Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday told the Indian workers that he wants to listen to their problems instead of telling his “Mann Ki Baat”.
Gandhi, who is in the UAE on a maiden visit, was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian diaspora at the Dubai airport on Thursday. He lauded the Indian workers there for making the country proud by their hard work in the UAE.
You have illuminated the names of every religion, every state and every caste. Our party is aware of the difficulties faced by the labourers and wants to help them, he said.
We want to talk to you. Main yahan apne mann ki baat kahne nahi aaya hun. main yayan aapke mann ki baat sunane aaya hun (I have not come here to speak my mind, I have come to listen to your heart), he said in his address at the Jabel Ali labour colony.
He was referring to Prime Minister Modi’s monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat where he addresses the nation on various issues. Earlier Gandhi met with the business leaders in the country.
A construction worker from Jabel Ali labour colony said that he wants to see Gandhi leading India with compassion and care for all Indians. Gandhi is also set to meet some UAE ministers during his two-day visit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will introduce two levels of examination in Mathematics for Class 10 students in 2020 to cater to different kinds of learners. The nomenclature for the two examinations will be Mathematics – Standard, for the existing level of examination, and Mathematics – Basic, for the easier level, according to a circular issued by the CBSE.
The present level and curriculum of the subject would continue to remain the same. As per the National Curriculum Framework, not only would the two levels of examination cater to different kinds of learners and allow different levels of testing but it would also reduce overall student stress levels, the circular said.
“It is well known that the students experience greatest stress before and during their most ‘difficult’ subject exam. Keeping in view of this important aspect and as evidenced by the board results, the board has decided to introduce two levels of examination in Mathematics for the students who are going to appear in the board examination for the academic session ending March 2020 onwards, it said.
The syllabus, classroom teaching and internal assessment for both the levels would remain the same so that the students could get an opportunity to study the whole range of topics throughout the year and become able to decide upon the level of board examination depending upon their aptitude and abilities.
Veteran actor Al Pacino is in talks to join the cast of Amazon drama “The Hunt”. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 78-year-old is close to lock a deal for the project which will be executive produced by Oscar winner Jordan Peele.
The story is set in 1977 New York City which follows a group of Nazi hunters who discover and work to stop a plot by a group of high-ranking Nazi officers who plan to create a Fourth Reich in the US.
If finalised, Pacino will join actor Logan Lerman, who will be playing a young man whose grandmother is murdered and becomes swept up in the Hunt organization as he tries to find the perpetrator.
The 10-episode show has been written by David Weil, who will be the co-showrunner alongside Nikki Toscano. It will be produced by Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and Sonar Entertainment whereas Weil and Toscano will also serve as executive producers along with Tom Lesinski, Jenna Santoianni and Win Rosenfeld.
Make hay when the sun shines is coming true in politics as well. In the context of ensuring elections, there are more BJP nominees becoming Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the recent Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra. As BJP was increasing its member base after the 2014 elections, it is now working hard to make more leaders take up the responsibility during the ensuing elections. In this Municipal election, BJP meets the eye most and work hard to provide winning candidate in the hope of resurrecting his stature as a national party. In the poll results, Shiv Sena had emerged as the single largest party winning 24 seats in the 68 seats civic body followed by the BJP with 14 seats. But in the end game for picking up the Mayor, the Sena Corporator had boycotted the poll. The NCP corporators fall in line with BJP instead of going alongside Congress and that helped out the cause of BJP winning mayoral post comfortably. Ahmednagar has become a trendsetter for the elections to follow.
Nikhil S. Maniam
No lessons learnt yet from Kamala Mills tragedy
Sadhana Mills compound fire is one more case of negligence causing insult to the injury of firemen.
Exactly after one year of the tragic Kamala Mills fire, the BMC and the Mumbai Fire Brigade are yet to even initiate their lofty fire compliance goals. On an average, 400 fire calls are received every month and the security and preventive measures are taken are not satisfactory. Their lofty aims are nowhere near attainment because there has been no recruitment to the 34 special fire fighting cells despite Dec 29 blaze last year. We hope that in the New Year it was expected that officials from the special cells would crackdown against establishments and residents that had failed to implement fire safety measure. It is of utmost importance to have a closer look at fire accidents and make necessary arrangement and provide maximum security measures to reduce the number of fire mishaps in the New Year.
