Mos Defence, Dr. Subhash Bhamre attends international Women’s Day workshop at research centre Imarat

International Women’s Day for the year 2017 was celebrated at Research Centre Imarat, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, in Hyderabad today. ASL, the nodal laboratory for the event organized a National workshop on Mahila Unleashing Dynamism in Research Areas “MUDRA”, which showcased women as “Dynamic Leaders” in decision making in DRDO for the achievement of R&D in all spheres.

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Subhash Bhamre, and the Telangana Minister of IT Shri K.T. Rama Rao were the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively. The event was also attended by Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr S. Christopher, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and DG (Missiles and Strategic Systems), Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, Lt. Gen Satish Dua. Invited Talks were organized on issues related to Women’s Empowerment and Challenges faced by women in day to day life. A panel discussion on “Challenges faced by women in Research areas” was also conducted.

Dr. Bhamre in his address complimented the efforts of women scientists of DRDO and said “Due to significant national contributions from our women scientists, we have come a long way since our independence, from mere buyers of technology to those of who have made science and technology as an important contributor for national development. Sustained efforts of our women scientists have made the country a reckonable power in many areas and have propelled us to the elite club of Nations.”

“Government of India has taken many initiatives to promote female child development and women empowerment like Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao, Mahila e-Haat, Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, Women of India Exhibitions and other important programmes. In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in effective women participation in all walks of life but still there is a strong need to orient more and more women towards Science and Technology.”

The Minister of State for Defence said, “I urge upon the young women scientists present here to take the lead and promote science and technology among female students at various schools, colleges, universities and other academic institutions. You have to be the much needed catalyst for raising scientific temper among students. The future of this great nation, India is equally in your hands; mould it the way you dream and keep inspiring all of us.”

The Telangana Minister of IT and Industries & Commerce stressed on breaking stereotypes and lauded efforts of women in national development.
In his message, Dr S. Christopher said, “the women across the globe have set a benchmark not only in the areas of science and technology but in all spheres of work. The dynamic contribution of women professionals has enabled our organisation to scale greater heights.” He also said, “women should not think they are nothing but also should not imagine that they are everything. But should always think that they are something and capable of doing everything.”

Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy said, “I have always been inspired by the women employee’s commitment, achievements and innovations. The women of DRDO have played an important role in the successful missions and have contributed immensely in strengthening the path of self-reliance in defence technologies.

PIB

मनोहर पर्रीकरांची घरवापसी! गोव्यात भाजपाचे सरकार?

पणजी, दि. 12 - मोदींच्या मंत्रिमंडळातील विश्वासू सहकारी असलेल्या मनोहर पर्रीकर यांची घरवापसी होणार आहे. मनोहर पर्रीकर मुख्यमंत्री होणार असतील तरच पाठिंबा देऊ, अशी अट गोव्यातील स्थानिक पक्ष आणि अपक्षांनी घातल्याने पर्रीकर यांनी संरक्षण मंत्री सोडून गोव्यात परतण्याचा निर्णय घेतला आहे. दरम्यान, पर्रीकरांनी मगोप, गोवा फॉरवर्ड ब्लॉक आणि अपक्षांसोबत राज्यपालांची भेट घेत गोव्यात सरकार स्थापन करण्याचा दावा केला. त्यामुळे गोव्यात काँग्रेसपेक्षा कमी जागा मिळाल्यानंतरही भाजपाचे सरकार स्थापन होणार हे निश्चित झाले आहे.

आज महाराष्ट्रवादी गोमंतक पक्ष आणि गोवा फॉरवर्ड ब्लॉक या दोन स्थानिक पक्षांच्या प्रत्येकी तीन आमदारांनी आणि दोन अपक्ष आमदारांनी मनोहर पर्रिकर यांच्या नेतृत्वाखाली गोव्यात सरकार स्थापन करण्यासाठी भाजपाला पाठिंबा दिला.

त्यानंतर मनोहर पर्रिकर यांनी राज्यपालांची भेट घेत सरकारस्थापनेचा दावा केला.

काल लागलेल्या विधानसभेच्या निकालांमध्ये गोव्याचे मुख्यमंत्री लक्ष्मीकांत पार्सेकर यांच्यासह भाजपच्या अनेक मातब्बर मंत्र्यांना पराभव पत्करावा लागला होता. मात्र कुठल्याच पक्षाला बहुमत न मिळाल्याने गोव्यात सरकार स्थापन करण्यासाठी चुरस निर्माण झाली होती. त्यात मगोपाच्या सुदीन ढवळीकर आणि गोवा फॉरवर्ड ब्लॉकच्या विजय सरदेसाई यांनी भाजपाला पाठिंबा दिल्याने भाजपा सत्तास्थापनेजवळ पोहोचला आहे.

दरम्यान, "आम्ही राज्यपालांची भेट घेतली, त्यांच्याकडून आमंत्रण मिळण्याची अपेक्षा आहे. सत्ता स्थापनेचं आमंत्रण मिळाल्यानंतर आम्हाला पाठिंबा देणा-यांसोबत चर्चा करून शपथ घेण्याची तारीख ठरवू," असे मनोहर पर्रिकर यांनी प्रसारमाध्यमांशी बोलताना सांगितले. तर "मनोहर पर्रिकरांनी संरक्षण मंत्रीपदाचा राजीनामा अजून दिलेला नाही, गोव्याचे मुख्यमंत्रीपद स्वीकारण्याआधी त्यांना राजीनामा द्यावा लागेल, " असे नितीन गडकरी म्हणाले.

लोकमत

Parrikar returns to Goa as BJP stakes claim to form government

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will resign from his Defence Minister post and take over as Goa's CM. Goa will have a new chief minister, an old one. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will resign from his post and stake claim to form the next government. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed that...

Commerce Ministry for exempting exports from GST

New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Ministry today pressed the GST Council to keep exports out of the GST framework and levy lower taxes on labour-intensive sectors like leather, cement and plantation.

Minister of State for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman.

In their contention before the all powerful GST Council, the ministry officials argued the need for granting an "ab-initio" exemption from Goods and Services Tax (GST) for exporters saying that the process of seeking tax refunds erodes their working capital.

Moreover, they stated that in view of tough global situation it is imperative to encourage exports.

Briefing reporters, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said refund of taxes takes about six to eight months and hence it is necessary to "give an ab-intio exemption".

She asked the council to treat exporters in such a way that they do not have to pay taxes upfront.

"...It (GST) should not become a newer liability in the heads of exporter...We do not want the exporter to suffer twice," she said.

She also underlined the need for encouraging labour intensive sectors like cement, leather and plantation crops and suggested that either they should be completely exempted from the new tax or be taxed at a low rate.

For leather industry, she said, "We wanted to ensure that if they can be given a complete exclusion from taxation because they have to generate lot of employment".

"If at all, you have to have a taxation, keep them at the lowest possible, which means five per cent or less than that. So that is the strong pitch we made. India has a great potential in this particular sector," she added.

On cement, she said that taxation at the moment in this sector is "very very high".

"If you calculate the central excise, VAT and other, the calculation is somewhere between 25 to 30 per cent...Cement may end up 18 per cent or more in GST regime which means it will be well above the revenue neutral rate," she said.

"So if the government is looking at (schemes like) housing for all, public spending on infrastructure, building of highways, roads, seaports, you cannot have cement being taxed so much," the minister said.

About the plantation, she said, "Ideally we would like to completely keep out (this sector). But for instance, if there is a thought, they keep it in, it should be in the lowest possible (slab) because most of it get exported".

Sectors like tea and coffee, 90 per cent of the product is exported by India and it is net foreign exchange earner and the sector "should be given all the support rather than tax it".

Talking about SEZs, she said transfer of goods from one zone to another in different states should be exempted from iGST.

