Round The States
New Delhi, 21 July 2011
Darjeeling Accord
PEACE RETURNS TO
HILLS
By Insaf
From Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988 to Darjeeling
Territorial Administration in 2011, indeed the salubrious hill station in West Bengal has travelled a long way. In a historic and
unprecedented tripartite accord between the Centre, West Bengal Government and
the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Darjeeling
is all set for “maximum possible autonomy”. According to the agreement, the GTA
will get 59 subjects including agriculture and revenue of tea gardens, setting
up super specialty hospitals, 1000 acre as special economic zone, water supply
et al. Towards that end, it will get Rs.250 crores annually from the Centre. Significantly,
the accord also gives the GTA powers to frame rules under State Acts to run
these departments. Clearly, the ice may
have been broken but the thaw will take time as both sides wait to see how
peace pans out.
Notwithstanding, the tripartite agreement the GJM President Gurung
continued to hoot for a separate Gorkhaland
State. His demand
resonated among the people who saw it as the beginning of a new face of
movement for separate Statehood. Importantly, he underscored that the
contentious Dooars and Terai regions would also be included in the GTA despite
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assertion that “Bengal
will not be divided”. Countered Gurang, the new boundary demarcation would soon
begin in the Dooars and Terai, where the GJM had demanded a total of 196 and
199 mouzas respectively. Predictably,
the GTA has added to the Centre’s troubles as other than Telangana demands for
a new State have risen in UP for Harit Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal.
Has the State and the Centre bitten of more than they can chew?
* * * *
CBI Probe In UP
Bad news seems to be following UP Chief Minister Mayawati
these days. On the heels of the Supreme Court striking down land acquisitions
in Greater Noida following farmers’ unrest, the CBI is now all set to probe the
murders of two Chief Medical Officers in a span of six months. As also, the
financial irregularities in the Lucknow CMOs office. Adding to her discomfiture
are reports of blatant misuse of the National Rural Health Mission Funds (NRHM)
to the tune of over Rs.3000 crores. Among the findings of the Central team that
reviewed the NRHM in the State it found 779 ambulance costing over Rs.55 crores
languishing unused for over six months. All eyes are on how Mayawati wriggles
out of this unseemly controversy.
* * * *
Nagaland Extortion
Racket
Extortion is slowly but surely proving to be Nagaland’s
nemesis. The traders in the North-eastern
State fed up the ‘tax
menace’ from different underground groups downed their shutters last week and
warned Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s Government to ensure that tax collection
stops forthwith. At a hurriedly convened emergency meeting the State Government
decided to strengthen the district police and intelligence operations to arrest
the extortion racket. The Government has also advised the trading community to
report all extortion notes to the police. Recall, extortion has become a way of
life in Nagaland for decades where politicians, businessmen, shopkeepers etc
have to pay huge sums as tax to at least six different underground groups. It
is no secret that even the Governor is not spared and is sent extortion notes
to ensure his own safety. Over the years, some organizations even have an
annual tax structure. Those who refuse to pay tax are then abducted and
families held to ransom. Time for the State to wake up and say no to the tax
menace.
* * * *
Freebies In Bihar
‘Clean’ Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is in the eye of
the storm following reports of allotment by the Bihar Industrial Area
Development Authority (BIADA) to the kith and kin of at least two ministers and
sons of MPs and daughters of MLCs and IAS officers. Most scandalously, instead
of following the land allotment process through open tenders the Chief Minister
‘gifted away’ the land to appease VVIPs and VIPS. The modus operandi adopted
was simple: The BIADA gave land on a 99-year lease after the State Investment
Promotion Board approved a detail project report of the interested company.
Significantly, of the 400 allottees of the BIADA land, a majority are those
with the right political connections. With the Opposition stalling the State
Assembly, Nitish Kumar has asked the Chief Secretary to submit a report on the
allotment and the criteria adopted. Clearly another instance that favouritism
entails heavy cost!
* * * *
Jharkhand Warns
Bureaucrats
Taking a leaf from neighbour Bihar, the Jharkhand Government is all set with a new law
Jharkhand Rajya Seva Dene Ki Guarantee
Vidheyak-2011 (Right to Service Bill) which proposes penalty of Rs 500 to
5,000 against Government officials who fail to deliver services to the common
man. Importantly, the penalties would be deducted from the bureaucrats salary
for inaction. That the Chief Minister means business is clear as the services
falling under the Draft Bill are to be notified soon. Clearly, the State’s aam aadmi can now look forward to happy
days: Police verification reports for
passports, arms or character certificates will take only seven days, a driving
licence 30 days and an international driving licence seven days, a residence
proof certificate in 15 days and a caste certificate within 30 days and social
pension applications within 21 days etc. Sounds too good to be true.
* * * *
Karnataka For Gita
Karnataka seems to be in the thick of controversies. The
latest is a furor over teaching the Bhagwat Gita in primary and higher
secondary schools in the State. Launched with much fan fare in January this
year in the Kolar district, the scheme already covers all schools in 26
districts. Predictably, several minority groups including the State Minority
Educational Institutions Management and NGOs’ have raised the ante against this
measure and plan to move court. The Students Federation of India too is opposing
it on the ground that teaching of one religious group cannot be allowed in a
secular country. Complicating matters is the State Education Minister’s
statement that “those who have no respect for the Gita must leave the country”.
True, the Gita is also taught in another BJP-ruled State
Madhya Pradesh but it is not compulsory there. All eyes are now on the State
Administration of how it resolves this logjam. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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