General Affairs
Play Active Role For Village Development: PM Modi To Panchayats
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JAMSHEDPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made a strong pitch for strengthening democracy at the grassroots level as he asked the gram panchayats to play active role in developmental activities, taking advantage of the immense resources and schemes of his government.
On the 'Panchayat Day', he said the country's progress depends hugely on the development of villages and emphasised the need for bridging the gulf between cities and rural areas by ensuring that all modern day facilities reach even the far off places.
While laying thrust on progress of rural areas, with particular focus on farmers, women-folk and child care, PM Modi said he wants to leave a legacy after his five-year tenure which would be talked about in terms of exceptional achievement in the years to come.
"We need to strengthen panchayats. The gram sabhas are as important as Parliament," he said addressing a programme on the culmination of 10-day 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday' campaign in Jamshedpur in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand.
"We have to work shoulder-to-shoulder to fulfill the dreams," PM Modi said, underlining the need for cooperation between gram panchayats and the central government.
Pitching for progress of villages, he asked the village heads to take a lead in undertaking developmental activities, including infrastructure development, construction of toilets to ensure end to open defecation, ensuring proper healthcare to prevent child birth mortality and provision of better education to ensure there is no school dropouts.
"Earlier there was shortage of funds. Now there are lots of finances available. There is no dearth of funds. There is no dearth of schemes. But there is a need for dedication by those who work at the grassroots level," PM Modi said.
"Be aware, remain alert. Lead from the front. Then officers will also do their work," he told the village heads.
In this context, he particularly emphasised the role of women panchayat representatives, who constitute 40 per cent of the 30 lakh representatives.
"Ensure that open defecation of our mothers and sisters is brought to an end. Ensure construction of toilets. Take a pledge in this regard. There is nothing more shameful than our mothers and sisters defecating in the open," PM Modi told the women representatives of panchayats.
Asking the women representatives to take a lead in bringing about changes in social lives, he said they should see to it that there is proper utilisation of funds.
The women representatives also look into the aspects like child nutrition and pregnancy-related issues, he said.
He suggested that each village should take up one task each year like ensuring all farmers get crop insurance, ensuring preservation of water, ensuring digitalisation, and ensuring adequate attention to children.
Noting a huge mismatch in facilities available in cities and villages, PM Modi said, "We have to bridge this gulf. If electricity is available in cities, should it not be available in villages? If cities have good roads, should the villages also not have good roads? After so many years of Independence, the gap between cities and villages is only increasing."
He said his government has provided adequate funds in this year's budget for development of villages.
"The country has reposed faith in me for five years. I want to leave a legacy.. People should talk later that I did this for the villages. I will do something which will in reality be a foundation (for progress)," the prime minister said.
Talking about the programmes launched by his government for development of rural areas, he mentioned the scheme for electrification of all the remaining 18,000 villages in 1,000 days from August 15 last year when he announced it.
Regarding this, he asked the gram panchayats to be alert to see whether work on this project is being done properly.
"Sometimes it is said that electricity has reached a particular village. But then media reports that only the pole has reached the village. I want to tell the villagers to be alert so that no wrong information is given to me. If you stay alert, it will reduce my concerns," he told the village heads and asked "Won't you share my concerns?"
He then referred to the practice of cooking using wood, saying by this method a woman consumes fumes equal to 400 cigarettes in a day.
"Imagine what would be happening to the health of that mother who cooks. This is happening in the 21st century. Will we let our mothers die like this while cooking food for us? We have to rid her of this," PM Modi said.
He said the government plans to give LPG connections to five crore households in three years and asked village heads to see whether the benefits reach the intended people.
Describing his government as one which "lives and dies for the farmers", he noted that recently a programme had been launched under which agriculturists can directly sell their produce through an E-portal to get the best price.
He asked the village heads to see if there are any "shortcomings" in it since it is in the initial stages.
He also asked the village bodies to show awareness towards digitalisation of rural areas, a task undertaken by his government.
PM Modi said he had decided to hold the Panchayat Day function in Jamshedpur rather than Delhi because he believes that "the country is big and Delhi is not the country".
Earlier, he noted that such functions used to be held in Delhi "but we decided to take the government out of Delhi, in the midst of the people."
In this context, he invoked Mahatma Gandhi, saying he used to say that "India lives in the villages".
"I urge you, neither you have to stop, nor be tired," the prime minister told the gram panchayats, particularly their heads.
JAMSHEDPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today made a strong pitch for strengthening democracy at the grassroots level as he asked the gram panchayats to play active role in developmental activities, taking advantage of the immense resources and schemes of his government.On the 'Panchayat Day', he said the country's progress depends hugely on the development of villages and emphasised the need for bridging the gulf between cities and rural areas by ensuring that all modern day facilities reach even the far off places.
While laying thrust on progress of rural areas, with particular focus on farmers, women-folk and child care, PM Modi said he wants to leave a legacy after his five-year tenure which would be talked about in terms of exceptional achievement in the years to come.
"We need to strengthen panchayats. The gram sabhas are as important as Parliament," he said addressing a programme on the culmination of 10-day 'Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday' campaign in Jamshedpur in the tribal-dominated state of Jharkhand.
"We have to work shoulder-to-shoulder to fulfill the dreams," PM Modi said, underlining the need for cooperation between gram panchayats and the central government.
Pitching for progress of villages, he asked the village heads to take a lead in undertaking developmental activities, including infrastructure development, construction of toilets to ensure end to open defecation, ensuring proper healthcare to prevent child birth mortality and provision of better education to ensure there is no school dropouts.
"Earlier there was shortage of funds. Now there are lots of finances available. There is no dearth of funds. There is no dearth of schemes. But there is a need for dedication by those who work at the grassroots level," PM Modi said.