PTI

हे पहिलेच सर्जिकल हल्ले - पर्रीकर

मुंबई - पाकिस्तानव्याप्त काश्‍मीरमध्ये परिसरात वेगळे धोरण अवलंबत भारताने केलेले हल्ले हे पहिलेच लक्ष्याधारित हल्ले (सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक्‍स) असल्याचे संरक्षणमंत्री मनोहर पर्रीकर यांनी आज स्पष्ट केले. या कारवाईने मिळालेले यश हे कोट्यवधी भारतीयांचे आणि विशेषत: भारतीय सैन्यदलाचे असल्याचे सांगत, त्यांनी नेहमी अमलात आणल्या जाणाऱ्या धोरणात काहीसे बदल करून धडा शिकवण्याचा निर्णय घेतला गेला, त्याचे श्रेय मात्र सरकारच्या निर्णयक्षमतेचे असल्याची टिप्पणी केली.

मुंबईत "फिन्स‘ या संस्थेने आयोजित केलेल्या "संवाद संरक्षणमंत्र्यांशी‘ या कार्यक्रमात ते बोलत होते. श्रोत्यांनी विचारलेल्या निवडक प्रश्‍नांना त्यांनी या कार्यक्रमात प्रदीर्घ उत्तरे दिली. संरक्षणतज्ज्ञ नितीन गोखले यांनी पर्रीकर यांना विविध विषयांवर बोलते केले.

"सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक्‍स‘ यापूर्वीही करण्यात आले होते, याकडे या संवादादरम्यान लक्ष वेधताच कोणतीही राजकीय टिप्पणी न करता पर्रीकर यांनी, ""अशी नीती पहिल्यांदाच प्रत्यक्षात आणली गेली. यापूर्वी जे व्हायचे ते त्या त्या भागातील लष्करी अधिकाऱ्याने तेथील तत्कालीन परिस्थिती लक्षात घेता दिलेले उत्तर असायचे. त्याला लष्करी भाषेत "कोव्हर्ट ऑपरेशन‘ म्हणतात,‘‘ असे नमूद केले. निर्णय घेण्याची राजकीय इच्छाशक्‍ती महत्त्वाची असते असे नमूद करत या कारवाईचे कोणतेही श्रेय भाजपला नको आहे. तसा प्रयत्न करायचा असता तर हल्ल्याची घोषणा संरक्षणमंत्र्यांनी केली नसती काय, असा प्रश्‍न त्यांनी केला. दहशतवादी कारवाई झाली, की भारत सरकार यापूर्वी केवळ निषेधाचे फतवे काढत असे, समज देत असे. या धोरणात बदल का झाला, या गोखले यांच्या प्रश्‍नाला उत्तर देताना पर्रीकर यांनी, "प्रत्येक वेगळी नीती अमलात आणावी लागते. उत्तर देण्याची पद्धत समोरच्याला बुचकळ्यात टाकणारी असावी लागते,‘ अशा मोजक्‍या शब्दांत उत्तर देत याहून अधिक काही बोलणे उचित नसल्याचे सांगितले. गेल्या दोन वर्षांत अनेक प्रलंबित संरक्षणखरेदी करार मार्गी लागले, लढाऊ "राफेल‘ विमानांच्या खरेदीचा 2000 मध्ये मंजूर झालेला करार 16 वर्षांनी का होईना प्रत्यक्षात आला, अशी माहिती देत त्यांनी संरक्षण खरेदीसाठी उपलब्ध होणारा निधी चारपटीने वाढल्याकडेही लक्ष वेधले. "काहीतरी चूक होईल या भीतीने कोणताही निर्णय न घेण्यापेक्षा काहीतरी करणे महत्त्वाचे आहे,‘ असे सांगत त्यांनी पूर्वीच्या सरकारचे नाव न घेता टोलाही मारला. सुरक्षा आणि त्यासाठी करावी लागणारी उपाययोजना ही प्रत्येक नागरिकाच्या मनात असावी लागते, याकडे लक्ष वेधत त्यांनी यापुढे सीमेपलीकडून काही कुरापती घडल्यास वेगळेच उत्तर दिले जाईल. संरक्षणविषयात धक्‍कातंत्र हे महत्त्वाचे असते याकडे लक्ष वेधले. उरी आणि पठाणकोट तळांवर हल्ले होण्याची पूर्वसूचना मिळाली होती; पण त्याचा योग्य वापर न झाल्याने अनावस्था ओढवली काय, यावर उत्तर देताना पर्रीकर यांनी, "कोणत्याही गुप्तचर संस्थेला शंभर टक्‍के योग्य माहिती देता येत नाही, शिवाय कधीतरी गफलत होणे हा मानवी स्वभाव असतो,‘ अशी सावध माहिती दिली.

जवानांसाठी बुलेटप्रूफ खरेदीचे अधिकार स्थानिक दलप्रमुखांना दिले आहेत, तसेच "वन रॅंक वन पेन्शन‘चा विषयही आता यशस्वीरीत्या सुटला आहे, असे ते म्हणाले. पाकिस्तानच्या संरक्षणमंत्र्यांनी आता अणुयुद्धाची भाषा का सोडली, या प्रश्‍नावर त्यांनी पाकिस्तानचे नाव न घेता, "भारताने दिलेले उत्तर कुणालाही अपेक्षित नव्हते; शिवाय आता संरक्षण, युद्ध यात पारंपरिकतेला फाटा बसला आहे हे लक्षात घ्यायला हवे,‘ असे स्पष्ट केले.
चीनशी संबंध सुधारले
पाकिस्तानला चीनकडून होणारी संभाव्य मदत लक्षात घेता केंद्र सरकार चिनी उत्पादनांवर बहिष्कार टाकण्याचा निर्णय का घेत नाही, या प्रश्‍नाला उत्तर देताना पर्रीकर यांनी नवे सरकार आल्यानंतर गेल्या दोन वर्षांत चीनशी संबंध लक्षणीयरीत्या सुधारले आहेत याकडे लक्ष वेधले आणि जागतिक व्यापार संघटनेशी झालेल्या करारानुसार कोणत्याही देशाच्या मालावर बहिष्कार टाकता येणे शक्‍य नाही; मात्र नागरिक कोणत्या वस्तू घ्यायचा याचा स्वयंनिर्णय घेऊ शकतातच ना, अशी मिस्कील टिप्पणी केली.
स्वदेशीसाठी तंत्रविकासाची गरज
देशी बनावटीच्या युद्ध साहित्यात काही शस्त्रे आपल्या लष्कराकडे आहेत. मात्र याबाबत तंत्र विकसित नाही. परिणामी, आपला देश 100 टक्के युद्धसाहित्य निर्माण करू शकत नाही, अशी स्पष्ट कबुली पर्रीकर यांनी दिली. युद्ध साहित्य बनवण्यास अधिक किमतीचे सुटे भाग तयार करावे लागत असल्याने, आपण परदेशातील साहित्य खरेदी करतो. रडारसारखी यंत्रणाही आपण निर्माण करू शकत नाही. मात्र भविष्यात याबाबत विचार करता येईल, असेही ते म्हणाले. नवी मुंबईतील वाशी येथे संरक्षण क्षेत्रातील विविध उत्पादनांच्या प्रदर्शनाच्या उद्‌घाटनावेळी ते बोलत होते.

