17 23 april17

Year : 5 Issue No. 46 New Delhi 17 - 23 April 2017 Rs. 5/- Pages : 16
S.Kumar
New Delhi: The Ministry
Of Health and Family Welfare
is likely to see a substantial
increase in funding, after it
warned that its programmes
were short of cash and sought
more than Rs 8,154 crore
($1.2 billion) in additional
money, according to govern-
ment officials and documents
seen by Reuters.
The final numbers could
change when Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley presents the
budget for fiscal 2017-18 on
Wednesday. But one official
familiar with the numbers said
the health ministry is expected
to get around around Rs
10,200 crore ($1.5 billion), or
27 per cent, increase in fund-
ing to around Rs 47,565 crore
($7 billion). The health and
finance ministries did not
respond to requests for com-
ment. An increase in the budg-
et allocation, if finalised,
would signal an acknowledg-
ment from Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s administra-
tion that the country needs to
ramp up spending on the sec-
tor.
Successive administrations
have faced criticism from pub-
lic health advocates for spend-
ing only around 1 per cent of
gross domestic product on
public health, less in percent-
age terms than countries like
Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.
More than a million chil-
dren die every year before
reaching the age of five.
Millions of poor rely on public
health programmes which pro-
vide basic services like vacci-
nations, disease prevention
and free drugs.
Until May last year, the
Union Health Minister Jagat
Prakash Nadda had publicly
maintained that the sector had
no funding issues but needed
to get better at spending the
money it had.
Between 2005 and 2013,
the ministry only once spent
all of its allocated funds, But
letters sent by his ministry to
the finance ministry between
June and January, not previ-
ously disclosed, show that Mr
Nadda has also come around
to the view that his department
needs a larger pot to meet its
public health objectives.
“These are the bare mini-
mum requirements,” Mr
Nadda wrote in a letter to Mr
Jaitley on January 10, outlin-
ing his request for additional
funds. “There are several
other significant programmes
experiencing paucity of finan-
cial resources.” The govern-
ment has been increasing allo-
cation to the health sector after
criticism over its social sector
cuts in 2015. But pressures on
the budget are rising. It must
also step up spending on
roads, railways and irrigation
projects to stimulate growth
while keeping the fiscal deficit
in check. In his letter, Mr
Nadda wrote that he needed an
extra Rs 4,000 crore ($589
million) to implement a pro-
gramme to screen patients for
cancer and other illnesses,
while the HIV/AIDS treat-
ment programme required an
infusion of around Rs 500
crore ($74 million). Mr Nadda
also wrote that there was an
“urgent requirement” of
around Rs 3,500 crore ($520
million) for the current year’s
spending, the absence of
which “will adversely impact
Health Budget May Rise After Minister
JP Nadda Warns Of Funds Crunch
Interviewed by S. Kumar,
Executive Editor and Ms. Aarti
Gupta, Sr. Foreign Correspondent,
Country & Politics News. Complied
by Vipin Gaur, Chief Editor
General Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM,
AVSM, YSM (Retd) , An alumnus of
Birla Public School, Pilani and National
Defence Academy, he served as the 26th
Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.
General Singh was commissioned into
the 2nd Battalion of The Rajput
Regiment (Kali Chindi) on 14 June
1970. He is a graduate of the Defence
Services Staff College, Wellington with
a competitive vacancy. He is also a
graduate of US Army Rangers Course at
Fort Benning, USA and US Army War
College, Carlisle,
Pennsylvania General Singh was
awarded Yudh Seva Medal for
operations as part of IPKF in Sri Lanka,
the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for
distinguished service while commanding
a counter-insurgency force in 2005 and
Param Vishisht Seva Medal in
recognition of his exceptional and
distinguished services in the Eastern
Theatre in 2009. He became Chief of
Army Staff on 31 March 2010 and
retired from the position on 31 May
2012. On 11 March 2011, Gen. Singh
was inducted into the United States
Army War College (Class of 2001
graduate) International Fellows Hall of
Fame. He is the 33rd International
Fellow and the first Indian Armed Forces
officer to be inducted. Gen. Singh
joined the Bhartiya Janata Party on 1st
March 2014 and successfully contested
Lok Sabha election from Ghaziabad
constituency (2.4 million plus
electorate).  Presently, he is Minister of
State for External Affairs. Gen. Singh
has represented India at several bilateral
and multilateral events as well as Special
Assignments in Asia, Africa, Latin
America & the Caribbean region and
Europe.  "Courage and Conviction”,
his highly acclaimed autobiography, has
been widely read in India. Here are
some Questions to General V. K. Singh
for our esteem Readers………
S.K.: Q. Sir, you are long serving
Military officer, was part of Peace
keeping Force at Sri Lanka when that
country was boiling with LTTE's
activeness, you are witnessed many cold
and direct wars and border issues,
aggression by our neighbouring country,
Terrorism any many other things, can
you please share for our readers little
from your memory especially of IPKF,
Bangladesh war in 1971 and Kargil war?
As per Bangladesh war is concern I
was commissioned in June 1970 and we
were in Amalpur, Assam, there was a
time when things stated happening in
March. March were the crackdown that
took place, one was following what was
happening and sometime between
March-April the Pakistani forces in what
is now Bangladesh they did it a base of
course at Taliban which is south of Dua,
the road which ultimate goes to by
Mansi and the result, our unit was order
to move to Meghalaya border. At the
time of April the refugees were coming
so one saw how was the conditions of
refugees, we saw what has happened to
them, we heard them, we heard there sad
stories and we also saw what a massive
effort it was to look after these refugees
and then subsequently in September-
October we moved to Tripura and by
then it was eminent something would
happen. Sometime management of
refugees and preparation for something
to happen. It was 3rd December when
war was declared and it was very
interesting war that I saw. One can say
that “One was prepared because of this
long period in terms of facing the
various dangers, but after we have
broken the initial crust of Defences on
the border our military planners and
strategies were sought out the plan. They
looked at it from the point of view of
swift movement it is the type of terrain
that existed, there were rivers, and there
were international pressures so we were
constantly on the move- Military Jagran
is called name of GOD. We generally
associated with mechanized ornaments
and vehicles, this was manuable war on
foot, we went behind them and given the
parts of atrocity the Pakistan army has to
involved, given the lootings that they
have been involved in so that we are able
to move fast and on 10th December we
reached Chandpur. Chandpur was
evacuated by the Pakistani forces, we
were able to capture some people and the
first place after one can say after the
month of April one was able to see
electricity as we were living in tents with
hurricane lamps. The one thing that one
saw after 8-9 month that is running water
in taps so it was very interesting
experience and from there we turned
back and went to Chitagaon which is
called Chattagram in Bengali and that is
there we took morning. We surrender on
17th, the war was stop, then we were
involved in documentations, maintaining
orders in the cities and living areas and
short term in the
February we
Avatar in Indian Politics, A pioneer and Dedicated retired top Fauji
Officer General V. K. Singh on an Interactions with short biography.
Read on P 12
Contd. on page 4

