VinaiG's Diary - Loksatta Warrior

Don’t become scapegoats in regional politics, Dr. JP appeals to common people

2009-12-28T00:27:00.001-08:00

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today appealed to common and middle class people to immediately call off their indefinite fasts or fast unto death all over the State as part of their agitation either for separation of Telangana or against State’s bifurcation. They should not risk their lives and future as also that of their near and dear by being carried away by momentary passions since none will bother about them after the frenzy dies down. The rich and the powerful might stand to gain in many ways by resorting to indefinite fasts but not the common and middle class people. “Don’t become scapegoats in the games being played by political parties for short-term political gains.”

Dr. JP also appealed to people not to resort to bandhs and rasta and rail rokos which are playing havoc with the lives of daily wage earners, those in need of critical medical care and the studies of students. People could express their opinion through non-violent agitation without hurting others. “They are welcome to turn their wrath against political parties which have played with their lives by rousing their primordial loyalties.” He requested the media to help cool down tempers among people and the thinking people in all parties and organizations to shed their silence and work for restoring sanity in public life.

He was addressing the media after his return from Delhi where he met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Opposition leader L. K. Advani and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as part of his mission to defuse the present political crisis in the State.

His dialogues with national Government and party leaders, he said, had convinced him that the Government of India would come up with a solution that takes into account the aspirations and concerns of people in all the regions of the State. The Government of India is fully cognizant of the gravity of the situation.

Dr. JP said that “there is no magic formula that can simultaneously accommodate the demands for the State’s division as also for keeping it intact. Any solution will involve a give and take on the part of all the stakeholders. The Government of India cannot be expected to backtrack on a stand it has already announced in public but at the same time it is in no position to impose its will on a major State in a federal setup by riding roughshod over public opinion. There won’t be any winners or losers in democracy. A win-win formula that takes into account the views of all stakeholders in all the regions has to be worked out”.

Dr. JP repeated his contention that the formation of a separate State would neither be a calamity not a panacea to people’s problems.

In reply to a question, Dr. JP said he would term physical attacks on opponents as uncivilized and beastly. In reply to another, he said he had gone to Delhi on his own as a citizen concerned about the raging regional fires in Andhra Pradesh. Resignations by legislators were unwarranted since they are expected to utilize the forums available to them to resolve issues and not to abdicate their constitutional responsibilities.

Lok Satta appeals for restoration of peace

2009-12-28T00:26:00.001-08:00

The Lok Satta Party today appealed to people of all regions in the State to give up all forms of agitation like fasts, bandhs and rasta and rail rokos, restore peace and normalcy and create conditions for a healthy and negotiated settlement on the political crisis in the State.

Talking to the media in the wake of the Delhi decision on the demands for the formation of a separate State and for keeping the State intact, party spokesmen Mr.Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr.Y.D. Rama Rao, Mr.P.Ravi Maruth, Mr.V.Vijayender Reddy appealed to the media to pay a positive and creative role and promote amity among people of different regions in the State. Political parties and their leaders should refrain from making provocative statements and resorting to abuse and invective against each other all of which would merely undermine the parties’ credibility and complicate the situation. The political parties and leaders should ensure their members did not indulge in any acts that would harm the larger interests of the State.

Pending a negotiated settlement, the Government of India should initiate interim measures that address the concerns and aspirations of people in different regions of the State and facilitate the process of dialogue among people and parties of different regions in the State.

Lok Satta pities Chiranjeevi’s ignorance

2009-12-28T00:18:00.000-08:00

The Lok Satta Party said today that PRP President Chiranjeevi has merely betrayed his colossal ignorance of the Constitution and democracy by questioning the rationale behind Lok Satta’s stand in favor of district governments. (Chiranjeevi has commented yesterday in Visakhapatnam that formation of district governments amounted to the State's vivisection).

Talking to the media, party spokesmen Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr. V.Laxman Balaji, Mrs. K.Geeta Murthy said that what all the Lok Satta had been agitating for is in accordance with the 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution which envisaged transfer of powers, responsibilities, resources and personnel to local governments. The Lok Satta stand is in tune with Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of gram swaraj.

