Home Blog Page 378

Bureaucracy must understand the bond between Indian soldiers & India

Jaibans Singh
-
0
Bureaucracy must understand the bond between Indian soldiers & India

In June 2019, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued a notification directing that income tax exemption on disability pension would be given only to such Armed Forces personnel who had been “invalidated from service.” Military veterans in India considered this notification to be discriminatory and approached the Supreme Court for relief. The Supreme Court directed all parties to maintain ‘status quo’ on the matter vide its order dated August 30th 2019.

In the meantime, PCDA (Principal Controller of Defence Accounts–Pensions), Allahabad issued a circular, dated February 20th 2020, directing deduction of the said Income tax in accordance with the CBDT notification. Accordingly, the State Bank of India (SBI) debited as Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) the entire amount for the financial year, from the pension of the disabled personnel for the month of February 2020. As a result such personnel received only Rs 100/- as pension for the month.

There was widespread criticism of the step taken by the SBI as the disabled pensioners were left with no money to meet monthly expenses. Also, the action taken by PCDA, Allahabad and SBI constituted a “Contempt of Court.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh moved with exemplary speed, cutting through the bureaucratic red tape that his ministry is infamous for, and got the order rescinded. Within two days, the disabled veterans had their pension credited to their account. This prompt action by the Defence Minister has won for him many hearts and accolades from among the military veteran community.

Soldiers lead a very tough life indeed. They go through the extreme hardship due to the love bestowed upon them by the nation and their families, as also, for the glory of their Units/Regiments and the Indian Army. They spend their youth in hard conditions with the hope that once they get back home after a distinguished service, they will be well looked after and respected by the nation and the family for whom they have sacrificed so much.

If serving soldiers see military veterans being badly treated by the nation as well as by the families, the very reason for hard work and sacrifice becomes redundant. Such a situation where soldiers function without morale and motivation can be very dangerous for the security of the nation. It is a danger whose negative manifestation would come out only on the battlefield when the soldier does not exhibit the will to fight. By then it will be too late to rectify the situation.

It is not the weapon/machine but the man behind the weapon/machine who wins battles. The best of weapons and training holds no value if the soldier does not have the desire to fight and win. This has been the case over millenniums of warfare, well exemplified by small armies winning over very large, well equipped ones.

Military veterans play the biggest role in motivating the serving generation towards upholding the highest tenets of military ethos and courage. They meet the serving soldiers frequently, tell them stories of the times when they faced similar difficulties and came out victorious. Veterans assist the serving soldiers in getting over the insecurities that they face in pursuance of their very difficult task and very hard life. If these veterans are left unmotivated what will they teach to the younger generation?

For any government be it a democratic, communist, fascist, dictatorship, monarchy and autocracy, keeping a strong, well equipped and motivated Armed Force is the first priority. History is replete with instances when rulers have failed to look after their soldiers and have paid for it with decimation of their regimes.

It is known that leaders of democracies have a need to show development for their political survival. However, to go for development at the cost of defence is a blunder that no nation can afford. In India, a system has evolved where the bureaucracy controls all matters relating to the defence of the country. It is okay for the bureaucracy to facilitate the upkeep of the forces in terms of weapons, administration etc. The political leadership, however, cannot depend upon the bureaucracy in matters pertaining to the leader-soldier-veteran relationship. It is something that is very personal. When a nation loses a war, it’s never the bureaucrat who is held responsible. The onus of the loss is put upon the leader and the eternal shame comes to the lot of soldiers. Can there be a bigger reason for maintaining a personal connect between the two?

India is a fledgling democracy surviving in an inimical neighbourhood. There are many global forces that do not wish to see the country prosper. Under such circumstances it is the Armed Forces that need to be the strongest element of power projection. If the military is strong, hostile voices will be automatically subdued.

It is, therefore, very necessary for a Defence Minister of the country to take a lead in meeting the aspirations and requirements of the serving as well as veteran community of soldiers. In this the Defence Minister needs to get complete support of the entire government apparatus.

A soldier does not like to demand what little he needs, it is the leadership’s responsibility to understand his needs to give beyond them and thus build a strong foundation of the Armed Forces. If such circumstances are created then the soldier will defeat the enemy even with bare hands.

The matter of removing income tax exemption on pension being given to military veterans is just one of the many pinpricks that are vitiating the relationship of the government with soldiers, serving and veteran. There are matters like implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, curtailing of canteen facilities, shoddy implementation of the health insurance scheme (ECHS) and many others that are causing an avoidable friction between the government and the military veterans.

There is a perception that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will take affirmative steps towards bridging the gap between veterans and the government. This perception needs to be turned to reality. To start with let it be ensured that no soldier, serving or veteran, ever has to go to court to get his dues from the government since there can be no bigger shame than this in the holy relationship of the soldier with his leader.

May I speak to you, Farooq Abdullah Sahib?

Prof. K.N. Pandita
-
1
May I speak to you, Farooq Abdullah Sahib?

Permit me to speak to you candidly, Farooq Sahib. People in Kashmir call you an eccentric man. I agree with them but I know you have a method in the madness.

Despite all eccentricity that you may have, you have, through paternal legacy and conviction, rejected Kashmir’s Pakistan option. It is not to please the Indians but to care for your compatriots in Jammu & Kashmir who are emotional but not visionary. 

New Delhi has been soft as well as harsh to you, a mixed dosage, in your entire political career. You have more friends in the rest of the county than in Kashmir just because you have the art of making friends, not enemies. Observing and inquisitive people look at personality not person necessarily. It is so true in your case.

Your DNA is a peculiar combination of emotion and rationality, of subtlety and blatancy, of antics and polemics. These traits of character are rarely found in contemporary Indian political culture.

For seven long months, you were put under house arrest and PSA (Public Safety Act) was also slapped on you. It was an unjustifiable action. But lately, you had made yourself an unusual and unexpected enigma. Your conscience must have chided you when once you said you were walking behind the Hurriyat. That statement made a political colossus turn into a diminutive. The minions around you in and outside your party let you down in the final analysis. Things worsened when you, in a bid to score a point over Mehbooba Mufti, began sending unsolicited pieces of advice to New Delhi to talk to Pakistan about Kashmir. Of course, you said that in good faith but you did not realize that you were playing with fire. Had you asked the militants to cease fire and let the two sides talk, it would have carried the desired weight.