2 17- 23 April 2017 EDITORIAL
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dra= gSaA lalnh; ç.kkyh bldh ewy
vkRek vkSj lkaln 'kjhj gSaA ftuds fuokZpu
dh ckxMksj fo'o ds lcls cMs pqukoh
fudk; Hkkjrh; fuokZpu vk;ksx ds da/ks ij
gksrh gSa] ftls og fu"i{krk ds lkFk i;ZUr
fuHkkrs vk;k gSaA pkgs og pqukoh ?kks"k.k&i=
esa eq¶r phtksa ds oknksa ij l[rh gks ;k
vkpkj lafgrk dk mYya?ku vFkok
ernkrkvksa dks gM+dkus] mdlkus vkSj
utjkus dh is'kxh djus okys nyksa o
mEehnokjksa ij dM+h dkjZokbZ lfgr gj ekeys
esa vk;ksx uhj&{khj cuk jgkA fdarq jktuSfrd nyksa dks ;g drbZ jkl
uk vk;k fd pquko vk;ksx mu ij udsy dlsA fygktk] ,sls nyksa us
xkgs&cxkgs jktuhfrd iSrjs ckth ds fy, u;s&u;s gFkdaMs vtek jgs
gSA bZtkn i{kikr dk vkjksi yxkrs gq, vk;ksx dh fuokZpu çfØ;k ij
ç'ufpUg [kMs dj fn,A cnrj turk ds QSlys dks xys yxkus ds
ctk; gkj dk Vhdjk tgku esa ljkgh xbZ bZoh,e ij QksMrs gq, ernku
eri= ls djokus dk cslqjk jkx vykikA tSls ns'k dh pqukoh raf=dk
us gh budh ukSdk MqcksbZ gksA ckotwn vkRefparu ds LoPN] yksdra= ds
jkLrs esa [kyy uk Mkyrs rks csgrj gksrk] uk fd pqukoh fQtk dks csjax
djrs gq, ywV&ikV] ekjihV vkSj oksV ds cnys uksV dk dqfRlr [ksy
[ksyrsA njvly] deksos'k ijkt; dh csyk esa laln ls lM+d rd
foyki dk feyki djuk ns'k dks csodwQ cukus ds flok; vkSj dqN ugha
gSA okdbZ esa xj Ny gqvk gksrk rks ernkrk 'kkarfpr jgdj] vius
tukns'k dk vuknj uk gksus nsrsA budh [kkeks'kh esa gh lgerh >ydrh
gSa fd bUgksaus fdls nqykjk gS vkSj fdls udkjk gSaA fQj D;ksa rFkkdfFkr
ekSdkijLr gk;rkSck epk jgs gS D;ka mUgas ekywe gS fd fdlus fdl
dks erkf/kdkj fn;k gS tc dqN irk gh ugh rks ekgkSy [kjkc djus
ls D;k Qk;nkA blh uQk&uqdlku dh gksM esa tura= jktuhfr dk
ny&ny curk tk jgk gSA gkykr cn&cnrj uk gks tk, blh bjkns
ls er&eu dks ,dersu dguk iMsxk] LoPN yksdra= ds okLrs] [kkyh
dj nks jkLrs! vykok dksbZ pkjk ugha gS D;ksafd yksdra= ls jktuhfrd
ny gS] jktuhfrd nyksa ls yksdra= ughaA cgjgky] otwn dks ftank
j[kus dh dok;n esa gkfy;k vkfFkZd lq/kkj] pqukoh eqíksa ds fo"k; ij
vk;ksftr ,d lsfeukj esa ns'k ds eq[; U;k;k/kh'k ts ,l [ksgj us csck-
dh ls dgk fd pqukoh okns ges'kk v/kwjs jg tkrs gS] tks dHkh iwjs ugha
gksrsA fygktk] jktuhfrd nyksa dks blds fy, tokcnsg cuk;k tkuk
pkfg,A jktuhfrd ikfVZ;ksa ds ?kks"k.kk&i= esa vkfFkZd lq/kkj vkSj lkek-
ftd U;k; ds laoS/kkfud y{; ds chp dksbZ rkyesy ugha fn[krk cfYd
og dkxt dk VqdMk cudj jg tkrk gSA jktuhfrd ny pqukoh okns
iwjk uk gksus ij fuyZTt cgkus nsrs gS vkSj mls lgh Bgjkrs gSA ikfVZ;ka
tks okns djsa mUgsa fuHkk,a HkhA vkxs] lqfçe dksVZ ds nwljs tt us Li"VrkSj
ij dgk fd pquko esa [kjhnh&fcØh dh ço`fr ds fy, dksbZ LFkku ugha
gSA pquko yMuk dksbZ fuos'k ugha gSA pquko çfØ;k vijk/keqä djuh
gksxhA yksx xq.kksa ds vk/kkj ij mEehnokjksa dks pqusa] u fd voxq.kksa ds
vk/kkj ijA vfHk"V] ftl fnu ernkrk fcuk ykyp ds oksV Mkyus
tk,xk] og fnu yksdra= ds fy, xkSjo'kkyh gksxkA vr% yksdra= ds
ltx çgjh pquko vk;ksx dh laoS/kkfud O;oLFkkvksa dks jktuhfrd
vkdka LokFkZ flf) ds fy, csotg rkj&rkj uk djs rks gh vPNk gksxkA
vk;ksx dh lkQxksbZ ij fdlh dks 'kd ugha gSaA gkW! jktuhfrKksa dh
dk;Zç.kkyh vkSj yksd&yqHkkou gflu liusa t:j la'k; esa Mkyrs gS fd
og iwjs gksxsa ;k ughaA ;g feFd VwVsxk] rHkh tu&eu yksdra= ds okLrs]
[kkyh dj nks jkLrs! ugha vkids okLrs] [kkyh gSa yksdra= ds jkLrs! dk
t;?kks"k! djsxkA
lEikndh; xr lIrkg ;wa rks vusd jkT;ksa
esa gq, fo/kku lHkk ds mi pqukoksa ds
ifj.kke vk, fdUrq] jkt/kkuh fnYyh
ds jktkSjh xkMZu fo/kku lHkk {ks=
ds mipquko dk ifj.kke vius vki
esa vçR;kf'kr rFkk ernkrk dh
nwjxkeh lksp dks n'kkZrk gSA ;g
ifj.kke ,d –f"V ls u rks Hkktik
dh thr gS vkSj u gh dkaxzsl ;k
vke vkneh ikVhZ dh gkjA ,d
ofj"B dkaxzslh usrk dh çsl okrkZ esa]
mlds Åij ljs&vke twrk QSaddj]
i=dkj ls jktusrk cus] iwoZ
fo/kk;d tjuSy flag }kjk jktkSjh
xkMZu dh turk dk frjLdkj fd;k
tkuk Hkh bl gkj dk dkj.k ugha
ekuk tk ldrk gSA gkykafd] turk
dks /kks[kk o bl lhV dks frykat-
fy nsdj os iatkc esa pquko yM+us
pys x, FksA jktkSjh xkMZu {ks= oSls
iatkch ckgqY; {ks= gS vkSj iatkc
pquko dh lHkh fo|kvksa dk ç;ksx
bl pquko ds nkSjku Hkh bl [kkl
leqnk; ds yksxksa dks fj>kus gsrq
fd;k x;kA fdUrq prqj lqtku
tkx:d ernkrkvksa ds vkxs fdlh
dh ,d u pyhA Hkz"Vkpkj esa vkdaB
<wch jktlÙkk ls =Lr turk us bl
vfHk'kki ls eqfä gsrq nks o"kZ iwoZ
ftl viwoZ cgqer ls vjfoan
dstjhoky ds usr`Ro okyh vke
vkneh ikVhZ esa fo'okl O;ä fd;k]
mldh çfr iwfrZ 'kk;n ugha gks
ldhA ofYd turk dks yxk fd tks
Hkz"Vkpkj mUewyu dk oknk dj lÙkk
esa vk,] vkt mlh ny ds 67 esa ls
35 fo/kk;d fdlh u fdlh xSj
dkuwuh/vuSfrd/Hk`"Vkpkjh ;k efgyk
mRihM+u dh xfr fof/k;ksa esa fyIr
ik, x,A
ts,u; gSnjkokn fnYyh fo'o
fo|ky; tSls vusd f'k{k.k laLFkkuksa
ds fo|kfFkZ;ksa dh i<+kbZ dk vewY;
le;] ns'k æksfg;ksa ds Hkkjr fojks/kh
ukjs rFkk Hkkjr dh cokZnh rd tax
jgsxh& tax jgsxh tSls dq—R;ksa esa
cokZn gks x;kA ek= {kqæ jktuSfrd
ykHk ds fy,] fdlkuksa dks vkRe
gR;k ds fy, mdlkdj mldk
ykbo çlkj.k fnYyh ljdkj ds
yxHkx iwjs efU=e.My dh ns[kjs[k
esa gqvkA iw.kZ 'kjkc&cUnh dk ukjk
nsdj cgqer çkIr djus okyksa us
vkrs gh u flQZ /kM+k/kM+ nk: ds
Bsds [kksys ofYd fnYyh ds ;qokvk-
sa dks ukbV ykbQ ds uke ij MªXl
ds u'ks esa /kdsyus dk dke gqvkA
;kuh] 'kjkc eqä fnYyh dh txg
'kjkch fnYyh cukus dk flyflyk
pykA ckr ckr ij tuer laxzg
djus o lafo/kku dh e;kZnk dh
nqgkbZ nsus okyksa us] u flQZ
turkaf=d laLFkkuksa o laoS/kkfud
inksa ¼ç/kku ea=h] mi&jkT;iky
bR;kfn½ cfYd Hkkjrh; U;k;ky;ksa o
Lo;a lafo/kku ds lkFk pquko vk;ksx
rd dh xfjek dks rkj rkj djus
esa Hkh dksbZ dksj dlj ugha NksM+hA
efgykvksa dh lqj{kk gsrq xkMZ o
lhlhVhoh dSejs bR;kfn ds lkFk
fofo/k cUnkscLr djus ds LFkku ij
buds fo/kk;d o ea=h Lo;a efgyk
mRihM+u dh gnsa ikj djrs ns[ks
x,A eqfLye rq"Vhdj.k esa gekjk
fo'okl ugha gS] ;g dgus okys] xr
nks o"kksaZ esa ges'kk gj eqfLye R;ksgkj
ij xksy Vksih yxk dj lcls igys
QksVks f[kapokdj v[kokjksa esa Nis
fn[ksA mi&jk"Vªifr o
mi&jkT;iky ¼tks nksauksa gh eqfLye½
pkgs u yxk,¡ fdUrq eq[;&ea=h ds
lj ij tkyhnkj Vksih dk gh
çn'kZua gksrk jgk- fnYyh esa fgUnqvksa
ij vusd ftgknh geys gq, fdUrq
mu lHkh fd utjankt djrs gq,
jkT; ds d.kZ/kkj ftgkfn;ksa ds nj
ij eRFkk Vsdrs ;k fnYyh ls ckgj
viuh jktuSfrd jksfV;ka ldrs gh
utj vk,A
fnYyh ds yksxksa ds çfr viuh
ftEesokfj;ksa dks R;kx xksvk] iatkc]
fcgkj] xqtjkr vkSj u tkus fdrus
jkT;ksa esa viuh Vkax vM+krs jgsA
d'ehjh vyxkookfn;ksa ds
efgekeaMu ds lkFk fgUnw
ekufoUnqvksa ij dqBkjk?kkr esa Hkh
bUgksaus lnSo vxz.kh Hkwfedk fuHkkbZA
okLro esa ehfM;k dh bl —fr dks
lks'ky ehfM;k ds ncko ds dkj.k
tc eq[; ehfM;k }kjk u¡xk fd;k
tkus yxk rks fnYyh ds dj nkrkvksa
dh [kwu ilhus dh dekbZ ds djksM+ksa
#i;ksa dks bUgksaus foKkiu o
,MoVksfj;y ds ek/;e ls feF;k
çpkj esa Lokgk dj fn;kA ftl
fnYyh dh turk us 2014 esa 46
QhlnhoksVksa ls ftrk;k vkt mldk
mEehnokj thrus o gkjus dh ckr
rks nwj ikVhZ ds dqdeksaZ ds dkj.k
tekur rd ugha cpk ldkA ;g
pquko ifj.kke vkxs D;k xqy
f[kyk,xk ;k fnYyh ds ernkrkvk-
sa dks fdruk çHkkfor djsxk ;g rks
pquko ifj.kkeksa ds ckn gh irk
pysxk fdUrq bruk lkQ gS fd dkB
dh gkaMh ckj ckj ugha p<rh vkSj
u gh Lo;a dks lq/kkjs fcuk nwljksa ij
maxyh mBkus ;k vuFkZd o vuxZy
vkjksiksa ls fdlh dk dksbZ Hkyk gksus
okyk gSA
fnYyh dh tkx:d turk us
fdlh dks ftrk;k ;k ugha ;g rks
ugha irk fdUrq] gk¡] gjk;k vo';
gSA turk us gjk;k gS fopkj dks tks
vykxkokokn dks gok nsus] turk
dks /kks[kk nsus] laoS/kkfud inksa dk
nq#i;ksx djus] vjktd rRoksa dk
lkFk nsus] xjhoksa dk etkd mM+k
mUgsa vkRegR;k rd dks mdlkus ds
lkFk Hkz"Vkpkj] u'kk[kksjh] efgyk
mRihMu tSlh ewyHkwr leL;kvksa dks
de djus ds LFkku ij mUgsa c<+kok
nsus yxk FkkA fygktk] ,sls yksxksa
dks vc turk ls ekQh ekax dj
mldh lsok esa tqV tkuk pkfg,A
¼ys[kd ,d fopkjd o lekt lsoh
gksus ds vfrfjä fo'o fgUnw ifj"kn
ds jk"Vªh; çoäk gSa½
jktkSjh xkMZu mi&pquko esa fdldh gkj
fofiu xkSM+
yksdra= ds okLrs] [kkyh dj nks jkLrs!