पर्रीकर म्हणाले, ""सध्या संरक्षण दलात अनेक प्रयोग अमलात आणले जात आहेत. मात्र याचे परिणाम लगेचच दिसणार नसले, तरी आगामी काळात ते नक्कीच दिसून येतील. सध्या हेलिकॉप्टरचे सुटे भाग निर्माण करण्याचे काम वेगाने सुरू आहे. मात्र हे उत्पादन बाहेर येण्यास आणखी काही कालावधी लागेल. पूर्वी युद्धसामग्रीची 500 ते 600 कोटींची निर्यात व्हायची. आता हीच निर्यात तीन हजार कोटींवर आली असून, लवकरच आठ ते दहा कोटींपर्यंत नेण्याचा संकल्प केंद्र सरकारने केला आहे.‘‘

पूर्वी परवाना नसताना निर्यात धोरण सुरू होते. मात्र या परवाना पद्धतीच्या अनेक जाचक अटी शिथिल केल्यामुळे "मेक इन इंडिया‘ योजनेअंतर्गत आता दहा हजार कोटींच्या निर्यातीचे ध्येय दोन वर्षांत गाठणे शक्‍य होईल, असा विश्‍वासही पर्रीकर यांनी व्यक्त केला. युद्धसामग्री तयार करण्यासाठी तीन लाख कोटींची ऑर्डर आहे. दोन वर्षांत दोन लाख 20 हजार कोटींची शस्त्रे खरेदीच्या मागणीवर निर्णय घेण्यात आला आहे. यात 75 टक्के सामग्री देशी बनावटीची असेल, असे ते म्हणाले.

- पीटीआय

नाशिकमध्ये होणार आयुध निर्माण कारखाना - राज्यमंत्री डॉ. सुभाष भामरे

नाशिक - हवामान, भौगोलिक स्थान व संरक्षणाच्या दृष्टीने असलेले महत्त्व लक्षात घेता, नाशिकमध्ये आयुध निर्माण कारखाना उभारण्याबरोबरच संरक्षण खात्याशी संबंधित प्रकल्प निर्माण करण्याचे आश्‍वासन संरक्षण राज्यमंत्री डॉ. सुभाष भामरे यांनी आज उद्योजकांना दिले. संरक्षण खात्यात 49 टक्के परकी गुंतवणूक करण्यास यापूर्वी मान्यता देण्यात आल्याने संरक्षण विभागाच्या सज्जतेत वाढ होणार आहे. याद्वारे संरक्षण क्षेत्रात भारत प्रथम क्रमांकावर येईल, असा विश्‍वास त्यांनी दिला. 

नाशिक इंजिनिअरिंग क्‍लस्टरमध्ये झालेल्या उद्योजकांच्या बैठकीत ते बोलत होते. आमदार नरेंद्र पवार, "नाईस‘चे अध्यक्ष विक्रम सारडा, महाराष्ट्र चेंबरचे वरिष्ठ उपाध्यक्ष संतोष मंडलेचा, "निमा‘चे उपाध्यक्ष मंगेश पाटणकर, आशिष नहार, "आयमा‘चे अध्यक्ष राजेंद्र आहिरे, "निपम‘चे जे. के. शिंदे, इंडियन इन्स्टिट्यूटचे अध्यक्ष मनीष कोठारी, डॉ. प्रशांत पाटील, सिटिटीझन फोरमचे अध्यक्ष सुनील भायभंग, लघुउद्योग भारतीचे अध्यक्ष प्रदीप पेशकार, भाजपचे सरचिटणीस लक्ष्मण सावजी, सुरेश पाटील उपस्थित होते.

डॉ. भामरे म्हणाले, की पूर्वीपासून स्नेहबंध असल्याने नाशिकच्या विकासाला सहाय्य करू. संरक्षण क्षेत्रात झपाट्याने बदल झाले आहेत. 49 टक्के परकी गुंतवणूक हा त्यातीलच एक भाग आहे. परकी गुंतवणूक वाढणार असल्याचा फायदा नाशिकला होईल. गोवा येथील नियोजित हेलिकॉप्टर युनिट नाशिकला आणण्याच्या उद्योजकांच्या मागणीची दखल घेत डॉ. भामरे यांनी प्रयत्न करण्याचे आश्‍वासन दिले. नाशिकमध्ये आयुध निर्माण कारखाना, पब्लिक सेक्‍टर युनिटच्या माध्यमातून संरक्षण विभागाशी संबंधित उद्योग व फायटर एअरक्राफ्टच्या निर्मितीला चालना देण्यासाठी प्रयत्न करण्याचेही आश्‍वासन त्यांनी दिले. तत्पूर्वी, इंजिनिअरिंग क्‍लस्टरचे अध्यक्ष नरेंद्र गोलिया व निमाचे अध्यक्ष हरिशंकर बॅनर्जी यांनी नाशिकला डिफेन्स हब व्हावे, तसेच संरक्षण उद्योग उभारण्याची मागणी केली. इंजिनिअरिंग क्‍लस्टरचे उपाध्यक्ष के. एस. पाटील यांनी आभार मानले. प्रारंभी टाटा ट्रस्टच्या स्किल एम्प्लॉयमेंट जॉब पोर्टलचे उद्‌घाटन डॉ. भामरे यांच्या हस्ते झाले.
फायटर एअरक्राफ्टची निर्मिती
ओझर येथील एचएएल कारखान्यात लढाऊ विमानांचे उत्पादन सुरू आहे. त्याबरोबरच आता अत्याधुनिक फिफ्थ जनरेशन फायटर एअरक्राफ्टची निर्मिती केली जाणार आहे. लढाऊ विमानांची संरचना, विकास व उत्पादनही येथेच होणार आहे. यापूर्वीच्या आघाडी सरकारच्या काळात भारत व रशियात तसा करारदेखील झाला आहे. पण केंद्रात सत्ताबदल झाल्यानंतर अंमलबजावणी लांबणीवर पडली आहे. "निमा‘च्या पदाधिकाऱ्यांनी या विषयाकडे लक्ष वेधले असता, तातडीने अंमलबजावणीसाठी प्रयत्न करण्याचे आश्‍वासन त्यांनी दिले. अत्याधुनिक विमानांची निर्मिती सुरू झाल्यानंतर "एचएएल‘च्या कामात वाढ होईलच. शिवाय नाशिकमधील छोट्या व्यावसायिकांना कामे मिळणार असल्याने ऑटोमोटिव्ह इंडस्ट्रीत चैतन्य निर्माण होईल.

- - सकाळ वृत्तसेवा

काश्‍मीरचे दिवास्वप्न पाहू नका - सुषमा स्वराज

न्यूयॉर्क - ‘जम्मू-काश्‍मीर हा भारताचा अविभाज्य भाग आहे; तो बळकविण्याचे दिवास्वप्न पाकिस्तानने बघू नये,’’ अशा शब्दांत परराष्ट्रमंत्री सुषमा स्वराज यांनी आज पाकिस्तानला ठणकाविले. त्याचप्रमाणे दहशतवादाला आश्रय देणाऱ्या पाकिस्तानला जगाने एकटे पाडण्याचे आवाहनही त्यांनी केले. जम्मू-काश्‍मीरमध्ये कुरापती करण्यापेक्षा स्वत:च्या देशातील बलुचिस्तानमध्ये काय चालू आहे याकडे लक्ष द्यावे, असेही त्यांनी या वेळी स्पष्ट केले.

संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघाच्या ७१व्या आम सभेत परराष्ट्रमंत्री सुषमा स्वराज यांचे आज भाषण झाले. स्त्री-पुरुष समानता, मेक इन इंडिया, स्वच्छ भारत अभियान, जनधन योजना याबाबत माहिती देत त्यांनी भाषणाला सुरवात केली. पाकिस्तानचे पंतप्रधान नवाज शरीफ यांनी गेल्या बुधवारी संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघात केलेल्या भाषणाचा समाचार त्यांनी घेतला. त्या म्हणाल्या, ‘‘जगातील अनेक देश  दहशतवादाला बळी पडले आहेत. आज २१ व्या शतकाच्या सुरवातीपासून जग दहशतवादाचा मुकाबला करीत आहे. ब्रिटन, फ्रान्स, अमेरिका, भारत त्याचप्रमाणे सीरिया या देशांनी दहशतवादाची झळ सोसली आहे. दहशतवादाविरोधात लढण्याची एखाद्या देशाची तयारी नसेल तर आंतरराष्ट्रीय समूहातून त्याला दूर केले पाहिजे.’’

