River Limmat

Rated as the city offering the ‘best quality of life’ in the world, Zurich is one of the most beautiful destinations in Switzerland astride the river Limmat. Its medieval Old Town with its cobbled streets, churches, cafes and art galleries blends well with the modern transport system, world-class fine dining restaurants, shopping districts and nightlife.

By Sujata Dugar

Stay: If you are looking for a hotel close to Lake Zurich and right in the heart of the city for your day’s stay, the three-star Sorell Hotel Seefeld is a good option. Many of the city’s sights and attractions are within walking distance — Lake Zurich and its restful promenade, the opera house, theatres and museums, and also Zurich’s picturesque Old Town.

Eat: While at Zurich, enjoying a hearty Swiss meal becomes imperative. After all, you can’t be in Swiss country and say no to its delicious rösti (grated potato pancake that is pan-fried), fondue (melted cheese mixed with wine and served on a communal pot over a portable stove. It is eaten by dipping long forks with bread crumbs on it into the cheese) and raclette (a type of round cheese that is melted and its scraped portions are served. It is best eaten with boiled potatoes, gherkins and pickled jalapenos).Visit Hotel Adlers’ in-house restaurant Swiss Chuchi located in the heart of Zurich’s Old Town to enjoy some Swiss specialities.

If you’re looking for some vegetarian food, the over 100-year-old and the oldest vegetarian joint — the Haus Hiltl is the mecca for veggies. In 2012, it was certified the Guinness World Record as the oldest, continuously open vegetarian restaurant of the world.

For an absolutely one-of-its-kind dining experience, head to Restaurant Blindekuh at Mühlebachstrasse. Here, guests eat inthe dark and without any visual prompting, they are made to enjoy the flavours and taste of food by trusting their nose, mouth, hands and ears only. The restaurant’s visually-impaired waiting staff guides you through the meal, making your visit to Blindekuh an unforgettable one.

Or, for a sweet ending, just bite into the melt-in-your-mouth Luxemburgerli (a type of macaroon), truffles, tarts and handmade chocolates at Confiserie Sprüngli café located at Bahnofstrasse and Paradeplatz.

Grossmünster

See: Take an hour-and-a-half guided walking tour (Zurich Tourist Service at the main railway station. Spot the famous Niki de Saint Phalle’s giant sculpture inside the station which represents an angel who supposedly protects travellers and is a popular landmark, walk up to some of the city’s old historic buildings lined along the river Limmat – St. Peter’s Church, Grossmünster, or take a stroll through Niederdorf — the old town with its beautiful alleys and quaint shops selling the famous cuckoo clocks. The Old Town tour also includes a visit to Fraumünster Church, which has stained glass artworks by artists like Marc Chagall and Augusto Giacometti.

Buy: Arguably the most famous Station Road in the world, the Bahnhofstrasse attracts shoppers with its rows of boutiques selling international fashion labels; be it jewellery, watches, clothes or perfumes. Globus and Jelmoli are department stores stocking the major high-end brands.

At the end of Bahnhofstrasse, Prada meets flea market at Bürkliplatz, where the market stalls present their second-hand goods every Saturday between May and October. Shop at the Flohmarkt Kanzlei (flea market) for some good bargains. Whether it is the discount designer items or second-hand clothing from Fizzen, Zürich offers fashion clothing to suit each and every pocket. If you want to buy the famed Swiss knives of the Victorinox line or pick up gift items, chocolates and cheese in bulk, retail outlets like Migros and Coop are a good bet.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that he does not mind meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should newly-resumed peace talks proceed.

“There are no obstacles or barriers for us to meet in the time that we think we should meet,” Abbas told reporters here, according to Xinhua.

He was speaking at a joint press conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

The negotiations between Palestinians and Israel resumed last month after nearly three years as the Palestinians were protesting construction of Jewish settlements on lands that would make their future state.

Israel hasn’t frozen construction in major settlement blocs in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and released more building tenders over the past weeks, which clouded the atmosphere in the three sessions of talks.

Abbas said he hoped Israel would trade “the same true intentions” with the Palestinians concerning the peace talks, stressing on halting the settlement activities that “the entire world sees illegal”.

Abbas added that the Palestinians seized the opportunity to restart the negotiations, hoping that the ongoing conflict in the Arab world won’t affect these talks.

The French minister said the Palestinian-Israeli issue remains central in the region despite violent and powerful developments in the nearby countries, such as Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.

He reiterated France’s position that settlement was illegal, urging Israel and the Palestinians to go on with their negotiations until having a Palestinian state existing side by side with Israel. 

-IANS

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History of India cannot be written without mention of Congress. If we say that modern political set up of India started with the birth of congress, then I don’t think many of us would disagree. This party played very important role in fight for Independence and even after Independence this party played major role in shaping the fortunes of millions of Indians. In 66 years of independent India, Congress has ruled the nation for almost 54 years. This kind of domination by a political party is unique in political history of any country in the world.  This domination cannot just be a co incidence rather it explains the strong hold of this oldest party in India. There are some unique features of this party that no other party in India till now incorporates.