Calicut Krishnan Kundur
BEST strike
BEST bus strike is posing a problem and there is no end to commuters’ discomfort. With the result, they will have to travel by auto rickshaw, taxis or take out their two-wheeler or cars. Such strikes threaten safe to travel on the roads of Mumbai. Another alternative is to travel by the crowded local trains and that is quite impossible for senior citizens and school going children. BEST employees are protesting for some time and it is a cause of great concern for the state government as BEST buses are the lifeline of Mumbai after local trains. The better council should prevail to end the strike and the demands of the employees to bring out a settlement without dragging the matter for a long time.
Jayanthy Mani
Preserve these animals
The population of both Tiger and Leopard is on the decline and we have to find out the exact reason and arrest the rate of these endangered animals. Electrocution, accident while crossing roads, drowning in wells and old age are the four primary reasons as per available sources. The leopard is a territorial animal and survives by hunting small animals like hare, deer, goat, and sheep. Increasing human intervention in the fringes of forests has affected the prey base. This, in turn, has forced them to move towards towns and human. Leopard deaths in the district were highway accidents take place regularly. A request was placed to the National Highways Authority of India to consider the construction of speed breakers, but the proposal was shot down citing lack of statutory provisions. It is time to preserve these animals.
Akhilesh Subramaniam
NCW rightly issued a notice to Congress President
National Commission for Women (NCW) rightly took sue-motto cognizance by sending notice to President of largest opposition-party for his unthoughtful remarks towards Indian Defence Minister just for her being a lady. Union Defence Minister is duty-bound to put before Parliament stand of government on matters relating to her ministry.
Unfortunately, such childish remarks are coming from a person whom his party-men dream for being next Prime Minister of India. It is noteworthy that not even a single person from his party came forward either to support or oppose him for such remarks which rather should have been condemned by Chairperson of UPA alliance who also happens to be his mother.
India is proud for having a powerful woman as Prime Minister of the country who was no one other than grand-mother of Congress President. Indira Gandhi was admired as Durga by the then Opposition Leader on her leading nation for a historic win over Pakistan in 1971 Indo-Pak war. Politics and controversies apart, Nirmala Sitharaman is also exhibiting her boldness and talent for being Defence Minister of the country.
Madhu Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
The problem in Indian agriculture was never about production but about pricing, storage, and distribution. Loan waivers are not a solution agreed but when we cut out the middlemen and take care of our farming communities things would get better. Farm Loan waiver may be a relief. But real solution lies in ensuring economies of scales of production and minimum support price. The year 2017 was marked by several farmers’ protests nationwide, with a few turning violent. Last month, in New Delhi, 184 farmer groups came together from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Telangana to take part in a ‘protest walk’. The protest once again highlighted the plight of farmers and the extent of agrarian distress. The trend continued in the year 2018 and the farmers instead of concentrating on production were forced to take agitation to provocate the government.
This year, the Ministry has proposed deliberations to discuss the challenges that the farmers face in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, dairying, and fisheries. The aim is to work towards an action plan using better access to credit, skill development, and entrepreneurial opportunities. The agriculture sector is characterised by instability in incomes because of various types of risks involved in production, market, and prices. The National Commission of Farmers (2006), chaired by M.S. Swaminathan, had pointed out that something “very serious and terribly wrong is happening in the countryside.” The agriculture growth rates have been unsteady in the recent past. While it was 1.5 per cent in 2012-13, it rose to 5.6 per cent in 2013-14. In 2014-15, the rate dipped to (-) 0.2 per cent, while in 2015-16 it was 0.7 per cent. The provisional estimate puts it at 4.9 per cent in 2016-17. The trend reflects the distress in the agriculture sector.
The main reason for farm crises is the rising pressure of population on farming and land assets. The government data show the average farm size in India is small, at 1.15 hectare, and since 1970-71, there has been a steady declining trend in land holdings. The small and marginal land holdings (less than 2 hectares) account for 72 per cent of land holdings, and this predominance of small operational holdings is a major limitation to reaping the benefits of economies of scale. Since small and marginal farmers have a little marketable surplus, they are left with low bargaining power and no say over prices.