"Be aware, remain alert. Lead from the front. Then officers will also do their work," he told the village heads.
In this context, he particularly emphasised the role of women panchayat representatives, who constitute 40 per cent of the 30 lakh representatives.
"Ensure that open defecation of our mothers and sisters is brought to an end. Ensure construction of toilets. Take a pledge in this regard. There is nothing more shameful than our mothers and sisters defecating in the open," PM Modi told the women representatives of panchayats.
Asking the women representatives to take a lead in bringing about changes in social lives, he said they should see to it that there is proper utilisation of funds.
The women representatives also look into the aspects like child nutrition and pregnancy-related issues, he said.
He suggested that each village should take up one task each year like ensuring all farmers get crop insurance, ensuring preservation of water, ensuring digitalisation, and ensuring adequate attention to children.
Noting a huge mismatch in facilities available in cities and villages, PM Modi said, "We have to bridge this gulf. If electricity is available in cities, should it not be available in villages? If cities have good roads, should the villages also not have good roads? After so many years of Independence, the gap between cities and villages is only increasing."
He said his government has provided adequate funds in this year's budget for development of villages.
"The country has reposed faith in me for five years. I want to leave a legacy.. People should talk later that I did this for the villages. I will do something which will in reality be a foundation (for progress)," the prime minister said.
Talking about the programmes launched by his government for development of rural areas, he mentioned the scheme for electrification of all the remaining 18,000 villages in 1,000 days from August 15 last year when he announced it.
Regarding this, he asked the gram panchayats to be alert to see whether work on this project is being done properly.
"Sometimes it is said that electricity has reached a particular village. But then media reports that only the pole has reached the village. I want to tell the villagers to be alert so that no wrong information is given to me. If you stay alert, it will reduce my concerns," he told the village heads and asked "Won't you share my concerns?"
He then referred to the practice of cooking using wood, saying by this method a woman consumes fumes equal to 400 cigarettes in a day.
"Imagine what would be happening to the health of that mother who cooks. This is happening in the 21st century. Will we let our mothers die like this while cooking food for us? We have to rid her of this," PM Modi said.
He said the government plans to give LPG connections to five crore households in three years and asked village heads to see whether the benefits reach the intended people.
Describing his government as one which "lives and dies for the farmers", he noted that recently a programme had been launched under which agriculturists can directly sell their produce through an E-portal to get the best price.
He asked the village heads to see if there are any "shortcomings" in it since it is in the initial stages.
He also asked the village bodies to show awareness towards digitalisation of rural areas, a task undertaken by his government.
PM Modi said he had decided to hold the Panchayat Day function in Jamshedpur rather than Delhi because he believes that "the country is big and Delhi is not the country".
Earlier, he noted that such functions used to be held in Delhi "but we decided to take the government out of Delhi, in the midst of the people."
In this context, he invoked Mahatma Gandhi, saying he used to say that "India lives in the villages".
"I urge you, neither you have to stop, nor be tired," the prime minister told the gram panchayats, particularly their heads.
Congress Firm On Demand For Discussion On President's Rule In Uttarakhand
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NEW DELHI: Congress today made it clear at an all-party meeting chaired by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that it wants a discussion in Lok Sabha on the imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand, notwithstanding pleas by the government that the matter is pending before Supreme Court.
After the meeting, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said they have put forth their demand for a discussion on the issue and will move an adjournment motion under Rule 56 in Lok Sabha.
The all-party meeting was held in a conducive atmosphere, and the Speaker hoped that the coming session will function smoothly.
She said members raised various demands, prominent among which were holding discussions on drought and drinking water shortage in several parts of the country, besides the Uttarakhand issue.
"Drought across the country is a major issue and there was a demand by all for a discussion on it. Some people have also raised the issue of imposition of President's Rule and a discussion on it. We will see as the matter is in court. There are many other issues," she told reporters.
Asked if a discussion on Uttarakhand can be allowed, she said, "The court has given stay till April 27 and I don't think till 27th (there can be a discussion)."
"All have extended their support. We all hope that the coming Lok Sabha session will function smoothly," she said.
Mr Kharge insisted that the issue was important and many opposition members were in agreement for a discussion.
"We have raised many issues before the Speaker, of which the main one is of Uttarakhand where an attempt has been made to destabilise the Congress government and despite a High Court order, an interim stay has been obtained by the Centre from Supreme Court.
"We have raised the issue and want a discussion on this. A lot of opposition members agree on this and they also want a discussion on this," he told reporters after the meeting.
"We have raised these matters before them. We also requested that there is a rule for everything. But putting (rules) aside, the Speaker can allow anything keeping in view the importance of the subject raised. We have made the request not to cite rules in a bid to suppress issues and deny a discussion," he said.
The second half of the Budget Session of Parliament, beginning tomorrow, is all set to be a stormy affair with opposition parties closing ranks over the imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand.
The session will have 15 days of sitting with a total of 90 hours, of which around 52 hours will be devoted to government work.
Asked if a discussion on Uttarakhand is possible, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "The Speaker has to take a decision on it. To my knowledge, the matter is before the court and when the issue is pending in court and a decision is yet to come, there is no scope for a discussion on it."
On today's meeting, he said, "There was complete assurance from all the political parties that the House will be made to run smoothly and the environment looked very good. All have assured and there is a broad consensus that Lok Sabha should function smoothly and all the parties have said this in one voice."
He said the Finance Bill will be taken up during the first week itself. On the GST Bill, which has been pending for a long time, he said, "I am sure the report will come and we are prepared to take it up."
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, also a Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, said, "We are expecting constructive and positive approach from Congress and the opposition. Our effort is that the House functions smoothly and constructively in a cool atmosphere."
On the Uttarakhand issue, he said Congress would have to face its own music as it had dismissed popularly elected governments with majority and when there was no constitutional crisis in the past.