चर्चा करण्यासाठी भारत अटी घालत आहे, असा उल्लेख शरीफ यांनी त्यांच्या भाषणात केला होता. त्याचा समाचार स्वराज यांनी घेतला. भारत नेहमीच पाकिस्तानशी मैत्रीने वागला आहे. आमचे सरकार सत्तेवर आल्यानंतर शपथविधीसाठी पाकिस्तानच्या पंतप्रधानांना निमंत्रण देताना कोणती अट घातली होती, काबूलहून भारतात परतत असताना शरीफ यांची सदिच्छा भेट घेतली त्या वेळी कोणती अट घातली होती, अशा प्रश्‍नांची सरबत्ती त्यांनी केली. ईद, क्रिकेट सामने अशा अनेक प्रसंगी भारताने मैत्रीचाच हात पुढे केला होता.

स्वराज म्हणाल्या, ‘‘न्यूयॉर्कमध्ये दहशतवाद्यांनी केलेल्या ९/११ च्या भीषण हल्ल्याला याच महिन्यात १५ वर्षे पूर्ण झाली. काही महिन्यांपूर्वी पॅरिससह इतर शहरांमध्येही हल्ले झाले. आमच्यावरही पठाणकोट आणि उरीमध्ये दहशतवाद्यांनी हल्ला केला. दहशतवाद हा मानवाधिकारांचे सर्वांत मोठे उल्लंघन आहे, ही गोष्ट सर्वांनी मान्य करायलाच हवी. दहशतवाद  कोणत्याही एका देशापुरता मर्यादित नाही. तो संपूर्ण मानवतेचा शत्रू आहे. या दहशतवाद्यांना आश्रय कोण देतो, त्यांना आर्थिक रसद कोण पुरवतो आणि प्रशिक्षण कोण देतो, याचाही विचार झाला पाहिजे. काही देश दहशतवाद्यांना आश्रय आणि समर्थन देत आहेत. काही दिवसांपूर्वी याच मंचावरून अफगाणिस्ताननेही अशीच भूमिका मांडत चिंता व्यक्त केली होती. दहशतवाद्यांमध्ये ‘चांगला-वाईट’, ‘आमचा-तुमचा’ असे वर्गीकरण करता येणार नाही. दहशतवादाशी लढायचे असेल तर सर्वांनी एकत्र यायला हवे. यासाठी आपसांतील मतभेद दूर करावे लागतील. हे अशक्‍य काम नाही. इच्छाशक्ती असेल तर करता येईल. ही लढाई कठीण असली, तरी पुढच्या पिढीसाठी आपल्याला ती करावी लागेल.’’

स्वराज म्हणाल्या...

- जिनके अपने घर शीशे के हो, उन्हें दूसरों के घर पत्थर नहीं फेकने चाहिए

- काश्‍मीर बळकावण्याचे स्वप्न पाहणे पाकिस्तानने सोडून द्यावे

- बलुचिस्तानात काय चालले आहे याकडे  पाकिस्तानच्या पंतप्रधानांनी लक्ष द्यावे

- बहादुर अली हा तर दहशतवादाचा जिवंत पुरावा

- जगभरातील दहशतवाद हा मानवाधिकाराचे सर्वांत मोठे उल्लंघन

- सर्वांनी मतभेद विसरून दहशतवादाच्या विरोधात एकत्र येऊन लढा द्यावा

- छोट्या छोट्या संघटनांनी दहशतवादाचे भीषण स्वरूप धारण केले आहे

- - वृत्तसंस्था

राफेल करारावर अखेर सह्या

तीन वर्षांच्या आत विमाने मिळण्यास सुरवात; अत्याधुनिक क्षेपणास्त्रे तैनात
नवी दिल्ली - बहुचर्चित आणि बहुप्रतिक्षित राफेल या लढाऊ जेट विमानांच्या खरेदी करारावर आज अखेर शिक्कामोर्तब झाले. संरक्षणमंत्री मनोहर पर्रीकर आणि फ्रान्सचे संरक्षणमंत्री जीन वेस ली ड्रायन यांच्या उपस्थितीत 36 राफेल विमाने घेण्याच्या 59 हजार कोटी रुपयांच्या या करारावर स्वाक्षरी झाली.

पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदी यांच्या गेल्या वर्षी झालेल्या फ्रान्स दौऱ्यावेळी त्यांनी फ्रान्स सरकारकडून 36 राफेल विमाने घेण्याचे जाहीर केले होते. राफेल खरेदीचा प्रस्ताव पूर्वीच्या यूपीए सरकारच्या काळापासून किमतीमुळे ताटकळला होता. नव्याने केंद्रात आलेल्या मोदी सरकारने आधीचा प्रस्ताव रद्द करत नव्याने विमान कंपनीबरोबर नव्हे; तर थेट फ्रान्स सरकारबरोबरच वाटाघाटी सुरू केल्या. मागील 16 महिने विमानांच्या किमतीबाबत भारताने अत्यंत संयमितपणे चर्चा करत साडेपाच हजार कोटी रुपये कमी करून घेतले. करारानुसार भारतातील कंपन्यांनाही तीन अब्ज युरोचे काम मिळणार आहे.

करार झाल्याच्या दिवसापासून, म्हणजे आजपासून 36 महिन्यांच्या आत ही विमाने भारतात येण्यास सुरवात होणार असून 66 महिन्यांच्या आत सर्व विमाने भारतात दाखल होतील, असे करारात नमूद करण्यात आले आहे. अत्याधुनिक क्षेपणास्त्रे आणि यंत्रणा असलेल्या या विमानात भारतानेही आपल्या गरजेनुसार आवश्‍यक ते बदल करवून घेतले आहेत. भारतीय हवाई दलाकडे आतापर्यंत नसलेली "मेटिऑर‘ आणि "स्काल्प‘ ही दोन नवी क्षेपणास्त्रे राफेलवर असणार आहेत. राफेल खरेदीमुळे भारतीय हवाई दलाची सक्षम लढाऊ विमानांची प्रतिक्षा संपणार आहे.
राफेलमुळे काय शक्‍य?
150 किमी पल्ला असलेल्या मेटिऑर क्षेपणास्त्राच्या साह्याने भारतीय हद्दीतूनच पाकिस्तानमध्ये; तसेच उत्तर आणि ईशान्य सीमेवर अचूक हल्ला करता येऊ शकतो. भारताकडे कारगिल युद्धावेळीही अशाप्रकारची क्षेपणास्त्रे असली तरी त्यांचा पल्ला केवळ 50 किमी होता. पाकिस्तानकडेही अशा प्रकारची क्षेपणास्त्रे असून त्यांचा पल्ला फक्त 80 किमी आहे. राफेल करार झाल्यानंतर ही विनामे तयार करणाऱ्या फ्रान्समधील डॅसॉल्ट कंपनीने "मेक इन इंडिया‘मध्ये सहभाग घेण्याची तयारी दर्शविली आहे.
राफेलची वैशिष्ट्ये
- 2 : चालक
- 10 हजार किलो : वजन
- 50 फूट : लांबी
- 4,700 लिटर : इंधन क्षमता
- 3,700 किमी : पल्ला
कसा सुटला पेच?
फ्रान्सबरोबरील वाटाघाटींमध्ये प्रामुख्याने किंमत कमी करणे, या विमानांबरोबर अत्याधुनिक क्षेपणास्त्रे मिळविणे आणि भारताला हव्या असलेल्या सुविधांबरोबरच विमानांच्या निर्मितीत पन्नास टक्के वाटा भारतीय कंपन्यांना देणे या मुद्यांचा समावेश होता. फ्रान्सचा मुख्य आक्षेप भारतीय कंपन्यांना निर्मितीच्या प्रक्रियेत सामील करुन घेण्याबाबत होता. भारतीय कंपन्यांकडून तयार होणारे भाग आणि त्यांचा दर्जा याबाबत फ्रान्सने हरकतीचे मुद्दे उपस्थित केलेले होते. भारताने मूळ किमतीत देऊ केलेल्या विमानांचा दर्जा आणि त्याबरोबर दिली जाणारी शस्त्रास्त्रे याबाबत हरकतीचे मुद्दे उपस्थित केले होते. कारण किमतीच्या तुलनेत मूळ विमानांचा दर्जा काहीसा कालबाह्य होणारा होता. त्यावर वाटाघाटी होऊन फ्रान्सने या विमानांना अत्याधुनिक अशी हवेतल्या हवेत मारा करु शकणारी क्षेपणास्त्रे देण्याचे मान्य केल्यानंतर पेच सुटला असे समजते.

