Rising Loss Making PSUs worrying Modi govt.

9 in Maharashtra, one in Goa

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Oct 10

The government is determined to cut losses and resort to a massive divestment program. One of the main reasons for ruthlessly divesting OPSUs is their mounting losses.

According to a latest analysis submitted to the government by the ministry to the PMO, of the 256 operating PSUs as on March 31, 2020, the loss-making PSUs stood at 84. The number rose from 72 in 2017-18.

Even the losses of these PSUs are mounting, year after year. If the losses were Rs 18599 crores in 2017-18, the amount went up to Rs 28404 crores in 2018-19 and further went up to Rs 30131 crores. Surprisingly, despite the best efforts of the government, there are as many as 30 PSUs which are continuously making losses.

Between August 2013 and March 2020, the government approved the closure of 21 loss-making CPSEs including HMT Watches Ltd, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Hindustan Fluorocarbons Ltd. The Department of Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has failed to find strategic investors for Scooters India Ltd. and Bharat Pumps and Compressors Ltd even after inviting expressions of interest. Alternatively, the government is selling these sick as well as profit-making PSUs too. There are many under litigation too.

Of the 84 sick companies, nine are in Maharashtra which includes Western Coalfield, Bharat Petro Resources, HOC, Hindustan antibiotic, Maharashtra antibiotics, Aurangabad Textiles & Apparel, NDFC, Hotel Corporations, and Indian Ports Global.

Goa's Goa Antibiotics & Pharma Ltd is also sick which made a loss of Rs 543 lakhs in 2019-20

It is not the government only shutting down PSUs. On the contrary, the government has also cleared the path for the revival of eight CPSEs including BSNL, MTNL, Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corp. Ltd, Hindustan Steelwork Construction Ltd, Konkan Railway Corp. Ltd, and revive four closed fertilizer plants at a massive investment of Rs one lakh crores.

                                             Loss Making PSUs

                                      2017-18                   2018-19                  2019-20

Number                                 72                             69                           84    

Amount in Crs                    18599                     28404                     30131

 

 

Modi frees ‘Babus” from shackles protects Ministers, CMs,MPs, MLAs from probe

• Wants decision-making accelerated
• Many riders attached 

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Sep 3

In order to protect the serving and retired bureaucrats and top ranking persons, the Modi government has provided a sh

ield to protect them from harassment in future. This has been done to expedite the process of decision making which has been hurting the government’s growth path.

In a latest order issued tonight by the Modi government, all Union Ministers, Ministers of State, MPs, Chief Ministers, MLAs, CMDs of PSUs and top officers of the government at the Centre and states have been given unprecedented protection.

In a detailed order by the Department of Personnel & Training no 428/07/2021-AVD IV(B), directed the states and probe agencies to ensure that no officer less than the rank of the Director-General of Police or equivalent shall inquire into the complaints of allegations against top ranking persons in the executive.

The standard operating procedure (SOP) is a new norm where inquiry will be conducted by different ranks of Police Officers against different ranks of public servants. For example, additional DG level officers alone would personally hold inquiry, investigation or enquiry into; complaints and list them specifically before going ahead with the issues against public servants of level 14 & 15 and Board level PSU directors of the state and the Central governments.

Similarly, categories have been created for every rank and the power of police inspector has been curtailed in terms of initiating a probe directly.

The 8-page long circular is aimed at generating confidence among the Babus who are scared of the CBI, CVC and state governments launching probes against them either during their tenure of service or after retirement. These Public Servants don't make decisions on files and await orders from the political bosses who in terms push files to the Prime Minister’s Office or the Chief Minister’s Office.

After SAD, JJP in Haryana worried

Harsimrat wanted Bills be sent to Select Committee

Harsimrat Kaur Badal quit the Union Cabinet 

Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

New Delhi, Sep 17

After Harsimrat Kaur Badal quit the Union Cabinet in protest against the passage of the three agriculture related bills on Tuesday by voice vote, the NDA may face trouble in Haryana too.

The JJP of Dushyant Chautala which is an NDA ally in Haryana and sharing power may find the going tough. The farmers in Punjab and Haryana are up in arms against the passage of the three bills.

The Shiromani Akali Dal leaders including Sukhbir Singh Badal had been talking to the NDA leaders for the past three days to defer the passage of the bills as farmers in Punjab and Haryana are on the streets. But the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was determined to pass these bills as they will usher in huge reforms in the sector.

The SAD for the time being is unlikely to withdraw support to the NDA but quit the Modi government.

A senior Akali Dal leader and member of the Rajya Sabha Naresh Gujral said, “We wanted the bills to be sent to the Select Committee of the Parliament. But the government is not listening.”

The Bills are likely to come up in the Rajya Sabha on Saturday and it is yet to be seen whether some behind the scenes parleys are held.

It is because of these behind the scenes parleys that Harsimrat Kaur Badal took two days time to quit the government though the bills were passed on Tuesday.

The SAD is feeling pressure from the ground in Punjab and its survival is at stake.