"If the Congress wants to raise the issue, then it would have to face its own history as it was the Congress regimes which has used Article 356 at least 88 times, with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi using it 50 times during her tenure," he said, adding that Congress mostly used the rule for dismissing governments where there was no lack of majority or a constitutional crisis.
NEW DELHI: Congress today made it clear at an all-party meeting chaired by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan that it wants a discussion in Lok Sabha on the imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand, notwithstanding pleas by the government that the matter is pending before Supreme Court.After the meeting, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said they have put forth their demand for a discussion on the issue and will move an adjournment motion under Rule 56 in Lok Sabha.
The all-party meeting was held in a conducive atmosphere, and the Speaker hoped that the coming session will function smoothly.
She said members raised various demands, prominent among which were holding discussions on drought and drinking water shortage in several parts of the country, besides the Uttarakhand issue.
"Drought across the country is a major issue and there was a demand by all for a discussion on it. Some people have also raised the issue of imposition of President's Rule and a discussion on it. We will see as the matter is in court. There are many other issues," she told reporters.
Asked if a discussion on Uttarakhand can be allowed, she said, "The court has given stay till April 27 and I don't think till 27th (there can be a discussion)."
"All have extended their support. We all hope that the coming Lok Sabha session will function smoothly," she said.
Mr Kharge insisted that the issue was important and many opposition members were in agreement for a discussion.
"We have raised many issues before the Speaker, of which the main one is of Uttarakhand where an attempt has been made to destabilise the Congress government and despite a High Court order, an interim stay has been obtained by the Centre from Supreme Court.
"We have raised the issue and want a discussion on this. A lot of opposition members agree on this and they also want a discussion on this," he told reporters after the meeting.
"We have raised these matters before them. We also requested that there is a rule for everything. But putting (rules) aside, the Speaker can allow anything keeping in view the importance of the subject raised. We have made the request not to cite rules in a bid to suppress issues and deny a discussion," he said.
The second half of the Budget Session of Parliament, beginning tomorrow, is all set to be a stormy affair with opposition parties closing ranks over the imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand.
The session will have 15 days of sitting with a total of 90 hours, of which around 52 hours will be devoted to government work.
Asked if a discussion on Uttarakhand is possible, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "The Speaker has to take a decision on it. To my knowledge, the matter is before the court and when the issue is pending in court and a decision is yet to come, there is no scope for a discussion on it."
On today's meeting, he said, "There was complete assurance from all the political parties that the House will be made to run smoothly and the environment looked very good. All have assured and there is a broad consensus that Lok Sabha should function smoothly and all the parties have said this in one voice."
He said the Finance Bill will be taken up during the first week itself. On the GST Bill, which has been pending for a long time, he said, "I am sure the report will come and we are prepared to take it up."
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, also a Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, said, "We are expecting constructive and positive approach from Congress and the opposition. Our effort is that the House functions smoothly and constructively in a cool atmosphere."
On the Uttarakhand issue, he said Congress would have to face its own music as it had dismissed popularly elected governments with majority and when there was no constitutional crisis in the past.
"If the Congress wants to raise the issue, then it would have to face its own history as it was the Congress regimes which has used Article 356 at least 88 times, with former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi using it 50 times during her tenure," he said, adding that Congress mostly used the rule for dismissing governments where there was no lack of majority or a constitutional crisis.
Concern Over India's Nuclear Liability Law Still Remains: French Firm EDF
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NEW DELHI: A month after India and France signed an agreement to take forward a deal to supply six nuclear reactors for Jaitapur plant, French firm EDF has said concern over India's liability law still remains and that it will give a fresh pricing proposal for these units.
The fresh techno-commercial proposal will also take into account India's concern over high per unit tariff, French government officials said.
"EDF has raised concerns about the Right to Recourse pertaining to Clause 17 (a), (b) and (c) and Clause 46 of the Civil Liability Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010," the official said.
"The French feel that there is a lot of ambiguity in Clause 46 and there is fear in the minds of suppliers. We have raised this issue both with NPCIL and the Department of Atomic Energy," said a French official.
Clause 46 of the CLND Act says, "The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law for the time being in force, and nothing contained herein shall exempt the operator from any proceedings which might, apart from this Act, be instituted against such operator."
Last month, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) had signed an agreement for building six European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) as against the earlier proposal of two such reactors.
The delay in the project, which was first signed in 2008, and concern over India's liability law came in the wake of nuclear firms Areva and EDF merging their reactor businesses into a joint venture controlled by EDF, as part of a broad restructuring last year.
In 2014, the US too had raised similar concerns about Clause 46 in particular.
Following this, just before President Barack Obama's visit to the country, India announced plans to build a Nuclear Insurance Pool to address the issue.
In April last year, Areva had also signed an agreement with NPCIL to expedite the programme.
"Things are unclear over how much insurance cover does supplier have to take. There is still a lot of ambiguity in this," the French official said.
The French government officials said the liability issue is still "manageable" but pricing still remains a major hurdle.
While the cost of the electricity generated by Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Units I and II hovers between Rs. 3 to 3.50 per unit, for JNPP, it is expected to be Rs. 9.14 per unit. India is not ready to go beyond Rs. 6.50 per unit.
NEW DELHI: A month after India and France signed an agreement to take forward a deal to supply six nuclear reactors for Jaitapur plant, French firm EDF has said concern over India's liability law still remains and that it will give a fresh pricing proposal for these units.The fresh techno-commercial proposal will also take into account India's concern over high per unit tariff, French government officials said.
"The French feel that there is a lot of ambiguity in Clause 46 and there is fear in the minds of suppliers. We have raised this issue both with NPCIL and the Department of Atomic Energy," said a French official.