Farooq Sahib, can you imagine what damage you did to the State, the country and your organization by joining hands with the assorted group of opposition and travelled all the way to Kolkata to join the camaraderie. It did not behove your stature. Your illustrious father Sheikh Sahib gave not a tuppence to these lumpen all his life. Why do you want to compromise your personality, prestige and ideology? What was your compulsion? Was it insurmountable?

After 5th. August 2019, many things have happened extensively affecting the erstwhile J&K State. Do you want to look back and open a plethora of laments or do you want to look forward and move ahead? Our understanding is that you, as a modern, forward-looking and a pragmatic politician, will opt for the latter choice.

A new political atmosphere is developing in the country with ramifications for the Union Territory of J&K. The spectre of the third political front is emerging in J&K. Whether sponsored or indigenous is not the point. The point to be highlighted is that you have the compulsion of familiarizing yourself with the undercurrent. We are aware that the Home Ministry was working on the double strategy of boosting the third front and negotiating with you while you were under house arrest. The Home Ministry undoubtedly must be working along with the formula that a known devil is better than an unknown saint. Fortunately for Kashmir, you have chosen the right path of feeling the mainstream pulse.

Where do we go from here? Militancy has destroyed Kashmir. Whether you connived at it out of day-dreaming or whether you were incapacitated to handle it adroitly and nip the evil in the bud etc. will remain contentious issues. These will get relegated to the dustbin of history. However, keeping your gaze fixed on the question what next in the light of what has happened, we may say that there is still a chance of redemption provided at this ripe age you decide to muster courage and take independent decisions.

The first and foremost suggestion we would humbly make is that you distance yourself from politics of negation as well as negative politicians. The Congress and the Left, your old cronies, are a defunct, archaic and rejected lot. Either mend them or shun them and carve your path. Don’t think that you were released from house arrest on their plea. Keep them happy with goshtaba and biryani because that is all they are worth.

Please think constructively how you can impress upon your colleagues, friends and vast masses of people in Kashmir to have trust in the secular democratic dispensation. Teach them to respect it and strengthen it. That can be done by making them compare their lot with the lot of the wide Muslim world of Arab Spring. We know this is a formidable task but great persons struggle only for a great cause. Your voice in the parliament should be the loudest, most sagacious and most pragmatic one as if the voice from the invisible. Don’t walk the footprints of minions, rather (to put it poetically) — apne dil ko kar apne chirag se roshan (enlighten your heart through the lamp in your heart).

Lastly, Farooq Sahib, you need to reach the vast Indian nation. Taking care of this historic nation also means taking care of your people in J&K as well. You may like to please Kashmiris by recounting to them the ideas of reviving the statehood of J&K. Nothing wrong about that but before doing so put this question to your conscience, “Wasn’t it possible to bring about a drastic change to the State when it was fast drifting away under subversion?” Neither the revival of the statehood nor the domicile issue and nor the resolution of the internal displacement logjam is of any priority. The priority issue is of existentialism of civilizational India. The priority is to understand and remedy the damage done by home-bred enemies to the nation.

Farooq Sahib, history beckons you to perform your historic role. Take it or leave it, the choice is yours.

UNHCR must also object to the Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA)

Nilesh Kunwar
-
4
UNHCR must also object to the Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA)

Even though United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) Michelle Bachelet Jeria’s decision to move the Supreme Court of India on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) clearly amounts to interference in a sovereign country’s internal affairs, I would still like to believe that her intentions were entirely honourable. Having said so, I would like thank her for showing concern and request Ms. Jeria to kindly take some time out and also approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan against Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA) 2014 that in the words of Human Rights Watch (HRW) Asia Director Brad Adams “runs roughshod over (human) rights provided under international law as well as Pakistan’s constitution.”

The provisions of PPA are so oppressive and disturbing that in 2014, Adams opined that “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the House in the National Assembly, should withdraw this resolution and replace it with a law that would fight terrorism while protecting basic rights.” Some of the unnerving provisions of PPA enumerated in the 2014 HRW report are:

  • “The vague definition of terrorist acts, which could be used to prosecute a very wide range of conduct far beyond the limits of what can reasonably be considered terrorist activity.”
  • “The expansion of powers of arrest without warrant from the police to members of the armed forces or “civil armed forces acting in aid of civil authority” as it “violates the rights against arbitrary arrest under Article 9, and to privacy and the security of the home under article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).”
  • “Shifting the “burden of proof” from government prosecutors to criminal suspects,” which “violates the fundamental principle of presumption of innocence embedded in Article 14 of the ICCPR (that ensures “the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law).”
  • “Providing effective immunity for abuses committed by security forces and judicial officials acting under the law, protecting them from any liability “for acts done in good faith during the performance of their duties.” This blanket immunity violates Article 2(3) of the ICCPR, which requires that governments ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms are violated “shall have an effective remedy, notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity.”
  • Empowering the government to determine the place of custody, inquiry, investigation and trial. This could permit detentions and prosecutions being conducted outside the established judicial system in violation of basic protections against arbitrary detention under Article 9 of the ICCPR and the right to “a fair and public hearing” under Article 14.

Certain other draconian provisions of the Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA) 2014 , on which International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have expressed grave concern are:

  • Section 6, which permits preventive administrative detention without adequate safeguards and retrospectively authorises otherwise arbitrary or unauthorised arrests or detentions previously carried out, in violation of the right to liberty.
  • Section 9, which among other things, authorizes secret and unacknowledged detention, as well as in some cases, the nondisclosure of grounds for detention.
  • Section 3(2)(c), which allows arbitrary interference with the right to privacy.
  • Vague and over broad offences, defined in the Schedule to the Act, including Section 1(xiv) relating to cyber-crimes, internet offences and other offences related to information technology that “threaten the security of Pakistan,” which are open to abuse and could lead to the stifling of peaceful expression of political dissent.
  • Sections 15 and 5(5), which reverse the burden of proof in criminal proceedings in contravention of the presumption of innocence, a fundamental requirement for fair criminal proceedings, applicable to all accused persons no matter how heinous the crime with which they are charged.
  • Sections 8, 10, 17(2), and 17(3), which establish Special Courts and set out procedures for the operation of Special Courts that would expand the scope of secret hearings and do not meet human rights requirements for fair and public criminal proceedings before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal.