3 17- 23 April 2017
COLUMN
Delhi has taken strong
exception to the World Bank’s
decision to set up a court of
arbitration as desired by
Pakistan, and to also appoint a
neutral expert, over the two
projects.
Delhi has taken strong
exception to the World Bank’s
decision to set up a court of
arbitration as desired by P...
Read More
NEW DELHI: India has
put on hold a World Bank-
facilitated initiative for water
secretary-level talks with
Pakistan in Washington,
owing to differences of opin-
ion on techical issues of Indus
River hydel projects.
Persons familiar with the
issue told ET that further
expert level technical discus-
sions are imperative before the
two secretaries can meet. The
meeting would be futile if the
water resources secretaries
meet without the requisite
preparation, said one of the
persons.
Incidentally, India's move
to cancel talks comes close on
the heels of Pakistani military
tribunal's order to execute
Kulbhusban Jadhav. Delhi has
put on hold a maritime dia-
logue with Pakistan and
weighing several other tough
political and legal options to
safeguard Jadhav.
Persons familiar with the
developments told ET that
efforts to safeguard Jadhav
could be a prolonged process
as it involves several legal
procedures within Pakistan as
well as through the United
Nations.
The Pakistani side, follow-
ing the Permanent Indus
Commission (PIC) meeting
last month, had announced
that water resources secre-
taries will meet in the US cap-
ital on April 11-13 to discuss
differences over the
Kishanganga and Ratle
hydropower projects on the
river Indus.
Islamabad has been
protesting over the design and
construction of two projects
— the 330MW Kishanganga
hydroelectric project and the
850MW Ratle hydroelectric
project in Jammu and
Kashmir. Islamabad has been
demanding international arbi-
tration through the World
Bank.
The World Bank, which
brokered the Indus Waters
Treaty of 1960, had said it is
prepared to facilitate the meet-
ing. "We continue to work
with both countries to resolve
the issue in an amicable man-
ner and in line with the spirit
of the treaty. We hope the two
countries will come to an
agreement soon," Alexander
Anthony Ferguson, World
Bank's senior manager com-
munications (South Asia) said
in a statement last month.
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi are
suffering due to water crisis.
The Govt. must divert every
drop of water to meet that
need and then only release
extra water to others. China
withholds water as per it's re...
Read More
The PIC annual meet (held
in Pakistan) for 2016-17 was
first after all bilateral dialogue
under the Indus Water Treaty
(IWT) was suspended follow-
ing terror strikes on an army
camp in Uri last September by
Pakbased terror groups.
However, attempting to signal
a thaw in ties, India decided to
hold PIC meet before the end
of financial year in March.
The 10-member Indian dele-
gation at PIC is led by Indian
Indus Water Commissioner
PK Saxena. However, Delhi
has taken strong exception to
the World Bank's decision to
set up a court of arbitration as
desired by Pakistan, and to
also appoint a neutral expert,
as wanted by India, over the
two projects. It said proceed-
ing with both steps simultane-
ously was "legally untenable".
In January this year,
Pakistan had asked India to
stop work on these two proj-
ects
The latest solar power auc-
tion has yielded an electricity
price of just Rs 3.15/unit,
down from Rs 5 two years
ago. This seems competitive
with coal-based thermal
power. The government has
raised its solar capacity target
to 40GW by 2020 and
100GW by 2030, up from
12GW today. This promises to
replace dirty coal-based
power by cheap, renewable
power. What’s not to like?
Plenty. Solar power has many
hidden subsidies. Its true cost
is far higher than for thermal
power. A far bigger problem is
that solar power is given pref-
erence when supply exceeds
demand, so thermal plants
have to back down. The plant
load factor (PLF) or capacity
utilisation of coal-based
plants was 76% six years ago,
but is now just 58%. India
used to be perennially short of
electricity, but now most
regions have surplus. India
now exports power to
Bangladesh, Nepal and
Myanmar.
Thermal producers had
expected the power shortage
to continue, and hoped for at
least 70% PLF, yielding good
profits. But at today’s PLF of
58%, many are in trouble,
especially merchant plants
selling power on the open
market because they don’t
have power purchasing agree-
ments with state governments.
If average PLF falls below
48%, and that of merchant
plants falls even more — as is
likely if solar capacity soars
to 40,000MW by 2020 —
then many coal-based projects
will go bust. These are
financed overwhelmingly by
loans, not equity. Interest on
loans must be paid even if
plants lie idle, so high interest
costs can kill projects when
the PLF falls.
Around 65GW of new
thermal power plants are
already in the pipeline. These,
plus new solar plants, threaten
a rising power surplus at a
time of tepid demand growth.
The consequent PLF collapse
could bankrupt many projects,
hugely burdening lenders.
Many banks are already stag-
gering under enormous bad
debts, and now face the threat
of a fresh avalanche. That will
hit the whole economy.
In sum, explosive solar
power growth looks a bless-
ing, but can become a curse.
We should hurry slowly.
Solar power looks great
when the sun shines, but stops
at sunset, just as power
demand soars to its evening
peak. Much thermal power
has to remain idle during the
day, ready to pick up the slack
when solar production sud-
denly stops. This forced idle-
ness carries huge costs hidden
by ostensibly cheap solar
power quotations.
Dark side of solar success: It
may kill thermal power, banks iwtk jkor
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VwVk liuk
India holds back on talks with
Pakistan water secretary

4 17- 23 April 2017
Interview
moved back to our own earlier
location Assam. It was the war
which taught many things, It
was the war which taught you
that if you are right you can
achieve many things, It was the
war in which bought
tremendous amount of systems
from family forces in which we
gain the tremendous amount of
goodwill of a newly formed
country Bangladesh. When you
look the situation of IPKF it’s
different. IPKF idea was very
much good, I have also
mentioned in my book but I
think that the way things were
happening were not thought of
mind and the aims and
objectives in the initial stage
was unclear that is why we
landed in acrimony with the
people whom we want to
protect. The LTTE had a way
out because they didn’t want to
join main stream at that time,
the agreement was in between
the Government of India and
Government of Sri Lanka, so
LTTE was out of it, and they
said that they could not do
anything which resulted the
concentration with LTTE. I
spent almost two years there
and greatest satisfaction when
we saw people were lined up for
miles and miles together to say
the truth, we have created that
kind of goodwill and I think that
is more important to earn the
goodwill of the people. Kargil
war was different thing,
inflation took place and I think
that there is being attempt I feel
in Kargil war to cross over the
some of the effects that should
have been highlighted. Facts
such as related to the
intelligence failure of both
military and civil intelligence
agencies and this is a trend one
have seen right from the history
of India so far that we do hide
things while we should look
them carefully and measures so
that they never occur but the
bravery of our soldiers are
cannot be describe in words. At
heights where taking even 2
steps is difficult, in area where
you don’t even have anybody to
give you cover, to throw back
Pakistan army regular troops
with intense themselves is an
effort which can only be
realized if you were present
there. It was an interesting war
and again I would say that we
have tried to highlight some of
the things while cross over
some of the things which should
not have. Military leadership
should be quite cleared to what
they want to don and if they
give correct advice the
government will take place. I
think whenever the armed
forces they have taken places.
S.K.: Q. There were some
issues and controversies during
your tenure as Army chief but
there were some good things
been happen so what was your
sweet memory as Chief of
largest force of world ? There is
always some issues comes to
lime lite while appointing a
Army General which is not
much in Air Force and Indian
Navy, you yourself, your
predecessors and successors has
faced, what is your suggestion
as Ex Chief to end such
controversy in public which
questions of Military's image?
Ans: There are various ideas
which are thrown off various
times unfortunately the issue
has never then defeated within
the policy makers to come to
the conclusion so that the
acceptability become all around
so that you find the peoples
want to within the military
hierarchy and democracy want
to play things lots of issues are
created, lots of issued are
generated so that you can put
down the one chap. We need to
lay down to very clear cut terms
to let down the controversy.
S.K. Q. Immediate after
your retirement you joined
Anna movement and took part
actively, then you joined
politics, what prompted you too
join BJP?
Ans: Two months after
retirement I was invited by
Anna, I think it was June or
early July, his fast has to be
terminated so he invited me to
do that and I went to the stage to
give him water and others water
so that his fast can be broken. I
had already the image of
fighting against corruption in
uniform even when I took the
charge so I already said that we
need to improve the internal
health of Lahore and we
highlighted the Tantra Things
and many actions against lots of
things which I thought would
send the right message for the
army because if you don’t do it
then you tend you sleek in down
the ethics and value that assists.
Anna called me I went there but
I didn’t join and after the fast of
Anna was broken within 1-2
months Aam Adami Party was
formed, Anna was left all alone.
Therefore, end of 2012 I with
some other peoples created a
organization Jan Tantra Morcha
and we brought Anna as a
patron. My soul aim was that
Anna should reach back to the
zenith at which peoples had left
him. In between this period I
was going around the farmers
union, various organizations of
youth union etc., and after the
Jantantra Morcha was formed
and launched in Kathimaidan in
Patna on 31st January 2013 then
we went around various states
along with Anna to tell peoples
that the changed was required in
the system that we were formed.
How to bring about the cleaner
society which was indulging
itself in the type of corruption
and it resulted in the Lok-Pal
Bill passed in September-
October 2013. After the bill was
passed both the houses Anna
broke his fast in Talegaon
siddhi, that day when I sat with
Anna I said that I have a
problem. He asked what is the
problem? My problem these
days that we have roamed
around my people are not
telling me that I must now
become the means. So he said,
that means you have to know go
into politics? Gen. Singh said,
looks like. Anna – do whatever
your people tell you. After all
we all exist due to people. Gen.
Singh - So I came back thought
over it and I ask to myself
“what do I do?” Do I remain
independent and my reading of
the history told me that being
independent had never got
anybody anything.
To be independent you
required lots of resources which
will take lots of time then I had
a choice to join some party
among national or regional
party. Both the parties have
their own views. After deciding
a lot I join the BJP and the aim
was to become the part of the
party and to go along with the
ideology of the party. I have just
embelled into politics and I
have never thought that I will
go in politics or would context
election. Unfortunately in Army
I have grown with different
philosophy goodwill come by
as the time flies. Our
Honourable Prime Minister
decided to pick me up to give
me responsibility and I am
taking care of the responsibility
and with the full confliction that
it would be able to tell readers
as what I have been able to do
during this period of five years.
Aarti: Q. Some of African
Countries (like Ethiopia,
Malawi, Tanzania and few
others Countries) were
complaining at our recent visits
about getting Indian
Visit/Business/Health visa.
They said, it sometime takes
more than 2 to 3 weeks, where
as their country offers ON-
Arrival visa to Indians, how you
will look into it with quick and
better service? How much
improving in passport service
for quick access with less
papers and time?
Ans: Visa and passport
regime have been eased a lot.
As a Ministry of External
Affairs we are paying great
amount of attention to our
counsellor services and our aim
is to make things easy, make
things simple and do speedy
processing. We have gone in for
E-Visa process for 124
Countries. Now all this what we
do is always on reciprocal
bases, what facility we provide,
how much you charge, how
exactly the whole thing is done
is all reciprocal. It is never one
sided. We do help. There are
certain thing we do and we
expect that our people going to
those countries get similar
treatment. So let me assure you
that, my feeling is that at the
moment things are far-far easier
than what it probably used to be
about three years back.
- Sorry to tell you but
during my recent visit to
Ethiopia they were complaining
that getting Indian visa take lot
of time.
What happens is that, there
may be some local problems but
let me find out what is the
problem? We have similar
concern with some of our
people who seek Ethiopian visa.
So there must be something that
we need to take care off.
Aarti: Q. We witnessed in
Bangalore African youth union
students were complaining
about stay issue. They face lots
of problem in getting PG/rented
apartment or home. Especially
girls feel that they are not safe
in our country. can there be any
option to have part-time or
weekly few hours work/job
permit to support their parents
in small way?
Ans: Let me first say that
although we offer lot of
scholarship, yet there are lot of
other people who otherwise
come India to study. What we
are trying to do which we have
not done to that extend earlier is
to recommending to all the
University that they must try
and house all the students who
comes from outside India, from
various countries in hostels on
the campus so that they don’t
have to look for PG and other
things. There are problems with
some of the universities and
private universities where these
students take admission who do
not have the residential
facilities and therefore, they
have to go for the PG like any
other Indian student has to do.
So for the environment has been
pretty good except for sporadic
couple of incidence, at-least for
last three years I can count them
on my fingertips, the number of
incidences… they are very few.
And all because of some you
can say sparked by some either
element that was different
frame of mind getting into
arguments and then escalating
to something different but so far
I think everybody has found to
be India safe. At times it
becomes fashionable when you
start talking to some of the
students.. they say No we are
not safe etc.. lets not go on
newspaper reports, lot of time
things are blown up out of
context and lot of times things
are portrayed in different
manner all together. I thing
India is much-much safe,
probably we highlight our own
deficiency so much that people
start thinking we are the country
which is insecure, which is
NOT so It is not so. I get
number of complain from
Indian who visit large number
of countries in the world is
phenomenal but we don’t say
that, that country is unsafe.
Aarti: Q. I had Interacted
with Education Minister of
Sudan, Education Minister of
Malawi & Education Minister
of Afghanistan they suggested
me "why don't Government of
India set-up Indian
school/college/university or
Institute like other
European/German counties,
they even asked for Indian
Health services in their
countries, will you raise this
issue with the PM and concern
Ministries?
Ans: None of them are
Government University, no
country has this thing outside
but all private. They may be
affiliated to something to get
the degree.
- But German education
is worldwide directly
Government is attached.
I think they have a different
model were they are looking at
those colonies which probably
were speaking German
language for some time or
otherwise. This idea is been
floating for quite some time at
the moment as a Government
you are trying to ensure that
what you have here is sufficient
and of good quality so that this
huge youth
bank which
we have is
taken care. I
am sure as
time passes,
as our
economic is
growing, as
youth are
growing we
will look at
t h e s e
avenues.
- They
were talking
about Health
also?
We are looking into these
large multi specialist Hospitals.
Nigeria has one which Primes
runs on PPP bases. Apollo is
already exploring, setting up
some of the Hospitals in some
of the countries in Africa.
Health sector side we are
already outside our country.
- Few of them feel that
most of the Hospitals
recommend them to visit India
for their treatment?
Those must be the smaller
outlets but when the big
Hospitals chain goes out there,
they will treat everything there.
There is NO question of not
getting treated over there. Like
the Hospital which is run in
Nigeria all treatment is done
there. The only black-spot we
have had when four doctors
with their families decided to
abounded… I am using the term
abended… despite been told to
stay back till your patient in
ICU are discharged. But they
created ashen that the media
took it on, saying the
Government of India is pushing
doctors into a zone where A, B
& C is happening. That’s SAD!
Aarti.: Q. Sir it came into
our notice that MEA of India,
USAID, UNAID, and many
other AIDS has allocated huge
amount for cultural exchange,
Degree/Diploma and skill
development courses but most
of the funds goes un-utilized,
how true these allegation and if
real then what measure your
Ministry will take?
Ans: There may have some
aberration I don’t know off but
the system is very transparent
and very clear. Now we are
putting everything online. One
can apply on-line, the country
from where you are applying
the Consulate will get your
application automatically, they
will accordingly move the
applications to the University
you have applied for… which
ever University accepts, that
acceptance also goes on-line to
you and it is going to be
transparent system. Earlier
everything was coming through
papers so there might have been
delays. Our criteria are quite
clear, you can get somebody
who is into different criteria all-
together.
Vipin: Q. Sir, any message
for our paper?
Ans: Country & Politics is a
good newspaper and the worth
of the newspapers is in the
accuracy of reporting, in taking
up issues which are relevant, in
putting out editorials which
allow people to think and if you
can fulfil these you will have a
circulation far beyond what
some of the newspapers which I
call it as tabloids are happening.
I am happy to see Country &
Politics growing very fast.
S.Kumar Aarti Gupta
Avatar in Indian Politics, A pioneer and....