As farmers have been demanding “freedom from debt and remunerative price” through several platforms, they carry on fighting risks in production, weather, and disaster, price, credit, market and those in policy. While crop production is always at risk because of pests, diseases, shortage of inputs like seeds and irrigation, which could result in low productivity and declining yield, the lower than the remunerative price in the absence of marketing infrastructure and profiteering by middlemen adds to the financial distress of farmers. Also, the predominance of informal sources of credit, mainly through moneylenders, and lack of capital for short term and long term loans have resulted in the absence of stable incomes and profits.
This turned agriculture into an unprofitable occupation and compelled farmers, especially the small and marginal, to borrow costly money from informal sources of credit, which deepened the crises. While the farming sector has its own set of risks, like any other economic activity, to increase and ensure a stable flow of income to farmers it is vital to manage and reduce the risks by analysing, categorising and addressing them. There lies the real success.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
During a tour to the southern border in Texas, US President Donald Trump asked the law enforcement officials that how many Pakistanis were arrested this week who were trying to illegally enter America whereas in the reply he was told that the individuals from several South Asian nations attempted to cross the porous with Mexico.
Trump asked the question when a law enforcement official briefed him on the security situation on the border and listed out the name of the countries whose citizens were nabbed at the border a day earlier.
So far this sector has apprehended people from 41 different countries. Just yesterday, we apprehended 133 people from countries other than Central America and Mexico. That includes individuals from India. We apprehended some Pakistanis and Romanians, the law enforcement official told Trump.
“How many Pakistanis?” Trump asked, interrupting the law enforcement official. It was two yesterday, the border security official told the President. Texas Senator John Cornyn, who was standing there along with Trump, said that the nationals of many countries are exploiting the vulnerabilities at the US-Mexico border. Senator Ted Cruz was also present at the briefing.
Trump travelled to the US-Mexico border to have a firsthand assessment of the crisis at the international border which has been experiencing a large flow of illegal immigrants who are mostly from Central Asian nations.
LIC Mutual Fund on Friday announced the launch of LIC MF Short Term Debt Fund- an open-ended short-term debt fund scheme investing in instruments Macaulay duration between 1 year and 3 years opportunities. The new fund offer (NFO) opens on January 11, 2019 and closes on January 25, 2019. The fund will be managed by Marzban Irani (Debt). Investors can make investment in the scheme in a lump sum.
The investment objective of the scheme is to generate returns commensurate with risk from a portfolio constituted of Debt securities and/or Money Market instruments. However, there can be no assurance that the investment objective of the scheme will be achieved
The fund manager will use a disciplined quantitative analysis while accessing the Short-Term Debt opportunity and will invest in those debt securities that are rated investment grade by credit rating agencies or in unrated debt securities, which the Investment Manager believes to be of equivalent quality.
The fund manager will emphasize on credit analysis, in order to determine credit risk and the investment process will follow a top down approach considering aspects like interest rate view, term structure of interest rates, systemic liquidity, RBI’s policy stance, inflationary expectations, Government borrowing program, Fiscal Deficit, global interest rates, currency movements, etc.
The fund is beneficial for the investors who are looking for reasonable returns over short to medium term and investment in debt securities and money market instruments with Macaulay duration between 1 year and 3 years. Moreover, the investors who have moderate risk appetite and an investment horizon for three years.
From ceiling fans, blankets, toilet mugs, to iron grills of windows, the Indians Railways conveniently blames its passengers for stealing items worth crores of rupees every year. But, no one questions the Railway Protection Force or other officials for their failure in stopping the thieves. It is obvious, someone stealing ceiling fans and large window grills, or parts of railway track won’t be able to keep the same in their pocket and walk away without being noticed. But hey! Don’t blame the administration.
“Dainik Bhaskar’s sting operation exposed the inconvenient truth”
A CAG report (based on an audit conducted in several trains) released in July 2017 had pointed out that pillows, linen, and blankets were unwashed for two years in some cases. The auditors had also found that pillow covers were made from old bed sheets that were supposed to be discarded. The question is that where do all the brand new items purchased every year go? The answer lies in Dainik Bhaskar’s sting operation.