Clause 46 of the CLND Act says, "The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other law for the time being in force, and nothing contained herein shall exempt the operator from any proceedings which might, apart from this Act, be instituted against such operator."
Last month, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) had signed an agreement for building six European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) as against the earlier proposal of two such reactors.
The delay in the project, which was first signed in 2008, and concern over India's liability law came in the wake of nuclear firms Areva and EDF merging their reactor businesses into a joint venture controlled by EDF, as part of a broad restructuring last year.
In 2014, the US too had raised similar concerns about Clause 46 in particular.
Following this, just before President Barack Obama's visit to the country, India announced plans to build a Nuclear Insurance Pool to address the issue.
In April last year, Areva had also signed an agreement with NPCIL to expedite the programme.
"Things are unclear over how much insurance cover does supplier have to take. There is still a lot of ambiguity in this," the French official said.
The French government officials said the liability issue is still "manageable" but pricing still remains a major hurdle.
While the cost of the electricity generated by Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) Units I and II hovers between Rs. 3 to 3.50 per unit, for JNPP, it is expected to be Rs. 9.14 per unit. India is not ready to go beyond Rs. 6.50 per unit.
Jailed Former Bengal Minister Madan Mitra, A Candidate Who Can't Vote
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KOLKATA: He is expecting thousands of electors in Kamarhati Assembly constituency to vote for him on Monday but Trinamool Congress candidate and jailed former minister Madan Mitra himself will not be able to cast his vote despite being a registered voter.
Election Commission sources confirmed that Mr Mitra, who is presently lodged in Alipore jail in the multi-crore Saradha chitfund scam, will not be allowed to exercise his franchise.
"All prisoners whether undertrial or convicted do not have voting rights. Mitra is no exception to this rule," sources told news agency PTI.
The Representation of the People's Act, 1951, says, "No person shall vote at any election if he is confined in a prison whether under a sentence of imprisonment or transportation or otherwise or is in the lawful custody of the police".
However, rules allow prisoners to be a candidate till the time he or she is not convicted by a court of law.
This is the first time that a high-profile candidate is fighting elections in West Bengal from jail.
Arrested by the CBI in December 2014, the former state Transport and Sports minister is contesting polls from his constituency of Kamarhati on the outskirts of the city. His name figures in the electoral roll from booth number 14 in Dakshineswar.
Mr Mitra's family members said he is disappointed with the fact that he was unable to present in his constituency during the crucial time of Assembly elections.
"The day of voting is a very important day in the life of a politician. He is very sad that he is not a part of it. He will also not be able to cast his own vote. But things are not in our hands," his daughter-in-law Swati Mitra told PTI.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who went to campaign in his constituency, extended support to him and alleged that his former Cabinet colleague has been a victim of conspiracy by the Centre. He is pitted against CPI(M)'s Manash Mukherjee and BJP's Krishanu Mitra.
Mr Mitra's name had also figured in the Narada sting operation where he was purportedly shown taking money from a person representing a fictitious company.
Besides the Saradha scam, the Trinamool leader has declared in his affidavit that he has a number of cases relating to rioting, armed with deadly weapons, unlawful assembly, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty, pending against him.
Election Commission sources confirmed that Mr Mitra, who is presently lodged in Alipore jail in the multi-crore Saradha chitfund scam, will not be allowed to exercise his franchise.
"All prisoners whether undertrial or convicted do not have voting rights. Mitra is no exception to this rule," sources told news agency PTI.
The Representation of the People's Act, 1951, says, "No person shall vote at any election if he is confined in a prison whether under a sentence of imprisonment or transportation or otherwise or is in the lawful custody of the police".
However, rules allow prisoners to be a candidate till the time he or she is not convicted by a court of law.
This is the first time that a high-profile candidate is fighting elections in West Bengal from jail.
Arrested by the CBI in December 2014, the former state Transport and Sports minister is contesting polls from his constituency of Kamarhati on the outskirts of the city. His name figures in the electoral roll from booth number 14 in Dakshineswar.
Mr Mitra's family members said he is disappointed with the fact that he was unable to present in his constituency during the crucial time of Assembly elections.
"The day of voting is a very important day in the life of a politician. He is very sad that he is not a part of it. He will also not be able to cast his own vote. But things are not in our hands," his daughter-in-law Swati Mitra told PTI.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who went to campaign in his constituency, extended support to him and alleged that his former Cabinet colleague has been a victim of conspiracy by the Centre. He is pitted against CPI(M)'s Manash Mukherjee and BJP's Krishanu Mitra.
Mr Mitra's name had also figured in the Narada sting operation where he was purportedly shown taking money from a person representing a fictitious company.
Besides the Saradha scam, the Trinamool leader has declared in his affidavit that he has a number of cases relating to rioting, armed with deadly weapons, unlawful assembly, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty, pending against him.
1 Killed, 6 Injured In Clashes During Bihar Panchayat Polls
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PATNA: One person was killed and six others injured today in clashes during the first phase of panchayat polls in the state, police said.
Four persons were injured when two groups clashed with firearms at Daulatpura village in Hishua block in Nawada district. One of the injured, Sunil Kumar Singh, died on the way to hospital.
The three injured were admitted to hospital. The village has two polling stations, Nawada SDPO Sanjay Kumar Pandey said, adding seven persons were arrested.
There were other incidents of violence in Jehanabad and Purnea districts.
In Purnea district, three persons were injured in a clash between supporters of two rival candidates over alleged bogus voting in Banaili polling booth under Saduvaili panchayat of Kasba block, an official said.
Kasba Block Development Officer-cum-Returning Officer Lok Prakash said 18 persons have been arrested in connection with the group clash.
In Jehanabad, police arrested three persons from Kausa village of Modanganj block when they had a scuffle with police, District Magistrate Manoj Kumar Singh said.
The incident occurred near a polling station when these people tried to snatch arms from policemen, he said.
