Thursday, September 22, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Ramdas Athawale wanted 101 acre in BKC

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_ramdas-athawale-wanted-101-acre-in-bkc_1590039

Ramdas Athawale wanted 101 acre in BKC
Published: Thursday, Sep 22, 2011, 7:02 IST
By Ninad Siddhaye | Place: Mumbai | Agency: DNA

Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale recently wrote to
the Chief Minister demanding a whopping 101 acre land in Bandra-Kurla
Complex (BKC). While one of the two plots were for a Pali language
university and vipassana centre, the other plot was for an old age
asylum.

In a letter written to the then Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar
Gaikwad, Athawale stated that he needed the land to start a Vipassana
centre anda university for Pali Language in BKC.

"I wish to start a Vipassana centre of International standards in BKC.
Moreover, I also wish to start a huge library, a convention centre
where a number of social, educational, cultural programmes can be
organised. Also, my plan is to start a university of Pali language and
I also need land to start Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhavan, which will
have computer training centre," says a letter written by Athawale in
November 2010.

What is most interesting isthat Athawale demanded a whopping 100 acre
for the same. In another letter written in June 2011, Athawale
demanded another acre land — this time to set up an old age asylum in
BKC.

Athawale wrote both the letters to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan,
which was forwarded for "consideration" to the Mumbai Metropolitan
Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is the Special Planning
Authority (SPA) of the BKC area. Both the proposals were studied by
the authority officials and subsequently rejected. The information
came to light when RTI activist Anil Galgali sought details of
Athawale's plans.

In the RTI reply, additional metropolitan commissioner SVR Srinivas
had an interesting remark. "Do we have 100 acres of land available in
the first place?" questioned Srinivas. Officials of the MMRDA land
cell clarified that MMRDA's total land kitty, including BKC andWadala
Truck terminus, was not even 100 acres. They said there was no
reservation for an old age asylum and a university or even a community
hall.

When contacted, Athawale confirmed that he had written letters to the
CM about vipassana centre, Dr Ambedkar Bhavan and the old age asylum.
"They have told me that there is no space," said Athawale. However, he
was not even aware that BKC did not even have 50% of land available to
meet his demands.

Galgali alleged that it was the nexus between a state bureaucrat and
Athawale which resulted in the later asking for huge plots in BKC. "It
is pertinent to note that in spite of knowing that BKC is essentially
meant for business activities, Athawale made exorbitant demands of
huge plots for his own benefits."


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[ZESTCaste] Industry cool towards UPA proposal on Dalit units

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Industry-cool-towards-UPA-proposal-on-Dalit-units/Article1-748636.aspx

Industry cool towards UPA proposal on Dalit units
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Lucknow, September 21, 2011

The Congress-led UPA government's recent bid to make it statutorily
mandatory for 4% of its annual purchases to be made from units run by
Dalits and tribals is being seen as a poll sop to woo the Dalit and
tribal votebank just ahead of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Dalits own a
sizeable number of enterprises in the state where 21.15% of the total
population is Scheduled Castes (SCs).

And if the Centre implements the quota policy for micro, small and
medium enterprises (MSMEs) before the state assembly polls, the move
may benefit the Congress party.

Together, SCs and STs account for 10 % of the total MSMEs in the state.

The move has, however, not gone down well with industry in the state.
"The government should act as a facilitator and if it really intends
to help Dalit and tribal entrepreneurs, it should simplify rules and
procedures," said DS Verma, executive director of the Indian
Industries Association.

Awadh Chamber of Commerce general secretary Chandra Kumar Chhabra said
industry would be comfortable as long as the quota was capped at 4%.

"There is every possibility that that percentage may go up, as parties
vie with each other to offer more to these sections," he said.

Economists, however, see the move promoting entrepreneurship among
weaker sections of society.

"This kind of positive discrimination will help Dalit and tribal
entrepreneurs, no doubt," Giri Institute for Developmental Studies
director, AK Singh said.'

But he cautioned against operational problems, such as bogus units
sprouting up to reap the benefits.

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[ZESTCaste] Promote me or I’ll kill myself: MP Dalit IAS officer

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/promote-me-or-ill-kill-myself-mp-dalit-ias-officer/849972/

Promote me or I'll kill myself: MP Dalit IAS officer

Milind Ghatwai Posted online: Thu Sep 22 2011, 01:49 hrs
Bhopal : IAS officer Ramesh Thete has threatened to commit suicide in
front of the Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary's office if he was not
promoted to the post of secretary.

The Dalit officer alleged that he was being discriminated against
because of his caste, and has written to the SC/ST Commission
describing how some upper caste bureaucrats had been promoted despite
pending corruption cases against them.

The Lokayukta had recently sought the government's permission to
prosecute Thete in an old case of corruption.

The 1993-batch officer said he appeared before the departmental
promotion committee a few days ago and learnt that the anti-corruption
watchdog had revived the old case. A DPC member told him that though
he was fit for promotion it could happen only after the Lokayukta's
case was over.

The bureaucrat said the MP High Court had ruled in his favour and yet
the Lokayukta wanted to file a fresh case after seeking permission to
prosecute him.

