Asking Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to announce the name of the leader of the opposition alliance, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the grand alliance was moving forward only on the slogan of “Modi hatao”.
Addressing party workers here after the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed, he said the Narendra Modi government will not let the sacrifice of jawans go in vain.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism,” Shah said at the Shakti Kendra Sammelan of BJP workers from Jaipur and Sikar.
The BJP, he said, doesn’t get disappointed by defeat or arrogant in victory and is in politics only to serve the people, he added.
The 2019 general elections are important for the BJP as well as for India, Shah said.
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by a group of people challenging a media advisory issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ban the usage of the word ‘Dalit’ by media in public debates.
The petitioners said that the Ministry, by erasing the term ‘Dalit’ from public debate, is creating a false impression that the term itself is derogatory.
The plea filed by some ‘Dalits’ objected to the Ministry’s order saying it has violated the rights of the Scheduled Castes to determine and express their own identity.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi allowed the petitioners to approach the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, adding that if aggrieved, they can move the Supreme Court again.
An advisory was issued to the media on August 7 last year asking them to stop using the term ‘Dalit’ when referring to members of the Scheduled Castes.
This came after the Bombay High Court in June asked the Ministry to consider issuing a directive in this regard to the media.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday demanded statehood for both the national capital and Puducherry, saying people in these two union territories should not be discriminated against.
Kejriwal, who was here en route to Puducherry to express solidarity with Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy -locked in a turf war with Lt Governor Kiran Bedi- alleged that the situation in the two union territories was the same.
Narayanasamy, his cabinet colleagues and MLAs of both Congress and DMK have been staging a dharna against Bedi in front of the Raj Nivas in Puducherry since February 13 in protest against the her “negative stand” towards various proposals of the territorial government.
“The LG of Puducherry is creating a lot of obstacles in the development work and creating problems for the elected government…we are facing exactly similar problems in Delhi,” Kejriwal, the AAP Chief, told reporters.
The Lieutenant Governors in both Delhi and Puducherry were appointees of the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said.
“I have come to express solidarity with Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy.
We will demand that both Delhi and Puducherry be made full (fledged) states. There is no reason why people of these states should be discriminated against,” he said.
Asked if the Aam Aadmi Party would contest from Tamil Nadu or offer support to other parties, he said it would be made known later.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to launch the party’s Lok Sabha poll campaign in Maharashtra from Dhule on March 1 and also address a rally in Mumbai the same day, sources said on Monday.
The Congress is also planning a rally of recently- appointed party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the state next month, they said.
Rahul Gandhi’s rally will follow two joint public meetings of the Congress and NCP on February 20 and February 23, to be held in Nanded and Beed respectively.
The joint rallies will be attended by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge along with other leaders of the two parties and their allies.
The Lok Sabha polls are expected to be held in April-May, the schedule of which is yet to be declared.
“Rahulji will be in Dhule to campaign for the party. This will be his first rally in the poll season,” a source said.
The rally is being organised in Dhule since it would be convenient for the party workers from the district and neighbouring Jalgaon and Nandurbar to attend it, he said.
The Congress president is also likely to address a public gathering in Mumbai on March 1, another source said.
Congress leaders from Maharashtra have requested the party chief to address four to five rallies in the state, he added.
When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s rallies in Maharashtra, state Congress chief Ashok Chavan said, “We are in the process. We are planning a rally in Dhule, but all this is yet to be finalised officially.”
The Congress, which is joining forces with other like-minded parties, is seeking a return to power after its drubbing in the 2014 parliamentary elections at the hands of the resurgent BJP.
The party had managed to win only two seats – Nanded (represented by Chavan) and Hingoli (held by Rajeev Satav) – in the last Lok Sabha polls.
Maharashtra sends 48 members to the Lok Sabha, second highest after 80 from Uttar Pradesh.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will meet the heads of public and private sector banks on February 21 to seek their views on cutting interest rates for borrowers.
On Monday, the RBI Central Board met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for the customary post-Budget meeting in the national capital.
The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent on February 7, and shifted its stance from ‘calibrated tightening’ to ‘neutral’ after factoring in the sliding inflation rate.
“The transmission of rates is very important when the RBI announces rate cuts,” said Das after meeting Jaitley. “We are in touch with the CEOs and Managing Directors of both public and private sector banks. We will discuss the issue with them on February 21 and see what needs to be done.”
The central bank had cut repo rate for the first time in 17 months. Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks. A repo rate cut allows banks to reduce interest rates for consumers on loans, and lowers equal monthly instalments on home loans, car loans and personal loans.
The RBI has also announced a restructuring package for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with outstanding loans up to Rs 25 crore.
