Integrated Action Plan ..... districts will certainly be benefitted if money goes in right hand ..... constant watch and local awareness may help

Counter-Maoist scheme extended to 18 more districts

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Dec 9, 2011, 03.28AM IST

NEW DELHI: Government has approved the proposal to extend its ambitious Integrated Action Plan (IAP) scheme - meant for carrying out development works in Maoist-affected districts through local administration - to 18 more districts with Andhra Pradesh getting one-third of it as "peace dividend".

The scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, will now be implemented in 78 districts across nine Maoist-affected states from the next fiscal (2012-13).

The 60 selected districts, where the scheme is being implemented, are: Odisha (15), Jharkhand (14), Chhattisgarh (10), Madhya Pradesh (8), Bihar (7), two each from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and one each from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The latest approval will extend it to six districts (Vishakhapatnam, East Godavari, Warangal, Karimnagar, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram) in Andhra Pradesh; three districts each of Jharkhand (Ranchi rural, Giridih and Khunti) and Odisha (three including Ganjam and Nayagarh); two each in West Bengal (Bankura and Purulia); Bihar (Munger and Kaimur) and Uttar Pradesh (Mirjapur and Chandauli).

An official said: "Andhra Pradesh which dealt with the Maoist menace quite effectively and reported least violence in the past couple of years gets six districts as a kind of peace dividend. After clearing these districts from Red Ultras through effective security measures, it is now time to concentrate on developing rural areas of these districts".

The IAP is being implemented with 100% block grant of Rs 25 crore and Rs 30 crore per district during 2010-11 and 2011-12, respectively. The allocated funds are placed at the disposal of a district-level committee - comprising collector, SP and district forest officer - that identifies and implements the 'basic' development and infrastructure projects.

Backed by 'progress' report of the scheme, the home ministry had been pitching for extending the IAP to more districts for the last couple of months. The affected states too had been demanding it as the scheme had shown quite a good result in the past nine months.

As many as over 67,072 basic infrastructure projects across these districts have been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 2,740 crore over the past 11 months. The scheme was launched by the Centre in December last year. Various development projects like construction of roads, bridges, school building, drinking water facilities to rural population, sanitation and electricity works are being carried out under the IAP.

Red fronts .... wondering, what is the reason behind this home ministry's claim .... Is it true?

Names of Maoist fronts in Delhi unveiled

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Dec 8, 2011, 03.36AM IST

NEW DELHI: Existence of various front organizations of Maoists in the national Capital had never been a secret, but the government on Wednesday disclosed their names for the first time, including even the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) that is led by Delhi University Prof S A R Geelani, who was acquitted in the Parliament House terror attack case.

Besides, the Union home ministry identified 23 'active' naxal outfits - other than CPI (Maoist) - that have been operating in different states.

The ministry, in response to a Parliament question, listed CRPP, Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), People's Democratic Front of India (PDFI) and Democratic Students Union (DSU) as some of the front organizations of the CPI (Maoist) that are active in Delhi.

MoS for home affairs Jitendra Singh, in his written response, also said: "The CPI (Maoist) operates in Delhi through the Delhi City Committee of tIhe outfit. Besides the CPI (Maoist), several other left wing extremist groups - including CPML-New Democracy as well as CPML-Liberation - are active in Delhi".

Although Singh admitted that no inputs are available to indicate that 'Sleeper Cells' of naxalites are functional in Delhi, he said activities of the Delhi City Committee and these front organizations of CPI (Maoist) were being closely monitored.

The ministry also informed the Rajya Sabha that the CPI (Maoist) has developed "close fraternal ties with certain north-east insurgent groups like the RPF\PLA as part of their 'Strategic United Front' (SUF) against the Indian state.

"They are constantly making efforts to incorporate more insurgent groups in the SUF. Government has alerted the states concerned of the north-east in this regard. It is also monitoring the situation closely", said Singh.

In response to a different question, the ministry informed the Upper House some form of left wing extremist activity took place in 182 districts this year. "This also includes over-ground activities of Maoist front organizations", it said.

Major share of naxal violence - that witnessed killing of 415 civilians and 127 security personnel this year so far - went to the CPI (Maoist), the biggest and most violent Red Terror group in the country, operating in 11 states. But, there are 23 other naxal outfits that have been functioning in one or more states for past many years.