PATNA: One person was killed and six others injured today in clashes during the first phase of panchayat polls in the state, police said.Four persons were injured when two groups clashed with firearms at Daulatpura village in Hishua block in Nawada district. One of the injured, Sunil Kumar Singh, died on the way to hospital.
The three injured were admitted to hospital. The village has two polling stations, Nawada SDPO Sanjay Kumar Pandey said, adding seven persons were arrested.
There were other incidents of violence in Jehanabad and Purnea districts.
In Purnea district, three persons were injured in a clash between supporters of two rival candidates over alleged bogus voting in Banaili polling booth under Saduvaili panchayat of Kasba block, an official said.
Kasba Block Development Officer-cum-Returning Officer Lok Prakash said 18 persons have been arrested in connection with the group clash.
In Jehanabad, police arrested three persons from Kausa village of Modanganj block when they had a scuffle with police, District Magistrate Manoj Kumar Singh said.
The incident occurred near a polling station when these people tried to snatch arms from policemen, he said.
Business Affairs
Bankrupt SunEdison to keep India expansion plans, says Asia head
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US renewable energy company SunEdison Inc expects to finalise within two months partners for around 1.7 gigawatts of planned projects in India, its Asia head told Reuters on Friday, hours after the company filed for bankruptcy protection at home.
Apart from looking for partners for specific projects, the company will consider an equity partner for SunEdison's India business as a whole, Pashupathy Gopalan, president of SunEdison Asia Pacific, said by telephone from New York.
India accounts for a fifth of SunEdison's total business and is its largest market outside its home base.
SunEdison, once the fastest-growing US renewable energy company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday after a short-lived but aggressive binge of debt-fueled acquisitions proved unsustainable.
US renewable energy company SunEdison Inc expects to finalise within two months partners for around 1.7 gigawatts of planned projects in India, its Asia head told Reuters on Friday, hours after the company filed for bankruptcy protection at home.
Apart from looking for partners for specific projects, the company will consider an equity partner for SunEdison's India business as a whole, Pashupathy Gopalan, president of SunEdison Asia Pacific, said by telephone from New York.
India accounts for a fifth of SunEdison's total business and is its largest market outside its home base.
SunEdison, once the fastest-growing US renewable energy company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday after a short-lived but aggressive binge of debt-fueled acquisitions proved unsustainable.
FBI hints it paid more than $1 million to unlock iPhone of San Bernardino shooter
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The FBI paid more than $ one million to a company to break into the locked iPhone used by a Pakistani-American shooter involved in the San Bernardino terror attack, Director James Comey has hinted.
Speaking at a security conference in London, Comey did not give the exact amount that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) paid to unlock the iPhone, but threw hints by his statement.
Comey, according to media reports here, said yesterday the cost of the tool was "more than I will make in the remainder of this job, which is seven years and four months, for sure."
The Washington Post said the FBI Director makes $ 185,100 a year.
"As a result, Comey's remarks strongly implied that the bureau paid at least $ 1.3 million to get onto the phone, which had belonged to Syed Rizwan Farook, who with his wife, killed 14 people during the December 2 terror attack in San Bernardino, in California," the daily reported.
Farook, a Pakistani-American and his wife Tashfeen Malik, a Pakistani national, died in a firefight with police after the terror attack.
"But it was, in my view, worth it," Comey said in defence of his decision.
The Washington Post said FBI cracked the phone with the help of professional hackers who were paid a onetime flat fee.
However they were not able to find any links to foreign terrorists on the phone, it said.
"I am hoping that we can somehow get to a place where we have a sensible solution, or set of solutions, that does not involve hacking and does not involve spending tons of money in a way that is unscalable," Comey said.
The FBI chief underscored the need for a continued national conversation over the issues surrounding universal encryption and how that factors into the privacy versus security debate.
"This will be a feature of our work - there will be other litigation, I am sure - but it will be a feature of our work, increasingly, over the months and years to come," Comey added.
The FBI had taken Apple to court to force it to break into the encryption-protected iPhone 5C.
Apple, backed by technology giants such as Google and Facebook, was opposed to assisting the agency in unlocking the iphone, citing it would have wide-reaching implications on digital security and privacy.
The FBI paid more than $ one million to a company to break into the locked iPhone used by a Pakistani-American shooter involved in the San Bernardino terror attack, Director James Comey has hinted.
Speaking at a security conference in London, Comey did not give the exact amount that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) paid to unlock the iPhone, but threw hints by his statement.
Comey, according to media reports here, said yesterday the cost of the tool was "more than I will make in the remainder of this job, which is seven years and four months, for sure."
The Washington Post said the FBI Director makes $ 185,100 a year.
"As a result, Comey's remarks strongly implied that the bureau paid at least $ 1.3 million to get onto the phone, which had belonged to Syed Rizwan Farook, who with his wife, killed 14 people during the December 2 terror attack in San Bernardino, in California," the daily reported.
Farook, a Pakistani-American and his wife Tashfeen Malik, a Pakistani national, died in a firefight with police after the terror attack.
"But it was, in my view, worth it," Comey said in defence of his decision.
The Washington Post said FBI cracked the phone with the help of professional hackers who were paid a onetime flat fee.
However they were not able to find any links to foreign terrorists on the phone, it said.
"I am hoping that we can somehow get to a place where we have a sensible solution, or set of solutions, that does not involve hacking and does not involve spending tons of money in a way that is unscalable," Comey said.
The FBI chief underscored the need for a continued national conversation over the issues surrounding universal encryption and how that factors into the privacy versus security debate.
"This will be a feature of our work - there will be other litigation, I am sure - but it will be a feature of our work, increasingly, over the months and years to come," Comey added.
The FBI had taken Apple to court to force it to break into the encryption-protected iPhone 5C.
