CAG has unearthed another scam,this time it is in the farm sector.
The Comptroller and Auditor General in its report tabled in Parliament on 5th March has stated that thousands of ineligibile candidates have been given the benifit of farm loan waiver from the scheme of the central government to the tune of Rs.52,000 crore. At the same time many of those entitled to the waiver are being denied.
The CAG has furthur stated that there is prima- facie evidence of tampering,overwriting and alteration of records.The report says there was no proper monitoring of the scheme by which even big land lords have garnered a sizable portion of the scheme.CAG therefore suggested immediate recovery of money paid to ineligible beneficiaries and loans extended to MFIs.
Of the 9334 accounts test-checked in audits across nine states,1257 (13.46 per cent) were found to be eligible for benefits,but were not considered by the lending institutions,the report adds.
A detailed enquiry is imperative to unearth the real extent of the scam.

The empowered group of ministers headed by finance minister P.Chidambaram is to meet on Wedneday to discuss the third round of spectrum auction.
The EGOM would take a decision on the number of telecom circles in which spectrum would be auctioned.
The Supreme Court had directed government to put entire spectrum for auction that was freed from cancellation of 122 2G licences.The government had put on
271.25 Mhz of spectrum in November 2012 even as 514.8 Mhz of spectrum was freed after the Supreme Court last year cancelled 122 licences.

District Union General Body meeting held at vellore on 05.03.2013.

From left to right :

Vellore District Secretary : Com.B.Jothi Sudanthiranathan

District president : com.V.Elumalai

Circle Secretary :C.K.Narashiman

Postal wing retired union secretary :co.Santhanaraman

BSNLEU district secretary : com.C.Gnanasekaran

The central budget,presented,by the finance minister.P.Chidambaram on 28th February proposes a tax concession of Rs.5,73,626 crore to the corporates.
There is no proposal for generating job opportunities which is certain to aggravate the already worse unemployment problem in the country.
There is no proposal to contain the rocketing price rise despite strong protest action by the workers and the people. The allocation of
Rs.10000 crore for food security is nothing but a lip service as the finance minister has garnered this amount by curtailing the annual budgeted public distribution system food subsidy requirement of the department of food
There is no increse in the income limit for income tax.
There is no enhancement in the allocation for the MGNREGS
over all the burdens are again inflicted on the poor and the middle class
and that is why even congress MP and president of INTUC, Shri.G.Sanjeeva reddy is compelled to comment on the budget as follows.
‘It is a budget with no plans for the future.it offered nothing for the welfare of poor and workers’.

22nd meeting of SCOVA held on 19.2.2013. Com. S K Vyas participated. The following issues of DOT/BSNL Pensioners are also discussed in the meeting.

1. Revised PPO for DOT Pensioners.
The Telecom Department has been asked to issue revised PPO before 30.9.2013.

2. Anomaly in Pension to DOT employee’s aborbed in BSNL and retired between 1.10.2000 and 31.7.2001.
Assured to be reconsidered

3. Merger of 78.2 IDA with basic pension
Subject approval by the cabinet this benefit will be granted after receipt of the proposal from BSNL Authorities.

The Railway Budget presented yesterday by the Railway minister,Pawan Kumar Bansal proposes more burden to the common people.
Even before the budget,the new Minister on assuming charge recently, had made steep hike in fares as well as frieght.
Now through the budget,the Minister has proposed regular hikes in ticket rates over ten years.
The six percent hike in frieght will ultimately result in furthur price rise of all the essential commodities.
The fuel surcharge would result in the fares going up twice a year.
The reservation,cancellation and tatkal charges and fares of superfast trains are increased steeply.
While proposals are many to burden the people furthur,there in no serious effort to overcome the financial crisis afficting the Railways.The crisis was deliberately caused in the past three years by enhancing the number of projects,and unnecessary spending on advertisements,foundation laying ceremonies etc.
So,let us wait for stronger dose in the form general budget!

The Extended Central Executive Committee Meeting of BSNL Employees Union has started today,26th February,2013 at Warrangal.The district Secretaries are also participating in addition to the CEC members.
Com.A.K.Padmanabhan,President,CITU inaugurated the CEC. Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri presided. Com.P.Abhimanyu,General Secretary presented the report on activities.The campaign materials for the sixth membership verification prepared by the CHQ,BSNLEU was released by Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri. The CEC will continue for three days,upto 28th February.
AIBDPA WISHES THE CEC ALL SUCCESS.

G.Sanjeeva Reddy,President,INTUC has stated that ‘This government has a pro-capital and pro- rich policy.It simply wants foriegn direct investment,making rich richer at the cost of the working class and the poor and we cannot expect much in budget 2013-14.We want a budget in support of the people and the working class.Addressing only the concerns of the capitalists would leave the workers in the lurch and ultimately harm the nation.’

It is interesting that this statement comes from the leader of the trade union,which is the labour wing of the ruling Congress.Besides,Sanjeeva Reddy is a Congress MP and also an AICC Member.
Yes,the real factors of the country after pursuing the neo liberal economic policy for the last 21 years,have made the life of the vast mojority of people most miserable and even leaders supposed to support the government is compelled to do the opposite.

Department of Posts has decided to enter banking business with the Reserve Bank of India all set to grant new bank licences to entities with credible track record.
The Postal Department,which has a strong base in the rural areas with its 1.55 lakh post offices in the country.
Initially,Post Bank of India,may offer service in the 24000 district level head post offices.
They are to set up 1000 ATMs.Post Bank will not only take care of the banking needs of the rural poor but also converge with micro-insurance and micro-remittance services of the Department of Posts.
The Department of Posts has a large net work of savings bank with 26 crore operational savings accounts in post offices as on March,2012,having deposits worth Rs.1.9 lakh crore.

The two days strike,first in the history of the country by all the central trade unions started today with enthusiastic participation of workers through out the country.more section of workers who had not joined the earlier national strikes also struck work without any persuation or compulsion.
In west bengal,despite repressive measures by the mamta banerjee government utilising the police and goons the workers responded massively giving the state government a fitting reply.
Initial reports indicate that the country is virtually paralysed.
In bsnl and central government the strike is complete.
The striking workers conducted big rallies in almost all places.
Com.K.G.Jayaraj,general secretary participated in a massive rally in Alappuzha,Kerala.
Red salute to all the workers who created history by making the strike a resounding success.