5 17- 23 April 2017
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mM+ku----- vkleka vHkh ckdh gS] ds
:Ik esa ,d Lyksxu dk voyksdu
fd;k x;kA bldk mís”; gS fd
Nk=ksa ds fgrksa ds fy, la?k’kZ djuk
o mudks ubZ fn'kk nsukA
jk"Vªoknh Nk= dk¡xzsl ds
jk’Vªh; v/;{k] /khjt 'kekZ ds ,d
lky lQyrkiwoZd iqjk gksus ds
miy{; esa Nk= laxBuksa us mUgsa
c/kkb;ka nsrs gq, yEch mez dh
dkeuk dhA bl ekSds ij izeq[k :Ik
ls mifLFkr jk’Vªoknh dk¡xzsl ikVhZ
ds jk’Vªh; egklfpo o lkaln] Jh
rkfjd+ vuoj us /khjt “kekZ ds ,d
lky lQyrkiwoZd iwjs gksus ij mUgsa
c/kkb;ka nsrs gq, blh rjg Nk=ksa ds
fgrksa ds fy, la?k’kZ djus ,oa c<+rs
pys tkus dk vk”khokZn fn;kA
mUgksaus mM+ku ------- vkleka vHkh
ckdh gS o Nk= esfuQsLVks dk
voyksdu djrs gq, dgk fd Nk=ksa
dh “kfDr vkt ns'k dh fn'kk o
n'kk cnyus ds fy, jk’Vªoknh Nk=
dk¡xzsl ,d 'kfDr ds :Ik esa mHkjdj
vk;k gSA
gesa nq%[k gS fd ns'k esa 60
izfr”kr ;qok vkt vius&vki dks
Bxk lk eglwl dj jgs gSaA orZeku
esa csjkst+xkjh vkSj Nk=ksa ij
neudkjh uhfr Nk=ksa dk “kks’k.k
dj jgh gSA ;g ns'k ds fy, ?kkrd
gSA /khjt 'kekZ] jk’Vªh; v/;{k]
jk’Vªoknh Nk= dk¡xzsl] us crk;k fd
eq>s [kq'kh gS fd Nk=ksa dk tks I;kj
eq>s ,d lky esa feyk gS] eSa mudk
rgsfny ls /kU;okn djrk gw¡A gekjs
jk’Vªh; usrk] Jh rkfjd+ vuoj
lkgc us gesa gj lEHko enn dh gS]
mudk Hkh /kU;oknA mM+ku ----vkleka
vHkh ckdh gS] ds voyksdu ds
edln ij mUgksaus crk;k fd Nk=
fgrksa ds fy, ;g ,d gekjh eqfge
gSA blesa Nk=kvksa vkSj efgykvksa dks
Hkh mfpr lEeku feys] ns'k ,d ubZ
fn'kk o 'kfDr dh vksj c<+s]
jk’Vªoknh Nk= dk¡xzsl vkt ladYi
ysrk gSA blesa izeq[k :Ik ls
mifLFkr fnYyh izns'k jk’Vªoknh
dk¡xzsl ikVhZ dh egklfpo] dqlqe
lgxy o jktdqekj cSlks;k]
jk’Vªoknh Nk= dk¡xzsl ds jk’Vªh;
egklfpo lwjt “kekZ] fnYyh izns”k
jk’Vªoknh Nk= dk¡xzsl v/;{k
vkuUn dqdjsrh] egklfpo jkgr]
lks”ky ehfM;k v/;{k fleju dkSj
vkSj lSadM+ksa Nk= mifLFkr FksA
mM+ku Nk=ksa dks nsxk ,d ubZ fn”kk o n”kk & rkfjd+ vuoj
ubZ fnYyh] ,,uvkbZA Hkktik
ds f[kykQ egkxBca/ku ds lq>ko
dks udkj pqds lik lqçheks eqyk;e
flag ;kno ij tn;w ds ofj"B usrk
dslh R;kxh us rat dlk gSA
mUgksaus dgk fd eqyk;e flag
;kno Hkktik dh ekStwnk fLFkfr ls
okfdQ ugha gSaA Hkktik vc iqjkuh
Hkktik ugha jghA ;s 2017 dh
Hkktik gSA R;kxh us dgk eqyk;e
flag ;kno vc Hkh chrs iyksa esa th
jgs gSaA
;kn fnyk nsa fd eSuiqjh esa ,d
dk;ZØe esa eqyk;e flag ;kno us
dgk Fkk fd lektoknh ikVhZ dks
fdlh Hkh ny ls xBca/ku dh dksbZ
t:jr ugha gSaA dkaxzsl ds xBca/ku
dk gky lc ns[k pqds gSaA eqyk;e
us dgk Fkk fd lektoknh ikVhZ
fdlh ls Hkh vdsys yMus vkSj
thrus esa l{ke gSA
blls igys vf[kys'k ;kno us
,syku fd;k Fkk fd Hkkjrh; turk
ikVhZ ds f[kykQ ns'k esa fdlh Hkh
xBca/ku dks lektoknh ikVhZ
leFkZu djsxhA vf[kys'k ;kno rks
cgqtu lekt ikVhZ dh ek;korh
ds lkFk xBca/ku dks ysdj Hkh
dkQh ldkjkRed #[k fn[kk pqds
ubZ fnYyh A izHkkr izksMD'kal ,oa fnYyh uxj fuxe deZpkjh la;qDr ekspkZ }kjk jaxk jax dk;Zdze /keky
2017 dk vk;kstu 'kkg vkfMVksfj;e esa fd;k x;kA bl volj ij eq[; vfrfFk Jh odkj pkS/kjh ¼lektlsoh½
Jhefr izohuk 'kekZ] nyhi dqekj okfyk] fueZy 'kkg] v'kksd nRrk] MkW- gjh yky] ,l-ds-pkSgku] ch-ih-flag bR;kfn
ds vykok vU; yksxks dh ekStwnxh esa nhi izTtofyr dj bl dk;Zdze dks vkxs c<+k;k x;kA blesa QS'ku 'kks
,oa ehfM;k txr ls tqMs dbZ i=dkjksa dks Hkh lEekfur fd;k x;k rFkk ogha bl dk;Zdze dk eq[; vkd"kZ.k
iou vkVZ xqzi }kjk u`R; ,oa xhr laxhr dk dk;Zdze jgk A
orZeku dh Hkktik ls voxr ugha
eqyk;e] th jgs chrs iyksa esa % dslh R;kxh