“The ball now lies in the court of banks to restructure loans of eligible MSMEs as per rules and guidelines,” said Das.
With the economy forecast to expand at a rate of 7.2 per cent this fiscal year, the interim Budget for 2019-20 has provided support for poor farmers and reduced tax burden for the middle class in a bid to boost consumption and growth before the general elections due in April.
The RBI has also raised the limit of collateral-free agricultural loans to Rs 1.6 lakh from the current Rs 1 lakh in a bid to help small and marginal farmers in the formal credit system.
In the wake of Pulwama terror attack, in which around 40 CRPF personnel were killed last week, Ajay Devgn will not release his upcoming film ‘Total Dhamaal’ in Pakistan. “In light of the current situation the team of Total Dhamaal has decided to not release the film in Pakistan,” the actor informed on Twitter.
In light of the current situation the team of Total Dhamaal has decided to not release the film in Pakistan.
Earlier in the day, the makers of ‘Total Dhamaal’ donated Rs 50 lakh to the families of the CRPF soldiers who lost their lives in the attack on February 14.
The terror attack has been strongly condemned by several Bollywood personalities including Priyanka Chopra, Ajay Devgn, Shahid Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Shankar Mahadevan, Rishi Kapoor who expressed anger and grief through social media.
Many Bollywood personalities including Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, extended financial assistance to the martyrs’ families.
Bollywood also observed a black day on Sunday, in order to pay tribute to those killed in action. No work was done between 2 pm and 4 pm yesterday. A prayer session was also held for the brave hearts.
Kangana Ranaut cancelled the success party of her film ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’. Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar put down the invitation sent by Karachi Art Council for a program on poet Kaifi Azmi in Pakistan.
Forty CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday after a suicide bomber rammed a car laden with explosives into a convoy in Awantipora area of Pulwama in Kashmir.
Ruling allies BJP and Shiv Sena are set to announce seat-sharing arrangement for the ensuing elections in Mumbai later Monday, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.
BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Matoshree, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence in suburban Bandra Monday and seal the alliance, another Sena leader said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai last week, fuelling speculation that the bickering ruling alliance partners in Maharashtra and at the Centre may come together ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Senior Sena leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray, have been maintaining that the party will contest the polls independently.
“Today evening Uddhavji and BJP national president Amit Shah will announce the seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha elections which are a couple of months away,” Raut told agencies.
The Sena in January last year announced its decision of going solo in future elections.
However, the two parties contested some Legislative Council seats with mutual understanding, a BJP leader said.
Fadnavis had on February 14 returned here halfway through his Vidarbha tour to meet Thackeray.
The Chief Minister said later that they had “positive talks” on state-related issues.
The Sena has been regularly hitting out at its ally BJP on various issues over the last few years.
While the BJP had indicated that it would like to form alliance with it for the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Sena had so far been giving mixed signals.
The BJP and Shiv Sena had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections jointly.
However, the BJP had parted ways with the Sena ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections held later that year. The BJP had then won 122 seats in the state while the Sena could bag only 63.
According to the ATM Industry Organisation “Confederation of ATM Industries”, due to cost burden, which is to be increasing owing to ATM inter-duty charge and the new regulatory rules whereby updating of the hardware and software of ATM, will be done of over 1 lakh ATMs and more than 15,000 White-Label ATMs, otherwise these may be closed by March 2019. This number is approximately half of the total 2.38 Lakhs ATMs installed across the country. It is noteworthy that after printing, a large number of new notes, whose length, width and thickness were not compatible with existing ATMs, a large number of ATMs became either useless or compatible only for 100 hundred notes. In such a case, to make ATMs fit for the size of the new notes, there is a need to make changes in hardware and software, which costs too much for banks.
It is proposed to impose Rs 15 as an inter-duty charge on every transaction made from ATM. the According to an estimate, the new regulation will increase the burden of about 35 billion rupees on the ATM industry. Most damage is likely to be on White Label ATM service providers because ATM Inter-duty charge is the main source of their income. In such circumstances, the closure of such ATMs is almost certain.
However, the Indian Banks’ Association has urged the Reserve Bank of India to relax the rules, but the Reserve Bank is not in the mood to provide relief at this time. It is important that the Reserve Bank is required to charge the ATM transaction or to make various compliance requirements for the ATM. According to KATMI, ATM service providers do not have so many resources that they can afford additional expenses. However, in the changing environment, many banks across the country and ATM machines at the rental companies have started work on closing the ATM.
