India pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyrs' Day as the Strategic Centre for the High command of US ISRAEL Promoted Corporate Civil War is being Shifted in Kolkata with the Helms to be handed over to the Gestapo Master of Genocide culture in India, the Bengali Brahamins as we do Celebrate Marichjhanpi Day Tomorrow on 31st January in the Historical Bharat Sabha Hall near BB Ganguli St and central Avenue connector on sharp 3 PM.
Floral tributes, a multi-faith prayer meet, devotional songs by schoolchildren and classical musical renderings were held as the nation remembered Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace and non-violence, in myriad ways on his 62nd death anniversary Saturday.
President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other top leaders Saturday morning visited Rajghat to pay homage on Martyrs' Day to the man who led the country to its independence with his unique non-violent form of protests.
At his beautifully landscaped Rajghat memorial, floral offerings were made and a multi-faith prayer was organised.Prayers were offered by religious leaders of Buddhist, Bahai, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Jewish, Parsi and Sikh faiths at the Rajghat.
Colonel Barves is addressing our people in Pauchala, in Jalgaon district of Bidarbha , Maharashtra this night with Shibani Biswas as Bamcef Activists meet in Pune for Two days` Strategic meet since today. The Colonel called me this morning and we did discuss the Crisis and Imminent Disaster amidst Economic ethnic Culture. I am interacting with others on phone as I meet so many people daily as routine. We have been discussing about the Economic and home Reforms. We have listened to US President Barrack Obama delivering his Union Speech and dealing with Outsourcing and Job loss problems singling out India and china. our Journalist and Intelligentsia as well as Civil society Friends with NGOs are OVERWHELMED with the Corporate Imperialist Zionist Projected Galaxy Hindu Nuclear empire Shining and Glittering like Gold in High Demand. Our Friend Young Journalist Shameek Chakrabarti screamed ,`USA Zindabad'! The Projected Indian Economy is Outsourcing Economy! Sensex Economy! Retail, SEZ, Chemical, Biological , Nuclear India!
Kamal nath hopes 25 Billion Dollar FII investment not to mention more than forty Percent of Indian Economy controlled by FIIs as the First to be Indian Economy finds back its Spine in Foreign capital Inflow destroying and Excluding rural Agrarian India! Organised Retail Sector in India is about Thirty Seven Billion Dollar, just next to Indian Sensex! Without making the whole Rural world decoupled with its Roots, Culture, Nationality, Identity,Mother Language, Folk and folk lore, Livelihood, Production system, how the Strategic marketing would succeed, it is the Greatest Challenge for Ruling Hegemony. Pranab Mukherjee and Chidambaram led by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh as old servants of World Bank and IMF have to accomplish the task given by Washington on the on hand, and on the other hand, they must be Managed by Extraconstitutional Elements like the Zionist dynasty, RSS and Hindutva Forces, Ahluwalia, Patroda, Nilekani, Menon,Rangrajan, Moitra and the India Incs government holding the Key of Power Politics for whom Chidambaram has already launched an all out Onslaught against Aboriginal Indigenous India! Mukherjee also has to finalise the Budget in accordance with LPG Mafia, FII, MNC, India Incs wishes. Pity him! I doubt , if Ms Mamata Banerjee remains the shed of the Honesty personified and Projected, whether she would be able to present the next Railway budget.Deportation, unique Identity Number and land Acquisition Drives would be the main focus of Economic and Home Reforms so much hyped and Pleaded for with anti National, Unethical and Immoral Legislation, Governance, Planning and Policy making not to mention the Strategic Realliance, Nuclear armament, Defence layouts, Foreign borrowing, Balance of Payment and the Wages beside the so called flagship Programmes as PRANAB has not to disturb govt. Finance! Fiscal and Monetary Policies as well as resource management have to be dictated by FDI and FII. Wher from will the Revenue come as Stimulus continues! The Killer Money Machine has to be fed with our Blood and Bones!
Look at this Man from Mrathwada. He is the MIC Agriculture in government of India back to back Two Tenure. He is a well known Contender for Prime Minister Post and represents the sugar lobby hitherto know which helped him very well to project on state as well as national Level. He had been the chief Minister of Maharashtra! Has he been ever Concerned for the Bidarbh Pesantry opting for suicide? Had he been doing anything for Bidarbha, Marthwada or Maharashtra!
I am Sorry that I had been describing him as the Mythical NERO of Rome as he was inactive and playing Cricket only during last UPA Tenure in the centre. This time the sugar baron is playing Most dangerous game and I have no words to illustrate his colorful character. Every For cast related to Sugar, Milk, Edible Oils or Cereals have heralded disaster for the masses as FOOD Inflation touches rocket high every time with each Statement Strategic.
But this most responsible man for Food security and agrarian economy in India is quite UN Noticed and Plays Safe! Some spordiac cmments do come from Political circles in self defence as Mayawati and NDA demaded his Resignation. Nothing seroious and limited into Press statement.
Marketers Push The Envelope In Tough Times and Pawar and company stand as Comradors to follow! As Tough economic times are prompting marketers to try some audacious stunts to generate awareness and sales.Pawar Statements must be read in this light!
The Self styled Gods for Marataha Manush have rather NO Complaint against the Enemies of the People and arouse Ethnonationalism to help India Incs and LPG Mafia as the Maoists in Central India and Extremists in whole Himalan region do it very well. NGOs and Media, civil society and intelligentsia FOLLOW suit.
The Hidden Agends is never anything about the so Called Economic upliftment or Growth rate so Hyped in Excellent Mind control Exercise Unprecedented.
The Hidden Agenda is all about the ABOLISHMENT of Rural, Agrarian Indigenous Abroriginal India. The Partners in war against Terror have boosted the US war economy and the Feudal Fascist Destroyers of the Rural landscpae as well as humanscape help US Imperialism to sustain the commerce of Civil war so that Post Modern Global Zionist, Brahaminical Apartheid Rule may Prevail for Time Infinite!
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Bala Sahab Thackeray has asked Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to emulate the iconic actor Amitabh Bachchan, as Khan recently expressed his support to Pakistani cricketers' inclusion in the Indian Premier League's season 3.Khan owns an IPL (Indian Premier League) franchise team, the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Shiv Sena on Friday attacked Shah Rukh Khan for lamenting exclusion of Pakistani players from IPL and dared him to take the players in his team Kolkata Knight Riders.
"If Shah Rukh wants Pakistani players to play here, he should go to Karachi and Islamabad to play with them...If he includes Pakistani players in his team, he should be aware of the consequences," Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut told reporters here.
Reacting to the non-selection of Pakistani players in the IPL auction, Bollywood star and co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders Shah Rukh Khan had recently said that they (Pakistani players) should have been welcomed.
Sharing Bal Thackeray's views in appreciation of Bachchan, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: "Amitabh Bachchan had declined to accept the award of Brisbane University because it was nation's sentiment in the wake of unending violence against Indian students in Australia. People should learn something."
Thackeray's opnion were expressed through an article in his party's mouthpiece "Saamna."
In 2009, Amitabh Bachhan refused to accept an honorary Doctorate being conferred by Queen's Land University of Technology Brisbane as a mark of protest against the attacks on members of the Indian community. Asserting that he would not accept second-place for the United States, President Barack Obama has given a call to fix 'the problems that are hampering our growth' lest nations like India, China and Germany overtake it.
'From the day I took office, I have been told that addressing our larger challenges is too ambitious - that such efforts would be too contentious, that our political system is too gridlocked, and that we should just put things on hold for awhile,' he said Wednesday.
'For those who make these claims, I have one simple question: How long should we wait? How long should America put its future on hold?' Obama posed in his first State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress.
'You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse, he said. 'Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany's not waiting. India's not waiting.'
'These nations aren't standing still. These nations aren't playing for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.'
'Well I do not accept second-place for the United States of America, Obama said. 'As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may be, it's time to get serious about fixing the problems that are hampering our growth.'
'One place to start is serious financial reform,' he said calling for building a 'strong, healthy financial market' while guarding 'against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy.'
One the other hand, having defended her Statue campaign and moving to constitute Statue security Force Unprecedented, the Ambedkarite Castelogy and power sharing Politics gets unexpected BOOST as Trying to warm up to Mayawati, rebel SP leader Amar Singh on Saturday said the BSP supremo has proved herself against all odds and he can understand her "pain" when she was "humiliated" by Mulayam Singh Yadav. Stating that he was not without alternatives, Singh, who has been sparring with his SP detractors ever since he quit key party posts, also heaped praise on Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Both Mayawati and Gandhi have "proved themselves against all odds", Singh, who is under pressure to quit his Rajya Sabha seat, said.
"Both of them are political personalities in their own right. One lady has proved herself in the state of UP against all odds and the other has proved herself in the country against all odds," Singh said in an interview.
However, SP not in hurry to expel Amar! Where does this Vote Bank Exercise relate to Indigenous and aboriginal interest as Socialist Oxides had always been tagged with Gandhian carbides creating Carbon Mono Oxide to kill the Masses. The legacy sustianed with ilienating OBC Politics with SC and St and allowing the Rotten Zionst Manusmriti Rule continue as Micro Minority Brahamins Project themselves Mainstream and controls the Economy as well Politics beside Society and Culture with OBC and shudras considering them Cast Hindu and Hating SC and ST while the Rajputs have been Enslaved since the Vedic Age and they feel at home despite thrown in the Margine by the Brahamin bania Hegemony. Being the feudal part of Indian Agrarian demography, they have been made the target of Dalit OBC wrath on the one hand, and on the other they fail to address the overwhelming Agrarian crisis and play well only the so much hyped AMARSINGH Role.
Samajwadi Party, locked in a clash with Amar Singh, on Friday ruled out his expulsion from the party and is preparing for a battle of wits so that he does not enjoy the privileges of an "unattached" member in Rajya Sabha.
"We are just watching Amar Singh. We don't want to fall into his trap. He is not a 24-hour political worker and wants the ladder of the Rajya Sabha seat till alternative arrangements are made," party general secretary Mohan Singh said.
Alleging that Amar Singh would be "nowhere" without the Rajya Sabha seat, the party spokesman said that SP was "not in a hurry" to take disciplinary action against him.
Obama's policies will send more US jobs to India: Bobby Jindal
WASHINGTON: Slamming the US President for talking too much, Indian American Governor Bobby Jindal has claimed that the policies of the Obama
administration will send more jobs to countries like India and China.
"The President said he didn't want us to fall behind countries like Brazil, China, India. But, I'll tell you what, if they pursue card check and cap and trade and this massive health care bill and more government borrowing and more government taxes, we will be sending even more good paying American jobs to those countries," Jindal told the Fox News.
US President Barack Obama yesterday said he will slash tax breaks to American firms that move jobs abroad.
"To encourage... businesses to stay within our borders, it is time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America," he said in his first State of Union address.
Jindal, who is the first Indian American Governor and one of the rising stars of the opposition Republican Party, said the problem they think is just a communications problem.
Jindal said Obama's whole speech was filled with contradictions.
Shah Rukh and Kajol to ring the NASDAQ bell
New York Bollywood stars Sharh Rukh Khan and Kajol are all set to ring the NASDAQ bell as the American stock exchange opens for business on Monday morning. This is the first time that Indian stars have been invited to ring the opening bell for the exchange as an act of promotion for their upcoming film 'My Name Is Khan'.
SRK and Kajol would be ringing the bell on behalf of Fox Searchlight Pictures which is distributing the film in the US market, a NASDAQ spokesman said.
With over 3,700 companies listed, the NASDAQ has more trading volume than any other stock market in the world.
"This prestigious event is usually reserved for CEOs of major corporations and is broadcast live on many television networks across the globe," Indian promoters of the movie in the US said.
Khan and Kajol have starred together in many successful films over the years including 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' and 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' which are both modern classics in Hindi cinema.
The Karan Johar directed film, which releases on February 12, will see the most sought after onscreen pair in Bollywood re-unite after eight years.
Shot across much of the United States, 'My Name Is Khan' will also have a star-studded premiere at the 60th annual Berlin International Film Festival during the week of its release.
Saif Ali Khan defends his Padma Shri award
New Delhi Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's name in the list of Padma Shri awardees may have raised some eyebrows but the star says that he deserves the honour and will try his best to live up to it.
"If you look at the awardees over the last couple of years, all of them have not exactly invented a nuclear bomb," the actor told a news channel.
Saif's being named a Padma Shri had surprised many and sparked protests from the Bishnoi community due to the pending court case against him and Salman Khan for killing two black bucks.
The 39-year-old star said that he is "conscious" that there are many more people who deserved it more than him.
"I do agree that there will be a few raised eyebrows because I am relatively younger and perhaps there are more deserving people out there," said the actor.
However, his latest stance is slightly different from his previous statement where he had said that he felt "undeserving" of the honour.
"Honestly speaking, I feel really humbled and undeserving on being awarded the Padma Shri. It isn't something that I had asked for and since Government of India has done this for me, all I can do is to deliver my best and live up to it," Saif had said.
India Inc disappointed at 75 bps CRR hike
Unhappy over the RBI's more-than-expected 75-basis point hike in CRR to squeeze money supply, India Inc cautioned that economic growth will be hit if accommodative monetary stance is reversed hastily. "...the tipping point has not yet arrived for tightening of the monetary policy and if one proceeds in that direction hastily, economic growth is bound to take a hit. This, in turn, will effect employment generation that is critical at this juncture," FICCI President Harsh Pati Singhania said.
He said the RBI's move signals a further tightening of the monetary policy regime.
A Ficci statement said that SMEs are still borrowing at around 13 per cent, exports have contracted by nearly 20 per cent during October 2008 and October 2009 and imports are down by 21 per cent during the same period.
"Therefore...it is still premature to signal a tightening of the monetary policy and has cautioned that if this is complemented with fiscal tightening, the results would be disastrous," it said.
PHD Chamber also said that the hike in cash reserve ratio (CRR) may adversely impact the availability of funds with the banks for extending credit to the industry from the banking system.
The Reserve Bank of India has increased CRR- the bank deposits kept with the RBI-- 75 basis points. However, short-term lending and borrowing rates between RBI and banks were kept unchanged.
Unhappy over the RBI's more-than-expected 75-basis point hike in CRR to squeeze money supply, India Inc cautioned that economic growth will be hit if accommodative monetary stance is reversed hastily.
"...the tipping point has not yet arrived for tightening of the monetary policy and if one proceeds in that direction hastily, economic growth is bound to take a hit. This, in turn, will effect employment generation that is critical at this juncture," FICCI President Harsh Pati Singhania said.
He said the RBI's move signals a further tightening of the monetary policy regime.
A Ficci statement said that SMEs are still borrowing at around 13 per cent, exports have contracted by nearly 20 per cent during October 2008 and October 2009 and imports are down by 21 per cent during the same period.
"Therefore...it is still premature to signal a tightening of the monetary policy and has cautioned that if this is complemented with fiscal tightening, the results would be disastrous," it said.
PHD Chamber also said that the hike in cash reserve ratio (CRR) may adversely impact the availability of funds with the banks for extending credit to the industry from the banking system.
The Reserve Bank of India has increased CRR- the bank deposits kept with the RBI-- 75 basis points. However, short-term lending and borrowing rates between RBI and banks were kept unchanged.
Protectionist tendencies inevitable: Nooyi
Davos Rallying behind US President Barack Obama's move to discourage outsourcing, PepsiCo chief Indra Nooyi has said that protectionist tendencies are 'inevitable' during pressing times like a global recession.
"when you are in the midst of a global recession, when you have huge amount of joblessness in certain countries, I think protectionist tendencies are inevitable," Nooyi said.
Obama had yesterday said that time has come to end tax breaks to American firms that farm out jobs overseas and help those who create employment within the country, but acknowledged that this alone would not compensate for the seven million jobs lost over the last 2 years.
India has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of outsourcing and could be the worst hit by the move to end tax breaks to US firms that outsource jobs.
Nooyi said that the governments should discuss and resolve these issues and strike a balance between
globalisation and protectionism.
"I think that the challenge is to talk it out and thread the needle between globalisation and protectionist tendencies," she said.
She said, "It is an evolving story and we have to make sure that we understand both sides of the argument instead of coming down hard on one side."
"It is one of the most complex issues and requires careful discussion and management over the next few weeks and months," she added.
All Pakistanis aren't terrorists: Rajmohan Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Rajmohan Gandhi Saturday strongly advised against labelling all Pakistanis as terrorists and shared his three-point mantra for India to become a world power, one of which was that people in the country should stop stereotyping on the basis of religion.
'India is a country of so many rich people. But there are also immense exceedingly poor people in India. And for the country to really emerge as a world economic power, of which India is capable, I have three points to share,' Rajmohan Gandhi said.
The Mahatma's grandson was speaking at a lecture organised on the 50th death anniversary of Gandhi's close aide J.C. Kumarappa, who died at Jan 30, 1960. Jan 30 is also observed as Martyrs' Day to remember Mahatma Gandhi who was assassinated on that day in 1948.
Rajmohan Gandhi's three points for India to become a world power are - 'India should stop worshipping greed, India should give up the idea of high and low and India should say no to stereotyping (on the basis of religion)'.
Elaborating, he said the wealth of natural resources should be made available to locals 'who deserve it'. He was referring to the unrest in India's resource-rich tribal dominated central India where people are opposing the government's move to give mining projects to private companies.
'It (resources) should not be given to some, making them richer and dislocating locals. This is being greedy.'
Speaking against stereotyping, he said some people are being considered high and 'some worthy of contempt'. 'This should stop,' he emphasised.
'No stereotyping please. No generalizing. No divisions of people because of who they are or on the basis of their caste, colour and religion,' Rajmohan Gandhi said in his 10-minute speech.