6 17- 23 April 2017
NATIONAL
The water storage available
in 91 major reservoirs of the
country for the week ending on
April 13, 2017 was 48.42
BCM, which is 31% of total
storage capacity of these reser-
voirs. This percentage was at
32 for the week ending on
April 06, 2017. The level of
April 13, 2017 was 132% of
the storage of corresponding
period of last year and 106% of
storage of average of last ten
years.
The total storage capacity
of these 91 reservoirs is
157.799 BCM which is about
62% of the total storage capac-
ity of 253.388 BCM which is
estimated to have been created
in the country. 37 Reservoirs
out of these 91 have hydropow-
er benefit with installed capac-
ity of more than 60 MW
REGION WISE STORAGE
STATUS:-
NORTHERN REGION
The northern region
includes States of Himachal
Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan.
There are six reservoirs under
Central Water Commission
(CWC) monitoring having
total live storage capacity of
18.01 BCM. The total live stor-
age available in these reser-
voirs is 4.23 BCM which is
23% of total live storage capac-
ity of these reservoirs. The
storage during corresponding
period of last year was 23%
and average storage of last ten
years during corresponding
period was 30% of live storage
capacity of these reservoirs.
Thus, storage during current
year is equal to the correspon-
ding period of last year and is
less than the average storage of
last ten years during the corre-
sponding period.
EASTERN REGION
The Eastern region includes
States of Jharkhand, Odisha,
West Bengal and Tripura.
There are 15 reservoirs under
CWC monitoring having total
live storage capacity of 18.83
BCM.
The total live storage avail-
able in these reservoirs is 9.21
BCM which is 49% of total
live storage capacity of these
reservoirs. The storage during
corresponding period of last
year was 34% and average
storage of last ten years during
corresponding period was 35%
of live storage capacity of these
reservoirs. Thus, storage dur-
ing current year is better than
the corresponding period of
last year and is also better than
the average storage of last ten
years during the corresponding
period.
WESTERN REGION
The Western region
includes States of Gujarat and
Maharashtra. There are 27
reservoirs under CWC moni-
toring having total live storage
capacity of 27.07 BCM. The
total live storage available in
these reservoirs is 10.59 BCM
which is 39% of total live stor-
age capacity of these reser-
voirs. The storage during corre-
sponding period of last year
was 20% and average storage
of last ten years during corre-
sponding period was 38% of
the storage of last year and is
also better than the average
the corresponding period.
CENTRAL REGION
The Central region includes
States of Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh
and Chhattisgarh. There are 12
voirs.
The storage during corre-
sponding period of last year
the storage of last year and is
also better than the average
the corresponding period.
SOUTHERN REGION
The Southern region
includes States of Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, AP&TG(
Two combined projects in both
states) Karnataka, Kerala and
Tamil Nadu. There are 31
voirs. The storage during cor-
responding period of last year
ing current year is less than the
corresponding period of last
year and is also less than the
average storage of last ten
years during the corresponding
period.
States having better stor-
age than last year for corre-
sponding period are Punjab,
Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha,
West Bengal, Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh,
Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, AP&TG (Two
combined projects in both
states) and Telangana. States
having lesser storage than last
year for corresponding period
are Himachal Pradesh, Tripura,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
WATERLEVELOF91MAJORRESERVOIRSOFTHECOUNTRYGOESDOWNBY ONEPERCENT
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,Home
Minister Dr G Parameshwara,with
Kempaiah,Roshan Baig,Dinesh Gundu
Rao,along with Chief Secretary Subhash
Chandra Khuntia,Addl Chief
Secretary,Mahendra Jain,Karnataka
DG&IGP Rupak kumar Dutta,M N Reddi,
ADGP Intelligence,Commissioner of Police
Praveen Sood,flagged off 51 Pink Hoysala
patrolling vehicles.with Addl CPs as,Malini
K r i s h n a m u r t h y , H e m a n t h
Nimbalkar,R.Hitendra,S.Ravi,Nanjundswa
my,with other officers
a s , D . C . R a j a p p a , C h a n d r a
Gupta,Dr.S.D.Sharanappa,Ajay Hillori,M N
Anucheth,Dr.P.S.Harsha,Dr.Boralingaiah,
Abhishek Goyal,Kishor babu,Anup
S h e t t y , R e n u k a
Sukumaran,Narayan,Dr.Shobharani
V.J,Nagendra Kumar with all other DCPs
and ACPs and PIs were present at the
inaugural of Pink hoysala and BCP
Suraksha APP. Each vehicle will be manned
by one women police with other staff .They
will operate near garment factories, schools,
women’s colleges, offices, temples,
shopping malls, theatres,CBD areas in
Brigade road and MG Road, and sensitive
areas in the city. These vehicles are
equipped with global positioning system
(GPS) units and cameras for the staff at
police control rooms to monitor the camera
feed. With the launch of 51 Pink Hoyasala
vehicles, the number of patrol vehicles in
Bengaluru has gone up to 272. Specially-
trained staff will act based on complaints
received through the mobile app ‘Suraksha’
and police control room number 100. If any
complaint is received by the control room,
the nearest vehicle will be alerted to reach
the crime scene. The Pink Hoysala vehicles
are equipped with GPS units and
cameras.The staff at police control rooms
will monitor the camera feed.Earlier, the
city police had seven Abhaya vehicles
across the city to respond to problems
concerning women. The new patrolling
system will replace the Abhaya
vehicles.The city police has 221 Hoysalas
for general patrolling.
Pink Hoyasala and SURAKSHAApp
Launched by Karnataka CM& HMBHUBANESWAR: A res-
olution on constitutional
status to the National
Commission for Backward
Classes adopted at the BJP
national executive slammed
Congress and other parties
which "blocked" its passage
in Rajya Sabha as anti-back-
ward. The opposition, par-
ticularly Congress, had
argued that the bill had been
brought forward at the last
minute and it was finally
referred to a select commit-
tee. The move on NCBC,
coupled with demonetisa-
tion and other welfare
schemes for the poor, seem
designed to project BJP as a
champion of socio-econom-
ically deprived sections.
Even as more Muslim
women and some leading
activists come out in the
open to question triple talaq
which they argue has no
sanction under Quran and
has been outlawed in many
Muslim countries, Muslim
clergy have rejected any
change in what they say is
the community's "personal
law". When Madhubani MP
Hukumdev Narain Yadav
was speaking on the resolu-
tion on constitutional status
to NCBC, Modi intervened
and suggested that the exec-
utive committee send a mes-
sage that the move was
meant for welfare of the
poor and backward from all
sections. HRD minister
Prakash Javadekar, while
briefing reporters about the
resolutions, confirmed that
the deliberations included
welfare of 'Pasmanda (back-
ward) Muslims'. Gadkari
added, "There were several
developments and the Prime
Minister suggested welfare
of all as the party's theme is
sabka saath, sabka vikas."
OBC Muslims have some-
times complained that the
promise of equality prom-
ised in Islam has not been
delivered to them. They lag
behind 'upper caste'
Muslims who have frowned
upon the attempt to differ-
entiate 'backwards' in the
community as an attempt to
split the community. The
strong OBC pitch is part of
BJP's efforts to come across
as pro-poor with demoneti-
sation seen as bid to transfer
wealth from the corrupt and
the influential to the poor.
The idea is to gain new
adherents among the social-
ly backward and economi-
cally deprived categories
who have been particularly
attracted to BJP.
OBC pitch part of BJP plan
to portray itself as ‘pro-poor’

Noida: “Never before any
fashion and design school has
taken so many efforts to bring
industry and education on the
same platform at such a mag-
nificent scale. We have creat-
ed history and a wonderful
beginning in fashion and
design world,” said Sandeep
Marwah, President AAFT
School of Fashion And
Design. Participation of more
than 40 countries, 100 differ-
ent organizations of different
fields including fashion, tex-
tile, furniture, jewelry, yoga,
spiritual, health, modeling,
beauty, makeup, educational
institutions and media were
the high points of the show.
Painting exhibition, furni-
ture exhibition, textile exhibi-
tion and jewelry exhibition;
all were inaugurated by
important dignitaries present
at the show. Well-prepared
fashion shows by the AAFT
School of Fashion And
Design brought many acco-
lades to the fashion week.
John Uche Jesus, Dr. Kusum
Chopra, Prasoon Dewan,
Rahul Anand, Bharti Taneja,
Iishika Taneja, Anushka Lal,
shared their experiences
through seminar on how to
bridge the gap between educa-
tion and industry. Renowned
exporters Rajat Jain of Pooja
International and Nishith
Sadh of Fancy Fashions,
along with filmmakers Mike
Berry from Los Angles, Amita
Shankar from UK and Ashok
Tyagi from Mumbai had a
brain storming session on
Film and Fashion. The session
was moderated by Sandeep
Marwah and was followed by
an interactive question and
answer round with the audi-
ence.
Powerful workshop by
young and known fashion
designer Niket Mishra attract-
ed many delegates to under-
stand “Start Up” concept of
Government of India in fash-
ion and design industry.
Renowned architect Harish
Tripathi, fashion designer
Rochika Agarwal and jewelry
designer Sharmila Katrey had
7 17- 23 April 2017
Happening
First Global Fashion and Design Week Noida Created History
Contd. On Next Page...

8 17- 23 April 2017
Happening
another panel discussion on
‘sustainable designing is a
token of brand identity’.
Social issues were not for-
gotten and GFDWN in associ-
ation with International
Children’s Film Forum picked
up a sensitive subject of the
menace of child kidnapping
under the guidance of Dr.
Vandana Guliya who is
taking up this issue under the
banner ‘No More Missing’.
The seminar was anchored by
Sushil Bharti and supported
by ICFF Director Madhavi
Advani who discussed the
topic at length with huge par-
ticipation by the delegates.
Ritu Lal, the Festival
Director of the show super-
vised all the events added that
the fashion week has brought
new energy to the trade and
turned out to be a learning
experience for all of us. The
fashion shows every evening,
with a different theme, made
an impact on the audience.

9 17- 23 April 2017
INTERNATIONAL
BEIJING: China said today that the recent visit of
the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh had a "negative
impact" on Sino-India ties and New Delhi should not
use the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader to "undermine"
Beijing's interests.
"Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh had a neg-
ative impact on India-China ties. India should observe
commitment on Tibet-related issues and should not use
the Dalai Lama to undermine China's interests,"
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.
He said it was only in this way that "we can create
a good atmosphere for the settlement of the boundary
question".
Now looks as if Chinese too are climbing down few
notches from rhetorics on Dalai Lama's Arunachal
Pradesh. Chinese intentions are loud and clear in stat-
ing their choice of successor to Dalai Lama wi...
The Chinese spokesman's remarks came in
response to India's Ministry of External Affairs state-
ment on Friday that there was no change in New
Delhi's position on Tibet being part of China. External
Affairs Ministry spokesman Gopal Baglay has said
India will continue to seek a fair and mutually accept-
able solution to the vexed boundary issue. Dalai Lama
visited Arunachal Pradesh from April 4-11.
India should not use the Dalai Lama to undermine China'
NEW DELHI: China has again upped its
investment in Pakistan in the China Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC), this time t $62 bil-
lion from $55 billion, The Express Tribune
reported. The additional financing is for infra-
structure projects and industrial zones in
Pakistan under CPEC. The volume of China's
investment in Pakistan would be significantly
higher than $62 billion if its private sector
investment is also counted. China's initial
investment for CPEC in Pakistan was $46 bil-
lion in 2015; that number has been steadily
going up with increasing investments required
in Pakistan's infrastructure and power projects.
A major chunk of the multibillion-dollar
investment, $34 billion, is going into electrici-
ty production and distribution. "This [$62 bil-
lion investment] is good news. People will reap
dividends of the investment... CPEC will create
massive economic momentum in Pakistan,"
said Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, a
member of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's core
economic team.
China hikes investment in
CPEC to $62bn from $55bn
KATHMANDU: Nepalese officials are brac-
ing for a "traffic jam" at Mount Everest this sea-
son due to a surge in the number of climbers eye-
ing to conquer the world's tallest peak.
This time, there would be around 400
climbers who will embark on the journey to scale
the 8,848-metre-high Mt Everest from mid-May,
according to the Department of Tourism.
As climbers are accompanied by high altitude
workers, whose number is usually more than that
of climbers, there could be around 1,000 individ-
uals on their way to the summit, creating a queue
whose snail-paced movement will be punctuated
by frequent halts, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Expedition teams have started arriving at the
base camp a month before the start of the season
to acclimatise.
"Everyone will be in a hurry to reach the peak
when the weather clears; there is no management
up there to fix turns for the climbers," said
Sonam Sherpa, who has scaled Mt Everest five
times working as an aide to climbers.
"So there is a possibility of a traffic jam this
year. Returning climbers in general have deplet-
ed stock of oxygen with them and they are
exhausted, which means life hangs in the bal-
ance," he said.
A good weather means expedition teams will
start climbing up from camps two, three and four,
resulting in "traffic jam", the report said.
Those with 2014 permission are likely to
return to scale the peak this year as in 2015, the
government introduced a new law allowing
climbers a three years' window to scale Mt
Everest with a single permit and fare.
"This is the final year of the three-year period
and the climbers who had taken permission earli-
er have also arrived to ensure that they do not
miss the chance. That is why the number of
climbers this season is high," Durgadatta Dhakal,
information officer at the Department of
Tourism, was quoted as saying.
This year, 267 climbers have already started
trekking from Namche to the Everest base camp,
said Kapindra Rai, programme officer of the
Everest Pollution Control Committee. Around
290 climbers had arrived at the base camp after
acquiring permission to climb Mt Everest last
year when hundreds were able to reach the sum-
mit following two years of disasters on the
mountain. The 2015 season was called off after
19 climbers were killed and 61 injured by an ava-
lanche triggered by a massive earthquake. In
2014, 16 Sherpa guides died in an avalanche.
Nepal braces for 'traffic jam' at Mt Everest
Vivek Sharma
KATHMANDU: Nepalese offi-
cials are bracing for a "traffic jam"
at Mount Everest this season due to
a surge in the number of climbers
eyeing to conquer the world's tallest
peak. This time, there would be
around 400 climbers who will
embark on the journey to scale the
8,848-metre-high Mt Everest from
mid-May, according to the
Department of Tourism.
As climbers are accompanied by
high altitude workers, whose num-
ber is usually more than that of
climbers, there could be around
1,000 individuals on their way to
the summit, creating a queue whose
snail-paced movement will be punc-
tuated by frequent halts, The
Kathmandu Post reported.
Expedition teams have started
arriving at the base camp a month
before the start of the season to
acclimatise.
"Everyone will be in a hurry to
reach the peak when the weather
clears; there is no management up
there to fix turns for the climbers,"
said Sonam Sherpa, who has scaled
Mt Everest five times working as an
aide to climbers.
"So there is a possibility of a traf-
fic jam this year. Returning climbers
in general have depleted stock of
oxygen with them and they are
exhausted, which means life hangs
in the balance," he said.
A good weather means expedi-
tion teams will start climbing up
from camps two, three and four,
resulting in "traffic jam", the report
said.
Those with 2014 permission are
likely to return to scale the peak this
year as in 2015, the government
introduced a new law allowing
climbers a three years' window to
scale Mt Everest with a single per-
mit and fare.
"This is the final year of the
three-year period and the climbers
who had taken permission earlier
have also arrived to ensure that they
do not miss the chance. That is why
the number of climbers this season
is high," Durgadatta Dhakal, infor-
mation officer at the Department of
Tourism, was quoted as saying.
This year, 267 climbers have
already started trekking from
Namche to the Everest base camp,
said Kapindra Rai, programme offi-
cer of the Everest Pollution Control
Committee. Around 290 climbers
had arrived at the base camp after
acquiring permission to climb Mt
Everest last year when hundreds
were able to reach the summit fol-
lowing two years of disasters on the
mountain. The 2015 season was
called off after 19 climbers were
killed and 61 injured by an ava-
lanche triggered by a massive earth-
quake. In 2014, 16 Sherpa guides
died in an avalanche.
Donald Trump says China working with US on North Korea problem