A little bit relief
State Bank of India (SBI) says that the bank has to adhere to new regulatory requirements. Bank has two types of ATMs, one is related to them, which will be updated and the other is related to the vendor’s ATMs, which will be updated with consultation with them. There is no plan to reduce the number of ATMs by Punjab National Bank (PNB) till March 2019. It seems that the situation is not likely to worsen due to be the positive attitude of these two major banks. The PNB has 9,428 ATMs across the country, while SBI has more than 59,541 ATMs till March 31, 2018.
Difficulties with ATM shutdown
The shutdown of ATMs can lead to loss of jobs because thousands of people are dependent on the ATM industry for employment. As we know, the spread of ATM in the remote area of the country is very important for financial inclusion. Therefore, the concept of 100 per cent financial inclusion of the government could be incomplete due to half the ATM closure. Today, people in the town and rural areas have become accustomed to dealing with ATMs. Indeed, the number of bank branches in rural areas is still very small. Therefore, due to the closure of them, circumstances like demonetization may arise. Pradhan Mantri Janhana Yojana can also be hit by this crisis as villagers will have to face difficulties in extracting subsidy from ATMs. In most cities, 10 per cent of ATMs is non-operational due to various reasons. In such a situation, the problem of people in the city due to the closure of the ATM will be considerably increased.
ATM and its type
Automated or Automatic Teller Machine (ATM), also called Automated Banking Machine (ABM), Cash Machine, Cash Point, Cash Line etc., is an electric telecommunications device. Today, along with cash depositing and withdrawal, many non-financial transactions are also being done by this. In course of time, biometric-enabled ATM machines were installed in the rural areas to facilitating easy access to ATMs. The White Level ATM machine used in the US is now being used in India too. This ATM is owned by the third party rather than the bank. Due to the lack of banking facilities in every part of the country, mobile ATM vans are also used in India, so that all can avail the facilities of ATMs.
The beginning of ATM in India
In India, Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation had introduced the first ATM in Kolkata in 1987. “Indian Bank” introduced the first ATM among public sector banks. At that time, all the ATMs were stand alone. SBI established its first ATM in Jamshedpur in 1993. In 1997, the Indian Banks’ Association started ATM Network in Mumbai under the name of “Swadhan”, wherefrom cash could be withdrawn from any member bank’s ATM, but this network provided offline service only. Therefore, it was not popular; at that time, the facilities offered by the ATMs connected to the foreign bank’s network were extremely popular.
The Journey of ATM
The ATM was started by Barclays Bank in Britain in June 1967. The first ATM was built by the Barrow Company as the first Cash Dispenser. Just two days after this, National Westminster Bank also joined the race by establishing a machine manufactured by Chub Company.
(The latter part of the Column will continue tomorrow.)
-Satish Kumar Singh
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
As an Indian, I understand that the Indian government initially must undertake three ways to tackle like this situation and so Pakistan not able to do this cowardly act again those are:
India will need to redouble its focus on measures to isolate Pakistan in the international community. There needs to be a consensus across political parties that there will be no politicking over security issues. Finally, there needs to be a strong counter-narrative in Kashmir to challenge the radical narrative which motivates stone pelters as well as recruits for suicide bombing attacks.
MD Afzal
Provide call details
Mobile-phone service-providers turn down requests made for details of ‘Incoming’ and ‘Missed’ calls on mobile-numbers of the person/s making such a request in name of ‘privacy’, while companies are providing details of ‘Outgoing’ calls even without being asked for.
It is beyond understanding how and why the company can claim ‘privacy’ on providing the sought data when the calls are made to persons requesting such details of ‘Incoming’ and ‘Missed’ calls received on his mobile numbers. Providing details of ‘Incoming’ and ‘Missed’ calls on request is of utmost importance in cases of obscene/threatening/harassing/fraud calls received by person/s requesting for details of Incoming’ and ‘Missed’ calls. Such details are also of importance because of unwanted calls interrupting despite registration done on ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ service. It is apparent that mobile-companies cite privacy for deliberately not restricting unwanted calls in order to mint money by such calls.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) should make it mandatory for mobile service providers to provide details of ‘Incoming’ and ‘Missed’ calls on demand in the manner they provide such details of ‘Outgoing’ calls. ‘Privacy’ factor remains the same for ‘Incoming’, ‘Missed’ and ‘Outgoing’ calls.
Madhu Agrawal
Immediate Abolition of Articles 35A & 370 necessary
The Indian government has taken several practical steps including the abolition of government-provided security to separatist-leaders, snatching status of Most-Favoured-Nation from Pakistan, increasing custom-duty on imports from Pakistan, giving a totally free hand to security forces to tackle militancy and like others. Economic steps initiated from India will virtually destroy Pakistan economically which is even more critical than war-sufferings. It was indeed shocking that Pakistan never gave India the status of Most-Favoured-Nation.