What should be of particular concern to Ms. Jeria is that even though
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) are autonomous bodies and independent of each other, the reservations expressed on Protection of Pakistan Act (PPA) 2014 by the Asia Directors of both these organisations are strikingly similar and pertain to Pakistan’s extremely poor record of human rights record. While HRW’s Asia Director Brad Adams has highlighted that “Pakistan has a long history of abuses of suspects in detention and should reject this vague and over-broad counter-terrorism law.” Sam Zarifi, who’s ICJ’s Asia Director maintains that “This law is more like a license for the Government (Pakistan) to continue its poor record of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, torture and ill-treatment, and arbitrary detentions—all gross violations of human rights that are already committed at horrific levels in Pakistan.”

Tailpiece: By approaching the Supreme Court of India on the CAA issue, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has set a precedent and to prove that she isn’t parochial, Ms. Jeria is morally bound to show a similar concern for all those who have been stripped off their dignity and denied basic rights by the draconian provisions of PPA 2014!

Despite Pak malevolence, New Delhi continues to lay peace foundation in Kashmir

Dr Simrit Kahlon
-
0
Despite Pak malevolence, New Delhi continues to lay peace foundation in Kashmir

A counter terrorist operation in village Khawjapora Reban, Shopian, on the morning of 9th March, led to the killing of two terrorists associated with Hizbul Mujahedeen. These terrorists were identified as Shabir Ahmad Malik alias Abu Maviya, resident of village Tungduno Yaripora, Kulgam who had been active since December 2017 and Amir Ahmad Dar resident of Wadina Melhoura who had been active since 2019.

The operation was carried out by a joint team of the Indian Army’s Rashtriya Rifles unit and JK Police on the basis of intelligence received about the presence of terrorists in the area. The forces had laid a cordon and were conducting a search when the terrorist opened fired upon them. The terrorists were killed in the ensuing operation.

One AK-47 Rifle, one UBGL (under barrel grenade launcher) and one Chinese pistol were recovered from the encounter site. Shabir Ahmad Malik alias Abu Mayiya was a Pakistan trained terrorist presently designated as the commander of his organisation and was involved in a large number of terrorism related cases in South Kashmir.

Earlier on March 5th, terrorists had attacked a police station in Warpora in Sopore, Baramulla, in which one Policeman Wajahat Ahmed Bhat and a civilian, Umar Subhan were killed. Another policeman Showket Ahmed Khanday was injured. 

On March 6th, a Grenade was lobbed by terrorists at a police checkpoint near Maharaj Gunj Zaina Kadal Police Station in downtown Srinagar leading to a civilian, Ghulam Nabi Ahnger, sustaining injuries. The previous month of February had witnessed two Grenade attacks. The first was on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Lal Chowk, Srinagar, on February 2nd that caused injuries to two CRPF soldiers and seven civilians. This was followed by another Grenade attack on a police station at Pulwama on February 15th, in which no casualty was reported.

Cease fire violations by Pakistan are unabated; in the last few days itself incidents of unprovoked firing from across the border have been reported in the Mankot area of Poonch where Pakistani rangers are resorting to fire with small arms as well and mortars. Earlier on February 3rd, a civilian, Manzor Ahmad, was reported killed in cross border fire at Tangdhar sector.

It is quite clear from the foregoing that pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and successful visit of US President Donald Trump to India has, by no means, quenched the thirst of Pakistani war machinery to create trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian security forces are, very rightly, watching the situation with an eagle eye and have kept up pressure on the terrorism machinery both within Kashmir and on the other side of the border. There has been a tight check on infiltration despite the ceasefire violations (that facilitate infiltration), having doubled in 2019 from the previous year. 3,200 incidents of ceasefire violations are reported for 2019 as compared to 1,629 incidents in 2018. A marked increase was witnessed post abrogation of Article 370 and re-organisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan is nursing a red nose on having failed to generate widespread violence and disruption in Jammu and Kashmir post the re-organisation of the region. The situation has greatly increased the levels of desperation of the country’s terrorism strategists. On the one hand they are trying to infiltrate terrorists and on the other hand they are forcing their remnants in Kashmir to keep the flame of terrorism alive. The pathetic stand-off attacks with Grenades and the incessant ceasefire violations despite no tangible results is an indication of the high level of desperation.

For India, the criticality lies in the capacity of the government to fully leverage the willing acceptance of the new dispensation by the people. The government also needs to take full use of the constituency of peace created by the security forces towards ushering an era of peace and prosperity in the region. It is to the credit of the government that it has moved assertively in this direction.

The exercise for delimitation of constituencies for the Union Territory Legislature and the Union Parliament, which constitutes the first step towards integrating the region into the rich democratic fabric of the country, has already been initiated. A Delimitation Commission headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai has already been constituted to redraw Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies of the Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir among other states. Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and state election commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir and the four states will be the ex-officio members. It is hoped that the process will be completed in a timely manner and will do justice to all the peoples of the Union Territory that has a diverse ethnic and geographic profile.

The decision of some Kashmir based leaders to float a new party indicates a desire to fill in the political space in a manner that gives more option to the people who have, for long, remained dominated by two family-led, feudal entities. It is hoped that a new and young leadership will also emerge and lead the region along the desired path of development and stability.

Meanwhile the administration under Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu has established good governance and efficient administration for hassle-free and smooth public service delivery. He has put in place an effective grievance redressal mechanism that has helped the region pass through a particularly harsh winter without any serious problem. He has been proactively applying the development plans of New Delhi in the Union Territory and is putting in special efforts to woo investors into the region. He will surely have a stable administration in place for the democratic structures to function with.

Much has been achieved in Jammu and Kashmir even as much needs to be done to achieve the desired end state. The security forces need to keep the peace constituency in place even as the government needs to boost efforts to bring in desired democracy and prosperity.

It’s easy to blame RBI for Yes Bank fiasco. Even early action would have been criticized

Mahua Venkatesh
-
0
It’s easy to blame RBI for Yes Bank fiasco. Even early action would have been criticized

As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a month-long moratorium on the ailing Yes Bank with withdrawal restrictions, pundits have not wasted times in blaming the central bank. You ask anybody on the street, in your office or at a social gathering and (s)he has a view on the subject. Most, with or without understanding the subject, have not hesitated in blaming the RBI. Is RBI to blame?

First, let us understand the sequence of events.