Between December 9 and 12, journalists from Dainik Bhaskar had conducted a sting operation at multiple locations to expose how IR employees steal various items from trains to make money. Surprisingly, coach attendants from Tatanagar – Chhapra Express, Ranchi – Jaynagar Express, and Saryu Yamuna Express were found selling blankets from compartments for as much as Rs 400 per piece. The report exposed how coach attendants end up selling various items and then wash their hands by merely blaming the passengers for every theft.
“Is every Indian indulged in theft and vandalism?”
After the launch of country’s first semi-luxurious train ‘Tejas Express,’ the railways’ administration claimed that travelers had damaged the train’s LCD systems, soiled the toilets, and stole 12 high-quality headphones that were attached with the entertainment system. Then, dozens of articles were published about how Indians turn into an unruly mob while traveling. Questions were raised about every Indian’s character and if the population deserves to travel in semi-luxurious trains. As usual, no one questioned the railway administration. The IRCTC’s claim about stolen headphones was dicey from day one as the administration had shared conflicting information when it comes to the actual number of stolen devices. The most logical question, why would someone who has paid Rs 1,200 for a single ticket (Rate for the cheapest ticket) steal a headphone worth Rs 30? The train has CCTV cameras in each coach, why is it that the Indian Railways, RPF did not retrieve the CCTV footage and release the identity of those passengers who allegedly took headphones and damaged the LCD screens? Why didn’t the IRCTC initiate legal action instead of issuing news in the media and blaming every railway passenger for the theft?
The RPF, GRP, and state administrators have also failed in controlling stone-pelting incidents that cause damages to local as well as long distance trains in various parts of the country. Passengers injured due to such stone pelting not only end up paying for their treatment but also spend lakhs on advocate fees after approaching the Claims Tribunal for compensation. Increasing the height of boundary walls around the track in vulnerable areas can do the trick. But IR officials are merely making announcements for the same since 2015.
“What’s the problem?”
“The average daily ridership of the Indian Railways is around 30 million passengers. Let’s presume that a minuscule number of travelers out of these might be those who indulge in irrational behavior and steal various items from the train. However, tagging all the passengers as an unruly mob or thieves is surely unacceptable. The inadequate number of RPF personnel to deal with incidents of thefts is also a prominent issue that needs attention. The Indian Railway officials who accuse travelers of stealing its properties should introspect the fact that their staffs such as TTEs and RPF personnel allow the entry of unauthorized vendors, beggars, empty water bottles collectors, etc. in the trains in return of a little sum of money as a bribe. In most of the cases, IR’s employees and these unauthorized vendors, beggars as well as those who collect empty water bottles are the people behind the incidents of theft. It is convenient to shift the blame on the passengers as there is no one to defend them. Dainik Bhaskar’s sting operation has exposed the reality,” said lawyer and RTI activist Rohit Kumar who adores rail journeys.
“PR activities to divert attention from incompetence and corruption”
Under the Modi Government, someone from the Ministry Of Railways has been actively planting stories in the mainstream media with the help of agencies and ‘patriotic’ columnists. News about signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ISRO for sharing space technology seems fine if published once, but surely not twice, or thrice. The ministry made such announcement in September 2015, March 2016, and then again in September 2017 as well as 2018. In this era of digital news consumption, readers are smart enough to differentiate between ‘real’ news stories and ‘press releases’ that are presented as news articles.
The ‘senior’ journalists who write exclusive stories about the rail ministry often talk about how passengers damage the properties of railways. However, they never write on scams or theft cases involving IR’s employees. Perhaps, they are also allergic to write a word or two on how trackmen/gangmen and other Group D level employees are used as slaves by seniors. The so-called ‘patriotic’ pages run by fringe elements from one political party often share posts blaming passengers for unclean boogies. But they fail to acknowledge that boogies lack something as basic as dustbins and timely cleaning. Toilets at most of the railway stations remain unhygienic in spite of charging a hefty usage fee to passengers.