शत्रूंवर वचक ठेवणारे अस्त्र - राफेल
पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदी यांच्या गेल्या वर्षीच्या फ्रान्स दौऱ्यात फ्रान्स सरकारकडून 36 राफेल लढाऊ विमाने खरेदी करण्याचा निर्णय घेण्यात आला. या वेळी अंतिम किमतीबाबत एकमत न झाल्याने केवळ विमान खरेदीचा सामंजस्य करार करण्यात आला. त्यानंतर मे 2015 पासून सुरू झालेली चर्चा काही दिवसांपूर्वीच संपून आज करारावर सह्या झाल्या. किमतीबाबत चर्चा सुरू झाल्यानंतर भारताच्या अथक प्रयत्नांमुळे कराराची किंमत 12 अब्ज युरोवरून 7.8 अब्ज युरोपर्यंत खाली आली. शिवाय, विमानात भारताने अधिक सुधारणा करवून घेतल्या आहेत. हे विमान अत्याधुनिक यंत्रणा आणि क्षेपणास्त्रांनी सज्ज असल्याने पाकिस्तानसह चीनवरही दबाव निर्माण झाला आहे.
‘राफेल‘वरील क्षेपणास्त्रे
- मेटिऑर : या क्षेपणास्त्रामुळे भारतीय हवाई दलाच्या क्षमतेत मोठी वाढ झाली आहे. रडारच्या साह्याने व्हिज्युअल रेंजच्याही (बीव्हीआर) पुढील लक्ष्याचा हवेतल्या हवेत भेद करणे, हे या क्षेपणास्त्राचे वैशिष्ट्य असून, त्याचा पल्ला 150 किमी इतका आहे. त्यामुळे अटीतटीच्या क्षणी राफेल हे भारताच्या ताफ्यातील महत्त्वाचे शस्त्र ठरणार आहे.
- स्काल्प : हवेतून जमिनीवर मारा करणारे हे दीर्घ पल्ल्याचे क्रूझ क्षेपणास्त्र आहे. याचा पल्ला 300 किमी इतका आहे.
कराराच्या पैशांची विभागणी
- 3.42 अब्ज युरो : केवळ 36 राफेल विमानांची किंमत
- 71 कोटी युरो : इतर शस्त्रे
- 170 कोटी युरो : भारताने सुचविलेल्या बदलांची किंमत
- उर्वरित रक्कम सुटे भाग आणि देखभाल खर्च
करारातील अतिरिक्त मुद्दे
- 75 टक्के विमाने कायम उड्डाणासाठी सज्ज असण्याच्या तयारीत हवी
- भारताच्या नऊ वैमानिकांना प्रकशिक्षण
- इस्रायली हेल्मेट माउंटेड डिस्प्ले
- ब्राह्मोस-एनजीचा अंतर्भाव
- पाच वर्षे फ्रान्सकडून देखभाल
- तंत्रज्ञानाचे संपूर्ण हस्तांतर
हवाई दल तुलना
चीन -

- लढाऊ विमाने - 1,366
- लष्करी वाहतूक विमाने - 228
- हेलिकॉप्टर - 336
भारत
- लढाऊ विमाने - 623
- लष्करी वाहतूक विमाने - 228
- हेलिकॉप्टर - 326
पाकिस्तान
- लढाऊ विमाने - 354
- लष्करी वाहतूक विमाने - 32
- हेलिकॉप्टर - 27
राफेल कराराचा प्रवास
- ऑगस्ट 2007 : मिग विमानांऐवजी नवी विमाने घेण्यास केंद्र सरकारची मंजुरी
- जानेवारी 2012 : डॅसॉल्ट या कंपनीला राफेल विमान पुरविण्याचे कंत्राट. मात्र तांत्रिक कारणांवरून करार लांबला
- सुरवातीला 126 विमाने घेण्याची तयारी.
- एप्रिल 2015 : 36 विमाने खरेदीवर शिक्कामोर्तब
- मे 2015 : किमतीबाबत चर्चा सुरू
- 23 सप्टेंबर 2016 : करार पूर्ण

लांबी : 15.3 मीटर
पंखांचे क्षेत्रफळ : 46 चौरस मीटर
पंखांचा विस्तार : 10.8 मीटर
क्षमता : दोन वैमानिक, बहुउद्देशीय लढाऊ विमान
कार्यरत : डिसेंबर 2000 पासून
कमाल वजन : 24,500 किलो
कमाल वेग : 1,910 किमी/प्रतितास
युद्ध परीघ : 1,850 किमी
शस्त्रसज्जता : 30 मि.मी.ची तोफ, 9.5 टनांची क्षेपणास्त्र वाहण्याची क्षमता

 

- - पीटीआय

Satisfied with Parrikar’s response on pay commission: Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha

New Delhi: The armed forces today said they have raised "anomalies" in the 7th Pay Commission with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and were satisfied with his response that the issue will be resolved at the earliest.

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha and Navy Admiral Sunil Lanba had also met with Parrikar on Monday over the pay commission anomalies.

The statement by the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha comes just days after the three services issued letters to their formations, saying they have asked the government to hold "in abeyance" the implementation of the CPC in view of the "unresolved anomalies".

The forces argue that the anomalies lower the status and pay parity of forces vis-a-vis their counterparts in the police and civilian administration.

Raha and Navy Admiral Sunil Lanba had also met with Parrikar on Monday over the issue.

The 7th Pay Commission anomalies in respect of the armed forces were discussed with the Defence Minister in detail by the Service Chiefs and the members of the Armed Forces Pay Commission Cell, a statement by Raha's office said.

The Defence Ministry is "seized of all the issues and has assured to resolve them at the earliest. The Services are satisfied with the response," it said.

The statement came amid reports that the forces were not happy with Parrikar's reply.

PTI

7th Pay Commission to get cabinet nod tomorrow, says Finance Secretary

New Delhi: 7h Pay Commission recommendations for 4.8 million central government employees and 5.2 million pensioners will be placed in the next cabinet meeting, scheduled to be held on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa said on Monday.

The Cabinet is likely to take up 7th Pay Commission recommendations for central government employees on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa said on Monday.

The Empowered Committee of Secretaries, headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, which was formed in January to review 7th Pay Commission's recommendations, has finalised its report, he added.

“The committee very recently had their last meeting. They have taken a final decision. Now, we are waiting for the minutes of the meeting. We will soon draft a cabinet note based on the report,” he told reporters.

The cabinet proposal is almost ready as recommended by the Empowered Committee of Secretaries and the 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur, according to a finance ministry official.

The Finance Ministry will sent a report on the proposed pay and allowances, which were recommended by the Empowered Committee of Secretaries, to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Tuesday.

The PMO will send it back to the ministry with some instructions on the same day and it will be sent to the cabinet on Wednesday, the official said.

The notification of 7h Pay Commission recommendations will be issued shortly after the approval of the cabinet.

Under the prevailing circumstances, the central government employees may start drawing the increased salaries under the new pay matrix from July and arrears of the previous six months will be got in August.

Sources said the secretaries’ panel may have recommended higher pay increase, with minimum pay at Rs 23,500 a month and maximum salary of Rs 3.25 lakh.

The government employees are also likely to get double of existing rates of allowances and advances, which has been recommended for abolition by 7th Pay Commission like risk allowance, small family allowance, festival advance, motor cycle advance.

