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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that Terrorism is the biggest threat to South Asia’s stability.  While speaking at the opening ceremony of the 3-day long 15th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Colombo, he reminded the twin blasts in Bangalore and Ahmadabad and the Indian Embassy attack in Kabul, and stressed the need to fight terrorism.

“Terrorists and extremists don’t know borders. We must act with determination to fight terrorism. We cannot lose the battle against ideologies of hatred,” said Dr Singh.

He further called on the eight-nation regional grouping to identify and address new challenges if it wants to be a dynamic and responsive body. Dr Singh also discussed the surging crude prices and warned member nations that rising crude prices could jeopardize the region’s economic development. He said, “We must pool our resources to tap renewable resources in South Asia”.

Calling the establishment of SAARC Food Bank in 2007 an extremely significant development, Dr Singh said it was “an example of our foresight in the wake of world food crisis”.

“We need a second Green Revolution” to tackle the growing food crisis, the Prime Minister said in his address. “South Asian countries need to work together to ensure food security so that the specter of food shortages and hunger vanishes from our region,” he added.

Tags: Ahmadabad, Colombo, Crime, M M Singh, Manmohan Singh, MM Singh, PM, SAARC, SAARC Summit, South Asia, Terror, Terrorism, threat

After the Left parties have withdrawn support to the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government President Pratibha Patil has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to meet her on Thursday.

BJP demanded that the government be asked to prove its majority within a week and in wake of these political crises, Singh who is in Japan for the G-8 summit is asked by Patil to meet her. He will be back past midnight.

Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh and its Parliamentary party leader Ramgopal Yadav also met the President and gave a fresh letter of support of 39 of its MPs to the government.

Earlier in the day, top leaders of CPM, CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP met President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted a list of 60 Members of Parliament and handed over separate letters withdrawing their support to the government. They also submitted a joint communication asking her to “direct the Prime Minister to seek a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha immediately”.

Lok Sabha has a total of 543 members. SP, PDP and some independents are supporting the government and UPA hopes to get 272 votes for a simple majority in the Lok Sabha.

Ajit Singh-led RLD, JD(S) headed by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Mamta Bannerjee’s Trinamul Congress and TRS come in the “undecided” category but have given enough hints of backing the government in a trust vote.

There are clouds of worries in the Indian political ring. There is a curiosity among all regarding government’s survival? Now there are uncertainties whether the government will able to prove a vote of confidence within a week and will retain its power or will it fall??

Tags: Congress, G-8, India, JD, Manmohan Singh, MM Singh, PM, Pratibha Patil, President, RLD, SP, TMC, UPA

The US president George W Bush said that the Indo-US deal is important for both the countries and heaped praise on Indian PM “for his leadership at home” while talking to the PM, Manmohan Singh on Tuesday.

Amid the unrest in Indian political parties due to the Indo-US deal, the confident Prime Minister met Bush in Hotel Windsor on Mount Poromoi on the sidelines of the G-8 summit; hours before the Left parties would be withdrawing support on the nuclear deal.

Both the leaders expressed mutual admiration for each other and spoke of the need for closer relationship between the two countries during the 50 minute meeting.

“Our relationship with the United States has never been in such good shape as it is today…. And it is the intention of my government… whether it is a question of climate change… global economy, India and US must stand tall, stand shoulder to shoulder, and that’s what is going to happen,” Said Singh while reporting to media.

“We talked about the India-US nuclear deal and how important it is for our respective countries,” Bush said before the press in a relaxed mood and displayed personal warmth.

“I respect the Prime Minister a lot. I also respect India a lot, and I think it’s very important that the United States continues to work with our friends to develop not only a new strategic relationship, but a relationship that addresses some of the world’s problems,” said the President.

Tags: Bush, G-8, India, Indo US, Manmohan Singh, MM Singh, Nuclear deal, Nuke Deal, US

In the forthcoming G8 summit of eight wealthiest nations, India, being one of the participants, is going to raise the major global issues of climate change, energy security and food security.

India on Sunday said it will convey to the international community at the G8 summit its belief that climate change, energy security and food security are interlinked, and require an integrated approach.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is going to attend the summit said on the eve of his departure for Japan, “At the forthcoming summit, I would present India’s perspectives on a wide range of global issues. They included the state of the world economy, development, and trade, transfer of technology, energy security and food security.”

He further told that he will, in particular, highlight the impact of the sharp rise in fuel prices on the global economy and the need for joint action by both producing and consuming nations.

He said he will have bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Japan, and some of the other leaders present, including those of Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, USA and the Secretary General of the United Nations.

