Metro Planning Committees Bill Does not Empower Mayor--Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party today strongly criticized the provisions of the Metropolitan Planning Committees (MPCs) Bill passed by the Assembly yesterday. The party’s National Coordinator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said, “Instead of statutorily making Mayor the Chairperson of the MPC - so that the metro city governments are truly empowered, the Bill passed by the Assembly provides for the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson to be nominated by the State Government. This will only create a new neta-babu sarkari layer and yet another defunct government body at huge public expense. It will serve the only purpose of accommodating narrow partisan interests.”

“This will inevitably lead to a further centralization of governance along with increased inefficiency and corruption. All this, while the citizens in our cities continue to suffer due to poor water supply and drainage, bad roads and street lighting in neglected colonies and dilapidated slums, and are plagued daily by the menace of mosquitoes and stray dogs, ” he said.

He explained the Lok Satta Party’s stance on this issue: “MPCs should be made the statutory authorities in-charge of all developmental activities in the metro zone including the preparation and approval of zoning and master plans. They should be empowered to collect development fees and coordinate and oversee the functioning of various public/parastatal agencies for urban development, infrastructure and amenities like water supply and sewerage, power, roads, waste management along with transport, education and healthcare. MPCs should be an integral part of the local government setup, for coordinating between the municipalities, corporation and gram panchayats in the metro zone.’

“Specifically, in the case of Hyderabad, HUDA and HMWSSB should function under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Planning Committee. Unless all city functions are brought under one umbrella, there is no city government.

“Importantly, the Mayor of the largest metro city should be made the chairperson of the MPC. MPCs’ membership should not be based on narrow, partisan considerations. Only then can they prepare, coordinate and execute complex metropolitan developmental plans.”

He pointed out that “the very fact that only 67 MLAs were present to discuss and vote on the bill, exposed the insincerity of the two major parties and lack of commitment towards genuine empowerment of metropolitan cities. Both the present ruling party and its predecessor have demonstrated, on several previous occasions, their intent not to allow the devolution of powers and resources to local and city governments in our State.”

Don't enter into MOUs on Rural Public Schools

The Lok Satta Party today dubbed the State Government's scheme to promote Rural Public Residential Schools with private partnership as a populist scheme meant to benefit managements rather than rural students.

Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma, Lok Satta Party Secretary, in a statement asked the Government not to go ahead with the signing of MoUs with private managements but review the scheme.

Mr. Varma pointed out that that of the 31 lakh students in the 9000 odd high schools in the State, only 3.50 lakh students will get admissions in the 294 schools to be started at the rate of one per Assembly constituency. If the students admitted under management (25 per cent) and merit (25 per cent) quotas are excluded, only 1.75 lakh students or a mere four per cent of high school students benefit.

The Government was publicizing the scheme that benefits a paltry percentage of students with great gusto to gain political mileage. The proposed schools will not reform high school education. And the Government had totally ignored primary education in its bid to promote rural public residential schools. According to surveys made by Asar and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, primary education is in a parlous state with 62 per cent of students not able to write even the names of their teachers, 50 per cent their parents' names and 8 per cent their own names.

Mr. Varma demanded that 20 per cent of seats in primary and upper primary schools under private managements be reserved for the free education of poor students. He wanted Government schools to be strengthened on par with private schools.

The Lok Satta, if voted to power, will provide free and quality education to all irrespective of their caste or economic status.

Dr JP's Padayatra from 23rd October 2007

Dr JP's Padayatra from 23rd October 2007

LSP demands closure of all liquor shops in localities where Dalits and poor people predominate

If women demand, even the licensed liquor shops should be closed

Hyderabad, Oct. 20 - Interacting with media today, Lok Satta Party's Secretary Sri DVVS Verma stated that his party is moving forward to ensure ?liquor-free villages/towns. He stated that Lok Satta party will be adopting a multi-pronged strategy to combat the menace of liquor problem. In this direction, the Party's National Coordinator, Dr Jayaprakash Narayan will be leading a Padayatra on 23rd October 2007 from Peddagotipadu in Guntur district. The three-day Padayatra will conclude on 25th October 2007 evening in Guntur with a public meeting.

Sri DVVS Verma pointed out that over 200 Dalit women in Peddagotipadu have resorted to indefinite hunger strike against the presence of a licensed liquor shop in their village and one of them even attempted to commit suicide. In spite of District Collector's report to Excise Commissioner to relocate the licensed liquor shop, no action has been taken thus far. DVVS Verma stated that the Padayatra, based on principles of Satayagraha, is being carried out to demonstrate Lok Satta Party's complete support to the legitimate demands of the Dalit women in Peddagotipadu. Mr. Verma demanded closure of the licensed shop in all in localities where Dalits and poor people predominate.

Apart from immediate closure of belt-shops, Mr Verma demanded that if large numbers of women in a locality demand the closure of licensed liquor shops, then their demands should be heeded. He also demanded that all political parties should take a vow in front of people stating that they will not distribute liquor during elections.

Mr Verma also stated that LSP is aiming to ensure a few pre-selected mandals as liquor free mandals. He stated his party will be using multiple means such as Padayatra's, citizen's arrest under Section 43 of CRPC and other constitutional means to give impetus to the on-going liquor control agitation.

Speaking on the occasion Mahila Satta State Convener D. Lakshmi, stated that they are operationalisng liquor control committees in various villages to ensure that closed belt shops are not re-opened. She called on various civil society organizations and media to join hands in this noble endeavor to find a lasting solution to the liquor problem in the state.

Lok Satta Party's spokesperson Y. Ramadevi referred to the recent incident where a mother killed her drunkard son in Namligonda village in Warangal district. She pointed out that such tragic incidents could have been avoided had the successive governments taken a proactive stand on removing the belt shops in the state.

On this occasion, Mahila Satta State convener D. Lakshmi, and Lok Satta Party's spokesperson Y. Ramadevi unveiled posters for Padayatra.

Minimum Support Prices for Agricultural Commodities - Letter to the Prime Minister

Esteemed Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh ji,

There is enormous unrest in the farming community in Andhra Pradesh resulting from the severe discrimination in determining the minimum support price for paddy. In this connection, we appeal to you to examine three interrelated issues of procurement price of rice; trade policies in relation to agricultural commodities and marketing regulations affecting the producers' interests.

Procurement Price of Rice:

It is estimated that a quantity of about 90 million tons of paddy is produced by the farmers in the country and this is the largest quantity in the food-grain basket. There is a misconception in the minds of the policy makers that when paddy is converted to rice, only 65% is redeemed and the balance is wasted. However, the residual products like husk, broken rice etc., are valuable and marketable products. 100 Kg of milled-paddy would yield 65 kg rice, 10-12 kg of broken rice, 8 kg of cattle feed and the balance would be husk. The government already has a scheme to modernize all rice mills to enhance the yield of rice and minimize wastage in milling. Hence, the difference in value between wheat and rice is very marginal and accordingly the minimum support price difference also should be marginal.

Government of India is spending huge money on Food Corporation of India (FCI) for maintaining the buffer stocks. It is estimated that an amount of Rs. 760 is spent by FCI, as handling and carrying costs for one quintal of rice every year. Compared to this expenditure by FCI, the additional support given to the rice farmer by way of a proper minimum support price is negligible. The high operational costs of FCI are because of its highly centralized and corrupt administrative apparatus. Given these problems, public distribution system needs to be reoriented to meet the requirements of the people below poverty line by creating Grain Banks managed at the local level. This will definitely reduce transaction, transport, handling and storage costs, while enhancing the rural employment opportunities. Most importantly, it will eliminate corruption and leakages in the system, and reduce food subsidies.

Trade policies in respect of agricultural products:

As on date, the government seems to be having ad-hoc export and import policies with reference to many agricultural products. For instance, 7,90,000 tonnes of wheat has been imported from international markets by paying Rs. 1600 a quintal during 2006-2007, when the Indian farmer was paid at the rate of Rs 750 per quintal.

Similarly, cotton is imported periodically by paying higher prices for a limited quantity to meet the short-term domestic requirement and this step has an adverse affect on the price of cotton in the local markets. Such irrational, ad-hoc, anti-producer policies are distorting the market forces, and severely depressing prices of agricultural commodities. In case of garment industry, cotton cost is only a small proportion of the final product price and yet short-sighted policies have done great damage to the farm sector. Not surprisingly the largest numbers of farmer suicides are from the cotton-growing-areas.