The Lok Satta has all along fought for empowerment of panchayats, mandal parishads, zilla parishads, municipalities and municipal corporations so that they would be at the service of citizens who are sovereign in a democracy. Governments existed for people and not the other way round. The era of power vesting in the PM, CM and the DM (prime minister, chief minister and district magistrate) should give way for power in the hands of governments elected at the local level.

In response to Chiaranjeevi’s demand that the Lok Satta clarify where it stood on the demand for keeping the State intact, the spokesmen pointed out that unlike Chiaranjeevi, who changed his colors like a chameleon, the Lok Satta had taken a consistent stand right from the beginning. The traditional parties supported the division of the State one day and opposed it the next day unabashedly and cynically for short-term political gains.

“A mature political party would not function like a weathervane and be swept away when primordial loyalties to religion and region, caste and language take hold of people. After all, the State had been rocked by caste clashes in 1988 and communal riots for many years. Is it wise for any party to side this caste or that religion when tempers run high?”

“Neither heavens would fall nor an El Dorado unveiled with Telangana formation. The Lok Satta is not opposed to Telangana formation if such a consensus emerged in its favor after wide-ranging consultations with all the stakeholders. It has no objection to the State remaining united if that is the consensus.

“The traditional political parties should realize that the formation of a Telangana State is merely a means and not an end. There will not be any transformation in the lives of people unless they are empowered and corruption eliminated, and quality education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities provided to all without reference to the accident of their birth in a particular caste or religion or region.”

Political parties should stop playing to the galleries in a bid to manipulate gullible people for their partisan ends, added the Lok Satta leaders.

Constitute National Judicial Commission - JP

2009-10-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to immediately constitute a National Judicial Commission with powers to appoint and terminate the services of Supreme Court and High Court judges.

Dr. JP, who called on the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan here last night, said the commission should comprise eminent citizens chosen in a bipartisan manner and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. He also wanted the formation of an Indian Judicial Service on the lines of the Indian Administrative Service.

Dr. JP’s suggestion assumes significance in the context of allegations of corruption against a section of the judiciary and the controversy surrounding the declaration of assets by Judges.

Addressing the media, Dr. JP said he had also suggested to the Prime Minister to make civil services competitive by providing opportunities for induction of the best and the brightest in different fields. He pointed out that sectors like education and health care are in an awful state throughout the country because there are not many competent people in the services to handle such all-important sectors and deliver results. Although Governments spent thousands of crores of rupees, the quality of education is shocking in that 40 percent of students cannot read a simple passage and 70 percent cannot do a simple division or subtraction after seven years of schooling.

There should be competition to appoint the best in key positions, drawing from government as well as outside. All key appointments, he said should be made by invitation and nor by application. The time has come to put an end to hierarchy in civil services and encourage competition and choice.

Dr. JP also pleaded for initiation of reforms in policing by making crime investigation independent so that it could be shielded from political pressures.

On governance in general, Dr. JP suggested that unless powers and resources are devolved on local governments, there can be no improvement. To curb likely irregularities and corruption because of decentralization, Dr. JP said, ombudsmen could be appointed in every district to check them.

Dr. JP told the media the Prime Minister had appreciated the suggestions and promised to follow them up.

Dr. JP, who is visiting the flood-hit Mahbubnagar and Kurnool districts on October 11 and 12, indicated that the Lok Satta Party planned to adopt a village in each of the four badly affected districts (including Krishna and Guntur) to facilitate their all-round development with the help of NGOs, the Government and philanthropic individuals on a long-term basis.

Dr. JP said that there was a proposal to divert the Hundri river a few kilometers away from Kurnool so that the town would not be vulnerable to frequent floods. If the proposal was feasible, funds should not be a constraint for implementing it.

Dr. JP heartily congratulated the officers and staff who have been tirelessly working to extending relief to the flood victims. He described the public response to the tragedy as magnificent in that every section contributed their mite towards relief.

