Gas cylinder cap has lessons for the future

If the government could create a convincing case for capping gas cylinder numbers, there is no reason why the government cannot build a solid case, using similar methods, for a further increase in diesel price.

Of all the decisions that the United Progressive Alliance government took last week to end a long period of policy paralysis, the one that has caused the least provocation to opposition political parties is the annual capping of the supply of subsidised cooking gas cylinders.

This is surprising, as its net effect on a householder's annual budget will likely be substantial.

 After consuming six cylinders in a year under the administered pricing regime, a householder's cost of acquiring every additional cylinder during the year will be 88 per cent more than the subsidised price.

For a householder consuming an average of 12 gas cylinders in a year, therefore, the annual outgo on cooking gas would be higher by 44 per cent once the new system is put in place.

This is much higher than the 12 per cent increase in diesel prices.

 This approach has many lessons for the government in tackling several other similar reforms whose implementation would hurt vested interests.

For an important and tough decision to have a smooth ride, the government needs to build a strong case for it through all-party consultations and dissemination of information that secures a buy-in from important stakeholders.

Supriya Sule- Parbhani

Opposition is trying its level best to create rift between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party NCP, but they would not succeed. Today or tomorrow the bickering would be sort out said Supriya Sule. She was addressing media here on Tuesday during here visit to attend the female youth meet in the city. She said that wrong charges of corruption are leveled against the leaders of both the congress parties and trying to keep them apart. Replying to a question she said ‘The task of uniting the female youths of the state by NCP is really praiseworthy and I would also help the party in doing so. I am not interested in getting involved in the state politics by utilizing the female youth support more ever I am interested to work for Maharashtra from Delhi she said. She said that NCP wants to empower the party through the female youth and as a part of this they are making these girls aware of their rights. 

 two todlers molested in just htree days time in the home town of union home minister shinde

Two incidents of molestations of toddlers in a row in three days in the home town of the union home minister sushilkumar shinde,has shaken the entire state on Monday .just three days ago,a thirteen month old baby was allegedly raped by a youth vishal shivaji kamble in the broad day light.  both the victim and the culprit are resident of fakhroddin slum.

The citizens has hardly forgotten the incident ,a fresh incident of same sort on Sunday night ,mounted tension in the city threatening law and order situation in danger . radheshyam kisan yemul [61] a resident of bidi gharkul caught red handed while trying to molest a toddler. According to the midc police chowky, yemul took the kid in a room and made her naked luring her for biscuits and allegedly molested her but due to screaming of the toddler,she was saved by  the residents.yemul was first roughed up by the ersidents and then handed over to the police.

The incidents ,however, has irked the citizens who pelted stone on police station near zindashahmada chowk and other places.the situation came under control only after policerestored batten charge.the cpm former mla narsayya adam has came down heavily on the union home minister shinde for the detorioting condition of law and order situation in the city.”two toddlers are raped in three days in brought day of light in the home town of the union home minister.what could be the situation of country?’he said.

Meanwhile, the police commissioner pardeep raskar has said that the life has come to normalcy and the culprits have been booked under the law for further process.

HANDCUFF FOUND LYING DESERTED: COPS CLUELESS ABOUT THE MISSING HANDCUFF

A handcuff was found lying deserted in the vicinity of the Mahagaon MSRTC Bus Station on Friday by one alert ‘bhel’ vendor Ramlal operating on the platform. He set his hand on the deserted handcuff and handed over it later to the canteen proprietor Raju Narayan Wakode who passed a tele-message to one of his familiar cops attached to the Mahagaon Police Station. But the cop paid no heed to his message forcing Raju to alert another cop. But he too turned a blind eye at the message. A much baffled Raju has then decided to take the handcuff bearing No.161 to Yavatmal and started on his bike.

The Mahagaon police have got the tip off about Raju heading towards Yavatmal to surrender the handcuff and contacted him on his mobile but they could not establish contact till Raju reached Yavatmal.

When they could contact Raju, the power drunk police started dictating him to bring the handcuff to the police station and surrender it to them in their routine style of dealing with a history sheeter.

Much puzzled Raju has then returned to Mahagaon and on reaching there, surrendered the handcuff to the police station of Mahagaon. Raju has thus relieved from the unwanted burden of the handcuff. However, they could not identify the handcuff despite it bears a distinctive number so far.

When contacted, the Mahagaon Police Station Officer Baijnath Latpatte has confirmed of having received the handcuff from Raju and said that there is no missing handcuff from his police station.

“We have sent wireless message to all the police stations and instructed them to verify the stock to ascertain the source of the deserted handcuff,” Latpatte said.

It is pertinent to note that the prisoners are to be taken to the courts from the jail for presenting them before the courts and the prisoners are being handcuffed on their transit. Those who are granted bail by the court are released from the custody and the handcuffs would be taken back to the jail by the cops escorting the prisoners.

The handcuff found in the vicinity of the bus station might be one such handcuff, it is opined. But nobody is ready to accept the responsibility of the custody of the handcuff. Even the District Headquarter sources said that they have no such missing handcuff as per the stock register.

Now the billion dollar question is: The handcuff is of which police station or the jail? And who was the cop guilty of throwing away the handcuff? Or if the handcuff is thrown away by a prisoner managed to skip during his transit from the escort cops custody and is at large now?

Sharad Pawar welcomed FDI

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today welcomed foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, saying it will help in providing good prices to farmers and better choice and low prices to consumers.

The minister added that FDI will be beneficial for both farmers and consumers. He said In Sangli.

"Farmers will gain on at least two counts: significant reduction in post -harvest losses such as loss in transit due to non refrigeration and air conditioning transportation system, and better prices. Consumers will gain from lower prices, greater choice, and higher quality," the minister noted. "Post harvest losses in the country are high. There are losses in the entire supply chain from farm to market. Investment in cold chains is required. More investment to set up such facilities will come with the entry of FDI. This will benefit both farmers and consumers," he has said.

Pawar added that the government's decision of allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail saying that it will boost investment in cold-chain facilities and bring down post-harvest losses.

Sharad Pawar on two days visit on Sangli - Kolhapur districts visit & attended various functions in Sangli.

Inquiry into raods

 District Collector S.Suresh Kumar  said that whenever a serious road accident occurs, a joint committee comprising police, medical, road transport and roads and buildings should visit the scene of tragedy and submit a report. He was speaking at a meeting of officers here today.

He directed the District Medical officer to ensure that the private doctors do not decline to treat the injured on the ground they are medico-legal cases.

Rural superintendent of police S.Satynarayana revealed that 403 persons have been killed in road accidents in Guntur district so far in the year 2012, that the Macherla-Nagarjuna sagar road has several hazardous bends and that 2000 cases of drunken driving have been registered. 

secretary-lavasa

Former Maharashtra Revenue secretary Ramesh Kumar today said that he had highlighted irregularities in his report on Lavasa Hill city in 2010.

 According to him,  Krishna Valley Development corporation leased out a sizeable portion of the government and gram panchyat land on a lease of Rs. 3.28 lacs for a 30 year period.  Surplus land of 300 hectares was bought by Lavasa Corporation and they failed to pay 75% payable as premium  to the government. They also bought land from 100 tribal cultivators without following the due procedure.

Kumar also refused to comment on whether he feltvictimised since he was not given posting in the Maharashtra administrative tribunal after retirement. " I can't comment on this,"he said.

Earlier in the day, Industries Minister Narayan Rane,who earlier held revenue portfolio, said he had acted on kumar's report by recommending disciplinary action against officials who did not follow due procedure regarding tribal land.