Apple, backed by technology giants such as Google and Facebook, was opposed to assisting the agency in unlocking the iphone, citing it would have wide-reaching implications on digital security and privacy.
Oil prices set for one of the biggest weekly rises in 2016
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Oil prices rose in Asian trade on Friday, setting crude futures on course for one of their biggest weekly gains this year, as sentiment has become more upbeat despite ongoing oversupply.
International benchmark Brent crude futures were trading at $45.09 per barrel at 0054 GMT, up more than half a dollar from their last settlement.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 52 cents at $43.70 a barrel.
With Brent up 8 per cent since Monday and WTI 12 per cent higher since April 18, this week is set for some of the steepest price rallies so far this year, and crude is up by more than two-thirds since its 2016 lows between January and February.
Traders said that sentiment in the entire commodity complex had turned more confident, with new cash being put into the market by investors, lifting prices.
Another factor has been producers taking advantage of higher prices by locking in production.
"We would expect producers in the US taking every opportunity to aggressively hedge as soon as there is opportunity when oil prices recover for short periods of time," French investment bank Natixis said.
Falling output, especially in the United States, where many producers are shutting down following an up to 70 per cent price rout since 2014, is also helping to lift the market.
Natixis said it expected US oil production to drop by at least 500,000 to 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year, compared with 2015, and by another 500,000 bpd in 2017.
Despite the recent rally, oil markets remain oversupplied as between 1 and 2 million barrels of crude are being pumped out of the ground every day in excess of demand, leaving storage tanks around the world filled to the rims with unsold fuel.
Oil prices rose in Asian trade on Friday, setting crude futures on course for one of their biggest weekly gains this year, as sentiment has become more upbeat despite ongoing oversupply.
International benchmark Brent crude futures were trading at $45.09 per barrel at 0054 GMT, up more than half a dollar from their last settlement.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up 52 cents at $43.70 a barrel.
With Brent up 8 per cent since Monday and WTI 12 per cent higher since April 18, this week is set for some of the steepest price rallies so far this year, and crude is up by more than two-thirds since its 2016 lows between January and February.
Traders said that sentiment in the entire commodity complex had turned more confident, with new cash being put into the market by investors, lifting prices.
Another factor has been producers taking advantage of higher prices by locking in production.
"We would expect producers in the US taking every opportunity to aggressively hedge as soon as there is opportunity when oil prices recover for short periods of time," French investment bank Natixis said.
Falling output, especially in the United States, where many producers are shutting down following an up to 70 per cent price rout since 2014, is also helping to lift the market.
Natixis said it expected US oil production to drop by at least 500,000 to 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year, compared with 2015, and by another 500,000 bpd in 2017.
Despite the recent rally, oil markets remain oversupplied as between 1 and 2 million barrels of crude are being pumped out of the ground every day in excess of demand, leaving storage tanks around the world filled to the rims with unsold fuel.
Broadband in all village panchayats by 2018: Telecom Secretary
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The Centre is hopeful of achieving the complete roll-out of broadband network across 2.5 lakh village panchayats in the country by 2018, telecom secretary J S Deepak said on Thursday.
Speaking on Bharat Net programme, which aims to provide broadband connectivity to all panchayats in the country, Deepak said all panchayats will have an ecosystem that will further boost the connectivity and bridge the digital divide in the country.
All village panchayats in the country will be connected through fibre optic network by 2018, he added.
The government had earlier set deadline of December 2016 to roll out optical fibre network across all panchayats.
He was speaking at Global Exhibition on Services here.
Deepak said the pace of digitisation is accelerating and impressive but a lot still needs to be done.
The Telecom Secretary highlighted three areas that needed focus to bridge this divide -- connectivity, language and digital illiteracy, and said the government and industry must work together to address the same.
On challenges in terms of language, Deepak said that at present most of the mobile communications are taking place in English but by January 1, 2017 mobile devices will be enabled for English, Hindi and one vernacular language.
The Centre is hopeful of achieving the complete roll-out of broadband network across 2.5 lakh village panchayats in the country by 2018, telecom secretary J S Deepak said on Thursday.
Speaking on Bharat Net programme, which aims to provide broadband connectivity to all panchayats in the country, Deepak said all panchayats will have an ecosystem that will further boost the connectivity and bridge the digital divide in the country.
All village panchayats in the country will be connected through fibre optic network by 2018, he added.
The government had earlier set deadline of December 2016 to roll out optical fibre network across all panchayats.
He was speaking at Global Exhibition on Services here.
Deepak said the pace of digitisation is accelerating and impressive but a lot still needs to be done.
The Telecom Secretary highlighted three areas that needed focus to bridge this divide -- connectivity, language and digital illiteracy, and said the government and industry must work together to address the same.
On challenges in terms of language, Deepak said that at present most of the mobile communications are taking place in English but by January 1, 2017 mobile devices will be enabled for English, Hindi and one vernacular language.
China seizes biggest share of global exports in almost 50 years
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Chinese exporters have found a silver lining in weak global demand by seizing market share from their competitors - good news for China but an expansion that is aggravating trade tensions.
China's proportion of global exports rose to 13.8 per cent last year from 12.3 per cent in 2014, data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment shows, the highest share any country has enjoyed since the United States in 1968.
The success belies widespread predictions rising costs for Chinese labor and a currency that has increased nearly 20 per cent against the dollar in the last decade would cause China to lose market share to cheaper competitors.
Instead, China's manufacturing infrastructure built during the country's industrial rise of recent decades is keeping exports humming and providing the basis for firms to produce higher-value products.
"China cannot be replaced," said Fredrik Guitman, formerly China general manager for a Danish maker of silver products, adding that reliable delivery times were more important than price. "If they say 45 days, it will be 45 days."