He was also looking forward to participating in an informal meeting of the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) leaders on the sidelines of the G8 summit beginning tomorrow.

Singh said prior to the meeting with the G8 leaders; he will attend a meeting of the O5 group of outreach countries being hosted by the President of Mexico on July 8.

“Today, India’s views are heard with respect, and there is recognition of the fact that solutions to global issues require India’s involvement,” the Prime Minister said.

He said that he will also participate in the meeting of the leaders of major economies at which the issue of climate change will be discussed. He further stressed that there can be no solution to the issue of climate change without taking into account the developmental imperatives and aspirations of developing economies.

“For us, the foremost priority is the removal of poverty, for which we need sustained rapid economic growth.”

Tags: Energy Security, Food Security, G8, G8 Summit, Group 8, India, Manmohan Singh, MM Singh, PM, Technology

A day after a farmer was killed in police firing on Tuesday, in Haveri in north Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa reached Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on this issue.

More than a thousand farmers protested violently since two days against lack of fertilizers, and they even burnt buses. A fresh violence started on Wednesday when the body of the 35 year old dead farmer was being taken for the funeral who was killed during an open police firing during the protest.

The Chief Minister called an emergency meeting of top government officials. He has asked for a report in the next 10 days.

“Two lakh rupees for the farmer who died, Rs 50,000 for those with severe injuries,” said Yeddyurappa.

The Chief Minister, after an emergency meeting, has called it a political game by the Opposition.

“I appeal to the farmers not to resort to violence and maintain peace,” said BS Yeddyurappa, Chief Minister of Karnataka.

It was first time the BJP government came into power and the Chief Minister sworn-in a few days back on the name of farmers. Hence it’s a tough time for the government.

Tags: Farmer, Farmer Issue, Karnataka, Manmohan Singh, MM Singh, PM, Yeddyurappa

Airline industry, which according to the Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel is facing a staggering loss of about Rs 4000 crore, is in major crisis after air turbine fuel (ATF) cost has become 50% of the companies cost. Praful Patel seeks the government to save the airline industry from the ongoing crisis.

The minister on Wednesday said he did not want any airline to shut down due to the rise in fuel price. The minister was speaking after meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek a cut in government taxes ATF. In such a situation, the airline companies will be forced to take steps to prune their costs.

He told the PM that government intervention is needed to combat this problem.

On increasing fuel rate, he said that he would be approaching oil companies and the Petroleum Ministry on reducing the base cost of ATF. “We are also looking at reducing route navigation charges,” he added.

Low-cost carrier Spice Jet is expected to make a total loss of Rs 80-100 crore in the current fiscal, up from Rs 70 crore in the last financial year, due to higher ATF price. It is now planning to curtail flights on various routes due to the crisis.

Reacting to the losses that Aviation industry has suffered, Kingfisher Chief Vijay Mallya said, “Heavy losses of the Aviation industry is primarily due to the unprecedented increase in the price of jet oil. To make the matter completely worse, there is a huge element of taxation of government. Meeting with the Prime Minister is to request for tax relief.”

Jeh Wadia, Director of the Wadia group which owns GoAir hopes some tax slash as a solution on the rise in the jet fuel prices and its effect on the rise in the prices of airline tickets.

He said, “We are rationalizing routes and hope for some relief on the sales tax and ultimately we hope that it would be achieved.”

Tags: Airlines, ATF, Aviation, Manmohan Singh, Praful Patel, Rising Price

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday warns about the growing risk of nuclear weapons falling into hands of terrorists and urged a need of truly collective approaches to all the countries to ensure universal nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in a time-bound manner.

Cautioning about the danger, he said all countries must ensure that the dangerous hands are denied atomic material and technology.

Giving his guarantee that India has “no intention” to engage in an arms race with anyone, he expressed India’s readiness to contribute in this regard.

Singh said New Delhi is “fully committed to nuclear disarmament that is global, universal and non-discriminatory in nature”, a goal which will enhance security of all countries.

While inaugurating a conference `Towards a World Free of Nuclear Weapons’ in New Delhi he said, “The painful reality is that the goal of global disarmament, based on the principles of universality, non-discrimination and effective compliance, still remains a distant one.”

He cautioned about the “increasing danger of non-state actors accessing nuclear materials and devices, development of new weapon systems based on emerging technologies which pose challenges to space security and provide new roles for nuclear weapons and the weakening multi-literalism even as bilateral arms control processes falter in shifting strategic landscapes.”

Referring to the “growing risk that nuclear weapons may be acquired by terrorists or those driven by extreme ideologies, he said, “Even more disturbing, however, is the emergence of new threats and challenges to global security.

