by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Panaji : Goa Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte on Saturday joined the chorus of the Opposition and other cabinet colleagues, claiming that the state administration had come to a standstill in the absence of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
He also alleged that a lobby of bureaucrats and individuals were surreptitiously carving up government benefits in the absence of Parrikar.
Khaunte said that the biggest hurdle in administration was the finance ministry, which is headed by Parrikar, where he said no government file has been moving for several months.
“I am very concerned when it comes to IT (Information Technology ministry), Revenue (ministry). A lot of people in the bureaucracy or in the governance side, who are not seen by the people, are taking certain things for their own benefit, their own interest or for what interest I do not know, but (it is) not in the interest of Goans,” Khaunte told reporters on Saturday.
The independent legislator, who holds the Revenue and IT portfolios, is not the first ruling politician to claim that the administration under the BJP-led coalition government had been affected due to the prolonged absence of Parrikar, who is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and undergoing treatment for nearly nine months now.
Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai, Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, BJP MLA Michael Lobo, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party President Deepak Dhavalikar have in the recent past said that the administration had suffered from Parrikar’s absence.
The Congress has also repeatedly demanded Parrikar’s resignation in view of his prolonged illness.
The Congress too has in the past alleged that a cartel of bureaucrats and politically-appointed officers on special duty were calling the shots in the administration and were running the affairs of Goa.
Khaunte also said that the main obstacle for smooth governance was the finance ministry, which Parrikar holds.
“All files are rotating in different departments for the last four to five months, specially finance department, which is very frustrating for any minister to work with. As elected representatives, we become responsible for the people of Goa, as ministers to the people of Goa, as MLA to the people of my constituency,” Khaunte said.
“But, the bureaucracy is something which is not seen by the people. But I feel the administration has come to a standstill. I feel that there is nothing moving from the finance side of it,” he alleged.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Corporate finance, Corporate Governance
By Arun Kumar Das,
New Delhi : Despite the Finance Ministry’s objections, Indian Railways is pushing ahead with a proposal to involve the private sector in redeveloping 600 stations on an extended 99-year lease – as opposed to the 45-year lease proposed earlier for 400 stations.
The Railways will seek Cabinet approval for its amended proposal at a time key initiatives of the national transporter, such as 100 per cent electrification, installation of European train control systems and free Wi-Fi at all stations, among others, have not found favour with the Prime Minister’s Office.
The initial proposal for redevelopment of 400 stations on a 45-year lease was made when Suresh Prabhu was Railway Minister. However, the proposal did not receive a good response in terms of bidders.
After Prabhu relinquished charge to Piyush Goyal last year, the Railways, this January, circulated a draft cabinet note to various ministries seeking comments on making significant changes – such as extending the lease period from 45 years to 99 years – in the station redevelopment project that now involves an expenditure of over Rs 1 lakh crore.
While the comments from the Niti Aayog and the Urban Development and Law Ministries were in favour of the Railways proposal, Finance Ministry objected to the 99-year lease period and observed that the “lease period should be limited to 60 years”.
“We have suitably explained to justify the 99-year lease period and are hopeful that the proposal will get approval from the Cabinet next month,” said a senior Railway Ministry official.
Responding to the Finance Ministry’s observation, the Railways has explained in a note that the changes it sought were “essential to attract the major real estate players into such transit-oriented development (TOD) programmes in the urban sector”.
TOD is a type of urban development programme which maximises the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. The Railways’ note has details about the TOD which aims to increase public transport ridership, reduce automobile travel, and promote sustainable urban growth.
The basic purpose is to leverage the commercial potential of railway land while at the same time upgrading basic amenities at stations, the official, said adding: “The government aims to use the redeveloped stations as catalysts of economic activity in the surrounding areas.”
The redevelopment of 600 stations envisages opening of shopping plazas, office complexes, hotels, multiplexes and parking lots, among other commercial activities, on rail land, and making provisions for improved passenger amenities at stations.
While the Railways aims to earn about Rs 50,000 crore over the next 10 years from commercialisation of rail land near stations, the ambitious project is expected to involve expenditure of over Rs 1 lakh crore — Rs 80,000 crore in commercial exploitation and Rs 35,000 crore in station redevelopment.
The Cabinet had, in 2015, approved the proposal to redevelop 400 railway stations using a contract method called the “Swiss Challenge” – with a 45-year lease period. However, the proposal did not get a good response, prompting the currently proposed changes.
Besides, earlier only General Managers (GM) of zonal railways were authorised to undertake the exercise. Now it has sought the involvement of states, the public sector, public-private partnership (PPP), and the engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) models as well.
Besides, the India Railway Stations Development corporation Ltd (IRSDC) and NBCC have been roped in to carry out the station redevelopment exercise.
(Arun Kumar Das is a senior Delhi-based freelance journalist. He can be contacted at akdas2005@gmail.com)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Banking, Corporate, Corporate Governance, News, Politics
New Delhi : The Finance Ministry of Wednesday formally announced the launch of the new Rs 200 note.
“The central government hereby specifies the denomination of bank notes of the value of 200 rupees,” a Gazette notification said.
The notification has been issued under Section 24 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, and on the recommendations of the Central Board of Directors of the RBI.
Earlier, Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar told IANS that Rs 200 note, printing of which had begun, would be in circulation soon.
The move to introduce the new currency was to increase the circulation of smaller denomination notes.
An official source had told IANS that the paper for Rs 200 notes was ready in the Mysuru paper mill in June. It was being printed in the RBI printing press.
Post-demonetisation, there have been reports of people facing problems in using the Rs 2,000 note as sufficient quantum of smaller denomination notes of Rs 100 and Rs 500 were not available.
—IANS
