BIHAR TO GET HUGE GIFT FROM RAILWAY

(LALU PD YADAV; ARCHITECT OF RAILWAYS TURNAROUND)

Bihar is going to have two more new Railways Divisional Manager offices now. The Minister for Railways Lalu pd had proposed creation of Thawe ( gopalganj) and Bhagalpur divisional railway offices in the 2009-10 rail budget. Since this Budget has been passed by the Parliament, it paved the way of creation of the same.

Lalu pd today laid the foundation stones of these two newly created DRM offices in Thawe and Bhagalpur respectively.

With these two DRM offices coming to existence, the total number of DRM offices in Bihar has gone up to five(5). Besides these two, there are three DRM offices located at Danapur (Patna), Sonepur (Chhapra) and Samastipur respectively. All these two Divisional offices would be placed under North-Eastern Railway(NER) Zonal office, at Gorakhpur and Northern railway Howrah.

The creation of these two offices would increase the employment opportunities in this state and also add more revenues to the state's coffer. The actual construction work of these offices are likely to start only when the new govt takes office at the centre. Lalu pd has started constrution work in Bihar on a massive scale. One road-cum-rail bridge is being constructed at Digha in Patna and other is being built in Munger. One electric engine work shop is being constructed in Madhepura, whereas; wheel factory is likely begin in Chhapra. Besides this many railway stations have been updraded and modernised. Patna railway station has already been given face lift and sereral others are being given new and modern look. Gone are the days when you look the colonial vestige image on the railway stations in India. According to the information available with the public domain, about 60,000 crores rupees would be spent on these on going and proposed schemes in this development starved state.

NEW ERA TO USHER IN JAMMU & KASHMIR

ERA OF NEW HORIZON AND NEW HOPES WAIT TO USHER IN IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Omar Abdullah has hinted to repeal J&K Disturbed areas Act,1992 and Armed forces (special powers)Act 1958 very soon. It is pertinent to note that both these laws were enacted in order to tackle the terrorist activities in this disturbed state.

The successful election in the state in terms of high voters turn out and lesser incidents of violence have changed the political and social mileu in the state and has instilled confidence in the 'strathclyde scotland educated' and youngest CM, who in turn wants to fulfill the promises he had made to the people during his election campaign.

It should be noted that the above two laws are enacted by the Parliament, but the state govt can repeal it under the powers conferred to it vide Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and article 246(schedule-7 state list) of the constitution which gives state almost exclusive powers to the state govt in matters related to law and order.

Since these two laws give ample powers to the security forces with respect to arrests, search and firing, many human rights activists and political parties also call these laws 'draconian' and have been demanding their repeal since its enactment and application.

The withdrawal of these laws will certainly help win the good will and confidence of the people which have fast depleted over few years. But on the other hand ,it will curtail the powers of the security forces in dealing with the terrorists, which may hamper the peace process to further and normalcy to return.

Some experts in security matters are however of the opinion that constitution of National Investigationg Agency and amendment to Unlawful activities( prevention)

Act 1967 have rendered J&K Disturbed areas Act, 1992 and Armed forces (special powers)Act 1958 useless because the aforesaid law(Unlawful activities( prevention) Act 1967) and NIA are able to tackle the terrorists activities in far more effective and scientific manner.

By doing so the government can send a message of good will and kind gesture to the people of this state at large, now it is up to them to reciprocate in the same fashion.

It should be bone in mind that the local people irrespective of political affiliations have been highly critical of these, what they call'draconian and anti- kashmiri laws', therefore its repealment would usher in an era of new horizon and new hopes. This opportunity could be used to fill confidence and restore peace here in the valley,

Hopefully this step would also help in restoring peace in this strife torn territory of the Indian republic. Paksitan must also share the good gesture and reciprocate because playing with fire burns your own hands too, history has given us this lesson. All what is happening in Pakistan including in swat valley of FATA and elsewhere in this country are the fruits pakistan have sown over the years.

'BUY AMERICAN' ;IS IT ANOTHER SMOOT-HAWLEY ACT?

SENATOR SMOOT; THE ARCHITECT OF THE ACT

The 'buy american' clause in the Obama's 819 billion USD stimulus package has raise eye brows of many countries including India. The wave of prtectionism is blowing across the globe. The restriction in H-1B visa by USA and tightening of screws by British immigration authorities with regard to job seekers from Asian especially from coutries like India have set in this trend which will be imitated if not retaliated by many other countries across the globe. 