'Look there is no doubt that Pakistan has terrorists and the state is supporting some groups. But every Pakistani is not a terrorist and every Pakistani has not to prove he or she is not a terrorist,' he said.
The lecture was organised by Tamil daily Dinamani, a unit of the New Indian Express group.
Lalu to take agitation against price rise to national level
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Saturday announced he would take his party's agitation to protest the rising prices of essential commodities to the national level.
'The RJD, along with like-minded parties, particularly the Left, will launch a national-level agitation to protest rising prices of essential items,' Lalu Prasad said at a press conference here.
He said he was in touch with several leaders of different political parties in this regard.
'I will go to New Delhi next week to discuss the programme with different leaders to launch the stir,' Lalu Prasad said.
The RJD chief did not disclose the names of other parties which would join the protest.
Elated over the 'overwhelming success' of the state-wide shutdown in Bihar Thursday, called by his party to protest rising prices of essential items, Lalu Prasad said: 'History was witness to the fact that whatever began in Bihar, spread all across the country.'
The shutdown was supported by the Lok Janshakti Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist and Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist.
Orissa to demand 3 more battalions of central force
Orissa today said it would demand from the Government three more battalions of central para-military force in view of Maoist mayhem in some parts of the state. "The government has decided to demand three more battalions of central para-military force (CPMF) in view of Maoist violence in Sundargarh and Koraput districts," state Home Secretary Aditya Padhy told reporters after a review meeting by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
This demand would be in addition to the five battalions of CPMF, which was yet to arrive in the state, he said. "We have been all along demanding eight battalions of central force.
But the Centre had agreed for only five. Now it has been decided to demand three more battalions in the next meeting with the Centre," Padhy said.
With Maoists having killed two persons in last two days, Patnaik has asked the police to contain violence, especially in Sundergarh district, officials said. The review meeting was attended by Chief Secretary T K Mishra, Padhy, DGP Manmohan Praharaj, Director of Intelligence Prakash Mishra and Inspector General (IG) of Police, Operation Sanjeev Marik.
The participants drew Patnaik''s attention to the scarcity of police force to tackle the situation.
Aamir, Shah Rukh '2 Idiots': Shiv Sena
After targeting Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for his remarks supporting the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL, the Shiv Sena Saturday dragged in Aamir Khan, calling the duo '2 Idiots'.
'In real life, Aamir and Shah Rukh have been proved as '2 Idiots' as both are making stupid statements supporting the cause of Pakistani cricketers,' said a statement in the party's Hindi mouthpiece Dopahar Ka Saamna.
'On the one hand, while SRK is openly displaying his love for Pakistani players, Aamir has even put nationalistic sentiments in his utterances on this issue,' said the statement in the tabloid, which hit the stands this afternoon.
'According to Aamir, if any cricketer is good, he would like to have him in his team, it makes no difference to him which country he belongs to,' said the statement.
The statement is accompanied by a digitally altered picture of the recent record blockbuster '3 Idiots'. It shows the head of Aamir (the star and promoter of the movie) popping out of a drum and SRK sticking his tongue from another drum - signifying the accompanying heading of '2 Idiots'.
Aamir had said Friday that if he were to select IPL players he would do so only on the basis of their performance and not nationality.
The Shiv Sena Friday hit out at Shah Rukh, who is also the Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner, after he said he would have picked a Pakistani player for IPL matches if his team had a slot.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said if the actor was so keen on them, 'he could go play his matches in Lahore, not in India'.
Thane Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde announced that no film of Shah Rukh would be screened in the district.
Both actors have not reacted to the Shiv Sena's tirade.
Indo Asian News Service
Mamata says no to Nayachar chemical hub
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday opposed the central government's decision to set up a petrochemical hub in West Bengal's Nayachar island, saying she would instead set up an eco-park at the proposed site.
'The proposed chemical hub should not be set up at Nayachar as it will cause environmental pollution in the island and affect the livelihood of the fishing population there. We will set up an eco-park for generating solar energy at the same site.
'The model will herald a new age in the area of generating non-conventional energy and at the same time won't affect the livelihood of thousands of fishermen,' Banerjee said in this East Midnapore district belt, about 160-km from Kolkata.
Amul to hike milk prices from Feb 1
Ahmedabad, Jan 30 (PTI) State''s largest milk producer Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) selling its dairy products under the brand name ''Amul'' has decided to hike the milk prices between Re 1 and 2 per litre in Gujarat. The hike comes a few days after Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar predicted rise in milk prices.
"We have decided to hike the milk prices of our brands ''Taaza'' and ''Slim and Trim'' by Re 1 per litre, while the prices of our brands like ''Gold'' and ''Shakti'' shall be increased by Rs 2 per litre with effect from February 1 in Gujarat only," Chief General Manager GCMMF R S Sodhi told PTI. GCMMF has cited rise in input cost of raw material like cattle feed as a major reason behind the hike this year. "Due to increase in input cost, we have to pay more to the milk producers hence the prices rise," Sodhi said.
According to Sodhi, majority of milk unions dairies also members of GCMMF like Banaskantha dairy, Mehsana, Kaira, Vadodara and Surat have increased milk procurement price in the past and were presently paying average price of Rs 330 per kilo fat rpt kilo fat, which is 18 per cent higher than previous year. .
Pak govt presents evidence against 26/11 suspects
Islamabad A Pakistani anti-terror court conducting the trial of seven men, including Lashker-e-Taiba commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, accused of involvement in the
Mumbai attacks today recorded evidence against the accused and the testimony of a witness.
The government's team of prosecutors presented evidence against the accused in the anti-terrorism court of Judge Malik Muhammad Akram Awan in Rawalpindi.
The details and nature of the evidence could not immediately be ascertained. The court also recorded the testimony of a witness named Zaheer Ahmed Sapra, who said he had booked a Yamaha engine that powered an inflatable dinghy which was used by the attackers. Sapra said he had only booked the engine and did not personally know the accused, sources said.
Indian investigators have already established that the Yamaha engine used in the inflatable dinghy was manufactured by the Japanese company and shipped to a Lahore-based firm named Business and Engineering Trends. "Following the presentation of evidence, the judge adjourned the matter till February 13," Shahbaz Rajput, said the lawyer for some of the accused.
The defence lawyers had boycotted the last hearing on January 23 to protest the failure of authorities to provide them security and facilities for meeting their clients at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail in line with an order of the Lahore High Court.
Judge Awan is conducting the trial in Adiala Jail for security reasons. The seven accused Lakhvi, Zarar Shah, Abu al-Qama, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younas Anjum are also being held in Adiala Jail. They were last year formally charged with planning and helping execute the assault on India's financial hub in November 2008 that killed nearly 166 people.
A Rawalpindi-based division bench of the Lahore High Court this week reserved its decision on a petition filed by Lakhvi seeking his acquittal in the case in the anti-terrorism court. However, the two judges comprising the division bench were recalled to Lahore after they reserved their judgement and it is expected that the verdict will be delivered by their replacements.
Lakhvi filed the petition in the High Court to challenge the anti-terrorism court's decision dismissing an earlier plea for acquittal. Another bench of the Lahore High Court last week dismissed a separate application by Lakhvi seeking the transfer of his trial from the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi to Lahore.
Maoists should come forward for talks: Sachar
Maoists should come forward for talks if they want problem of tribals in West Midnapore district to be solved, Justice (retd) Rajinder Sachar said today. "The government has given an offer of talks and Maoists should accept it.
I believe everything can be resolved through talks," Sachar said on the sidelines of a seminar on the centenary celebrations of Rammanohar Lohia in Kolkata today. Asked whether there were human rights violations after anti-Maoist operations by joint forces began in the district, he said, "there has been violation of human rights.
It is wrong and it has been done by both sides." Questioned whether, after his report on minorities, the West Bengal government has taken any corrective measure, Sachar said "This is not my job.
I am neither the implementing machine nor the supervising authority. My job is to give the report and I have done so.
"Now it is the duty of the government and the authorities to decide what should be done."
National integration camp begins in Ayodhya
A week-long national integration camp began in Ayodhya today with active participation of the youth from different parts of the country. Organised by the Nehru Yuva Kendra''s Faizabad unit, the camp aims to promote national integration by bringing together youth from all over the country and giving them a chance to learn about each other''s cultural heritage and values through cultural programmess, community singing, sports and other activities, the organisers said.
Teams from states like Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland are taking part in the programme.
Kandhamal riots case: 13 convicted, 17 acquitted
A fast track court here today convicted 13 people for arson and other crimes in cases of rioting in Orissa''s Kandhamal district in 2008 and sent them to five years of imprisonment, even as it let off 17 others for lack of evidence. Fast Track Court-I Judge Sobhan Kumar Das also imposed a fine of Rs 2,500 on the convicts for torching of houses in Sarangarh area in the district between August and October, 2008.
The court acquitted 17 others for lack of evidence, while 18 others were acquitted in another case of arson at Phiringia area. In another case, the court sentenced two persons to rigorous imprisonment for five-year and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 on each of them for arson at Ranjabadi village in Tikabali area in the district.
Fast Track Court-II Judge C R Das acquitted four persons for violence in Baliguda area of the district. Kandhamal, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread violence following murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008.
Bihar to sign MoU with Gates Foundation
Patna A memorandum of understanding will soon be signed between the Bihar government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for executing a slew of health projects in selected districts of the state.
The Foundation had in principle agreed to commit about Rs 500-crore for the projects in a meeting on Wednesday between the state officials and a visiting Gates Foundation team, state Health department's principal secretary C K Mishra said.
The 11-member foundation team, headed by Ashok Alexander, consented during the meeting to offer "co-operation and finding" for the projects.
One of the major areas of the foundation's focus would be projects on reproductive health and nutrition, but it is also interested in funding efforts to combat and control tuberculosis, kala-azar, pneumonia and polio.
LJP slams Sena for attack on Khan, Ambani
LJP today strongly condemned the Shiv Sena diatribe against Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and industrialist Mukesh Ambani, saying that the party had earlier too tried to "divide" the country in the name of language, region or religion. "The statements by Shiv Sena leaders including its supremo Bal Thackeray against both individuals are highly objectionable and condemnable.
Sena has earlier also tried to divide the country in the name of language, region or religion," LJP General Secretary Shamaele Nabi said. Sena leaders have slammed Khan over his remarks favouring inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in IPL while party activists yesterday went on a rampage tearing down posters of the Bollywood superstar''s latest flick ''My Name is Khan''.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has attacked Ambani over his recent statement that Mumbai belongs to all Indians and said, "Marathi people have as much right over Mumbai as Mukesh Ambani has over Reliance companies".
Scientists, farmers fast to protest Bt Brinjal
A group of scientists, academicians and farmers observed a day's protest fast at the Kolkata Book Fair Saturday against the possible release of genetically modified crop Bt Brinjal for commercial cultivation.
'The volunteers from Green Peace, city-based green body Development Research Communication and Services Centre (DRCSC) and the farmers of an organisation called Seva participated in the fast,' Green Peace's sustainable agricultural campaigner R. Jaykrishna told IANS.
He said the fast is being observed at stall no.20 to generate awareness and build up public opinion against the ill effects of Bt Brinjal cultivation.
'Several farmers, who cultivate brinjals, from Kolkata's adjoining North 24 Parganas district participated in the protest. We will also hold a cultural event and a candlelight march across the fair premises this evening to oppose the introduction of Bt Brinjal,' Jaykrishna said.
The central environment ministry is holding public consultations in various Indian cities to decide if it will allow the commercial release. Last October, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee of the government had cleared it.
But a member of the committee, Pushpa Bhargava, has alleged that all necessary tests were not carried out before the decision was taken.
Earlier, hundreds of farmers and scientists protested against the introduction of Bt Brinjal during a public consultation held in January in Kolkata in the presence of central Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.
Several scientists and green groups also raised the issue of bio-technology and environment friendliness of this new agricultural produce, citing fears over health security.
'We'll not allow Bt Brinjal in the commercial market. We all protest against the decision of introducing this crop,' said Alauddin Ahmed, a farmer of Atghara village in North 24 Parganas.
'Maharatana' status likely for ONGC, NTPC, SAIL, IOC
At least four leading public sector enterprises from the oil, energy and steel sectors are likely to get 'Maharatna' status that will enable them take investment decisions worth up to $1 billion without seeking the government's approval, an official said Saturday.
Currently, the best performing public sector undertakings (PSUs) are accorded Navaratna status - with powers to take independent investment decisions up to $200 million - and most of them are trying hard to achieve Maharatna status. PSU giants like Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) are in the race for Maharatna status.
The government is expected to make an announcement in next few days, Bhaskar Chatterjee, secretary in the Department of Public Enterprises said.
'As of now, four appear to be there. We hope to confer the Maharatna status in about 10 days,' he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.
Chatterjee said the scrutiny committee, which would decide on PSU companies to be granted Maharatna status, will be constituted very soon and it would not take much time to confer the status on the PSUs.
He hinted at IOC, NTPC, SAIL and ONGC as major contenders for the Maharatna category.
The four companies are currently among the 18 Navaratna PSUs. Besides being listed on the bourses, Navaratna PSUs have an annual net profit of over $1 billion (Rs.5,000 crore) consecutively for three years besides having a net worth of $3 billion (Rs.15,000 crore) and a turnover of $5 billion (Rs. 25,000 crore).
PSUs which get the Maharatna status will have more autonomy and can take investment decisions upto $1 billion (Rs.5,000 crore) without the approval of the government. Currently Navratna PSUs have a limit of $200 million (Rs.1,000 crore).
Obama pledges to rein in budgetary deficit
US President Barack Obama today promised to rein the budgetary deficit and said the economy is now moving on the road to progress, even though it has a long way to go as unemployment continue to be very high. "There are certain core principles our families and businesses follow when they sit down to do their own budgets .
They dont spend what they dont have, and they make do with what theyve got," Obama said in his weekly address to the nation. "It''s now time to come together and make the painful choices we need to eliminate those deficits," he said.
The US has forecast a record deficit of 1.5 trillion dollars for the full fiscal year of 2010. Obama said that he was pleased that the Senate had just restored the pay-as-you-go law that was in place in the 1990s and helped the US government end that decade with a 236-billion-dollar surplus.
"Reinstating this law will help get us back on track, ensuring that every time we spend, we find somewhere else to cut," he said adding he has also proposed a spending freeze. Obama also said that the US economy has been on the path of recovery.
"For the past six months, our economy has been growing again. And last quarter, it grew more quickly than at any time in the past six years.
Soren asks Maoists to give up violence
Responding to the Maoists' announcement of holding a dialogue on certain terms, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren Saturday appealed to them to give up violence and assured them that their terms would be considered.
'We have come to know the conditions of the Maoists through newspapers. We appeal to them to give up violence and we will consider the terms and conditions set by them,' Soren told reporters here
The banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) had held a press conference for selected journalists at which it listed its terms for a dialogue.
'If the Soren government is serious on initiating dialogue, then it should make serious efforts to create a conducive environment for dialogue. We have doubts about Soren's talks offer as he could buckle under pressure of the central government and his alliance partner, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party),' said Gopalji, CPI-Maoist spokesperson of Bihar, Jharkhand and North Chattisgarh special area committee, at the press conference.
The press conference was held somewhere on the Bihar-Jharkhand border and reports about it appeared in a section of newspapers Saturday.
The terms announced by Gopalji include releasing jailed Maoists leaders, removing security forces including para military forces from schools and villages and others. The demand to release top ranking leaders include central committee leaders - Sushil Roy, Amitabh Bagchi, Mohit as well as women Maoist leaders, Shila and Anuradha.
The rebels also sought an end to government protection to other Maoist groups like People Liberation Front of India (PLFI), Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), and others and withdrawal of cases against some of the Maoist leaders.
The CPI-Maoist leader, however, has ruled out possibility of laying down weapons ahead of the talks.
The rebels' terms for talks come just a day after Soren met union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi on the central goverment's proposed anti-Maoist operation. After the meeting, Soren had announced there were no differences between the central and state government over the polices on the Maoists.
Soren, who became chief minister Dec 30, had invited Maoists for dialogue. On one occasion, he had termed himself termed as the 'biggest Maoist'. 'We invited Maoists for a dialogue to know what actually they want from us. Their genuine demands will be fulfilled,' he said.
Amar sings praises of Mayawati, Sonia, fuels war with SP
The Samajwadi Party (SP) Saturday said it will soon take a 'final decision' on Amar Singh after the rebel leader tried to cosy up to the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) by heaping praises on Mayawati and Sonia Gandhi.
Amar Singh, who also criticised the SP for not treating him well, quit all party posts earlier this month but he continues to hold on to a Rajya Sabha seat on the party nomination.
'We will soon take a final decision on Amar Singh,' Mohan Singh, who has replaced Amar Singh as general secretary, told IANS.
Mohan Singh said that Amar Singh should quit the 'Rajya Sabha seat on moral grounds' as he had won the seat on a Samajwadi Party ticket, 'and if he doesn't the party will take appropriate action'. Singh said the party was watching his moves 'closely'.
The new SP general secretary said Amar Singh was desperate to seek a new political alignment.
'He is roaming all around. Let him,' he said, reacting to Amar Singh's praise of BSP chief Mayawati and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
'Both (Sonia Gandhi and Mayawati) are political personalities in their own right. One lady has proved herself in Uttar Pradesh against all odds, and one lady has proved herself in India against all adversity,' Amar Singh told CNN-IBN news channel in an interview.
Amar Singh also slammed his former mentor and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for 'ill-treating' Mayawati, once his arch-rival, in 1995.
