Airports development chief told to quit
IAS officer R C Sinha who quit 15 days ago, however, claims he resigned due to personal reasons
Friday, February 25, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
यवतमाळ, चंद्रपुरात दारू बंदीसाठी महिलांचा पुढाकार-८ मार्चपासून बेमुदत उपोषणाचा इशारा-लोकसत्ता
यवतमाळ, चंद्रपुरात दारू बंदीसाठी महिलांचा पुढाकार-लोकसत्ता
* ८ मार्चपासून बेमुदत उपोषणाचा इशारा
* भाजपचा पाठिंबा, मुख्यमंत्र्यांना पत्र
http://loksatta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137378:2011-02-18-18-41-36&catid=45:2009-07-15-04-01-33&Itemid=56
नागपूर, १८ फेब्रुवारी / प्रतिनिधी
* ८ मार्चपासून बेमुदत उपोषणाचा इशारा
* भाजपचा पाठिंबा, मुख्यमंत्र्यांना पत्र
http://loksatta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137378:2011-02-18-18-41-36&catid=45:2009-07-15-04-01-33&Itemid=56
नागपूर, १८ फेब्रुवारी / प्रतिनिधी
यवतमाळ आणि चंद्रपूर जिल्ह्य़ात येत्या ७ मार्चपर्यंत दारु बंदी करण्यात न आल्यास ८ मार्चपासून बेमुदत उपोषण करण्याचा इशारा विदर्भ जनआंदोलन समितीच्या नेतृत्वाखाली महिलांनी दिला आहे. या आंदोलनास भारतीय जनता पक्षानेही पूर्ण पाठिंबा देत यासंदर्भात तात्काळ निर्णय घेण्याची मागणी प्रदेशाध्यक्ष सुधीर मुनगंटीवार यांनी मुख्यमंत्री पृथ्वीराज चव्हाण यांना पत्र पाठवलेल्या पत्राद्वारे केली आहे.
या दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ात दारूमुळे कुटुंब, समाज आणि इतर घटकांवर होणाऱ्या परिणामांकडे लक्ष देऊन शाससाने तातडीने निर्णय घ्यावा, अशी मागणी करून या विरोधात ८ मार्चपासून उपोषण करण्याचा इशारा समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी दिला आहे.
यवतमाळ आणि चंद्रपूर जिल्ह्य़ात मोठय़ा प्रमाणात देशी आणि विदेशी दारूच्या दुकानांसाठी परवाने देण्यात आले. त्यामुळे ग्रामीण भाग व शहरातील चौकाचौकांमध्ये सर्वत्र दारूची दुकाने दिसून येतात. दारु सहज उपलब्ध होत असल्याने मद्यपींच्या संख्येत लक्षणीय वाढ झाली आहे. जिल्ह्य़ातील शेतकरी व शेजमजूर व्यसनाधीन होत आहेत. या दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ात दारू सर्वत्र उपलब्ध होत असल्याने लहान मुले व विद्यार्थीही त्याकडे आकर्षित होत असून ही चिंतेची बाब असल्याकडे भाजपचे प्रदेशाध्यक्ष सुधीर मुनगंटीवार यांनी पत्रद्वारे मुख्यमंत्र्यांचे लक्ष वेधले आहे.
समाजावर दारूचे स्पष्ट दुष्परिणाम दिसून येतात. अनेकांची कुटुंबे उद्ध्वस्त होत आहेत. मद्यप्राशन करून राजरोसपणे गावात फिरणाऱ्या मद्यपींमुळे महिला वर्गात भितीचे वातावरण निर्माण झाले आहे. गुन्हेगारीचे प्रमाण वाढले. त्यामुळे दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ातील सामाजिक स्वास्थ्य धोक्यात आले आहे. दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ात दारू बंदीचे आदेश येत्या ७ मार्चपर्यंत जारी करावे आणि शासनाने तातडीने योग्य निर्णय घेऊन कारवाई करावी, अशी मागणी आमदार सुधीर मुनगंटीवार यांनी त्यांच्या पत्रात केली आहे.
