LPG CONSUMERS TO GET FREEDOM WITH GAS PORTABILITY SCHEME

Are you unhappy with the service of your present Gas cylinder distributor? Not to worry, because soon LPG gas cylinder consumers would be able to switch to LPG distributors of their choice, under a recently approved “Portability of LPG connections” scheme.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has approved the Gas portability scheme last month in which consumers would be able to switch between at least four gas cylinder distributing agencies provided in a cluster or locality.

The scheme has been approved in 480 districts across the country, including those in Meghalaya. “We are working out the details and would take action shortly,” East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Sanjay Goyal said about the new scheme.

The Central Government together with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) first launched LPG connection portability scheme in 24 districts covering 13 States in October last year under a pilot project.

Based on its success, the scheme was launched throughout India on January 22, covering a population of over 8.2 crore LPG consumers in 480 districts of the country.

“This measure will bring great relief to those LPG consumers who are unhappy with the services of their current distributor or want to move to an LPG distributor closer to their home,” the Ministry of petroleum and natural gas said in its statement.

The OMCs have made more than 1,400 clusters distributors in over 480 districts with an average of almost 4 distributors per cluster to choose from.

Some of the other features of the scheme are that there would be “no transfer fee or additional security deposit charges” for transfer of connection. The transfers can also be done online.

Meanwhile, some of the consumers have also complained that Gas agencies in the State Capital are indulging in unscrupulous means to dupe the consumers for getting new connection.

“The Gas agencies are forcefully selling cooking gas stoves and many other unwanted items with the new connection. In fact, only the cylinders must be bought from the agencies and buying the rest depends upon the customers. Such violations must be checked by the authorities,” another consumer said.

The Procedure to opt for portability is very simple.  To register for Portability, the LPG Consumers need to do the following:

Visit the website of the Oil Marketing company they are presently with

            www.indane.co.in for IOCL

            www.hpgas.com for HPCL, and

            www.ebharatgas.com for BPCL

●          Register themselves in the site, if not registered already

●          See the distributors in the cluster and their star rating in terms of refill delivery performance

●          Select the distributor of their choice from the cluster and submit request

●          The consumer will receive an email confirming the registration and advising details of further procedure

●          In case of Intra-Company portability request, i.e., within the same company, the LPG consumer has to visit only the new distributor with a copy of the email and get enrolled.

●          In case of Inter-Company transfer, i.e. between two different Oil companies, since the LPG equipment is not compatible across companies, the consumer will have to visit the current distributor and surrender the cylinder and pressure regulator, collect the refund/transfer documents and then approach the distributor of his/her choice for reconnection by paying the same deposit as earlier.

●          No Transfer fee or additional security deposit will be charged for transfer of connection under the portability scheme.

MUSLIMS MUCH SAFER IN INDIA THAN IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES: DALAI LAMA

Muslims  are much safer in India than some of their brethren in Islamic countries, the Dalai Lama today said.

Interacting with the media and discussing about the Indian democracy’s strength and weaknesses, the Dalai Lama said that despite some of the problems in the country, India remains a strong democracy providing equal opportunity and protection for all religion, caste, community and race.

Emphasising on the robustness of the Indian democracy, the Dalai Lama said: “ Muslims  are much safer in India than in Islamic countries.”

To further accentuate his observation, he touched upon the Shia-Sunni conflict and prosecution of Shias in Pakistan and similar sectarian violence in Muslim nations. When point out about the Gujarat riots, he said that these problems have occurred in “certain pockets” of the country, but overall India has been peaceful.

 

“There was this incident in Odisha where a missionary was burnt, these sorts of incident occurs in certain pockets of the country, but overall India has maintained religious harmony,” the Nobel laureate said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader further said that the “present economic structure in India is not sustainable” with the gap between the rich and poor widening and urged the policy-makers to shift their focus on developing the rural sectors of the country.

“The gap between the rich and the poor must reduce and for that to happen the focus must shift from developing the big cities to the villages,” he said.