No doubt that trouble was brewing at the private sector bank for the last few years and the level of Non Performing Assets (NPAs) – loans that do not fetch any returns– was steadily growing since 2016. The spotlight has been on the private sector lender since former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan’s order to all banks to clean up their books and disclose their NPA levels upfront. Problems were multiple and went beyond the NPA, which obviously had reached alarming levels. Serious loopholes relating to non-disclosure, divergence of funds, inadequate capital came to light.

In August 2018, the RBI refused to extend Rana Kapoor’s three-year tenure as the chief of the bank. By January 2019, a new CEO had been appointed to take charge of the bank.

Now, was the RBI unaware of these problems? The answer is No. As Rajan, in an interview with CNBC TV 18, had said that the Yes Bank had given enough notice and things could have been handled differently and much earlier. This is true. Yes, RBI could have acted earlier. But if it did, would the situation be any different?

I doubt. RBI would have had to thrash out the same prescription as it has done now. There would have been panic then, instead of now.

But let us understand that the situation would not have been any different.

Anytime, if the RBI clamps down on a bank, especially the ones from private sector, there would be panic. If you are banking with a public sector lender, you typically tend to believe that your money is safer with the sovereign government being the majority shareholder. In case of a private sector bank, the case is different.

The RBI and the government – both have come out to assure the depositors and customers of Yes Bank that their money is safe and a revival plan is already being looked into.

The State Bank of India – India’s largest lender—has already picked up 49% stake in the crisis hit bank, once co-founded and promoted by Rana Kapoor.

Kapoor, a brash banker, went ahead and lent to companies such as the Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL), Anil Ambani Group and the Zee Group, which were ailing from within. Naturally there were lapses in the due diligence process.

Rewind to 2019. The RBI imposed restrictions on Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank after serious irregularities came to light. The central bank came under scathing criticism. Again the same set of questions came up. Couldn’t the RBI act earlier? The central bank can act and acts only when things go wrong. So, as blasphemous as it may sound, but things have to go wrong for the RBI to take action. Similarly Global Trust Bank failed in 2004 and Oriental Bank of Commerce was immediately asked to take it over.

The timing of RBI’s action is always questioned and here we have to remember that panic will strike whenever the central bank intervenes. The RBI also has to see to it that unnecessary panic is not created and banks—public or private can operate as normally as possible.

Finally, after banks were nationalized, never has it happened that depositors of a failed bank have been allowed to suffer. Their money has always remained safe and protected.

India has a strong banking system compared to other countries, thanks to the RBI and let us not doubt that. 

Ashok Khemka: The Man Who Kept His Travel Kit Ready

Shantanu Guha Ray
-
0
Ashok Khemka: The Man Who Kept His Travel Kit Ready

It was in September last year when Enforcement Directorate told the Delhi High Court that the “money trail (in a laundering case) is directly related to Robert Vadra. “There is a money trail directly related to Robert Vadra. Direct payments were made into Pilatus,” said ED counsel DP Singh before a single judge bench presided by Justice Chandra Shekhar. The court was hearing the petition filed by the agency seeking cancellation of bail granted to Vadra in the money laundering case related to the purchase of 75 Pilatus aircraft by the UPA government in 2009-10. The ED claimed to have tracked kickbacks of Rs 310 crore allegedly paid to Bhandari for swinging the Rs 2,900 crore deal. After the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, this was the second big defence contract signed by the UPA government which is being probed by the ED and the CBI. Now, the ED action against Bhandari was politically significant because of his alleged proximity to Congress leader Priyanka Vadra’s spouse Robert Vadra.

So what did the ED claim? 

The ED said it found huge cash deposits in Vadra’s front entity in Dubai which were used to acquire properties in London, which linked Vadra to Bhandari. The email correspondence between Sanjay Bhandari, Summit Chadha (London-based relative of Bhandari), Manoj Arora and Vadra showed that he (Vadra) had a keen interest in this property and was interested in knowing all about the renovation work that was being carried out. The ED further informed the court about properties whose beneficial owner was Vadra, this included two houses in London worth 5 million pounds, 4 million pounds and six flats.

The Pilatus case showed the clout and power of Vadra. Everyone in Delhi and other Indian cities knew his prowess, and also the fact that he was fiercely guarded by the powers that be in the Indian Capital. He was like a champion without winning medals. It was only when the BJP-led NDA government returned to power in 2014, his special no-security-check status was withdrawn from the airports. More importantly, he was being treated like the rest, he was no VVIP.

But if you want more then you must rummage through the papers in the state departments of Haryana where the government has begun the process of cancelling the licence given to Vadra’s Sky Light Hospitality to develop land that was later transferred to realty major DLF for ₹58 crore. The Director of the state’s Town and Country Planning Department KM Pandurang is on the record saying the procedural formalities to cancel the licence have been completed keeping in with provisions of the Haryana Development and Regulation and Urban Areas Act, 1975.

Two incidents here highlight the immense power and clout Vadra had during the two terms of the UPA government. The trial is on for the Pilatus case, but the land issue in Haryana only happened because an honest IAS officer decided to stand up and take notice against what he felt was rampant corruption, aided by dubious politicians of the ruling dispensation in Haryana.

What is actually interesting is that the 1991 batch IAS officer Ashok Khemka had shot to limelight in 2012 when he cancelled the mutation of the land deal between Skylight Hospitality and DLF. In 2011, the then Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the licence for the land in Gurgaon’s Sector 83 which was sold to Skylight Hospitality and then transferred to DLF was “deemed to have lapsed”. The licence for the land parcel had not been renewed, Hooda had then said. For the records, the BJP had alleged there were irregularities in the land deal involving Vadra during the term of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government in the state.

Bhavdeep Kang and Namita Kala’s brilliantly scripted book, Just Transferred: The Untold Story of Ashok Khemka (from Harper Collins) highlights the plight of this brilliant IAS officer who was routinely transferred because he took on the power, the power brokers and politicians. He never protested, no one bothered when he packed his bags and went for the next posting. Worse, messages reached his new office even before he could assume charge, the lobbyists informed the officers that a troublesome person is coming to take charge, he must be listened but ignored. But Khemka stood his ground, he was like the master of the earth, a root man who would not let anything spoil the land. But he was a lone ranger.