Political sensitivity of onion prices since 1980 is well-known. The government certainly has responsibility to help consumers in times of severe price escalation. However, the producer cannot be penalized. And the government has an obligation to buy the produce at market prices and subsidize the consumer. Instead, over the years, dramatic short-term steps were taken to depress the prices and the farmers were left in lurch. At the same time the government and Planning Commission keep emphasizing the importance of rejuvenating agricultural sector.
As a great economist and architect of liberalization policies promoting competition and choice, you are more aware than anybody else of the crisis afflicting Indian agriculture. When over 60% of people depend on agriculture, which accounts for 19% of GDP today, a simple arithmetic tells us that the average rural per-capita is only 1/6th of that of the urban population. This is a potentially an explosive situation causing devastation to millions of households resulting in agrarian strife. Successive governments have been aggravating this crisis by acting in a cavalier and short-term fashion without deeper reflection or long-term sustainable policy.

When the World Trade Organisation (WTO) permits an aggregate of 10% subsidies, government policies have not merely denied active support to agriculture, but have actually done everything possible to undermine agriculture by depressing and distorting the markets. The least that the farmers expect from the government headed by a great economist and true champion of fair competition is to let the market forces prevail and provide judicious support to the poor consumers through subsidies when needed. It follows therefore, that our farmers should get benefit of international prices whenever there are supply constraints. Our farmers should also be supported by strong government protection through minimum support prices whenever the prices are depressed. Unfortunately, the exact opposite policy prevails now to the long-term detriment of agricultural economy.

Restrictions on Marketing:

There are about 7,810 regulated markets in the country. The average area to be covered by a regulated market varies from 200 Sq.Km to 780 Sq.Km. Most of these markets are controlled by middle men and commission agents. Small farmers suffer from poor access to markets and are forced to sell their produce to the local trader-moneylender-input supplier at a price dictated by him.

The farmers are also getting short-changed in the market yards, which are headed by nominated bodies. The commission agents and the traders join hands to offer the lowest possible price to the agricultural produce, apart from short-changing the farmer in weighments and charging exorbitant commission (20% - 25%) as against the authorized commission of 4%.
In order to address this situation, all the restrictions on movement, storage, processing and trading of agricultural commodities should be immediately lifted. However, the government should insist on reporting requirements in order to keep track of demand-supply situation. The farmers must be organized and empowered to undertake various marketing operations including exports.

Under these circumstances, Lok Satta Party earnestly urges you to immediately take the following steps:

The paddy procurement price of at least Rs. 1000/- per quintal should be announced. On a long-term basis, there should be parity between paddy and wheat as has been the case historically.

Agricultural trade policies must be immediately rationalized. When the international prices are higher, domestic farmers must have an unfettered right to export. In order to sustain the public distribution system, the government must procure at market prices or at minimum support price, whichever is higher, and bear the cost of subsidy. Minimum support price must guarantee fair returns to farmers as recommended by the National Commission on Farmers chaired by Dr. MS Swaminathan. Import of agricultural commodities if any should be only to the extent of actual demand-supply gap when there is inadequate production of agricultural commodities. Imports must never be resorted to as a mechanism to depress agricultural prices.
All regulations on agricultural trading, movement, storage, processing and marketing should be immediately repealed.

I am sure your government understands the gravity of the situation and will act swiftly to ameliorate the distress of paddy farmers in Andhra Pradesh, and help rejuvenate the agricultural and rural economy.

Yours Sincerely,
Dr Jayaprakash Narayan

Special Court immediately needed

Corruption allegations against Dr. YSR and Mr. Naidu

Special Court immediately needed

Special Judges should be appointed by the Government

Assets of corrupt public servants should be confiscated

Given the ongoing allegations and counter-allegations between Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu, Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan demanded that the State government must immediately constitute a Special Court to probe the issue of disproportionate assets. He strongly emphasized that this is not a private affair between the current and former Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh. Lok Satta Party demanded that the investigation must be totally free from political pressures and a Special Independent Prosecutor with impeccable credentials should be appointed by the Chief Justice of High Court. Dr.JP also demanded that the State government should promulgate an ordinance for confiscation of assets of corrupt public servants.

Under section 2 (c) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (1988), all Ministers, MLAs, elected representatives at State and local levels clearly fall under the definition of ?public servants?. Citing historical precedent for considering elected representatives as public servants, he referred to the famous HG Mudgal case, where the sitting MP was forced to resign for tabling questions in the Parliament (then known as the Provisional Legislature) for personal remuneration.

Additionally, under the section 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, possession of disproportionate wealth or pecuniary resources by a public official or by someone on his/her behalf is a crime. This Act mandates that public officials receive income from lawful sources only and they must also declare it to lawful authorities. Punishment for violation is imprisonment from one to seven years and fine.

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan demanded that the State government must immediately constitute a special court for investigating corruption allegations against public servants under section 3(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The section 3(1) enables the State government to appoint as many judges as necessary. Given these powers, the current debate over whether the probe be handled by a sitting or retired judge is merely sidetracking the issue.

To eliminate the influence of political pressures, he also demanded that a special prosecutor with impeccable credentials should be appointed by the Chief Justice of High Court to probe the issue. Constituting an Inquiry Commission would be a time-consuming process as the findings of such commissions cannot be acted upon directly and would have to be placed in the court of law for further trial.

Lok Satta Party also demanded that if a public servant or her/his family members are charged with holding disproportionate assets then the burden-of-proof must lie with that public servant.
He also called for immediate implementation of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988, which precludes the person who acquired the property in the name of another person from claiming it as his/her own.

Lok Satta Clarifies Stand on Power Subsidies and Subsidised Rice

Dear Sri Sainath,

I invite your kind attention to your column on Oct 12 in The Hindu: ‘Incredible India’ right here at home.

[Click on the link below for the article on Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/12/stories/2007101255291200.htm]

You made a reference to Lok Satta Party’s (LSP) platform on subsidies. I would like to clarify the Party’s stand on power subsidy to farmers and subsidized rice.

1. Power subsidy

Lok Satta Party believes that the debate on power tariff for agriculture is skewed. In the AP context, TDP government collected about 2 – 10% tariff through slab rates (Rs 50 per HP. Later raised to Rs 250 per HP). The current Congress government is offering it free of cost. All that is being debated is whether power should be free, or upto 10% of tariff should be collected. LSP believes this is a spurious debate on a non-issue for the following reasons:

Un-metered power, poor distribution management, and corruption are causing loss of nearly 27% of power.

Farmers are getting low quality power with voltage fluctuations, and often motors get burnt about twice a year on an average. Each time repairs cost about Rs 2000 – 3000, resulting in an annual expenditure of about Rs 5000 for each farmer with an agriculture pumpset.

Villages get very poor quality of power, often interrupted by outages or load shedding. In many villages about 6 hours’ power supply in summer is the norm. Even PHCs and schools run without power.

Corruption is rampant in power sector at every level.

Lok Satta movement outlined all these problems as early as in 2000, and argued for decentralized distribution management with effective energy auditing. Lok Satta Times’ issue of October 2000 examined the issue in detail. A team of experts including late Dr Tatarao, Sri Balaramireddy, Sri TL Shankar, Capt Jalagam Ramarao, Sri KP Rao and Sri SR Vijayakar examined the power sector crisis and recommended solutions.

As a result of Lok Satta’s advocacy, four feeder lines in Andhra Pradesh were handed over to franchisees for effective distribution management. The results, despite bureaucratic hurdles, corruption and lethargy, were impressive. In Kallacheruvu of West Godavari district, the line losses were reduced from 27% to 9% (a saving of 18%). Voltage was fully stabilized in farm sector, and incidence of damage to pumpsets was brought down to zero! Corruption was eliminated with people’s participation. Under one feeder alone, over ten youngsters were trained and employed in a sustainable manner.

Lok Satta Party has been advocating replication of such a model in the whole state. The power savings will be of the order of Rs 2500 crore, about 100,000 jobs will be created, voltage will be stabilized, and villages can be supplied quality power round the clock. Our party has made a public commitment to achieve these results. In such a model, power tariff for agriculture is a short-term, marginal issue. Farmers can be assured quality supply, villages will get 24 hour power supply, and the power subsidies can be continued for sometime until farmers’ condition improves. This rational management of power sector is Lok Satta Party’s stand; not casual and irresponsible populism. Sadly, given the low quality of our public discourse and lack of depth in debate, issues are seen in simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ terms.

2. Subsidized Rice:
Lok Satta Party has not offered any additional food subsidies. We are merely committed to two things:

Better targeting of all food subsidies including free rice now available to the indigent (Annapurna Antyodaya scheme).

Transfer of public distribution to the district government, and offering the subsidy saved by better targeting as an incentive to the local government to enhance its resources.