Still, even as Chinese firms compete in more sophisticated product lines, they are unloading overstocked inventory from entrenched industrial overcapacity in sectors like steel, an irritant in global trading relationships. The United States and seven other countries this week called for urgent action to address a steel supply glut that many blame on China.
At the same time, China's imports from other countries fell sharply - down over 14 per cent in 2015 - leading some economists to suggest China was deploying an "import substitution" strategy that is pushing foreign brands out of its domestic markets.
On Wednesday, Beijing rolled out fresh measures to support machinery exports, including tax rebates, and encouraged banks to lend more to exporters. Machinery and mechanical appliances make up the biggest portion of China's exports.
Such policies may not be welcomed in the United States, where Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has called for 45 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports - a message that appears to resonate with American voters.
The risk is that the Chinese firms successfully moving up the value chain will see their overseas profits destroyed by a trade war if Trump's ideas find place in policy.
ADVANTAGE
Chinese firms' tenacity in overseas markets is largely built on the country's investment in a massive and integrated supply chain infrastructure, which makes them faster and more reliable to foreign companies that outsource all or some of their production.
"Reliability and speed is more important than price," Guitman said. "An out-of-stock product will hurt much more than a slightly higher price."
This manufacturing playground is allowing companies that make their own original goods to tinker with their products and branch out.
"China's export structure may not be as sophisticated as that of high-income economies, but with a better educated labor force and increasing investment in innovation, the country's products are now generally of a higher unit value and require more skilled labor," HSBC economists said in a report.
Critics say much of China's move up the value chain has been the result of pressure on foreign firms to transfer technology combined with a systematic and sustained campaign of industrial espionage targeting foreign technology.
The legions of mid-sized Chinese companies that now make drones, high-tech labels, smart home devices, and wind power equipment may lack the cachet of Chinese social media firms like Tencent, but they are a far greater combined threat to complacent foreign competitors, analysts say.
Privately owned SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, a drone maker, is an example of how far Chinese exporters have come. The company has taken advantage of the smartphone component manufacturing ecosystem in the southern city of Shenzhen to take 70 per cent market share in the United States, a report by investment bank Oppenheimer & Co says.
A DJI spokesman credited the availability of skilled labor as its key advantage.
The playground has also offered hope to firms in oversaturated industries.
Shanghai-based ReneSola, for example, was once one of a herd of Chinese solar panel manufacturers, stuck in a glutted industry and heavily in debt.
But the company's investment in LED, or light emitting diode, is now paying off, giving it a fresh product line to export to the United States.
The LED line boasts gross margins of over 30 per cent, compared to low single digits for solar modules, the company's financial statements show.
ReneSola's US marketing head Naveed Hasan said that the firm's position in China was an advantage.
"We are able to use our brand and leverage the great number of contract manufacturers."
THE PRICE CHALLENGE
But while China has expanded its share, that share is of a shrinking pie and the country's firms have yet to develop the branding power of the likes of an Apple or Louis Vuitton.
Much of Chinese industrial innovation has focused on process and production improvements to make products at lower cost but acceptable quality.
That has some worried rising labor costs and a stronger yuan, or renminbi (RMB), will have an impact.
"This has put pressure on firms to upgrade," Li Jian, head of foreign trade research at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, the Commerce Ministry's think-tank, said.
China's producer pricing power has been falling for four years and the Chinese government sees more rough weather ahead.
"The circumstances surrounding foreign trade this year remain both complicated and gloomy," Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said on Tuesday. More than half of 3,000 companies surveyed by the ministry "believe the situation this year is increasingly grim."
_042216085833.jpg "China seizes biggest share of global exports in almost 50 years")
Chinese exporters have found a silver lining in weak global demand by seizing market share from their competitors - good news for China but an expansion that is aggravating trade tensions.
China's proportion of global exports rose to 13.8 per cent last year from 12.3 per cent in 2014, data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment shows, the highest share any country has enjoyed since the United States in 1968.
The success belies widespread predictions rising costs for Chinese labor and a currency that has increased nearly 20 per cent against the dollar in the last decade would cause China to lose market share to cheaper competitors.
Instead, China's manufacturing infrastructure built during the country's industrial rise of recent decades is keeping exports humming and providing the basis for firms to produce higher-value products.
"China cannot be replaced," said Fredrik Guitman, formerly China general manager for a Danish maker of silver products, adding that reliable delivery times were more important than price. "If they say 45 days, it will be 45 days."
Still, even as Chinese firms compete in more sophisticated product lines, they are unloading overstocked inventory from entrenched industrial overcapacity in sectors like steel, an irritant in global trading relationships. The United States and seven other countries this week called for urgent action to address a steel supply glut that many blame on China.
At the same time, China's imports from other countries fell sharply - down over 14 per cent in 2015 - leading some economists to suggest China was deploying an "import substitution" strategy that is pushing foreign brands out of its domestic markets.
On Wednesday, Beijing rolled out fresh measures to support machinery exports, including tax rebates, and encouraged banks to lend more to exporters. Machinery and mechanical appliances make up the biggest portion of China's exports.
Such policies may not be welcomed in the United States, where Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has called for 45 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports - a message that appears to resonate with American voters.
The risk is that the Chinese firms successfully moving up the value chain will see their overseas profits destroyed by a trade war if Trump's ideas find place in policy.
ADVANTAGE
Chinese firms' tenacity in overseas markets is largely built on the country's investment in a massive and integrated supply chain infrastructure, which makes them faster and more reliable to foreign companies that outsource all or some of their production.
"Reliability and speed is more important than price," Guitman said. "An out-of-stock product will hurt much more than a slightly higher price."
This manufacturing playground is allowing companies that make their own original goods to tinker with their products and branch out.