Modi Govt. ends reservations for Anglo-Indians in Lok Sabha

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Modi Govt. ends reservations for Anglo-Indians in Lok Sabha 

Bill to come in Rajya Sabha tomorrow

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec 11

All eyes are set in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow when the bill

for extending the reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for ten years will be introduced. The eyes are set not because there is a division within the political class on giving benefits of reservations for ten years to these communities. It was unanimously passed in the Lok Sabha after a debate which continued till mid-night. The issue at stake is in the same bill, the Modi government intends to withdrew reservations for two seats in the Lok Sabha for the Anglo-Indian community.

Two members of the Anglo Indian community have been nominated in the Lok Sabha since the adoption of the Constitution, under article 334(b) since 1952. Now the decades old provision has been done away with as the government felt that the community does not require this reservation any more after 70 years.

The reservation for members of the Anglo-Indian community had been done away with “for the time being”. The issue could be revisited at a later day, if required.

There are 84 members from the Scheduled Caste and 47 from the Scheduled Tribe communities in Parliament which will continue to enjoy the fruits of reservations.

With this the strength of the Lok Sabha will come down from 543 from the existing 545 if the bill is cleared by the Rajya Sabha. The President of India nominates two members from the Anglo-Indian community, making it a house of 545 members after 543 members are elected.

During the first term of the Modi government, two members from the Anglo-Indian community were nominated to the Lok Sabha. With the bill, it became clear that the Modi government had decided well in advance that the two seats for the anglo-Indians will be abolished.

A panel, comprising Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot had earlier decided to do away with the two nominations.

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The Rising clout of Anurag Thakur

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

The Rising clout of Anurag Thakur

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Oct 31 

Gods are finally smiling on the young Minister of State for Finance & corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur and his clout is rising by the day in the party. He was in political wilderness for all these years despite being the three term Lok Sabha MP. He was a minister hopeful in the first Modi government but missed the bus because his father Prem Kumar Dhumal was Chief Minister. So far so good. When Dhumal lost election last year, it was expected that he will be rehabilitated. But the luck was not on his side. He had also lost the post of the Chairman BCCI under the Lodha Committee dispensation. But times have changed ever since he was inducted in the Modi. 2 government. His big clout came to the fore when he played a key role in getting Saurabh Ganguly elected as the new president of the BCCI. His younger brother became the treasurer while Amit Shah's son Jay Shah became Board's Secretary. It was his proximity with Amit Shah and performance that is now paying rich dividends. It was Anurag Thakur who played a key role in ensuring the defection of Neeraj Shekhar from SP to BJP. Neeraj is part of Young Parliamentarians group comprising of Supriya Sule, Nishikant Dubey, Dushyant Chautala and from other parties. It was Anurag Thakur who brokered the deal with Dushyant Chautala, president of the JJP whose party won 10 Assembly seats in Haryana. Since BJP was looking for a stable government after securing only 40 seats, Anurag Thakur held a marathon meeting with Dushyant who came to his 18 Janpath residence and then they drove to Amit Shah's house. The party chief was so desperate for the deal that he return to the Capital from Ahemdabad midway to seal the deal. This was a phenomenal rise for Dushyant too who had lost Lok Sabha polls in May 2019 and was fighting a bitter battle for survival with his uncle Abhay Chautala of INLD.

Politically, its a deadly combination of non Jats and Jats in Haryana with BJP leading it from the front. The BJP returned to power despite losing majority. This enhanced Anurag Thakur's clout and clearly, among the BJP's young ministers in the Union Ministers he has emerged a favoruite.

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Lokpal sitting pretty as Govt. yet to frame rules

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Exclusive report 

Lokpal sitting pretty as Govt. yet to frame rules

Ombudsman was created six months ago, function from Hotel Ashok 

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Oct 15

Even six months after the 9-member Lokpal institution came into being in March, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has not framed rules and procedures to govern country's anti-corruption watchdog.

It transpires that the Chairman of the Lokpal Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, has been communicating with the DoPT for the past several months to expedite framing of rules. He is impressing upon the government to frame rules so that the body could start functioning effectively. The DoPT has to prepare a format under which complaints can be filed against the corrupt government servants including ministers by complainants. The government wants that the complainant has to to lodge a complaint against the persons occupying high office in a proper format rather than on a plain sheet of paper. But there is no format as yet.

The Lokpal was created in a historic decision by the Modi government to probe into the corruption charges against the Ministers including the Prime Minister.

Insiders say that in the absence of rules and procedures, the Lokpal is unable to handle complaints. It is also not clear whether the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) which is dealing with the corruption by the government servants minus political leaders will be brought under the ambit of the Lokpal or not.

At present, the office of Lokpal works from 'The Ashok' hotel in Chanakyapuri and search is on for an alternative building.

Justice Ghose is the Chairman while eight other members include four former chief justices of different high courts, justices Dilip B Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, Abhilasha Kumari and Ajay Kumar Tripathi and four ex-government servants. They include former IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram, ex-Maharashtra chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain, former IRS officer Mahender Singh and Gujarat cadre ex-IAS officer Indrajeet Prasad Gautam.