But real remedy lies in the abolition of Articles 35A and 370 which will make retired army-persons and others to settle in Kashmir. Setting up of industries in Kashmir then will be economically helpful for Kashmir-citizens, which will then provide employment-opportunities to misguided youth of Kashmir turning them loyal towards India.
Central government should appeal and motivate corporates and MPS to government-created fund for the welfare of families of war-victims, which will provide adequate funds for the living of families of martyrs of security-forces at hands of militants.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
Vande Bharat tragedy
A day after its flag-off by the PM Narendra Modi, the Vande Bharat Express developed a technical snag on Saturday morning. The tragedy is that the train was checked for the result and moved to Delhi, despite this, such a horrible accident occurred. Luckily, nobody lost his life in this incident. The last coach’s wheels skidded badly and as a result, the train’s system got destroyed, the power went out in all coaches as well as the air conditioning stopped. I request the Railway Minister to investigate this critical case, ponder deeply over it that should not be again such an accident.
Najmul Huda
Nation’s development
The Congress as well as the ruling government has constantly been engaged in a war of words and criticising each other on various issues including the Rafale deal before the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The corridors of power seem to be too attractive at this moment for the Congress as well as the NDA. However, the country needs a government which can put the nation’s development and interest as its first priority. India is very much capable of bringing out a leader who can rise above parochial and blinkered vision and one who can contribute to the nation’s development. This time voters must choose wisely.
MM Qaiser
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Hit and run cases are caused by the poor driving/judgment of the driver to leave the scene of the accident and escape his/her responsibilities. Serious accidents occurring on road are a matter of great concern for all of us. Not a day passes when we do not read the report of at least 2 or 3 serious Hit and Run incidents. It seems our society grows more inclined to accepting self-preservation taking precedence over personal responsibility; we are not as horrified as we should be at the commonality of hit and run accidents. Further Hit and run accidents often end up unresolved due to lack of defendants to be indicted for it. It is clear that unless urgent remedial measures are taken, the occurrence of these accidents and resultant casualties will go on rising. It is a problem with a serious enforcement problem, and until the legislature and courts begin to penalise such drivers ‘before’ they kill someone, law enforcement will continue to consider this a minor infraction.
The law says that if a driver is involved in an accident and damage is caused to people, vehicles, animals or property, they have to stop and provide their name, address, and vehicle registration to anyone having reasonable grounds for requiring them. If they don’t give their name and address at the time of the collision, they must report it to the Police “as soon as reasonably practicable” but, in any event, within 24 hours. If the injury is caused to another person, the driver must also show an insurance certificate; if unable to do so at the scene, (s)he must report the accident to police within 24 hours and take the certificate to a police station within seven days. The central government intends to convert 52,000 km of state highways into national highways. The upgrade – without instituting adequate safety measures on and along the national highways – would be undesirable, because the accidents and deaths on national highways exceed every year with those on the state highways.
Usually, the hit and run cases in the country can be booked under two categories: Section 279 or 304(A) of Indian Penal code and also under 134A and 134B of Indian Motor Vehicle (IMV) Act. Conviction rates for urban road accidents in India have typically hovered between 5 and 10 per cent. For hit-and-run cases, the lack of eyewitnesses and surveillance typically leads to a “blind” close of the case if the victim does not note the license plate number of the vehicle. The study also found that 60 per cent of commercial bus drivers failed the minimum vision requirements for driving.
It is noticed that the high number of underage drivers transgressing the law by going for a joyride can be attributed to peer pressure and a feeling of youthful invincibility. Youngsters have a sense that they can get away with transgressions – a feeling of bravado whereby “I can get away with anything” but they are not at fault. The parents should be responsible enough not to allow an under-age child to drive. Children, by nature, are more reckless. They are not mature enough to understand the consequences of their actions or mistakes. To address these dangers we need to understand the dangers of underage driving. The best possible way to address this road safety hazard is to provide road safety education to both children and parents.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by a group of people challenging a media advisory issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to ban the usage of the word ‘Dalit’ by media in public debates.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to launch the party’s Lok Sabha poll campaign in Maharashtra from Dhule on March 1 and also address a rally in Mumbai the same day, sources said on Monday.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das will meet the heads of public and private sector banks on February 21 to seek their views on cutting interest rates for borrowers.
In the wake of Pulwama terror attack, in which around 40 CRPF personnel were killed last week, Ajay Devgn will not release his upcoming film ‘Total Dhamaal’ in Pakistan. “In light of the current situation the team of Total Dhamaal has decided to not release the film in Pakistan,” the actor informed on Twitter.