The Dalai Lama added that authorities must try to have roads, hospitals, schools, colleges built in the villages to stop rural migrations and control the population overburden in the urban centres. He added that India mustn't have billionaires only from the cities, but have such people with wealth from the village levels too.

“I have suggested to the authorities at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to have their branches established in the rural areas of the country,” he said adding, only then India can claim its rightful place amongst the super powers of the world.

Reiterating that corruption is the cancer afflicting not just India, but all over the world, the Dalai Lama  said that “ahimsa” or non-violence must be practised in all walks of life, be it in the economic sector, political or overall governance.

 “The concept of ahimsa must be taught right from the kindergarten level so that it touches all aspects of our lives,” the Dalai Lama said. 

DALAI LAMA SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND ALSO REAL ECONOMY

The Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama is not just a wealth of knowledge and wisdom, but also a source of  real economy for many, driving them in their pursuit for daily sustenance in the materialistic world.

Apart from the Dalai Lama’s official entourage, which includes his security and other officials, there is an unofficial entourage that follows the Dalai Lama wherever he visits in India and indirectly serves as cultural ambassadors.

These are the large number of vendors that travel from places such as Bhutan, Bihar (Bodh Gaya), Sikkim and other places selling religious artefacts, trinkets and whatnots, in places the Dalai Lama travels.

“I have been travelling all over the country wherever the Dalai Lama visits and sell these items to the people,” said Rigjin Lama of Bhutan, selling posters of the Dalai Lama, Trinkets and other items of religious significance to the people in Meghalaya's State Capital Shillong. The Dalai Lama was in this northeastern part of India from February 3rd to 5th.

 

It is not just the local Buddhist population that these vendors are looking for, but also those who travel from far off places just to get a glimpse and hear the Dalai Lama in person.

People have driven hundreds of kilometres to come to see the Dalai Lama. “This is a lifetime opportunity to see the Dalai Lama and hear him speak about his beliefs and thought process, it has been a wonderful experience,” said Kenchowangdi and Pematashi who came from Bhutan to listen to the Dalai Lama.

In today’s discourse the Dalai Lama spoke about ways to meditate and take control of the mind and soul. The Dalai spoke in one of the Tibetan dialects and there were two interpreters who translated it to Arunachalee and Bhutanese. The whole Polo ground was decked with flags and people with their family and children listened to the 14^th Dalai Lama in an environment of festivity.

In fact, wherever the Dalai Lama   visit that becomes a holy site, a mini-Tibet, a pilgrimage for the faithful showcasing the rich-Tibetan culture, something that China has miserably failed to surpass.

INDIA RELIGIOUS, BUT ALSO HAVE LOTS OF CORRUPTION : DALAI LAMA

The Dalai Lama has said that despite being a “religious country,” there is a “lot of corruption” in modern India and some of those corrupt are “highly educated” citizens.

Addressing the convocation of the Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU) in which 500 odd students received their degrees, the Dalai Lama said: “India is a religious country, but there is a lot of corruption here.”

He said that some of these corrupt individuals were highly educated in the “modern” system of education. He added that many pray and offer “flowers and incense sticks” to their Gods so that their “corrupt lives” could be made successful.  

The audience burst into a spontaneous applause and laughter to the Dalai Lama’s observation, which however, put the Meghalaya Governor KK Paul, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and many others on the dais and in the gathering to shuffle uneasily in their chairs.

The Dalai Lama’s observation on corruption relates to the number of scams that have surfaced in the country over the years and also the global corruption perception index (Transparency International), which has continuously put India at the bottom of its list, as one of the most corrupt nations of the world.

Emphasizing on honesty, tolerance, non-violence, trust and secularism, the Dalai Lama said these virtues would help in the long run and these have been the hallmark of India’s ancient tradition and opened new vistas for the modern world.     

“India is the greatest contributor of human knowledge to the world,” he said. Calling himself a “student of the Nalanda tradition” of learning, the Dalai Lama said the vast ancient knowledge from Universities such as Nalanda, Taxila and others must be merged with the modern system of education.