10 17- 23 April 2017
Special
Delhi ‘2017: fbb Colors
Femina Miss India North 2017
pageant wrapped up with infi-
nite oomph and glamour on
16th April, 2017 at The Leela
Ambience Convention Hotel
which played the perfect hos-
pitality partner for the same.
India’s most prestigious and
credible beauty pageant gives
the winners of the 8 states of
the North Zone – Miss India
Madhya Pradesh, Miss India
Himachal Pradesh, Miss India
Uttar Pradesh, Miss India
Jammu and Kashmir, Miss
India Punjab, Miss India
Haryana, Miss India
Uttarakhand and Miss India
Delhi a lifetime opportunity to
get a direct entry to the Grand
Finale of fbb Colors Femina
Miss India 2017 in June.
The girls had to go through
3 rigorous rounds which
included:- Modern India
Round – The first round saw
the girls dressed in amazing
outfits designed by ace
designer Shubhika Sharma for
PAPA DON’T PREACH. Pop
Princess's Wardrobe which
consists of varied outfits in a
vast array of colours to suit her
every possible mood! Right
from svelte pre-stitched
sarees, kitsch mehendi half
skirts with crop tops to dreamy
tulle lehengas there is no occa-
sion left undressed and dowdy.
Embellished with Shubhika's
signature laser cut acrylic
hearts, multicoloured
sequences and thread work,
every outfit is sure to be a
walking talking work of Pop
Art! .
fbb Round – fbb presents
its new collection, Ateesa,
which is all about embarking
on a journey from local to
global. The collection offers a
refreshing twist with bursts of
electric colors, quirky vibes
and funky graphics & motifts.
The collection is teamed with
bags from Holii, a brand born
in India which reflects strong
culture, joy, complexity and
the sheer brilliance of India
through innovative design.
Evening Gown Round –
The girls had to grace the
stage in the gown collection
by AMIT GT whose collection
is a tribute to modern day roy-
alty. Inspired by princesses
and queens of 21st century
like Princess Kate Middleton,
Queen Rania, Sheikha Mozah
and Queen Ameera who are
known for their understated
sartorial choices that bring out
their true beauty and charis-
matic personality the collec-
tion comprises embellished
dresses and gowns in chiffons,
tulle and delicate laces. For
the very first time, the pageant
is hosting mentors for each
zone who will be guiding the
contestants and helping them
in any way they need. To take
charge of the proceeding for
the North Zone we have none
other than a former Miss
India, actress and host Neha
Dhupia.
The Judges for the evening
were: Neha Dhupia – She’s a
fashionista, a former Miss
India, an actress, and also a
talk show host. Having
donned many hats over a peri-
od of time, she has proven her
prowess in every project that
she has undertaken be it in
Julie, Singh is King, Kya Kool
Hai Hum, Shootout at
Lokhandwala etc. Currently
she is seen as a judge on
Roadies Rising show.
Rohit Khandelwal – Rohit
Khandelwal is an Indian
model, actor, television per-
sonality, winner of Mr India
2015, and the first ever Asian
to be crowned Mister World
2016.
Geeta Phogat – Geeta
Phogat is a freestyle wrestler
who won India's first ever
gold medal in wrestling at the
Commonwealth Games in
2010. She is also the first
Indian female wrestler to have
qualified for the Olympic
Summer Games.
Namrata Joshipura –
Namrata, a NIFT graduate,
launched her clothing line in
India in 1996 under the
"Namrata Joshipura" label.
Her vision is that of a global
aesthetic and her clothing eas-
ily translates across geogra-
phies and other artificial con-
structs such as age, race and
point of view. She has also
designed the costumes for the
award winning Indo-German
film "Dance of the Wind"
which captured prizes at both
the London and Nantes Film
Festivals. Sunil Sethi - Sunil
Sethi, connoisseur of Fashion,
Luxury & Lifestyle products,
set up Alliance Merchandising
Company, a sourcing and buy-
ing agency in 1988. Over the
years he has represented elite
designers and world’s reputed
& well known stores including
Anthropologie, Crate &
Barrel, Armani Casa etc… for
their product development and
buying out of India. To honour
his contribution in the field of
exports, he was awarded the
Lifetime Achievement Award
by Export Promotion Council
for Handicrafts which was
presented by the Union
Textiles Minister of Indi
Winner gets a lifetime opportunity to get a direct entry to
the Grand Finale of fbb Colors Femina Miss India 2017
New Delhi, Continuing with the legacy of setting
new benchmarks in television news, CNN-News18
presents an all new primetime which promises to deliv-
er insightful journalism and provide viewers with a plat-
form to voice their concerns and viewpoints. The chan-
nel will go live with two new shows tonight starting
9pm with Face-Off At 9 and Viewpoint at 10pm.
Anchored by Award winning journalists Deputy
Executive Editor Zakka Jacob and Executive Editor
Bhupendra Chaubey respectively, the shows will build
further on the channel’s positioning of On Your Side.
Conceptualised to provide a fresh approach to news, the
brand new shows with enhanced audience engagement,
fresh packaging and even more incisive content aim to
add multiple dimensions to the primetime news.
Face-Off At 9 will witness a ‘face-Off’ between the
biggest newsmakers on the top story of the day to bring
out key insights on the same without drowning the same
out in unnecessary noise. The show will capture various
facets of the story to help viewers to form their own
informed opinions. Viewpoint – an interactive and par-
ticipative show will explore various views on the day’s
top news stories that will endeavour to disrupt the stan-
dard formats seen on news television. The show will
cover the top 5 stories of the day and feature discussions
with guests on the same. The show will also connect
with viewers through social media and on-ground differ-
ent locations to bring the people’s viewpoint to the
debate and will continue to map their sentiments till the
end and will bring out the truth, driven by facts and not
by any agenda. Speaking on the new shows, Avinash
Kaul, Managing Director of A+E Networks | TV18 &
President – Strategy, Product & Alliances, Network18
said, “As the leading channel in the category, we have
always believed in continuously re-imagining and re-
inventing our offering to make it more relevant to our
viewers. The launch of these shows is a manifestation of
our commitment to constantly innovate to not only cap-
ture our viewers’ interest but also to create impact
through our news.”
Talking about the refreshed content, Radhakrishnan
Nair, Managing Editor, CNN-News18 said,” We have
always pushed the envelope in bringing our viewers dif-
ferentiated content and formats. The new shows that we
are launching are a reflection of our viewers’ expecta-
tions from us to continue to raise the quality of the news
content that we offer – especially in terms of the credi-
bility and substance of the debates and in-studio discus-
sions that form the mainstay of primetime news televi-
sion today."
CNN-News18 launches 2 New Primetime Shows-
Face Off At 9 at 9pm and Viewpoint at 10pm
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11 17- 23 April 2017 SPORTS
CHENNAI: Even
though he captained India
through highs and lows dur-
ing his tenure as India's
Davis Cup captain, Anand
Amritraj rues not being at
the helm when India made
the World Group Playoffs.
Anand said, "When I
was made the captain of
India I had two objectives.
One was to bring peace and
harmony among the players
which was missing. I am
happy that during my tenure
we hardly had any issues
like the one you have seen
last week (The Leander
Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi
drama). I had a great time
with the young boys like
Yuki (Bhambri), Ramkumar
(Ramanathan) and the
likes."
"The second was defi-
nitely taking India to World
Group Playoffs. But unfor-
tunately we fell short even
after coming so close to
making it thrice. When I
joined, we had a good team
if not a great one," he said.
"I am happy that we
could do it against
Uzbekistan. It was easier
than I thought it would be
because Denis Istomin was-
n't there. But the path from
here will not be easy at all.
We are playing Canada
there and they are extreme-
ly strong," said Anand.
However, the former
Davis Cupper wasn't ready
to give up on India yet. "It
will be extremely difficult,
but it won't be impossible. I
won't be ruling out a posi-
tive result because Milos
Raonic will probably not be
a part of the team as he has-
n't represented Canada in
Davis Cup for a really long
time. But to cause an upset
and make it to the World
Group, all the players have
to be fit," said the former
Davis Cupper.
Beating Canada difficult but not
impossible, says Anand Amritraj
Orange City's Raunak impresses
in blitz event at Dubai Open
NEW DELHI: The Indian
men's hockey team will not
take part in the Sultan of Johor
Cup in Malaysia for the sec-
ond year in a row, citing the
presence of Pakistan in the
event to be held in October.
Hockey India said since
Sultan of Johor Cup is an invi-
tational tournament it would
continue its stand of not taking
part in any series against
Pakistan until it tenders an
unconditional apology for the
2014 Champions Trophy con-
troversy.
Sultan of Johor Cup is an
Under-21 tournament and
India won the title in 2015. It
is not a global event held
under the aegis of world gov-
erning body FIH or any conti-
nental body.
In January, HI announced
its decision not to play any
tournament against Pakistan
until they submit an uncondi-
tional written apology for
lewd and unprofessional
behaviour of the Pakistan
team during the FIH
Champions Trophy in India in
2014.
The matter did not end
there. Ahead of the 2016
Junior World Cup in Lucknow,
Pakistan Hockey Federation
(PHF) alleged that India did
not want Pakistan to take part
in the tournament. India had
outrightly rejected the claim.
Eventually, Pakistan did not
take part in the Junior World
Cup.
"Though Hockey India and
its players had let go of the
hurtful incident in 2014, it was
the recent allegations by PHF
(during the Junior World Cup)
that has resulted in India
pulling out of this tournament.
"By not fielding the Indian
team at the Sultan of Johor
Cup, we have stood our
ground to not take part in any
series against Pakistan until
they submit an unconditional
apology for what happened in
2014," said Hockey India
spokesperson RP Singh. Great
decision. Same position must
be adopted in all sports against
this terrorist state.
"Since the Sultan of Johor
Cup is not a mandatory tour-
nament, Hockey India has
decided that it will withdraw
from the tournament. We had
not brought up the bad behav-
iour on part of Pakistan during
the FIH Champions Trophy in
2014 for a very long time.
"It is actually PHF who
bring it up again and levy
baseless allegations against
Hockey India to hide their
own incompetency. It is about
time PHF takes responsibility
for it's incapability," he added.
NAGPUR: Having upset
Turkmenistan International
Master (IM) and split point
with a Grandmaster from
Moldova helped city's 11-
year-old Fide Master (FM)
Raunak Sadhwani finish the
day-long blitz event at the
19th Dubai Open Chess
Tournament on a high.
The shortest format of the
64 squares, a nine-round inter-
national tournament, was
played at the Dubai Chess and
Culture Club.
Starting as a 52nd seed,
Raunak surprised five higher-
ranked rivals and held a GM
to collect 5.5 points. He fin-
ished at the 30th position.
Raunak gained 51 Elo points
to stretch his overall blitz rat-
ing to 1818.
Raunak made most of his
opening advantage with the
white pieces to outclass
Finland's Moussa Mahmoud
and kick start his campaign
with a win on the 52nd board.
In the following round, despite
playing with the black pieces,
Raunak surprised IM
Grigoryan Karen from
Turkmenistan and jumped to
the 13th spot with full two
points. At 2307, the
Turkmenistan IM had 540
more Elo points than Raunak.
In the third round, the 11-year-
old utilized his opening
advantage well and made
some tactical moves to force
higher-ranked GM
Iordachescu Viorel from
Moldova to sign the peace
treaty. In the following
rounds, however, Raunak
found GMs Mareco Sandro
and Hesham Abdelrahman
from Argentina and Egypt too
tough to handle and went
down fighting in the fourth
and fifth round respectively.
Fighting back from successive
defeats, Raunak, playing with
whites, prevailed over higher-
ranked Turkmenistan WFM
Ovezdurdiyeva Jemal in the
sixth round.
NEW DELHI: Newly-
crowned Singapore Open
champion B Sai Praneeth
says the historic all-Indian
Super Series final against K
Srikanth is a testimony that
Indian badminton has pro-
gressed by leaps and bounds.
Praneeth burst onto the
scene in 2010 after clinching
a bronze at World Junior
Championships and won
many international chal-
lengers but a big win always
eluded him.
The 24-year-old finally
achieved his dream of win-
ning a Super Series today in
Singapore.
"I am very happy to win
today. The way I played in the
tournament I'm very happy.
It's the best feeling. I have
been waiting for this for a
long long time.
I think top two singles is a
first time for India and it's
history and you can see
Indian badminton is going up
from this tournament,"
Praneeth told PTI after win-
ning the title.
"And it's not only men sin-
gles players even women sin-
gles players are also doing
good," he added. Over the
last seven years, Praneeth has
beaten many accomplished
shuttlers such as former All
England Champion
Muhammad Hafiz Hashim of
Malaysia, former Olympic
and World champion Taufik
Hidayat and World no 1 Lee
Chong Wei but couldn't win a
tournament.
IndianhockeyteamtoskipSultanofJohorCupduetoPakistanpresence
Singapore Super Series showed Indian
badminton is progressing: Praneeth

