Q10 Development and Vision of India
How Modi government’s flagship missions have irreparably damaged urban governance frameworks and put people at the periphery
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/india-smart-city-mission-7383242
Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs).. on a PPP model... corporatise the process of setting up a smart city and cut through the political clutter. But they ended up bypassing the democratic process.
Second, while there has been a stress on capturing data and meticulous follow up on the implementation of schemes, there seems to be a complete lack of transparency in sharing information and relevant details of the proposals, projects and so on
Thirdly, with respect to the financial support required by ULBs, these schemes come with riders and a “reform” agenda that incentivise ULB’s to focus more on competition, rating them on scheme implementation points, leading to local governments executing them under pressure to get additional resources.
Fourth point on the capacities and roles of local agencies. After over 25 years, ULBs remain ill-equipped to govern in most urban areas. Most of the functions remain under the control of the state governments
Fifth, the push for this new “urban space at a rapid pace with the increasing use of technology” (‘The New Urban’ by Hardeep S Puri, IE, June 25) is leading to a different kind of concern — of not being participative and democratic.
As ideas for the future, the schemes lacked an understanding of significant issues of sustainability, disasters, and resilience building. The biggest challenge facing Indian cities is not of “smart” development, but the need for a “sustainable development”, where ecological concerns are addressed, where pollution is controlled, and resources used efficiently.
Rafale: France appoints judge to probe ‘corruption’ in deal https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/judge-appointed-in-france-to-investigate-corruption-in-rafale-fighter-aircraft-deal/cid/1821138 The latest decision to appoint a judge reverses an earlier decision by the country’s anti-corruption agency AFA not to refer the matter to prosecution authorities even after an audit of Dassault’s accounts of 2017 revealed it had spent 508,925 euros under the heading “gifts to clients”...The news of the probe in France coincided with another French expose that claimed Rafale maker Dassault’s partnership with a company in Anil Ambani’s Reliance group predated Modi’s announcement of the fighter jet deal by a mere 15 days.
Rahul, who flagged corruption in Rafale deal, stands vindicated: Congress https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rahul-who-flagged-corruption-in-rafale-deal-stands-vindicated-congress/article35118023.ece , July 03, 2021 The Congress party renewed the call for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee
Rahul used as ‘pawn’ by rival firms, attacks on govt on Rafale deal to ‘weaken India’: BJP https://theprint.in/politics/rahul-used-as-pawn-by-rival-firms-attacks-on-govt-on-rafael-deal-to-weaken-india-bjp/689485/?fbclid=IwAR3XZtR-6S0hr5L_ISfX92UWJq_7Gw0bQuZapxPr1GxWGUJU57NlNEyWeXY BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also played down the appointment of a judge in France to lead a judicial investigation into the alleged corruption and favouritism in the Rs 59,000 crore deal, saying the development was outcome of a complaint by an NGO and should not be seen as a matter of corruption...“The way Rahul Gandhi is behaving, it will not be an exaggeration to say that he is being used as a pawn by competing companies. He has been lying right from the beginning on the issue. Probably, he is acting as an agent or some member of Gandhi family has been for a competing company,” Patra alleged.
Sohrab Ahmed Munshi: Bofors deal investigation was to strengthen India then?
Bala Subramanian: competing company was Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and you people gave the deal to bankrupt Anil.
John Dsouza: The rival firm is HAL, and the many scientists, engineers and workers at the company, because they lost the chance to make over 126 jets as part of the contract that was superceeded by buying 36 "fully fitted" off the shelf. In another matter, we are being told that Bharat Biotech has followed procedure .. by dealing through their own Singapore company, to elbow out another public funded organisations ICMR of its 5%!!
What Is Rafale Deal Controversy? All You Need To Know https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/what-is-rafale-deal-controversy-all-you-need-to-know-1810706 In January 2016, India confirmed order of 36 Rafale jets in defence deal with France and under this deal, Dassault and its main partners - engine-maker Safran and electronic systems-maker Thales - will share some technology with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and some private sector companies and HAL under the offsets clause. in September 2016, India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France, dubbed as "Rafale deal", in which India will pay about Rs 58,000 crore or 7.8 billion Euros for 36 off-the-shelf Dassault Rafale twin-engine fighters. Additionally, an accompanying offset clause was sealed through which France will invest 30 per cent of the 7.8 billion Euros in India's military aeronautics-related research programmes and 20 per cent into local production of Rafale components. Soon after the deal was declared, the Congress accused the ruling BJP of non-transparency in the multi-billion dollar deal and called it "one of the biggest failures" of the 'Make-in-India' programme.