'I can sense her pain of the guest house episode. Mayawati was supporting Mulayam Singhji and as long as she was supporting, all her wishes were fulfilled. But when she decided to withdraw support and Mulayam Singh lost power, Mulayam Singh and the Yadav clan surrounded her in the guest house and ill treated her,' he said.
He was referring to a 1995 incident when Mayawati announced withdrawal of her party's support to the Mulayam Singh government, leading to its collapse. Samajwadi Party supporters then attacked the state guest house at Meera Bai Marg where Mayawati was staying. BSP legislators were beaten up and some kidnapped. Mayawati locked herself in her room.
Amar Singh said he was now being 'treated the same way'.
'For 14 years, as long as I was servile, obedient and blindfolded and endorsed everything that was being done in the party and endorsing everything that was done by my leader, I was all right.'
He said: 'I am not a man without alternative'.
The Samajwadi Party, he said, thought 'Amar Singh has fiercely opposed the Congress, so the party won't accept me'.
They also thought that 'he (Amar Singh) has fought with L.K. Advani so the Bharatiya Janata Party will not take him and in the recent past he has fought with Mayawati and so Maya will not take him'.
'Ghar ka kutta jayega kahan? ghum phir ke aayega yahan (where can a domestic dog go. He will have to return),' he said about how the Samajwadi Party treated him.
Asked if he was closer to Mayawati now, Amar Singh said: 'I have not met her.'
Swaminathan seeks Padma award for farmer
Expressing disappointment over Padma awards, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan said today that though 130 personalities from different fields were named recipients of the country''s highest civilian award, none were from the farming community. "Not including any one from the farming community is as good as ignoring 70 per cent of the country''s population," Swaminathan said while addressing a workshop on Effective Community Management of Bio-diversity in an Era of Climate Change here.
"A farmer should feel pride in being in agriculture if given a Padma ''samman''," he said. He also said that he had regard for the people in music and cricket.
MSME task force presents report to PM
The task force on micro, small and medium enterprises today presented its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recommending immediate action plan for providing relief to the sector hit by the economic downturn. The relief should be accompanied by institutional changes and detailing of programmes, to be achieved in a time bound manner, the task force, chaired by T K A Nair, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, said in the report.
After receiving the report, the Prime Minister said that implementation of the recommendations should be taken up earnestly and in a time bound manner to give a sustained impetus to the sector, a statement by PM Office said. The Prime Minister asked the Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Dinsha Patel to spearhead policy reform for the sector.
While commending the task force for the detailed and the pragmatic recommendations, the Prime Minister said that India needs thriving, vibrant and strong enterprises in the MSME segment for all round economic development. The Prime Minister in August last year had announced setting up of the task force when representatives of MSME associations met him to highlight their issues and concerns.
Members of the task force included Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Planning Commission member, Secretaries of concerned government departments, RBI Deputy Governor, SIDBI Chairman and MD and representatives of MSME associations.
Karnataka woos auto, drug firms
Karnataka has stepped up efforts to bag private investments in industrial projects ahead of the Global Investors Meet here in June by holding roadshows in several cities in the country.
The state is bidding for a Rs.2,000-crore ($40 mn) two-wheeler plant that auto major Hero Honda plans to set up in south India.
A Hero Honda technical team will visit Karnataka in Feb first week to search for a suitable site for the plant, according to state Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani.
Nirani met the Hero Honda officials in New Delhi late Friday as part of the roadshow in the national capital.
'Hero Honda has evinced interest to set up a plant for manufacturing two wheelers with an investment of Rs.2000 crores in south India. We have been proactively promoting Hubli/Dharawad (in north Karnataka, about 420 km from Bangalore) for their investments. The company is sending its technical team for evaluation in first week of February,' an official statement on the meeting said Saturday.
The statement said teams from Nectar Lifesciences, Mosarbaer, Kajaria Ceramics and an Egyptian firm, Kapci Coatings, also met Nirani and discussed their investment plants.
Nectar Lifesciences plans a plant for manufacture of life saving drugs with an investment of Rs.1,500 crores while Mosarbaer a 50 MW grid connected Solar Photo voltaic project with an investment of Rs.850 crores in Chickaballapur district adjoining Bangalore, the statement said.
Kajaria Ceramics is interested in setting up a vitrified/ceramic tiles unit with an investment of Rs.150 crores in Belgaum in north Karnataka, about 500 km from here, and the Egyptian company a Rs.145 crore plant for manufacturing of paints and decorative coatings, it said.
The Global Investors Meet is scheduled for June 3-4. It has been put off twice, once due to poor response in view of the global meltdown and for the second time following heavy floods in north Karnataka in late September last year.
Bankers, governments discuss regulation at Davos forum
Davos, Jan 30 (DPA) Bank executives met central bankers and government officials here Saturday to discuss whether regulations should be imposed on financial markets.
Officials from the US and Europe were taking part in the discussions with Deutsche Bank, Switzerland's UBS and other major banks at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss mountain resort.
Regulation of banks has been a major talking point in Davos, where the future of constraints on capital institutions is being examined along with concerns that the economic recovery was far too weak, requiring a more sustainable plan for growth.
On Friday, Lawrence Summers, economic advisor to US President Barack Obama, told the forum a strong system was needed to prevent the threat of system failure and 'constrain the risk large financial institutions take'.
The constraints on the major players would reduce risk 'without interfering in any ways with the ability of institutions to serve their customers', said Summers, a former treasury secretary.
DPA
Nigerian oil militants end ceasefire
Nairobi/Abuja, Jan 30 (DPA) Nigeria's main militant group Saturday called off a three-month ceasefire and warned that oil companies in the Niger Delta should expect an 'all-out onslaught' against facilities and personnel.
Attacks by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) had slashed the West African nation's oil production by around a quarter and helped drive up global oil prices when MEND responded to a government amnesty and laid down its arms last October.
However, MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo said in an emailed statement that his group had become disillusioned by the government's failure to create real dialogue.
'It is sufficiently clear at this point in time that the government of Nigeria has no intentions of considering the demands made by this group for the control of the resources and land of the Niger Delta to be reverted to the rightful owners, the people of the Niger Delta,' he said.
MEND says it is fighting for a share of oil revenue for Niger Delta residents, who complain that multinational oil companies have ruined their agriculture and fishing livelihoods and caused major environmental damage in the delta's creeks.
Gbomo said that the group would now redouble its efforts to sabotage the oil industry.
'All companies related to the oil industry in the Niger Delta should prepare for an all-out onslaught against their installations and personnel. Nothing will be spared,' he said.
The announcement will come as a blow to Nigeria, which was slowly beginning to ramp up its oil production again.
Attacks by MEND and the syphoning off of oil by criminal gangs slashed the West African nation's oil production from 2.6 million barrels per day in early 2006 to around 1.7 million barrels prior to the amnesty.
DPA
Indian-born CEO appointed senator in Canada
Toronto, Jan 30 (IANS) Indo-Canadian businessman Vim Kochhar was Friday nominated to the Canadian senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. When he takes oath, 73-year-old Kochhar will become the first Indian-born senator in Canadian history.
Kochhar, who runs a furniture company in Toronto, is among five new members appointed to the upper chamber of the Canadian parliament Friday. The House of Commons is the lower chamber of parliament.
Founder and CEO of the Vimal Group of Companies in Toronto, Kochhar came to Canada in 1967 after finishing his engineering degree from the University of Texas. He became a Canadian citizen in 1974. From his salary of $200,000 as the CEO of his furniture company, Kochhar will take a cut of $70,000 with the new job of a senator.
Currently, there are 105 member of the Canadian senate - 51 from the ruling Conservative Party and 49 from the opposition Liberal Party. Each member serves till the age of 75 and draws an annual salary of $130,400.
'Money is not everything in life,'' Kochhar told the local media. 'We were all getting pretty frustrated the way the whole thing (the Senate) was operating,'' he said, hinting at the majority held by the opposition Liberal Party in the Upper House till now.
Known for his community work, Kochhar set up the Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons.
He was also instrumental in starting the annual Great Valentine Galas, Rolling Rampage for wheelchair athletes, the Canadian Helen Keller Centre, Rotary Cheshire Homes for the Deaf-Blind, the WhyNot Marathon for the Paralympics, and the Terry Fox Hall of Fame - named after the young Canadian who died of cancer at a very young age.
Kochhar joins Indian-origin, Ugandan-born senator Mobina Jaffer who was appointed to the upper house in 2001.
Since the opposition majority in the Senate till now held up many government legislation, the Canadian prime minister said, 'The opposition have abused their Senate majority by obstructing and eviscerating law and order measures that are urgently needed and strongly supported by Canadians.
'These new senators are committed to community safety and justice for the victims of crime.'
(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)
Gurmukh Singh
Global CEOs say growth is coming back
Toronto, Jan 28 (IANS) With their worst fears of a prolonged recession over, CEOs worldwide are now confident about growth bouncing back, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said in its annual global survey here Wednesday.
The survey found that 81 per cent of CEOs worldwide were confident about growth for the next 12 months. Only 19 percent were pessimistic about the return of growth. Thirteen percent CEOs went on to say that the global recovery has actually begun.
But amazingly 67 percents CEOs in China said that the recovery actually began in 2009 itself.
'The fears of a global economic meltdown have receded and CEOs are more upbeat about their prospects,'' said Chris Clark, CEO and senior partner of PwC, said in a statement here.
'However CEO confidence is tempered by the slow pace of recovery and the fragile state of the economy,'' he said.
The survey said the rising confidence is reflected in proposed fresh recruitments, with nearly 40 percent of CEOs saying they will increase their staffing this year.
In Canada and Asia Pacific, about half of CEOs are looking to increase employment in 2010, and this figure jumps to over 60 percent in Brazil.
On the other hand, only 25 percent CEOs said they might cut jobs over the next year, down half from those who cut staff in the past 12 months, the survey said.
As reflected by the much better performance of the Canadian economy as compared to other G8 economies, the survey found Canadian CEOs much more optimistic about short- and long-term growth than their counterparts elsewhere.
'Canadian CEOs are more optimistic than their peers in other developed nations, as many of them managed through the recession while keeping an eye to the investments needed to sustain their organizations over the longer term,'' Clark said.
As against 81 percent CEOs worldwide, 87 percent CEOs in Canada said they were confident about future prospects.
Indo Asian News Service
Obama says deficit could jeopardize recovery
30 Jan 2010, 2027 hrs IST, REUTERS
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama renewed his pledge on Saturday to make job creation his top priority in 2010 but said it was also critical to
rein in a record budget deficit that threatened economic recovery.
Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address to remind Americans of the various proposals he put forward in the last week to spur job growth and tame a $1.4 trillion deficit.
The White House has said Obama is still committed to a promise he made last year to halve the deficit by the end of his term in 2013.
But in his radio address on Saturday, he talked only of "reining" in the deficit.
Obama is due on Monday to unveil his proposed budget for fiscal 2011 that begins October 1, and has said it will include a three-year spending freeze on some domestic programs.
"We'll launch an unprecedented effort to root out waste, inefficiency, and unnecessary spending in our government, and every American will be able to see how and where we spend taxpayer dollars," Obama said.
A Pew Research Center study published this week showed 60 percent of those polled viewed reducing the budget deficit as a top priority for 2010, up from 53 percent in 2009.
Obama acknowledged these concerns in his address.
"As we work to create jobs, it is critical that we rein in the budget deficits we've been accumulating for far too long -- deficits that won't just burden our children and grandchildren, but could damage our markets, drive up our interest rates, and jeopardize our recovery right now," he said.
The size of the deficit is a political hot potato in an election year, with Republicans seeking to paint Obama as a big spender and the White House countering that the president inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit when he took office.
Democrats face a tough time in holding on to their majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the mid-term congressional elections in November. High unemployment, now at 10 percent, and the size of the deficit could hurt them, analysts say.
Obama welcomed new data released on Friday showing that the economy grew at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009. He called it a sign of progress and evidence that his policies to stimulate the economy were working.
"But when so many people are still struggling -- when one in 10 Americans still can't find work, and millions more are working harder and longer for less -- our mission isn't just to grow the economy," he said.
That was why he had proposed tax credits to help small businesses hire new workers and invest in new equipment, as well as the elimination of all capital gains taxes on small business investment, he said.
FDIC clocks 15 bank failures so far in 2010 30 Jan 2010, 0927 hrs IST, REUTERS
LOS ANGELES: Six more US banks were seized on Friday as regulators continue to close the doors of banks struggling to cope with fallout from the
financial crisis.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) said First Regional Bank in Los Angeles, Florida Community Bank, First National Bank of Georgia, American Marine Bank in Washington, Marshall Bank in Minnesota and Community Bank and Trust in Georgia had failed -pushing the tally to 15 banks that have failed this year.
The FDIC expects 2010 to be a peak for bank failures as a result of the financial crisis. Last year, 140 banks failed, compared to 25 in 2008 and three in 2007. First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co, of Raleigh, North Carolina, will purchase $2.17 billion in total assets and $1.87 billion in total deposits from First Regional Bank, the FDIC said.
The eight branches of First Regional Bank, whose parent company was First Regional Bancorp, will reopen on Monday as branches of First-Citizens. SCBT, N.A. of Orangeburg, S.C.will assume $1.1 billion in total deposits and about $1.21 billion in total assets from Community Bank and Trust, of Cornelia, Ga., FDIC said. Community Bank's 36 branches will reopen during normal business hours as branches of SCBT but will continue to conduct business under its own name, FDIC said.
Florida Community Bank, of Immokalee, Fla., will be taken over by Premier American Bank N.A., of Miami, but will continue doing business under its old name. The bank's branches are due to open on Saturday. As of Sept. 30, 2009, Florida Community Bank had $875.5 million in total assets and $795.5 million in total deposits. Premier, which was acquired on Jan. 22 by Naples, Florida-based Bond Street LLC, will pay the FDIC a premium of 0.4 percent to assume all deposits of Florida Community Bank and will buy $499 million of the failed bank's assets. The 11 branches of First National Bank of Georgia, in Carrollton, will reopen on Saturday as Community & Southern Bank branches. As of Sept. 30, 2009, First National had $832.6 million in total assets and $757.9 million in total deposits.
Community & Southern Bank, also in Carrollton, will pay FDIC a premium of 1.25 percent to assume all of the deposits of First National and will purchase essentially all of its assets. American Marine Bank, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, had total assets of $373.2 million and total deposits of $308.5 million as of Sept. 30, 2009, which will be assumed by Columbia State Bank in Tacoma, Washington. United Valley Bank, of Cavalier, N.D., will take over $59.9 million in total assets and $54.7 million in total deposits from Marshall Bank, of Hallock, Minn. US regulators have said the banking industry's recovery will lag the overall economy. The FDIC has said it expects the total bill for bank failures to reach $100 billion for the period of 2009 through 2013.
Market 'Pachauri didn't correct glaciers' report despite being informed
30 Jan 2010, 2211 hrs IST, PTI
LONDON: R K Pachauri, chairman of the UN panel on Climate Change, took two months to correct the report about melting Himalayan glaciers despite
being informed before last year's Copenhagen Summit, a media report claimed today, but the climate czar termed it as "ridiculous".
"Pachauri was told that the Inter-government Panel on Climate Change assessment that the glaciers would disappear by 2035 was wrong but he waited two months to correct it. He failed to act despite learning that the claim had been refuted by several leading glaciologists," The Times reported today.
The IPCC's report underpinned the proposals at Copenhagen for drastic cuts in global emissions, it said.
Asked whether he had deliberately kept silent about the error to avoid embarrassment at Copenhagen, Pachauri told the newspaper: "That's ridiculous. It never came to my attention before the Copenhagen summit. It wasn't in the public sphere."
The report said Pachauri, who played a leading role at the December Copenhagen summit, corrected the error last week after coming under media pressure.
Pachauri had last week admitted that the report about melting of Himalayan glaciers was a mistake, but ruled out his resignation on the issue.
The company posted a standalone net loss of Rs 37.71 crore for the third quarter. It had earned a net profit of Rs 397.04 crore for the same period last year.
Total standalone income slipped to Rs 3,109.66 crore for the October-December quarter 2009 from Rs 3,398.73 crore for the same period a year ago, it said.
The company posted consolidated net profit of Rs 3,706.90 crore for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2009 against Rs 4,630.62 crore in the same period previous year.
Consolidated net income from operations increased to Rs 16,622.77 crore in the nine-month period under review from Rs 16,436.85 crore during the same period last fiscal.
Govt may divest only 10% stake in Coal India 30 Jan 2010, 1541 hrs IST, PTI
NEW DELHI: State-run Coal India today said the government may divest only 10 per cent stake in the PSU in the next fiscal, against the desired 15
per cent, as regulatory provisions bars it from reserving some shares for employees.
Also, the company said it plans to divest an additional stake of about 3 per cent in the second phase, proposed for people whose land has been acquired for mining purposes.
"We may only divest a 10 per cent stake. We would not be able to reserve about 2 per cent shares for the employees. The existing SEBI guidelines say you can't give shares to subsidiaries. If you can't give it to them, there is no point.
"Also, the 3 per cent stake we were looking to sell over and above the planned 10 per cent could now happen only in the second tranche," Coal India Ltd (CIL) CMD P S Bhattacharyya told reporters on the sideline of a CII summit.
While CIL officials had expressed willingness for 15 per cent divestment, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal had last month said that anywhere between 10-15 per cent of government stake could be divested in the firm in the next fiscal.
A delegation comprising senior officials from CIL, the Coal Ministry and the Department of Disinvestment (DoD) are expected to meet SEBI early next month to take forward the proposed disinvestment in the company.