New Delhi: On the occasion of 100
years of Champaran Satayagraha, the
first Satyagraha movement initiated by
Mohandas Gandhi, in the Champaran
district of Bihar, Kalpana Patowary, a
Folk artist initiates a musical move-
ment as she releases a musical trave-
logue inspired by it. Champaran, is a
district in the state of Bihar wherein
tens of thousands of landless serfs,
indentured labourers and poor farmers
were forced to grow indigo
(poppy/opium) and similar cash crops
by the British East India company and
subsequently, the British government
in colonised India. This indigo was
bought from them at a very low price
to export to China as opium. That is
when Raj Kumar Shukla, an indigo
cultivator, persuaded Gandhi to go to
Champaran and thus, the Satyagraha
began. Kalpana has dedicated this
project to the Land (Bihar) and the
Legend (Gandhi) so that the colloquial
dialect of the region, Bhojpuri can be
recognised as an Indian language. The
musical also brings to the fore how
Bhojpuri was the soul of Champaran
Satyagraha and also the main tool used
by Gandhiji to connect with people of
Champaran hundred years ago.
However, unfortunately Bhojpuri is
still not included in the 8th schedule of
Indian constitution yet today and
through this musical movement the
artist wants to request the State
Government and Central Government
to give a respectable place to Bhojpuri.
By and large, it is her musical
Satyagraha for inclusion of Bhojpuri in
the 8th schedule of Indian constitution.
Talking about the musical trave-
logue Kalpana expresses, “Champaran
Satayagarha was important not only
for farmers who were exploited by
Britishers. Actualy Champaran
Satayaghara was the real freedom
movement insisted by people in rural
area like Champaran.” She further
goes on to express, “The Satyagraha
connects with the rich Bhojpuri culture
including the melody of Bhojpuri tra-
ditional Ramleela folktune through
this project i have made and effort to
make Bhojpuri as the language of
intellectual literature world.” The
screening saw a host of Union
Minsters and Parliamentarians who
attended the event to show solidarity.
Present were, Shri. Parsottambhai
Rupala Minister of State for
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
Shri.Jual Oram, Union Minister of
Tribal Affairs, Shri. Ramdas Athawale,
Minister of Social & justice and
Women Empowerment and Smt.
Krishna Raj, Minister for Child and
woman. Meanwhile, Smt. Neelam
Sonkar, Member of Parliament under
whose patronage the event was initiat-
ed expressed, “Kalpana’s musical con-
tribution towards Champaran
Satyagraha is laudable.
Despite belonging to Assam she has
spent the past 16 years in musically
trying to revive Bhojpuri languages
which is also the language of the peo-
ple of Champaran. No one has taken
such an initiative and I extend my
heartfelt appreciation and support in
her quest towards this musical expedi-
tion.” Interestingly, as the country cel-
ebrates the 100th Year of the
Champaran Satyagraha on the 14th
April, Bollywood blockbuster Begum
Jaan starring Vidya Balan’s, wherein
Kalpana rendered her voice for the
song, “O Re Kaharo”, is all set for
release on the same day. It is a folk
based song composed by none other
than Annu Mallik where the heart cries
out for the pain of letting go.
The film is about the trauma of dis-
placed women in a brothel during
Partition. Begum Jaan brings to light
the much talked-about, controversial
partition between India and Pakistan.
Honey Sehgal
The Uttar Pradesh government today said
it was monitoring the situation arising out of
Japanese Encephalitis in certain eastern
districts of the state. Last year alone over 200
patients died in BRD Medical College in
Gorakhpur where patients from neighboring
districts as well as from Nepal undergo
treatment. At a meeting of the state cabinet
chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, it
was decided that a training programmed will
be conducted for doctors of primary health
centers and community health centers, so that
JE and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)
patients get timely and speedy relief. Briefing
mediapersons, Health Minister Siddharth
Nath Singh said his junior minister Mahendra
Singh will start touring JE and AES-prone 37
districts in the state to get a first hand idea of
the prevailing situation. The Health Minister
said it has been decided to increase 10 beds in
district hospitals and the number of oxygen
cylinders. JE is caused by the mosquito-borne
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). Domestic
pigs and wild birds (especially herons) carry
the virus. This disease is most prevalent in
Southeast Asia, South Asia and East Asia.
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome is a group of
clinical neurologic manifestation caused by
wide range of viruses, bacteria, fungus,
parasites, chemical and toxins. Infants and
elderly people are particularly vulnerable to
Encephalitis which causes inflammation of
the brain. The symptoms include high fever
and vomiting, with extreme cases reporting
incidents of seizures, paralysis and coma.
The Halasuru Gate police
have arrested a senior official
of the State Agriculture
Department on the charge of
raping a woman contract
employee at his office in May
last year. An Additional
Director of Agriculture
department (HRD) N
Gangappa, 59 year old a
resident of Basaveshwarangar
has been arrested by Halasuru
Gate police on the charges of
Rape. A 42-year-old contract
employee at the Department
of Agriculture has accused the
59-year-old additional director
of the department of rape. The
woman filed a complaint at
the Halasuru Gate police
station on Friday.The
Halasuru Gate Sub division,
ACP, Thimmaiah directed
Inspector Anand kumar and
staff to take the complaint
seriously and the same was
followed and the inspector and
crime staff swung into action
and a team of cops was sent to
nab the culprit they detained
him on Friday evening from
his office in Sheshadri road
near K R Circle. "Woman
alleges Rape at Work Place" .
Victim said,the incident took
place in may
2 0 1 6 , N . G a n g a p p a , t h e
Additional director of the
department of agriculture
brutally raped me at knife
point.I don't think I'll ever be
able to get over it,after the
incident I have complained to
my higher authorities I have
given writing complaint
against the additional director
who has brutally raped me in
the office hours. The accused
allegedly even threatened her
with dire consequences if she
reported the matter. "No
action from seniors : Victim" .
Victim said I have given a
written complaint to the
Commissioner,Panduranga
nayak and after 8
days,Director Of Agriculture
department B.Y.Srinivas
neglected and returned me the
complaint copy and said me to
forget what all happened and
he told me to take back the
complaint and says this is your
home type do not disclose to
anyone outside and take legal
action.
12 17- 23 April 2017
National
Champaran Satyagraha movement gets a Musical touch
UP Government Monitoring Japanese
Encephalitis in Eastern Districts
Accused,Additional Director of
Agriculture department,N Gangappa
Arrested by Halasuru Gate police
key programmes like malaria, tuberculosis, polio and other vector borne disease”. Mr Nadda’s
letter followed requests from other health officials in the preceding months.
In November, Union Health Secretary CK Mishra wrote to the finance secretary saying he
had been informed that his ministry would receive less funds than were promised during mid-
year reviews. The lack of adequate funding, Mr Mishra wrote, “will give a serious setback” to
new initiatives and existing programmes.
Health ministry officials also cited delays in getting funds to implement government’s direc-
tive to upgrade dozens of district hospitals into medical colleges, in order to add new doctors.
India has seven doctors for every 10,000 people, half the global average, according to the World
Health Organisation. It is not clear how the federal budget for 2017-18, or individual state
budgets that supplement it, will split health spending across various programmes. The govern-
ment official who has knowledge of the budget numbers said the increase in the health ministry
budget would be sufficient for ongoing projects.
Health Budget May Rise After ...... Contd. From Page 1