Tags: Arms, Manmohan Singh, N-arms, Nuclear, Nuclear Arms, PM

Due to the rising crude oil price in international market, a decision to hike the fuel prices in India may be taken tomorrow. The Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may meet on Friday to consider raising petrol and diesel prices.

Increasing crude price left the oil firms under pressure. With Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum projected to lose Rs 200,000 crore (Rs 2,000 billion) in revenues on sale of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene below import cost, industry sources said a hike in the range of Rs 2 to 5 per litre appears on the cards. International crude prices reached an untouched height of $135 a barrel.

The three firms are currently losing Rs 450 crore (Rs 4.50 billion) in revenues on fuel sales every day. Petrol is being sold at a loss of Rs 16.34 a litre, diesel at Rs 23.49 per litre, LPG at Rs 305.90 per cylinder loss and kerosene at a discount of Rs 28.72 per litre. It will bailout state run firms that have been reeling under unprecedented high crude prices.

The three firms are faced with a huge liquidity crunch and are borrowing Rs 3,500 crore (Rs 35 billion) a month to meet day-to-day expenditure. Borrowings of the three firms have reached Rs 65,000 crore (Rs 650 billion).

Asked about the tomorrow meet Petroleum Minister Murli Deora neither denied nor confirmed Cabinet being scheduled for Friday.

“We are discussing all possible measures to help and protect our public sector oil companies . . . some remedial measures need to be taken (urgently),” he told reporters.

“I cannot rule in or rule out anything at this stage,” Deora said when asked if petrol and diesel prices hike was an option under consideration.

“We are concerned at the financial health of the PSUs.” he said.

Despite of the cost of raw material (crude oil) doubling to over $135 a barrel, government has not made any considerable hike in fuel prices which leads a revenue loss of Rs 200,000 crore to the three firms at the end of the current year. Last year, the revenue loss was Rs 77,304.50 crore (Rs 773.45 billion).

Tags: Bharat Petroleum, Diesel, Hindustan Petroleum, India, Indian Oil, LPG, Manmohan Singh, Oil Prices, PM

After armed forces personnel rejected their low pay scale, atomic and space scientists are now upset with their “very low” pay structure recommended by the pay commission. The scientists rejected it outright and also sought appointment with the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to put their demands.

“In any case, the recommendations are no where comparable with it and it-enabled sectors and we summarily reject the pay structure recommended by SCPC,” president of Confederation of Atomic and Space Scientists and Technologists (COAST), Josheph Winston of Indira Gandhi Centre said in a release.

On May 17 the coast met to review the commission’s recommendations at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu and concluded that the salary scales recommended by the Sixth Central Pay Commission (SCPC) reflected its “appalling attitude” towards the scientific community not tenable with the growth of the country’s high-tech departments. The scientists and technologists felt that country’s thrust towards the science and technology was reflected in the earlier 3rd and 4th Pay Commissions, but took a back seat in the 5th and 6th.

Singh, who is also the minister-in-charge of their departments, for help in rectifying the “anomalies” is expected to sort aout the problem.

“In the long run, such an apathetic attitude of SCPC would lead to total collapse of scientific and technological base in India along with a complete halt to the indigenous technology,” coast’s vice-president R Rama Varma, VSSC (Trivandrum) said.

The coast has demanded that extension of services to the scientists and medical specialists, recommended by SCPC, should be uniform for all scientists of DOS and DAE as these premier research institutions functions with robust knowledge base.

The poor package will not attract the new scientists and will result into brain drain.

Tags: Atomic Scientists, Manmohan Singh, Pay Structure, SCPC, Space Scientists

Today, on the 17th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, India’s top political leaders gathered to pay homage to the late Prime Minister amid uninterrupted drizzle in the capital city, Delhi. President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi pays their tribute to Rajiv Gandhi.

The departed leader’s widow and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, along with her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka Vadra, reached his memorial ‘Vir Bhumi’ to pay their tributes.

A prayer meeting was organized in the premises of the memorial ended with the play of a speech, given in 1985 by the late Rajiv Gandhi who was assassinated on May 21, 1991, during a public meeting at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. Seventeen other people were also killed in that explosion and 44 injured.

The day is also being observed as anti-terrorism day with seminars and discussions organised. A pledge would be later administered to people to fight against the scourge of terrorism and for maintaining peace.

Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Defence Minister A K Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also paid floral tributes to the former prime minister.

Youth Congress workers present on the occasion raised slogans in memory of the former Prime Minister.

Minster for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar, Tourism Minister Ambika Soni, Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal and senior Congress leader Motilal Vora were among others who paid tributes to their beloved leader.

Tags: Delhi, Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Pratibha Patil, Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi