In a bid to boost infrastructure development, the government plans to build 30 km of roads a day, remove hurdles facing Rs 1.5 lakh crore projects and bring a new Motor Vehicles bill, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday (15 September).Also on the anvil is an overseas arm of highway builder NHAI (National Highways Authority of India), to bid and construct roads overseas and formation of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Company, primarily dedicated for implementing highways projects along borders."In two years time Road Transport and Highways Sector will undergo revolutionary changes. Transport and Shipping sectors will contribute at least 2 per cent increase in the country's GDP in two years span," Gadkari said addressing the media here on completion of 100 days of the NDA government.Listing out achievements of his Ministry, he said draft of the new Motor Vehicles Bill was ready for stakeholders comments and it would be his endeavour to introduce the same in the upcoming Parliament session.It has been designed and framed in sync with the best practices of six advanced nations and would reduce drastically road accidents in the country which accounted for 5 lakh accidents and 1.5 lakh related deaths annually, he said."We inherited a legacy where 189 projects worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore were stuck on account of regulatory hurdles including environment and forest clearances, most of which have been removed and are rolled out."Issues pertaining to 24 of the 42 projects on PPP mode were removed. In addition, golden handshake with developers were made in 34 projects worth Rs 38,573 crore as the builders had backed out and "we will bid out these on EPC (engineering, procurement and construction), he said.Gadkari said he was chairing the Infrastructure Group, appointed by Prime Minister and most of the issues involving delays in forest and environment clearances, defence and railway objects have been removed with Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar clearing 33 of 54 stuck projects.Also, 350 projects concerning rail over bridges stuck for over two years can now be online tracked, he said, adding, "to avoid delays, government, henceforth, would not award any project without acquiring 80 per cent of the required land.""The Ministry has reached out to state governments seeking their support, besides MPs in 10 states have been told about delays in projects in their concerned constituencies."He said work was underway on projects worth Rs 28,000 crore in Jammu & Kashmir and Rs 10,141 crore in North East besides seven road packages worth Rs 12,500 crore have been cleared for work on new highway alignment in the Uttarakhand to make its roads away from rivers.(PTI)
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The government on Monday (15 September) approved a Rs 4,754.42-crore scheme for strengthening power transmission and distribution in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, a decision that will help in significantly reduce electricity losses while being supplied.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), approved the scheme, an official statement said.Power Minister Piyush Goyal said: "The current transmission and distribution (T&D) losses in the North-East are quite high, but with this strengthening I am sure these losses will certainly come down."The current installed power capacity of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim is 4,364.07 MW. The current T&D losses in these states is 50 per cent of supply."This (scheme) will certainly bring it down, I cannot off the cuff the give the number," Goyal added.The CCEA today approved a scheme for strengthening power transmission in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim at an estimated cost of Rs 4,754.42 crore."The intra-state transmission and distribution systems in the Northeastern states are very weak. Presently, 5 out of 20 districts in Arunachal Pradesh are connected to the transmission network," the official statement said.It is necessary to strengthen the power transmission for proper voltage management and lower distribution losses in both the states.The project would be implemented by Power Grid Corporation with its consultancy fee of 12 per cent of the execution cost.After commissioning, the projects would be owned and maintained by state governments.The DONER (Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region) has conveyed its inability to finance the project due to budgetary constraints, the statement said, adding that it will now be taken up through a central sector scheme under Ministry of Power.The project is to be implemented within 48 months from the first fund release to Power Grid Corporation.(PTI)