These outfits are: Revolutionary Communist Centre (Bihar and Jharkhand); Jharkhand Prastuti Committee; Sashastra People's Morcha; CPI-Marxist-Leninist-Maoist (Bihar); Revolutionary Communist Party (Karnataka); CPML-Liberation (Bihar, Jharkhand, Delhi, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh); Communist Party Re-Organisation Centre of India/Marxist-Leninist in Punjab; CPML-Naxalbari in Kerala and Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Marxist-Leninist Party in Tamil Nadu among other groups.......http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMTIvMDgjQXIwMDkwMQ==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

NGOs ..... wish they spend such fund judiciously

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US continues to be the biggest donor for Indian NGOs

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Dec 7, 2011, 01.14AM IST

The US continues to be the biggest donor for Indian NGOs, contributing a little less than one-third of the total Rs 10,337 crore received by various NGOs.
NEW DELHI: The US continues to be the biggest donor for Indian NGOs, contributing a little less than one-third of the total Rs 10,337 crore received by various non-profit voluntary organizations in 2009-10.

The latest statistics for the year 2009-10, disclosed by the home ministry in Parliament last week, showed that Germany took second spot, replacing UK which has traditionally been just behind the US in the list of donors in the past several years.

The ministry's data showed that the US donated over Rs 3,105 crore to NGOs during the period compared to Rs 1,046 crore by Germany, Rs 1,038 crore by UK, Rs 583 crore by Italy and Rs 509 crore by Netherlands.

Analysis of previous home ministry reports shows that these countries have been the top five donors to NGOs for the past several years, consistently giving over 50% of the total foreign contribution.

During 2009-10, the highest Rs 944 crore out of the total Rs 10,337 crore of foreign contribution went to organizations working in the field of rural development followed by Rs 742 crore for welfare of children and Rs 630 crore for construction and maintenance of schools and colleges. The year 2008-09 had shown a similar trend. Contribution for AIDS awareness also figured prominently in the past five years.

Indian NGOs collectively received foreign contribution to the tune of over Rs 49,968 crore during five years from 2005-06 to 2009-10. A total of 21,508 organizations received such funds for various activities in 2009-10 compared to 21,542 organizations in 2008-09.

"The report of the year 2010-11 is not yet compiled. All non-profit voluntary organizations, which are registered with the home ministry for receiving foreign funds, have been asked to submit their annual return for receipt of such contribution by December 31," an official said.

The home ministry's data shows that foreign contributions to voluntary organizations have come not just from rich and developed countries alone. Countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Zambia, Congo and others have also donated funds to different organizations.

Although the contribution made by under-developed or developing countries has been quite low compared to the biggies, most of these countries have been providing funds to Indian NGOs consistently for different activities. During 2009-10, India's neighbours like Nepal contributed Rs 12 crore, China Rs 2.8 crore, Afghanistan Rs 1.9 crore, Pakistan Rs 1.2 crore and Bangladesh Rs 86 lakh.

Besides rural development, child welfare, environmental programmes and AIDS awareness, foreign funds are also being used for setting up religious schools, education of priests/preachers, religious functions and publication/distribution of religious literature among other activities.

Disclosing the details in Parliament, the ministry said, "The annual return submitted by the associations is scrutinized to ensure that recipients of foreign contribution utilize the same in accordance with the stated objectives for which the foreign contribution is received and the money is not diverted to undesirable activities."......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzEyLzA3I0FyMDE1MDE=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

Red Terror ...... Maoists don't want schools in Red Zones ..... backwardness keeps them going ... Isn't it?

Maoists target tribal areas to further propaganda

Vishwa Mohan,TNN | Dec 4, 2011, 02.18AM IST 

NEW DELHI: Maoists, who allege discrimination against tribal areas when it comes to development, have destroyed as many as 258 school buildings in the past six years in the Red Zone, with Chhattisgarh alone reporting more than half of the total destruction.

Sharing the state-wise statistics of Maoists' targets of school buildings, the government has told Parliament that the ultras' acts has even drawn the attention of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that had last year compiled an elaborate report on such incidents.

The world body, in its report 'Education under Attack', has noted that the Maoists had not only destroyed schools but also recruited children in their ranks and trained them to use arms and explosives in their strongholds.

Home ministry statistics shows that the Red ultras had destroyed 131 school buildings in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand (63), Bihar (46), Odisha (13), Maharashtra (4) and Andhra Pradesh (1) from 2006 to 2011.

Stating that these attacks are a part of Maoist tactics to keep the local people illiterate and backward and out of reach of the development process, the home ministry said: "The Maoists highlight this situation as a propaganda tool to incite gullible population against the institution of the state in an attempt to implement their ideology of capture of state power through the barrel of guns."