India is not only biggest democracy but is also a country with vast diversity of language, religion, race, region etc. Democratic set up under such diversity becomes even more challenging. Under such challenging situation Darwin’s law ‘SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST’ becomes quite applicable. So a necessary and essential condition to survive in Indian democracy is quality of ‘ACCOMODATION OF DIFFERENCES’. There can be no doubt that none other than congress is the best survivor, so it must possess this quality. Yes!!! Now I think you understood. Congress party‘s history is as long as history of modern India. The reason why it was formed in 1885 was to accommodate differences between British government and educated Indian class. Over the years this reason got lost (and for good reasons) in Indian struggle for Independence but somehow the foundational quality remained in the functioning of congress. With emergence of many dynamic leaders in congress, came in a phase where there was difference in opinion. This divided the congress between’ GARAM DAL and NARAM DAL’, BUT again they found ways to resolve their differences and become united and there are other numerous examples in which this quality has helped bail out congress. In post independence era as well, this is also responsible for helping them getting representation across the country. Since its inception this flexible nature of the party is not only responsible for its existence but also for it success.

If we go by performance, it is not always true that this party had best plans and gave us the best outcome. But they have successfully exploited the diversity of our nation. They are completely aware of the purest political truth is that in democracy there is only one qualification to rule and that is obtaining majority. Majority votes are the most important criteria and they have successful used “identity politics” to obtain them. We still live in colonial hang over and let’s accept this fact that dynasties play pivotal role in our country. Many people vote on the name of family and as most prominent leader during pre- independence India belonged to congress. So THEY HAVE LONG LIST OF DYNASTIC RULERS IN THEIR PARTY. This identity has been very successfully used to fetch votes for congress. This is the reason why Rahul Gandhi has such a stature in the party. The reality is well known not only to us but to the party also that they have better and able leaders than him in their party but they accept the bigger reality that he has the dynastical link of Nehru- Gandhi, which would get him votes.

Political scenario in India has been so heavily dominated by congress that the rules of the game is formed by them. Be it a right wing party or a left wing party after coming to power they rule like center wing party. We have so many examples from Indian states, a left wing party which talks about radical land reforms, sing anti privatization slogans, promises labor laws reform. But   after coming to power, they forget everything and try to balance everything which is how a center wing party like congress functions. This happens because the political structure has been framed and dominated by congress and it will require many more years to break them.  If we see the functioning of other political parties like SP, DMK, and NCP…… they have imitated the functioning of congress in actual sense.

Belief of congress in dynasty has benefited them on one more aspect; which is internal conflicts of the party. There has never been any conflict regarding the choice of the leader. The overall features of congress like accommodation of difference and divine importance of Nehru-Gandhi family has never brought the issue of leadership in congress. Unlike BJP, the main opposition party we would very rarely find congress party leader critiquing each other.

Considering these arguments if RAHUL BABA says that “IF INDIA IS A COMPUTER, THEN CONGRESS IS ITS DEFAULT PROGRAMME”..  This statement cannot be considered completely wrong. But can definitely be harmful considering the changing conditions of the nation. Voters charm for dynasties is declining and it is very evident from the emergence of self made leaders like Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar, Mamta Banerjee and many others. With new generation of voters, congress needs to reform their strategy as the present one may not sell in the market. . Till now they have been reading the voters sentiments very well, but  there is need of some reforms. Or else it doesn’t take long for an  outdated software to  be out of the market .Similarly other parties also have  to understand that to break the rules set by congress the first thing they need to do is to stop working like them.

Here comes the true essence of democracy which can be explained by the famous dialogue of OM PURI in MAQUBOOL that …. ‘SHAKTI KA SANTULAN JARURI HAI’… and for this all the parties have to evolve.

*Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not 
necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the Indian government. Examples of 
analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world 
analytic products as they are based only the source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of any Indian government entity.  

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Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Kamil al-Maliki on Saturday assured a secure investment and business climate and asked Indian companies to participate in the rebuilding of the war-ravaged country.

He said there were many opportunities in the energy, oil exploration, refineries, petrochemicals and fertilizers sectors of the Gulf nation.

The Iraqi premier was addressing a meeting organised by industry chambers Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

He also invited India’s participation in developing low cost houses, airports, railways electricity plants and harbours in order to compensate for the destruction suffered during the war years.

Health and education were other sectors where private investment was needed. 

The Iraqi Prime Minister added that his country was beginning to set up the financial mechanisms for investment in various projects and hoped that Indian banks would open branches to facilitate the transfer of finances.

Over the next 10 years, Iraq needs to spend a trillion dollars on the reconstruction of its vital sectors. 

-IANS

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India will have “direct democracy” by 2047 which will rein in exploitation of countryside and its economy will be “increasingly automated” preying less on natural resources, a leading environmental thinker said on Saturday.

Madhav Gadgil, an ecologist, environmental thinker and activist, said that there will be facilities for universal translation from all languages over the next three decades and literacy barrier will be lowered.

Delivering the 15th D. S. Broker memorial lecture on “An incorrigible optimist’s vision of India 2047” at the India International Centre Saturday, Gadgil said that world will be continue to be moulded by largely technological progress in the coming years with many unexpected twists and turns. 