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CBI's bid to close the case filed against top industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and others in coal blocks allocation scam took a new turn on Friday (12 September) when a special court questioned the agency as to what was the "hurry" in filing a closure report in the matter.The observation came after the investigating officer (IO) told the court that the original minutes of meeting of screening committee, in which Birla-owned Hindalco's application seeking allocation of coal blocks was dealt with, were "missing".The agency told the court that they have already lodged a PE (preliminary enquiry) regarding the missing documents.To this, Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar said, "I have nothing to do with the PE. What was the hurry to close this case? On what basis you have drawn such conclusion (to close the case)?""What kind of investigation you have done? What was your supervisory officer doing? Was he (supervisory officer) only forwarding the documents to the court? Bring the police file and call your supervisory officer in the court now," the judge said while giving the IO one hour time to call his superior.The court was also anguished that the IO has not brought the case diary before it and even the documents filed by the agency along with its final report were not legible."I will go through each and every document. This case cannot go on like this. I will understand only when I will be able to read out the documents. I am unable to read them. They (CBI) are only dumping files in the court," the judge said.On court's direction, the IO called CBI's SP Nirbhay Kumar, the supervisory officer, who also reiterated that the minutes of the screening committee meeting were "missing"."They are missing. We have filed a separate PE on this," he said, adding, draft of the minutes of the meeting has been filed in the court and they have been authenticated by the concerned officer of the Ministry of Coal.The court was hearing the closure report filed by the CBI in its FIR lodged against Birla, former coal secretary P C Parakh and others. The CBI's SP also told the court that draft minutes of the screening committee meeting were seized from Odisha government. "We have taken the statement of Odisha Government's official who had attended the meeting," he said.At this juncture, the court asked the agency, "You have filed the case. There are three stages of investigation. You have seized and collected all the documents in the first phase but then you are jumping straight away to the third phase saying that case is not made out."On being asked by the court as to how many members of the screening committee were examined by CBI during the probe, the IO said, "We have examined four-five members of the screening committee."During the hearing, the supervisory officer told the court that the Odisha government had recommended allocation of coal blocks to Hindalco and even Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written a letter in this regard.The court, however, asked, "Was it considered later on that the Power Ministry had not recommended allocation of coal blocks to Hindalco?.""Was chief minister's letter a relevant document? Power Ministry's report was negative," the judge asked CBI, adding, "the question of illegality has already been decided by Supreme Court and now we have to see the aspect of criminality only."On being asked by the court that whether the application filed by Hindalco was rejected by the screening committee initially, the IO said, "Yes, this was rejected by screening committee."To this, the judge asked, "When the recommendation of the screening committee reversed? Was it permissible in law? Your final report is totally silent of this aspect." After long arguments during which the CBI faced the court's ire on various issues, the judge posted the matter for September 22 when he needed all the clarifications."I am fixing it for September 22. I do not know what will I ask but whatever I will ask, the IO should be ready with it.Initially I am telling you all this but after that I will start imposing costs on you if you will waste my time," the judge said."Later on, I will not give two minutes to the prosecutor or IO to search documents," he observed.During the hearing, on being told by the IO that original minutes of the screening committee meeting were missing, the court asked whether the agency has recorded the statement of anyone in this regard."Did you record the statement of anyone regarding missing of the file? Show me the statement which says original minutes are missing," the judge told the IO.After the IO failed to clarify on this aspect, the judge observed, "no statement is there which says that original minutes are missing."However, as the IO said that draft of the minutes of the meeting, which was filed in the court, was authenticated by Coal Ministry officials, the judge asked, "how can you say that these documents are authenticated when you do not have the original minutes?.""How did you arrive at the conclusion that these are the actual minutes of the meeting? Who authenticated that these were the documents of minutes of screening committee meeting which were missing? You have not taken signatures of anyone on draft copies," the court said."If tomorrow I decides to take cognisance and trial is to proceed then how will you lead evidence?," the judge asked.On the issue of filing of illegible documents, the court rapped the agency saying, "You are making a mockery of the entire process. I cannot read the file, I cannot start the arguments. What should I do? Should I close the case for a month due to this?."The CBI, on August 28, had filed a closure report in the case in which it had earlier lodged