Right now, for a population of under 8 crore, 1.8 crore families are covered by food subsidies to which the poor one entitled. Official rural poverty figures in AP are at 16%, and probably 30 – 40% people deserve food subsidies. And yet, over 90% of the people are covered now! Despite this there are lakhs of poor families which do not have a ration card! This is what needs to be set right, and Lok Satta Party is committed to revamping the public distribution system.

I hope you will take note of our stand and inform your readers, so that serious and rational debate on subsidies can be promoted. .

With warm regards,
Jayaprakash Narayan
National Coordinator

Lok Satta Program to Provide Free Hospital Care for All

The Lok Satta Party today unveiled a unique program of public-private partnership to ensure universal and free hospitalized care in Andhra Pradesh.

The program, estimated to cost Rs.2500 crore a year, guarantees hospital care to every citizen as a matter of right irrespective of his or her income status. Unlike other programs, it is not limited to those below the poverty line.

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Lok Satta Party Coordinator, who had played a seminal role in formulating the national health policy and creating the National Rural Health Mission, told a media meet today that the Lok Satta Party's innovative program would put an end to the dismal health care situation. The concept brochure was released by Party State Working Committee member Mrs. G. Pratibha Rao.

At present, Dr. JP pointed out, hospitalized health care accounted for more than half (58%) of Indians' total annual expenditure on healthcare. As a consequence, more than 40 per cent of those hospitalized borrow money or sell assets to cover expenses. At least one quarter of hospitalized Indians fall below poverty line because of hospital expenses.

The following are the highlights of the Lok Satta proposal:
1. The patients will be given an option to get admitted in a hospital of their choice and the money will 'follow the patient'
2. Every patient will be given a health card and the utilization of services will be recorded on patient cards. At the end of the month, hospitals (public or private) will claim reimbursements from the Government on the basis of services provided to in-patients
3. Hospitals will be funded only by way of reimbursement of costs for services rendered. The coverage of private hospitals will exclude out-patient care
4. To effectively combat the menace of corruption, the proposal includes creation of institutions such as a District Health Fund and a District Ombudsman.

Dr. JP said that the Lok Satta proposal seeks to involve both Government hospitals and private facilities equally in providing quality care at Government cost. In addition, private practitioners can utilize government hospitals for practice, and claim reimbursements for the services rendered.

Dr. JP clarified that that a patient need not pay any deposit or a premium since it is not an insurance program. Every individual will be entitled for free health care whenever he/she is admitted to hospital. Such an approach is based on the premise that people living in this country are entitled for free health care as citizens paying taxes.

Once an individual receives a Health Card, s/he will not have to visit any Government office. All that an individual has to do is to carry the health card with him/her when getting admitted in a hospital. The hospital authorities (public or private) will claim reimbursements at the end of every month. All medical expenses of in-patients will be covered by the program. These include in-patient charges, medication, diagnostic tests and surgeries. In case of public hospitals, out-patient care will be included.

This program is not targeted at specific diseases. All common aliments will be covered. Rare diseases involving high cost care will be separately dealt with through a tertiary care program.

Dr. JP explained that the Andhra Pradesh Government's 'Aarogyasri' addresses only a few rare diseases that people are vulnerable to, which is a small portion of the disease burden. It targets people suffering from a limited number of illnesses like those affecting heart, brain and kidney or cancer or but not ordinary ailments, which account for most of the disease burden. It ignores maternity care, infectious diseases, routine surgeries and general ailments, and non-surgical interventions.
As of September 1, 2007, only 3841 people had undergone surgical procedures under AarogyaSri, while 60 lakh people are sliding below the poverty line every year in the State because of health care costs.

'Aarogyasri' benefited only corporate hospitals, as 95% of the cases were treated in big corporate hospitals. Most of the private practitioners and nursing homes providing low-cost, good-quality care are not utilized. Instead, expensive hospitals are involved in providing high cost care for a few selective aliments. Andhra Pradesh has an estimated 40,000 well-trained private allopathic practitioners.

The Lok Satta proposal seeks to mobilize all resources available in the State to ensure that every one gets quality health care at Government cost. A strong preventive primary health care programme, and high-quality health infrastructure in public sector will be the foundation of this programme of universal healthcare. Primary health centres will be strengthened and brought under local government control. A community Hospital of 50 beds will be built for every 1,00,000 population. (At present we only have one for every 4,00,000). All district and Teaching Hospitals will be improved substantially. Dr. JP gave a call for a debate on universal, affordal healthcare. He appealed all stake-holders - doctors, civil society and people of all sections -to join the struggle to build a viable universal healthcare programme.

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To see the media coverage, please click on the links below:

http://eenadu.net/panelhtml.asp?qrystr=htm/panel11.htm

http://www.andhrajyothy.com/mainshow.asp?qry=/2007/oct/10main14

http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/11/stories/2007101160430400.htm

Lok Satta invokes Section 43, gets illicit trader arrested

Please click on the link below
http://www.loksatta.org/englishsite/pr/2007/pr_arrestoct07tel.pdf

Mahila Satta leaders meet CM, seek closure of belt shops

Please click on the link below

http://www.loksatta.org/englishsite/pr/2007/pr_rep2cm.pdf

Camaign against irregularities in Ration Shops

Every month, 467 kilo liters of kerosene and 2000 metric tons of rice are being declared as unused surplus in the city even as poor families complain they are being deprived of their entitlements from fair price shops. Eleven lakh families in the city of Hyderabad are dependent on fair price shops for their sustenance.

This cruel paradox has come to light in a study conducted by the Greater Hyderabad unit of the Lok Satta Party in the last one week. Lok Satta volunteers gathered the opinion of 79 fair price shop dealers and customers served by them in Greater Hyderabad.

The principal complaint of white cardholders is they are being given only five liters of kerosene against 10 liters they are entitled to. Cardholders are often compelled to pay well above the official price of Rs. 9.50 per litre. In many cases, the 10 litre coupon is accepted by the dealer, but only 5 litres are issued. In fact, their entitlement has been reduced over the years from 18 liters to 10 liters per month. This huge shortfall is putting them under enormous financial burden.

Poor people are also put to great hardship because of the dealers' insistence on their lifting the entire quota of 10 liters of kerosene and 20 kgs of rice at one go.

The users of fair shops are people who experience regular and consistent financial stress. Therefore, it is imprudent to assume that they can pay for all commodities at one time. Cardholders should be given coupons that facilitate purchase of commodities in small quantities and in installments.

Another finding of the survey is that fair shops do not adhere to the stipulated time schedules - 8 AM to 12 Noon and 4 PM to 8 PM - making it difficult for cardholders to access them at convenient times. While the poor complain that they are not receiving their basic entitlements from fair price shops, large quantities of kerosene and rice are going unutilized.

The Lok Satta Party survey has revealed that elected local government representatives - municipal corporators - have very little control over the functioning of fair price shops. Mr. Ankaiah demands that ward committees be constituted and empowered to oversee the functioning of the fair price shops within their ward. There is also need to constitute a stakeholders' committee for each fair shop with local users, members of local civil society, local youth and women groups as members. Such stakeholder empowerment will go a long way in improving the functioning of fair price shops.

Lok Satta Party calls upon local youth to become volunteers to monitor and improve the functioning of the fair price shops. The volunteers will be trained and given logistic support by Lok Satta Party to help improve distribution of essential commodities to poor households. Volunteers may please contact 040 - 2323 1818 / 2323 2829.

Lok Satta Defends Nuclear Deal with US

The Lok Satta Party today unequivocally supported the nuclear deal with the U. S. saying it served India’s economic and strategic interests and provided room for diplomatic maneuvering.

Lok Satta’s National Coordinator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan (Dr. JP) said that the country’s national interest should be the sole criterion for judging such deals since there are no permanent friends and permanent enemies in international relations.

He was responding to a question at a conference of youth held to mark the launching of “Jana Chaitanya yatra” by the Yuva Satta.

Dr. JP said the nuclear deal would strengthen India’s energy security, facilitate access to high technology and promote bilateral trade. Strategically, India retained its right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel, pursue its three-stage nuclear cycle that facilitates thorium use and strengthen defense capability.

Dr. JP drew pointed attention to the double standards of certain parties which defended Iran’s right to nuclearization and criticized India’s nuclearization. “To have another nuclear power in India’s neighborhood is antithetical to India’s self-interest”, he added. He ridiculed the contention that India voted against Iran’s nuclear quest in the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Authority) because it had become a stooge of the U. S. Pointing out that Russia, China and Pakistan too voted against Iran, Dr. JP asked whether anybody could say that the three countries too were U. S. stooges.