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या दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ात दारूमुळे कुटुंब, समाज आणि इतर घटकांवर होणाऱ्या परिणामांकडे लक्ष देऊन शाससाने तातडीने निर्णय घ्यावा, अशी मागणी करून या विरोधात ८ मार्चपासून उपोषण करण्याचा इशारा समितीचे नेते किशोर तिवारी यांनी दिला आहे.
यवतमाळ आणि चंद्रपूर जिल्ह्य़ात मोठय़ा प्रमाणात देशी आणि विदेशी दारूच्या दुकानांसाठी परवाने देण्यात आले. त्यामुळे ग्रामीण भाग व शहरातील चौकाचौकांमध्ये सर्वत्र दारूची दुकाने दिसून येतात. दारु सहज उपलब्ध होत असल्याने मद्यपींच्या संख्येत लक्षणीय वाढ झाली आहे. जिल्ह्य़ातील शेतकरी व शेजमजूर व्यसनाधीन होत आहेत. या दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ात दारू सर्वत्र उपलब्ध होत असल्याने लहान मुले व विद्यार्थीही त्याकडे आकर्षित होत असून ही चिंतेची बाब असल्याकडे भाजपचे प्रदेशाध्यक्ष सुधीर मुनगंटीवार यांनी पत्रद्वारे मुख्यमंत्र्यांचे लक्ष वेधले आहे.
समाजावर दारूचे स्पष्ट दुष्परिणाम दिसून येतात. अनेकांची कुटुंबे उद्ध्वस्त होत आहेत. मद्यप्राशन करून राजरोसपणे गावात फिरणाऱ्या मद्यपींमुळे महिला वर्गात भितीचे वातावरण निर्माण झाले आहे. गुन्हेगारीचे प्रमाण वाढले. त्यामुळे दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ातील सामाजिक स्वास्थ्य धोक्यात आले आहे. दोन्ही जिल्ह्य़ात दारू बंदीचे आदेश येत्या ७ मार्चपर्यंत जारी करावे आणि शासनाने तातडीने योग्य निर्णय घेऊन कारवाई करावी, अशी मागणी आमदार सुधीर मुनगंटीवार यांनी त्यांच्या पत्रात केली आहे.
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011
No need to cap interest rates charged by MFIs: TIMES OF INDIA
Printed from
No need to cap interest rates charged by MFIs: TIMES OF INDIA
*Farm activists say that the move would only add to the farm distress. States were preparing laws to control MFIs with Andhra Pradesh already having put in a place a regulatory body, the circular would shield the MFIs, said Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti.
NAGPUR: Amid hue and cry over micro-finance institutions (MFIs) charging the rural poor exorbitant interest rates, Reserve Bank of India norms continue to allow these entities a free hand in determining their charges. The banks lending to MFIs too continue to have full discretion in fixing their rate of interest.
RBI has issued a latest master circular reiterating its earlier stand on micro-credit on February 14. Master circulars are like ready-reckoners on RBI rules related to a particular aspect. MFI sources said the latest circular removes doubts whether a cap on their rates was in offing, hinting there was a chance of upward revision now. Farm activists of the region, on the other hand, are crying foul, saying finally MFIs were replacing the usurious moneylenders in villages.
The circular said the interest rate applicable to loans given by banks to micro-credit organisations or by micro-credit organizations to self help groups (SHG) or their members would be left to their discretion. At the same time, the circular said competing MFIs were operating in the same area trying to reach out to the same set of poor. This had resulted in multiple lending and overburdening of the rural households.
MFI lending is divided into loans to SHGs mainly run by women and having a common bank account and joint liability group that need not have a common account. D Sathiah, head of strategic services of Basix, an NBFC engaged in micro-lending, said with this circular there were chances of the rates going up by 2% as even the banks might be now charging more.
He said the circular amounted to reiteration of the earlier status while the Malegham Committee on micro-finance had recommended MFIs should charge up to 24% though not directly mentioning a cap should be imposed. However, he also said that there was negligible lending by the banks to MFIs that also meant there might not be much change.