Dr. JP demanded that all liquor outlets in the flood-affected areas be shut down at least for three months to protect the lives and security of poor families.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Mr. K. Rosaiah, Dr. JP quoted field reports to point out that large numbers of people in the flood-affected areas are squandering the assistance they are receiving from the Government and NGOs on liquor consumption.

The licenses of the shops which remain closed could be extended for the period they remain closed.

Dr.JP's Letter to P.M. on Flood Relief Help

2009-10-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

To
Dr. Manmohan Singh
The Prime Minister of India

Esteemed Prime Minster Dr Manmohan Singh ji,

We are grateful to you for the prompt assistance provided by the Government of India to Andhra Pradesh following the unprecedented flood in the Krishna River, last week. Your Government’s assistance has greatly aided the immediate relief and rehabilitation efforts of the AP State Government.

Now, we earnestly urge you to examine and act upon the following five critical issues, as a part of the Union Government’s long-term reconstruction and flood management assistance to Andhra Pradesh:

Resettlement of ‘lanka’ villages: The Krishna River’s lanka villages (situated on the river channels and close to the mouths of the river) are highly vulnerable to both riverine and coastal flooding. These villages should be relocated to suitable and safe locations nearby, to keep human settlements out of the flood path. As in the case of Godavari River’s lanka villages, agricultural activities could however be permitted to continue in these fertile but, low-lying and flood prone areas. The government’s Resettlement-and-Rehabilitation package for the State should fully and generously provide for the proper relocation of these lanka villages to safer areas.
Creation of a permanent ‘National Disaster Relief Force’ at multiple locations: The recurring heavy floods to the mighty Godavari and Krishna rivers in Andhra Pradesh have seen the governmental relief measures taking some time to reach the affected peoples and areas. Therefore a contingent of ‘National Disaster Relief Force’ needs to be created on a permanent basis to provide effective emergency relief. This rapid-response Force should be manned by adequate numbers of fully trained emergency relief personnel and must be provided with the necessary equipment including motor boats and human flotation devices along with emergency medical supplies and ready-to-eat emergency food rations. Units of this Force could operate out of bases in Vijayawada, Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar dams (all on the Krishna River) and Rajahmundry (on the Godavari River), to provide rapid emergency relief to flood-affected regions.
Flood-proofing the hydel power generation units: The long-term reconstruction package must provide for the flood-proofing of the hydroelectric power generation units on the right and left banks at Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar dams on Krishna River. This package must also provide for the strengthening of the hydel power distribution infrastructure. These steps would greatly contribute towards ensuring that hydel power generation and distribution are not adversely affected during major flood events.
Strengthening of the Krishna river bunds: Last week’s unprecedented flood of 25 lakh cusec-magnitude has severely exposed the structural limitations of the existing bunds on Krishna River (located downstream of the Prakasam Barrage at Vijayawada), which were designed and constructed to handle floods of less than 10-11 lakh cusecs. The bunds’ structure should be greatly strengthened so that they can handle floods of much higher magnitude, of around 25 lakh cusecs. This project must be taken up in a time-bound manner, and needs to be completed within two years.
Constitution of Expert Committees for flood mitigation and response to climate change:
1. The Krishna River, which usually sees chronic shortages of water leading to frequent water sharing disputes, has now witnessed a flood of unprecedented magnitude. Last week’s flood underscores the importance of a scientific and timely decision-making process on the manner of storage and sharing of river flows, anticipation of riverine floods and mitigating floods including advance depletion of reservoirs. We therefore urge the Government of India to constitute an Empowered Expert Committee to institutionalize permanent and verifiable measures for real-time monitoring of rainfall-runoff patterns and river water levels at critical points and thereby take appropriate and timely decisions to mitigate future floods. Such a Committee could consist of domain experts drawn from the Central Water Commission (CWC), other concerned public agencies and academia, experts in disaster management and public officials of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
2. Recent scientific evidence suggests a delay in the yearly onset of monsoonal rains, even as the intensity/severity of some individual rainfall events is increasing; the monsoon rainfall events too are perceived to have become more erratic and less consistent over the years. Any such long-term changes in the rainfall patterns would greatly impact Indian agriculture. Continental Europe has been experiencing advanced onset of its yearly spring and has undertaken a corresponding change in its agricultural practices.
Given the unique water-use needs and water management practices of Indian agriculture, we need to undertake a rigorous scientific study on the impact of any long-term change in the monsoonal rainfall patterns, drawing upon global expertise in this field. Therefore, we urge you to constitute an Expert Committee to study climate change patterns in India and recommend appropriate modifications to current water management and agricultural practices.