So far, the Lokpal has received over 600 complaints and it has disposed most of them. But it is handicapped in the absence of rules & procedures how to proceed. Various complaints are reported to be pending, say sources.

When contacted, a senior officer in the DoPT said, “it is engaging our attention on a priority basis. There are procedural issues and being sorted out.”

ends

Centre rushes to quell unrest against Kashmiris outside J&K

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Centre rushes to quell unrest against Kashmiris outside J&K

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 18

The Modi government is worried over growing cases of threats, intimidation and uncontrollable anger in educational institutions across the country in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack.

The Centre has twin problems in hand; It is to ensure the safety of students from Kashmir following a backlash against them and also punish elements in universities who are raising anti-India slogans.

While the Ministry of Human Resource Development has not directly written any advisory to the Universities or directed the UGC to do so, the Ministry of Home Affairs has cautioned states to maintain law and order in their respective territories.

The Home Ministry issued the advisory after students and other residents experienced threats and intimidation. The most serious incidents were reported from Dehradun and Ambala, both ruled by the BJP.

The CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police has even opened a helpline and a students’ organisation set up a temporary camp in Mohali to accommodate at least 20 young men and women who had left Dehradun and Ambala after facing threats.

Several special teams have been deployed to monitor trolling on social media specifically targeting Kashmiri students and people of Kahmiri origin living outside J&K. Several state governments have also issued advisory to residents to be careful and avoid moving around.

The PMO is also worried as more than 20,000 Kashmiri students are studying outside the state. Around 8,000 students – belonging to Jammu, Leh and Kashmir regions – are part of the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS). This scheme is meant for students from Jammu and Kashmir.

The PMSSS covers a certain number of colleges and universities that are spread across Delhi, Pune, Udaipur, Haryana and other areas.

A handful of institutions even suspended some Kashmiri students who shared objectionable comments on social media.

According to officials, while there have been no complaints from students studying at universities covered under the PMSSS so far.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has told private satellite TV channels to broadcast content strictly in adherence to the Program and Advertising Code as prescribed in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the Rules framed there under. The channels have been told not to show content which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes, and or (ii) contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation.

Ends

After Assam, Manipur on the Edge now

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Lokmat Exclusive story

After Assam, Manipur on the Edge now

Permits for non-Manipuris who came after 1951

Modi in a Bind, Najma worried

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Aug. 24

After Assam, its Manipur on the edge, thanks to the Manipur People's Bill passed by the BJP-ruled government proposing to shut the doors who came after 1951. If the cut-off date in the case of Assam was 1971, Manipur went a step further by fixing 1951 for being declared as natives. Rest of them will have to go back or seek special entry permits.

The Bill has put the Modi government in a bind and a worried Governor Najma Heptulla rushed to Delhi last week to apprise the Centre of the gravity of the situation. The Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, who cobbled a majority to form the government, insisted that the bill be cleared without delay.

Najma Heptulla called on the Prime Minister and held detailed discussion on the worrisome situation in Manipur. What transpired between the two is not immediately known. But the Centre cautioned her to take her own time in deciding the issue. Najma Heptulla returned to Imphal and has decided to “sit-over” the bill.

The Manipur People's Bill pending with the Governor proposed that all those who came to Manipur after 1951 will not be considered as native and will lose the right to vote and own property and settle. This has affected not only the illegal immigrants from Bangla Desh, but also thousands of businessmen and workers who went there during the 60s and 70s to set up businesses from Mumbai, West Bengal, Rajasthan and played a key role in the development of the state.

A senior official in the Union Home Ministry said that “The Manipur People's Bill is like an old wine in new bottle”. The State had passed a similar bill under the nomenclature of Protection of Manipur People’s Bill which was withdrawn and emerged in a new form to regulate the entry of “outsiders” on lines of the British-era regulatory regime.

The BJP-ruled state government was unwilling to consider the plea that Manipur was given statehood in January 1972 and therefore, the cut off date should be 1971 and not 1951. But it buckled under the pressure of dominant Meities community. Interestingly, there there is no National Register of Citizens of 1951 in Manipur. When asked “How will they prove the natives” of 1951, the Chief Minister had no answer.

As per the new provision, all non-Manipuris will have to register themselves within one month of the notification of the law. They will be issued a pass extendable up to six months to stay within the state territory. While those who have trade licences can get a pass extendable up to five years, which will have to be renewed every year. Any outsider visiting Manipur would need a pass for entry. The Chief Minister has conveyed to the party high command that the law will help the BJP to grab both Lok Sabha seats to the party and majority in the Assembly due to the support of the dominant community.

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The middle class

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

In India, 'middle class' can be a dangerously deceptive term. It means several things to several people. For example, it can mean households that possess items like (a) TV, (b) computer/laptop, (c) car/scooter and (d) telephone/mobile. But, according to figures computed from the 2011 census data, the owners of all the four assets, at 4.6 per cent, are horribly shrunken in size. If one is less picky, the figure can be