“The global village of 2047 would be a world stripped of secrets that put at a disadvantage the bulk of the world’s population,” Gadgil said. 

He said evolutionary biologist John Maynard Smith had looked at major transitions in evolution and speculated that a coming transition would involve universal access to entire store of human knowledge. 

“With development of technologies of rendering text to voice and voice to text, the literacy barrier is already being lowered. Well before 2047, there will be facilities for universal translation from all languages to all other languages,” he said. 

Gadgil said that with these developments, India’s ecosystem people – those heavily dependent on the natural resources of their own surroundings, and India’s ecological refugees – those cut off from access to their traditional natural resource base, but without access to the fruits of the technology based economy, will have overcome the two major barriers that keep them disempowered today. 

“They will have adequate access to highly decentralized solar energy; they will also have total access to all relevant information,” Gadgil said.

He said that global village of 2047 will be stripped of secrets and democracy will truly flourish in such a world.

“We will make a transition from today’s flawed representative form towards a direct, a completely participatory democracy. With abolition of vote bank politics through direct democracy, politicians will no longer be continually stoking the fires of caste and communal discord and India will develop a harmonious, albeit highly diverse society,” he said. 

He said direct democracy will rein in the exploitation of India’s countryside and India’s ecosystem people by a technology based, increasingly automated economy “that is currently busy preying on natural resources that are the mainstay of sustenance of the vast majority of India’s population.”

He said with end to such exploitation, there will no longer be a place in India “for highly flawed forms of patronage” such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Food Security Bill. 

“Instead, true empowerment of people would bring prosperity to the natural resource based, labour intensive sector of the economy which will confer dignity and satisfying livelihoods on the bulk of India’s population,” he said.

Gadgil said India of 2047 will have a vibrant technology based economy. He said it will be highly automated and therefore employ only a small proportion of our vast population.

The D.S. Borker Lecture Series on “My Vision of India: 2047 A.D.” was instituted in 1999. The lecture is held every year in the memory of D.S. Borker (1911-1979), civil servant and public sector administrator with the aim to strengthen secular democratic values and traditions and encourage the process of thinking regarding the kind of India people want in 2047 – a hundred years after Independence.

-IANS

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The Karnataka government on Friday cleared 19 projects across verticals worth Rs.14,818 crore investment, with eight of them to be set up in and around Bangalore.

“The state high-level cabinet committee cleared the 19 investment proposals at a meeting here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with ministers and officials concerned,” a senior official told IANS here.

Among the companies whose major projects were cleared at the meeting are Infosys Ltd, Wipro Enterprises Ltd, Cognizant Technology Solutions India Ltd, Tech Mahindra, Asian Paints, Kirloskar Toyoda Textile Machinery Ltd, The Himalaya Drug Co, Tata Power and Medrich Ltd.

“The projects are across verticals spanning automobiles (3), chemicals (3), electronics (2), engineering (2) iron & steel (1) software (5), sugar (2) and tourism (1),” the official said.

The projects are expected to direct employment to about 70,000 people across the state.

“In a bid to decongest Bangalore and promote investments across the state, the committee has permitted six projects to come up in Bangalore Rural district and only two in Bangalore Urban district,” the official added.

Two projects will be located in Mysore district and one each in Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bijapur, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Kolar, Koppal, Ramangara and Tumkur.

The six projects in Bangalore Rural district, including that of IT bellwethers Infosys and Wipro with a combined investment of Rs.4,398 crore is projected to generate 23,302 direct jobs, while two projects in Bangalore Urban district worth Rs.2,145 crore will create a whopping 36,745 jobs. 

-IANS

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Narendra Modi’s journey from a common man to the chief minister of Gujarat has caught the fancy of NRI filmmaker Mitesh Patel, who is making a projected Rs.40 crore movie on him. He admits the film on the politico couldn’t be better-timed, but denied it being an “image-building exercise” for Modi ahead of the general elections due next year.

The idea for a movie on Modi’s rise to power set in two years back in Patel’s mind. And it was just last week that Patel met Modi in Gandhinagar.

“He said, ‘You can make it’,” Patel, who will produce the project, told IANS over phone from Ahmedabad. He is here scouting for locations for his film

“The elections are coming, and I think it’s perfect timing for my film,” said Patel, adding that the movie will essentially delve on how Modi progressed from being a tea stall worker to a political leader, who is now seen by many as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate.

“I am very impressed by his progress, so my movie is based on him and his struggle. I wish to give a positive message through the film. I have met him and explained my idea to him, and he said, ‘Okay’,” Patel, who is originally from Baroda, said.

Is it an image-building exercise?

“I am not targeting anything like that. The film is just on him, and it is not an effort to present any sort of truth. May the best person win the elections, but my film is not for any image-building,” he clarified.

The yet untitled movie is likely to go on floors in September, and it may be shot in Mumbai and Gujarat.

The film’s director and cast are yet to be locked. However, writer Mihir Bhuta, and Kishore Makwana, a close Modi associate, who has penned a book titled “Samaajik Samrasta” based on Modi’s speeches and writings, are helping Patel to put the film together.