Undertaking the above measures would greatly help prevent or mitigate future floods and establish sustainable water management practices. We therefore urge your government to take all necessary steps at the earliest by charting a time-bound programme, to achieve the above objectives.

We have great faith in your leadership.

With personal warm regards,

Sincerely,

Jayaprakash Narayan
President

NOC for a vehicle bought in AP- Process

2009-10-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to get a NOC for your bike purchased in AP (Registered in Rangareddy RTO) and not ready to bribe a broker, plz follow the steps below :

1) First, visit the Traffic Control Room in Lakdi-ka-pul (it is to left of main road, just before “West-side” signal). Take your original RC card. Go to counter no. 2 (outside the office) and produce an application (write in plain paper, saying u are so and so, from so and so…asking for NOC…to transfer bike to blore). After getting signature on the application, take it to the guy in the 2nd floor in the office. He will prepare one more receipt and verify if your vehicle has any records. Take the same receipt to the earlier counter no. 2 and get the final receipt from counter no. 1. No need to pay here. (Yeah it’s a crazy process, but it is how it is)

2) Next, go to the Police Commissioner Office of Cyberabad (located next to Lakdi-ka-pul bus-stop) and pay Rs. 100/- to obtain the “user charge” receipt for the NOC. This should be a fairly simple process if the Commissioner is in office!!! I actually paid this “user charge” in e-seva after the advice from the Police Commissioner (Hyd) officials and found it was wrong!

3) Take the above 2 receipts to Madhapur police station and ask for NOC application. You need to take Xerox of Driver’s license and RC card. Incase a senior police officer is not in office, this process might take a day or two.

4) Now, you need to take the application given by Madhapur police station again back to the Commissioner office in Lakdi-ka-pul. You would now get a letter from Police Commissioner to RTO Head.

5) Finally, go to the Rangareddy RTO in Atahpur (close to Mehdipatnam). Just outside the entrance of RTO, buy a form 28 (you will get 3 copies) for 3 rupees. Fill up all 3 copies and give the same at counter no. 2 along with Xerox of insurance, pollution certificate and the letter you got above. Also take your original RC card for verification. You need to pay Rs. 50/- here. But here the system in weird. You can apply only in mornings, but collect receipts (NOC) in evenings from 4pm to 5pm. So minimum of 2 trips required here.

Citizen Help Center Inauguration by Dr.JP

2009-10-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

Educated have to put an end to politics of Plunder and populism: Dr. JP

2009-10-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said today that traditional political parties have perfected their politics of plunder and populism into such a fine art that they have eminently succeeded in masking the serious crisis the State has been passing through. All enlightened and educated people have to now decide whether they would like to end this plunder and failure or content themselves with cursing politics and politicians and keeping quiet.

Interacting with the media on the eve of the party’s third anniversary, Dr. JP said that the traditional parties had turned politics into a dynastic and lucrative business enterprise. To drive his message about the plunder being indulged in by political parties, he said he had come to know that a political party, fully conscious that it had no chance of winning, pumped Rs.60 lakh from the headquarters to make its presence felt in a ZPTC election in a district. To divert attention from their plunder, traditional parties threw sops at people instead of solving their problems.

Dr. JP said despite thousands of crores of rupees being spent on rural development, villages are getting depopulated as low-skilled people migrated to urban areas in search of livelihood. In the process, the urban areas have become ghettos. The failure of rains for a couple of months has caused enormous havoc although the State recorded copious rains for five years in a row. Quality education and health care and livelihood opportunities have eluded an overwhelming majority of people. Far from addressing such fundamental problems traditional parties have mastered the art of short terms sops to conceal the gruesome ground realities.

