Statement Issued by Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala, In-Charge, Communications, AICC February 2nd, 2016

Statement Issued by Shri Randeep Singh Surjewala,

In-Charge, Communications, AICC

February 2^nd, 2016

1.       After having dealt a severe blow to one of the landmark Rights Based Legislation, that provided "Right to Livelihood & Employment” and changed the Rural landscape of the country like never before, the Narendra Modi led BJP Government has in a characteristic U Turn suddenly discovered the virtues of MGNREGA.

2.  It was with great conviction that the Congress led UPA Government enacted in tandem with Smt. Sonia Gandhi steered National Advisory Council (NAC) the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2006.

A radical and unprecedented intervention was required to arrest growing poverty and employment driven migration and a new universal law was drawn up. Severely criticized by the BJP and its leaders (including the current Prime Minister) the Congress stood by the Programme and implemented it with sincerity and diligence.

3.  In the first phase, it was implemented in the 200 most backward districts of the country and in the second phase of 2007-08, it was implemented in 130 additional districts. Eventually, On April 1, 2008, it was implemented in all the villages of the country. Today, this scheme is being implemented in 662 districts, 6858 blocks and 257710 Gram Panchayats of the country. In the past 10 years, under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, employment amounting to 1986.31 Crore workdays and disbursement of Rs 314877.12 Cr was done under this flagship scheme.

4. Shri Modi has come around from a position of criticizing the Programme to celebrating it. Unfortunately, his actions of neglect speaker louder than his words.

On the 10 year anniversary of this historic law, the programme has received enormous acclaim and has also been studied for replication in other countries. Unfortunately the scheme has languished under the current Government:

While Rural India was enthused by getting this legal Right to Work, the Bharatiya Janata Party started a negative campaign against this scheme from day 1 itself. Their criticism reached the limits, when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi viciously criticized the MGNREGA in the Lok Sabha by saying that the "Digging holes is the result of 60 years of your misdeeds and this scheme is a living monument of the failures of the previous government” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nBRKUf6AAo)

5.   However, one year down the line, the same Prime Minister is lauding MGNREGA along with another flagship UPA programme- AADHAAR. And asking his MP's to work for its success. Before reaching this point of 'U” turn, Shri Modi and his Government did everything possible to destroy MGNREGA. The following details are self –explanatory.

a)   Numbers of Families getting 100 days of compulsory employment under MGNREGA have been systematically brought down by about half. Whereas, 5173487 families of got 100 days of employment in 2012-13 and 4659347 families got employment in 2013-14, It has drastically come down to 2493840 families in 2014-15 and a dismal 2045161 families in 2015-16.

b)   There are about 13.13 Crores job cards under MGNREGA in the country today with 27.59 Crores workers enrolled through them, Of these active job cards account for 6.35 Crores with 9.83 Crores workers enrolled on them. Of these, 19.6% belong to SC category and 15.22% belong to ST category.

It is shocking that in a Rural economy marred by drought while 19513989 families asked for jobs under MGNREGA in January 2016, Jobs were made available to 8675141 people. This has been the situation right since April 2015.

c)   Despite severe rural distress, instead of a 100 days only an average 39.98 days of employment is been made available to workers under MGNREGA. Even on such a reduced number of days the payments made to the workers is never on time and the gap between the workdays and wages is constantly increasing.

d)  Whereas, 7.97 Crores people got jobs under MGNREGA in 2012-13, during the Modi Government it fell to 6.22 Crores in 2014-15 and 5.79 Crore in 2015-16.

6.  The massive financial crippling blow to MGNREGA is visible in the fact that whereas, the Government spent Rs 39778.27 Cr and Rs 38552.62 Cr on the scheme in 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively, the expenditure on it went down to Rs 36033.81Cr and Rs 34226.80 Cr in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively. What is further unfortunate is that the Social Audit provisions in the act to ensure transparency have been undertaken by this Government only in 145 out of 662 districts even though the Financial Year is now coming to a close.