"We have now chalked out some road map for disinvestment. Early, next month officials from CIL, Coal Ministry and the DoD would meet SEBI officials and would deliberate on the proposed disinvestment," he added.
Indian companies unfazed by Obama's anti-outsourcing call 29 Jan 2010, 0615 hrs IST, Pankaj Mishra, ET Bureau
BANGALORE: A day after US President Barack Obama reiterated his plans for creating new jobs, amid rising double-digit unemployment in the US,
India's nearly $60-billion outsourcing industry remained hopeful that its top export market will continue to grow with more companies seeking to cut costs by outsourcing work to low-cost locations.
On Wednesday, Mr Obama vowed in his first State of the Union speech that he will make creation of local jobs his top priority in 2010, and hinted that his government could end tax breaks for companies creating jobs overseas.
This is not the first instance of Mr Obama upping his anti-outsourcing rhetoric. In May last year, he had said American companies' shipping jobs overseas will be required to pay more taxes, and that tax-deferral benefits for such companies will be ended. "It's a tax code that says you should pay lower taxes, if you create a job in Bangalore, India, than if you create one in Buffalo, New York," Mr Obama had said.
Som Mittal, president of Nasscom, the country's association of software exporters, said Mr Obama has several short- and long-term pressures to cope with, but that does not mean any significant impact for the outsourcing industry. "We will be their solution and not the problem," he said in an interview.
The proposed 'jobs bill', which is aimed at creating more local employment in the US, is focused at reviving manufacturing, retail and construction jobs. Last year, Mr Obama had suggested that his government would end tax incentives for American companies creating jobs overseas by removing 'deferred tax' on foreign income for these companies. However, no specific proposal has been brought forward to outline the execution of this move.
Mr Obama also mentioned that his government would double America's exports and also work on the bilateral trade agreements. "These cannot be achieved by following protectionism," said Mr Mittal.
Experts argue that such protectionist measures are short-sighted because many US companies derive significant revenues from outside the country, and any protectionist stance could lead to a backlash in other markets. Some of the top outsourcing customers, include Citigroup, GE and JP Morgan.
For instance, Citigroup in 2007 generated 52% of its revenues outside the US, and over 60% of its workforce operated from abroad, as its banking business spanned 100 countries. Citigroup's international revenues stream kept pace through 2008, despite the financial crisis, and amounted to a whopping 74% of the total revenues. Outsourcing experts such as Rodney Nelsestuen, senior research director at US-based TowerGroup said with top US banks seeking to reduce their operational expenses outsourcing could rise, and not contract as feared.
"Outsourcing will increase as a measure to reduce operating costs to offset other cost increases such as a (still not approved but only proposed) new tax," said Mr Nelsestuen. "The pass-through of an additional cost of business will likely be distributed throughout the customer and supply chain, resulting in higher cost financial services, lower margins, strategies to reduce operating costs, here is where outsourcers will see an expansion of outsourcing, not a contraction," he added.
Indeed, when Mr Obama proposed that he will attempt to recover over $100 billion from top US banks by introducing new taxes, local sourcing experts said there was no clarity on such proposals to analyse any impact on offshoring. "Increased tax could lead to generally lower investment and greater cost reduction initiatives (such as offshoring)," said Andy Efstathiou, director of US-based research firm NelsonHall's banking sourcing program.
"Actual bank behaviour would depend on the nature of the tax, the administration has not stated how it intends to implement the tax, it has stated the tax would only last for a few years," he added.
Indian wheel likely to power Copenhagen's carbon-neutral dream
30 Jan 2010, 0110 hrs IST, Mahima Puri, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: Reinventing the wheel was not exactly what Myshkin Ingawale had in mind when he set out from NIT-Bhopal towards MIT-Massachusetts, with a
stop-over at IIM Calcutta. The 27-year-old's Copenhagen Wheel, named after the Danish capital after it was unveiled during last month's climate summit, could be about to do just that.
A smart disc that can be retrofitted on any bicycle, the device can boost the cycle's power and can also keep track of friends, fitness, smog and traffic. And if someone tries to steal the bike while its owner happens to be away, the device will send out an alert via a text message.
The Danish capital is set to embrace it wholeheartedly in its attempt to become the world's first carbon-neutral capital city by 2025. According to Claus Juhl, CEO of Copenhagen, the city might place the first order and use bicycles fitted with the wheel as a substitute for cars being used by its employees.
And Ingawale, now a PhD scholar at IIM Calcutta, is talking to some industry players to bring the concept to India.
The Kolhapur, Maharashtra, native began working on the device in 2003, when he started fitting bicycles with electric motors. An early version of the device was made during his time at the National Institute of Technology campus in Bhopal, where he studied for a BTech in electrical engineering.
Later, at IIM-C, Ingawale found the contextual framework for the device while taking a hard look at commuting problems in India, aggravated each year by new and new cheap cars jostling for space on old congested roads. "The state of Indian cities is already such that they cannot afford any more cars and buses. A viable, economical, eco-friendly and comfortable option such an electric bike would be a great way to make sure Indian cities remain navigable and liveable," says Ingawale.
The big leap for the device and Ingawale came about when he got in touch with a team from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, which was working on ways to make bikes efficient and green.
From his IIM abode, Ingawale exchanged emails with the team at MIT's SENSEable City Laboratory.
Impressed, they invited him over to the US and there he became part of the four core-member team that conceptualised, designed and built the Copenhagen Wheel.
"From the days of the horse-drawn carriage, all we have done is replaced the horse with a beast of a different kind. Can we be creative, can we make something that radically improves things for the better? This was the motivation and thought process of the team," he says.
For Copenhagen, a city where 40% of the population uses bikes to commute to office, the Wheel could just be the answer. Ingawale, who is talking to some industry players to bring the concept to India, says the device will help both health and the earth. "For anyone who is not able to cycle, there's always the electric motor in the Copenhagen Wheel."
One of the applications that the MIT team had discussed with the City of Copenhagen was that of an incentive scheme whereby citizens collect Green Miles. "This would be similar to frequent flyer miles, but good for the environment," says Christine Outram, who led the team of MIT researchers, on the institute's website.
As for Ingawale, he hasn't decided on an MIT invite to join them as a research scientist. "I have to think of my own venture Biosense Technologies as well," says Ingawale.
A socio-technical venture, Biosense was first formed as an initiative called AnaeMedia in 2008. The firm intends to help in eradicating maternal and infant mortality that arises due to anaemia, which accounts for almost 40% of all mortality.
This is done through a portable and easy-to-use device, developed by Biosense, that is provided to the accredited social health activists in Indian villages, who map the anaemia levels in pregnant women at various stages instead of letting it reach a fatal level.
Exports from Indore SEZ likely to cross Rs 425 cr
30 Jan 2010, 1524 hrs IST, PTI
INDORE: Exports from the multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Indore are expected to cross Rs 425 crore in the current fiscal in spited the
global slump in demand, the city's SEZ Development Commissioner A K Rathore said.
Rathore said during the first three quarters of 2009-10, exports from the SEZ were worth Rs 330 crore.
The SEZ, spread over 1,100 hectare with 22 units, including engineering, pharmaceutical and garments, has attracted investments worth Rs 1,650 crore.
Rathore said about 10 more units at the SEZ were under construction.
Under the SEZ Act, units in these zones are given 100 per cent tax exemption on their income for the first five years and 50 per cent in the next five years.
A total of 579 SEZs have been approved in the country and 335 of them have been notified. Of them, over 100 are currently operational.
The exports from over 100 functional SEZs in the country in 2008-09 were estimated at Rs 99,689 crore.
PM nod for sale of 'stuck' imported sugar
28 Jan 2010, 0534 hrs IST, Prabha Jagannathan , ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: With sugar prices refusing to temper significantly in the last fortnight even after food minister Sharad Pawar promised a cut in retail
prices, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday endorsed the proposal to sell imported raw sugar stocks lying at Mundra and Kandla ports to boost domestic supply and temper prices.
A notification is expected soon from the food ministry, which clinched a change in the "real user" norm in relevant excise rules for sugar imports at the Cabinet Committee on Prices (CCP) meeting a fortnight ago. That change allowed refineries and mills importing sugar to sell their imports and contract processing with other mills on par with traders.
But Wednesday's development is a hollow one, likely to have no marked impact on retail sugar prices and, despite all the hype surrounding the PM's meeting with the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) president Vivek Saraogi and other representatives. The projections are that demandsupply mismatch of sugar is going to continue despite the import of 5.6 m tonnes. Not surprisingly, today's developments are only politically symbolic.
Just under one million tonnes of raw sugar is stuck at these ports after the UP government banned its entry into the state in November last year, for the entire crushing season in the state. Irony is, of the paltry nine lakh tonnes of sugar at the ports, over five lakh tonnes belong to Bajaj Hindusthan. And that company was not there at today's meeting after, reportedly , a similar meeting with the food minister last week hit a cul de sac over processing charges and the price at which importers would sell the sugar. (Dhampur Sugar Mills Ltd had imported the second highest quantum of one lakh tonnes of what lies at the ports.) Although Maharashtra cooperative mills want as much as Rs 6000/tonne for processing, UP mills are willing to pay only Rs 4000/- tonnes, sources said. A Bajaj official said "We are under no great pressure to sell."
To boot, crushing season for Gujarat and Maharashtra mills, closest to the ports, ends by late February/March while the season in UP is fast drawing to a close as well. That leaves only a very small time window for the raw sugar to be sold to processors, making it that much more urgent for whatever little raw sugar lying at the ports to be sold
Basmati exports likely to peak despite global travails 27 Jan 2010, 0122 hrs IST, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: India's Basmati exports this year are likely to hit a record 3 million tonne despite subsidy withdrawal from Saudi Arabia, setbacks to
exports in Iran and the Dubai financial crisis.
Exports up to December 2009 stood at 2.3 million tonne and could easily go up substantially, industry sources said, although the price of the top quality rice may have dropped in the export markets compared to last year.
"Exports will be in excess of 2.5 million tonne up to March 31," Vijay Arora, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) said, pointing out that production this year was up by 1.5 million tonne to 4.5 million tonne despite a drought that struck output for non-Basmati rice.
In 2008-09, around 2.31 million tonne of Basmati was exported but a good portion of the exports was high value non-Basmati rice. The exports were much higher than the 1.51 million tonne registered in 2007-08.
Significantly, the Centre put off an urgent decision on whether or not to import rice (even as global prices shot up on news of India's need to import) to boost domestic market supply and tone down prices until March this year, following an assessment of both available grain stocks and the second advance crop estimates due in February-March.
The second estimates provide the first indications of what the year's kharif crop (for the 2010-11 kharif marketing season or KMS starting October) may look like.
That the decision to delay high priced rice imports may have been an intelligent one became apparent not only in the heavy over-stocks of wheat with the Centre now, but more clearly, in the fact that the prices for Thai Hom Mali rice have gone up further since December.
The price of Grade A rice (2009-10 crop) moved up between just December 2 to January 6 to $1021/tonne from $1006/tonne while the price of the same quality for the previous year's crop remain static at $1116/tonne in the period, after having dropped $3/t to $1113/t on December 23, 2009.
This, despite Thailand having offloaded overstocks of rice from that year at heavy discounts on to the global market to make way for the new crop. PM Manmohan Singh's meeting with state CM's gears up to urgently offload massive Central wheat stocks on to them in an urgent dual bid to reduce overload in FCI godowns before the new marketing season begins in March and to temper open market foodgrain prices.
The Centre is under pressure to offload around three million tonnes of wheat in the next two months in order to make way for the impending new crop, which is expected to be good.
India's import bill on sensitive items up 34 per cent
27 Jan 2010, 2011 hrs IST, IANS
NEW DELHI: India's import bill on sensitive items, mainly farm-related goods, has registered a hefty rise of 34.5 per cent during the first seven
months of this fiscal.
Data released by the commerce ministry on Wednesday placed the value of sensitive items' imports at Rs 35,487 crore ($7.1 billion) between April and October 2009, against Rs 26,378 crore ($5.27 billion) in the like period of the previous fiscal.
Import of sensitive items, numbering around 350, includes pulses, edible oils, fruits and vegetables, rubber, spices, tea, coffee and milk products, besides automobiles, alcoholic beverages, cotton, silk and items reserved for small-scale industries.
The rise in imports of sensitive items has come despite the country's overall import bill for all commodities registering a decline during the period under review.
Such gross imports were valued at Rs 716,535 crore ($14.330 billion) compared to Rs 916,483 crore ($18.33 billion) during April-October 2008, a commerce ministry release showed.
MNCs get more options to settle tax disputes
30 Jan 2010, 0146 hrs IST, M Padmakshan, ET Bureau
MUMBAI: This is good news for multi-national companies (MNCs) operating in India. Over 1,600 such companies, who were asked to pay additional
corporate taxes on account of their overseas transactions, now, have the option to appeal before the conventional forum of Commissioner (Appeal) as well as Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) for redressal of their grievances. An appeal before the commissioner (Appeal) may take a year or two for a decision.
However, DRP, a panel comprising three senior officers of the income-tax (I-T) department, is expected to give out an order within nine months. Unlike in the past, when the order of the transfer pricing officer (TPO) was the final decision, the tax payer can now choose to appeal against TPO's order before the DRP, whose order will be
final and binding on the tax payer as well as the department.
A January 20 order by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the highest administrative body for direct tax matters, has clarified that the taxpayer is free to opt for the conventional appellate forum of Commissioner (Appeal), if he chooses to do so. The CBDT issued the clarification for removing the ambiguity on the issue as many corporates were under the impression that it was compulsory for them to refer the draft TP order to DRP.
The provision for DRP was inserted in the Transfer Pricing Rules in the last budget. The intention behind setting up of such a panel is to help build up the image of India as an investor-friendly country, by facilitating faster resolution to tax disputes, involving overseas entities.
The transfer-pricing regime of India, which deals with the assessment of cross-border taxation, involving Indian companies, has assessed over 1,600 companies and levied an additional demand of over Rs 10,000 crore. Over 800 companies have been asked to pay up additional taxes. All these 800 companies are free to move the DRP which is expected to give an order faster than the commissioner (Appeal). However, they can now opt for DRP or Commissioner (Appeal), depending upon the choice they make.
India share sales may hit $30 bn in 2010: JPMorgan 26 Jan 2010, 0843 hrs IST, REUTERS
MUMBAI: JPMorgan expects share sales in India to reach as much as $30 billion in 2010, a 50 per cent increase, led by government stake sales and
IPOs by power and property firms, its India investment banking head said.
"This year is going to be all about IPOs and government sell-downs," Vedika Bhandarkar said in an interview. "There may also be a second round of fund raising from some firms that raised money last year," she said.
Indian firms raised $20.2 billion from share sales in 2009, mostly through follow-on offerings, a 181 per cent increase from a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters data. IPOs accounted for just $4.1 billion of the total.
Upcoming issues include a planned government stake sale in top Indian power firm NTPC Ltd to raise up to Rs 120 billion ($2.6 billion), a deal led by JPMorgan, Citigroup, Kotak Securities and ICICI Securities.
Among IPOs, the biggest in the pipeline is a planned $1.5 billion listing by private sector electricity firm Jindal Power.
[PDF] P. Sainath on the
agrarian crisis, Friday, 29 January 2010
... Sainath described several stark contrasts in
India today; the average CEO earns 30000 times
...publications.aidindia.org/content/view/429/130/ - Similar -19 Jul 2008
... P.Sainath, the journalist, has written extensively about the
agrarian crisis in India. The
India Together website chronicles the analysis,
...blogs.workanhour.org/.../agrarian-crisis-of-india-shining.html - Cached - Similar -The most tragic face of the
agrarian crisis the country is facing is the
... The second reason why
India cannot afford to ignore the crisis of our food
...agrariancrisis.wordpress.com/ - 12 hours ago - Cached - Similar -Agrarian crisis in India. posted February 5, 2009 - 1:49pm.
Agrarian crisis in India. For more than a decade, Indian Agriculture has been marked by
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COVER STORY
All for a new Bengal PRABHAT PATNAIK
| Jyoti Basu achieved, within a few years of first taking charge as Chief Minister, a remarkable turnaround for a State that was in decline. |
THE HINDU PHOTO ARCHIVES
A photograph from the 1967-69 period. Jyoti Basu, Deputy Chief Minister of West Bengal, turns around on the arrival of Deputy Prime Minister Morarji Desai for a conference of Chief Ministers in New Delhi. Desai is being greeted by West Bengal Chief Minister Ajoy Mukherjee. At left is Kerala Chief Minister E.M.S. Namboodiripad.
EACH generation has its own dominant image of Jyoti Basu. For an earlier generation than mine this image is of an intrepid fighter in the cause of the working class, an effective and unyielding "tribune of the people", in the manner of Auguste Bebel, in the West Bengal legislature of the 1950s and 1960s. For a more recent generation than mine this dominant image is of a highly respected elder statesman, an architect of a broad coalition of forces to save the country from communal fascism and a voice warning the country about the dangers of the imperialist embrace that is euphemistically referred to these days as "globalisation". For my generation the overwhelming image of Jyoti Basu is that of the builder of a new Bengal.
All these images of Jyoti Basu have their own validity. And they all share a common perception: that of a remarkably courageous and straightforward person, totally devoid of cant, and capable of seeing things without the blinkers that most people choose to put on. I prefer here, however, to dwell on the image of Jyoti Basu that my generation has, namely, as the builder of a new Bengal, because in my view that is a role that no one else but Jyoti Basu could have played.
Before the Left Front came to power, West Bengal presented the quintessential picture of a State in decline. Once the centre of British power east of Suez, it had witnessed, over the half century before Independence, an absolute decline in agricultural production per capita and an even steeper absolute decline in foodgrain production per capita. Though the post-Independence years witnessed some reversal of these dire trends, it was far from adequate: West Bengal was afflicted by a deep-rooted and long-standing agrarian crisis. Its traditional industries, tea and jute, originally owned by British managing agencies and subsequently taken over by mainly Marwari businessmen, faced inelastic world demand and overall bleak prospects. The engineering industry, which had come up mainly during the War years, received a jolt from the mid-1960s recession from which it never really recovered. The freight equalisation scheme had hurt the State badly.
The social crisis created by pervasive unemployment among the youth, refracted inter alia through the naxalite movement, was captured chillingly in artistic creations of the time, such as Mrinal Sen's film Chorus. While a social revolution remained a distant dream, the way forward short of it was not clear. It appeared to be a society incapable as yet of making a leap, but hopelessly lost without such a leap. And this turbulent stasis came increasingly to be sustained through the use of semi-fascist terror by the state.
The remarkable turnaround in this situation, which the Left Front achieved within a few years of assuming office under Jyoti Basu's leadership in 1977, would appear unbelievable to anyone who had witnessed the earlier situation. Indeed, the dynamics of that turnaround are still not very clear and require a substantial theoretical endeavour. There is only one thing, however, that one can say about it with certainty, namely, at the core of it was the overcoming of the long-standing agrarian crisis.
Lord Cornwallis' Permanent Settlement had left two important legacies in Bengal's economy. First, since the revenue accruing to the colonial government was fixed, the rate of return to the government from any investment in irrigation was nil, or at any rate way below the minimum rate of return that the colonial government insisted on earning on all its investments. Hence Bengal saw very little irrigation investment in the colonial period. There was an additional reason for this: following the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture (1926) a view had gained currency that the problem of Bengal agriculture arose from too much water and not too little. This neglect of irrigation from the colonial period, though slightly reversed after Independence, continued to haunt West Bengal's agriculture.
Secondly, as is well known, the Permanent Settlement had spawned a large parasitic class of rent receivers living off a pauperised peasantry. At the very top were the zamindars, but between them and the cultivators there were several layers of parasites, up to 27 in some places, which obviously discouraged any productive investment on land. Post-Independence land reforms had removed the top layer of zamindars but already by the time of Independence, as the Bengal Provincial Kisan Sabha pointed out in its memorandum to the Floud Commission (1940), a new and powerful class of intermediaries, the jotedars, had emerged, so that zamindari abolition, far from freeing the peasantry from the stranglehold of these parasites, had the paradoxical effect of strengthening the latter. The disincentives to productive investment on land therefore continued, as did the abysmal state of the cultivators, so much so that an influential academic work of the time, which covered both parts of Bengal and the period from 1949 to 1980, was titled The Agrarian Impasse in Bengal.
The Left Front confronted both these constraints head on. Land reform measures, initiated by the short-lived United Front governments earlier, were carried forward through the recording of sharecroppers under Operation Barga, through the conferring on them of rights to land, and through the distribution of ceiling-surplus land. This was followed by the setting up of an alternative institutional mechanism in the countryside, the panchayats, which not only entailed decentralisation of power and decision-making but also provided an alternative to the traditional power structure dominated by the jotedars. The balance of class forces was altered in the countryside in favour of the oppressed peasantry and against the jotedars, which, apart from strengthening democracy, also encouraged productive investment by the peasantry and hence the development of the productive forces. At the same time, there was a substantial step-up in public expenditure on rural development in general and on irrigation in particular.
As a result of these measures, a sea change occurred in the cropping intensity and in the cropping pattern. Areas which for centuries had witnessed only a single crop now started growing three crops. Local-level plans began to be drawn up with the help of the democratically elected representatives of the people serving on the panchayats. And agricultural growth in West Bengal began to pick up.
To some extent, even before the Left Front came to power, the potentials of, and the scope for, multiple cropping had become evident in small pockets in districts such as Bardhaman and Birbhum, where potato and boro rice had been cultivated as a third crop in addition to the traditional aman and aus. But what had remained confined to small pockets now became the common practice over large tracts of the State, so much so that in the decade of the 1980s West Bengal witnessed the highest rate of growth in agricultural production among all the States in the country. In the 1990s, the growth rate came down everywhere, a result inter alia of the neoliberal policies adopted by the Centre, which squeezed the peasantry even as they forced a curtailment of public investment in rural development. Even so, among the States, West Bengal continued to be a high performer.
Rapid agricultural growth, together with increased government expenditure in the countryside, enlarged the rural market in the State, both for foodgrains and for a variety of simple industrial goods. It is interesting that among all the States West Bengal and Kerala were the only two that witnessed a steady increase in per capita cereal consumption by the rural population in the decades of the 1980s and the 1990s. The increased demand for simple industrial goods in the countryside brought about a remarkable "industrialisation from below" in West Bengal, with substantial employment effects, whose reach and significance have been inadequately appreciated until now. And with rising incomes, the State government's revenues also rose, making possible enhanced social sector expenditures and a general improvement in the people's quality of life.
Just one set of figures will suffice to establish the point. In 1977-78, the percentage of rural population in West Bengal consuming less than 1,800 calories a person a day, which really defines acute poverty (since the official poverty line is 2,400 calories), was as high as 40 per cent, compared with 25 per cent for India as a whole. By 1993-94 the figure had come down to 17 per cent, compared with 18.5 per cent for India as a whole. True, this figure went up in West Bengal, as also in the rest of the country, towards the end of the 1990s and early this century, because the pursuit of neoliberal policies by the Central government undermined food security in the country as a whole; but even in 1999-2000 the figure for West Bengal was just 22 per cent (though there are statistical problems in comparing 1999-2000 with the earlier years). The overriding objective of any government functioning in a country such as ours must be the amelioration of poverty; by that yardstick the Jyoti Basu government's record remains unparalleled in modern India.
When Bengal inspired EMS The fact that something remarkable was happening in West Bengal was appreciated, before anyone else in the world outside could discern it properly, by that most insightful observer of the scene, E.M.S. Namboodiripad. It was obvious to any participant at the first International Congress on Kerala Studies, organised through his initiative in 1994 in Thiruvananthapuram, that the question which haunted him was the following: why is it that Kerala with its remarkable record of land reforms and remarkable achievements in the social sector (which had prompted many to talk of a "Kerala model" of development) continued to witness stagnation in the commodity-producing sectors, while the other progressive State, West Bengal, had such remarkable successes in promoting growth in the major commodity-producing sectors. EMS was not looking for "bourgeois" solutions, but solutions in keeping with the progressive traditions of his State, which is why he turned to West Bengal as his criterion for comparison. The answer he came up with was the role of panchayats and, accordingly, launched his momentous "People's Plan Campaign". But what is of significance for us is his implicit tribute to the "West Bengal model" (if one may call it that).
Neoliberal hurdles The travails of the Left Front government from the end of the 1990s have been much discussed. But what is often missed by both critics and even supporters of the Left Front is that underlying these travails is the pursuit of neoliberal policies by the Central government. The hurdles created by the neoliberal environment against the Left's approach were not immediately obvious. Indeed, it appeared at first, and not without justification, that the scrapping of licensing, which had been used as a tool of discrimination by the Central government against recalcitrant States such as West Bengal, would usher in a new era of growth of modern industry in the State. And the State government, starting from the period when Jyoti Basu was at the helm, had worked tirelessly for it. But there were two basic ways in which neoliberalism impinged adversely on the Left Front's strategy.
First, as the tax-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio of the Centre declined over the decade of the 1990s (the States, in fact, did much better in this regard), the Centre not only cut back on its own expenditure, especially rural development expenditure, but even passed on the burden of its fiscal crisis to the State governments through reduced transfers to States and exorbitant interest rates (even exceeding the rate of growth of the average Net State Domestic Product) on its loans to States. The States thus became victims of a fiscal squeeze imposed by the Centre, and West Bengal was no exception. The problem of State indebtedness can be traced directly to this squeeze.
Having first imposed this squeeze, the Centre then used it to force the States to fall in line behind its pursuit of a neoliberal agenda. The Eleventh Finance Commission insisted on a set of neoliberal reforms the States had to carry out even to qualify for the resources that were their constitutional due. The Twelfth Finance Commission addressed the issue of State indebtedness by insisting that State governments pass fiscal responsibility legislation to qualify for assistance, which was both constitutionally questionable and uncalled for by the tenets of economic theory and which the West Bengal government rightly refused to do. The origins of West Bengal's fiscal problems lay inter alia in these developments.
Secondly, as a fallout of the withdrawal of state support from peasant agriculture under the influence of neoliberalism, the current century has witnessed a virtual stagnation in absolute foodgrain output, at least until 2006-07 (after which procurement prices were raised, in a reversal of neoliberalism, and appear to have had a favourable effect on output). And West Bengal has not been spared the consequences of this stagnation. Many, of course, would find fault with the Left Front government for not coping with the situation better, but the situation itself, which arose from the pursuit of neoliberalism, must never be lost sight of.
It continues to pose severe challenges before the Left even today. The fact that the Left will not have the benefit of Jyoti Basu's sagacity in charting out a new course in this complex scenario is a great tragedy. But it can draw genuine pride from the fact that during the two decades and more when Jyoti Basu was at the helm in West Bengal, it achieved something, which, though somewhat unsung, was nonetheless quite outstanding.
Farm suicides: a 12-year saga
P. Sainath 
PTI LIVING IN HOPE: A farmer looks up the sky at drought hit Morahu Village near Allahabad. File photo: PTI
The loan waiver year of 2008 saw 16,196 farm suicides in the country, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Compared to 2007, that's a fall of just 436. As economist Professor K. Nagaraj who has worked in-depth on farm suicide data says, "the numbers leave little room for comfort and none at all for self-congratulation." There were no major changes in the trend that set in from the late 1990s and worsened after 2002. The dismal truth is that very high numbers of farm suicides still occur within a fast decreasing farm population.
Between just the Census of 1991 and that of 2001, nearly 8 million cultivators quit farming. A year from now, the 2011 Census will tell us how many more quit in this decade. It is not likely to be less. It could even dwarf that 8 million figure as the exodus from farming probably intensified after 2001. The State-wise farm suicide ratios — number of farmers committing suicide per 100,000 farmers — are still pegged on the outdated 2001 figures. So the 2011 Census, with more authentic counts of how many farmers there really are, might provide an unhappy update on what is going on.
Focussing on farm suicides as a share of total suicides in India misleads. That way, it's "aha! the percentage is coming down." That's silly. For one thing, the total number of suicides (all groups, not just farmers) is increasing — in a growing population. Farm suicides are rising within a declining farm population. Two, an all-India picture disguises the intensity. The devastation lies in the Big 5 States (Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh). These account for two-thirds of all farm suicides during 2003-08. Take just the Big 5 — their percentage of all farm suicides has gone up. Worse, even their percentage of total all-India suicides (all categories) has risen. Poor States like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are doing very badly for some years now.
In the period 1997-2002, farm suicides in the Big 5 States accounted for roughly one out of every 12 of all suicides in the country. In 2003-08, they accounted for nearly one out of every 10.
The NCRB now has farm suicide data for 12 years. Actually, farm data appear in its records from 1995 onwards, but some States failed to report for the first two years. Hence 1997, from when all States are reporting their farm suicide data, is a more reliable base year. The NCRB has also made access much easier by placing all past years of "Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India" reports on its website.
The 12-year period allows us to compare farm suicide numbers for 1997-2002, with how they turned out in the next 6-year period of 2003-2008. All 12 years were pretty bad, but the latter six were decidedly worse.
Reading a 'trend' into a single year's dip or rise is misleading. Better to look at 3-year or 6-year periods within 1997-2008. For instance, Maharashtra saw a decline in farm suicide numbers in 2005, but the very next year proved to be its worst ever. Since 2006, the State has been the focus of many initiatives. Manmohan Singh's visit to Vidharbha that year brought the "Prime Minister's Relief Package" of Rs.3,750 crore for six crisis-ridden districts of the region. This came atop Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's Rs.1,075 crore "CM's relief package." Then followed the nearly Rs.9,000 crore that was Maharashtra's share of the Rs.70,000-crore Central loan waiver for farmers. To which the State government added Rs.6,200 crore for those farmers not covered by the waiver. The State added Rs.500 crore for a one-time settlement (OTS) for poor farmers who had been excluded from the waiver altogether because they owned over five acres of land.
In all, the amounts committed to fighting the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra exceeded Rs. 20,000 crore across 2006, 2007 and 2008. (And that's not counting huge handouts to the sugar barons.) Yet, that proved to be the worst three-year period ever for any State at any time since the recording of farm data began. In 2006-08, Maharashtra saw 12, 493 farm suicides. That is nearly 600 more than the previous worst of 2002-2005 and 85 per cent higher than the 6,745 suicides recorded in the three-year period of 1997-1999. The same government was in power, incidentally, in the worst six years. Besides, these higher numbers are emerging within a shrinking farm population. By 2001, 42 per cent of Maharashtra's population was already urban. Its farmer base has certainly not grown.
So was the loan waiver useless? The idea of a waiver was not a bad thing. And it was right to intervene. More that the specific actions were misguided and bungled. Yet it could also be argued that but for the relief the waiver brought to some farmers at least, the suicide numbers of 2008 could have been a lot worse. The waiver was a welcome step for farmers, but its architecture was flawed. A point strongly made in this journal ( Oh! What a lovely waiver, March 10, 2008). It dealt only with bank credit and ignored moneylender debt. So only those farmers with access to institutional credit would benefit. Tenant farmers in Andhra Pradesh and poor farmers in Vidharbha and elsewhere get their loans mainly from moneylenders. So, in fact, farmers in Kerala, where everyone has a bank account, were more likely to gain. (Kerala was also the one State to address the issue of moneylender debt.)
The 2008 waiver also excluded those holding over five acres, making no distinction between irrigated and unirrigated land. This devastated many struggling farmers with eight or 10 acres of poor, dry land. On the other hand, West Bengal's farmers, giant numbers of small holders below the 5-acre limit, stood to gain far more.
Every suicide has a multiplicity of causes. But when you have nearly 200,000 of them, it makes sense to seek broad common factors within that group. Within those reasons. As Dr. Nagaraj has repeatedly pointed out, the suicides appear concentrated in regions of high commercialisation of agriculture and very high peasant debt. Cash crop farmers seemed far more vulnerable to suicide than those growing food crops. Yet the basic underlying causes of the crisis remained untouched. The predatory commercialisation of the countryside; a massive decline in investment in agriculture; the withdrawal of bank credit at a time of soaring input prices; the crash in farm incomes combined with an explosion of cultivation costs; the shifting of millions from food crop to cash crop cultivation with all its risks; the corporate hijack of every major sector of agriculture including, and especially, seed; growing water stress and moves towards privatisation of that resource. The government was trying to beat the crisis — leaving in place all its causes — with a one-off waiver.
In late 2007, The Hindu carried (Nov. 12-15) the sorry result emerging from Dr. Nagaraj's study of NCRB data: that nearly 1.5 lakh peasants had ended their lives in despair between 1997 and 2005. Just days later, Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar confirmed those figures in Parliament (Rajya Sabha Starred Question No. 238, Nov. 30, 2007) citing the same NCRB data. It's tragic that 27 months later, the paper had to run a headline saying that the number had climbed to nearly 2 lakh. The crisis is very much with us. Mocking its victims, heckling its critics. And cosmetic changes won't make it go away.
In 2006-08, Maharashtra saw 12, 493 farm suicides. That is 85 per cent higher than the 6,745 suicides it recorded during 1997-1999. And the worst three-year period for any State, any time.
Asia Times Online - Neeta Lal - Jan 5, 2010 Nearly a third of the world's hungry are in India, while nine out of 10 pregnant Indian women are anemic. India also faces a crippling agrarian crisis. ... EthioGuardian.com - 7 hours ago In the aftermath of the crisis, countries like India and Saudi Arabia realized that while they have excess wealth in the form of cash, they do not have ... Rediff - Jan 12, 2010 Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market access to a more ... The Guardian - Jan 5, 2010 As we move away from Agrarian to Manufacturing, from Manufacturing to Knowledge, and from Knoweldge to the Solution Economy, people seem to become less, ... Toronto Star Blogs (blog) - 21 hours ago ... and the Slovaks an agrarian economy highly sympathetic to Hitlerian ideals. On independence, India immediately split three ways, flanked by the new ... RT - Jan 26, 2010 At the moment, we are considering the development of the agrarian sector. Sudan is an agrarian country which has 200 million acres of agricultural land, ... Stay up to date on these results: | |
Sharad Pawar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sharad Govindrao Pawar |
|
| Constituency | Madha |
|
| Born | 12 December 1940 (1940-12-12) (age 69)
Pune, Maharashtra |
| Political party | NCP |
| Spouse(s) | Pratibha Pawar |
| Children | 1 daughter - Supriya Sule |
| Residence | Pune |
| Religion | Hindu |
As of September 16, 2006
Source: [1] |
Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar (Marathi: शरदचंद्र गोविंदराव पवार) (born December 12, 1940), popularly known as Sharad Pawar, is an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra. He is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party which he founded in 1999, after separating from the Indian National Congress. He has previously held the posts of Defence Minister of India and Chief Minister of Maharashtra and currently serves as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
Pawar hails from the town of Baramati in the Pune district of Maharashtra. He leads the NCP delegation in the Lok Sabha, representing his constituency of Madha in Maharashtra. He has a prominent place in Indian national politics as well as regional politics of Maharashtra.
Pawar also served as the Chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 2005 to 2008.
[edit] Career
[edit] Till 1990
Sharad Pawar entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1967 from Baramati, representing the undivided Congress Party.
Pawar broke away from the Congress to form a coalition government with the opposition Janata party in 1979 becoming the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the first time at a time when Indira Gandhi had become incredibly unpopular due to her imposition of Emergency in 1975. This Progressive Democratic Front government was dismissed in February 1980, following Indira Gandhi's return to power at the Centre.
In the elections that followed, the Congress party won the majority in state assembly and A.R. Antulay,took over as the chief minister of the state. Pawar took over the Presidency of the Congress in 1981. For the first time, he won Lok Sabha election from Baramati parliamentary constituency in 1984. He also won state assembly elections of March 1985 from Baramati and preferred to continue in state politics for a while and resigned from the Lok Sabha. His party, the Indian Congress (Socialist) won 54 seats out of 288 in the state assembly and he became the leader of the opposition.
His returning to the Congress has been cited as a reason for the rise of the Shiv Sena at that time. In June 1988, Prime Minister of India and Congress President Rajiv Gandhi decided to induct then Maharashtra Chief Minister Shankarrao Chavan into Union Cabinet as Finance Minister and Sharad Pawar was chosen to replace Chavan as chief minister. Sharad Pawar had the task of checking the rise of the Shiv Sena in state politics, which was a potential challenge to the dominance of Congress party in the state[citation needed]. In 1989 Lok Sabha elections, Congress party won 28 seats out of 48 in Maharashtra. In the state assembly elections of February 1990, the alliance between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party posed a stiff challenge to the Congress. Congress fell short of an absolute majority in the state assembly, winning 141 seats out 288. Sharad Pawar was sworn in as chief minister again on March 4, 1990 with the support of 12 independent MLAs.
[edit] Early 1990s
During the course of election campaign, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. There were reports in the media that Pawar's name was being considered for the Prime Minister's post along with those of P.V. Narasimha Rao and N D Tewari.[1][2][3] However the Congress Parliamentary Party elected P.V. Narasimha Rao as its leader and he was sworn in as Prime Minister on June 21, 1991. Rao decided to induct Pawar as Defence Minister. On June 26, 1991, Pawar took over as that portfolio, continuing till March 1993. After Pawar's successor in Maharashtra, Sudhakarrao Naik stepped down, Rao sent Pawar back as chief minister of the state.
He was sworn in as chief minister for his fourth and most controversial term[citation needed] on March 6, 1993. Almost immediately, Mumbai, the financial capital of India and the state capital of Maharashtra, was rocked with series of bomb blasts on March 12, 1993.Sharad Pawar was sworn in as chief minister of maharashtra for first time in 1978 and not in 1979 as stated in the article career till 1990.
[edit] Mid 1990s
The Deputy Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, G.R. Khairnar made a series of accusations against Pawar for being involved in corruption and protecting the criminals[citation needed]. Though Khairnar could not produce any evidence in support of his claims, it inevitably affected Pawar's popularity. Notable social worker Anna Hazare started a fast unto death to demand expulsion of 12 officers of the Forest department of Government of Maharashtra, who had been accused of corruption. The opposition parties accused Pawar's government of trying to shield the corrupt officers. Further, there was a sex scandal at Jalgaon in which a number of young girls were subjected to sexual abuse, which expanded to involve local municipal corporators belonging to Congress. The 1994 Gowari stampede occurred at Nagpur during the Winter Session of Maharashtra State Assembly and killed 114 people. Nagpur Police were trying to disperse almost 50000 Gowari protesters using baton charge but it created panic and triggered stampede amongst protesters[4]. Majority of casualties were women and children who were crushed to death under the crowd's feet scrambling to escape police line. Some were victims of sharp barb piercing as they were climbing over high fence to escape. Allegations were made that the mishap occurred because welfare minister Madhukarrao Pichad did not meet with the delegation of the Vanjara people in time. Though Pichad stepped down owing moral responsibility for the mishap, this incident was another setback to Sharad Pawar's government.
The elections to the Vidhan Sabha were due to be held in 1995. The Shiv Sena and BJP combine was leading the Congress in the polls, and there was widespread rebellion in the Congress party. The Shiv Sena-BJP combine won 138 seats while Congress party retained only 80 seats in the state assembly. Sharad Pawar had to step down and Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi took over as chief minister on March 14, 1995.
Till the Lok Sabha elections of 1996, Sharad Pawar served as the Leader of the Opposition in State Legislative Council. In the 1996 General elections, he won from the Baramati seat and has not returned to the State Assembly since.
[edit] 1997 till date
In June 1997, he unsuccessfully challenged Sitaram Kesri for the post of Congress President. In the mid-term parliamentary elections of 1998, Sharad Pawar not only won from his constituency, Baramati but also led the Congress to an emphatic win in Maharashtra. His move to align with the Republican Party of India (Athvale) and Samajwadi Party for the elections in the state brought rich dividents and the Congress party and allies won 37 seats out of 48 in the state. Sharad Pawar served as Leader of Opposition in 12th Lok Sabha.
After 12th Lok Sabha was dissolved and elections to 13th Lok Sabha were due, Pawar, P.A. Sangma and Tariq Anwar demanded that the Congress Party needed to project someone born in India as the Prime Ministerial candidate and not the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, who had entered party politics and replaced Kesri as Congress President.
In June 1999, Pawar and Sangma founded the Nationalist Congress Party. His party had to align with the Congress party to form a coalition government in Maharashtra as neither party could win an absolute majority on its own in the 1999 assembly elections. Pawar, however, did not return to state politics, and Vilasrao Deshmukh of the Congress was chosen as Chief Minister, with Chagan Bhujbal representing the NCP as his deputy. The alliance has endured at the national and state level to this day.
After 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he joined the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Manmohan Singh as the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
On November 29, 2005, he was elected President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
He was appointed Union Minister of Agriculture and of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution on May 28, 2009
[edit] Sports administration
Pawar has interests in Kabbadi,Kho Kho,wrestling and cricket. He has served as the head of various sports organizations, including
Pawar was president of Pune International Marathon Trust, which host Pune International Marathon for last 22 years.
[edit] Controversies
[edit] The criminal-politician nexus
In 2002-03, the then Maharashtra Chief Minister Sudhakarrao made a statement that the state leader of Indian National Congress party and erstwhile Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, had asked him to "go easy on Pappu Kalani", a well known criminal-turned-politician now.[6] Shiv Sena Chief, Bal Thackerey, had later concurred with these allegations[7]. Further, Sudhakarrao also alleged that it was possible that Kalani and Hitendra Thakur, another criminal-turned-politician from Virar, had been given tickets to contest election for Maharashtra State Legislature at the behest of Sharad Pawar who also put in a word for Naik with the police when the latter was arrested for his role in post-Babri Masjid Demolition riots in Mumbai.[8]
In October 2006, the prime accused in the stamp paper scam worth $500 million plus, Abdul Karim Telgi, named Sharad Pawar as one of the politicians involved. This was revealed in a leaked video-tape of Telgi's narco-analysis test - now in the possession of the media - conducted in 2003, before the CBI took over the probe in 2004. In this tape, he named Sharad Pawar and Chaggan Bhujbal but did not specify the nature of their involvement.[citation needed]
[edit] Allegations of corruption
The BJP asked for Pawar's resignation after alleging he was involved in a multi-crore scam involving wheat imports. In May 2007 a tender floated by the Food Corporation of India for procurement of wheat was cancelled when the lowest bid received was for 263 USD/ton. The government subsequently allowed private traders to purchase wheat directly from farmers that year resulting in a paucity of wheat to stock FCI granaries. By July 2007 the shortage at FCI was large enough to require import of wheat at a much higher price of 320-360 USD/ton. Taking advantage of this, traders who had domestically purchased wheat at 900 INR/ton earlier, were now offering the same to FCI at 1,300 INR/ton.[9][10]
On October 27, 2007, the Bombay High Court served notices to institutions headed by Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and Sadanand Sule (Sharad Pawar's son-in-law) along with a corresponding notice served to the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation (MKVDC) on why special privileges were given to Pawar and his family. This was done in consideration of a Public Interest Litigation No. 148 of 2006, filed by Shamsunder Potare alleging that the land said allocations in Pune, made in 2002, were illegal. The institutions and properties mentioned include:
- Two 141.15 acre plots given allotted to Vidya Pratishthan, an educational society headed by Sharad Pawar
- A 2 acre plot allotted to Anant Smriti Pratishthan, headed by Ajit Pawar, the Maharashtra state minister for irrigation and Sharad Pawar's nephew
- A 13 hectare (=32.12 acres) plot allotted to Lavasa Corporation, owned by Sadanand Sule, Sharad Pawar's son-in-law at the time. He handed over his stake in 2006
- A 1 acre plot allotted to Shivajinagar Agriculture College
- A 3 acre plot allotted to Sharadchandraji Scout and Guide Training Institute
These allocations were made allegedly under NCP leader and minister Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar who was in charge of MKVDC at the time.[11][12] Saharad Pawar was served a contempt of court notice on May 1, 2008 in connection with this case for issuing statements to the press even though the matter was subjudice at the time, that was later rejected by the court. Also in connection with the case, the respondents were directed not to create third-party interests in the property under dispute and to undertake any developments at their own risk.[13][14]
Pawar is also listed on the No Criminals website as an incriminated offender of the Religion Institution Act 1988 (Prevention of Misuse).[15]
[edit] References
- ^ "ASSASSINATION IN INDIA; Indians Express Anger, Revulsion and Disbelief". New York Times. May 22, 1991. http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/22/world/assassination-in-india-indians-express-anger-revulsion-and-disbelief.html. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ "Gandhi". The Deseret News. May 22, 1991. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2AMPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=foQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4155,3057608&dq=sharad+pawar. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ "ASSASSINATION IN INDIA: REPLACING A DYNASTY; Congress Party Is Scrambling to Deal With Its Dependence on One Family". New York Times. May 24, 1991. http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/24/world/assassination-india-replacing-dynasty-congress-party-scrambling-deal-with-its.html. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
- ^ "Dani exonerates Pawar; Govt rejects report". http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19981231/36550294.html. Retrieved 1998-12-31.
- ^ http://icc-cricket.yahoo.com/about-icc/executive.html
- ^ Gouri Shah (October 11, 2004). "The F-factor: Kalani certain of clean sweep". Economic Times. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/880573.cms. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
- ^ PTI (November 18, 1998). "Thackeray blames Pawar for rise in crime". The Indian Express. http://www.expressindia.com/news/ie/daily/19981118/32250044.html. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ Prafulla Marpakwar (May 7, 1997). "Pawar men rattled by Naik's outburst". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19970507/12750503.html. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ BJP seeks Pawar's resignation The Pioneer - July 13, 2007
- ^ Wheat import scandalous: BJP The Hindu - July 13, 2007
- ^ Shiv Kumar (October 27, 2007). "Pawar in trouble over land allotment". Tribune India. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071028/nation.htm#3. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ Shloka Nath (October 27, 2007). "HC notices to Sharad Pawar, family". NDTV. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070030856. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ Judge Bilal Nazki and Judge S. A. Bobde (March 12, 2008). "CIVIL APPLICATION NO.101/2007 In PIL NO.148/2006". Bombay High Court. http://bombayhighcourt.nic.in/data/civil/2008/CAI361008120308.pdf. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ Times of India (May 1, 2008). "Notice to Sharad Pawar for contempt". Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Notice_to_Sharad_Pawar_for_contempt/rssarticleshow/2999716.cms. Retrieved 2009-02-22.
- ^ "Candidate Profile: Pawar Sharadchandra Govindrao". No Criminals. NoCriminals.com. http://www.nocriminals.org/candidate.php?cid=285. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
[edit] Further reading/sources
- P. K. Ravindranath (February 1, 1992) Sharad Pawar- the making of a modern maratha South Asia Books. ISBN 81-85674-46-9
- Page 23 of the Times of India, New Delhi, Tuesday, December 12, 2006.
Sharad Pawar entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the first time in
..... Times of India (May 1, 2008). "Notice to
Sharad Pawar for contempt".
... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharad_Pawar - Cached - Similar - Sharad Pawar International School,Pune dedicated to the moral and academic uplistment of the Society.DY Patil venture provides Junior School,Senior School
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Maharashtra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र mahārāṣṭra, IPA [məharaːʂʈrə] (help·info)) is a state located on the western coast of India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population. It is also the richest state in India, contributing to 15% of the country's industrial output and 13.2% of its GDP in year 2005-06.[4][5][6][7]
Maharashtra is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Gujarat and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli to the northwest, Madhya Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the east, Karnataka to the south, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast, and Goa to the southwest. The state covers an area of 307,731 km2 (118,816 sq mi) or 9.84% of the total geographical area of India. Mumbai, the capital city of the state, is India's largest city and the financial capital of the nation. Marathi is the official and most widely spoken language.
In the 17th Century, the Marathas rose under the leadership of Chhatrapati Shivaji against the Mughals who were ruling a large part of India. After the third Anglo-Maratha war, the empire ended and most of Maharashtra became part of Bombay state under a British Raj. After Indian independence, Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti demanded unification of all Marathi speaking regions under one state. The first state reorganization committee created the current Maharashtra state on May 1, 1960 (known as Maharashtra Day). The Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay state, Deccan states and Vidarbha (which was part of Central Provinces and Berar) united to form the current state.
[edit] Etymology
The name "Maharashtra" is a combination of Marathi words "Maha" meaning Great, and "Rashtra" meaning Nation. Maharashtra literally means "Great Nation".
[edit] History
The Nāsik Gazetteer states that in 246 BCE Maharashtra is mentioned as one of the places to which mauryan emperor Asoka sent an embassy, and Mahārashtraka is recorded in a Chālukyan inscription of 580 CE as including three provinces and 99,000 villages.[8][9] The name Maharashtra also appeared in a 7th century inscription and in the account of a Chinese traveler, Hiuen-Tsang. In 90 A.D. Vedishri,[10] son of the Satavahana king Satakarni, the "Lord of Dakshinapatha, wielder of the unchecked wheel of Sovereignty", made Junnar, thirty miles north of Pune, the capital of his kingdom. In the early fourteenth century the Devgiri Yadavs were overthrown by the northern Muslim powers. Then on, the region was administered by various kingdoms called Deccan Sultanates.[11]
[edit] Pre Medieval history
Not much is known about Maharashtra's early history, and its recorded history dates back to the 3rd century B.C.E., with the use of Maharashtri Prakrit, one of the Prakrits derived from Sanskrit. Later, Maharashtra became a part of the Magadha empire, ruled by emperor Ashoka. The port town of Sopara, north of present day Mumbai, was the centre of ancient India's commerce, with links to Eastern Africa, Mesopotamia, Aden and Cochin.
With the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire, a local dynasty called Satavahanas came into prominence in Maharashtra between 230 BCE and 225 CE The period saw the biggest cultural development of Maharashtra. The Satavahana's official language was Maharashtri, which later developed into Marathi. The great ruler Gautamiputra Satkarni (also known as "Shalivahan") ruled around 78 CE He started the Shalivahana era, a new calendar, still used by Maharashtrian populace and as the Indian national calendar. The empire gradually disintegrated in the third century.
During (250 CE – 525 CE), Vidarbha, the eastern region of Maharashtra, came under the rule of Vakatakas. During this period, development of arts, religion and technology flourished. Later, in 753 CE, the region was governed by the Rashtrakutas, an empire that spread over most of India. In 973 CE, the Chalukyas of Badami expelled the Rashtrakutas, then the region came under the Yadavas of Deogiri.
[edit] Islamic rule
Maharashtra came under Islamic influence for the first time after the Delhi Sultanate rulers Ala-ud-din Khalji, and later Muhammad bin Tughluq conquered parts of the Deccan in the 13th century. After the collapse of the Tughlaqs in 1347, the Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga took over, governing the region for the next 150 years. After the breakup of the Bahamani sultanate, in 1518, Maharashtra split into and was ruled by five Shahdoms: namely Nizamshah of Ahmednagar, Adilshah of Bijapur,Qutubshah of Govalkonda, Bidarshah of Bidar and Imadshah of Berar.
[edit] Rise of the Marathas
By the early seventeenth century, the Maratha Empire began to take root. Shahaji Bhosale, an ambitious local general in the employ of the Mughals and Adil Shah of Bijapur, at various times attempted to establish his independent rule. The attempts succeeded through his son Shivaji Bhosale. Marathas were led by Chhattrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale, who was crowned king in 1674. Shivaji constantly battled with the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and Adil Shah of Bijapur. By the time of his death in 1680, Shivaji had created a kingdom covering most of Maharashtra and nearly half of India today (except the Aurangabad district which was part of the Nizam's territory) and Gujarat in very small life span.
Shivaji's son and successor Chhatrapatti Sambhaji Bhosale became the ruler of the Maratha kingdom in 1680. He was captured, tortured and brutally put to death by Aurangzeb.
Rajaram's nephew & Sambhaji's son, Shahu Bhosale declared himself to be the legitimate heir to the Bhosale throne. In 1714, Shahu's Peshwa (chief minister) Balaji Vishwanath, helped him seize the Maratha throne in 1708, with some acrimony from Rajaram's widow, Tara Bai.
[edit] Peshwas
The Peshwas (prime ministers) played an important role in expanding the Maratha Empire in Northern and Central India. They were also decisive in many battles, like Moropant Pingale in 1670's Dindori battle against the Mughals, Ramchandra Amatya in 1690's Satara Battle against the Mughals and, the Pant Pratinidhi Peshwa. By 1760, the Maratha Empire spread across parts of Punjab (in today's Pakistan), Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Karnataka.
Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, of the Bhat family, and his son, Baji Rao I, bureaucratised the Maratha state. They systematised the practice of tribute gathering from Mughal territories, under the heads of sardesmukhi and chauth (the two terms corresponding to the proportion of revenue collected). They also consolidated Mughal-derived methods of assessment and collection of land revenue and other taxes. Much of the revenue terminology used in Peshwa documents derives from Persian, suggesting a far greater continuity between Mughal and Maratha revenue practice than may be politically palatable in the present day.
At the same time, the maritime Angre clan controlled a fleet of vessels based in Kolaba and other centres of the west coast. These ships posed a threat not only to the new English settlement of Mumbai, but to the Portuguese at Goa, Bassein, and Daman.
On the other hand, there emerged a far larger domain of activity away from the original heartland of the Marathas, which was given over to subordinate chiefs as fiefs. Gwalior was given to Scindia/Shinde, Indore to Holkar, Baroda to Gaekwad and Dhar to Pawar. Bhonsles remained in power in Nagpur even after loss of Marathas at Panipat in 1818, till 1853. Nagpur Kingdom was the last of the Kingdoms or Princely States in entire India to be annexed to British India in 1853.
After suffering a stinging defeat at the hands of Afghan chieftain Ahmad Shah Abdali, in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761, the Maratha Confederacy broke into regional kingdoms.
Post-Panipat, the Peshwa's ex-generals looked after the regional kingdoms they had earned and carved out for themselves in the service of Peshwas covering north-central and Deccan regions of India. Pune continued to be ruled by what was left of the Peshwa family.
[edit] British rule and post-independence
With the arrival and subsequent involvement of the British East India Company in Indian politics, the Marathas and the British fought the three Anglo-Maratha wars between 1777 and 1818, culminating in the annexation of Peshwa-ruled territory in Maharashtra in 1819, which heralded the end of the Maratha empire.
The British governed the region as part of the Bombay Presidency, which spanned an area from Karachi in Pakistan to most of the northern Deccan. A number of the Maratha states persisted as princely states, retaining local autonomy in return for acknowledging British sovereignty. The largest princely states in the territory of present-day Maharashtra were Nagpur, Satara and Kolhapur; Satara was annexed to Bombay Presidency in 1848, and Nagpur was annexed in 1853 to become Nagpur Province, later part of the Central Provinces. Berar, which had been part of the Nizam of Hyderabad's kingdom, was occupied by the British in 1853 and annexed to the Central Provinces in 1903. A large part of present day Maharashtra called Marathwada remained part of the Nizam's Hyderabad state during British rule. The British rule was marked by social reforms and an improvement in infrastructure as well as revolts due to their discriminatory policies. At the beginning of the 20th century, the struggle for independence took shape led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and the moderates like Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Pherozeshah Mehta and Dadabhai Naoroji. In 1942, the Quit India Movement was called by Mahatma Gandhi which was marked by a non-violent civil disobedience movement and strikes.
After India's independence in 1947, the princely states were integrated into the Indian Union, and the Deccan States including Kolhapur were integrated into Bombay State, which was created from the former Bombay Presidency in 1950. In 1956, the States Reorganisation Act reorganized the Indian states along linguistic lines, and Bombay Presidency State was enlarged by the addition of the predominantly Marathi-speaking regions of Marathwada (Aurangabad Division) from erstwhile Hyderabad state and Vidarbha region (Amravati and Nagpur divisions) from Madhya Pradesh (formerly the Central Provinces and Berar). On May 1, 1960, Maharashtra came into existence when Bombay Presidency State was split into the new linguistic states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Yashwantrao Chavan became the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
[edit] Geography
Maharashtra encompasses an area of 308,000 km² (119,000 mi²), and is the third largest state in India. It is bordered by the states of Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast, Karnataka to the south, and Goa to the southwest. The state of Gujarat lies to the northwest, with the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli sandwiched in between. The Arabian Sea makes up Maharashtra's west coast.
The Western Ghats better known as Sahyadri, are a hilly range running parallel to the coast, at an average elevation of 1,200 metres (4,000 ft). Kalsubai, a peak in the Sahyadris,near Nashik City is the highest elevated point in Maharashtra. To the west of these hills lie the Konkan coastal plains, 50–80 kilometres in width. To the east of the Ghats lies the flat Deccan Plateau. The Western Ghats form one of the three watersheds of India, from which many South Indian rivers originate, notable among them being Godavari River, and Krishna, which flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal, forming one of the greatest river basins in India.
The Ghats are also the source of numerous small rivers which flow westwards, emptying into the Arabian Sea. To the east are major rivers like Vainganga, which flow to the south and eventually into the Bay of Bengal.
There are many multi-state irrigation projects in development, including Godavari River Basin Irrigation Projects. The plateau is composed of black basalt soil, rich in humus. This soil is well suited for cultivating cotton, and hence is often called black cotton soil.
Western Maharashtra, which includes the districts of Nashik, Ahmadnagar, Pune, Satara, Solapur, Sangli and Kolhapur, is a prosperous belt famous for its sugar factories. Farmers in the region are economically well off due to fertile land and good irrigation.[citation needed]
[edit] Hill stations of Maharashtra
Maharashtra has several breathtaking hill views and hill stations. Most of these were established during the British colonial rule, as a retreat from the scorching summer heat. These hill stations attract domestic and foreign tourists in large numbers.
Some popular hill stations are Matheran, Lonavla, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Bhandardara, Malshej Ghat, Amboli, Chikhaldara, Panhala, Sawantvadi, Toranmal, Jawhar, etc.
[edit] Places of scientific significance
A crater lake is situated on the outskirts of Lonar town in district Buldhana, Maharashtra. The impact of a huge meteor that descended on earth from space carved out a bowl roughly 1.8 kilometre in diameter believed to be formed 50,000 years ago. The size and age make it the largest and oldest meteoric crater in the world. It precedes its nearest rival, the Canyon Diablo in Arizona in the United States, by a clear 2.30 centuries. Today, Lonar Lake is the third largest natural salt-water lake in the world. The peculiarity about the Lonar crater is that it is almost perfectly circular in shape. Apart from scientific significance Lonar also occupies a place of prominence in ancient Indian scripts. According to Sanskrit literature, Lonar was called 'Viraj Kshetra' in ancient times[citation needed].
[edit] Protected areas of Maharashtra
Several wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and Project Tiger reserves have been created in Maharashtra, with the aim of conserving the rich bio-diversity of the region. As of May 2004, India has 92 national parks, of which five are located in Maharashtra. A large percentage of Maharashtra's forests and wildlife lie in the Vidarbha region.
- Chandoli National Park, located in Sangli district has a vast variety of flora and fauna. The famous Prachitgad Fort and Chandoli dam and scenic water falls can be found around Chandoli National Park.
- Gugamal National Park, also known as Melghat Tiger Reserve is located in Amravati district. It is 80 km away from Amravati.
- Navegaon National Park, located near Gondia in the eastern region of Vidarbha is home to many species of birds, deer, bears and leopards.
- Pench National Park, in Nagpur district, extends into Madhya Pradesh as well. It has now been upgraded into a Tiger project.
- Sanjay Gandhi National Park, also known as Borivali National Park is located in Mumbai and is the world's largest national park within city limits.
- Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, a man made wildlife sanctuary situated 30 km from Sangli. Ancient temples of Lord Shiva and Jain Temple of Parshwanath located in Sagareshwar are a major attraction.
- Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project, a prominent tiger reserve near Chandrapur in Vidarbha. It is 40 km away from Chandrapur.
Apart from these, Maharashtra has 35 wildlife sanctuaries spread all over the state, listed here.[13] The Nagzira (Bhandara district), Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary are the important ones.
Apart from the above, Matheran, a Hill station near Mumbai has been declared an eco-sensitive zone (protected area) by the Government of India.
[edit] Economy
| Year | Gross Domestic Product (millions of INR) |
| 1980 | 166,310 |
| 1985 | 296,160 |
| 1990 | 644,330 |
| 1995 | 1,578,180 |
| 2000 | 2,386,720 |
| 2005 | 3,759,150[14] |
Nariman Point, in Mumbai, is a prime financial district in Maharashtra.
Favourable economic policies in the 1970s led to Maharashtra becoming India's leading industrial state in the last quarter of 20th century. Over 41% of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Maharashtra. However, regions within Maharashtra show wide disparity in development. Mumbai, Pune and western Maharashtra are the most developed. These areas also dominate the politics and bureaucracy of the state. This has led to resentment among less developed regions like Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan.
Maharashtra's gross state domestic product for 2008 is forecast to be at $150 billion at current market prices. The state's debt was estimated at 36 per cent of GDP in 2005.[15]
In 2007 Maharashtra reported a revenue surplus of INR 810 crore.[16] Maharashtra is the second most urbanised state with urban population of 42% of whole population.
Maharashtra's is India's leading industrial state contributing 15% of national industrial output and over 40% of India's national revenue.[17] 64.14% of the people are employed in agriculture and allied activities. Almost 46% of the GSDP is contributed by industry. Major industries in Maharashtra include chemical and allied products, electrical and non-electrical machinery, textiles, petroleum and allied products. Other important industries include metal products, wine, jewellery, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, machine tools, steel and iron castings and plastic wares. Food crops include mangoes, grapes, bananas, oranges, wheat, rice, jowar, bajra, and pulses. Cash crops include groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, turmeric, and tobacco. The net irrigated area totals 33,500 square kilometres.
Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra and the business capital of India, houses the headquarters of almost all major banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and mutual funds in India. India's largest stock exchange Bombay Stock Exchange, the oldest in Asia, is also located in the city. After successes in the information technology in the neighboring states, Maharashtra has set up software parks in Pune, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Nasik, Now Maharashtra is the second largest exporter of software with annual exports of Rs 18 000cr (30% of India's software exports)[18]. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Navi Mumbai is the busiest port in India. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai is the second busiest airport in South Asia as per passenger volume.[19]
The coast of Maharashtra has been a shipbuilding center for many centuries. The expertise and the manpower available in the local area make this business more attractive.This is reflected by the number of companies operating shipyards in the state such as Bharati Shipyard at Ratnagiri and the upcoming Rajapur Shipyards at Rajapur, apart from the state owned Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai.
Mumbai is also the main center of India's Hindi film and television industry (also known as Bollywood).
Maharashtra ranks first nationwide in coal-based thermal electricity as well as nuclear electricity generation with national market shares of over 13% and 17% respectively. Maharashtra is also introducing Jatropha cultivation and has started a project for the identification of suitable sites for Jatropha plantations.[20]
Ralegaon Siddhi is a village in Ahmednagar District that is considered a model of environmental conservation.[21]
An international cargo hub (Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur, MIHAN) is being developed at Nagpur[22][23]. MIHAN will be used for handling heavy cargo coming from South-East Asia and Middle-East Asia. Project will also include Rs 10,000 crore (US$ 2.06 billion) Special Economic Zone (SEZ)[24] for Information Technology (IT) companies. This will be the biggest development project in India so far [25].
[edit] Government
Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha election results since 1990
Like all states in India, the nominal head of state is the governor, appointed by the Union Government. The Governor's post is largely ceremonial. The Chief Minister is the head of government and is vested with most of the executive powers. Maharashtra's legislature is bicameral, one of the few states in India to have a bicameral type. The Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) is the lower house consisting of directly elected members. The Chief Minister is chosen by the members of the Vidhan Sabha. The Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) is the upper house, whose members are indirectly voted through an electoral college. Maharashtra is allocated nineteen seats in the Rajya Sabha and forty-eight in the Lok Sabha, India's national parliament.
The capital city Mumbai is home to the Vidhan Sabha – the state assembly and Mantralaya, the administrative offices of the government. The legislature convenes its budget and monsoon sessions in Mumbai, and the winter session in Nagpur, which was designated as the state's auxiliary capital.
After India's independence, most of Maharashtra's political history was dominated by the Indian National Congress. Maharashtra became a bastion of the Congress party producing stalwarts such as Y.B. Chavan, one of its most prominent Chief Ministers. The party enjoyed near unchallenged dominance of the political landscape until 1995 when the right wing Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured an overwhelming majority in the state to form a coalition. After a split in the Congress party, former chief minister Sharad Pawar formed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), but formed a coalition with the Congress to keep out the BJP-SS combine. The 2004 elections saw the NCP gaining the largest number of seats to become the state's largest party, eroding much of the Shiv Sena's base. Under a pre-poll power sharing agreement, the Chief Minister would be from the Congress while the deputy Chief Minister would be from the NCP. Ashok Chavan is the current Chief Minister and Chhagan Bhujbal is the Deputy Chief Minister.
The 2009 elections saw the Congress-NCP alliance winning with clean sweep to the BJP-Shivsena alliance.
[edit] Revenues of government
This is a chart of trend of own tax revenues (excluding the shares from Union tax pool) of the Government of Maharashtra assessed by the Finance Commissions from time to time with figures in millions of Indian Rupees.[26]
| Year | Own Tax Revenues |
| 2000 | 198,821 |
| 2005 | 332,476 |
This is a chart of trend of own non-tax revenues (excluding the shares from Union tax pool) of the Government of Maharashtra assessed by the Finance Commissions from time to time with figures in millions of Indian Rupees.[26]
| Year | Own Non-tax Revenues |
| 2000 | 26,030 |
| 2005 | 30,536 |
[edit] Judiciary
Mumbai is also home to the Bombay High Court which has jurisdiction over the states of Maharashtra, Goa, and the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, with the benches being at Nagpurand Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Panaji, Goa.
The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa enrolled approximately 90,000 advocates on its roll (2009 data). The Bar Council is represented by 25 elected members from the above territory; the Advocate General of each state is an ex-officio member of the Council. This Bar Council elects one representative to the Bar Council of India as its member and also elects a chairman and vice-chairman for the council. The tenure of the entire Council is five years.
[edit] Education and social development
Maharashtra has good Human resource development infrastructure in terms of educational institutions—301 engineering/diploma colleges, 616 industrial training institutes and 24 universities [27] with a turnout of 160,000 technocrats every year.[28]
It is home to institutions like Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) which developed India's supercomputer, Indian Institutes of Technology, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, University Department of Chemical Technology, College of Engineering- Pune (COEP), Walchand College of Engineering- Sangli (WCES),Shri Guru Gobind Singhji institute of engineering and technology nanded (SGGSIE&T) and top management institutions.[28] 50,000 youth trained to take up self-employment ventures every year by the Maharashtra Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (MCED), Aurangabad.
A very high literacy rate at 77.27 per cent.[28] University of Mumbai, one of the largest universities in the world in terms of the number of graduates.[29] The Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay),[30] Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI),[31] and University Institute of Chemical Technology (UICT),[32] which are India's premier engineering and technology schools, and SNDT Women's University are the other autonomous universities in Mumbai.[33] Mumbai is also home to National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), S P Jain Institute of Management and Research,K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research(SIMSR) and several other management schools.[34] Government Law College and Sydenham College, respectively the oldest law and commerce colleges in India, are based in Mumbai.[35][36] The Sir J. J. School of Art is Mumbai's oldest art institution.[37]
Mumbai is home to two prominent research institutions: the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).[38] The BARC operates CIRUS, a 40 MW nuclear research reactor at their facility in Trombay.[39]
The University of Pune, the National Defence Academy, Film and Television Institute of India, National Film Archives, Armed Forces Medical College and National Chemical Laboratory were established in Pune after the independence of India.
ILS Law College, established by the Indian Law Society is one of the top ten law schools in India. Established medical schools such as the Armed Forces Medical College and Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College train students from all over Maharashtra and India and are amongst the top medical colleges in India. Military Nursing College (affiliated to the AFMC) ranks among the top nursing colleges in the world[40].
University of Nagpur, established in 1923, one of the oldest Universities in India, manages more than 24 Engineering colleges, 43 Science colleges and many colleges in the Arts and Commerce faculties. Nagpur is the home for Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), also referred to as NIT, Nagpur, (formerly known as Visvesvaraya Regional College of Engineering (VRCE), Nagpur) is one of the first six Regional Engineering Colleges established under the scheme sponsored by Government of India and the Maharashtra State Government and is also one of the Institutes of National Importance for India. Geographical center of India lies at Nagpur, known as Zero Mile Stone. Nagpur is the headquarter for Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and an important location for the Dalit Buddhist movement. Nagpur is also the home for National Fire Institution, Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti (promotion of and for spreading the national language, Hindi) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC-Western zone).
Maharashtra in total, has 40% India's Internet users and 35% of PC penetration in the country.[18]
[edit] Demographics
| [show]Population Growth |
| Census | Pop. | | %± |
| 1961 | 39,554,000 | | — |
| 1971 | 50,412,000 | | 27.5% |
| 1981 | 62,784,000 | | 24.5% |
| 1991 | 78,937,000 | | 25.7% |
| 2001 | 96,752,000 | | 22.6% |
| Source:Census of India[41] |
As per the 2001 census, Maharashtra has a population of 96,752,247 inhabitants making it the second most populous state in India, and the second most populous country subdivision in existence, and third ever after the Russian SFSR of the former Soviet Union. The Marathi-speaking population of Maharashtra numbers 62,481,681 according to the 2001 census. This is a reflection of the cosmopolitan nature of the state. Only eleven countries of the world have a population greater than Maharashtra. Its density is 322.5 inhabitants per square kilometre. Males constitute 50.3 million and females, 46.4 million. Maharashtra's urban population stands at 42.4%. Its sex ratio is 922 females to 1000 males. 77.27% of its population is literate, broken into 86.2% males and 67.5% females. Its growth rate between 1991–2001 was pegged at 22.57%.
Marathi is the official state language. In Mumbai and suburban areas, apart from the native Marathi, English, Hindi, Gujarati and other languages are also spoken. In the northwest portion of Maharashtra, a dialect Ahirani is spoken by 2.5 million people. In south Konkan, a dialect known as Malvani is spoken by most of the people. In the Desh (inland) region of the Deccan, a dialect called Deshi is spoken, while in Vidarbha, a dialect known as Varhadi is spoken by most of the people.
The state has a Hindu majority of 80.2% with minorities of Muslims 10.6%, Buddhists 6%, Jains 1.3% and Christians 1%. Maharashtra has the biggest Jain, Zoroastrian and Jewish populations in India.
The Total Fertility Rate in 2001 was 2.23. Hindus - 2.09, Muslims - 2.49, Christians - 1.41, Jains - 1.41, Sikh - 1.57, Buddhist - 2.24, Others -2.25, Tribals - 3.14. [42]
[edit] Religions and festivals
Lord Ganesha's devotion is celebrated by Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganesh's birthday) in August-September of every year.[43]. Lalbaugcha Raja, Shri Siddhivinayak Temple, Shri Ashtavinayaka's are the major holy places for Maharashtrians.
In modern times Nisargadatta Maharaj, a Shudra and bidi-seller, became a Hindu saint of major influence in India. Popular forms of God are Shiva, Krishna and Ganesha. Lord Shiva's devotion is celebrated by taking part in Maha Shivaratri (Night of Shiva) festival. In modern times, the Elephanta island in Mumbai, Lord's Shiva island in local mythology, originated the Elephant Festival.
Lord Krishna's devotions are celebrated in the state-wide Gokul Ashtami (or Krishna Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday) whereby many devotees fast on the entire day until midnight. The Dahi-Handi (Matki-fod) is also observed on this day at many places.[44] Lord Krishna's devotion are also celebrated at Kaartik Aamawasya (or Diwali) and at Narak Chaturdashi as returning of Lord Shri Rama.
The other festivals celebrated on the large scale are Vijayadashami or Dasara (Marathi : दसरा), Navaratri, Holi, Diwali, Eid (Ramzan Eid). Simollanghan is a ritual performed on Dasara or Viajaya Dashami day in Maharashtra. Simollanghan is crossing the border or frontier of a village or a place. In ancient times, kings used to cross the frontier of their kingdom to fight against their rivals or neighbor kingdoms. They used to perform Ayudha Puja on Dasara and begin the war season. On Dasara, people cross the borders of their places (Simollangan) and collect the leaves of Apta tree (आपट्याची पाने) and exchange among their friends and relatives as gold (सोने म्हणून आपट्याची पाने देतात) [45]. People worship Shami tree and its leaves (शमीची पाने) on this day [46].
[edit] Saints (Sant)
Maharashtra has produced or been closely associated with many saints throughout it's history. These have risen from all across the several castes. Some of the very revered examples of Bhakti saints are Dnyaneshwar (a Brahmin), Tukaram (a Moray Maratha-Kunbi), Namdev (Shimpi or Tailor), Chokhamela (Mahar) and Savata Mali (Mali or Gardener). There have also been several other Harijan saints such as Sant Banka Mahar, Sant Bhagu, Sant Damaji panth, Sant Kanhopatra, Sant Karmamelam, Sant Nirmala, Sant Sadna, Sant Sakhubai, Sant Satyakam Jabali, Sant Soyarabai.
It has also been the birthplace and home of world-reputed saints like Sai Baba of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, Gajanan Maharaj" of Shegaon in Buldhana district and Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot in Solapur district. Maharashtra is also equally famous for ardent devotees (or Bhaktas). For example Namdev Mahar and his wife Bhagubai from Kharagpur[47], both devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba). The Sai Baba template in Shirdi is the second richest one in the country [48], a close second after the Lord Tirupati temples at Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh
[edit] Ethnic groups
The Marathi people are the majority throughout most of the areas of the state. While there are other people speaking different languages, Hindi, Ahirani, Gujarati, Marwari, etc.
[edit] Languages
Marathi is the Official language of Maharashtra. According to 2001 census, it is spoken by 68.89 % of the population. Other languages which are spoken by more than one percent of the people are as follows[49]
[edit] Divisions and regions
Maharashtra is divided into six revenue divisions, which are further divided into thirty-five districts.[50]. These thirty-five districts are further divided into 109 sub-divisions of the districts and 357 talukas. [51]
The govt of Maharashtra has decided to start a new official revenue division at Nanded dividing the existing Aurangabad Division in Marathwada region. The approval has already been processed on 5 January 2009 [52]. The new Nanded division will comprise of Nanded, Latur, Parbhani and Hingoli districts. The state has granted the Aurangabad divisional commissioner (revenue) a sum of one crore rupees towards the purpose, apart from announcing that the new division would be run by one specially appointed officer and 10 assistants, at the start.
The decision comes due to the fact that the Aurangabad division, comprising Aurangabad Nanded, Latur, Jalna, Parbhani, Osmanabad, Hingoli and Beed, was a huge division by itself. Apart from this, the populations of Nanded and Latur, both over 260 kilometres away from Aurangabad, are 28,76,000 and 20,80,000 respectively, thus making them large subparts.
Additionally, Parbhani and Hingoli too are over 200 km away from Aurangabad, hence the populations of these four districts would face a lot of hassles if they had to meet officials at the Aurangabad revenue office. This new official division is yet to come to effect as of date.
[edit] Divisions
The six administrative divisions in Maharashtra state are Amravati Division, Aurangabad Division, Konkan Division, Nagpur Division, Nashik Division, and Pune Division.
[edit] Regions
Geographically, historically and according to political sentiments, Maharashtra has five main regions:
The state capital Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban Area are the parts of the Konkan Division. The Nanded division, part of Marathwada region is yet to come to existence.
[edit] Border dispute
Maharashtra has a border dispute with neighbouring state of Karnataka over the district of Belgaum. Belgaum was incorporated into the newly formed Mysore state (now Karnataka) with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act (1956), which reorganised India's states along linguistic lines despite having about three-fourths of the total population.[53] speaking Marathi. Since then, Maharashtra has continued to claim the district. The case is currently awaiting a verdict in Supreme Court of India.
[edit] Principal urban agglomerations
Maharashtra has one of the highest level of urbanization of all Indian states.[54] The mountainous topography and soil are not as suitable for intensive agriculture as the plains of North India; therefore, the proportion of the urban population (42.4 per cent) contrasts starkly with the national averageveloping metro and many large towns.[55] Mumbai is the state capital with a population of approximately 15.2 million people. The other large cities are Pune, Nagpur, Nasik, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Amravati, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Sangli and Solapur.
Mumbai, the Administrative Capital of Maharashtra, is also the largest city in India.
- Mumbai: Mumbai (including Thane and Navi Mumbai in its metropolitan area) is the financial and commercial capital of India and is the Administrative Capital of Maharashtra. It has the largest proportion of taxpayers in India and its share markets transact almost 70 per cent of the country's stocks. It offers a lifestyle that is rich, cosmopolitan and diverse, with a variety of food, entertainment and nightlife. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in Mumbai is the biggest and the second busiest airport in India. The new airport, Navi Mumbai International Airport coming up at Panvel, Navi Mumbai will be the all modern and state of art facility airport in India. The city is India's link to the world of telecommunications and the Internet. VSNL (Now Tata Communications Limited) is the terminal point in India for all telephone and internet traffic. Mumbai is India's flagship port destination. It is also home to the Indian Navy's Western Command (INS).
Pune is the second largest city in the state.
"Zero Mile Stone" located at
Nagpur.
- Pune: Pune, the second largest city in Maharashtra and the eighth largest in India, is the state's cultural and heritage capital with a population of 4.5 million people. About 170 km from Mumbai by road, Pune was the bastion of the Maratha empire. Under the reign of the Peshwas, Pune blossomed into a centre of art and learning. Several far reaching revenue and judicial reforms were also initiated in the city. Shaniwarwada, Saras baug, Aga Khan Palace, Parvati Temple, Khadakwasla Dam, Sinhgad are the most visited places by tourists in Pune. 'Ganeshotsav', a festival of Lord Ganesh is celebrated in Pune with lot of enthusiasm and worship. Pune is connected to Mumbai by the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Pune also has very important military cantonments as well as the HQ of the Southern Command, the National Defence Academy, the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, CME, and the Indian Air Force base at Lohegaon too. Pune is a major Information Technology hub of India as well as a foremost destination for Automobile manufacturing and component industry City.
- Nagpur: It is the third largest city in Maharashtra. The erstwhile capital of the Nagpur Province since 1853 in British India , which was in 1861 made the capital of Central Province , then in 1903, it was made capital of CP & Berar , then in 1935 it was made capital of a provincial assembly, with same name Central Provinces & Berar providing for an election by, Government of India Act , passed by British parliament. After independence, the "CP & Berar" was kept a separate entity with Nagpur as capital. In 1950 Nagpur became the capital of Madhya Pradesh. Nagpur was recommended capital of Vidarbha state by Hon. Fazal Ali commission for reorganisation of states. Nagpur was described by the first prime minister of India Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru, as " Heart of India". Nagpur is the nerve centre of Vidarbha (eastern Maharashtra), Nagpur - the Orange City as it is known - is located in the centre of the country and is also a geographical center of India, with a population of about 2.4 million people (2.1 Million as per census 2001). It is also Second Administrative Capital of Maharashtra. Nagpur is a growing industrial centre and the home of several industries, ranging from food products and chemicals to electrical and transports equipment. An international cargo airport, MIHAN is coming up in the outskirts of the Nagpur city. The Maintenance Command of Indian Air Force is located in Nagpur. The "Zero Mile Stone" or the geographical center of India is located in Nagpur. Deekshabhoomi, Sitabardi Fort, Ambazari, Seminary Hills, Dragon Palace Temple, Pench National Park are some of the tourist attractions in and around Nagpur.
Nashik is known for its pleasant climate co-existing with fast development.
- Nashik: It is one the largest and highly industilised cities in the Maharashtra. One of the holy cities of the Hindu tradition, Nashik lies on the banks of the sacred river Godavari and has a population of about 1.6 million people. It is believed that Lord Rama, hero of the great Indian epic, the Ramayana, spent a major part of his exile here. Nashik is also a temple town, with over 200 temples. Nashik today is rapidly developing in ITs, industries, Pharmaceuticals and westernisation. It is also famous for its pleasant and cool climate. Nashik is also an educational hub.[56]
- Aurangabad: The city means "built by the throne", named after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb), is a city in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, India. The city is a tourist hub, surrounded with many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as Bibi Ka Maqbara. The administrative headquarters of the Aurangabad Division or Marathwada region, Aurangabad is said to be a 'City of Gates', as one can not miss the strong presence of these as one drives through the city. Aurangabad is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world.[57]
[edit] Transport
Maharashtra has largest road network in India 267452[58] kilometers. National Highways in Maharashtra is 3688 kilometers [59] The Indian Railways covers most of the Maharashtra and is the preferred mode of transport over long distances. Almost the entire state comes under the Central Railways branch which is headquartered in Mumbai. Most of the coast south of Mumbai comes under the Konkan Railway. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) runs buses, popularly called ST for State Transport, linking most of the towns and villages in and around the state with a large network of operation. These buses, run by the state government are the preferred mode of transport for much of the populace. In addition to the government run buses, private run luxury buses are also a popular mode of transport between major towns.
Mumbai has the biggest international airport in India with another coming up at Navi Mumbai. Pune has a civilian enclave international airport with flights to Dubai and Singapore, with plans on for a brand new greenfield International Airport. Aurangabad airport has recently been upgraded to an international airport with flights connecting to Jeddah. Other large cities such as Nagpur and Nashik are served by domestic airlines. Nashik has many flights To Mumbai and Soon Other Metros will be added after the construction of a new Airport at Nashik. Ferry services also operate near Mumbai, linking the city to neighbouring coastal towns. Other modes of public transport, such as a seven-seater tempo have gained popularity in semi-urban areas. Maharashtra has a large highway network. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the first access controlled tolled road project in India also exists within the state. Maharashtra has three major ports at Mumbai (operated by the Mumbai Port Trust), the JNPT lying across the Mumbai harbour in Nhava Sheva, and in Ratnagiri, which handles the export of ores mined in the Maharastra hinterland.
[edit] Culture
Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra. Maharashtrians take great pride in their language and history, particularly the Maratha Empire, its founder Shivaji is considered a folk hero across India. About 80% of Maharashtrians are Hindu, and there are significant Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities. There are many temples in Maharashtra some of them being hundreds of years old. These temples are constructed in a fusion of architectural styles borrowed from North and South India. The temples also blend themes from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cultures. A National Geographic[60] edition reads, "The flow between faiths was such that for hundreds of years, almost all Buddhist temples, including the ones at Ajanta, were built under the rule and patronage of Hindu kings." The temple of Vitthal at Pandharpur is the most important temple for the Varkari sect. Other important religious places are the Ashtavinayaka temples of Lord Ganesha, Bhimashankar which is one of the Jyotirling (12 important Shiva temples). Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad as well as Elephanta Caves near Mumbai are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and famous tourist attractions. Mughal architecture can be seen is the tomb of the wife of Aurangzeb called Bibi Ka Maqbara located at Aurangabad.
In 1708, the year following the death of Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Singh the tenth spiritual leader of the Sikhs came over to Nanded, his permanent abode. He proclaimed himself the last living Guru and established the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. This elevates the reverence of Granth to that of a living Guru. A monument has been constructed at place where he breathed his last. Maharaja Ranjit Singh's endowment saw the construction of a beautiful Gurudwara at Nanded around 1835 AD. The Gurudwara features an imposing golden dome with intricate carvings and a breathtakingly beautiful artwork. It is known as Shri Huzur Abchalnagar Sachkhand Gurudwara.
Maharashtra has a large number of hill, land and sea forts. Forts have played an important role in the history of Maharashtra since the time of the Peshwas. Some of the important forts in Maharashtra are Raigad, Vijaydurg, Pratapgad, Sinhagad. Majority of the forts in Maharashtra are found along the coastal region of Konkan.
Maharashtra, like other states of India, has its own folk music. The folk music viz. Gondhal Lavani, Bharud and Powada are popular especially in rural areas, while the common forms of music from the Hindi and Marathi film industry are favoured in urban areas.
The earliest instances of Marathi literature is by Sant Jnyaneshwar with his Bhawarthadeepika (popularly known as Jnyaneshwari). The compositions written during this period are spiritually inclined. The other compositions are by Sant Tukaram, Sant Namdev, and Sant Gora Kumbhar. The compositions are mostly in poetic form, which are called bhajans. These bhajans by saints are popular and part of day to day life. The modern Marathi literature has been enriched by famous poets and authors like P. L. Deshpande, Kusumagraj, Prahlad Keshav Atre and Vyankatesh Madgulkar. This literature has been passed on to the next generations through the medium of large numbers of books that are published every year in Marathi.
The world famous film industry Bollywood is in Maharashtra, located in the economic capital of India, Mumbai. The Marathi film industry was once placed in Kolhapur but now is spread out through Mumbai too. The pioneer of Indian movie industry, Bharat Ratna Shri Dadasaheb Phalke, producer & director V. Shantaram, B.R. Chopra, Shakti Samanta, Raj Kapoor, form a few names of the Hindi film fraternity, while writer, director, and actor P. L. Deshpande, actor Ashok Saraf, actor Laxmikant Berde, actor & producer, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Mahesh Kothare belong to the Marathi film industry. The early period of Marathi theatre was dominated by playwrights like Kolhatkar, Khadilkar, Deval, Gadkari and Kirloskar who enriched the Marathi theatre for about half a century with excellent musical plays known as Sangeet Naatak. The genre of music used in such plays is known as Natyasangeet. It is during this era of the Marathi theatre that great singer-actors like Bal Gandharva, Keshavrao Bhosle, Bhaurao Kolhatkar and Deenanath Mangeshkar thrived.
Some of the popular Marathi television channels are Star Majha, Zee Talkies, Zee Chovis Taas, Mi Marathi, DD Sahyadri, Zee Marathi, ETV Marathi, and Saam Marathi which host shows ranging from soap operas, cooking and travel to political satire and game shows.
The cuisine of Maharashtra varies according to the region of Maharashtra. The people of the Konkan region have a chiefly rice based diet with fish being a major component, due the close proximity to the sea. In eastern Maharashtra, the diet is based more on wheat, Jowar and Bajra. Puran Poli, Bakarwadi, plain simple Varan Bhat (a dish cooked with plain rice and curry), and Modak are a few dishes to name. Chicken and mutton are also widely used for a variety of cuisines. Kolhapuri Mutton is a dish famous for its peculiar spicy nature.
Women traditionally wear a nine yard or five yard sari and men a dhoti or pajama with a shirt. This, however, is changing with women in urban Maharashtra wearing Punjabi dresses, consisting of a Salwar and a Kurta while men wear trousers and a shirt.
The cricket craze can be seen throughout Maharashtra, as it is the most widely followed and played sport. Kabaddi and hockey are also played with fervor. Children's games include Viti-Dandu (Gilli-danda in Hindi) and Pakada-pakadi (tag).
Hindus in Maharashtra follow the Shalivahana Saka era calendar. Gudi Padwa, Diwali, Rangapanchami, Gokulashtami and Ganeshotsav are some of the festivals that are celebrated in Maharashtra. Ganeshotsav is one of the biggest festival of Maharashtra which is celebrated with much reverence and festivity throughout the state and has since some time become popular all over the country. The festival which continues over ten days is in honour of Ganesha, the god of learning and knowledge. A large number of people walk hundreds of kilometers to Pandharpur for the annual pilgrimage in the month of Ashadh.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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