Dr. JP said such a crisis situation could not go on forever. There would be an implosion when people ran out of their patience. He could not predict when it would take place just as none could visualize the fall of the Berlin Wall or the break-up of the Soviet Union.

“If politics has become family business and power private property, the blame lies with us the people as politicians cannot ride roughshod over us without our consent.” As during the freedom struggle, all the educated and enlightened have to take the lead in transforming politics. The Lok Satta has created a platform for the best minds and hearts of India to pursue ethical politics and policies. It has had a track record of practicing what it preaches, reconciling conflicting interests and providing creative responses to vexed and long-standing problems.

Dr. JP conceded that the Lok Satta Party as of today is constrained by lack of competent leadership, effective organization, and ethical resources. It had just started taking steps to overcome its deficiencies by introducing executive membership. It would facilitate the emergence of leadership and the raising of resources.

The party had formed ad-hoc district committees pending fresh elections. Enrolment of executive members is under way. It has launched a ‘power for people’ movement in urban areas. In the first phase, the party will identify, in each ward, the issues the urban people are facing and estimate how much it will cost to resolve them. In the second phase empowerment of people through elected ward committees, allocation of people’s tax money to a time of Rs.1000 per capita to solve the problems themselves, adequate powers, and accountability will be made into people’s demand in each ward and municipality. In the final phase, if the government does not empower citizens, a non-cooperation movement will be launched against the government.

Asked whether a sympathy wave for the Congress in the wake of Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s death would hurt Lok Satta chances in GHMC elections, Dr. JP said he was not on the look out for any alibi for the likely performance of his party. However, he felt that people should have greater sympathy for themselves since each one is a hero in his life and exists for himself. “Leaders matter only to the extent they transform lives of people. Parties and leaders exist for people, not the other way round”, said Dr. JP.

Dr. JP disclosed that he would shortly be entrusting powers and responsibilities to party leaders so that he could focus on bigger issues, once relieved of day-to-day work,

Party spokespersons Katari Srinivasa Rao, V. Laxman Balaji, Mrs. K. Gita Murthy and Mrs. Y. Ramadevi flanked Dr. JP as he interacted with the media.

Source:Loksatta

GHMC Candidates for Jubilee Hills Constituency

2009-10-09T10:28:00.001-07:00

Things you need to keep in mind for ELSS investments

2008-02-26T00:26:00.000-08:00

Febrauary ...

its time for submission of tax proofs

As the deadline for the submission nears, one is hard pressed to make savings and submit the same ...

I had talked to many investment advisors for my tax saving...
I can go for Insurance( term plans or ulips), PPF, NSCs, ELSS etc ...
Everybody suggested me to go for ulip saying it would provide both coverage and market linked returns ...

But i prefer investing in term plans(better is whole life plans) and ELSS mutual fund investments ... as it gives me flexibility in choosing the insurance plan that suits my needs perfectly rather than opt for an ULIP ... And we can avoid the rather hefty charges involved in the first year of ULIP which eats away your principal ...

you can read a review of ulip

The bottomline is that the insurance companies will take around 40-50% of your first premium as charges ... Its better we be informed of all the charges in ulip rather than repenting later ...

i had invested more than 40k in ELSS schems ...
ELSS schemes have a lock-in period of three years and u cant take your money out for 3 years whtevr may be ur situation ...

Choose the scheme which
1.has consistently performed over the years ...
for this compare returns for the past1yr, 3 yrs, 5 yrs etc .... but not since inception as different funds were started at diff times ...
For this you can get the advice of any mf advisor ... and do ur homework on the
2. Make a direct application with the mutual fund company as you wont be charged entry load (of 2.25%) ... this rule is in force since 4th jan 2008. DONT FORGET TO WRITE DIRECT ON THE APPLICATION FORM AND STRIKE OFF THE BROKER CODE, IF ITS WRITTEN. *** MOST IMP ***
3.PAN card xerox copy is mandatory for applying to any mf scheme.
4.Give ur bank micr code for direct credit into ur bank if u have opted for divident option.
5.include someone as nomineee.