When ‘Vadragate’ broke, Khemka was DG, Land Records & Consolidation and Inspector General, Registration and fully aware that manipulation of revenue norms for the benefit of influential individuals was standard practice in Haryana. He had already inquired into and taken action in multiple instances of misappropriation of panchayat land. All hell broke loose, news reports suggested there was evidence of gross undervaluation of properties registered by Vadra’s companies. Khemka started probing his own officers. He asked revenue officials in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Mewat and Palwal to examine the allegations of undervaluation in Vadra’s deals and demanded the relevant land records. But there was a deathly silence.

The book says it all, especially how Khemka reiterated his request for the records. One of the officials got back to him a couple of days later, expressing strong reservations about complying with his request. The official and his colleagues were warned by powerful politicians that the matter should not be probed. Khemka was flummoxed but he brushed his fears aside and renewed his request for the records in question. On October 8, 2011, his staff prepared the paperwork for an inquiry into Vadra’s land purchases in Haryana. Khemka knew he was walking into a lion’s den and there could be some serious, inevitable consequences. He was summoned by the CM on October 11 and ridiculed like anything. He was called Khoparchand that translates into a buffoon. But within seconds, the CM retracted his word. He said, “I am just joking. It is Haryanvi slang.”

Like a James Hadley Chase novel, the authors weave the narrative in a gripping style. Khemka walked back home, realising he would soon be punished by the powerful politicians who would push him out with a routine transfer and loads of humiliation. He was ready. Inevitably, worse followed: He was to be shunted to an under-secretary level post in the Haryana Seeds Development Corporation (HSDC). With a seniority of twenty-two years, he was clearly qualified for a better post, befitting his rank. Khemka raised the red flag and registered his protest, but later that night, at 10 PM, the transfer order was delivered to his home. It was an error of judgement that was to cost Hooda dearly in the days to come, because Khemka’s stint in HSDC would lead to the unearthing of the Raxil scam which would result in a CBI investigation. But Khemka has to leave for a new posting, a new day.

Can you ever imagine the plight of an honest officer who has to face such humiliation for standing tall, standing correct? And what if he buckled and cleared the files. An investigation five or ten years later would push him to humiliation, even behind the bars. Remember the plight of those IAS officers who got caught for no fault of theirs in the infamous coal block allocation scam –the Coalgate? They are still struggling to keep their names clean.

Khemka knew, claim the authors, he had no one to back him. But he was supremely confident because he was honest, downright honest. Those who are honest have no one to fear, not even the Gods. Wrote the authors: “On the morning of 12th October, 2012, a Friday, Khemka followed protocol by calling up the incumbent MD of the HSDC, a promotee and twelve years his junior. He asked his successor when he should take charge. The gentleman was on tour in Rewari, and suggested that they swap jobs on Monday, after the weekend. Khemka informed the office of the chief secretary of the conversation. And off he went to his old office. The news dominating the day was a press conference by the former CM, Om Prakash Chautala, who alleged that Real Earth Estate Pvt. Ltd, a firm owned by Vadra, had bought 29 acres of land in Mewat at a price far below the collector rate. Chautala demanded a probe into Vadra’s dealings in Haryana and alleged undervaluation of registered sale deeds.

Then, he shot off a letter to the chief secretary protesting against his transfer.

At noon, one of his subordinates dropped in to see him. The man’s main agenda pertained to a departmental inquiry against him. He wanted Khemka to undertake it. ‘Sir’ told him that it was no longer possible because he had been transferred, but he promised to write an explanatory note for his successor. They chatted and that’s when Khemka learnt about the size of Robert Vadra’s deal with DLF in Shikohpur village. Vadra had sold his land to DLF on 18th September 2012. Judging from the size of the deal, said his subordinate, the land was worth “16 crore an acre”.

“No, no! I am telling the truth, sir,” the subordinate protested. He went on to suggest that if someone were to purchase two half-acre plots in Shikohpur village, where consolidation was underway, he could ensure the allotment of a 1-acre plot adjoining Vadra’s. Would ‘sir’ know of anyone who might be interested in such a deal? Khemka shook his head dismissively. But on his way out, the functionary decided to drop a copy of the Vadra-DLF sale deed in his superior’s car. When Khemka got home, his man Friday, as usual, piled all the files and sundry papers he had found in the car next to the bed. Right on top was the Vadra-DLF sale deed. The name ‘Skylight’ caught Khemka’s eye. He picked up the document and started reading. As Khemka read the sale deed, it became clear to him that Vadra had earned super profits through what appeared to be a chain of suspicious transactions. He then rang up an official in the Town & Country Planning department to verify the facts of the case. That gentleman confirmed that the information in the sale deed was correct.”

He was brief and to the point: Do not probe further or create a problem by sharing this information with others. It was clear to Khemka that the deal in question was not above board, because it involved sidestepping rules and a substantial loss to the Exchequer. On the other hand, as a loyal bureaucrat, he was expected to behave like Gandhi’s three monkeys and remain blind, deaf and mute.

But Khemka preferred not to lie like a prostrate, disemboweled Gulliver. He stepped up the heat, and walked that extra mile. Indian bureaucracy’s Forever-In-Transit man never gave up against the pressures, he just paid the price of being straight. The book shows how it is for the bureaucrat to remain firm on the decisions, and not play garden-garden as wonderfully depicted in Anurag Kashyap’s two part classic, The Gangs Of Wasseypur.

A brilliant read. 

YES Bank? Ah, now its the NO Bank!

CSS Rao
-
1
YES Bank? Ah, now its the NO Bank!

Yes Bank is a classic case of complete travesty of fate. Not just history but even fraud repeats itself. Compulsively.

Several years ago, when the flamboyant Rana Kapoor launched his overly ambitious enterprise in late 2003 and named it Yes Bank, the first powerful premonition that came to mind was that the self-serving business model of this family dominated bank, which was dressed to appear professionally run was destined to rise and fall rapidly. The flux of time has proved this apprehension unerringly right. Effective 5th March, 2020 this Bank has come under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Impressive but Flimsy Track Record

The deft camouflaging of fake large volume transactions, nepotism, favouring unworthy borrowers, repeated acts of money laundering, lending against norms prescribed by RBI, violating code of banking conduct – all for quid pro quo – are some of the highlights of the business style of the gutsy Rana Kapoor, ably assisted by a coterie of “trusted” bank officers, operating level staff, collusive auditors and regulatory inspectors – and not the least, the other Board Members and so-called Independent Directors —  without whose abetment, not a single such misdeed could have ever been perpetrated. All of these people are collectively guilty of connivance and contributory negligence.

