the government initially turned down the demand to involve people’s representatives in bringing the legislation. He also referred to the government’s reluctance to bring middle and lower-level bureaucrats under Lokpal.

“For the next one-and-half years, I will visit all states to create awareness. I don’t know if I will be able to awaken all 120 crore people but if I go around, I can mobilize six crore people who can force the government to change the system,” he said.

Hazare claimed that the nation-wide campaign launched by Janatantra Morcha from Patna last month evoked good public response. He told the gathering that Morcha would be built from village level and that every person involved in it would be a leader.

He also clarified that nobody in the Morcha would be allowed to collect money.

Stating that he had been carrying on the fight for the last 30 years, the social activist said he had no fear of death. “I will feel honoured if I die while serving the society and the country,” he added.

50% of Goa police physically unfit: Manohar Parrikar

More than 50% of Goa police force is not physically fit due to the “pressures and unexpected demands” they have been facing while on the job, chief minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday.

“If we do a medical checkup, 50% of Goa police force is physically unfit. They will have some or the other problems. I am not blaming them. There are pressures and unexpected demands which have become part and parcel of their profession,” Parrikar told a gathering of policemen here.

The chief minister was speaking after launching a ‘community policing initiative’, a programme unveiled by Goa police to reach to the people.

“50% of the crimes would be solved if you (police) have good relations with the people. I have experienced it. I regularly get feedback from the people informing me various things,” he claimed, adding, “there are good Samaritans in the society, who are ever willing to fight against the evils.”

“Community participation will also help police to make over their image,” Parrikar added.

State police have decided to hold community policing initiative so as to improve their connect with the people.

Parrikar said the police force was demoralised when he took over the reigns of the state in March this year and his government is working to reinstate confidence in them.

DMK against FDI but ‘very strongly’ backs government

Government ally DMK Thursday said it was against foreign investment in multi-brand retail but “very strongly” supports the ruling UPA and wants it to complete its full term.

DMK’s Tiruchi Siva told the Rajya Sabha that his party “finds it essential that the government should go for its full term for the progressive measures it has been taking.. and we want to keep away communal forces”.

The DMK spoke against allowing foreign investment in retail in the Lok Sabha but voted for the government Wednesday. It has 18 MPs in the lower house and seven in the upper house.

In a repeat of its stand, Siva said in the upper house: “DMK very strongly supports the government, but opposes the motion for FDI.

“The DMK has never let its friends down midway.. We started with a mission and the DMK will always be with the UPA.”

Terming FDI a “foreign invasion” by multinationals, Siva said: “FDI giants will eat the small farmers and shopkeepers.”

He urged the government to start a farmers market instead of bringing in FDI. “Through such a market, farmers can bring their produce directly to the market, such things can be done.”

Siva said the government should have gone in for consensus “to assuage the fears in the minds of the people” about FDI.

IANS

Apollo Tyres to set up power plant in Tamil Nadu

To meet its electricity requirements in a power-starved Tamil Nadu, tyre company Apollo Tyres Ltd is planning to set up a 15 MW thermal power plant at its factory near here, the company said on Tuesday. Two units each of 7.5 MW will be set up at the company’s factory at Oragadam, around 50 km from here. The factory has a capacity to roll out 550 tonnes of passenger vehicle and truck/bus radial tyres per day, the company said in a statement.

According to the environment impact assessment (EIA) report by Hubert Enviro Care Systems Pvt Ltd, the expected outlay will be Rs 80 crore. “Coal is easily importable through the Chennai port, 52 km from the site,” the EIA report states.

The plant will come up in an area of 2.47 acres and the flyash (100 tonnes per day) will be disposed of to brick kilns. The power plant will run for 18 hours a day, with an effluent generation of 40.98 KL per hour.

IANS