PM- deal in Sept 2016 for 36 fully fitted jets for 7.8 billion Euros
Egypt Deal in May 2021 for 30 ? jets for 3.75 billion Euro in (https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/france-sell-30-rafale-fighter-jets-egypt-investigative-website-2021-05-03/)
प्रधानमंत्री और रक्षामंत्री रफाल मामले में खामोश क्यों? Rafale ScamI Narendra Modi I Abhisar Sharma
Jul 5, 202 https://youtu.be/0B1aOtNFGBU?t=47 Eric Tappier on 25th March.. deal with HAL for partnering manufacture. 26th March: wire reports
Shri Rahul Gandhi on Rafale Scam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQUdr4n3psc Jul 6, 2021
As France Probes Rafale Deal, India May Be Pressed to Provide Documents Says Mediapart Reporter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8bqhVh3ABk Mitali Mukherjee spoke with Yann Philippin of Mediapart, an independent French online investigative journal that has been unearthing disturbing details on the Rafale deal and pushing for an investigation into the agreement. In this interview, Philippin details the course investigations will take and questionable details emerging of how a deal between Dassault and the Anil Ambani group was signed even before any official announcement.
'Rafale Papers’: the explosive documents in France-India jets deal https://www.mediapart.fr/en/journal/international/080421/rafale-papers-explosive-documents-france-india-jets-deal
APRIL 8, 2021 BY YANN PHILIPPIN
In this final report in a three-part investigation into the controversial sale by France to India of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, Mediapart reveals, with hitherto unpublished documents, how an influential Indian business intermediary was secretly paid millions of euros by Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation and French defence electronics firm Thales. They succeeded in removing anti-corruption clauses from the fighter contract which was subsequently signed by then French defence minister, now foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian. Yann Philippin reports.
Is the Enforcement Directorate being misled as to the role of Sushen Gupta, the secretive defense agent of both AgustaWestland and Dassault? https://cobrapost.com/blog/enforcement-directorate-eliberately%20/1375 Gupta emerges not only as the kingpin of the murky chopper deal but also as the deal-maker in the Dassault Aviation’s fighter aircraft deal, owing to which the BJP government at the centre has found itself caught in the eye of the storm which refuses to die. These documents also indicate his association with Gautam Khaitan, who is alleged by the ED to be involved in clandestine defense deals. These documents also show his association with a slew of companies, IDS Technologies, Aeromatrix, Interdev and Interstellar Technologies of Mauritius, through which, it is alleged by CBI and ED, proceeds of the crime have been routed.
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister PTR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdTCYPX2vaI ( 19mins) In an exclusive interview with The Quint’s Editorial Director Sanjay Pugalia,
Growing Centralisation of Revenue and control.: https://youtube.com/embed/HdTCYPX2vaI?start=70&end=132 (1 min) Why this global economic advisory group? This is following a state planning group set up for a State perspective. . Collective should reflect our Economic and POlitical Philosophy. (ref: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/tn-sets-up-economic-advisory-council-with-duflo-rajan-7369708/ While the new advisory council is likely to function as a superpower, above the existing planning board, State Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan told The Indian Express that it would not operate “in a conventional way”. “First of all, these are not paid positions but honorary positions. Their functioning also will not be in a traditional way as many would expect… This is not for a one-time meeting to submit a report, but will be an ongoing process.)
State of States Finances: https://youtube.com/embed/HdTCYPX2vaI?start=132&end=611 ( 8 mins) Five CAG reports were not tabled. The state finances are much worst that we thought when we made the manifesto promise to reduce fuel prices He talked about how the DMK-led government intends to reduce the petrol price, the need for states to safeguard their rights and the BJP's poor performance in Tamil Nadu politics. Chosen to pick priority segment like bottom of the pyramid. One time restructuring needed because debt to GDP has gone up is such a way that we cannot service debt. But we need to fix the broken system. The Union wants to take over everything..
COVID Data System https://youtube.com/embed/HdTCYPX2vaI?start=704&end=855 (< 3 mins) the state will soon be the first to have a transparent data system for coronavirus deaths and infections..
Who will challenge this dominant BJP? in 2024? https://youtube.com/embed/HdTCYPX2vaI?start=852&end=1016 (< 3 mins) Either we are going into a more regional party led coalition, or the BJP will continue.
https://youtube.com/embed/HdTCYPX2vaI?start=611&end=704 (2 mins) Religion is democratised in Tamil Nadu. BJP notion of Hinduism is directly opposed to the TN notion of hinduism..
'RIP the idea of GST', 02 JUNE 2021
Congress party hits out at the Centre over GST council as Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram puts out a 'ten-point guide to understand GST' on his Twitter handle.
1. GST started as a good idea
2. BJP converted it into a bad law
3. It was notified with horrendous rates of tax
4. The law was applied as though tax-collecting officers were hounds hunting foxes
5. Every businessperson was suspected to be a tax evader
6. The GST Council was reduced to a talking shop
7. The GST Implementation Committee (consisting of officers) became the tail that wagged the dog
8. The FM treats the GoM as an extension of the NDA and its supporting parties
9. All FMs who express a contrary view are treated as errant schoolboys
10. The idea of GST: RIP
Video: Watch the full video to know more about this story and stay updated with the latest news and breaking stories only on Times Now.https://www.timesnownews.com/videos/times-now/india/rip-the-idea-of-gst-p-chidambaram-tweets-criticizing-gst-council/99157