Thete said the government should set up a probe committee to check the
veracity of the documents submitted by the Lokayukta, and he be given
an opportunity to present his case.

"If the documents are found genuine I should be punished, if not cases
should be registered against Lokayuukta officials," Thete told The
Indian Express alleging that there was a conspiracy to deny him
promotion. He said if the MP government does neither he would be
forced to take his life.

The Lokayukta had raided Thete's house in 2002 after he was caught
taking a bribe. A case of disproportionate assets was slapped against
him.


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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati, Natarajan among 75 MPs in confiscated arms race

http://www.firstpost.com/politics/mayawati-natrajan-among-75-mps-in-confiscated-arms-race-88729.html

Mayawati, Natarajan among 75 MPs in confiscated arms race

Sep 21, 2011

New Delhi: What do BSP's Mayawati, Congress' Janardhan Dwivedi, BJP's
Shahnawaz Husain and jailed Mohd Shahabuddin have in common?

They are among the 75 MPs who have bought confiscated arms in the past
25 years, an RTI reply has revealed.

While the Arminious and Erma revolvers were a hit among the VIPs
during the early 1990s, Webly revolvers replaced them in the late
1990s. However, the last decade saw .22 bore revolvers and 7.65 mm
Walther pistols being preferred.

In the reply given to an RTI filed by activist Gopal Prasad, the
Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) said 75 MPs, including Dwivedi,
Atiq Ahmed and Abu Azam Azmi, have bought various firearms from the
government. Reuters

In the reply given to an RTI filed by activist Gopal Prasad, the
Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) said 75 MPs, including Dwivedi,
Atiq Ahmed and Abu Azam Azmi, have bought various firearms from the
government.

According to a July 2002 circular by Finance Ministry, confiscated
weapons can be sold to sitting MPs on first come fist serve basis
after receiving their confirmation in writing that they do not own or
possess any weapon at present.

UP Chief Minister Mayawati bought an Arminious revolver in February
1991 for Rs 4,900 while Dwivedi bought 0.32 bore S&W revolver for Rs
1.45 lakh in the second half of last decade.

Former MP Atiq Ahmed, now in prison and facing trial in 35 criminal
cases including several cases of murder, has spent the highest amount
among the VIPs to buy a rifle 'Rugger M-77 Mark-II 30.66 mm' at a cost
of Rs 3.15 lakh. Azmi opted for a PPK pistol for Rs three lakh.

Kalmadi, who is now in Tihar prison pending trial in CWG scam, bought
a Webly revolver in 1995 for Rs 9,150 while another jailbird
Shahabuddin procured a S&W revolver in 2001 for Rs 43,507.

Babubhai Katara, who was arrested for allegedly running a human
trafficking network, was also in the race for buying a weapon and
procured a Webley revolver in 2000 for Rs 59,215.

BJP MP Ashok Argal, whom Delhi Police wants to arrest in the
cash-for-vote scam, and his party colleague Faggan Singh Kulaste, who
is in prison in the same case, also bought a Webley revolver for Rs
9,000 each. Interestingly, Kulaste bought the weapon a day after Argal
bought it on May 13, 1997.

Among the present Union Ministers, Jayanthi Natarajan, Preneet Kaur
and M Vincent Pala figure in the list.

Natarajan bought a RS revolver way back in 1991 for 4,900 while Kaur
got a Magnum Rugar revolver nine years later at a cost ofRs 34,065.
Pala also bought a pistol.

While he was the Chief Election Commissioner, M S Gill procured a S&W
revolver in 1999 for Rs 24,750.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rehman Khan bought an Arminious revolver
in 1994 for Rs 9,000 while S S Alhuwalia, Deputy Leader of BJP in
Rajya Sabha, owns a 30.06 rifle which he bought in 1992 for Rs Rs
2,389.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, presently Chief
Ministers, also bought fire arms in 1992 and 1993 while Hooda's rival
Ajay Chautala bought a Star pistol in 2000. Sukhbir Singh Badal,
Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, bought Llama pistol in 1997 for Rs
7,000.

Delhi politicians Jagdish Tytler (.32 Browning pistor in 1989), V K
Malhotra (.22 Benetla pistol in 1990), Madanlal Khurana (Walther
pistol in 1993), Sajjan Kumar (Webly revolver in 1996) and Vijay Goel
(S&W revolver in 1999) also find a place in the list.

Another Delhi politician to buy a firearm is present Delhi Speaker
Yoganand Shastri got a 0.32 bore S&W revolver for Rs 1.40 lakh in the
second half of the last decade. Senior CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali
who bought an ERMA revolver in 1991 for Rs 5,075.

According to the Finance Ministry guidelines, confiscated
non-prohibited weapons could be given to departmental officers on
lease terms on a selective basis.

The circular also makes it clear that the weapons sold to sitting MPs
could not be sold for a period of ten years.

Though some names appeared more than once in the list during a period
between 1986 and 2000 given in the RTI reply, the 2002 circular says
that only one weapon will be allotted to an MP from the confiscated
stock.

No replacement will be permissible even in cases the first weapon
allotted has either been lost or stolen or become defective or
non-serviceable due to excessive use or obsolescence, the circular
said.

PTI


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