In recent years, Yes Bank was on the path of aggressive growth, following wild and indiscriminate lending decisions by its Board. As on March 31, 2014, the bank’s loan book stood at ₹55,633 crore and deposits at ₹74,192 crore. The loan book grew to ₹2,24,505 crore at the end of the second quarter (September) of the current financial year, while deposits were at
₹2,09,497 crore. So in the last five years, the loan book grew by over four times, but deposits failed to keep pace. Asset quality worsened during this period, with gross non-performing assets (NPAs) going up from 0.31% as on March 2014 to 7.39% . Basel-3 norms were unceremoniously thrown to the winds.

Confidence Drop

Amidst the loan mess, customers withdrew large amounts, resulting in the credit-deposit ratio of Yes Bank crossing 100% (the bank lent more than what it received) in financial year 2018-19. A credit-deposit ratio of 106% means the bank loaned ₹106 for every ₹100 it received.

Investors sensed trouble

Though the bank’s troubles came as a shock to many, investors sensed it early. The bank’s stock price fell steadily in the past year.

Tumbling Stocks of Yes Bank

According to reliable reports received recently from investigating authorities, Yes Bank had provided loans aggregating to ₹3,750 crores to DHFL and ₹600 crore to RKW Developers, an entity controlled by DHFL. They defaulted on payment but got kickbacks of ₹600 crore in Doit Urban Ventures, an entity controlled by close members of Rana Kapoor’s family.

Real Issues to Address: Primordial Role of RBI

But that’s not the real issue being analysed. The most recent adversities faced by this Bank were waiting to happen. Unfortunately, the concerned authorities did nothing to prevent the catastrophe from happening despite visible forebodings.

The iconic Reserve Bank of India, established under the RBI Act of 1934 long before India gained Independence, is a magnificent Institution by any measure. Like all central banks, RBI is always expected to remain completely independent from the national government in power and function with unfettered power and total freedom to safeguard the country’s monetary system and promote the national economy.

Yes Bank Promoter Rana Kapoor has now been arrested. Enforcement Directorate (ED) suspects that Rana Kapoor was involved in money laundering to the tune of ₹ 4,300 crore. (Photo: PTI)

Clearly, as events on record prove, RBI has failed to fulfil its cardinal role, thus adversely impacting its credibility and pre-eminent stature as India’s admired apex financial regulatory authority. Let us understand the three main reasons for this.

Firstly, it has often yielded to directives in the past from the national government — regardless of party in power — thus compromising its independent decision-making and operational authority. This forced a series of resignations of top RBI officials unprecedented in its long and illustrious history of over 85 years. They were all men of high professional calibre and personal integrity, who were unwilling to work against their conscience and unprepared to serve as ‘yes men’.

Secondly, RBI has failed to institute stringent control mechanisms to effectively prevent the occurrence (recurrence) of (a) serious bank frauds and (b) significant levels of non-performing assets (NPAs) in both the public as well as the private sector. It has neglected to introduce preventive measures and early warning systems capable of detecting and controlling these problems in their nascent stage, instead of allowing them to escalate to full-blown crises. The central bank’s intelligence system has proved to be woefully inadequate.

Thirdly – and the cause of the second deficiency — there has been a sharp decline in governance standards and oversight mechanisms covering commercial banks, which RBI is expected to follow consistently, covering all facets – not just policing — of this vital sector of the national economy.

Specific Forewarning Published October 2019

In a deeply researched article published as far back as 13th October 2019 in New Intervention, this Author provided a thorough analysis of the deeper causes which resulted in PMC Bank’s failure. In this article, the Author had prophesied as follows, under the sub-section titled: PMC is not the last Case:  “ ….it is evident that the rot is very deep in India’s Financial System.  Beyond doubt, the replication of several PMC-type frauds are already in the making, perhaps on a larger scale.” 

“Yes Bank is a classic example of misuse of bank resources, as their own records acknowledge.  Their shares have lost 96% of recent market value.”

It’s sad that the RBI did not take any action, until the bubble burst recently.

Clearly, it is only the RBI which should accept blame for this latest tragedy, because perpetrators of financial crime will continue their misdeeds unless prevented from doing so by means of stringent regulatory practices and in-built systemic safeguards.

A series of very deeply considered recommendations have already been put forth in my earlier article on PMC Bank. Each and every recommendation therein is relevant to and applies equally, perhaps more so to the Yes Bank.  Readers are invited to refer my earlier article by clicking in this link.https://newsintervention.com/pmc-bank-scam-is-indication-of-the-systemic-rot-in-indias-financial-sector/

Urgent Actions now Required by Government of India, Platitudes Apart

It is time the Government decides on interceding to prevent recurrence of such frauds in our economy which is already languishing for a variety of reasons.

Post PMC Bank’s fiasco, the RBI Governor said “our Banking System, including co-operatives, are safe, sound.” His unwarranted platitude now echoes with magnified hollowness and greater falsity. Do our trusting investors and harmed depositors deserve to lose their precious monetary resources arising from systematic fraud perpetrated by wily promoters of private banks? Can we subscribe to the tenet that profits are privatised while losses are nationalised?

Can Indian entrepreneurs not present a better picture of themselves to the world and shed this fraudulent stance? Can bank employees and auditors not stop colluding with unethical Promoters and Directors? Can our regulatory systems not become truly effective?

The entire gamut of remedial actions necessary to prevent such gross misdeeds involving thousands of crores of rupees of unsuspecting depositors has been clearly defined in my earlier article on the PMC Bank.  What may now be added is the strong recommendation that RBI must create a new, independent Intelligence Wing, with a specific mandate to discreetly gather inside information of key decisions and developments in all banks and financial institutions. Offices of this Intelligence Wing would be located in all State and Union Territory capitals.

The information so gathered should be aggregated and analysed to draw up distilled reports which are then provided to the herein recommended Intel Sub-Committee of the main Board of RBI on a monthly basis – as well as on need-based ad hoc basis — including its perception of emerging financial risks and pre-emptive actions recommended by it to the RBI. Serving and retired officers from India’s law enforcement agencies must be inducted to support the functioning of this RBI’s Intelligence Wing. Trusted employees must be chosen to serve as implants and informants in key offices of banks in all States and UTs. Their skills would lie in prompt early stage diagnosis of financial crime-in-progress and swift reporting misdeeds in their nascent stage to deter their damage. This activity calls for close and regular interaction with SEBI, stock markets, other banks and financial institutions, MCA, corporates etc to gather useful early-stage clues of possible irregularities in the offing.