“They are helping me with perfect information on Modi sir, and I am also taking help of books. But the film will be a mix of fact and fiction. Mihir Bhuta has written the script,” said Patel.

As for the lead actor, the producer has his eyes set on the versatile Paresh Rawal.

Patel, hopes to present the movie as a commercial biopic on the lines of the recently released hit “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”, which profiled the struggles of ace athlete Milkha Singh and “Guru”, which was inspired by the life of businessman Dhirubhai Ambani.

“I want to give a very good message through the movie, and in a way that even general people (who do not follow politics) understand it. Not many people want to look at serious documentaries,” he said.

-IANS

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At least 29 people were killed and some 50 others injured in a violent prison riot in the eastern Bolivian city of Santa Cruz early on Friday, officials said.

One of the dead, Xinhua reported, was a child living with incarcerated parents.

The melee began about 5 a.m. local time (0900 GMT), when the sound of gunfire was heard, and a huge fire fueled by exploded propane gas tanks injured inmates severely.

Clashes broke out between rival cell blocks for control of part of the overcrowded Palmasola prison, local media said.

The injured were taken to local hospitals, with many of them in serious condition, according to Bolivian daily “La Razon” (Spanish for “reason”) quoting Santa Cruz Ombudsman Celso Parada.

The situation has been put under control, and bodies were taken for autopsies and identification, said police commander Jorge Aracena.

Police had earlier put the death toll at 15.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has begun an investigation into the riot.

Children who have their parents incarcerated and with no other relatives live intermingled with prisoners in the Palmasola Penitentiary Complex outside Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s biggest city.

There are some 3,500 inmates in Palmasola prison, surpassing the prison’s capacity.

-IANS

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India and Iraq Friday inked four agreements, including on energy cooperation, and decided to go in for joint exploration for oil and setting up of petrochemical complexes as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his visiting Iraqi counterpart Nouri-al-Maliki held talks here.

Iraq also sought India’s help in reconstruction of its infrastructure devastated in the long years of war and Maliki assured Indian business leaders and companies of protection and guarantees if they work in his country. Though US troops withdrew from Iraq in December 2011, bomb blasts triggered by militants have been shattering the peace of the country that is struggling to get back on its feet.

Manmohan Singh, in a statement after the inking of agreements, said Maliki’s visit would impart a “new dynamism” to their bilateral ties.

He said both had agreed to take their energy trading relationship into a strategic partnership, including through joint ventures in oil exploration, petrochemical complexes and fertilizer plants.

Iraq is India’s second largest supplier of crude at more than 12 percent of total imports, fast replacing sanctions-hit Iran. Besides energy cooperation, both sides inked an agreement on water resource management, with India to help in management of the Tigris and Euphrates and other rivers in Iraq that have suffered in the long years of war.

An MoU was signed between the respective foreign ministries on foreign office consultations and between the Foreign Service Institutes of India’s external affairs ministry and the Iraqi counterpart for training of diplomats.

Manmohan Singh also offered to help in reconstruction efforts as well as in rebuilding and upgrading higher education and healthcare institutions.

Both sides have also identified other areas of cooperation, including in agriculture, water resource management, pharmaceuticals, health care, information technology, infrastructure, low cost housing and trade.

The Iraqi prime minister said his country has potential capacities and energy and India can contribute to developing the economy. Maliki, a Shiite, said Iraq has missed out a lot in the long years of war and sought cooperation from Indian private and public sector companies in helping rebuild his country’s infrastructure and economy.

“Iraq is seeking the best opportunity to rebuild a democratic and modernised state,” he said.

He assured Indian companies of protection and guarantees if they come to work in Iraq.

Maliki also pushed for the finalising of agreements in the field of agriculture, higher education, housing, trade, security cooperation and transport as soon as possible. He also spoke of cooperation in parliamentary affairs and in the cultural fields and counter terrorism cooperation.

Iraq has gained a lot of experience through what it has suffered and knows the method to control extremism, he said.

Earlier, while interacting with Indian business leaders, Maliki said his country was depending on India’s experience for rebuilding its devastated infrastructre.

He said Iraq is rich not only in oil and gas, but offered greater opportunities for India in other sectors like infrastructure, ports, airports, health and education.

Addressing the concerns of Indian businessmen, he said India and Iraq will look at the possibility of an understanding between their respective central banks of trading in their local currencies to resolve the issue of delay in payments to exporters.

He also said Iraq is working to make the tendering process for sourcing equipment less restrictive for Indian companies, as Indian goods are not allowed to participate in tenders floated by Iraqi companies.

Maliki also called on President Pranab Mukherjee who said India remains committed to assisting Iraq in the process of rebuilding its infrastructure and institutions. Indian entrepreneurs and Indian industries are eager to engage with Iraq, the president said.

Maliki said India and Iraq complement each other. “India needs energy while Iraq needs investment to generate employment.”

-IANS

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Friday that he was eagerly awaiting the central government to accord special category status to the state.