“The concept of quantum physics was taught 2000 years back in Universities such as Nalanda, moreover, the ancient Indian psychology was also highly developed” he told the gathering.  

Meanwhile, the Nobel Laureate, who is here on his maiden visit to Meghalaya, was conferred an honorary doctorate degree on Philosophy by the MLCU.

WATER METERS FOR SHILLONG RESIDENTS

Households in Meghalaya’s State capital Shillong would have water meters installed once the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) Phase-III is completed this year by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department.

Under the scheme, all households would be able to draw water and their bills would be calculated based on the water they consume. The total population in the State capital, to be covered under the project, is estimated to be 5.12 lakh. This, experts say would help minimize wastage of water.

The use of water meters was mooted by AusAid in 2004-05 when the organizations carried out various projects in the State and suggested the implementation of water meters to minimize wastage and augment the Government coffers.

Under the AUSAID’s pilot project, 150 water meters were installed in Jail road in the State capital during the same period and based on the feedb

ack from the pilot project the decisions to have water meters was roughly formulated.

“Water meters would be installed in all the households that would be covered under the GSWSS phase-III and the billing and other formalities would be done accordingly by the PHE once the project is completed,” PW Ingty, Principal Secretary, PHE, said.

 However the project, funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission at a cost of Rs 193 crore, has witnessed undue delays and missed several completion deadlines. Ingty said that according to the PHE, 62 per cent work on the project has been completed so far, but in some areas here there have been problems for laying of water pipes.

 

“In Mawlai and parts of Jaiaw there has been problems in obtaining permission for laying of the pipes, these issues are being sorted out,” he said. After the completion of the project the supply of water would be 135 litre per day per capita, officials said. 

India-Bangladesh headed towards new exciting beginning: Bangladesh envoy

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Tariq A Karim today said that India and Bangladesh are headed towards a “new and exciting” beginning in their bilateral ties.

Addressing a press meet after meeting Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma here, Karim said that a slew of new initiatives in trade and commerce to other mutual bilateral exchanges have been set in motion and these would take the two neighbouring countries closer.

Amongst the new policies is the proposed construction of the National Highway 127B that would connect the two countries right from north Bengal to Chittagong port. The highway would begin from North Bengal touch Bhutan-Dhubri (Assam)-Dalu-Narayanganj (Meghalaya, Garo Hills) and move into Bangladesh and eventually culminate Chittagong port.

Moreover, the Shillong-Sylhet-Dhaka bus service is in its final stages of being approved. Karim said that talks on starting the bus service began some years back and the service would soon be implemented.

 

There is also a talk to open more border haats between the two countries. Currently, two border haats, each in Tripura and Meghalaya, are doing trade successfully with their respective Bangladesh counterparts.

There are proposals to open similar border haats along the International border. The Bangladesh High Commissioner said that Meghalaya has proposed setting up 22 new border haats and added these would be opened in stages and based on the success of the new haats similar haats would be opened throughout the International border.

To develop the communication system further, talks are also on to re start the inland waterway service between the two countries. Karim said these waterways were important routes for trade and commerce before partition.

In this connection, he added that air service between the northeast and Bangladesh would get a fillip after Bangladesh Biman agreed to fly twice a week between Guwahati and Dhaka from July this year.

“Initially, Bangladesh Biman would be operating two ATRS during this service and then there is plan to operate 727 aircrafts,” he added.

Karim further said that Bangladesh is seeking to retrieve the mortal remains of “Bangladesh war heroes” who were buried in India. He said the initiative would have “huge emotional” and help building stronger ties between the people of the two nations.

He said that a Joint foreign Secretary-level meeting that is slated to be held between the two countries in the next few months and would hammer out new policy frameworks on some of these issues.

“We are trying to re-discover and re-connect to our historical ties, although history and colonial legacy intervened. Despite this, we are headed towards a new beginning,” the Bangladesh High Commissioner stated. 

SPECIAL FORCE 10 MEGHALAYA

These would be men and women not on “Her Majesty’s” but, “Meghalaya’s service,” and unlike James Bond, would be answerable to people in protecting their days and nights from rioters, communal elements and insurgents.