FIR against Birla, Parakh and others in one of the coal blocks allocation scam cases.The FIR against Birla, Parakh and others was registered in October last year by CBI which had alleged that Parakh had reversed his decision to reject coal block allocation to Hindalco within months "without any valid basis or change in circumstances" and shown "undue favours".The FIR relates to allocation of Talabira II and III coal blocks in 2005 and CBI had booked Birla, Parakh and other officials of Hindalco under various IPC sections, including criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct on the part of government officials.In its FIR, the agency had alleged that during the 25th Screening Committee meeting, chaired by Parakh, applications of Hindalco and Indal Industries were rejected for mining in Talabira II and III "citing valid reasons". (PTI)
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The government will seek details from the Indian High Commission in London on the charges of bribery against Alstom UK in winning infrastructure orders for the Delhi Metro project. The Indian high commissioner will be asked to obtain facts and relevant details from the UK Serious Fraud Office (SFO) regarding the reported kickbacks paid to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for securing the infrastructure order, Press Trust of India reported, citing sources. It said Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has asked the ministry's secretary Shankar Aggarwal to approach the foreign secretary for communicating the matter to the High Commission. The Indian government wants to obtain facts from London before taking any further action, the news agency said. The British subsidiary of French train and turbine maker Alstom paid around $8.5 million in bribes over a six-year period to win transport contracts in India, Poland and Tunisia, the British fraud prosecutor alleged on Tuesday. "Alstom Network UK Ltd, formerly called Alstom International Ltd, a UK subsidiary of Alstom, has been charged with three offences of corruption contrary to section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, as well as three offences of Conspiracy to Corrupt contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977," the Serious Fraud Office said in a statement. "The alleged offences are said to have taken place between June 1, 2000 and November 30, 2006 and concern large transport projects in India, Poland and Tunisia," it added. British authorities have taken the UK subsidiary of Alstom to court over the alleged bribery charges. The first hearing of the case was held at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday and the next hearing at Southwark Crown Court is scheduled for October 6. The SFO investigation commenced as a result of information provided by the Office of the Attorney General in Switzerland concerning the Alstom Group, in particular Alstom Network UK Limited. The UK's financial watchdog had filed charges in July. The alleged agreements were struck by Alstom Network UK, certain directors and others with Indo European Ventures and Global King Technology in India, SagaxEngineering Limited and Kavan BV in Poland and Construction et Gestion NEVCO in Tunisia, according to court filings. Indo European Ventures allegedly received Rs 1,98,95,000 disguised as payments from Alstom while Global King Technology allegedly received 3,131,600 euros disguised as payments for favouring the Alstom group in relation to the DMRC project, according to court documents. The case comes at a tricky time for the French parent, which has agreed a $16.9 billion sale of most of its power business to US conglomerate General Electric in a deal that gives the French government an option to become a shareholder. If convicted, Alstom Network UK faces fines or a ban from competing for public contracts in the European Union. (Agencies)
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Announcing Rs 4,500 crore expansion plans for Odisha, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said petrol, diesel and LPG network would be expanded to benefit all the consumers in the state. After reviewing the work of Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum and their marketing network in Odiaha, Pradhan said the state has LPG consumer base of 28 per cent of the population and it would be raised to 33 per cent this year and 50 per cent household in three years. At present the national average of LPG consumer base is 60 per cent. The endeavour of his ministry would be to bring Odisha at par with national average, he said. Pradhan said three new product pipelines would be constructed between Paradip-Ranchi, Paradip-Durgapur and Paradip-Raipur. The new pipelines will go through several areas of the state, which will carry petroleum products to the most parts of the state. Now the coastal centric distribution network of LPG, petrol and diesel will be widened and expanded to the nooks and corners of the state to achieve the national average, the Union minister said, adding existing LPG distribution centre network of 404 would be raised to 750 in next three years. Pradhan said new depots, product pipelines, LPG terminals and imported LPG terminals in Odisha would entail an investment over Rs 4,500 crore. Berhampur terminal would be modernised and new depot would come up in Bhubaneswar. In addition to that more depots will be opened in South and Western Odisha. Balasore depot will be modernised under new expansion plan, he said. The minister said under new expansion plan LPG distribution centres will be established within 15 km radius in all Gram Panchayats of Odisha. He said new expansion plan would create direct jobs to about 5,000 persons. Now over 10,000 people are employed in various petroleum projects of central oil companies in Odisha. Reviewing petrol pump network in the state, the Union minister said the state had 1,449 petrol pumps working at present. Within next three years 300 more petrol pumps will be added to the network. (PTI)