The 7th Pay Commission had recommended 23.55 per cent overall hike in salaries, allowances and pension involving an additional burden of Rs 1.02 lakh crore or nearly 0.7 per cent of the GDP.

The Commission recommended a 14.27 per cent increase in basic pay, the lowest in 70 years. The previous 6th Pay Commission had recommended a 20 per cent hike which the government doubled while implementing it in 2008.

The Commission proposed the highest basic salary at Rs 250,000 from current Rs 90,000 and the lowest at Rs 18,000 from current Rs 7,000 for the central government employees.

Finance secretary also told reporters the 7th Pay Commission report will be effective from January 1.

TST

7th Pay Commission review panel findings not binding on Government , says Finance Ministry

New Delhi: The Finance Ministry is to make clear that government is not bound by the findings of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries on 7th Pay Commission's recommendations.

Arun Jatley, Union Finance Minister, will give the government’s formal response to the Empowered Committee of Secretaries.

The Government will not necessarily be bound by the findings of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries on 7th Pay Commission for central government employees, the Finance Ministry official involved with the process of pay hike told The Sen Times on condition of anonymity.

Amid a growing expectation that the Empowered Committee of Secretaries headed by the Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha will recommend 30 per cent hike in salaries of central government employees, that would take the minimum basic monthly pay to Rs 23,500 and the maximum to Rs 3,25,000, while government is set to cut the salary for the higher rungs and increase that for the lower grades to add a populist hue, accordingly source stressed that government would make its own decision.

“The Empowered Committee will make its proposal,” source said. “government will make the decision.”

He said it is vital for government to increase the pay of lower grade employees to enjoy growing popularity in central government employees.

Arun Jatley, Union Finance Minister, will give the government’s formal response to the Empowered Committee of Secretaries, which is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, after receiving its findings from their another two meetings.

The government may welcome the Empowered Committee report but the cabinet will take its own decision, the source said.

The Prime Minister's office (PMO) told the Empowered Committee that the salaries of employees in the lower rungs should rise by he highest percentage.

The government decided to give highest percentage salary rise to bottom grades employees and pay parity ratio of mid-level tier officers will be maintained with the bottom grade, source added.

Earlier, all pay commissions had not only recommended for good salary to top central government officials but also considered the disparity ratio between its highest and lowest paid employees.

For instance, in 1948, the salary of the highest paid government official was Rs 2,263 which was 41 times higher than the Rs 55 paid to the lowest earning employee. With subsequent pay commissions the ratio was reduced to about 1:12 in 2006.

The 7th Pay Commission headed by Justice A K Mathur recommended the highest basic salary at Rs 250,000 and the lowest at Rs 18,000 and its increased the pay ratio between the minimum and maximum from existing 1:12 to 1:13.

TST

Finance Ministry to review domestic black money window

New Delhi: With the first month nearing completion, the Finance Ministry will hold a high-level meeting to review the ambitious one-time compliance window that has been announced by the government to declare domestic black money.

Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia

The review meeting, scheduled later this week, will be chaired by Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia with CBDT members and they will be talking to all the nodal Principal Commissioners of Income Tax department of the scheme in the country, and officials said the "strategies" and action points for the successful implementation of the window called the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) will be discussed.

They said some other issues related to human resource management of the department will also be discussed in the same meeting.

The IDS was opened by the government on June 1 and will be in force till September 30.

Due taxes have to be paid by November 30 by the declarants.

Under the compliance window, income as declared by the eligible persons, would be taxed at the rate of 45 per cent which is 30 per cent plus a 'Krishi Kalyan Cess' of 25 per cent on the taxes payable and a penalty at the rate of 25 per cent of the taxes payable on the income declared.

The scheme was announced by the government with an aim to squeeze out black money from the domestic economy.

The government had come out with a similar scheme for Indians holding undisclosed income abroad last year.

The current scheme will apply to undisclosed income, in the form of investment in assets or otherwise, pertaining to Financial Year 2015-16 or earlier.

The declarations under the IDS can either be made online on the official e-filing website of the IT department or before the various regional principal commissioners.

PTI

IT dept to block PAN, LPG subsidy of defaulters

New Delhi: In order to cripple and check the activities of wilful tax defaulters, the Income Tax department has decided to "block" Permanent Account Number (PAN) of such entities, get their LPG subsidy cancelled and take measures to ensure that they are not sanctioned loans.

CBDT Chairman A K Jain

A number of such measures have been mooted by the tax department, to be undertaken this financial year, in order to curb the menace of large-scale tax avoidance and evasion.

As per a strategy paper prepared by the department, also accessed by PTI, the taxman will block PAN in such a way "that these defaulters are not sanctioned any loans or overdraft facility by public sector banks, as the same is bound to become non-performing assets".

Further, it said, "Ministry of Finance can be suggested to withdrawn facility like LPG subsidy which is directly credited in to the bank accounts of the said defaulters."

This step, the strategy paper said, will act to "disincentive" the defaulters.

The taxman also proposes that the identities of such blocked PANs be circulated to the Registrar of Properties "with a request for not allowing any registration of immovable properties where such PANs are involved."

Such defaulters' information has also been recommended to be circulated across tax offices so that their activities loans or government subsidy can be plugged country-wide.

The department has also decided to subscribe to the Credit Information Bureau Limited (CIBIL) data, on a possible payment basis, to check out the financial activities of defaulters and undertake action against them for recovery and freezing of assets.

CIBIL is an agency to collect and maintain records of an entities' payments pertaining to loans and credit cards.

The department, beginning last year, has also started to 'name and shame' large tax defaulters (over Rs 20 crore default) by publishing their names and other credentials in leading national dailies and on its official web portal.

Till now, 67 such entities have been put in public domain by the department.

The IT department, beginning this financial year, has also decided to publicly name all category of taxpayers who have a default of Rs one crore and above.

"Tax default is a major menace that the department is grappling with.These new measures are aimed to curb these instances in the right earnest," a senior IT official said.

PTI

7th CPC: Secretaries group submits final report to Fin Min; Cabinet approval in 15 days

New Delhi: It's good news for central government employees eagerly waiting for the implementation of 7th Pay Commission.
The implementation of 7th Pay Commission appears to be a matter of a few days now. As per Dainik Jagran report, the Cabinet Secretary met the PMO officials on Wednesday and apprised them about the secretaries panel's recommendations on the salary and allowances hike recommended for central government employees.
The secretaries panel reviewing the 7th pay commission's recommendations have submitted its report to the Finance Ministry. The Finance Ministry will prepare a note and present it before the Cabinet in the next 15 days.
With the threat of strike by central government employees looming large, the Cabinet is expected to take a prompt decision on the recommendations resulting in notification.
The salary hikes recommended are expected to apply from July.
Source:- http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/economy/7th-cpc-secretaries-group-submits-final-report-to-fin-min-cabinet-approval-in-15-days_1896922.html

http://ex-airman.blogspot.in/

Finmin Refutes Claims Of Inflation Due To 7th Pay Commission Award

New Delhi: A salary hike is likely proposed by the Empowered Committee of Secretaries, which has been constituted to look into the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for cabinet nod, will not fuel inflation, says Finance Ministry top officials.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the Pay commission award increase government expenses by Rs 1.02 lakh crore but that would not be a problem. “The implementation of these recommendations will not affect inflation. The recommended pay scale has been hiked in line with the increasing size of the budget of government of India,” they told our reporter. The 13-member body of Empowered Committee of Secretaries, headed by the Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, who is processing the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission decided to hand over soon its possible proposal to the the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for cabinet nod. It is likely to propose a substantial pay hike which could be up to 30 per cent or even more, said officials. the 7th Pay Commission had recommended a minimum monthly basic salary of Rs. 18,000 and maximum Rs. 2,50,000. A 30 percent increase would translate into minimum basic salary of Rs. 23,400 and maximum at Rs. 3,25,000, respectively.