Dr. JP conceded that nuclear testing was an issue. Although there was nothing in the 123 agreement which inhibited India from testing a nuclear device, India was aware that testing was fraught with certain consequences. The Government of India in its wisdom had declared a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. But if national interests warranted a test, India would do so and face the consequences.

On the criticism that the deal abridged India’s sovereignty, Dr. JP said every international agreement imposed certain mutual obligations between contracting parties. It did not mean the sovereignty was violated. “The deal with the US is mutually beneficial”.

Dr JP pleads for assistance to police official's family

Lok Satta Party’s National Coordinator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan (Dr. JP) today requested Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy to provide all relief and help to rehabilitate the family of Mr. E. Madhava Reddy, Sub Inspector of Police, Malakpet, who was fatally mowed down by a speeding lorry as he chased and tried to stop it. “There cannot be a more painful incident than this in which a uniformed police officer was disobeyed and run over by a wayward lorry driver in a wanton act of culpable homicide.”

Dr. JP suggested that Mr. Madhava Reddy’s family be extended benefits on the lines of police killed in extremist operations. Under the policy, the Government treats deceased functionaries as on duty until retirement and provides wages and allowances to the family. In addition, one of the surviving members of the family is provided a Government job at an appropriate level depending on educational qualifications.

Dr. JP wanted the Government to ensure payment of wages and allowances to the family of Mr. Madhava Reddy until his retirement and pension after the retirement age. Mr. Madhava Reddy’s son, aged 26 and a Bachelor of Science, be appointed assistant sub-inspector as a special case. “Such a gesture from the Government would enhance the morale of all serving policemen and give them the strength and confidence to discharge their duties in the face of danger and adversity.”

Dr. JP called on members of the family of Mr. Madhava Reddy in the morning and conveyed his condolences.

In his letter, Dr. JP said the death illustrated the malaise afflicting the public order machinery. “We have eroded the self-esteem, confidence and image of the police severely, and as a result lawful orders of uniformed officers are ignored with impunity. The culture of permissiveness is a direct consequence of undue political interference in the day-to-day functioning of the police….”

Dr. JP called for making crime investigation independent and isolated from political influence and professionalization of law and order police.

Yuva Satta Launching “Jana Chaitanya Yatra”

The Yuva Satta is launching a State-wide “Jana Chaitanya Yatra” from Hyderabad tomorrow.

Sixteen Yuva Satta leaders will be hitting the road from September 4 to September 27 and taking part in conferences of youth at all district headquarters. They will also be visiting colleges and dalit colonies in and around the district headquarters.

The district-level youth conferences, which bring all of the youth on to the same dais, will discuss the challenges and opportunities for youth in the fields of education, employment and political leadership.

Lok Satta Party’s National Coordinator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will be flagging off the youth campaign from Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram, Bagh Lingampalli, at a function at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

The Yuva Satta will take out a silent march from Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram to RTC Crossroads in memory of bomb blast victims and pledge to work for the integrity of the nation.

Stamp out terrorism, appeals Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party's National Coordinator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan (Dr. JP) said today that terrorism had to be uprooted ruthlessly to protect society and civilization. In a statement, Dr. JP described terrorists, who took the lives of innocent people through bomb blasts in Hyderabad, as cowards.

"No religion sanctions terrorism although its perpetrators invoke religion for their acts. Terrorists are essentially barbaric people who have nothing but hatred for mankind and all values of civilization."

Dr. JP said blaming the police and Intelligence agencies for failure to prevent terrorist attacks was unwarranted. Even if Intelligence had information about likely terrorist attacks, they would not know when and where they would strike.

In times of crisis, people, political parties and the Government should stand united and do nothing to disrupt normal life. Calls for 'rasta rokos' 'bandhs' would merely serve the cause of terrorists, who were bent on destabilizing the country.

Dr. JP said that Governments in their bid to stamp out terrorism should not abridge people's fundamental rights. China could do without terrorism because it had a totalitarian system. "The need of the hour is striking a fine balance between national security and civil rights".

Dr. JP underlined the need for police reforms to ensure that the personnel were productively utilized. While thousands of police personnel were deployed as gunmen, intelligence personnel were used to serve the interests of the ruling party. Dr. JP in the morning called on the blast victims undergoing treatment in hospitals. Eleven Lok Satta volunteers donated blood to Chiranjivi Blood Bank for the benifit of victims.

Lok Satta to enroll 15 lakh members by December 2007: Dr. JP

The Lok Satta Party has decided to enroll at least 15 lakh members by December-end by launching a vigorous campaign throughout the State.

Disclosing this at a media conference at the end of the two-day conference of the organizational wings of the party, Lok Satta Party’s National Coordinator Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan (Dr. JP) said the people were thirsting for alternative politics. By voting for the two traditional parties alternately, they realized that were merely choosing between the fire and frying pan. The Lok Satta would be guilty of letting them down if it did not provide an alternative that liberates them from the traditional parties and politics of corruption. The Lok Satta Party aimed at having a unit in every village and 1000 to 2000 members in every mandal, a majority of them youth and women. The Lok Satta Party would thereafter hold party elections under the watchful eye of a three-member Ombudsman. The party had divided the State into eight zones and appointed zonal coordinators for the membership campaign and party elections.

On the claims of Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Mr. N. Tulasi Reddy, Congress Party spokesman, that there were no belt shops in the State, Dr. JP told them that they should have been aware of belt shops at least in their mandals if not the entire State. “There may be mandals without schools or villages without drinking water but there is not a single mandal in the entire State where there are no belt shops”. Dr. JP pointed out that Lok Satta and Mahila Satta volunteers had already furnished the Chief Minister with a list of 2000 shops in the State. According to the party’s estimate, there are 50,000 belt shops, besides 25000 gudumba and country liquor shops. “But we have a
Government that neither sees nor hears”.

Dr. JP said he would not be surprised if the Government chose to legalize belt shops unable to counter the Lok Satta campaign. In fact, the Congress MLA of Sattenapalli led a procession against belt shops in his constituency the other day.

Dr. JP welcomed the Prime Minister Manmohan’s Independence Day speech in which he focused on giving a thrust to higher and vocational education. “The Prime Minister is a man of sincerity and integrity. But unfortunately the responsibility of implementing laudable schemes rests with States. Thousands of crores of rupees meant for education and health care have gone down the drain because the State leadership has neither the will nor the machinery to implement the schemes. Industrial training institutes, for which the poor sent their children to learn a trade, did not have equipment to train them, said Dr.JP.

Citizen arrests to shut down belt shops

Please click on the link below
http://www.loksatta.org/englishsite/pr/2007/citizen-arrests-belt.pdf

Camaign against irregularities in Ration Shops

Every month, 467 kilo liters of kerosene and 2000 metric tons of rice are being declared as unused surplus in the city even as poor families complain they are being deprived of their entitlements from fair price shops. Eleven lakh families in the city of Hyderabad are dependent on fair price shops for their sustenance.

This cruel paradox has come to light in a study conducted by the Greater Hyderabad unit of the Lok Satta Party in the last one week. Lok Satta volunteers gathered the opinion of 79 fair price shop dealers and customers served by them in Greater Hyderabad.

The principal complaint of white cardholders is they are being given only five liters of kerosene against 10 liters they are entitled to. Cardholders are often compelled to pay well above the official price of Rs. 9.50 per litre. In many cases, the 10 litre coupon is accepted by the dealer, but only 5 litres are issued. In fact, their entitlement has been reduced over the years from 18 liters to 10 liters per month. This huge shortfall is putting them under enormous financial burden.

Poor people are also put to great hardship because of the dealers' insistence on their lifting the entire quota of 10 liters of kerosene and 20 kgs of rice at one go.

The users of fair shops are people who experience regular and consistent financial stress. Therefore, it is imprudent to assume that they can pay for all commodities at one time. Cardholders should be given coupons that facilitate purchase of commodities in small quantities and in installments.

Another finding of the survey is that fair shops do not adhere to the stipulated time schedules - 8 AM to 12 Noon and 4 PM to 8 PM - making it difficult for cardholders to access them at convenient times. While the poor complain that they are not receiving their basic entitlements from fair price shops, large quantities of kerosene and rice are going unutilized.

The Lok Satta Party survey has revealed that elected local government representatives - municipal corporators - have very little control over the functioning of fair price shops. Mr. Ankaiah demands that ward committees be constituted and empowered to oversee the functioning of the fair price shops within their ward. There is also need to constitute a stakeholders' committee for each fair shop with local users, members of local civil society, local youth and women groups as members. Such stakeholder empowerment will go a long way in improving the functioning of fair price shops.