School buildings are, however, not the only targets of the ultras' big design to keep their areas of influence out of development process. The Maoists had during the same period also destroyed over 1,100 economic targets, including telephone towers, electricity transmission lines, power plants and mining and railway infrastructure.

Security measures, taken in the past couple of years, have prevented such attacks during 2010-11, but it continues to be a matter of big concern for governments of all Maoist-hit states. As many as 71 school buildings were destroyed by the ultras in 2009 as compared to 39 last year. They have destroyed 21 such premises till November 15.

Presence of security personnel in school buildings was once considered as one of the reasons of their being targets of Maoists. But, the statistics shows that the ultras had destroyed even those premises that had never been occupied by security personnel.

Civil Services Examination ..... change in tune with Indian aspirations in 21st century is urgently needed. We need administrators who are sensitive and wise

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Changes likely in UPSC main exam from 2013

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Dec 3, 2011, 05.32AM IST

NEW DELHI: After successfully introducing changes in the civil services (preliminary) examination this year, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is looking at bringing some changes in its 'main' examination with likely effect from 2013.

UPSC has constituted a panel which is expected to come out with its report early next year. The civil services examination (CSE) that is meant for selecting candidates for elite central services like IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and others has three stages comprising 'preliminary', 'main' and personality test (interview).

UPSC chairman D P Agrawal said: "Consistent with the need for selecting right kind of person from huge pool consisting of multiple languages, culture and communities, the commission has now constituted a high power panel to suggest possible changes in the pattern of CS (main) examination".

Though the chairman did not elaborate, he made it clear that the endeavour of the commission is to ensure that all the candidates are judged "on the basis of in-depth knowledge and understanding rather than information gathered at the last moment".

UPSC, which changed the 'preliminary' exam pattern this year by infusing elements of 'aptitude' test, had brought a minor change in the 'main' test pattern last in 1993 when it introduced an additional paper of 'essay' of 200 marks. The 'essay' paper, meant for testing aspirants' knowledge of a chosen topic and presentation skill, carries substantial weight in the entire written examination of 2,000 marks.

However, it is felt that the new paper introduced 18 years ago has not served the desired purpose of bringing candidates opting for high scoring science subjects at par with those opting for humanities and languages as their optional papers in the main exam.

Besides, officials feel, the existing pattern is tilted towards short-listing those candidates, who are good at their 'subjects' instead of having knowledge of general studies, comprising modern Indian history\culture and socio-economic and political system. It also does not test the candidates' administrative and managerial potential.

Officials said that the committee, which has been working on bringing certain changes, will take into account the recommendations of the second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) on changes in the civil services examination.

The ARC, in its recommendation in 2008, had suggested that UPSC should only keep two compulsory papers (general studies) and an essay paper for the 'main' examination. It also suggested that there should not be any optional subject.

Now, aspirants have to appear in two optional subjects (two papers each), besides one paper of essay and two papers of general studies. Hence, candidates having good knowledge of their optional subjects (four papers having 1,200 marks) get through the main examination easily, even if they score less marks in two papers of general studies (600 marks) and one paper of essay (200 marks), an official explained.

"Getting high scores in science\engineering\medicines papers is easier than getting good marks in humanities and language papers. No wonder, the existing system tests aspirants unfairly," said an official.........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTEvMTIvMDMjQXIwMTAwMw==&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

ISI's Karachi Project ...... NIA to expose 'state' actors

26/11 Mumbai terror attacks: 'Karachi Project' to figure in NIA’s charges

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Dec 2, 2011, 03.59AM IST

NEW DELHI: Pakistani spy agency ISI's 'Karachi Project', which is meant to bleed India using locals through Lashkar-e-Taiba's network, had never been a secret to Indian agencies, but the Islamabad's nefarious design of 'proxy war' will soon find its place in the NIA's chargesheet against American-Pakistani terrorist David Coleman Headley and his accomplices, including Pakistani serving and retired Army officials, in the 26/11 case.

The chargesheet, which is to be filed within a month, will be the first Indian 'legal' document mentioning about the 'Project' and how it is being ran by network of Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists, who are LeT's fronts in India. The 'Project' was set up for giving an impression of 'homegrown' terror in India.

Without elaborating the details, Union home secretary R K Singh on Thursday said the NIA would file the chargesheet against Headley soon.

