Corrupt babus may lose part of pension

Bureaucrats face a 10% loss of pension for minor cases of corruption and a 20% cut for major infringements that lead to compulsory retirement from service.

In a bid to deter corruption, government will soon implement the decision taken by the Group of Ministers on corruption. Cases of public servants accused of graft will be fast tracked by quickening the process of approvals. There is also a proposal to ensure that disciplinary action is decided within a year of a complaint being received.

The anti-corruption steps are part of measures suggested by the GoM on corruption headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and accepted by the government for implementation.

The GoM was constituted soon after Congress president Sonia Gandhi's call for proactive measures to check corruption at the party's plenary session at Burari in Delhi in November 2010. Not much happened until the latest edition of Gandhian Anna Hazare's successful fast at Ramlila Maidan in August.

Long delays in clearance for prosecution and slow trials have often meant that public servants accused of corruption retire from service and even pass away while proceedings drag on. Also, the delays lead to weakening of evidence and witnesses allowing corrupt officials to escape punishment.

Minor penalties will attract a cut in pension up to 10% which will be imposed for five years. The consequence of major penalties will be a 20% lifelong cut in pension.

RBI may hike rates as food inflation surges to 10.05%

After a gap of over five months, food inflation entered the double-digit zone at 10.05 per cent for the week ended August 20, with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee describing the trend as "disturbing" and experts saying RBI may go in for another rate hike.

The weekly food inflation, measured by Wholesale Price Index (WPI), went up from 9.80 per cent on account of expensive onion, vegetables, fruits and protein-based items.

The last time food inflation crossed 10 per cent was in the week ended March 12.

"Food inflation has gone up... This is really disturbing. We shall have to ensure and remove the supply constraints on food items," Mukherjee told reporters here.

As per the official data released today, prices of onion soared by 57.01 per cent year-on-year and potato rose by 13.31 per cent during the week under review.

Fruits became dearer by 21.58 per cent and vegetables overall by 15.78 on an annual basis.

Prices of protein rich items, egg, meat and fish were up 12.62 per cent, while milk and cereals became dearer by 9.22 per cent and 4.64 per cent respectively.

Attributing the jump in food inflation to seasonal factors, experts opined it could again force the Reserve Bank to hike interest rate during its mid-quarter monetary policy review scheduled on September 16.

"With headline inflation remaining well above 9 per cent, we expect RBI to raise key policy rates by 25 basis points at its next mid-quarterly review," Crisil chief economist D K Joshi said.

Food items constitutes about 14 per cent to the WPI.

Lokpal: Pranab stresses on Constitutionality

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee started the Lokpal debate in the Lok Sabha on today, stressing on the necessity of staying within the Constitution. The House also unanimously requested anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare to end his fast, which has entered its 12th day.

"We are at a crossroads," said Mukherjee in Parliament, kicking off the debate on the Lokpal Bill. "We are being watched by everyone." He called for an objective, dispassionate debate, requesting that MPs try to seek a Constitutionally acceptable solution.

Mukherjee said that if a consensus is arrived at after the debate, the recommendations shall be sent to the Standing Committee. The Committee will examine the recommendations for applicability and constitutionality.

The House will take up Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill along with three other versions of the Lokpal Bill including the one Government already tabled in Parliament.
Stressing that the Government is in favour of a strong Lokpal, Mukherjee pointed put that the Government formed a joint drafting committee half of whose members were nominated by Hazare.

Explaining the sequence of events from April when Hazare launched his fast for the first time demanding a strong Lokpal, the Finance Minister said that the joint drafting committee met nine time April 16 to June 22.

He said that there were 40 basic principles which Hazare and his associates put forward during those meetings. He claimed that out of 40 on 26 basic principles, there was an agreement, there were seven principles, on which in-principle agreement and on seven points there was an agreement but it required editorial changes.

"I appeal to the MPs to use this occasion to pass the Bill without disturbing the constitutional process. I appeal to the MPs to have an objective discussion on this, try to find a solution within the constitutional frame work without harming the democratic supremacy in the matter of legistalation and resolve this impasse," said Pranab.

Mukherjee said, "This is one of the rare occassion where proceedings of the House is drawing the attention of entire nation and perhaps world, as the largest functioning democracy is at a crucial stage. Whatever we do, we have to do within the framework of the Constitution."

"We have to keep in mind that everything we do must be consistent with our constitutional framework. We are at a crossroads, all of us want the agitation to end. The issues raised by Anna Hazare is important, they need to be looked into. After delibertaion's are over, we can arrive if possible on a consensus which will reflect the sense of the House. The Prime Minister assured this House that our Government is committed to bring appropriate legislation to bring transparency in public service. The Prime Minister made a statement in the Lok Sabha on August 26 reiterating Government's resolve on the Lokpal Bill," he said.

Team Anna putting words in my mouth: Pranab

Accusing Team Anna of "distorting" facts about the meetings to resolve the Lokpal issue, the government on late Wednesday night said Parliamentary processes cannot be bypassed and the same was made clear to the activists after considering their proposals.

Rebutting the charge by Team Anna that there was a dramatic change in government's "tone" at the latest round of talks, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Team Anna had made certain demands at an earlier meeting with government representatives.

"Today, I informed them that government considered these proposals and it is not possible to do it," he told.

Mukherjee said Team Anna had demanded that the government Lokpal Bill will be withdrawn and the Jan Lokpal bill be introduced, it should not go through the Standing Committee and Parliament pass it within the Monsoon session.

Now that this distorted view has come, neither there is question of going back to square one nor there is change in government's attitude because if the government would have changed its attitude, there was no reason of resuming dialogue since yesterday," he said.

Mukherjee said he had told the activists that the Parliamentary Standing Committee can consider and make any amendments it wants and the process of Committee will be expedited and put on fast track.

Asked about Team Anna's remarks that Mukherjee had told them that Hazare's health condition was not the government's concern, the minister said, "They are putting words in my mouth.

"I am repeatedly making appeal (to Hazare to end his fast). I made the appeal yesterday, I made appeal today," the minister said. 

After Hazare's detention, Manmohan Singh calls cabinet meet

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has scheduled an emergency meeting of the cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in Parliament House at 10.15 a.m. Today following the detention of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare in the morning.

The meeting will take stock of the situation arising out of Hazare's detention by the Delhi Police early morning, hours before he was set to proceed on an indefinite fast demanding a stronger Lokpal Bill to deal with the corrupt.

Others scheduled to attend the meeting include Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, officials in Prime Minister's Office said.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi are also scheduled to attend the meeting, they added.

Hazare, 74, had announced Sunday he would proceed with his indefinite fast at the Jai Prakash Narain Park near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium close to the old quarters of the city. The Delhi Police had imposed prohibitory orders there.

He was detained along with some 250 of his supporters including activist Arvind Kejriwal and former top cop Kiran Bedi. Some of them were taken into custody from other places in the city.

'Don't let my arrest stop this movement. This is the nation's second struggle for freedom. The entire world has come to know how deep rooted corruption is,' Hazare had said in a statement, minutes before his detention.

'I appeal to you that let there be no violence in this movement. I also appeal to you, young and old alike, to give eight days of your life to the nation - if necessary for a jail bharo andolan .'

His supporters, who were detailed from various places, described the police action as unconstitutional.