However, The Empowered Committee is likely to purpose Rs 2,70,000 as highest basic pay and Rs 24,000 as the lowest, they also likely to recommend for doubling of existing rates of allowances and advances, the officials added. The government in its annual budget has provisioned Rs 70,000 crore to meet the demand for implementation of 7th Pay Commission for central government employees which will take effect from January 1, 2016, while the allowances would be paid from the date of implementation. “Central government employees could get the revised pay and allowances from their August salaries and arrears are to be paid ahead of festive season of Dussehra in one installment,” the officials confirmed. The Economists fear that the 30 percent salary hike would fuel inflation as the pay commission recommendations will also have a bearing on the salaries of the state government staff. So quite understandably, the government employees are happy as pay increase will enable them to increase their consumption and meet some of their unmet demand.

At the same time, there is a widespread fear that the pay commission recommendations are likely to increase inflation which will reduce the purchasing power of money. RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan earlier said the 7th Pay Commission recommendations will not upset fiscal maths as additional expenditures will be offset by either surplus revenues or expenditure cuts.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley earlier also said hat he was not worried about fiscal deficit on implementation of the pay commission’s recommendations. He said that the Pay commission award increase government expenses by Rs 1.02 lakh crore but that would not be a problem.

“The government has sufficient resources. Implementing the 7th Pay commission award will not affect inflation.” the official told our reporter. The officials said that apart from hiking pay, the government is also likely to propose some administrative reforms, to be implemented in phases.

TST

Remove fear of harassment among taxpayers, PM tells CBDT, CBEC officials

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked the CBDT and CBEC officials to remove fear of harassment from the minds of taxpayers and focus on five pillars of administration -- revenue, accountability, probity, information and digitisation (RAPID).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today at Rajasva Gyan Sangam.

Inaugurating the two-day Rajasva Gyan Sangam here, Prime Minister asked the officials to "move towards digitisation" in a bid to make tax administration better and efficient and work towards bridging the "trust deficit".

Modi also suggested that officials should endeavour to remove "fear of harassment" from the minds of assesses and emphasised that their behaviour should be "soft and sober", Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said while briefing reporters about the meeting.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and senior tax administrators of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) are participating in the two-day annual conference.

Prime Minister also underlined the need for increasing the number of tax payers to 10 crore from 5.43 crore, at present.

PTI

Workshop on Pre-Retirement counselling on ‘Sankalp’ and ‘Anubhav’

The Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions organized a workshop on Pre-Retirement counselling on ‘Sankalp’ and ‘Anubhav’ here today. The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare besides dealing with the pension policy of Central Government Employees, has also been trying to ensure a purposeful and dignified life for retiring employees. For this purpose Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshops are organized wherein the retiring employees are counselled on issues regarding steps and precaution to ensure timely payment of their retirement dues, the CGHS/medical facilities available after retirement and other related issues, most important being encouragement to employees to involve themselves in the social activities by using the time and skill available with them.

During the workshop, Smt Vandana Sharma, Joint Secretary (Pensions) said that today’s workshop will not only help in providing information but also assist to deal with next phase of life. She talked about the importance of updating service book record, family details, nominations and leave records. She also gave a brief highlight on Anubhav, saying that the experience of the retired employees should remain with us rather than taking it away with them.

During the workshop, presentations were made on various topics including ‘Sankalp’ and ‘Anubhav’, CGHS facilities post retirement, Income Tax and other incentives for senior citizens/ pensioners, financial investments and importance of writing of will.

The Workshop provided motivation and guidance to the retiring employees to prepare their Will for smooth transition of their Estates and other assets, as the retiring Government employees get a lump-sum amount by way of gratuity, PF accumulations and commuted value of pension. They were also told about the safe investment options available to them where they could put their financial retirement benefits to meet their future needs.

Shri C. Viswanath, Secretary, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and retiring Central Government Civil employees from various Ministries/Departments and Head of Offices and Head of Departments responsible for processing of pension cases of retiring Government employees participated in the workshop.

PIB

FinMin seeks free access to PNR details for all depts to curb LTC fraud

New Delhi: The Finance Ministry sought all ministries and departments to have free access to the Indian Railways' passenger reservation data to check widespread fraud in Leave Travel Concession (LTC) and Travel Allowance (TA) claims made by central government employees.

Finance Ministry wrote to Railway Board Chairman A K Mittal about the problem with fraud LTC and TA claims.

In a letter addressed to Railway Board chairman A K Mittal, a Joint Secretary in the Finance Ministry, Annie George Mathew, has written that submission of bogus or forged rail tickets with LTC/TA claims was a common problem faced by the government.

Mathew requested the Railways to consider giving access to Passenger Name Record or PNR-related information to ministries and departments free of cost "in the overall interest of transparency and corruption-free government".

The development follows an audit report and subsequent letter from Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts (A-CGDA) A K Saxena, who found that 3,500 LTC and TA claims made by Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel, including 400 officers up to the rank of Air Commodore, were fake.

Saxena's report estimates the total fraud over the past five years to be around Rs 350 crore. Individually, the amounts seem petty but the fraud could affect promotions of several high-ranking officers as the auditor has recommended strict action against them.

The letters and the audit report of the Dehra Dun-based Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA) have been reviewed by the media like The Economic Times.

Saxena had earlier written to the railways seeking access to passenger records, but the national transporter had demandedRs 750 per PNR for the information.

It would cost CGDA about Rs 12.5 crore per year just to verify the PNRs of the 1.5 lakh LTC and TA claims it audits annually.

Now the Finance Ministry has sought free access to the information for all ministries and departments.The PCDA audit had found that in many cases tickets presented for reimbursement were fake and hotel bills were inflated or bogus.

In some cases where IAF officers took flights, they forged the signatures of the under-secretary of the civil aviation ministry. The ministry's approval is mandatory when officers fly airlines other than Air India.

Some people digitally altered the amounts on the tickets to show a higher fare than they actually paid. The auditors suspect there could be an organised racket, considering "the widespread forgery across all commands, involvement of large number of personnel from accounts branch, uniformity in methodology and use of information technology".

Inputs with ET

Letter to Defence Minister - Pension issues: Veterans - Lt Gen Rak Kadyan

IESM/2015/Pension                                                                               Dec 9, 2015

 

 

 

 

 

                     Pension issues: Veterans

 

I am approaching you to seek your help  in resolving some of the old issue that have been pending for a long time, as also, to make some fresh recommendations.  These may be considered in the  present state of flux when both  OROP as well as  7^th Pay Commission recommendations are in the consideration stage.

 

(i)               Pension of Honorary Naib Subedars. Some selected  Havildars are granted an Honorary rank of Naib Subedar on retirement. Those given this honour after 1.1.2006 are entitled to  the pension of regular Naib Subedars.  However, the pre-Jan 2006 retiree Honorary Naib Subedars are denied this benefit and are getting the pension of a Havildar. There is thus a discrimination. The number involved is small and extending this legitimate benefit to all will be a just gesture.

This issue I had raised even with your predecessor, Shri A K Antony and with the then Secretary ESW, but has still not been resolved.

 

(ii)            Pension of Majors:  As you would be aware, after Dec 2004, the  rank of Lieutenant Colonel and equivalent has been  made a time-scale promotion, instead of a 'selection rank' as was the case earlier.  As a result, post 2004 every officer now becomes a Lieutenant Colonel on completion of 13 years of service and no one any longer retires in a rank lower than Lieutenant Colonel.  However, prior to this date, there were a number of officers who retired in the rank of Major.  Their total number may be only in 100’s.  These Majors performed the same duties and held the same responsibility that   the Lieutenant Colonels are doing today.  However, as on date, the  difference in their pension is enormous particularly after the rank of Lieutenant Colonel has been  upgraded to Pay Band 4.  It will be just and fair that Majors that retired prior to Dec 2004 are given an appropriate enhancement in their pension so as to  narrow the gap between their pension and the pension of  Lieutenant Colonel within reasonableness.  This point had been raised earlier  by me with Shri A K Antony as well as  with the Secretary, ESW.