Other officials, however, later explained that the agency was in an advanced stage of filing the chargesheet incorporating all the evidence against Headley, who had made multiple visits to India before and after the 26/11 attacks, and others and this would give an account in detail of the 'Karachi Project' that bared its fangs during a number of terror attacks in India involving IM cadres.

"We have collected enough evidence about the 'Project', existence of which was also corroborated by Headley during his interrogation by NIA officials in Chicago in June last year," said an official.

Headley told his interrogators that retired Major of Pakistani Army Abdur Rehman had masterminded the 'Project', which was being funded by ISI. Rehman had trained a number of Indian youth for carrying out attacks in India.

Indian agencies have enough evidence that show that recruitment of cadres for Indian Mujahideen (IM), which had carried out a number of terror attacks, was part of this 'Project' that enlisted LeT's network in India to set up various terror modules. A number of cadres of banned SIMI had joined the IM and went to Pakistan for training.

Though Indian police had arrested a number of IM cadres, including the six who were arrested by Delhi Police in end-November, and eliminated few others, their leaders - Amir Raza Khan and Bhatkal brothers (Riyaz and Iqbal) - are suspected to be holed up in various cities of Pakistan under protection of the ISI.

India had last year given a detailed dossier of IM cadres to Pakistan. Besides Amir Raza Khan and the Bhatkal brothers, the dossier contained names of Rasool Khan alias Party, Mohammed Abdul Aziz alias Gidda, Syed Zabiuddin Ansari, Fayyaz Kagzi alias Arsalan, Mohammed Rahil Shaikh, Mufti Sufiyan, Shaikh Ezaz alias Shergil, Shahnawaz Alam and Shaikh Masood alias Azhar.

Officials said that the chargesheet against Headley, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, Lashkar commander Sajid Mir and Pakistani Army officials (Major Iqbal, Sameer Ali and Abdur Rehman) would give in detail the roles being played by some of them in training IM cadres and sending them back to India for terrorist activities........http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzEyLzAyI0FyMDE1MDA=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

P Chidambaram's talks offer ....... abjure violence and come for dialogue

Centre extends olive branch to Maoists, N-E rebels

Vishwa Mohan |TNN | Dec 1, 2011, 02.35AM IST

NEW DELHI: Six days after elimination of dreaded Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji by security forces in a gun battle in West Bengal, the Centre on Wednesday offered talks with Maoists and north-east insurgents with a condition that they should abjure violence.

Sending strong message to Maoists and insurgents while making the offer for a dialogue, home minister P Chidambaram said: "The State will not bend before anyone who uses violence as an instrument to achieve political demands".

Appealing to ultras and insurgents to come for talks, he said, "Suspend violence and come for talks and when you come for talks, you will be treated with dignity and honour," adding, "We can resolve your political demands through talks".

His statement came in the backdrop of killing of 398 people by Red Ultras in different states so far this year. He mentioned that the Maoists have killed 30 people, including security personnel, in November alone, with a maximum 11 casualties being reported from Jharkhand.

Though the home minister made the statement while replying to questions on the Wednesday's bomb blast in Imphal and about talks with different insurgents groups in the north-east, he made it clear that it applied to Maoists also.

Chidambaram said: "I have made this statement several times before and I make it again today as I complete three years (as home minister). Even Maoists should suspend violence. We are not asking for more at this stage. Just say there will be no violence and my offer stands".

Repeating the offer made by him at a number of occasions in the past, he said: "After consulting chief ministers of the states concerned, within 72 hours we will get back to them (ultras\insurgents) to fix the dates and venue for starting talks. But they must suspend violence".

Rejecting allegations of fake encounter of Kishanji, Chidambaram said there was "no doubt" that Maoist leader was killed in a gun battle. He said: "A senior politburo member of the CPI (Maoist) was killed in an encounter with security forces that commenced on November 23 and concluded on November 24. Preliminary reports indicate that he was killed in the gun battle.... We have no doubts about the encounter. He was killed in an encounter".

In accordance with the NHRC guidelines, the state government has ordered an inquiry by CID into the death of the Maoist leader, Chidambaram said.

On the blast in Imphal, Chidambaram said: "The information is IED was handed over to a person and before he could place it, it went off. He was severely injured (who succumbed to his injuries later). Four others have received minor injuries. The police have been able to speak to the person who is believed to have carried the IED and they have taken statement".

He said we have anticipated that there will be trouble in Manipur and therefore very stringent measures have been taken. "Manipur is on high alert. In the run up to the Prime Minister's visit (December 3), it remains on high alert," he said......................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMS8xMi8wMSNBcjAwNzAx&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom