Government liberalises licensing norms
THE government has liberalised licensing norms to set up industrial units in cities. The new norms scrap compulsory licensing requirement for industrial units in suburban limits of cities having a population of more than 10 lakh by deleting rules governing locations under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951. According to the Act, industries other than non-polluting electronics, computer software and printing were not allowed to be be located within 25 km from the periphery of cities with population of one million or more. However, since industrial licences are allotted based on clearances for pollution control, the government is of the view that the location policy under Industries (Development & Regulation) Act poses an “unnecessary hurdle” in setting up of industries. The Cabinet also approved introduction of the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Bill, 2008, in Parliament to effectively implement reservations in admissions to higher educational institutions, upheld by the Supreme Court. With the apex court clearing the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act- 2006, elite institutions would have to implement the quota during the 2008-09 academic session.
FM C0NFIDENT OF CONTROLLING FISCAL DEFICIT
Finance minister P Chidambaram has said the country’s fiscal deficit would be contained within the Budget estimate of
2.5% of GDP. Fiscal deficit rose to more than half the Budget estimates for the year in just two months, it touched Rs 73,201 crore, 54.9% of the estimated fiscal deficit of Rs 1,33,287 crore for the fiscal for April-May. During the first two months, revenue deficit also stood at Rs 67,731 crore, against the budget estimate of Rs 55,184 crore for the year. Budget 2008 had estimated that fiscal deficit would come down from 2.8% of GDP in the previous fiscal to 2.5% in the current fiscal. The government is foregoing revenue by slashing duties on imported fuel and edible oils to tame inflation denying the much-needed revenue. The farm loan waiver for over four crore farmers and the expected salary raise for government employees also have put pressure on the government. Mr Chidambaram is confident of robust economic growth, which would raise tax payments further. He expects India’s tax to-GDP ratio to be more than 13% this fiscal, which has gone up from 9.2% in 2003-04 to 12.8% in 2007-08.
8-07-08
Azad bows out after spirited speech in House
Masood Hussain SRINAGAR
JAMMU and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned on Monday without facing a trust vote in the assembly. Accepting his resignation, governor N N Vohra asked him to continue till “an alternative arrangement is made”.
A fallout of the Amarnath land row, Azad government’s fall happened after the Centre advised against indulging in horse trading. Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh’s allegation against NSA did precipitate the crisis and bombed the script Mr Azad had brilliantly written after the PDP pulled out of the coalition.
“I stand for clean politics and not horse trading,” Mr Azad told the legislature in a 88-minute speech. “I made the anti-defection law more stringent not knowing that I would face its brunt.” Speaking in favour of the trust motion he moved — which he later withdrew and resigned, Mr Azad said: “I care two hoots for the government.”
Talking about his “dreams,” Azad said he worked over 20 hours a day to contribute his bit in the overall development by changing the work culture, eradicating negative politics and corruption and saving the state from exploiting politicians who have destroyed it in last 60 years. “After 32 months, I regret my inability in implementing two things — extending retirement age to 60 years and offering apprenticeship to unemployed,” he said. As his major contributions, Mr Azad listed creation of eight additional districts, reducing the size of council of ministers, making anti-defection law more stringent and changing the work culture especially on development front besides war against corruption.
The chief minister made no reference — even indirectly or obliquely — to the land row that may to ‘cost’ Congress in the coming polls. The crisis that cost six lives and over 700 injuries in J&K besides many more outside the state forced him to revoke the order. The situation, however, is yet to get normal as many parts in Jammu are still curfew bound.
Mr Azad’s Monday speech was different. Barring the instance of a hospital that he got completed at a cost less than Rs 40 crore from the initial estimate, Azad remained cool throughout. “I do not want to create any irritations,” Azad—who is already depressed as his singer wife is recuperating after a throat surgery, said. I know, he said, some of my colleagues in the opposition benches are in a devil and deep sea situation. “Their heart is beating for me but the whips issued by their parties do not want them to go with their conscience. So I withdraw the (trust) motion and resign,” Mr Azad said.
However, Mr Azad lambasted the ‘contractors of faiths’ and attacked the ‘Sherwani attired’ separatists (reference to Syed Ali Shah Geelani). “I have been keeping religion separate from politics,” he said. “But I do not see any danger to Islam that would require anybody’s Sherwani for protection.” He said, these people who have been building their castles on the corpses of Kashmiris are society’s real malignancy because they are double-crossers. Funded by foreign powers, their children get the best education abroad and they themselves are busy exploiting Kashmir for the last six decades.
Contrary to the speculations, there were no abstentions. The lone member who was absent was his predecessor Mufti Sayeed who is in Philadelphia for medical reasons. Had Azad pressed the motion, he was would have secured just 40 of the available 87 votes.
Unlike Jammu where groups – mostly from BJP – were seen thronging the curfew bound lanes distributing sweets and rejoicing, Kashmir played cool almost ignoring the development. Barring the instant choking of mobile lines for almost half an hour, Srinagar remained calm.
Over 59 years old ,Azad replaced Mufti Sayeed as J&K chief minister on November 2, 2005, under a deal negotiated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that gave his party second half of the six-year term. Though the two parties were never comfortable with each other, the crisis over Amarnath offered PDP a chance to desert the coalition that led to the fall of the government.
