Round The States
New Delhi, 23 June 2011
Corruption Across
Country
MANDATORY LOKPAL
FOR STATES?
By Insaf
The Lokpal continues to receive major interest all over the
country reflecting the clash between the Government and the Anna Hazare civil
society. Surprisingly, however, one aspect of the Bill has not received the
attention it deserves. This relates to the attitude of the States—should they
have separate legislation or should it come under the national law. The civil
society is clear that the States should be forced to appoint Lokpals under
mandatory Central legislation. Some of the States, however, do not agree. They
wish to have their own freedom in tackling corruption as it suits them best. A clearer
picture would be available only next month at a meeting of all parties and
Chief Ministers called by the Centre to elicit their opinion on the two drafts
of the Lokpal Bill. Will they also agree to disagree or will the corruption
issue bring them together as desired?
* * * *
Fiery Battle For UP
Politics in Uttar Pradesh is poised to get increasingly
controversial and fiery, thanks to the BJP’s decision to re-induct Uma Bharti
into the party. On day one, Uma, the leader in charge of UP, took on Chief
Minister Mayawati on the rising crime in the State particularly women. Setting the political agenda for the Assembly
polls next year, Uma announced on Wednesday last that these would be fought on
the twin agendas of development and crime. The State has hit the headlines with
a spate of rape cases this week, forcing Mayawati to announce more stringent
punishment for the rape accused. But Uma has dismissed her proposals saying
“Mayawati herself was patronizing criminals ….Whether the CM is a man or a
woman is irrelevant. What matters is the will to execute the job.” While it is
uncertain how much a dent Uma will make to Mayawati’s vote bank, it goes
without saying the political campaign will be hot.
* * * *
Bonanza for West Bengal
The Planning Commission has showered its benevolence to West Bengal. Responding to Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee’s plaint for much-needed development funds for reviving the State’s
economy. The Commission has granted a whopping Rs.22214 crores, 23 per cent
more than the 2010-11 Rs.17985 crore allocation. Importantly, the Chief
Minister has fixed a target of creating 10 lakh jobs in the next two years,
creating an investor friendly environment alongwith developing 17 new
industrial clusters in the State. Also on the anvil, is transforming Kolkata
into London and Darjeeling
into Switzerland.
It remains to be seen if the funds will indeed translate in to Mamata’s
development vision!
* * * *
Women Leaders Upset
Women leaders across the States are agitating and angry as
seldom before. They are greatly upset that the latest attempt of the Speaker
Meira Kumar to break the logjam over the Women’s Reservation Bill has failed
yet again. On Wednesday last, Kumar had called an all-Party meet to iron out
differences over the Bill so that it could be brought in the ensuing Monsoon
session. Apparently, the women see no major breakthrough coming as the
vociferous opponents, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, were
absent at the meet. While the BJP, the Congress, the Left Parties, AIADMK, the
DMK, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the TMC, made it a point to attend, they failed
to iron out differences over how 33 per cent reservation could be ensured. For
instance, the Shiv Sena wants to make it compulsory for the parties to reserve
certain per cent of tickets to women candidates, the RJD insists on a quota
within the quota for OBCs. Will there ever be a meeting ground?
* * * *
BJP’s Relief In Maharashtra
The BJP has got a breather in Maharashtra.
Sulking leader Gopinath Munde has decided to “remain with the party.” After
days of anxious negotiations, the party was able to work out a formula to keep
its Maharashtrian leader within its fold, in the backdrop of Munde threatening
to join the opposite camp, the Congress. Apparently, Munde will now lead the
party’s campaign for the Assembly elections in the State. Though the polls are
years away, the announcement, which is yet to be made, will send the signal
that Munde is its top most leader there. Obviously, the BJP realized that
Munde’s enjoyed clout within the State and his exit could leave a big hole in
its State unit. An estimate suggested that about 20-25 constituencies could be
affected if the backward caste leader chose to quit. Guess the BJP got its
calculations right.
* * * *
Kerala’s Ponzi Scam
Kerala is the latest State to be hit by scandal. The Kerala
police has unearthed a multi-city investment scam totaling Rs.1000 crores
involving real estate developers and money chain fraudsters. Thus, duping lakhs
of victims poorer of their savings in the State and abroad. The modus operandi
was simple: a money chain dealer would deposit crores taken from investors in
to 14 bank accounts using fake identities and pocket the same. A real estate
developer would default on his promise of handing over properties. Like Britain’s
infamous Ponzi
scheme in Kerala too
investors were promised returns not from
any actual profit earned by the organization, but from their own money or money
paid by subsequent investors.
A harried Chief Minister Oommen Chandy now is busy soothing frayed tempers.
* * * *
Karnataka’s
Unbecoming Objection
Karnataka wishes away what any State would vie for—a World
Heritage site tag! The State, much to the embarrassment of the Union
Environment Ministry, is campaigning against a probable tag for 10 sites on the
Western Ghats, an acknowledged hot spot of
bio-diversity. Just before the finalization of the list by UNESCO, the
Yeddyurappa Government has sought to voice its opposition saying it is fully
capable of protecting the Ghats on its own and
insists that forest dwellers will suffer if the World Heritage tag prevents
development work from taking place there. A baffled Ministry is pressing hard
for the State to remove its objection. It argues that the Ghats spread over
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra had been actively involved
through the entire process of identifying the 39 sites and wonders why this
last minute objection. It pleads: Save the country an international
embarrassment. Will Karnataka heed? ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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