Lok Satta Party calls upon local youth to become volunteers to monitor and improve the functioning of the fair price shops. The volunteers will be trained and given logistic support by Lok Satta Party to help improve distribution of essential commodities to poor households. Volunteers may please contact 040 - 2323 1818 / 2323 2829.

Lok Satta condemns Mudigonda violence

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, National Coordinator of the Lok Satta Party, today appealed to all political parties and Governments to introspect whether violence and counter-violence were warranted in a 60-year-old democracy. Failure to arrive at solutions through peaceful and constructive means merely mirrored the deep democratic crisis the country faced and exposed our inability to resolve problems peacefully, he told a meeting organized by the party.

He made the observations in the context of the police firing at Mudigonda in Khammam district in which eight CPI(M) activists were killed.

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan decried that governments, whichever party is in power, and political parties are perpetuating a vicious cycle of violence and counter-violence. Brutal lathicharge and extreme use of force and firing resulting in deaths of innocent and poor citizens has become all too common. Equally, civil society movements and parties are resorting to extreme tactics to provoke people and invite repression. Lives of innocent people are lost all too often. Political calculations, not human decency have become the norm. Political parties and Governments should ponder whether action and reaction reminiscent of colonial rule were warranted in a democratic society.

He was addressing a conference titled "Ration - Pareshan" organized by the Lok Satta to highlight how poor families were undergoing hardship because of their inability to draw the 10 liters of kerosene and 20 kgs of rice they are entitled to every month. The Government spent Rs.3000 crore of taxpayers' money on subsidized supply of rice and kerosene to white cardholders. Although laws, rules and regulations were clear and widespread government machinery was in place, it could not render justice to the poor.

He commended Lok Satta volunteers for trying to find a peaceful solution to the chronic problem of rations through citizen assertion constructive means. This is the meaning of new politics fit for a constitutional democracy. Resort to violence itself is a symptom of failure of our democracy, he added.

"If a young man or woman adopts a ration shop in his or her area and spends an hour or two a week monitoring the fair shop functioning, things would improve. Lok Satta Party would train these volunteers and give them the information to monitor shops, mobilize citizens and ensure implementation of rules. If that fails, they should represent the problem to officials. The Lok Satta Party would provide all support. Fair shop dealers too had their problems. They lifted Government allotted stocks by borrowing money on interest while their margins were low. The Government could consider permitting them to lift stocks on credit and provide a solution.

Mr. B. Ankaiah, Convener, Greater Hyderabad Lok Satta Unit, Mrs. D. Lakshmi, Mahila Satta Convener and Mr. G. Rama Murthy, senior party leader, took part in the conference in which many representatives from different parts of the city voiced their distress and anger over their plight.

Mahila Satta identifies belt shops, seeks their closure

Please click on the link below

http://www.loksattaparty.com/english_site/pr_beltshops_25Jul2007.pdf

Tremendous Response to Lok Satta Primaries

The Lok Satta Party's policy of asking voters to choose its candidates for by-elections to ZPTCs and MPTCs in the State has elicited tremendous response.

The party deliberately opted for candidate selection by people through secret ballot as part of its policy to make politics people-centred, instead of being politician-centred.

This marks a radical departure from established parties' culture of choosing candidates based on their money power or muscle power or pedigree. The Satta has, in fact, challenged other parties to contest elections without recourse to purchase of votes or distribution of liquor.
The party has so far chosen its candidates to contest two ZPTC and 10 MPTC seats through primary elections. The by-elections are scheduled to take place on July 12.

According to Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma, Secretary, Lok Satta Party, the people's response to primaries would have been far greater had there been more time between the announcement of by-elections and the filing of nominations. There was a gap of just one day, as per the election schedule.

Ungutur in West Godavari district where an election is taking place for the ZPTC stands as a shining example of new politics at work. The Lok Satta short-listed three candidates and appealed to voters to choose the best one to represent them. All the candidates travelled in one vehicle and appealed for votes in one pamphlet as they toured villages in the constituency.

Of the 45000 registered voters, 9095 took part in the primary election. Mr. Potla John Raju, who polled 5260 votes, was declared the party candidate.

Similarly, 300 to 600 voters took part in the Lok Satta MPTC primaries held in different parts of the State to choose its candidates.

Mr. D. V. V. S. Varma said in a statement that the primaries demonstrated people's contempt for the traditional parties' culture of foisting candidates selected in secret conclaves.

Mr. Varma congratulated the voters on embracing Lok Satta Party's new political culture.

Lok Satta demands liquor shops along highways be shut down

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, Lok Satta Party's National Coordinator, has demanded that liquor shops along highways be shut down immediately.
While welcoming the Government move to prevent accidents by punishing drunken driving, Dr. Jayaprakash pointed out that liquor shops had been opened along highways merely to cater to vehicle users and remained open day and night. The Government claim that it would prevent drunken driving even as it facilitated drinking along highways was akin to putting the cart before the horse.

In a letter to Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Lok Satta leader also demanded that the Government close down illegal belt shops being run by licensed liquor dealers. The belt shops, unofficially estimated to number more than a lakh, were to be found in every village, ward and lane. "It is incredible that the shops can function without the knowledge of the Excise and Police Departments". Asserting that the belt shops were being run with the full knowledge and support of the Government, Dr. Jayaprakash added that otherwise they could not function even for a day. He wanted the Government to put an end to the practice of increasing its excise revenue by encouraging belt shops.

Dr. Jayaprakash pointed that nothing could be more atrocious than viewing liquor as a chief source of revenue for the Government. The liquor addition had already ruined 50 lakh families in the State as liquor flowed freely. He wanted the Government to restrict liquor consumption since total prohibition was a practical failure.

The Lok Satta ridiculed the Government claim that the State had witnessed a decline in the number of shops pointing out that the outlets had proliferated hundreds of more times than licensed shops in the shape of belt shops. Government statistics testified to the increase in sales year after year. While the previous Government turned liquor a source of revenue and facilitated belt shops, the present Government not only continued the policy but also doubled and trebled its revenues from liquor.

He wanted the Government to disclose the programmes and activities it had taken up to launch a campaign against drinking by utilizing ten per cent of excise revenue as promised. He wanted the Government to totally ban 'gudumba' and country liquor, and public drinking at liquor shops and launch a strong campaign against the drinking evil.

The Lok Satta, he informed the Chief Minister, would take up direct action from October 2 if belt shops were not closed by then. Meanwhile, it would collect information about belt shops and communicate it to the Government. The women's wing of the party would launch a Statewide campaign against drinking from August 15.

Demand for devolution of powers

Please click on the link below

http://www.loksattaparty.com/english_site/devolution.jpg

Dr. Jayaprakash Calls for Justice to Telangana

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, National Coordinator of the Lok Satta Party, today demanded that constitutional status be provided to regional development boards, the 610 GO be implemented in letter and spirit and that the next river water tribunal go into disparities in water allocation within different regions of the State. These issues should be sorted out whether Telanagana was going to be formed or not.

Addressing a media meet, Dr. Jayaprakash pointed out that regional development boards recently constituted did not enjoy any constitutional status of Article 371D of the Constitution. The Constitution should be amended to provide them constitutional status, powers and resources. In fact, the Telangana Regional Development Board could be entrusted with the implementation of Government Order No. 610.

Dr. Jayaprakash pointed out that neither the Congress nor the Telugu Desam Government had the political will to implement the G.O. issued as early as in 1985. The Congress was in power between 1989 and 1994 and again since 2004 while the Telugu Desam was in power during the other periods. The GO involved the repatriation of just 28000 of the 9.5 lakh Government employees from Telangana to Andhra.

Referring to regional disputes on the sharing of the Krishna and the Godavari river waters, Dr. Jayaprakash said the next river waters tribunal should go into allocation of waters among different regions within the State. Thanks to Sir Arthur Cotton, some coastal Andhra districts had benefited while Telangana and Rayalaseema did not get adequate waters. The Godavari and the Krishna should be treated as one basin since the Krishna waters cannot be diverted to the Rayalaseema region unless the Godavari waters are diverted into the Krishna basin downstream.

Dr. Jayaprakash called for a national debate on caste-based reservations in the context of the raging disputes between Malas and Madigas in Andhra Pradesh and Gujjars and Meenas in Rajasthan. Treating castes as vote banks, most political parties were indulging in cynical and manipulative games. He made it clear that the Lok Satta was totally in favour of reservations so long as birth-based discrimination continued. He, however, wanted the reservation system to be refined. Any scientific system should give weightage to factors like caste, economic status, parents' educational status, rural or urban background, education in Government or private school and medium of instruction.