Loneliness kills. It is more danger-
ous than obesity and about as deadly as
smoking, warns an article in The
Atlantic. "A lack of social connections
can spark inflammation and changes in
the immune system, so lonely people
are far more likely to die prematurely."
Surprisingly, lonely people tend to
become lonelier with time. "People
with few social connections experi-
ence brain changes that cause them to
be more likely to view human faces as
threatening, making it harder for them
to bond with others."
John Cacioppo, a psychologist at
the University of Chicago, has studied
loneliness and has ideas about over-
coming it.He says loneliness is not
about being alone but `feeling alone'. It
also serves a purpose, like hunger.
"Hunger takes care of your physical
body. Loneliness takes care of your
social body". It lets us know that we
need to bond with people.
"Think about patients in hospitals:
They aren't alone, they have all the
support they could ask for, but they
tend to feel very lonely ." A married
person may feel lonely if they cannot
connect with their spouse and family.
Digital interactions on Facebook do
nothing to ward off the feeling. "If the
only acceptance you can get of your-
self is a fake representation on the
web, that's not going to make you feel
connected." Well described in the pre-
vious comment ~ Shobhan Mittal. I too
believe that its not something which is
deadly.
With gradual interactions with peo-
ple, the loneliness goes away and
things become normal once again.
Even forced opportunities to interact
with people do not work. "If you try
enough times, you start to feel like,
`Well, I'll never be able to solve this,
I'm just a worthless person.'" Is there a
way lonely people can come out of this
self-stoking cycle? Cacioppo suggests
doing volunteer service in something
they enjoy .
He has a plan to "ease your way
back into social connections". Begin
by extending yourself a little bit at a
time; recognise that it is going to be
hard--most people won't like you and
that's alright; seek out people with sim-
ilar interests, activities and values, and
do all of these expecting the best out-
come, not seeing others as a threat to
yourself.
If you don't beat loneliness, it will get worse
Medgate Today Announces
Winners of the 7th MT India
Healthcare Awards.
With the support & blessings of
the Advance Media Group India's
Top Healthcare leading Magazine
Medgate Today organized 7th MT
India Healthcare Awards successfully
on April 2017, hosted at Medical Fair
India Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
The Most Prestigious and recog-
nized award in Healthcare sector
Participated by Doctors, Hospitals,
Hospital infrastructure and Design,
Green Hospital, Diagnostics Centers,
lab, Physiotherapists, Young
Entrepreneurs, Healthcare NGOs,
Healthcare IT, Healthcare Architects,
Healthcare Consultant , Pharma
Companies, and many more.
7th MT India healthcare award is
meant to honour and provide recogni-
tion to the champions of the Indian
Healthcare Industry and inspire the
leaders of the healthcare industry to
reach greater heights in the year
ahead. The event will serve well to
motivate and promote healthy con-
nection among healthcare leaders.
This will go a long way in reaching
global levels of professionalism. Also,
the event provided lot of visibility to
the Industry and Government,
Corporate and International commu-
nity will come to know about the
Indian Healthcare Industry and the
people behind it.
The event was attended by many
Healthcare Professionals across India.
7th MT India Healthcare awards were
held in the presence of Chief Guest
Sh. Faggan Singh Kulaste. Minister of
State for Health and Family Welfare
Govt. of India as the chief guest and
Guest of Honor Dr. Jagdish Prasad
DGHS. “The Healthcare Industry is
the lifeblood of our society, and there-
fore it is a true honor to put the spot-
light on our deserving winners and I
would like to wish them every success
in the future.”said Sh. Faggan Singh
Kulaste “I am pleased to be here at
7th MT India Healthcare awards I
would like to congratulate all the
awardees for receiving 7th MT India
Healthcare awards and excited about
the possibilities for innovation in
technology across our hospital sites
and healthcare industry,” said Dr.
Jagdish Prasad “With the Extension
Engage platform, We have an oppor-
tunity to further enhance communica-
tions and collaboration amongst staff
– supporting the delivery of high-
quality care and improving the patient
experience.” Speaking about the
awards, Medgate Today Founder Mr.
Afzal Kamal said, ““Once again our
Awards have demonstrated the excel-
lence of health technology leaders in
the India. This year was the most
competitive in our history. It’s a pri-
mary aim of Medgate Today to help
such leader’s access public and pri-
vate sector markets with their innova-
tive products and services”. The
Indian healthcare ecosystem is on the
verge of a significant transformation-
al shift. With major players as well as
innovative start-ups incorporating
new strategies, the space is more com-
petitive than ever, necessitating
recognition of deserving companies.
This awards program is an exception-
al platform recognizing enterprises
and individuals who have achieved
excellence in healthcare practices and
their extraordinary efforts which have
set new benchmarks for their peer
groups and the industry. There was
good representation from various
cities aparts from Delhi/NCR. Cities
represented included - Mumbai,
Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad,
Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Chennai, etc
Medgate Today prides itself on the
validity of its awards and winners.
The awards are given solely on merit
and are awarded to commend those
most deserving for their ingenuity and
hard work, distinguishing them from
their competitors and proving them
worthy of recognition. There were
many nomination categories The
award categories were made to ware
that both big and anal players get
enough chances to come in the
Limelight and so that there can be
wholesome involvement of industry
across India Winners list in all cate-
gories at a glance: Dr. Satya Tapas:
Eminent Technocrat of the Year -In
the Field of Molecular Science.
Medika Bazaar: Healthcare IT
Company of the Year. Dr. Dilip Gude:
Best Doctor in Diabetology. Mr.
Rashid Mokhdoomi: Healthcare
Personality of the Year (Editors
Choice). Dr. Pramod Kumar Sharma:
Best Cardiac surgeon 2017.
Rx Healing Canvas: Best Healing
Design & Painting for Hospitals.
Dr. Monica Sood Bhatia:
Healthcare Personality of the Year –
Leadership. Prof. S.A Tabish: Iconic
Personality of the healthcare
(Outstanding contribution in
Healthcare, Medical Education,
Scientific Research and Medical
Literature). Dr. Santwana Vernekar:
Healthcare Personality of the Year –
Quality. Mr. Naveen Sharma:
Healthcare Personality of the year -
Business Leadership. Sai Sumeet
Appliances: Best in Modular OT
Design & Infection Control. Transasia
Bio-Medicals Ltd. : Best Medical
Equipment Company of the Year
(IVD). Technomed India: Most
Emerging Company in OT lights &
OT Table. Dr Ajay kumar Bandaru:
Healthcare Personality of the Year in
Pediatric Care Pushpawati Singhania
Research Institute (PSRI Hospital):
Most Trusted Hospital. Lords Clinic:
Most Enterprising Multispecialty
Health clinic in Delhi/NCR. Sagar
Group of Pharma: Most Promising
chain of Pharmacy Punjab/Haryana.
Medanta The Medicity: Most Trusted
Hospital in Cardiac Care. Dr. Ashish
Shukla: Healthcare Personality of the
Year. Dr. Akta Bajaj: Best Doctor in
Gynec & Gynec Surgery. Medanta
The Medicity : Best Multispeciality
hospital PH Healthcare Pvt. Ltd.:
Disposable Product Manufacturer of
The Year.
13 17- 23 April 2017
HEALTH
7th MT India Healthcare Awards 2017

14 17- 23 April 2017
BUSINESS
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement
Directorate (ED) has issued a show-
cause notice to Karti Chidambaram
and a firm purportedly linked to him
for alleged violations of the FEMA
laws to the tune of Rs 45 crore.
The agency also issued a similar
notice, after over two years of inves-
tigations, to another firm M/s Vasan
Health Care Private Limited, which
is based in Chennai, for alleged forex
violations of Rs 2,262 crore.
"The total amount of
contravention identified on different
counts and found to have been
committed by M/s Advantage
Strategic Consulting Private Limited
in the sale transaction of shares of
Vasan (Chennai firm) to overseas
investors is around Rs 45 crore.
"Show-cause notice has been
issued to M/s Advantage Strategic
Consulting Private Limited, its
directors and also to Karti P
Chidambaram who appears to be the
controller and ultimate beneficiary in
these transactions," the ED said in its
notice. Karti is the son of senior
Congress leader and former finance
minister P Chidambaram.
The total amount of contravention
identified by the ED, under the
provisions of the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA), by M/s
Vasan Healthcare Private Limited
and its overseas investors on
different counts in the investments
received from overseas investors is
around Rs 2,100 crore and and
additional Rs 162 crore, thereby
totalling to Rs 2,262 crore.
NEW DELHI: The govern-
ment today imposed 10 per
cent import duty on wheat and
tur dal with immediate effect
in a bid to protect farmers'
interest, amid projection of a
record crop this year. On
December 8, the government
had reduced customs duty on
wheat to zero from 10 per cent
to boost domestic availability
and check retail prices. There
has been nil duty on tur dal.
Announcing the decision in
the Lok Sabha, Minister of
State for Finance Arjun Ram
Meghwal said a notification
dated March 17, 2012 has fur-
ther been amended so as to
"impose basic customs duty of
10 per cent on wheat and tur,
with immediate effect." The
estimated revenue implication
of this decision is about Rs
840 crore at the current levels
of imports, he said. The move
will help curb sharp fall in the
wholesale prices of these two
commodities and ensure sup-
port price to farmers who are
expecting a good crop. Are
you a comedy lover? Then
watch Trial & Errors here! The
new wheat crop, has started
arriving in mandis in Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and
Gujarat. As per the
government's second estimate,
wheat production is estimated
at record 96.64 million tonnes
in the 2016-17 crop year (July-
June) as against 92.29 million
tonnes in 2015-16 on the back
of a good monsoon.
Farmers need much more
systemic support - have the
middlemen or lack of adeq
storage or transport
bottlenecks been duly
addressed we read a lot about
deficient- APMC functioning.
An integrated app... Read
More Similarly, tur dal
production is estimated to be
4.23 million tonnes as against
2.56 million tonnes in the said
period. Tur dal is grown in
summer (kharif) season.
It may be noted that
wholesale rate of tur dal has
come under pressure due to
higher output and in some
places farmers are not getting
even the minimum support
prices.
NEW DELHI: Indian Farmers Fertiliser
Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), one of India's
biggest cooperative society, has announced
that it will not raise prices of DAP, NPK and
phosphatic fertilisers. The decision has been
taken for the benefit of farmers, said US
Awasthi, managing director and CEO of
IFFCO. The move comes amid fears that fer-
tiliser companies may soon raise potash prices
after the government last week cut subsidies
by 20 per cent for the current financial year.
Higher potash prices charged to millions of
farmers will hurt demand in one of the world's
largest importers of the fertiliser, raising con-
cerns for big global suppliers. To offset the
subsidy cut, Indian companies also plan to
bargain for lower prices in their annual import
contracts with international suppliers like
Uralkali, Potash Corp of Saskatchewan,
Agrium Inc, Mosaic, K+S , Arab Potash and
Israel Chemicals.
India buys potash from these global miners
in annual contracts that it usually signs at the
start of its fiscal year beginning on April 1.
Contracts signed by India and China are con-
sidered international benchmarks, and are
closely watched by other potash buyers such
as Malaysia and Indonesia. India's potash
producers will have to raise prices now, said a
senior official with a leading domestic
company. The official did not wish to be
identified because he is not authorised to talk
to media. "But we will do this after consulting
the government and other industry officials,"
he said.
Govt slaps 10% import duty on wheat, tur dal
NEW DELHI: The merger
of BSNL and MTNL is "desir-
able" for operational synergy
and even the fiercely-compet-
itive telecom market necessi-
tates such a combination for a
stronger pan-India play, a top
MTNL official has said.
The comment comes amid
what seems to be a renewed
push for BSNL-MTNL merg-
er with a Parliamentary panel
report recently noting that the
Telecom Department plans to
place the merger proposal
before the Cabinet by June.
"The industry is consoli-
dating. It is not an issue of
BSNL and MTNL...for any
operator to succeed in India a
pan India operation is a
must," MTNL CMD P K
Purwar told PTI.
BSNL-MTNL merger is a
"desirable situation", he said.
Telecom Minister Manoj
Sinha, however, said in a writ-
ten reply in Parliament that
there was no such proposal at
present for the merger of
BSNL and MTNL.
Mahanagar Telephone
Nigam Ltd (MTNL) offers
services in Delhi and
Mumbai. Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Ltd (BSNL), on the
other hand, operates across
rest of India. "The days of
marginal operators are
over...you have to have pan-
India operations," Purwar
emphasised citing the spate of
mergers in the industry
including Airtel-Telenor,
RCom- Aircel and Vodafone-
Idea Cellular. "I think it is the
necessity of the market not
just requirement of one entity
versus another entity," he
said. Purwar felt that there are
operational synergies between
the two telecom PSUs and
that merger is a natural out-
come for realising their full
potential. "Also to provide a
better customer interface,
merger is desirable," said the
MTNL CMD said.
His counterpart in BSNL
had recently said BSNL-
MTNL combination will be
"advantageous" for both
firms, given the synergies in
areas like enterprise and
mobile businesses. However
in the same breath, BSNL
CMD Anupam Shrivastava
had pointed out that issues
pertaining to debt and salary
structure will have to be sort-
ed out first. Purwar said such
issues can be resolved. The
debt issue can be sorted out if
MTNL's surplus land and
buildings along with debt are
hived off into a separate com-
pany. "...So the merged entity
should not carry any debt...the
health of the merged entity
needs to be such that it can
compete with the market on
an equal footing," Purwar
said, adding that discussions
can be held both in BSNL and
MTNL to lay down a roadmap
where the payscale can be
brought on a similar footing.
In 2015-16, MTNL reported a
total annual revenue of Rs
3,197.41 crore and net loss of
Rs 2,005.72 crore. The total
debt of MTNL reached Rs
19,418.23 crore at the end of
December 31, 2016,
according to official data. The
losses of BSNL have
narrowed to Rs 4,890 crore
for the first nine-month period
of the current fiscal, from Rs
6,121 crore in the year-ago
period.
Merger with BSNLdesirable for
strong pan-India play: MTNLCMD
IFFCO says will not
raise prices of fertilisers
ED issues notice to Karti Chidambaram for forex violations

17 23 april17

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