7.     Performance of the NDA Government

a)     Delay in Wage Payment

• Close to around 50% delay in the total wages to be paid-Wages amounting to more than Rs.11,000 crore have not been paid in the current Financial Year.
• In FY 2014-15, the average delay in wages was almost 60%

b)     No funds with States

• Funds with states have dried up and 14 states, including Andhra Pradesh, are showing negative balance

c)      Average days of employment per household

• Decline in average days of employment per household in FY 2014-15 and 15-16 to 40 days, a sharp decline from the previous years

d)     Decline in households provided work in FY 2014-15

• Only 4 crore households provided work in 2014-15 as compared to 4.8 crore households in FY 2013-14

e)     Average wage rate

• Average wage per day increased only by Rs. 8 in FY 2015-16

f)       Households completing 100 days

• Decline in number of households completing 100 days in last 2 years- only 25 lakh have completed 100 days in FY 2014-15 as against 47 lakh in FY 2013-14

8. The same can be contrasted with the rapid strides made under MGNREGA in bringing about unprecedented socio-economic change in Rural India during the previous regime by the following facts:

UPA's Achievements under MGNREGA

a)     Social Security & Wage Employment

• Uptil 2014, MGNREGA was providing employment for almost 25%, of the total rural households in the country, i.e. 1 in every four rural households work in MGNREGA

b)     Regeneration of the Rural Resource Base

• Half of the works under MGNREGA relate to water conservation
• 30% of works are related to land development and works on private lands of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Small and Marginal Farmers

c)      Bank Accounts & Wage Payments

• 11 crore no frills bank and post office accounts opened till 2014.
• Unlike the Jan Dhan Yojana most of these are operational on a regular basis. 80% of MGNREGA wage payment is made through these accounts

d)     Bank Accounts for women

• For the first time, a programme focused on opening of accounts in the name of women for the direct transfer of wage payments. As a result more than 4 crore individual accounts in the name of women opened.
• MGNREGA has increased women's confidence, control over resources and provided them with a sense of economic empowerment

e)     Focus on Women

• With its provision of work within 5 kms and other benefits, MGNREGA had the highest number of women workers as compared to other public programmes

f)          Findings of a study by IHDS and University of Maryland

• MGNREGA prevented 14 million persons from falling into poverty
• Poverty among adivasis was reduced by 28% and for dalits by 38%.
• MGNREGA has led to a decline in reliance on money-lenders
• MGNREGA households are investing more in children's education than others

Speech of Dr. Manmohan Singh on the 10th Anniversary of the launch of MGNREGA

Speech of Dr. Manmohan Singh on the 10^th Anniversary of the launch of MGNREGA  at  Bandlapalli,  Andhra Pradesh - 02 February, 2016

As you are aware, on 2^nd February 2006, Congress President Shrimati Sonia Gandhi and myself had launched MGNREGA from Bandlapalli in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee is organising a Public Meeting in Bandlapalli, Anantapur to celebrate 10 years of MGNREGA on 2^nd February, 2016 .  Shri Rahul Gandhi will address the meeting.

Shri Raghuveera Reddy, President, APCC has very kindly invited me to attend the meeting.

When Parliament was debating the issue of formation of Telangana, I, as the then Prime Minister had assured the people of Andhra Pradesh that Government will grant Andhra Pradesh the Special Category Status.  Unfortunately, UPA lost election in 2014 and the BJP Government now in power in Delhi has refused to honour the solemn commitment I had made as Prime Minister to grant special category status to Andhra.

Removal of Poverty has been the  Prime concern of Congress Party.  Much has been done but a lot remains to be done. MGNREGA has special role in helping the poor and downtrodden to earn a living in an honourable way.  The UPA Government had launched MGNREGA in 2006.  Initially covering 200 districts in 27 States to provide guaranteed employment to rural households for 100 days.  In 2008, the coverage of the scheme was extended to all the districts of the country.  In the following 6 years, an amount of Rupees Two Lakh Crores was allocated under MGNREGA and the Scheme now benefits 34.30 crore poor households providing them with employment. 

The National Common Minimum Programme of UPA had promised to bring in an Act for guaranteeing rural employment.  We also provided to launch a National Food for Work Programme .  We redeemed both these programmes.  I must thank Sonia ji for her untiring leadership in ensuring that this Act was passed by Parliament .  Her deep commitment made it possible for us to fulfil our sacred promise to our people.

The Employment Guarantee Act is the most significant legislation of our times in many ways.  For the first time,  rural communities have been given not just a development programme but a regime of rights.  This Act has unlocked the potential of the rural poor to contribute to the reconstruction of their environment.  By doing this, it can accelerate the growth of the rural economy.  The MGNREGA gives employment, gives income, gives a livelihood and it gives the poor a chance to live a life of self-respect and dignity.  In particular, MGNERGA helps scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, women and small and marginal farmers.