For all the James Bond fans, introducing Meghalaya’s very own Special Force - the Special Force 10. The force is for real and would be raised by the State Government after the Cabinet gave its approval yesterday and it would consist of ten battle-hardened companies, including a women’s. The total strength of the special force would be 1795.

“We have decided to raise the Special Force 10 (SF-10),” State Home Minister Roshan Warjri announced after the decision to raise the special force. Now, the State Government would tweak the Meghalaya Police Act so that the formal process of recruitment of men and women for SF-10 could begin.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said that the State needed a special force of its own, as time and again reliance on the centre for paramilitary forces for internal security, has been fraught with uncertainties. He justified: “maintaining internal security is the duty of the state government, since law and order is the responsibility of the state Government.”

The training of the SF-10 would be undertaken by “experts from outside the state.” The commandos and the officers would all undergo the training so that they are ready to multi-task when it comes to handling internal security scenario. That would mean jumping from a counter-insurgency operation to a “control the riots” scenario.

It is likely that the SF-10 would undergo intensive training under the National Security Guards (NSG) or MARCOS, India’s Marine Commandos. Para Commandos, NSG and MARCOS are highly trained to deal with crisis situations and are amongst the top special forces of the world.

Special Forces around the world are revered for the special operations they undertaken under worst case scenarios mainly in rescue operations. The heroics of the NSG and MARCOS are etched in the collective memory of Indians during the rescue operations of Mumbai Terror attack in 2011 and Akshardham terror attack.

In Meghalaya, the Garo Hills situation is slowly but surely spiraling out of hand and coupled with situations like last year’s agitation called by NGOs and its violent fall-out, the Government’s work is cut out on  internal security management and so the SF-10.

PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE'S COMPLETE SPEECH ON EVE OF REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS TO THE NATION

ON THE EVE OF THE REPUBLIC DAY 2014

My Fellow Citizens:

On the eve of 65^th Republic Day, I extend warm greetings to all of you in India and abroad. I convey my special greetings to members of our Armed Forces, Paramilitary Forces and Internal Security Forces.

2.         The Republic Day commands the respect of every Indian. On this day, sixty four years ago, in a remarkable display of idealism and courage, we the people of India gave to ourselves a sovereign democratic republic to secure all its citizens justice, liberty and equality. We undertook to promote among all citizens fraternity, the dignity of the individual and the unity of the nation. These ideals became the lodestar of the modern Indian State. Democracy became our most precious guide towards peace and regeneration from the swamp of poverty created by centuries of colonial rule. From within the spacious provisions of our Constitution, India has grown into a beautiful, vibrant, and sometimes noisy democracy. For us, the democracy is not a gift, but the fundamental right of every citizen; for those in power democracy is a sacred trust. Those who violate this trust commit sacrilege against the nation.

3.         Some cynics may scoff at our commitment to democracy but our democracy has never been betrayed by the people; its fault-lines, where they exist, are the handiwork of those who have made power a gateway to greed. We do feel angry, and rightly so, when we see democratic institutions being weakened by complacency and incompetence. If we hear sometimes an anthem of despair from the street, it is because people feel that a sacred trust is being violated.

Fellow Citizens:

4.         Corruption is a cancer that erodes democracy, and weakens the foundations of our state. If Indians are enraged, it is because they are witnessing corruption and waste of national resources. If governments do not remove these flaws, voters will remove governments.

5.         Equally dangerous is the rise of hypocrisy in public life.  Elections do not give any person the licence to flirt with illusions. Those who seek the trust of voters must promise only what is possible. Government is not a charity shop. Populist anarchy cannot be a substitute for governance. False promises lead to disillusionment, which gives birth to rage, and that rage has one legitimate target: those in power.

6.         This rage will abate only when governments deliver what they were elected to deliver:  social and economic progress, not at a snail's pace, but with the speed of a racehorse. The aspirational young Indian will not forgive a betrayal of her future. Those in office must eliminate the trust deficit between them and the people. Those in politics should understand that every election comes with a warning sign: perform, or perish.