It is also recommended that the Government of India take urgent steps to constitute a Joint Parliamentary Committee – assisted by an independent team of senior experts including former RBI and Finance Ministry operating chiefs — to review the governance standards and oversight practices covering commercial banks and financial institutions presently being followed by both RBI and the Ministry of Finance in their respective domains. This exercise must culminate in the time-bound formulation of new, thoroughly overhauled regulatory practices incorporating stringent measures to pre-empt fraud and raise deterrent procedures, aimed at safeguarding precious public monetary resources of our country.

In the following phase, RBI and Ministry of Finance must initiate coordinated actions based on these prescriptions, with a sense of deep commitment and urgency. It is further recommended that a randomly composed Special Audit Group — variable annually – closely oversees the very functioning of RBI’s Governance Systems and certify their soundness periodically.

End Note

The money spent on implementing and persevering these recommendations year after year would be but a fraction of the colossal losses being presently faced by the India’s banking sector.

Sending a few people to jail is not the answer because these people anyway knew this would be their ‘guest house’ during the coming days; and yet, they chose to willfully commit such acts of serious fraud. They will soon get accustomed to their new interim habitat, as courts will grant them bail in a few months, enabling them to return to their life of luxury. Their cases will then prolong for many years. Public memory being short-lived, the whole episode will soon be forgotten, much the same has happened in the cases of Global Trust Bank, Satyam, Nirav Modi, various Chit Fund scams, and other unpardonable ignominies across India, which have now faded or are in the process of receding into history.

The real solution lies in making the entire banking system fraud-proof on an enduring basis, using the valuable recommendations comprising preventive measures and comprehensive know how already offered by this Author. Readers are now free to draw judgement and respond on social media or file PILs in the interests of our economy and the people who contribute to its economic well-being. Without waiting for another tragedy to occur in our crises-hit banking sector which is already in shambles — tottering to rise equal to the task of being able to support the attainment of the much vaunted $5 trillion economy by 2025, which –  believe it or not – calls for a sustained GDP growth rate higher than 14% year on year– a complete myth in the absence of a flawless, robust and trustworthy banking system.

© CSS Rao 2020 All rights reserved.

Pak regime killing Baloch and Pashtuns: Afghan politician tells UNHRC

News Intervention Bureau
-
0
Pak regime killing Baloch and Pashtuns: Afghan politician tells UNHRC

Dr Abdullah Haiwad, President Afghan Governors Assembly and former Governor of Afghanistan’s Ghor province has forcefully raised the issue of mass killings and gross human rights violations of Baloch and Pashtuns at the hands of Pakistani regime.

This is the first time that human rights violations in Balochistan have been raised by an Afghan politician at the UN’s international forum.

Speaking at the 43rd session of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Dr Abdullah Haiwad vehemently urged the Human Rights Council to send their delegates to Balochistan to “see for themselves” and get a first-hand information about what is happening in Balochistan. He also raised the issue of how Pakistani regime is abducting and killing the Pashtuns who are a large majority in Pakistan and in Afghanistan.

“I did not come with a piece of paper today. I came with the plight of tens of millions of Pashtuns and Baloch living under the oppression in Pakistan. Since 1948, when Balochistan was occupied by Pakistan hundreds and thousands of Baloch have been abducted, mutilated and killed by the Pakistani government and their plight have never been addressed by the United Nations. Pashtuns are similarly under the oppression of the Pakistani government. Thousands and thousands of Pashtuns have been abducted and they have been killed, they have been discarded and nobody has listened to the plight of the Pashtuns,” said Dr Abdullah Haiwad during his address to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

He explained that in recent times the Pakistani regime has increased its spate of abductions and killings of Baloch and Pashtuns. “Recently there’s been a surge of attacks on Pashtuns and Baloch in Waziristan and other parts of Pashtunistan as well as in occupied Balochistan in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. Unfortunately this voice has never been heard and this plight has never been raised. I urge the Human Rights Council who address this issue more seriously to send the delegates to Balochistan and Pashtunistan to see for themselves what the problem is and what is happening.” Dr Haiwad added.

Pashtunistan is the geographical region in Pakistan and Afghanistan inhabited by the Pashtuns. Balochistan was illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan in 1948, and continues to be under forceful Pakistani occupation till today. Pakistani regime’s infamous “kill and dump” policy where the Pakistani Army kills and dumps Baloch people was rarely discussed in international forums. Global champions of human rights also have never discussed about brutal human rights violations in Balochistan. Dr Abdullah Haiwad has taken a bold initiative to apprise the world about killings of Baloch and Pashtuns by Pakistani regime by urging the UN Human Rights Council to send delegates to these regions to get a first hand information about the ground realities.

COVID-19: GOI rescued 902 Indians and 48 foreign nationals in multiple evacuation operations

News Intervention Bureau
-
0
COVID-19: GOI rescued 902 Indians and 48 foreign nationals in multiple evacuation operations

Government of India undertook evacuation operations from several countries in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. So far, Government of India has evacuated 950 passengers from COVID-19 affected countries. Out of these, 902 were Indian citizens and 48 belonging to different nationalities including Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, US, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru.

The Wuhan city in Hubei province of China had become the epicenter of the COVID-19 and there were hundreds of Indians stuck in the city. India engaged with China to safely evacuate its citizens and citizens of other friendly nations on a priority basis. Air India operated two special flights for the evacuation efforts which brought back 654 passengers that included 647 Indian citizens

The first batch consisting of 324 Indians were evacuated from Wuhan, China on 1st February. 104 of these were quarantined for monitoring at ITBP Chhawla camp and the rest 220 were housed in the army facility at Manesar. The second batch of 330 passengers (including 7 Maldivian citizens and two Indian Embassy officials who were on the ground to coordinate the evacuation efforts) arrived in India on 3rd February. 300 of these (including 7 Maldivians) were housed at ITBP Chhawla Camp and 30 were shifted to Manesar facility for monitoring. All of these evacuees were placed in the isolation facilities for14 days. They were tested twice and were found negative for COVID-19. They were discharged on 18th February, 2020.