The implementation of MGNREGA provides an opportunity to strengthen democratic process.  Panchayati Raj institutions have a key role under the Act  Gram Sabhas, self-help groups, local monitoring committees, beneficiary groups and other forms of Community Organisations are the basic agencies which have to run and monitor the programme.  This represents an enormous step towards the empowerment of vulnerable sections of society.  They have to turn to actively participate in the democratic institutions at the grass roots and acquire a greater role in decision making and control over resources.  Such empowerment is the essence of rural development.

MGNREGA has a clear focus on the poorest of the poor.  It seeks to reach out to those  in need for livelihood security.  It comes to the aid of those who may be under pressure to migrate in search of livelihood.  It helps us to empower the poor to fight poverty, disease and indebtedness.  MGNREGA is a unique social security system.  It confers upon groups the right to demand work when they need it.  This is especially made for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, for poor women, who are the worst sufferers of social inequality.

MGNREGA is the gift of UPA to our people to assist them to fight poverty, ignorance and disease.  UPA is not in power now.  It is up to the people to defend this revolutionary programme.  The Gram Sabha has the power to undertake social ­­­ audit   of MGNREGA.  It must also play an active part in preparing plans at the village level to make effective use of MGNREGA.  They must ensure that our plans create works that build new facilities for our villages – like schools, roads and other facilities.  

Despite the enormous potential of MGNREGA as a social security programme, Prime Minister Modi does not like it.  He has called MGNREGA as an epitome of Congress failure   "a living proof of 60 years of Congress misrule".  The Modi Government seeks to kill the soul and spirit of MGNREGA by withholding payments to States for MGNREGA works.  In 2014-15 alone, Government of India did not make payment of Rs.6000 crores to States for already executed MGNREGA works.

It is upto the people to mobilise their sources in support of the effectiveness of MGNREGA to convince the Modi Government to desist from the negative path of eroding the effectiveness of MGNREGA as an instrument of people centered  development.

Special Traffic Block at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai

Special Traffic Block at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai 

Central Railway will operate Special Traffic and Power Block for 9 Days between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai (Platform 1 & 2) and Masjid for carrying out preparatory work in connection with remodelling of harbour line for running 12-car services.  The block will be operated from 0130 hrs to 0430 hrs from 3.2.2016 to 11.2.2016 (9 days). Due to this following suburban services will remain cancelled/partially cancelled:

Cancellation of Services

AD-1 Andheri Local leaving CST at 0427 hrs

B-5 Bandra local leaving CST at 0452 hrs

B-4 CST local leaving Bandra at 0430 hrs

AD-4 CST local leaving Andheri at 0517 hrs

Partial Cancellation of Services

PL-192 CST local leaving Panvel at 2347 hrs will be cancelled between Vadala Road and CST

PL-7 Panvel local leaving CST at 0423 hrs will be cancelled between CST and Juinagar

Passengers are requested to note and bear with the Railway Administration for the inconvenience caused due to this block.

मिफ्फच्या राष्ट्रीय स्पर्धा विभागातील परिक्षकांचा पत्रकारांशी संवाद

मिफ्फच्या राष्ट्रीय स्पर्धा विभागातील परिक्षकांचा पत्रकारांशी संवाद

०२ फेब्रुवारी, २०१६

१४ व्या मुंबई आंतरराष्ट्रीय चित्रपट महोत्सवाचे राष्ट्रीय स्पर्धा विभागातील परिक्षकांनी आज मिफ्फ मिडिया सेंटर येथे पत्रकारांशी संवाद साधला. उमा डी. कुन्हा, ऑड्रियस स्टोनिस, बीजू धनपालन यांचा यामध्ये समावेश होता.

या महोत्सवातील काही चित्रपटांची गुणवत्ता कमालीची असून, चित्रपट आंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तरावर पोहचण्याची त्यांची क्षमता असल्याचे ऑड्रियस स्टोनिस यांनी सांगितले. या चित्रपट निर्मात्यांनी आपली गुणवत्ता जगासमोर आणण्यांसाठी आपले चित्रपट विविध महोत्सवात प्रदर्शित करण्यांसाठी प्रयत्नशील राहिले पाहिजे असे आवाहन त्यांनी यावेळी केले. भारतीय चित्रपट निर्मात्यांना आंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजारपेठेत उतरायचे असेल तर त्यांनी व्याप्ती कशी वाढवावी, जास्तीतजास्त महोत्सवांपर्यंत कसे पोहचले पाहिजे, चित्रपटासाठी पैसा कसा ऊभा केला पाहिजे या गोष्टी शिकण्याची गरजही त्यांनी व्यक्त केली. या महोत्सवांतील चित्रपटांची निवड, उत्तम आयोजन याबद्दल त्यांनी कौतुक केले. मात्र चित्रपटांचे वैविध्य बघता सर्व चित्रपटांना एकाच तराजूत तोलता येऊ शकत नाही त्यामुळे चित्रपट निवडीसाठी आणखी विविध निकष अंतर्भूत करण्यांची गरज त्यांनी व्यक्त केली.

