|
What is India News Service,
Wednesday, May 11, 2005 1730hrs IST
PM wants all to respect EC
Distancing from Laloo Prasad Yadav's accusation of the Election Commission, the PM asked all to respect the institution.
He said that India is on the verge of being a global leader and these sort
of politicking will only hamper its image as a stable and mature
democracy.Meanwhile, the Federal
Government has issued a showcause notice on Mr. Saptarishi whose report
was the basis on which Mr. Yadav kicked up a huge uproar. Other leaders
from Yadav's own party and now part of the Federal Cabinet disowned his
remarks on the Election Commission.
As editorials and political columnists
continue to attack Yadav for his tactics to attract attention to him as a
victim, other continue to charge him with incompetence, corruption, and
being the icon of political sludge of India.
Weapons of Mass Destruction and Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful
Activities) Bill in the Lok Sabha. This Bill aims to tighten the
laws relating to illicit trafficking of nuclear, chemical and biological
weapons-related material and technology. The passage of this bill will
also be used as a framework in broadening civilian nuclear co-operation
with Russia and the United States. |
|
"India still sending child jockeys"
India has been named one of the seven countries sending under-aged children to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as camel jockeys, a banned practice.
* * *
Mayawati questioned in assets case
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday questioned Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati in a disproportionate assets case registered two years ago.
* * *
SC notice to Centre on a dying person's right
The Supreme Court (SC) today issued notice to the Centre on a petition seeking the right of a dying person to refuse life-support system to prolong his life.
* * *
|
|
States
Hit by an unprecedented power shortage and pressure from the Centre, the Congress-led government in Maharashtra today decided to pull the plug on the free power scheme.
The scheme of providing free electricity to 25 lakh farmers in the
state was a major political sop in the run-up to the last Assembly polls. Instead, in a calibrated move, it announced a
subsidized power supply scheme for the farmers. The Chief Minister
said that the withdrawal of this scheme would save the state Rs. 500
crores annually. He also observed that the excessive usage of free
electricity by the farmers was draining power availability in the
state and had depleted the ground water reserves. Last year, another
Congress-led Government in Andhra Pradesh had also withdrawn a similar
scheme citing a similar reason.
* * *
|
|
Neighbors
India would resume arms aid to
Nepal. The Himalayan Kingdom fell out with India after its King citing
inefficiency and Maoist uprising to suspend the fledgling democracy in the
land-locked country. India responded by canceling a South Asian
Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit to be held a week
thereafter and also to suspending economic and defense aid. American and
European Governments followed the Indian example. |
|
|
A couple of weeks ago, the Indian Prime
Minister met the Nepalese King during the New Asia Africa Partnership (NAAP)
summit in Indonesia and agreed to resume aid when the Nepalese regime
promised progress on democracy.
Also, the Nepal Government has been
courting Pakistani and Chinese Governments for assistance. Reports
indicate a substantial increase in those engagements. The resumption of
aid to Nepal is viewed by some as a means by India to reclaim influence in
the country. Others have argued that the Maoist movement in Nepal has
overflowed into Indian border states affecting its internal security and
hence immediate help from India is necessary to stop this rot. Maoist
rebels attacked a major Army camp in Nepal overnight. Yesterday,
coincidentally, Indian naxalities (Maoists) attacked a unit of India's
largest Aluminum and Copper producing company in Chattisgarh.
India seems to have concluded that the
resumption of aid is paramount. To appease the communist allies in the
Government, the Prime Minister has characterization the equipment being
donated as "non-lethal."
* * *
Bangla ruling party defeated in City civic polll
Prime Minster Khaleda Zia’s ruling party suffered a miserable defeat in Monday’s most publicised and talked-about mayoral election in the south-eastern port city of Chittagong which turned out to be a prestige issue for both the government and the Opposit
* * *
Pak Air Force to manufacture Boeing parts
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has said it would start manufacturing parts for US-based aircraft giant Boeing from next month which would enable it to formally join the club of aviation parts makers.
* * *
Water war: India saves Pak from running dry
The World Bank on Tuesday named Raymond Lafitte, a Swiss professor, to mediate in a dispute between India and Pakistan over a dam India is building in Kashmir.
* * *
World Bank names neutral expert on Baglihar
The World Bank, which was approached by Pakistan for arbitration in the issue of the construction of the Baglihar hydro-power project by India in Jammu and Kashmir, has named a Swiss national as a neutral expert to resolve the dam issue.
* * *
International
Indian global balancing act
India will explore new areas of co-operation with the US in the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister to Washington DC, while also engaging other world powers -- especially Russia and China - in a trilateral cooperation to challenge the unipolar world order.
* * *
US must support India’s aspirations: Manmohan
Even as the situation in Nepal is being continuously monitored and whatever arms supplies are in the pipeline cannot be held back for long, there is no point in counting the chickens before they are hatched with regard to the US remaining silent on extending support to India in its quest for a permanent seat in an expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
* * *
Summary
Prime Minster Manmohan Singh supports the Election Commission, asks everyone
to respect the ECMaharastra
discontinued its scheme to provide free electricity to farmers. It cited budget
overruns, shortage of electricity production, and ground water depletion as
reasons for its volte face.
India resumes arms aid to Nepal after
Maoist insurgents
launch series of attacks in Nepal
The Government of India tabled a Weapons of
Mass Destruction Bill to tighten the laws relating to illicit trafficking of
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons-related material and technology
World Bank names neutral expert on Baglihar
|
|
|