Moin Qazi of Asia Pragati, also a MFI, said that a cap should have been imposed on lending rates. MFIs get funds at around 12% from the banks but lend at around 24%. The rates were as high as 32% before the issue came into limelight. Even as a higher rates were needed to cover defaults, a spread of almost 100% of the cost of the funds was too high, he added.
Farm activists say that the move would only add to the farm distress. States were preparing laws to control MFIs with Andhra Pradesh already having put in a place a regulatory body, the circular would shield the MFIs, said Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti.
RBI has issued a latest master circular reiterating its earlier stand on micro-credit on February 14. Master circulars are like ready-reckoners on RBI rules related to a particular aspect. MFI sources said the latest circular removes doubts whether a cap on their rates was in offing, hinting there was a chance of upward revision now. Farm activists of the region, on the other hand, are crying foul, saying finally MFIs were replacing the usurious moneylenders in villages.
The circular said the interest rate applicable to loans given by banks to micro-credit organisations or by micro-credit organizations to self help groups (SHG) or their members would be left to their discretion. At the same time, the circular said competing MFIs were operating in the same area trying to reach out to the same set of poor. This had resulted in multiple lending and overburdening of the rural households.
MFI lending is divided into loans to SHGs mainly run by women and having a common bank account and joint liability group that need not have a common account. D Sathiah, head of strategic services of Basix, an NBFC engaged in micro-lending, said with this circular there were chances of the rates going up by 2% as even the banks might be now charging more.
He said the circular amounted to reiteration of the earlier status while the Malegham Committee on micro-finance had recommended MFIs should charge up to 24% though not directly mentioning a cap should be imposed. However, he also said that there was negligible lending by the banks to MFIs that also meant there might not be much change.
Moin Qazi of Asia Pragati, also a MFI, said that a cap should have been imposed on lending rates. MFIs get funds at around 12% from the banks but lend at around 24%. The rates were as high as 32% before the issue came into limelight. Even as a higher rates were needed to cover defaults, a spread of almost 100% of the cost of the funds was too high, he added.
Farm activists say that the move would only add to the farm distress. States were preparing laws to control MFIs with Andhra Pradesh already having put in a place a regulatory body, the circular would shield the MFIs, said Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Airports development chief R C Sinha told to quit -MumbaiMirror Reports
Posted On Thursday, February 03, 2011 
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/20110203201102030348097475af25243/Airports-development-chief-told-to-quit.html#ftr2 Sinha, a IAS officer of 1962 batch,is the architect of the 55 flyovers in the state. Chavan was unhappy with Sinha's performance in the airport development body and his alleged role in the Satyam group. Sources said Chavan was upset at the slow pace of things in the international cargo hub (MIHAN project).
‘I have Resigned’
Sinha, however, told Mumbai Mirror that he had quit.
“I have resigned due to personal reasons; I have some commitments. I was never told to resign,” he said.
Sinha quit on January 14. The following day, state civil aviation secretary Nandkumar Jantre was been told to hold charge till a new appointment is done.
Highly placed sources in Mantralaya said that last year, the Union civil aviation secretary had demanded Sinha's removal. The department was very unhappy that the MIHAN project besides many other greenfield airports were not shaping up well. 
R C Sinha
The request was put up before then chief minister Ashok Chavan who wanted to verify if then civil aviation minister Praful Patel agreed with the secretary's views.
Though Patel echoed the view, the proposal to remove Sinha was put on backburner, sources said.
A senior state official said that after taking over, Prithviraj Chavan reviewed the MIHAN project and expressed displeasure.. A message was then conveyed to Sinha to step down.
Officials in the state government said that the MIHAN project had drawn flak criticised during the State Legislative Assembly’s winter session held at Nagpur which made the government to ask Sinha to step down.
Sinha had retired from the IAS in 1996 and was handpicked by the then PWD minister Nitin Gadkari for construction of 55 flyovers in Mumbai.
Copyright 2008 Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. . All rights reserved.
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