Similar steps had been taken by the USA after the great depression of 1930, when republican senator Reed smoot from Utah and another republcan C Hawley from Oregaon drafted America's most negative legislation called Smoot-Hawley bill which was passed by House in May, 1929. It was widely opposed by the contemporary economists of America itself, but since Hoover had made promise to the farmers of such protection, he got it implemented.It proved disastrous for not only Amrica but for the whole Europr if not the whole world. Similar retaliatory steps were taken by Britain, France, Germany and a host of such countries. They raised their tariff walls against the American goods and the export of American good fell down sharply. According to date available on the wikipedia, the export of USA fell from 2341 million dollar in 1929 to 784 million dollar in 1932. Result was catastrophic, the American Industries had to cut down production as the export fell,this led to job cuts. The figures suggest that the unemployement which was 7.8% in 1930 rose to 25.1% in 1933.

It seems that Americans have not learnt anything from history. Although Obama is opposed to this clause, the republicans are again doing the same mistakes. This clause may benifit US economy in short term but in long term this would result in negative growth of America. The export of software industries and aircrafts to countries like India, China and Brazil may go down if these countries resort to same kind of retaliatory measures.

This clause also goes against the ethos of free trade economy. If we talk in terms of a global village how can we resort to such a primitive and economically naive steps. Time has come for the Americans to ponder that much water have spilled since the first depression. World is changing and the room on the chess board is shrinking.

According to the latest figures released by the Commerce department of USA, the GDP has underwent contraction by more than 6%. Earlier it was estimated that the contraction would be less than 3% but it went more than the estimate. Obama's stimulus package lauched by the US administration is expected to show its positive results after a couple of months. This unprecedented contraction in GDP is due to decrease in domestic spending which is all time low. The figures suggest that the American export has underwent downward trend highest ever since 1970s. The Buy American clause in the stimulus package, on principle, is opposed by Obama but it is not being conceived in wider perspective.

BERLIN CONFERENCE; PRELUDE TO G-20

MARKEL AND BROWN; WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?

Leaders of major european countries have assembled in Berlin in a prelude to G-20 summit (India is also a member of G-20) which is scheduled to be held on 2nd April this year in London. This meeting is being attached immense singnificance because leaders of all major european economic powers have accepted officially that recession has arrived into their countries. Although no consensus is likely to be arrived at here also, but all leaders have unanimously argreed to the fact that this is a " global crisis and therefore it needs to be tackled globally", an acceptance which had been conspicously absent in all previous deliberations on economic matters. The change in attitude is significane and it seems that they are making themselves prepared to give a big say to other countries of third world, vis-a-vis new 'global financial order'. Markel went upto saying that this is the ' extraordinary international crisis' that means they want it to be solved with global participation.

Underpinning the significance of forthcoming London Summit, President Sarkozy said that ' summit would bear historic responsibility to reform global system. Apprehending the advent of trend of protectionism, Gordon Brown said that it would undo all the progresses which we have made over these years in terms of prosperity, liberty and democracy. Brown further said that an economy should be created which is based on ' soundest principles' and world needed a ' global new deal'.

Although all participating leaders have divergent views on majority of issues, but all of them reiterated the need of conferrement of major role on global financial institutions like IMF and world Bank.

The leaders also expressed their anguish and concerns on the system of giving hefty bonuses to the corporate managers at the cost of tax payers money. It should be born in minds that Obama have strongly warned against such practises. In India our PM had raised voice of concerns months ahead of this crisis when he had requested the corporate houses to trim the salaries of CEOs because it not only widens disparity but also instills frustrations in different classes of society. Unfortunately this appeal was not taken by Industrial and corporate houses in its spirit. Many laughed saying 'pay gram and you employ monkeys' 

This prelude conference at Berlin gives some idea about the agenda of the London summit on which India and other developing nations must do home works.

What actually India and other such countries want from the London summit? BRIC ( Brazil, Russia,India and China) and IBRA and other such blocs must prepare their agenda well before this summit so that they can put their case in a more cohesive and coordinated way. India has not yet started Institutionalised official deliberation on it as to what we are looking for in the forthcoming ssummit. It is the high time that we must stake claim a big role in the proposed global financial order otherwise there is no use crying over spilt milk.