महोत्सवातील चित्रपटांच्या गुणवत्तेचे कौतुक करत सर्व चित्रपटांना न्याय दयायचा असेल तर हा महोत्सव आणखी मोठया प्रमाणार दरवर्षी झाला पाहिजे अशी अपेक्षा यांनी उमा डी. कुन्हा यांनी व्यक्त केली. प्रत्येक महोत्सवाचे एक स्वतंत्र स्थान असते त्यामुळे महोत्सवाची तुलना करणे संयुक्तिक ठरणार नाही असे त्यांनी नमूद केले. पुरस्कार कोणताही असो तो मौल्यवानच असतो असे त्या म्हणाल्या. चित्रपटांचे वितरण आणि त्यांचे प्रदर्शन हे भारतातील चित्रपट निर्मितीतील प्रमुख अडथळे आहेत अशी खंत त्यांनी व्यक्त केली. महोत्सवातील चित्रपटांचे प्रदर्शन एकाच ठिकाणी झाल्यास त्याचा सर्वांना मोठा फायदा होईल असे त्या म्हणाल्या. महोत्सवातील चित्रपटांची संख्या कमी करुन त्यांचे प्रदर्शन एकदाच होण्याऐवजी दोन ते तीन वेळा झाले पाहिजे अशी सूचनाही त्यांनी यावेळी व्यक्त केली.

Smt. Shobha Ojha, President, All India Mahila Congress and Ms Sharmistha Mukherjee, Chief Spokesperson DPCC have issued the following statement to the Press today:

Smt. Shobha Ojha, President, All India Mahila Congress and Ms Sharmistha Mukherjee, Chief Spokesperson DPCC have issued the following statement to the Press today:-

"Modi government appears determined to convert 'save the girl child' campaign into 'banish the girl child' campaign. Shocking and outlandish statement made by Union Women and Child Development Minister, Smt. Maneka Gandhi proposing to lift ban on sex determination test and instead to make it mandatory, reflects the insensitivity, complete lack of awareness and understanding of the ground realities on part of BJP government. Preposterous and bizarre as it is, lifting the ban will undo years of hard work, institutional mechanisms and legal framework that has been put in place for last two decades to discourage female feticide. Instead of implementing Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PNDT Act) in letter and spirit, Modi government appears to completely abdicate its solemn obligation, thereby opening flood gates for medical termination of pregnancy originating on account of sex of the fetus.

Speaking on behalf of Union BJP government, Smt. Maneka Gandhi, regrettably states, "Those registering the sex of the fetus will have to produce a medical certificate or cite the reason for termination of pregnancy”. Minister appears to be either completely naïve or myopic in her belief that those wanting to kill the girl child will state true reason for termination of pregnancy.

What is even more outrageous is the fact that BJP government wants to keep a track of all pregnant women in India from the time of conception of child up to the delivery. Suggestion by itself borders on eccentricity. Does Modi government intend to act as a police state and employ state machinery to track each and every woman who becomes pregnant?

In absence of widespread, inexpensive and easy access to medical facilities like ultrasound and sonography, especially in rural India; this obnoxious idea of BJP government will only put cumbersome burden on the poor. Making sex determination tests mandatory will lead to corrupt practices like issuing illegal certificates and put the poor under clutches of corrupt government officials and unethical medical practitioners.

Indian judiciary also has played a stellar role in upholding and supporting the cause of complete ban on sex determination tests keeping in mind the unfortunate reality of an in-built prejudice amongst a large section of our populace against girl child. In a landmark judgment, Mumbai High Court recently upheld an amendment to the PNDT Act banning sex selection treatment and pronounced that pre-natal sex determination is as good as female feticide. It went to the extent of holding that Pre-conception sex determination tests violated a woman's right to live and was against the principle tenets of Constitution.

Without addressing the inherent cultural bias against girl child in Indian society that is not going to change overnight, it is extremely irresponsible and insensitive on the part of the Government to take such inconsiderate measures that will only aggravate the situation further, and seriously negate the concerted efforts made by the previous Governments, activists and civil societies against the evil practice of female feticide.

