Prominent MPs who have serious criminal cases pending against them  *According to their affidavits in 2009 Lok Sabha elections

Tainted netas

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* The CBI registered a case, RC 20 (A) 96, against Lalu Prasad and 55 others on March 27, 1996. The case was registered following the Supreme Court's directions on March 19, 1996* Earlier, a similar case was registered at Chaibasa police station in Bihar on February 20, 1996. This was transferred to the CBI* On June 23, 1997, the CBI filed a charge sheet against all the accused, of which seven died during the trial

A look back at the fodder scam

This refers to the editorial "Bending over backwards" (September 30). The allocation of funds among states was always controversial since it was biased by political considerations. It appears that the Raghuram Rajan panel appointed by the government has not solved it. In fact, it has created some surprises by dividing states into three categories - least developed, less developed and relatively developed. Gujarat falls in the least developed category, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh may benefit. While poor states need support, the better performing states need rewards and encouragement. Why should there be three categories? Instead, all the states can be ranked on the same principle and weight.The categorisation should not lead to perpetual backwardness. The competition to be backward should end. Instead, the competition to be forward has to take over. Fund allocation could be based on projects and their implementation. Though the panel report came when Raghuram Rajan was an economic adv

Letters: Forward-looking plans

This refers to the report "Lalu convicted in fodder scam" (October 1). The conviction of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav by the special Central Bureau of Investigation court in the 17-year-old fodder scam case shows that the law is gradually catching up with strong and high profile political leaders guilty of wrongdoings and establishes their equality before law; thanks to an independent judiciary, vigilant and assertive media and awakened citizenry. With a minimum punishment of three years imprisonment, he may be the first member of parliament (MP) to lose his parliamentary seat under the Supreme Court verdict on disqualification of convicted MPs and MLAs. But this judgment also shows that our judicial process, that took 17 years to decide the case, needs to be fast-tracked.M C Joshi, LucknowLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201  ·

Letters: Judicial chinks

Sreelatha Menon's column "Health food for Re 1" (Ear To The Ground, September 29) is correct from the nutrition point of view but the suggestion is neither practical nor viable. Consider this: unlike wheat, whose production is seven times more than millet, the production of millet has remained stagnant and has, in fact, declined from 143.5 million tonne (mt) in 2003 to 11.5 mt in 2013, whereas in the corresponding period the production of wheat has increased from 65.76 mt to 88.67 mt. The procurement of coarse grains was only 35,934 tonne in 2012 and 71,829 tonne in 2013 (provisional) and corresponding data on wheat is 28.33 mt in 2012 and 38.14 mt.As much as the policymakers would like to provide millets to improve nutrition, the fact remains that there is no millet available with procurement agencies such as the Food Corporation of India. For a water-stressed nation, millets have not received the support it deserved from the government. Rice needs 5,000 litre water a kg but millet ca

Letters: Millet support

The annual power ministers' meet takes place around this time every year where state power ministers discuss their concerns and issues relating to their particular states with the Centre's representative. This year, too, the event was hosted in September but Madhya Pradesh (MP) energy minister Rajendra Shukla was conspicuous by his absence. When quizzed about this, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Power Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, who represents the Guna constituency of Madhya Pradesh, quipped, "Maybe he thought I am here to take care of MP's concerns and, therefore, did not feel the need to attend the conference."

Balance of power

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s advertising strategy has grabbed eyeballs in the national capital. The "Is baar chalegi jhaadu" poster is seen behind almost every third auto-rickshaw in the city and the kind of visibility it has given the party has convinced other parties to follow suit. Indeed, AAP had left no stone unturned while convincing auto-drivers/owners to carry its message forward. Although the High Court had put a stay on the ban of advertisements on autos recently, prior to the stay order, the AAP had gone as far as compensating the drivers for the fine they had paid for carrying the advertisements, provided the challan submitted as proof was for carrying the advertisements.

Auto pilot

The saying goes, speech is silver, silence is golden. But sometimes silence can frazzle nerves. At a recent business summit, economist Lord Meghnad Desai was requested to answer media queries after his session. He was made to sit for some time, surrounded by TV cameras and crew but no one asked any questions. Miffed, he shouted, "Who is the organiser here? This is the most disgusting place I have ever been to." One reporter quickly got to his feet and posed a question. Lord Desai was at his wit's end by then. "Ask me later," he said, "first I need to figure out what is happening here."

Silence may not be golden

No Kingfisher Airlines (launched in 2005) aircraft has taken to the skies over the past year since a lockout and suspension of its permit. On October 1, 2012, the airline's engineers and pilots struck work, triggering its biggest crisis till date. Initially, the airline said operations would be suspended for three days; gradually, it extended the lockout. While the protest was withdrawn in 20 days, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended its operating permit on October 20, 2012. A look at how the year has gone for the airline

A year on the ground

A fresh warning

Government needs to learn lessons from the earlier round

Privatising airports

The political birds, which went into hibernation just after the last election results were announced, have consciously started making public appearances once again. A New Delhi-based Cabinet minister is sincerely making efforts to reconnect with the public, exploiting all platforms. As a matter of fact, the button that indicates availability on his Facebook account is green all the time. Courtesy, the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

With you, for you, always

Of the things that the United Progressive Alliance government has done in the last few months with an eye on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections is setting up the 7th Pay Commission for central government employees. Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken, who was among the first to write to the prime minister requesting him to set up a commission for the "welfare" of central government employees, is leaving no stone unturned while claiming credit for the government's move. Huge billboard advertisements thanking Maken for the "gift" to the central government employees have sprung up all across the national capital. The promotion and place are well chosen; Maken also happens to be the MP from the New Delhi constituency.