If you want to get the address of the fund house to make a direct application, google it for the company address ... you should find one.
if you have any difficulty, drop me a line.

hope these r helpful ...

Mr FM has slashed tax rates ....
new tax rates are as below

Up to Rs.150,000 NIL

Rs.150,001 to Rs.300,000 10 per cent

Rs.300,001 to Rs.500,000 20 per cent

Rs.500,001 and above 30 per cent

• in the case of a woman assessee, from Rs.145,000 to Rs.180,000;

• in the case of a senior citizen, from Rs.195,000 to Rs.225,000.

Spend the money u save by tax reduction !!!

EPIC ... My experience ...

2007-02-21T22:41:00.000-08:00

Wondering what EPIC is ...
It stands for Electors' Photo Identity Card. In an attempt to improve the accuracy of the electoral rolls and prevent electoral fraud, the Election Commission of India has pressed for the introduction of photo identity cards for voters. This is a massive task, and at present over 338 million (of the 670 million voters) have been provided. The Commission is providing ways and methods to deal with the problems with the issue of cards, and difficulties in keeping track of voters, especially the mobile urban electorate.
The commission has plans to make it mandatory to have EPIC for casting your vote. This will greatly reduce election malpractices such as rigging, bogus votes etc.
So, I decided to get my EPIC card since i heard abt it.

For this, first you need to be registered as a voter. i tried to include my name in the electoral list
since i m 18 yrs old. But until last year, i cudnt enroll myself as a voter in my native place.
Last year, i applied again for inclusion. but this time in hyderabad, for malakpet constituency.
I was lucky this time. I could see my name in the electoral rolls of malakpet constituency @ www.ceoandhra.nic.in.

Recently i happened to see a paper notice saying those whoever havent got their EPIC cards, can get the same by visiting thier respective polling centres. As i stay at Chaintanya Nagar(B N Reddy), as included in the electoral records, i had to goto the polling center @ Major padmapani achraya community hall,Hasthinapur. i was able to get the phone no of the incharge for this center.
When i called him, he informed me that he is incharge of kukatpally divison ... also, the paper ad contained a wrong number. But fortunately, when i called up another phone no given in the same paper ad, he is kind enough to provide me all the information i hav asked for, even though he is not incharge of that polling center.

Armed with this, i went to the polling center @ 9 am ... i forgot tht govt officials come to the office @11am,
As a norm, i count find any offical there... But many ppl are waiting outside the hall... When enquired, i found that the officials wud usually come @ around 10 30 am, i had no other way to go back and come again...
This time i came @ 10 40, still ppl r waiting like before ... After further enquiry, i found that these ppl r waiting for Ration cards ... EPIC cards are given in a room at the back of the main building ... When we went there we could find two persons working on their comps ... going through the Amazing software provided by APTS for EPIC issue. i happened to hav a luk at the software dvpd by APTS ... for the worse, it doesnt have any search capabilites ... All they can do is enter the serial no(in every polling station, there will be abt 1000 voters. each voter under this polling station is given a serial no)
he tried to find out my serial no using the software but to no avail.

I got to know few more things:
these ppl can only issue the cards with the data as feeded in the database.
Even though your name may be spelt wrongly, but you cant do much. It may so happen that your father name might be swapped with someone else's. Dont worry. you will get time to correct this mistakes.
but not now.
All you can do is take the card with wrong data. if you want to get it corrected, they will issue a one more paper notice but this time only for corrections in EPIC cards.

why it happens like this is anybody's guess ???

So absurd is the process ... But you cant do much.
Also the ppl who have designed this software cant do better job than this.
And as evryone knows, the cream of the software industry works for the elite MNCs.

But i did one good thing... noted down the polling stn no ...
i came to the office @ 12 30 pm and searched for my name in tht polling station data ...
I FOUND my NAME in that polling station data.

Now i just need to quote my serial no in the polling station(Sl. no. 701) to get my EPIC ...

(to be continued)
Hoping to get my epic card this sat'day ...i.e on 24th feb 07 :)