NGO Unearths Wheat Scam in Meghalaya

By Raju Das
 
Shillong, Feb 10 : A social organisation in Meghalaya has unearthed that wheat worth crores of rupees under the Targeted Public Distribution System has been allegedly diverted for the past several years.

Under a Right To Information application the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has given information that the State has been receiving wheat from 2008. Every month the State receives its quota of 1,403 metric tonnes of wheat, but none of the fair price shops are distributing it. A kilogram of wheat costs Rs 6.10.

“Where is this wheat going when the FCI has been supplying it to the State under TPDS,” Michael Syiem, who filed the RTI, said at a public hearing today.

Syiem said, he has requested representatives from the Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) department and also FCI officials for the hearing. Although the FCI sent its representatives, none of the State Government officials from FCS&CA turned up.

It has been alleged that the wheat is directly sent to local Chaki mills here and is grinded into Atta, Maida (flour) and other items for sale in the open market. The practice has been on for years now.

FCI officials said that the State Government would be in a better position to answer where the wheat was disappearing over the years.

FCS&CA Public Information Officer, P Ch Sangma claimed in response to RTI queries that wheat was being distributed in those districts of the State where there is demand.

He added, since tribal people’s food habit does not constitute atta in their diet, fair price shops here don’t lift it from FCI and hence the non-availability.

Syiem, moreover, pointed out that quality of rice and sugar in fair price shops was far worse than those lifted from FCI godowns.

“The quality of rice supplied from FCI godowns are of ‘A’ category, however, those sold at fair price shops are not fit for human consumption,” he said showing samples of PDS items supplied by the FCI.

Social organisations today said that similar complaints of poor quality rice, sugar being distributed at Fair Price shops have been reported from various parts of the State.

They said that after further discussion they would decide whether to initiate a criminal case against the State Government.

A Unique Fusion

Assamese dance and Rabindra Sangeet

A vignette from the programme. Photo Courtesy: Amit BhattacharyaKavita, New Delhi

Leave politics aside, there are happy tidings on North East India's cultural front. Just one case in pointa recent two-day festival of arts from the banks of the Brahmaputra in New Delhi which brought together classical, folk and tribal dances from Assam state in North East of India and that too accompanied by Rabindra Sangeet. The dances, staged courtesy the Nagaon-based Antara Kalakendra, were choreographed by the talented Mandira Bhattacharjee, who runs the school.

A taste of things to come was the graceful opening item, Sattriya , a classical dance of Assam. Interestingly, the traditional form of performing Sattriya dance was seen in the Vaishnavite monasteries (sattras) by male monks called Bhokots. Over a passage of time modifications were made in the original form and the dance is now performed on the stages of Kala Kendras and the likes.

The show stealers were, without doubt, dances performed by the Karbi, Bhortal and Bodo ethnic groups of Assam. One of the Karbi dances showcased the traditional harvest festival of Karbi Ablong district in Assam. The festival was authentically represented as joyous dance was followed by the dancers sitting down to feast on Karbi wine and food. Another typical Karbi dance, performed at weddings and other auspicious occasions, saw the dancers take magnificent leaps in the air, holding aloft gleaming swords and shields .

Many claps were reserved for the Bhortal dance which centred on a woman balancing brass plates on various parts of her body. The Bodo dance was a powerful representation of another harvest festival. Here women with their tresses flowing and wielding swords gave a superb demonstration of woman power.

Imagine the challenges that lay before choreographer Mandira: distinctive costumes, make up and music for each of the ethnic groups. What made her task even harder was the use of folk instruments to play Tagore songs. However as the evening progressed the dances and Tagore songs unravelled seamlessly, a combination which can often be jarring.

Says Mandira who lives in Guwahati, Assam, “Each indigenous community has different dances and folk instruments. They rarely mix with each other.”

It was also an uphill task, she adds, to retain the original flavour of Rabindra Sangeet played with folk instruments.

The performance over, Sattriya and Bharatanatyam dancer Mandira has a grouse about the lack of patronage. However, with more such performances, neglected North East dances could well enter the mainstream.

Empowered Councils Way Forward in Northeast: PC

New Delhi, Feb 10 : Formation of empowered autonomous district councils with necessary funds is 'the way forward' in the troubled northeast of India, Home Minister P.Chidambaram said Wednesday.