"China's export structure may not be as sophisticated as that of high-income economies, but with a better educated labor force and increasing investment in innovation, the country's products are now generally of a higher unit value and require more skilled labor," HSBC economists said in a report.
Critics say much of China's move up the value chain has been the result of pressure on foreign firms to transfer technology combined with a systematic and sustained campaign of industrial espionage targeting foreign technology.
The legions of mid-sized Chinese companies that now make drones, high-tech labels, smart home devices, and wind power equipment may lack the cachet of Chinese social media firms like Tencent, but they are a far greater combined threat to complacent foreign competitors, analysts say.
Privately owned SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd, a drone maker, is an example of how far Chinese exporters have come. The company has taken advantage of the smartphone component manufacturing ecosystem in the southern city of Shenzhen to take 70 per cent market share in the United States, a report by investment bank Oppenheimer & Co says.
A DJI spokesman credited the availability of skilled labor as its key advantage.
The playground has also offered hope to firms in oversaturated industries.
Shanghai-based ReneSola, for example, was once one of a herd of Chinese solar panel manufacturers, stuck in a glutted industry and heavily in debt.
But the company's investment in LED, or light emitting diode, is now paying off, giving it a fresh product line to export to the United States.
The LED line boasts gross margins of over 30 per cent, compared to low single digits for solar modules, the company's financial statements show.
ReneSola's US marketing head Naveed Hasan said that the firm's position in China was an advantage.
"We are able to use our brand and leverage the great number of contract manufacturers."
THE PRICE CHALLENGE
But while China has expanded its share, that share is of a shrinking pie and the country's firms have yet to develop the branding power of the likes of an Apple or Louis Vuitton.
Much of Chinese industrial innovation has focused on process and production improvements to make products at lower cost but acceptable quality.
That has some worried rising labor costs and a stronger yuan, or renminbi (RMB), will have an impact.
"This has put pressure on firms to upgrade," Li Jian, head of foreign trade research at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, the Commerce Ministry's think-tank, said.
China's producer pricing power has been falling for four years and the Chinese government sees more rough weather ahead.
"The circumstances surrounding foreign trade this year remain both complicated and gloomy," Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said on Tuesday. More than half of 3,000 companies surveyed by the ministry "believe the situation this year is increasingly grim."
General Awareness
India and French jointly launches programmes under International Solar Alliance
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Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy Shri Piyush Goal Jointly launches programmes under International Solar Allicance along with Ms. Segolene Royal, French Minister of Environment & President of COP21
Venue: Headquarters of the United Nations in New York
Delegates: Ministers and Representatives from over 25 countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Namibia, Uganda, Nigeria, Peru, Djibouti, Surinam, Zambia, Bolivia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Mali, USA along with India and France
In order to develop the massive progress in Solar Energy the following demands have been formulated
- Solar Finance – Lower the cost of finance and facilitate the flow of $1000 billion investment
- Improved solar technologies – Macro level technologies to be adopted
- Future Solar technologies and Capacity building through Research and development and to improve the efficiency and Integration
The Two Programmes of the International Solar Alliance
- Affordable finance at Scale
- Scaling solar applications for agricultural use
The International Steering committee approved the programmes on Agricultural and Finance. Founding conference of the International Solar alliance scheduled to be held in New Delhi.
- International Solar Alliance (ISA) Cell and UNDP Declared Cooperation for promoting solar energy
- In addition to the launching of programmes of the International Solar Alliance, there is an agreement was made between Interim Administrative cell of ISA and United Nations Development programme announced their intention to promote solar energy globally.
Areas recognized for joint actions:
- Development of Synergies with ongoing programmes
- Creation of complementary linkages with ongoing global and regional efforts
- Strategic Cooperation in programmatic and technical expertise
- Support for the establishment of knowledge management
- Strengthening the development of ISA’s institutional structure
Joint declaration was exchanged between Shri Piyush Goyal and Ministerial representatives from 25 ISA countries.
Shri UpendraTripathy, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Chariperson, ISA cell exchanged the declaration with UN representative and Mr. Yuri Afanasaiev, UN India Coordinator was also present.
- Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal & New and Renewable Energy Shri Piyush Goal Jointly launches programmes under International Solar Allicance along with Ms. Segolene Royal, French Minister of Environment & President of COP21Venue: Headquarters of the United Nations in New YorkDelegates: Ministers and Representatives from over 25 countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Namibia, Uganda, Nigeria, Peru, Djibouti, Surinam, Zambia, Bolivia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Mali, USA along with India and FranceIn order to develop the massive progress in Solar Energy the following demands have been formulated
- Solar Finance – Lower the cost of finance and facilitate the flow of $1000 billion investment
- Improved solar technologies – Macro level technologies to be adopted
- Future Solar technologies and Capacity building through Research and development and to improve the efficiency and Integration
The Two Programmes of the International Solar Alliance- Affordable finance at Scale
- Scaling solar applications for agricultural use
The International Steering committee approved the programmes on Agricultural and Finance. Founding conference of the International Solar alliance scheduled to be held in New Delhi.- International Solar Alliance (ISA) Cell and UNDP Declared Cooperation for promoting solar energy
- In addition to the launching of programmes of the International Solar Alliance, there is an agreement was made between Interim Administrative cell of ISA and United Nations Development programme announced their intention to promote solar energy globally.
Areas recognized for joint actions:- Development of Synergies with ongoing programmes
- Creation of complementary linkages with ongoing global and regional efforts
- Strategic Cooperation in programmatic and technical expertise
- Support for the establishment of knowledge management
- Strengthening the development of ISA’s institutional structure
Joint declaration was exchanged between Shri Piyush Goyal and Ministerial representatives from 25 ISA countries.Shri UpendraTripathy, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Chariperson, ISA cell exchanged the declaration with UN representative and Mr. Yuri Afanasaiev, UN India Coordinator was also present.
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