The ruling party and its workers cum part-time ‘patriotic’ columnists often tweet and appreciate railways for installing water vending machine kiosks. Is offering clean water to passengers at few selected railway stations an achievement for the rail ministry that it should boast about? The answer to all the questions lies in BJP leader Laxmi Kanta Chawla’s recently released video. She criticized Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and his ministry for indulging in publicity stunts and failing to do anything for improving the existing railway service.
By-Nitten Gokhaley
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.
Air quality of Delhi deteriorated to “very bad” category on Friday due to reduced wind speed even as authorities said rainfall predicted in the next couple of days might lower the pollution level.
By data of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was 348 which fall in the ‘very bad’ category. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under ‘moderate’ category, 201 and 300 is considered ‘bad’, 301 and 400 ‘very bad’, while that between 401 and 500 is ‘severe’.
Mundrika, ITO and Nehru Nagar recorded ‘severe’ air quality, while 30 areas recorded ‘very bad’ air quality and four areas ‘bad’ air quality. In the National Capital Region (NCR), Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Noida recorded ‘very bad’ air quality while Gurgaon recorded ‘bad’ air quality, the CPCB said.
The overall PM2.5 level (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers) in Delhi was recorded at 247, while the PM10 level was at 396, the CPCB said.
The Centre run the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said that the air quality may improve in the next two days under the influence of light rain which is expected thereafter.
Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have provided a big distraction for the Indian team by making “inappropriate” comments on women during a TV show. In the build-up to the first ODI, skipper Virat Kohli underlined that the team management is still waiting for a decision to be made regarding a ban or punishment to be meted out to the two players.
Hit hard by an unexpected controversy after the high of the Test triumph, India will look to fine tune their World Cup preparations in the three-match ODI series against an under-fire Australia, beginning here on Saturday.
The team management didn’t announce a shortlist for this game, as is now the norm, and will wait to hear from the BCCI on the two players’ availability. Considering the enormity of this developing situation which is unlike that both Pandya and Rahul will be available for at least the first ODI.
Rahul was unlikely to get a go owing to both his poor form and the presence of a well-settled opening pair in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. The bigger question though is regarding Pandya’s absence, for the all rounder provides crucial balance to the ODI side with his ability to bowl 10 overs as well as bat in the middle order. Pandya’s absence could mean that India might have to rejig their bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah has already been rested for this series, as well as the tour of New Zealand, and this allows the think tank to conduct one final experiment with their bowling attack.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a shoe-in, and thereafter it depends if Kohli wants to go in with a three man pace attack to compensate for Pandya’s loss. In such a scenario, Mohammed Shami and Khaleel Ahmed are expected to get the nod, as India continue zeroing on the pace quartet for the World Cup squad. There is a sprinkling of grass on the SCG pitch and it could push the Indian skipper to opt for a three-pacer and two-spinner combination.
Ahmednagar, a trendsetter
The problem in Indian agriculture was never about production but about pricing, storage, and distribution. Loan waivers are not a solution agreed but when we cut out the middlemen and take care of our farming communities things would get better. Farm Loan waiver may be a relief. But real solution lies in ensuring economies of scales of production and minimum support price. The year 2017 was marked by several farmers’ protests nationwide, with a few turning violent. Last month, in New Delhi, 184 farmer groups came together from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Telangana to take part in a ‘protest walk’. The protest once again highlighted the plight of farmers and the extent of agrarian distress. The trend continued in the year 2018 and the farmers instead of concentrating on production were forced to take agitation to provocate the government.
From ceiling fans, blankets, toilet mugs, to iron grills of windows, the Indians Railways conveniently blames its passengers for stealing items worth crores of rupees every year. But, no one questions the Railway Protection Force or other officials for their failure in stopping the thieves. It is obvious, someone stealing ceiling fans and large window grills, or parts of railway track won’t be able to keep the same in their pocket and walk away without being noticed. But hey! Don’t blame the administration.
Air quality of Delhi deteriorated to “very bad” category on Friday due to reduced wind speed even as authorities said rainfall predicted in the next couple of days might lower the pollution level.
Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have provided a big distraction for the Indian team by making “inappropriate” comments on women during a TV show. In the build-up to the first ODI, skipper Virat Kohli underlined that the team management is still waiting for a decision to be made regarding a ban or punishment to be meted out to the two players.