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CBI has got a jolt in the Coal blocks allocation scam probe as a special court has "returned" its charge sheet in a case involving a Kolkata-based company, saying it has failed to give any plausible explanation on its queries and reasons for dropping four accused from it.The case involves allocation of coal blocks to Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd in Jharkhand's Rajhara town in which its directors and unknown public servants of the Ministry of Coal, Government of Jharkhand and others were made accused in the FIR lodged by the CBI in September 2012.The agency came up with its charge sheet before Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar who asked certain queries from the investigating officer (IO) regarding the final report in which eight accused have been chargesheeted while four have been dropped for want of prosecutable evidence.The court noted that CBI has not given any "legally admissible logic" for keeping four persons away from the involvement of criminality by merely saying that "no prosecutable evidence could be collected against them during the course of investigation"."A perusal of the charge sheet also shows that as regard accused No. 1 company i.e. M/s Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd only one Director has been arrayed as an accused while other 4 accused persons (named in FIR) have not been chargesheeted."...A bare perusal of the report tobeen filed shows that there is no legally admissible logic or reasoning in the final report which could correlate conclusion of their being no prosecutable evidence against 4 accused persons viz-a-viz the nature of investigation carried out as find mention in the final report under section 173 CrPC," the special judge said.The court also observed that IO was unable to "furnish any plausible explanation" on the queries raised by it.CBI has informed the court that four of the eight accused chargesheeted by it were public servants out of whom two have already retired.It also said that the other two accused public servants -- Basant Kumar Bhatacharya and Bipin Bihari Singh -- are still in government service and sanction for their prosecution has not been received yet.To this, the judge said, "In these circumstances, the charge sheet is hereby accordingly returned with the direction that the same may be filed after obtaining necessary sanction, if available, qua the two working public servants and other necessary clarifications as have been mentioned herein above." After CBI informed the court that sanction to prosecute the two public servants was still awaited, the judge said that cognisance of the offence could not be taken against them."Certainly in the absence of sanction under section 19 Prevention of Corruption Act, the cognizance of the offences cannot be taken against the two accused persons i.e. accused No. 4 and 5 (Bhatacharya and Singh)."In these circumstances it will not be proper to take part-cognizance of various offences qua certain accused persons and to defer the same qua other accused persons," the judge observed.CBI had registered the case under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) of IPC and under various provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act against Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd, its directors -- Sanjeev Kumar Tulsyan, Prashant Tulsyan, Vaibhav Tulsyan, Nisha Tulsyan, Vimal Kumar Tulsyan, Nirmala Tulsyan and Hemant Kumar Aggarwal.Besides them, Navin Kumar Tulsyan, a chartered accountant, along with unknown officials of Ministry of Coal and Jharkhand government and others were also named as accused in the FIR.In its FIR, CBI had alleged that the firm had applied for allocation of coal blocks, including Rajhara North (central and eastern) coal block in Jharkhand having geological reserve of 17.09 MMT.It had said initially Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd was not having recommendation of either the Ministry of Steel or Jharkhand government but the then Jharkhand chief secretary, who had attended 36th Screening Committee meeting on July 3, 2008, had signed minutes of the committee which had recommended allocation in favour of the firm.CBI had alleged that Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd had fraudulently claimed an inflated net worth and the ownership of the firm too had changed hands during the intervening period of the 36th Screening Committee.(PTI)
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