On 26th February, Indian Air Force evacuated 112 passengers from Hubei province in China. Among these 76 were Indian citizens. The other nationals evacuated by Indian Air Force included citizens of Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, China, USA, Madagascar and South Africa. The passengers reached India on 27th February and subsequently are housed at ITBP camp for a period of 14 days as per protocol. They have tested negative for COVID-19 in the first test. The IAF flight had also carried medical supplies which were given as good-will gesture to China.

Japan (Diamond Princess Cruise Ship): The Japanese Cruise Ship, Diamond Princess, carrying 3700 passengers faced a COVID-19 outbreak when 705 passengers were tested positive. Among the 705 affected passengers, 16 were Indian nationals. On 27th February, Air India flight carried an evacuation operation bringing back 124 passengers including 5 foreign nationals from Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa and Peru, from Port of Yokohama in Japan. 16 Indian nationals who were tested positive for COVID-19 are undergoing treatment. The evacuees are housed at army facility in Manesar. They have tested negative in the first test.

Monitoring and surveillance of Indian nationals in Iran: As it became clear that Iran was also facing a COVID-19 outbreak, Government of India started to undertake measures to ensure safety and security of its citizens in the country. Indian nationals in Iran include pilgrims, students and fishermen. On 7th March, 108 samples were received from Iran. These samples are being tested at the laboratory of AIIMS. Also, six scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have been stationed in Iran. Equipment and reagents have also been dispatched to enable them to setup a lab. India is expected to undertake operations to evacuate its citizens soon. First batch of 58 Indian pilgrims were brought back from Iran in IAF C-17 plane on March 10, 2020.

Localised urban sanitation solutions must to make Indian cities truly inclusive

News Intervention Bureau
-
1
Localised urban sanitation solutions must to make Indian cities truly inclusive

With a lot of emphasis on developing ‘smart cities’; the current government has been providing a major push to urban growth in the country.  The National Smart Cities Mission, which is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India, aims to develop 100 smart cities across the country making them citizen friendly and sustainable. But is it possible to make cities and urban settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, without focussing on urban sanitation and people’s participation? The National Conference on “Future of Urban Sanitation in India”, organised recently in New Delhi, emphasised on localising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the need to accelerate behaviour change and citizen participation for inclusive and sustainable urban sanitation services.

As per the Census 2011, 31% of India’s total population is urban. 2613 towns in the country have reported 22.4% slum population out of 4041 statutory towns, 17% of total urban population lives in Informal settlements, 31% HHs in informal settlements lack access to toilets and defecate in open, 71% informal settlements lack access to underground sewerage system, 31% informal settlements lack draining system, and 27% of informal settlements have no arrangement for garbage disposal. For any sustainable growth of cities, participation of urban poor is, thus, extremely critical. The focus should be on localising Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of the provision of urban services such as transportation, sanitation, sewerage, and waste management. It is extremely important to create commensurate spaces for acknowledging and encouraging people’s engagement with urban policy frameworks, and to invest in local development planning.

Dr. Rajesh Tandon, civil society leader and President, Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), is of the view that, “Sanitation must be a priority, if economic growth matters. Investment in sanitation should also be seen as an economic priority as 8-10% of cities GDP is coming through economic contribution of informal settlements.” He believes that there is a need for catalysing and supporting local action, because investment in small and medium towns remained unutilized over the past 5 years, as the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) did not have the capacity to utilize those funds, and invest in local planning.

Prof. Om Prakash Mathur, Senior Fellow, Institute of Social Sciences believes that localisation of SDGs is not restricted to just the Municipality. “There are public private enterprises, private sector, civil society organisation, etc which undertake activities at their own level. How exactly do we work to bring them all together? This is something that needs to be thought about,” he says.

Taking into account the lack of progress in urban sanitation and the concern of informal settlements Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Distinguished Fellow, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), says, “In India, only one-third of urban households are connected to a sewerage system, while others use pit latrines and septic tanks. The smartest solutions here are not necessarily going to be found in the frontiers of technology, and can also be found in the institutions of governance, community mobilization, and support systems. Global standards are not sufficient in the developing world, and need to include local knowledge and reporting.”. He further adds that upscaling of solutions is difficult, because it requires an in-depth knowledge of the local contexts, socio-economic condition of the prospective beneficiaries and flexibility in crafting solutions.”

A notable project aimed towards making urban sanitation inclusive and sustainable in India, being implemented by Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), is the “Engaged Citizens Responsive City (ECRC)” project in Ajmer (Rajasthan), Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) and Muzaffarpur (Bihar). The project is being implemented with support from the European Union. Over the last four years, ECRC project has fostered numerous innovative practices to engage citizens with a particular focus on the urban poor in bottom-up participatory planning based on authentic data generated by the communities. Strengthening Civil Society of the Urban Poor to Participate in Planning and Monitoring of Sanitation Services in Indian Cities. The project focussed on 169 municipal wards, reached to 250 Informal Settlements directly (305 indirectly), touching 0.25 million urban poor in three cities. The ECRC initiative of PRIA and many other initiatives by civil society organisations, municipalities, state and national governments are valuable sources of knowledge about how to accelerate effective behaviour change and strengthen citizen participation.

There is a need to strengthen decentralized local decision-making capacity as well providing mechanisms in urban spaces for people’s comprehensive participation and engagement with political matters. Sustainability of the enhanced urban sanitation services will be contingent upon sustained citizen participation and behaviour changes along with enhanced capacities of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and the city-level institutional ecosystem. The adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and New Urban Agenda (NUA) usher a new opportunity for making cities sustainable, resilient, and inclusive through appropriate planning and governance. Nearly all the SDGs have targets that will depend on local government action, including SDG 11. Localisation is the process by which local authorities and local stakeholders will adapt and implement these targets within cities and human settlements. Experts feel that emerging lessons around inclusion and participation of all stake-holders for effective sanitation need to be shared so that new India can emerge in its many urban centres soon.

1...377378379...486Page 378 of 486

News Intervention is the new age digital media platform that has news analysis, opinion pieces, news briefs, news videos and documentaries.
News Intervention raises all those issues that may have been overlooked by big media houses or have been deliberately buried to serve vested interests. We firmly believe that each life matters and every individual regardless of religion, nationality, race, caste or creed must have the right to live life with dignity.

Contact us: editor@newsintervention.com

© Copyright - NewsIntervention