A day after Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla told the Rajya Sabha that Bihar’s request for special status was under consideration, Nitish Kumar said there was nothing new in the minister’s statement.

“We are simply waiting for the central government decision to accord special category status to Bihar,” he told the media here.

The chief minister has repeatedly declared that Bihar would develop economically rapidly if it was granted special status.

Nitish Kumar said he was confident of a positive development in favour of Bihar on the basis of report of a committee headed by Raghuram Rajan, the finance ministry’s economic advisor.

“Now the time is ripe for the central government to take a decision and we are waiting for it.”

Nitish Kumar said Bihar had been seeking the category for long and had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

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Jharkhand Friday expressed disappointment with union Planning Minister Rajeev Shukla’s statement in the Rajya Sabha a day ago that there was no move to grant special status to the state.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said: “We appeal to the central government to reconsider the parameters for granting a state special status. We will hold talks with the centre and request special status for Jharkhand.”

Parties across the political spectrum in the state termed Shukla’s statement unfortunate, and demanded special status for Jharkhand. 

“The statement is unfortunate. The central government is overlooking the facts that point to why Jharkhand should be granted special state status. Jharkhand should convene an all-party meeting over the issue,” Arjun Munda, former chief minister and a BJP leader, told reporters.

Echoing Munda, the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto said: “The mineral-rich Jharkhand has long been exploited. More than 50 percent of the state’s population live below the poverty line. We will fight for special status.”

States that face backwardness on account of difficult terrain or social conditions are granted special status, offering them preference in federal assistance as well as tax breaks. 

States granted such status get significant excise duty exemptions to help improve social conditions and attract industrialists to set up manufacturing units. In 1969, for the first time, three states — Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland — were accorded special status. 

-IANS

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Authorities in Odisha Friday said the 3.1 million tonne per annum steel plant of Bhushan Steel Ltd in the state could face closure if it failed to comply with prescribed pollution norms by Sep 30.

The State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), which has already ordered closed a coal-based power plant of the company in Dhenkanal district nine days ago over pollution concerns, said it had also inspected the steel plant located nearby last month, and found several instances of non-compliance with norms.

“We have given them the opportunity to correct it. If they don’t comply, we would be harsh on them,” member secretary of the board Lalit Kumar Tewari told IANS.

The steel plant, located at Narendrapur in Dhenkanal, about 150 km from here, was granted consent to operate by the SPCB, valid till Sep 30.

A senior board official said the unit had been served notice a number of times in the past, seeking corrective measures, but company officials had not paid heed to them. This prompted the board to issue a direction June 25 asking the unit officials to comply with the norms in respect of air and water pollution, and solid waste management.

The board had also asked the unit to submit an action taken report within the stipulated period of 15 days, but no reply was received from them, he said. The board again sent a team of experts who inspected the plant and nearby areas July 16-17. They found that the unit was discharging huge volume of pollutants into nearby drains, in violation of the prescribed standards.

The industry has grossly failed in the management of the process effluent and surface runoff generated from the entire plant, said the official, who was part of the inspection team. 

“Presence of high concentration of toxic pollutants in the discharge made to nearby water bodies is a matter of serious concern,” he said.

Despite the steel plant having been given sufficient opportunity to control pollution, the board observed persistent non-compliance. “We will wait for the deadline. If the company does not comply with the norms, we will be forced to shut down the plant,” the official said.

When contacted, a senior company official declined to comment.

-IANS

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The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) has asked the power regulator to look afresh at its order declaring that Reliance Power’s 4,000 MW Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) had not started commercial operations on March 31 as scheduled.

In a filing to the BSE, the company said APTEL has set aside the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission’s impugned order and has directed it to look into the matter afresh, including the issue of maintainability raised by Sasan Power Ltd (SPL) without being influenced by its earlier findings. 

“The order is set aside and the matter is remanded back to the Central Commission to decide the issues afresh after hearing of the Appellant (Reliance Power) and other concerned parties,” APTEL said in its judgement dated August 12.

CERC had set aside the certificate issued by Independent Engineer’s (IE) for declaration of COD (commercial operation declaration) of Sasan UMPP’s first 660 MW Unit. 

“We find that the Central Commission has decided the issue on merits without giving an opportunity of being heard to the Appellant (Reliance Power) on the merits of the case and without deciding the issue of maintainability raised by the Appellant.” APTEL said in its order.

Reliance Power through SPL, had filed an appeal with APTEL on grounds that the CERC order was violative of principles of natural justice and not tenable in law.

SPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Power implementing Sasan UMPP in Madhya Pradesh.

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Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday said India requires to step up production of resources like coal and iron ore and contain the current account deficit (CAD).

Addressing media persons here, Chidambaram said the government will take structural measures to further reduce CAD, while coal production required to be increased so as to curb import of the fuel.

Pointing out how domestic coal production shortfall was affecting power projects and production, the finance minister cited this as example of some of the “structural issues” that required to be addressed to give a push to production activity.

Highlighting the need to boost mining, the finance minister said that the government was keen to get the “iron-ore mining sector back on its feet.”

There were two points of view on the question of cutting export duties on iron ore.

“There are two views, one that export duty (on iron ore) should be cut and the other that it should not be. We have representations from both groups and the matter is being examined by the Central Board of Excise and Customs,” Chidambaram said.

The Mines and Commerce ministries had recently requested the Finance Ministry to cut export duty on iron ore on grounds that it would not only increase domestic production, but also lead to reducing the current account deficit. The steel sector is, however, opposed to such a move. 

Chidambaram had recently stated that the government is working to operationalise 215 stalled projects involving about Rs.700,000 crore.

-IANS

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The Indian rupee slipped for the fifth straight session Thursday to below the psychological level of 65 against a dollar, even as the government tried to calm the markets saying it is considering more steps for the currency’s stability.

The partially-convertible rupee slumped to a new record low of 65.56 against a dollar at the inter-bank foreign exchange market in Mumbai, surpassing its previous record low of 64.54 touched Wednesday.

The currency recovered in the late trading and ended the day at 64.55 against a dollar, 44 paise weaker than its previous day’s close at 64.11. 

The rupee has touched new lows for the fifth session in row. The currency touched new record closing as well as intra-day lows. 

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram called for calm in the currency markets, saying there was no reason for such unwarranted pessimism and stability will soon return in the markets. 

“There is no cause for panic … We are confident that the stability will return to the markets,” Chidambaram said at a media conference in New Delhi. 

The finance minister said volatility in the currency market was unacceptable and the government was taking measures to improve the situation. 

Chidambaram said rupee is undervalued and has overshot its reasonable limit. However, he said the government was not targeting any particular exchange rate for rupee. 

“We are not targeting any particular level for the currency. We want a stable currency … rupee today is undervalued and has overshot,” he said. 

The Indian currency was battered, tracing weakness in major Asian currencies after the US Federal Reserve indicated that it would start tapering stimulus soon and as early as next month. 

Scaling back of stimulus would lead to further outflows of money from the capital markets putting further pressure on the currency. 

Currencies of other emerging markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand also hit multi-year lows on the US Federal Reserve move. 

The Indian currency remains under pressure despite interventions from the central bank and the government to prop up the rupee. 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a slew of measures in the recent weeks to bolster the currency. The central bank Tuesday announced measures to tighten cash conditions and support longer-dated debt. 

The RBI has also simplified rules to attract money from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and portfolio investments like equities and debts. 

Meanwhile, stock markets witnessed smart recovery after four straight session of loss. The 30-scrip Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) rallied 407.03 points or 2.27 percent to 18,312.94 points. 

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed the day’s trade 105.90 points or two percent up at 5,408.45 points.

-IANS

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A benchmark index of Indian equities markets Thursday closed in green for the first time in five trading sessions, gaining over 400 points or two percent, even as the rupee fell to a new record low and concerns over the US stimulus programme grew.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,896.84 points, ended the day’s trade at 18,312.94 points, up 407.03 points or 2.27 percent from the previous day’s close at 17,905.91 points.

The Sensex touched a high of 18,349.82 points and a low of 17,759.59 during the day. The gains came a day after it closed below 18,000- mark at 17,905.91 points– the lowest in 11 months.

The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) closed the day’s trade 105.90 points or two percent up at 5,408.45 points.

“A deep oversold Indian equities and uptick in the European bourses provided the uplift to Indian stocks, which has clocked gains of two percent on the broad indices,” said Anindya Banerjee, analyst, Kotak Securities. 

“Expectation that government could lift ban on mining propped the banking shares upward. The weakness in the rupee, which touched a fresh life time low against the 65.56 did not have much impact on the equity markets, beyond intra-day volatility.”

The turnaround in the markets came despite rupee breaching the psychological resistance level of 65 against a dollar. This was the new record low for the rupee, and a consecutive sixth straight fall in a row session, after the US Federal Reserve hinted it would start scaling back stimulus as early as next month.

The partially-convertible rupee slumped by 2.2 percent to hit a new record low of 65.56 against a dollar at the inter-bank foreign exchange market here, surpassing its previous record low of 64.54 touched Wednesday. The rupee, however, recovered to 64.55 to a dollar.

Almost all the stocks, except realty sector, closed in green. Healthy buying was observed in metal, oil and gas, healthcare, automobile, information technology (IT) and public sector undertakings (PSUs).

The S&P BSE metal index gained by 588.27 points followed by oil and gas index which increased by 277.63 points, healthcare index rose by 221.44 points, automobile index gained by 196.76 points, IT index went up by 184.94 points, automobile index was down 196.76 points and PSU index closed 149.43 points higher. 

However, BSE realty index was up 8.62 points.

The major Sensex gainers were: Hindalco Inds, up 10.93 percent at Rs.103.55; Sterlite Inds, up 10.42 percent at Rs.87.45, Tata Steel, up 10.22 percent at Rs.273.30, ONGC, up 7.28 percent at Rs.268.95 and Bharti Airtel, up 4.97 percent at Rs.313.45.

The main losers were: HDFC, down 1.01 percent at Rs.739.20, and HDFC Bank, down 0.26 percent at Rs.592.10.

Among the Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei closed 0.44 percent down, while China’s Shanghai Composite Index was higher by 0.36 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was down 0.28 percent. 

In Europe, London’s FTSE 100 was trading 0.89 percent up, while Germany’s DAX Index was higher 1.07 percent. The French CAC 40 Index gained by 1.01 percent. 

-IANS

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Almost Rs.2 billion has been disbursed to over 4.50 million gas consumers in 20 districts across India under the Aadhar-linked Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (cooking gas) Scheme, an official statement said Thursday.

The payments were made directly to the consumers’ bank accounts.

The DBTL Scheme, described as a “resounding success” was launched June this year in 18 districts following by two more in July, with another 35 districts scheduled to be included in the initiative from Sep 1.

This will take the total number of cooking gas consumers covered in these 35 districts to 2.12 crore which will be entitled for receiving direct subsidies into their bank accounts.

The districts to be covered under DBTL are in Kerala (12), Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh (7 each), Punjab (5), Madhya Pradesh (2) and one each in Maharashtra and Goa.

The DBTL scheme was launched with the intention to curb leakages and prevent black-marketing and provide subsidy to consumers in their bank accounts linked with Aadhaar Card numbers.

All Aadhaar-linked domestic cooking gas consumers get an advance of Rs.435 into their account when they book the first subsidized cylinder before delivery. 

When that is delivered, the next subsidy again gets credited in the bank account which can then be used to buy the subsequent cylinder at market rates.

All consumers who have not yet linked their Aadhaar Cards with their bank accounts and LPG accounts can do so till Aug 31 to continue availing the subsidies.

Only those consumers who fulfil the above criteria shall continue to get the DBTL scheme benefits, the others would have to buy the LPG cylinders at market rates, the statement said.

-IANS

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The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Thursday gave a call for a two-day shutdown in West Bengal’s Darjeeling Hills in the wake of the arrest earlier in the day of its assistant general secretary Benoy Tamang along with six party workers.

“The Hills will be closed on Saturday and Sunday to condemn the unwarranted arrest of GJM leaders,” GJM supremo Bimal Gurung said.

Tamang, a close associate of the GJM supremo, is also the senior-most of the GJM leaders to be arrested so far. He is, however, only one of nearly 700 party activists held by state authorities since the renewed protests for the formation of a separate Gorkhaland began last month, after the United Progressive Alliance at the centre approved the carving out of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.

“Tamang and the others were rounded up from Rangpo in connection with cases like putting up road blocks and preventing police officers from carrying out their duties,” Kalimpong sub-division Additional Superintendent of Police Sangmit Lepcha said.

Forty GJM activists were taken into custody since Wednesday night, district Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said.

-IANS

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How many of us believe in ghosts? Do they actually exist? Can they be felt? Believers will reply in affirmative and non-believers will perish the thought. But everybody would like to take a trip to THE den of the ghosts and such was the trip to Bhangarh, considered India’s ‘most haunted’ place.

Interiors, Bhangarh Fort

Although it is a 300-km drive away from Delhi, yet a handful of people know about it. We started driving towards Bhangarh from the capital early morning, expecting the journey to last not more than four hours. As not many people frequent the place, we did not have any first hand information and took guidance from a map and distance measurements available on the internet.

After crossing Gurgaon, we proceeded towards Bhiwadi and turned to Alwar district in Rajasthan. Till this point we did not encounter any problem; it was a nice long drive with a little anxiety about what we would encounter at the Bhangarh Fort.

From Alwar, as we crossed the Sariska reserve, the weather conditions changed. The sky became completely dark and in the afternoon it seemed like 7 o’ clock in the evening. Dark clouds started descending over the Aravalli range and both melted into each other.

The weather condition was becoming hostile as we were approaching the fort. To add to our plight, we bumped our way over at least two kilometres where there was no asphalt on the surface. After crossing Ajabgarh, we entered into the Bhangarh territory. It started raining profusely and the visibility fell down to 500 metres. Luckily, we were carrying umbrellas and without wasting a minute’s time, we jumped out of the car and entered the fort. The lush green grass in the fort and its adjoining area surprised us. It did not, at all, seem like a place in the desert state of Rajasthan. There were many local tourists who came in groups, mostly youngsters. The dilapidated fort and the ruins welcomed us.

As we entered, we found a Hanuman temple right next to the main gate. The sprawling area has more than half a dozen temples: Hanuman Temple, Gopinath Temple, Someswar Temple, Keshav Rai Temple, Mangla Devi Temple, Ganesh Temple and Naveen Temple, and a very strategically located Purohitji ki Haveli. It left us to wonder how ghosts stay in a place where there are so many temples.

Someswar Temple

A young tourist, Babulal, who was in a group of 10, said: “We all have come to see the bhoot bangla (the fort of the ghosts)! We have heard about this place and hence thought of coming once.” As we entered, we saw a Dancers’ Haveli and Jauhari Bazaar. Though dilapidated, the locals say paranormal activities are observed in these places at night. Further down the sprawling expanse of the fort was the Gopinath Temple, crossing which we reached the Royal Palace. It is located at the farthest end of the fort area.

The architecture speaks volumes of the talent and acumen of the people during the rule of Bhagwant Das who established the town in 1573. There are many myths about the place. It is believed that the entire township was obliterated in a day. But no written evidence has been found till date.

Against the backdrop of the Royal Palace stands the Aravalli Range. Bisram Nath, who works in the Someswar Temple said, “At times wild animals come down from the mountain ranges at night. A few families like ours stay within the premise. We stay near the Ganesh Temple. The biggest problem is that the area does not have electricity.”

The Archaeological Survey of India has put up a board on the fort gate which reads that it is prohibited for tourists to stay inside the fort area after the sunset and before the sunrise. The locals confirm that whoever has tried to stay inside after the sunset was never found.

Exterior, Bhangarh Fort

While standing on the terrace of the Royal Palace, one can view the vast expanse of the fort, which has four gates – Lahori, Ajmeri, Phulbari and Delhi and where life seems to have come to a standstill. Like all the other tourists, we also left the place before the sunset with many questions unanswered in our minds.

Ready Reckoner:

• Route: Delhi-Gurgaon-Bhiwadi-Alwar-Sariska-Thanagazhi-Pratapgarh-Ajabgarh-Bhangarh. It’s a nearly 300-km drive. Travel in an SUV and always carry a spare tyre as there are stretches where, for kilometres, there are no petrol pumps or habitations.
• Always carry some dry food as good dhabas and eateries are rare.
• Carry a torch with you as the fort does not have electricity and during the day, a torch will help you to see parts of the fort better.

– Aparajita Gupta, IANS

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Durga Shakti Nagpal. The suspension of a young IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre has brought to the fore the fact that religion, caste and criminals still dominate ourage old politics. Uttar Pradesh has always been known as a powerhouse of clout. Some of the best leaders of our nation came from this very state. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the peacekeeper Lal Bahadur Shastri, the very controversial but brilliant Indira Gandhi, the poet among leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee… the list goes on. That it is important to win UP to win Delhi is a well-known fact. An honest officer being suspended for doing her job is a shocking instance of power-play politics in Uttar Pradesh. Sad as it may be, it is a sad example of how criminals and selfish political goals are sucking the life out of honesty and morality.

The Uttar Pradesh government said Nagpal was suspended because she ordered the demolition of a mosque wall, which – according to the politicians – may have lead to communal disturbances. But the facts tell a different story altogether.

So here’s how the events actually played out. An FIR was lodged against a Mr. Khari – a person who was allocated rights to mine in the Yamuna region, but not until he paid the deposit he was supposed to pay the government. A police team was dispatched to arrest Khari – who turned out to be absconding. Soon after, Khari got a stay on the arrest warrant from Allahabad High Court. Just two days after this, the suspension order for Durga Shakti Nagpal rolled in on the pretext of the mosque wall being demolished.

Take note of the two important links in the story – first one being the mafia rule and its relationship with politics. The second one is the importance of the Muslim vote bank in Uttar Pradesh.

Dig into the Election Commission’s database, and you’ll discover that 48 % of the politicians in Samajwadi Party have a criminal record. That said, the IAS officer’s suspension shouldn’t come across as big a shock to you.

Elections across the world are expensive affairs. The amount of money spent during elections is huge and the source of this income is almost always shady. The recent appeal of bringing the income source/s of political parties under the RTI Act is being vehemently opposed in the Parliament. Roles for criminals such as Khari are cut out at times like these – they provide these parties with lots of funds during elections.In return, they gain political immunity – you scratch my back, I scratch yours.

Ambedkaronce said, “It is not enough to be electors only, it is necessary to be law makers otherwise those who can be lawmakers will be the masters of those who can only be electors.”

The recent political equation has made Muslim votes quite relevant to winning Uttar Pradesh. The entire population of the state can be divided into four parts – the upper caste Hindus, the Muslims, the OBCs and the SC/STs. Going by the history of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP mainly had the votes of the upper caste Hindus. Samajwadi Party (SP) has had a huge base of OBC voters, while the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has always been voted for by the SC/ST community. But this equation seems to have gone through an evolution. Over the last few years, the upper caste Hindu votes are now flexible, and not easily predictable. Considering the effects of “Modimania” in recent times, the BJP is gaining strength in Uttar Pradesh again. This has led a lot of experts to believe that the Hindu vote just might go to the BJP this time around. This means Muslim votes will have a crucial role to play in government formation.

So, is the suspensionof Nagpal on grounds of the mosque wall being demolished actually a ploy to gain the Muslim vote? In all probability, yes.In spite of the sunni waqf board and the locals declaring that they never had any trouble with Durga Shakti Nagpal, the Uttar Pradesh government is simply not willing to cancel her suspension. This kind of politics will keep functioning till communities continue their infighting. Like a wise man once said, “Angrez chale gaye, divide-and-rule chhod gaye!”

Speaking of development and the eradication of corruption, the Lokpal Bill sounds like a joke once you know how things really work in this country. We talk about“India Shining”, and the very next moment, we’re voting for the friendly neighbourhood criminal. Mera Bhaarat Sachmuch Mahaan!

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