7.         I am not a cynic because I know that democracy has this marvellous ability to self-correct. It is the physician that heals itself, and 2014 must become a year of healing after the fractured and contentious politics of the last few years.

My Fellow Citizens:

8.         The last decade witnessed the emergence of India as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. The slowdown of our economy in the last two years can be some cause for concern but none for despair. The green shoots of revival are already visible. The agricultural growth in the first half of this year has touched 3.6 per cent and rural economy is buoyant.

9.         2014 is a precipice moment in our history. We must re-discover that sense of national purpose and patriotism, which lifts the nation above and across the abyss; and back on to the road of prosperity. Give the young jobs and they will raise the villages and cities to 21^st century standards. Give them a chance and you will marvel at the India they can create.

10.       This chance will not come if India does not get a stable government. This year, we will witness the 16^th General Election to our Lok Sabha. A fractured government, hostage to whimsical opportunists, is always an unhappy eventuality. In 2014, it could be catastrophic. Each one of us is a voter; each one of us has a deep responsibility; we cannot let India down. It is time for introspection and action.

11.       India is not just a geography: it is also a history of ideas,
philosophy, intellect, industrial genius, craft, innovation,
and experience. The promise of India has sometimes been mislaid by misfortune; at other times by our own complacence and weakness. Destiny has given us another opportunity to recover what we have lost; we will have no one to blame but ourselves if we falter.

Fellow Citizens:

12.       A democratic nation is always involved in argument with itself. This is welcome, for we solve problems through discussion and consent, not force. But healthy differences of opinion must not lead to an unhealthy strife within our polity. Passions are rising over whether we should have smaller states to extend equitable development to all parts of a state. A debate is legitimate but it should conform to democratic norms. The politics of divide and rule has extracted a heavy price on our subcontinent. If we do not work together, nothing ever will work.

13.       India must find its own solutions to its problems. We must be open to all knowledge; to do otherwise would be to condemn our nation to the misery of a stagnant mire. But we should not indulge in the easy option of mindless imitation, for that can lead us to a garden of weeds. India has the intellectual prowess, the human resource and financial capital to shape a glorious future. We possess a dynamic civil society with an innovative mindset. Our people, whether in villages or cities, share a vibrant, unique consciousness and culture. Our finest assets are human.

Fellow Citizens:

14.       Education has been an inseparable part of the Indian experience. I am not talking only of the ancient institutions of excellence like Takshashila or Nalanda, but of an age as recent as the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Today, our higher educational infrastructure consists of over 650 universities and 33,000 colleges. The quality of education has to be the focus of our attention now. We can be world leaders in education, if only we discover the will and leadership to take us to that pinnacle. Education is no longer just the privilege of the elite, but a universal right. It is the seed of a nation’s destiny. We must usher in an education revolution that becomes a launching pad for the national resurgence.

15.       I am being neither immodest, nor beating a false drum, when I claim that India can become an example to the world. Because, the human mind flourishes best when it is, as the great sage Rabindranath Tagore said, free from fear; when it has the liberty to roam into spheres unknown; in search of wisdom; and when the people have the fundamental right to propose as well as oppose.

My Fellow Citizens:

16.       There will be a new government before I speak to you again on the eve of our Independence Day. Who wins the coming election is less important than the fact that whosoever wins must have an undiluted commitment to stability, honesty, and the development of India. Our problems will not disappear overnight. We live in a turbulent part of the world where factors of instability have grown in the recent past. Communal forces and terrorists will still seek to destabilize the harmony of our people and the integrity of our state but they will never win. Our security and armed forces, backed by the steel of popular support, have proved that they can crush an enemy within; with as much felicity as they guard our frontiers. Mavericks who question the integrity of our armed services are irresponsible and should find no place in public life.

17.       India's true strength lies in her Republic; in the courage of her commitment, the sagacity of her Constitution, and the patriotism of her people. 1950 saw the birth of our Republic. I am sure that 2014 will be the year of resurgence.

Jai Hind!