 

(iii)          Widows' Pension.  Widows are the weakest entity  among the veterans' community.  Particularly in the rural areas, after the demise of the pensioners, their widows are put to great hardship. Having lost the pension earner and with no significant reduction in their living expenses, their pension on widowhood suddenly gets slashed to 60%.  The 7^th Pay Commission has recommended an enhancement in the family pension to Rs.9000/-.  Considering that the existing DA will merge, this only amounts to only 14.28% and is not considered adequate. There exists a case for the widows to continue earning the same pension that was being given to the husbands. This may be favourably considered.   

(iv)          Emoluments of  short service commissioned officers.   The defence forces need a wide base and a narrow top for efficient functioning and to avoid stagnation in view of the limited number of higher posts being available. Introduction of Short Service  Commission fills this gap and has empirically proved to be a useful step. These officers serve for varying periods but retire well before reaching the minimum qualifying service for pension. They are therefore denied many  of the existing facilities extended to Ex Servicemen. This inevitably is a disincentive for the aspiring candidates for short service commission.  There is a strong case for them to be given pro rata pension depending on their total service. Extension of  ECHS  facility to these  released officers will greatly add to the attractiveness of the scheme and is recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

Lt Gen Raj Kadyan

 

Shri Manohar Parrikar

Hon’ble Minister of Defence

South Block

New Delhi -110 011

 

 

Excellent article by an IAS officer on "INDIAN ARMY"

We need a permanent solution to this tussle over emoluments so that the armed forces need only confront the enemies of the nation, says T.R.Ramaswami IAS.

In the continuing debate on pay scales for the armed forces, there has to be a serious and transparent effort to ensure that the country is not faced with an unnecessary civil-military confrontation.That effort will have to come from the netas, who are the real and true bosses of the armed forces and not the civil bureaucracy. A solution may lie in what follows. This country requires the best armed forces, the best police and the best civil service. In fact that is what the British ensured.. By best one means that a person chooses which service he wants as per his desires/capabilities and not based on the vast differential in prospects in the various services.

How much differential is there?

Take Maharashtra, one of the most parsimonious with police ranks thus still retaining some merit -

The 1981 IPS batch have become 3-star generals, the 1987 are 2-star and the 1994 1-star.

In the army the corresponding years are 1972, 1975, 1979. ie a differential of 10-15 years. While the differential is more with the IAS, the variance with the IPS is all the more glaring because both are uniformed services and the grades are "visible" on the shoulders.

First some general aspects. Only the armed forces are a real profession, ie where you rise to the top only by joining at the bottom. We have had professors of economics become Finance Secretaries or even Governors of RBI. We have any number of MBBSs,engineers, MBAs, in the police force though what their qualifications lend to their jobs is a moot point. You can join at any level in the civil service, except Cabinet Secretary. A civil servant can move from Animal Husbandry to Civil Aviation to Fertilisers to Steel to yes, unfortunately, even to Defence. But the army never asks for Brigade Commanders or a Commandant of the Army War College or even Director General Military Intelligence, even from RAW or IB. Army officers can and have moved into organizations like IB and RAW but it is never the other way round. MBBS and Law graduates are only in the Medical or JAG Corps and do nothing beyond their narrow areas. Every Army Chief - in any army - has risen from being a commander of a platoon to company to battalion to brigade to division to corps to army.In fact the professionalism is so intense that no non-armoured corps officer ever commands an armoured formation , first and possibly only exception in world military history is General K. Sunderji.Perhaps it is this outstanding professionalism that irks the civil services.

Next, one must note the rigidity and steep pyramid of the army's rank structure. In the civil services any post is fungible with any grade based on political expediency and the desires of the service. For example I know of one case where one department downgraded one post in another state and up-graded one in Mumbai just to enable someone continue in Mumbai after promotion!

You can't fool around like this in the armed forces. A very good Brigadier cannot be made a Major-General and continue as brigade commander. There has to be a clear vacancy for a Major General and even then there may be others better than him. Further the top five ranks in the army comprise only 10% of the officer strength. Contrast this with the civil services where entire batches become Joint Secretaries.

Even the meaning of the word "merit" is vastly different in the army and the civil services. Some years back an officer of the Maharashtra cadre claimed that he should be the Chief Secretary as he was first in the merit list.Which merit list? At the time of entry more than 35 years before! The fact is that this is how merit is decided in the IAS and IPS. Every time a batch gets promoted the inter-se merit is still retained as at the time of entry. In other words if you are first in a batch at the time of entry, then as long as you get promoted, you continue to remain first! This is like someone in the army claiming that he should become chief because he got the Sword of Honour at the IMA. Even a Param Vir Chakra does not count for promotion, assuming that you are still alive. In the armed forces, merit is a continuous process - each time a batch is promoted the merit list is redrawn according to your performance in all the previous assignments with additional weightage given not only to the last one but also to your suitability for the next one.Thus if you are a Brigade Commander and found fit to become a Major General, you may not get a division because others have been found better to head a division. That effectively puts an end to your promotion to Lt. General.The compensation package must therefore address all the above issues. In each service, anyone must get the same total compensation by the time he reaches the 'mode rank' of his service. "Mode" is a statistical term it is the value where the maximum number of variables fall.

In the IAS normally everyone reaches Director and in the IPS it is DIG. In the army, given the aforementioned rank and grade rigidities and pyramidical structure, the mode rank cannot exceed Colonel. Thus a Colonel's gross career earnings (not salary scales alone) must be at par with that of a Director. But remember that a Colonel retires at 54, but every babu from peon to Secretary at 60 regardless of performance.Further, it takes 18-20 years to become a Colonel whereas in that time an IAS officer reaches the next higher grade of Joint Secretary, which is considered equal to a Major General.These aspects and others - like postings in non-family stations - must be addressed while fixing the overall pay scales of Colonel and below. Thereafter a Brigadier will be made equal to a Joint Secretary, a Major-General to an Additional Secretary and a Lt. General to a Secretary. The Army Commanders deserve a new rank -Colonel General - and should be above a Secretary but below Cabinet Secretary. The equalization takes place at the level of Cabinet Secretary and Army Chief.

If this is financially a problem I have another solution. Without increasing the armed forces' scales, reduce the scales of the IAS and IPS till they too have 20% shortage.

Done?

Even India 's corruption index will go down.

If the above is accepted in principle, there is a good case to review the number of posts above Colonel. Senior ranks in the armed forces have become devalued with more and more posts being created.But the same pruning exercise is necessary in the IAS and more so inthe IPS, where Directors General in some states are re-writing police manuals eg one is doing Volume I and another Volume II!

Further the civil services have such facilities as "compulsory wait" ie basically a picnic at taxpayers cost. And if you are not promoted or posted where you don't want to go they seem able to take off on leave with much ease. In the army you will be court-martialled. Also find out how many are on study leave. The country cannot afford this.

Let not someone say that the IAS and IPS exams are tougher and hence the quality of the officers better. An exam at the age of 24 has to be tougher than one at the age of 16. The taxpaying citizen is not interested in your essay/note writing capabilities or whether you know Cleopatra's grandfather.

As a citizen I always see the army being called to hold the pants of the civil services and the police and never the other way round. That's enough proof as to who is really more capable. Also recall the insensitive statements made by the IG Meerut in the Aarushi case and the Home Secretary after the blasts. Further, when the IAS and IPS hopefuls are sleeping, eating and studying, their school mates, who have joined the army, stand vigil on the borders to make it possible for them to do so. Remember that the armed forces can only fight for above the table pay. They can never compete with the civil services and definitely not with the police for the under the table variety.

Finally, there is one supreme national necessity. The political class, not the bureaucracy

Shared by Ram Gulrajani
[ Tri Services Veterans]