We strongly deprecates this move by Modi government that will ostracize the 'Girl Child' and with one stroke, excommunicate all efforts undertaken by law makers, civil society and ordinary citizens over last two decades. We demand that Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi comes forward to conduct 'Beti Ke Mann Kee Baat' and clarify the stance of BJP government on this single most important issue affecting our Nation.”

१४ व्या मुंबई आंतरराष्ट्रीय चित्रपट महोत्सवाची उदया सांगता

१४ व्या मुंबई आंतरराष्ट्रीय चित्रपट महोत्सवाची उदया सांगता

०२ फेब्रुवारी, २०१६

लघुपट, माहितीपट, ॲनिमेशनपट, चित्रपट विषयक कार्यशाळा, चर्चासत्र अशी अनोखी पर्वणी ठरलेल्या १४ व्या मुंबई आंतरराष्ट्रीय चित्रपट महोत्सवाची उद्या सांगता होणार आहे. मुंबईतील रविंद्र नाटयमंदीर येथे संध्याकाळी ५ वाजता एका दिमाखदार सोहळयात महोत्सवाचा समारोप होणार आहे.

महाराष्ट्राचे राज्यपाल सी. विद्यासागर राव या सोहळयाला प्रमुख पाहुणे म्हणून उपस्थित राहतील. माहिती आणि प्रसारण राज्यमंत्री कर्नल राज्यवर्धन राठोड यांच्या अध्यक्षतेखाली हा महोत्सव होईल. मिफ्फ २०१६ चे ब्रँड अँम्बेसिडर जॅकी श्रॉफ यांच्यासह राज्याचे सांस्कृतिक मंत्री विनोद तावडे, जेष्ट चित्रपट निर्माते रमेश सिप्पी तसेच माहिती आणि प्रसारण मंत्रालयाचे सचिव सुनिल अरोरा यांचीही या कार्यक्रमाला विशेष उपस्थिती असेल.

महोत्सवातील उत्कृष्ट लघूपट, माहितीपट आणि ॲनिमेशन पटांना यावेळी पुरस्कार प्रदान केले जाणार आहेत. पुरस्कार प्राप्त काही लघुपटांच्या प्रदर्शनाचा आस्वादही रसिक प्रेक्षकांना यावेळी  घेता येईल.

सांगता समारंभाचे थेट प्रक्षेपण मुंबई दूरदर्शनच्या सहयाद्री वाहिनीवरुन केले जाणार आहे.

स्टार्टअप्स ने बनाया वरिष्ठ नागरिकों का जीवन आसान

स्टार्टअप्स ने बनाया वरिष्ठ नागरिकों का जीवन आसान

मुंबई, 2 फरवरी 2016: युवा उद्यमी वरिष्ठ नागरिको के सामने पेश आने वाली समस्याओं के प्रति ज्यादा संवेदनशील हो रहे हैं। यह बात उनके उपक्रमों में भी झलकती है।  ये युवा उद्यमी नए व अनूठे बिजनेस कॉन्सेप्ट लेकर आ रहे हैं जिनकी मदद से वरिष्ठ नागरिक अपने नियमित घरेलु काम-काज ज्यादा आसानी से कर पाएंगे।  युवा उद्यमियों द्वारा उनकी दैनिक जीवन की आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करने वाली अभिनव ऐप्लिकेशंस की प्रस्तुति से उनका काम व्यवस्थित व आसान हो गया है।  पैपरटैप ऐप किराने के सामन की ऑनलाइन खरीद को संभव बनाता है तो प्लस नाम का ऐप दवाओं को उनके दरवाजे तक ले जाता है। पैपरटैप पर उपलब्ध ऑनलाइन ग्रॉसरी शॉपिंग, प्लस द्वारा ऑनलाइन मेडिसिन डिलिवरी, लॉजिमंकी की ऑन डिमांड डिलिवरी व पिकअप तथा अर्बनक्लैप जैसे होम सर्विस ऐप्लिकेशन वरिष्ठ नागरिकों की सभी दैनिक जरूरतों को आसानी से पूरा करने में मदद कर रहे हैं। गौर तालाब है कि इन ऐप्स पर 20 प्रतिशत ऑर्डर वरिष्ठ नागरिकों से प्राप्त होते हैं। आधुनिक वरिष्ठ नागरिक स्टार्टअप्स द्वारा दी जाने वाली सुविधाओं के मदद से अब अपने बच्चों पर निर्भर नहीं रहते या अकेलेपन।असहाय होने की शिकायत नहीं करते।