Chidambaram was addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of his ministry called to discuss 'matters relating to insurgency' in the northeast and the peace process initiated by the government.

He said the constitution of India was 'flexible and resilient enough to accommodate the aspirations of the people of the region' that has over 200 ethnic groups with distinct languages, dialects and socio-cultural identity.

'These groups want recognition of their identity and participation in governance. This aspiration can be fulfilled under the provisions of the Indian constitution,' he said.

Elaborating, Chidambaram said: 'Formation of autonomous district councils with the necessary powers and funds is the way forward in the northeast.'

The proposed councils have to give adequate representation to minority ethnic groups, he said.

'These must be pluralistic in structure and must work on the principle of inclusive governance. There are outstanding examples of autonomous district councils in the northeast and the government wants to strengthen these institutions,' he said.

The home minister said the situation in the violence-hit region has shown remarkable improvement in 2010 as compared to the previous year.

'The number of incidents of violence and the casualties of civilians and security force personnel have come down,' he said, adding the government is in talks with nine insurgent groups from the northeast and 'expects to reach agreements with some of them during the year'.

'The government is open to talks with groups which abjure violence,' he asserted.

Participating in the discussions, members welcomed the initiatives taken by the government and expressed happiness over the proposed talks with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) terror outfit.

Hottest Flight Attendants: Virgin Atlantic Tops In Survey

The video suggests fliers take cream with their coffee. Just sayin'.

According to a survey of 1,000 people by the Business Travel and Meetings Show (BTMS), Virgin Atlantic has the most attractive flight attendants with 53 percent of those surveyed picking Virgin's "red hotties."

Businesstraveler.com reported the survey results and noted Singapore Airlines' "cabin crew received 18 percent of votes for the top spot, while 12 percent gave Etihad's the thumbs up. Emirates' staff came in fourth with 11 per cent, followed by Aer Lingus with six per cent."

While 1,000 people isn't the largest survey pool, the whopping 53 percent of the tally going to Virgin's "red hotties" does say something about the qualifications Sir Richard Branson values when hiring staff.

Nobody's really complaining.

The survey results also fit in with the image Virgin Atlantic is trying to portray. Sleek, sexy, exciting. Some might claim Virgin Atlantic is objectifying their flight attendants, but after watching the following video, do you think they care?

How The Indian Govt Plans to Retrieve Black Money

New Delhi: Black money parked in tax havens abroad will be taxable income under the Direct Taxes Code Bill, the Centre told the Supreme Court today, spelling out a host of measures to retrieve it.

The government also informed the apex court that it has completed negotiations for Tax Informations Exchange Agreement (TIEA) with 10 countries where the money is believed to have been stashed.

The ten countries are Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Island, Isle of Man, Cayman Island, British island of Jersey, Monaco, St Kitts and Nevis, Argentina and Marshall Island. It said Cabinet approval has been granted in relation to eight of these agreements.

"It is submitted that the central government has proposed new provisions for unearthing black money in the Direct Taxes Code Bill by defining taxable assets as inclusive of the deposits in banks located outside India in case of individuals and such bank deposits not recorded in the books of account in case of others," an additional affidavit filed by the Ministry of Finance said.

The affidavit comes in the wake of searching questions posed by a bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar on a PIL filed by eminent jurist Ram Jethmalanai and others, seeking retrieval of black money stashed in banks abroad.

The government said it has initiated the process of negotiations with 65 countries to amend the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and broaden the scope of the article concerning exchange of information.

It admitted that it did not conduct any fresh study on black money so far due to the reason that credibility of any estimate of such money was doubtful and transactions by their very nature were "unrecorded, unreported, complex and layered."

"However, keeping in view the recent international and domestic developments, a study has now been proposed to be conducted by the Finance Ministry for a thorough assessment/survey of unaccounted income/wealth both inside and outside the country, particularly bringing out the nature of activities engendering money laundering with its ramifications on national security."

The government submitted that in view of the stringent measures required to deal with undisclosed foreign bank accounts and cross-border transactions, the Central Board of Direct Taxes has asked the Income Tax authorities that in specified categories of cases, prosecution proceedings may be initiated immediately after completing the assessment or reassessment.

"It is submitted that once prosecution is launched in such cases, the information will be available for use by other law enforcement agencies and will also become available in the public domain," the affidavit added.

CBI Investigating Multi-crore Fencing Scam in Mizoram

By Paritosh Chakma

The CBI has launched probe into multi crore India-Bangladesh border fencing scam involving several senior Congress leaders in Chakma District Council in Mizoram.

Away from the media glare, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is quietly investigating alleged fraud in payment of land compensation to those affected by Indo-Bangla border fencing involving more than Rs 5 crore in Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) in Lawngtlai district of Mizoram.

The premier investigating agency is investigating the involvement of several senior Congress political leaders and officials of the CADC and the National Projects Construction Corporation Ltd after a complaint was filed by Laxmi Bikash Chakma, President, Bharatiya Janata Party, CADC.

On February 8, 2011, a two-member team of the CBI arrived at Kamala Nagar, headquarters of CADC and started the investigation. So far, the CBI has reportedly questioned the CADC Chief Executive Member, Kali Kumar Tongchangya and Executive Member in-charge of Revenue department,  Buddha Lila Chakma at the CADC rest house at Kamala Nagar.

Earlier, on August 30, 2010, the Governor of Mizoram had provided sanction to the CBI “for registration of a case under section 120B/420/468/471 IPC and Section 13(2) R/w 13(i)(c)& (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and all attempts, conspiracies, abetment relating to the alleged fraud in payment of land compensation to those affected by Indo-Bangla Border.

Fencing involving more than Rs 503,96,680 by National Projects Construction Corporation Ltd. and Chakma Autonomous District Council, Mizoram, during the year 2008-2009, to carry out investigation of the same and prosecute the offenders for the aforesaid offences or any other offence/offences made out of the same transactions in the court of competent jurisdiction.”

It is worth mentioning that this is the first ever CBI probe in the Chakma Autonomous District Council ever since the Council was created in 1972.

The CBI in this particular case has a wide ranging mandate to probe “all attempts, conspiracies, abetment relating to the alleged fraud” and to “prosecute the offenders”.

Sources informed that the CBI has already found clinching evidence against certain accused. However, it is to be seen whether the CBI will be able to bring the culprits to justice, many of whom are senior political leaders of the ruling Congress party in the Chakma Autonomous District Council.

via Merinews

Mizorm in Power Crisis

Aizawl, Feb 9 : Mizoram chief minister LalThanhawla today urged the delegates of North Eastern Regional Power Committee (NERPC) to find ways to resolve the acute power shortage in the region by asking additional allocation from Union Ministry of Power.

Addressing the tenth meeting of NERPC here, LalThanhawla said the peak demand of Mizoram has crossed 100 MW while the quantum the state received was normally between 30to 50 megawatts out of its allocated share of 65.31 megawatts.

"This resulted in the state power and electricity department to heavy load-shedding throughout the year," he said.

Outlining the efforts made by Mizoram government to generate additional energy, Lal Thanhawla said the 60 MW Tuirial Hydro Electric Project has been resumed and the 210 MW Tuivai Hydro Electric Project has been taken up as a pilot project to be executed on PP mode.

He said that Ministry of Finance, through Department of Economics, has appointed Mumbai-based CRISIL as Transaction Adivisor in Tuivai project venture.

NERPC meeting was attended by Power Ministers and engineers from the region and officials from the central utilities.

Why The ULFA Agreed to Talks Without Conditions

By R S Chauhan

Arabinda Rajkhowa, self-styled chairman of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom, will feel a sense of déjà vu when he visits New Delhi  on Thursday.

Exactly 19 years ago, Rajkhowa had led a ULFA delegation leaders to confer with then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao after the outfit's pro-talk faction thought it prudent to start talking to the government after two successive army operations had decimated its strength and forced many of its top leaders either to flee to Bangladesh or contemplate surrender.

Almost two decades down the line, Rajkhowa, whose real name is Rajiv Rajkonwar, is suing for peace with the government after spending over a year in a Guwahati jail. He and several of his close colleagues, high ranking ULFA functionaries, have this time decided to hold talks with the government without any pre-conditions -- a big departure from its previous stand that no negotiations are possible if the question of 'sovereignty' for Assam is not included in the agenda.

On February 5, when the ULFA formally announced its decision to sit for unconditional talks with the government of India , its leadership also admitted to continuing its armed struggle could be suicidal.

"The central executive committee and general council have resolved to sit for unconditional talks with the government, and this is in keeping in tune with the wishes of the people of Assam as reflected in resolutions of a convention held last year," Mithinga Daimary, central publicity secretary of the outfit, said at a press conference.