Two Ps of election marketing

On Monday, many Delhiites woke up to find an interesting advertisement inserted in their newspapers. Titled "Aaya Aaya, Feku Aaya", the advertisement compared facts related to the development of Gujarat under its chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi with the facilities available in New Delhi. There was no name or address printed on the advertisement but it was assumed to be a Congress-sponsored communication. In one sequence in the advertisement, a man confronting Modi proudly proclaims that a lot of patients from abroad come to the national capital to avail of its state-of-the-art medical facilities. Not a party to let an opportunity go waste, the Aam Aadmi Party has zeroed in on the campaign to launch its own counter-attack. On the same day, one of its leaders asked an informal gathering of journalists, "If this is true, why does the Congress president herself go abroad for the treatment?"'

Healthy criticism

This refers to the report "Reds in Retreat" (BS Weekend, September 28). It is a sigh of relief that the Naxal communication has itself admitted that the rebels are now on the back foot. The strategy of the security forces is paying rich dividends - killing the leadership and destroying the supply chain of arms and ammunition. Some intellectuals and a section of the media has portrayed the naxal violence as violence of the oppressed. This view cannot be subscribed to. Maoist violence cannot be condoned for the simple reason that everyday police atrocities take place and the hapless victims do not resort to violence. Victims of corruption, the ordinary citizens, bear the injustice in silence. The maoists attack bridges, railway stations, hospitals and other public institutions and this goes against their claim of fighting for the poor. These facilities are used by the oppressed. Their violent means have seriously impeded development. It is high time that the government thinks of using ai

Letters: Red alert no more

This refers to the editorial "Marketing, not hoarding" (October 1). Though onion production in 2012-13 declined only 5 per cent and storage was less by just 200,000 tonnes, market arrivals fell steeply by 20-40 per cent in June-July 2013. The National Horticulture Research and Development Foundation reported onion stocks at a healthy 800,000-900,000 lakh tonnes - sufficient to meet demand till the kharif crop reaches markets. Two months back, there were clear reports from central agencies about traders hoarding onions in Nashik and Ahmednagar. Despite all this the State/Centre has failed to control the prices of onion and this has now become an annual event. If the government refrains to take strict action against the hoarders, very soon we might even see an "Onion Security Bill" being passed in the Parliament.Vivek George  TripunithuraLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201E-mai

Letters: Onion security?

This refers to Premvir Das' article "No feather in anyone's cap" (September 27). That such revelations should come from the ex-Army head, who was not only privy to the alleged goings on but instrumental in willingly carrying it all out as part of a greater purpose, can not be defended even by Chanakya. Everyone espousing an apolitical army in our nation, a tradition maintained since Independence, must view the General's utterances with concern. Wikileaks opened up vaults to the the secret levers of diplomatic workings with equally severe international ramifications. But the current one relates to the internal political management of a vast nation and the subtle manipulations that must go with it. A spill from a Pandora's box could, hence, be vitiating on national interests, on as yet unknown fronts. A disregard for sage circumspection and abundant caution coming from people on oath of secrecy, is worrying.R Narayanan  GhaziabadLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Bus

Letters: When secrets spill

Onion crisis is a reminder of the need for retail reform

Marketing, not hoarding

Need for a holistic approach to external stability

A glass half full

CRISIL has analysed the profitability trend of 8,500 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from 2009-10 to 2011-12 (refers to financial year, April 1 to March 31). The analysis reveals that MSMEs held on to their profit margins tenaciously in these tough times. In fact, their OPBDIT* margin actually improved from 7.13 per cent to 7.30 per cent. However, OPBDT** dropped from 4.99 per cent to 4.76 per cent due to high financial costs necessitated by longer working capital cycles and hikes in interest rates.Due to income from extraordinary sources, PAT*** margin improved from 3.68 per cent in 2009-10 to 4.04 per cent in 2011-12, indicating that MSMEs could sufficiently support their income profile to maintain viability. Increase in PAT margin in tough times is also indicative of an encouraging trend towards better compliance and operational transparency.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a party with a low budget, but high spirits. The party has a budget of Rs 20 crore, which it plans to spend ahead of the Assembly elections. Some reports say this amount is as much as the sum the Bharatiya Janata Party had spent on preparing the "grand stage" for Narendra Modi's mega rally in the national capital. But the AAP volunteers are unruffled - they feel a small budget is no election impediment and, in fact, Rs 20 crore is good enough to make a clean sweep during the upcoming polls. Big isn't always better, is it?

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