With that announcement, the outfit formed in April 1979, formally gave up its earlier preconditions, of (i) holding talks in a third country, (ii) including 'sovereignty' as an issue on the agenda, and (iii) and having an UN observer during the talks.

What made the ULFA which has cast such a long shadow over Assam's politics and society for nearly 20 years, suddenly opt for talks?

Two primary reasons immediately come to mind. One, Bangladesh, for long a safe sanctuary for the outfit's top leaders was not playing ball with the ULFA. Sheikh Hasina's  Awami League, determined to help India, cracked down hard on the outfit and arrested Rajkhowa and others and quietly handed them over. Except for its military wing chief Paresh Baruah, all top ULFA leaders were rounded up and sent to India.

The second reason was the people's disenchantment with the outfit and its policies. The outfit, which started out with avowed aim to serve the people and rid Assam of illegal migrants from Bangladesh, ended up taking shelter in Bangladesh! Also it indulged in senseless killing, alienating the majority of Assam's population.

The leadership admitted as much during their maiden press conference citing two very prominent killings.

"It was a mistake, absolute mistake," Sasha Choudhury, self-styled foreign secretary of the outfit confessed talking about Sanjoy Ghose, an NGO worker killed by the ULFA on the Majuli Island in 1997.

Choudhury also described the death of 13 children in the Independence Day blast in Dhemaji in 2004 as a 'mistake'.

Ghose, an alumnus of Institute of Rural Management, Anand, was abducted by a group of ULFA militants on July 4, 1997 in Majuli, the island on the Brahmaputra in Jorhat district, and was killed the same day.

His body was later thrown into the Brahmaputra, never to be recovered.

While the CBI named ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah as the prime accused in the sensational abduction and murder, altogether 11 ULFA militants were charge-sheeted by the investigative agency in the case.

(When Ghose, an INLAKS scholar, founder of URMUL, Rajasthan , and CHARKHA, New Delhi, and the winner of Sanskriti Award, landed in Assam in April 1996 to launch a project in Majuli, the world's largest river island in Brahmaputra, he definitely raised many eyebrows. He discovered that huge sums of money sanctioned by the government for development were going into the pockets of contractors and officials, as also to the ULFA.)

The killings alienated people from the outfit which had sold the dreams of Swadhin (sovereign) Assam to at least two generations of Assamese youth. Depletion of ranks through desertion and military action was another contributing factor that has forced the ULA leadership to read the writing on the wall and agree to talks.

Although Baruah remains as recalcitrant as ever, neither the government nor the ULFA leadership is too worried. In fact, talking about Baruah, Daimary said his opposition to the talks was an individual stand that did not mean a split in the outfit.

The ULFA spokesman said the outfit did not think Baruah would create hurdles in the proposed peace talks. "We had invited him to attend the central council meeting. Though we haven't got any response, we are also sending him the resolutions adopted by the general council," Choudhury said.

When asked whether the ULFA had split with Baruah refusing to support the proposed peace talks, both Choudhury and Daimary said there was no such possibility as "all four battalions of the armed wing are with us. But anybody defying the general council is liable to face disciplinary action," Choudhury said.

Revealing the stand of the outfit in the aftermath of the arrest of most of its top leaders in the past few months, Daimary also said that given the (changed) political situation in the region and the world, sticking to the armed struggle could prove suicidal.

"There is every possibility of seeking a military solution turning suicidal in the (changed) political situation in the region. The global situation also plays a major role in determining the success or failure of a struggle," a statement read out by the ULFA spokesman said.

Later, answering questions, Daimary admitted that preconditions set by both sides had stood in the way of peace talks for nearly two decades. "The stand taken by both sides had stood in the way of talks since 1993," he added.

The first and preliminary round of talks between the ULFA and the government is slated for February 10.

Whether the talks will lead to an honourable rehabilitation of ULFA leaders or they will drag on like the negotiations between the NSCN (IM), another north-eastern rebel outfit and the government, only time can tell.

There is in fact no clarity on what exactly the ULFA wants and in which direction the talks will go but as a MHA official puts it: "We are at last engaging the outfit. Resolution may be far away but this is at least a beginning."

That perhaps best sums up the current status of the ULFA-govt negotiations.