On Special Economic Zones, Dr. Jayaprakash said that they should not be constituted in agriculturally prosperous land except in rare circumstances. He suggested that farmers be paid more than market rates for their lands and be given one acre of developed land for every two acres acquired for them. This can be done if more land than is required for an SEZ is acquired

simple system of local courts can give easy access to justice

Please click on the link below
http://www.loksattaparty.com/english_site/enyayapanchayats.pdf

Don't lose your right to vote - Lok Satta appeals to Hyderabadis

The Lok Satta Party has decided to undertake a sample survey of voters in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and help people enroll themselves as voters.

This was decided at a meeting of the volunteers of the Greater Hyderabad unit of the party today.

Mr. Bhandaru Ankaiah,in -charge of the Greater Hyderabad unit of the Party said the electoral rolls were available at all major delivery post offices, muncipal offices and polling stations. The party volunteers during sample survey, will help new voters enroll themselves by filling in Form 6.

In a statement, Mr. Ankaiah said people should avail themselves of the opportunity to enroll themselves as voters if their names were not found in the lists. The opportunity would be open until June 5.

By taking part in the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, the voters could choose leaders who would make Greater Hyderabad a better Hyderabad.

Lok Satta's agenda a great hit, says Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan

Please click on the link below
http://www.loksattaparty.com/english_site/hit.pdf

The Public Meeting

The public meeting on October 15 was an unqualified success. The participation was impressive – about 20,000 people from all walks of life from all over Andhra Pradesh attended the meeting. This is the first political meeting, of this magnitude, in decades, where people attended without inducements, and participated fully and enthusiastically. Not one member of the audience left until the proceedings concluded at 8:15 PM. Most television channels covered the event live, and about ten million viewers would have watched it. The major regional newspapers grasped the significance of the event and covered it prominently. There were no people seated on the dais, except the speaker at any point of time. Young persons, women, and those who suffered discrimination by birth dominated the proceedings. Most participants were young people, poor, self-employed persons, and middle-classes. Messages were interspersed by cultural events. An amount of Rs 2,08,000/- was raised by way of small, on the spot contributions.

A sample of the media coverage of the event can be accessed at http://www.loksattaparty.com/english_site/media.html. The audiovisual recording of the Party Coordinator’s speech too can be accessed at this URL. The proceedings of the entire event along with the speech of the Party Coordinator will be soon available for sale, in a CD/DVD format. Please visit www.loksattaparty.com for latest updates.

Lok Satta Party’s principles are enshrined in the Preamble to the Party Constitution, and Article II lists the Aims and Objectives. The circumstances which compelled us to take this important step are outlined in the Resolution adopted to form Lok Satta Party. The Party’s Constitution reflects the values of internal democracy, total transparency and member-control.

Apart from the Party’s agenda and vision, there are seven important measures institutionalized in the Party’s structure and functioning, which make it the harbinger of ‘new politics for the new generation’:

• Election of leadership at all levels by secret ballot, through single, transferable vote based on preferential voting. The Coordinator, the chief functionary at each level, is elected directly by all active members of the Party through secret ballot.

• A system of ‘recall’ of all office bearers is institutionalized in the Party Constitution and Rules and Regulations.

• All Party candidates for elective office will be chosen by active members in primary elections through secret ballot. There will be affirmative action policies to promote leadership of women, youth, backward classes and minorities, apart form the constitutional reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Subject to that caveat, the Party leadership can only exercise veto over candidates elected in primary election for specified reasons; but no candidate can be imposed on the Party.

• An autonomous Electoral Authority is constituted in the party to act as the custodian of membership rolls, and to conduct all elections within the Party.

• An autonomous Disciplinary Authority is constituted, with the responsibility to investigate and act on specific complaints of criminality, corruption, abuse of office, or moral turpitude.

• All funds shall be collected only in a transparent manner by cheque (except small local contributions), and with a receipt. All expenditure shall be only for legitimate purposes, and by cheque. Membership dues and small contributions are expected to constitute the bulk of the Party resources.

• The Party activities will be primarily centered around its agenda. The traditional political methods of obstructionism and agitation will be eschewed.

It goes without saying that we are nurturing new politics as a moral endeavour, not merely forming yet another political party. Our definition of victory is not merely getting into office, but heralding a new political culture and transforming the nature of governance, whether we are in power or out of it. Therefore means and ends are both critical and integrally linked. Power is merely a means, though it is our recognition that we need to be in politics to transform it which led to the formation of the Party. We are staying away from the traditional invective, populism, knee-jerk responses, intolerant attitudes, tokenism and emotionalism. Reasoned public debate, transparent decision making, informed citizen assertion, peaceful and honest reconciliation of conflicting views, and liberal, creative, humane and win-win responses are the means we apply for political mobilization.

One question often raised is, will we succeed? The more apt question is, are Indian people happy with our current politics and governance? We have no doubt that the vast majority of Indians is deeply desirous of a fundamental change in the nature of our politics and the way government functions. Therefore, we will not fail.

However, it needs a lot of patience, hard work, organization-building, and public education.This is a national endeavour. As the Party’s founding resolution states: “Lok Satta Party’s goals are national, and unity and integrity of India are of paramount concern to all of us. The new Party’s concerns will transcend religion, region, caste and language. Lok Satta Party will work with like-minded individuals and groups in all regions and states to build a nation-wide movement for a new political culture.” It is our recognition of the vastness and complexity of India, and our own limitations which compel us to focus on Andhra Pradesh for the time being. Once Lok Satta Party demonstrates that a sizeable population is in support of new politics, the conditions for a nation-wide political movement will have been created.We, therefore urge all Indians, wherever they are, to own this effort and extend all support. Formal political participation will, of course, be limited to Indian Citizens. Others can certainly provide intellectual inputs and moral support, and spread the good word. Similarly, funds can be raised only from Indian sources. Indian citizens, wherever they live, can make financial contributions. All contributions are fully tax-exempt (to the donor) under Indian Law. Indian citizens living abroad can contribute, but will get tax exemption only on Indian income. Non-resident Indians should also declare that their contribution is made from their own resources, and is not raised from foreign sources. All contributions will be acknowledged, and tax exemption documents will be furnished to them. All accounts of Lok Satta Party will be audited, and reports shall be made public.

The website ' www.loksattaparty.com ' is now in operation. It is being substantially revised to make it current, interactive and comprehensive. The site will soon have a suitable ‘online payment gateway’ to enable easy and safe donations online. Contributions may be made by Indian Citizens by cheque to ‘Lok Satta Party’, payable at Hyderabad. Non-resident Indians who wish to contribute may please wait for a short while until the mechanism is created for that purpose.There are over 800 registered political parties in India. But the creation of a serious political party with credibility and reasonable public support is a rare event. Rarer still is success of such a party in electoral terms. Rarest is significant outcome in terms of transforming politics, enlarging liberty, and promoting human happiness. Lok Satta Party is determined to make a difference in outcomes, and transform our politics. The task is too big for any group in isolation. We need your support – intellectual, moral, material, and financial to make this a truly successful endeavour. The bulk of our people yearn for a change. All we have to do is create a credible, effective and democratic platform. We will surely succeed.

With warm regards,

Jayaprakash Narayan
National Coordinator
LOK SATTA PARTY
posted by JP 10:27 AM

Comments:

siva reddy said...
Dear Loksatta,

I am just wondering about membership drive and media coverage. How is it going on?
Because I cannot see any news about Loksatta in the media.

Is Loksatta neglecting the media or the media neglecting Loksatta? I am just thinking aloud.
December 19, 2006

LOK SATTA PARTY said...
Dear Mr.Siva Reddy,
It is good to hear from you.We are pleased to say that the membership drive is on, full steam! It has drawn excellent response and we are happy with the results.

As far as media coverage goes, we have absolutely no complaints, whatsoever!

Media coverage is important and whenever we feel the need for more publicity we will definitely do the needful.

Thank you and do keep in touch.

With warm wishes

Lok Satta Party
December 19, 2006

Anonymous said...
can we expect something from you to stop this and punish who are involved and supporting?
December 21, 2006

Passion said...
85% of people in India are desperate working slaves in an informal economy and their lives oscillate between fear and frustration.
http://in.rediff.com/money/2005/dec/01guest3.htm

The remaining well to do High Net Worth people in India are always in search of collusion mostly in the form of caste to enhance their wealth.

A credible minimum income guaranteed system for every one whether they work or not will bring in dignity instead of desperation for the working poor and inheritance taxes will stimulate compassion instead of collusion.

Such system will prevent all socioeconomic issues in India viz farmer suicides, dowry deaths, child labor, corruption, bribery, etc.

I request Lok Satta to include "minimum income guaranteed system" in its manifesto.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Guaranteed_minimum_income#India

ijawahar@gmail.comDecember 30, 2006

Office of Profit

The Constitution makers quite rightly wanted legislative office to be insulated from executive influence and manipulation.

Constitutional theory envisages that the elected legislature exercises oversight functions over the government. The making of laws, approval of the budget, and monitoring of all government actions are within the purview of the legislature. The executive branch of government should implement the laws, utilize the public money for the approved purposes, and be accountable to the legislature in its functioning. Therefore, if the legislators are beholden to the executive, the legislature can no longer retain its independence, and loses the ability to control the Council of Ministers and the army of officials and public servants. From this perspective, the Constitutional embargo on office of profit for legislators is both necessary and welcome.

But in India, both the Constitutional model of government and its actual practice in operation have completely reversed this logic. We accepted the Westminster model because of familiarity and historical association. In this model, the executive (Council of Ministers) is drawn from the legislature. While in theory, the legislature holds the government to account, in reality the government controls the legislature as long it has a majority in the House. The key issue for the government’s survival is sustaining its majority. Much of the struggle for power, compromise on cabinet composition, and patronage are linked to this need to satisfy the majority of legislators. This is the reason why the size of Council of Ministers became unwieldy over the decades. At last, the 91st Amendment to the Constitution enacted in 2003 limited the size of Council of Ministers to 15% of the Lower House. Chairmanships of Corporations, Parliamentary Secretaryships of various ministries, and other offices of profit are often inducements to legislators to satisfy their aspirations for rank, status and privilege, and a way of buying peace for the government. This is undoubtedly a perversion of the theory of separation of powers. But as long as such perversion is integral to our model of democracy, it would be very inadequate if we limited this discussion only to technical and legal issues relating to office of profit.

Constitutionally, a person cannot be a Minister unless he is an MP/MLA. Even if a non-MP/MLA is made a Minister, he must become an MP/MLA within six months. Given this, executive and legislature are fused in our system. But in countries like Britain and Germany, such fusion is not leading to corruption or patronage. That is because a political culture has been evolved, in which public office is a means for promoting social good, and not for private or family again. In our culture, public office is an extension of one’s property. That is why public office is a source of huge corruption and extortion, and is also often a heritable family property. And extending patronage to one’s friends and relations comes naturally with public office.

Given this propensity to abuse office, and the compulsions under which any government functions, we need to reexamine the definition of office of profit. Articles 102 and 191 of the Constitution relating to office have profit have been violated in spirit over the years, even when the letter is adhered to. As a result, the Legislatures kept on expanding the list of exemptions from disqualification under Articles 102 and 191. For instance, the Act 10 of 1959 listed scores of offices in the exemptions from disqualification under Article 102. There does not appear to be a clear rationale for such a list, except the expediency to protect holders of certain offices from time to time. Similar laws have been enacted by state Legislatures under Article 191, exempting hundreds of offices from disqualification for state legislature. Each time a legislator is appointed by the executive to an office which might be classified an office of profit, a law is enacted including such an office in the list of exempted categories.

Often, the crude criterion applied is whether or not the office carries a remuneration. In the process, the real distinction of whether executive authority is exercised in terms of decision making or direct involvement in deployment of public funds is often lost sight of. The Supreme Court’s clarification about the appointment and removal being in the hands of the executive branch of government does not help either, because many appointments made may be in advisory capacities.

Nor do the existing norms apply to Local Area Development Schemes under which legislators are empowered to sanction public works and authorize expenditure of funds granted under MPLADs and MLALADs schemes. These schemes continue, despite the prevalence of corruption in allotting public works under these schemes. Several party leaders and legislators feel the need for discretionary public funds at their disposal in order to quickly execute public works to satisfy the needs of their constituencies. However, these schemes do seriously erode the notion of separation of powers, as the legislator directly becomes the executive. The argument advanced that legislators do not directly handle public funds under these schemes, as they are under the control of the District Magistrate is flawed. In fact, no Minister directly handles public money. Even the officials do not personally handle cash, except the treasury officials and disbursing officers. Making decisions on expenditure is clearly a key executive function, no matter who physically handles money.

Therefore it seems necessary to sharply define office of profit to ensure clearer separation of powers. Legislators who are not Ministers often do have significant expertise from their own personal or professional background. In addition, their experience in public service gives them unique insights and understanding of public policy. Such expertise and insights would be valuable inputs to the executive in policy making. Therefore Committees and Commissions of a purely advisory nature can be constituted with legislators. The mere fact of such positions carrying certain remuneration and other perks does not make them executive offices. The Constitution recognized that holding of such offices in expert and advisory bodies does not violate separation of powers, and left it to Parliament and State Legislatures to exempt such non-executive offices from disqualification. But appointment in statutory or non-statutory executive authorities with direct decision making powers and day to day control of field personnel, or positions on the governing boards of public sector undertakings or as government nominees in private enterprises clearly carry direct executive responsibilities and involve decision making powers. Such appointments would undoubtedly violate separation of powers. Giving discretionary powers to legislators to sanction or approve public works is clearly an exercise of executive function, whether or not the government appoints the legislators to a designated office. It is necessary to sharply distinguish executive functions and exercise of executive authority while defining office of profit, irrespective of whether such a role or office carries a remuneration and perks.

Given these circumstances, it would be appropriate to amend the law on the following lines:

All offices in purely Advisory bodies where the experience and insights of a legislator would be inputs in governmental policy will not be treated as offices of profit, irrespective of the remuneration and perks associated with such an office.

All offices involving executive decision making and control of public funds, including positions on the governing boards of public undertakings and statutory and non-statutory authorities directly deciding policy or managing institutions or authorizing or approving expenditure shall be treated as offices of profit, and no legislator shall hold such offices.

If a serving minister, by virtue of office, is a member or head of certain organizations like Planning Commission, where close coordination and integration between the Council of Ministers and the organization or authority or committee is vital for the day-to-day functioning of government, it shall not be treated as office of profit.

Discretionary funds at the disposal of legislators or the power to determine specific projects and schemes, or select the beneficiaries or authorize expenditure shall constitute discharge of executive functions and will invite disqualification under Articles 102 and 191, irrespective of whether or not a new office is notified and held.

***

Lok Pal and the Prime Minister

One issue which has been debated for long is whether the office of Prime Minister should be brought under the jurisdiction of Lok Pal.

Those who believe that the Prime Minister’s conduct should be scrutinized by Lok Pal rightly argue that all public servants should be accountable. In a democracy, the citizen is the sovereign, and every public servant holds office to serve the citizens, spending tax money and exercising authority under the laws made on citizens’ behalf or under the Constitution which we, the people, gave unto ourselves. Therefore, no functionary, however high, should be exempt from scrutiny by Lok Pal.

In constitutional theory, in the Westminster model, the Prime Minister is the first among equals in a Council of Ministers exercising collective responsibility. Therefore, whatever rules apply to other Ministers should apply to the prime Minister as well.

However, there are deeper issues that need to be examined carefully. While the Prime Minister’s office was merely the first among equals in conception, over time the Prime Minister became the leader of the executive branch of government. The Cabinet accepts collective responsibility once decisions are made. That is why all policy debates are customarily within the Council of Ministers away from public gaze, and Ministers are not free to express their reservations or differences of opinion in public. It is the function of the Prime Minister to lead and to coordinate in framing of policies, decision making and execution of those policies and decisions. The Prime Minister’s unchallenged authority and leadership are critical to ensure cohesion and a sense of purpose in government, and to make our Constitutional scheme function in letter and in spirit. The Prime Minister is accountable to the Parliament, and on his survival depends the survival of the government. If the prime Minister’s conduct is open to formal scrutiny by extra-Parliamentary authorities, then the government’s viability is eroded and Parliament’s supremacy is in jeopardy.

In our Constitutional scheme of things, the Prime Minister is appointed on the basis of the President’s judgment of his commanding majority support in Parliament. All Ministers are then appointed only on the advice of the Prime Minister. The President cannot ordinarily dismiss the Prime Minister as long as he enjoys the majority support in the House of the People. But other Ministers are removed by the President at any time on the advice of the Prime Minister. No reasons are required to be given by the Prime Minister for removal of such Ministers. Integrity and competence of the Ministers are not sufficient conditions to continue in office. They must enjoy the confidence of the Prime Minister in order to hold office as Ministers. This scheme has been deliberately introduced in our Constitution to preserve the authority of the Prime Minister, and to ensure cohesion and coordination in the functioning of government. Any enquiry into a Prime Minister’s official conduct by any authority other than the Parliament would severely undermine the Prime Minister’s capacity to lead the government. Such weakening of Prime Minister’s authority would surely lead to serious failure of governance and lack of harmony and coordination, and would severely undermine public interest.

Those who argue that the Prime Minister is like any other Member of Parliament or any other minister are only technically correct. In reality, in all countries following the Parliamentary executive model drawing the Cabinet from the legislature, the Prime Minister became the leader of the country and government. The authority of the Prime Minister, as long as he enjoys Parliamentary support, has become synonymous with the nation’s dignity and prestige. A Prime Minister facing formal enquiry by a Lok Pal would cripple the government. One can argue that such an enquiry gives the opportunity to the incumbent to defend himself against baseless charges and clear his name. But the fact is, once there is a formal enquiry by a Lok Pal on charges, however baseless they are, the Prime Minister’s authority is severely eroded, and the government will be paralysed. Subsequent exoneration of the Prime Minister cannot undo the damage done to the country or to the office of the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister is indeed guilty of serious indiscretions, the Parliament should be the judge of the matter, and the Lok Sabha should remove the Prime Minister from office.

No lengthy enquiry or impeachment is therefore contemplated in our scheme of things, and a mere passing of no-confidence motion without assigning reasons is sufficient to change government. In the directly elected executive model of government, the Parliament cannot remove the President who is the chief executive, and therefore a complex process of impeachment and an enquiry by Special Prosecutors to precede such an impeachment have become necessary.

It could be argued that since any minister could be removed on the Prime Minister’s advice, or Parliament’s as well, Lok Pal need not have jurisdiction on a Minister’s conduct also. But Parliament does not really sit in judgment of a Minister’s conduct. It is the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers as a whole whose fate is determined by Parliament’s will. And the Prime Minister does not have the time or energy to personally investigate the conduct of a Minister. The government’s investigative agencies are controlled or influenced by the Ministers, and therefore it is hard for the Prime Minister to get objective assessment of the Ministers official conduct. Therefore, an independent, impartial body of high standing would be of great value in enforcing high standards of ethical conduct among Ministers.

A similar reasoning applies to members of Parliament, since Parliament’s time and energy cannot be consumed by detailed enquiry into the conduct of a Member. But the final decision of removing the Member must vest in Parliament, and that of removal of a Minister must be on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Parliament is responsible to the nation for its decisions, and the Prime Minister is responsible to the Parliament for his decisions. These responsibilities of Parliament and Prime Minister cannot be transferred to any unelected body.

Finally, while the Prime Minister is yet another member of Parliament in Constitutional theory, political evolution transformed him into the leader of the nation. Theoretically, each member of the legislature is elected by his constituents in our model of government. But over the past century, elections even in parliamentary system have become plebiscitary in nature. Most often, the Prime Minister’s personality, vision, and leadership are the issues which determine the electoral outcomes. Similarly, the opposition focuses its energies and hopes on its leader. The electoral contest is transformed into a test of acceptability of the leaders. The constituency contests have thus become increasingly dependent on the larger question of whose governmental leadership people trust or seek at that point of time.

Given this overwhelming political reality, it would be extremely unwise to subject the Prime Minister’s office to a prolonged public enquiry by any unelected functionary. The Parliament is the best forum we can trust to enforce integrity in the office of Prime Minister.

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Ethics – A New Class of Offences

The criminal law relating to corruption is limited in scope. The prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for instance, lists offences of corruption and the penalties from Sections 7 to 15. These offences broadly cover acceptance of illegal gratification as a motive or reward for doing or forbearing to do any official act, or favouring or disfavouring any person; obtaining a valuable thing without consideration or inadequate consideration; and criminal misconduct involving receiving gratification, misappropriation, obtaining any pecuniary advantage to any person without any public interest, or being in possession of pecuniary resources or property disproportionate to his known sources of income. Attempts to commit such offences and abetment are also listed as offences, in keeping with the principles usually applied in the criminal law of the land. The accent is thus on consideration, gratification of all kinds and pecuniary advantage.

However, experience of the past decades shows that such a definition of corrupt practices is somewhat restrictive, and a whole range of official conduct detrimental to public interest is not covered by strong penal provisions. In particular there are four types of official conduct which cause immense damage to public interest, which do not explicitly constitute violation of criminal law.

The first and possibly the most important of these is gross perversion of the Constitution and democratic institutions, amounting to willful violation of the oath of office. High Constitutional functionaries have time and again been found to have indulged in such constitutional perversion out of partisan considerations or personal pique. In most such cases, there may be neither illegal consideration nor pecuniary advantage, nor any form of gratification involved. In some of those cases, the Supreme Court held individuals holding high office guilty of gross misconduct amounting to perversion of the Constitution. In such cases, except public opinion, political pressure and dictates of the conscience of the individual, there are no legal provisions to punish the perpetrators.

The second such class of offences is abuse of authority unduly favouring or harming someone, without any pecuniary consideration or gratification. In such cases, often partisan interests, nepotism and personal prejudices play a role, though no corruption is involved in the restrictive, ‘legal’ sense of the term. Nevertheless, the damage done by such willful acts or denial of one’s due by criminal neglect have profound consequences to society, and undermine the very framework of ethical governance and rule of law. Again, except a possible, but rare, departmental action, no crime is committed in most such cases under the current definition of corruption.

Third, obstruction or perversion of justice by unduly influencing law enforcement agencies and prosecution is an extremely common occurrence in our country. Again in most such cases, partisan considerations, nepotism and prejudice, and not pecuniary gain or gratification, may be the motives. The resultant failure of justice undermines public confidence in our justice system, and breeds anarchy and violence. It is such failure of justice which is creating a market demand for criminals in our society, and encouraging many citizens to take law into their own hands out of desperation. A whole industry of criminal gangs has come into being to provide rough and ready ‘justice’ through unlawful, and often violent and brutal means. In such cases, departmental action is insufficient to punish the guilty, nor is public opprobrium or forced resignation a sufficient deterrent.

Finally, squandering public money for ostentatious official life style, expensive furnishings and vehicles, and unreasonably high official expenditure have become increasingly common. In all such cases, there is neither private pecuniary gain nor specific gain or loss to any citizen. There is also no misappropriation involved. The public exchequer at large suffers, and both public interest and citizens trust in government are seriously undermined.

All these four types of willful abuse of office are extremely common in our country at all levels, and need to be firmly curbed if we are to maintain high standards of ethical conduct and protect public interest. Otherwise, public servants – elected or appointed – will be seen not as custodians of the common interest and sentinels of democracy, but will be perceived as buccaneers and adventurers with limitless power and unrestrained opportunities for personal aggrandizement and pursuing private agendas while occupying public office.

Therefore, there is a need for classifying the following as offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act or any other appropriate legislation:

Gross perversion of the Constitution and democratic institutions amounting to willful violation of oath of office.

Abuse of authority unduly favouring or harming someone

Obstruction of justice

Squandering public money

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Reply to a mail we received recently

Dear friends,
We at Lok Satta Party believe in replying to each and every mail we receive.We are posting below a mail sent to us by one Mr.Kiran Kumar Reddy. Mr.Jayaprakash Narayan's reply follows.

We hope Mr.Kiran Kumar will not mind us making public his mail. Due to a technical problem, we unfortunately seem to have lost his email Id. Since we have no other way of contacting him,we are posting the reply here on the blog. We hope you see this Mr.Kiran and we apologise for the inconvenience!




Dear Jai prakash Narayan,

I wanted to talk to you about the grave problem of hunger and poverty in the country, I happened to see this news over TV and online.

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/13-boom-for-mkts-doom-for-poor/25093-3.html

[Patna: It’s a shocking tale of two Indias, the irony of which is clearly indicative of the stark socio-economic disparity.
While the country’s business entrepreneurs raised a toast to BSE benchmark Sensex breaching the 13,000 mark on Monday, thousands of miles away in Bihar, a man committed suicide after not having eaten for 13 days.
While stock markets' upward journey from 11K to 13K was marked with nationwide jubilation, this man's agony of starvation for 13 days was lost in anonymity.
Found hanging from the roof of a local passenger train in Patna, all proof that the man left behind of his identity was a suicide note that read: “I don't belong to this world. I am helpless.”
“His body was found tied to a small rack near the berth. He was in a standing position and had apparently hung himself,” says DIG, Railways, Ajay Verma.
In his suicide note, the man - yet to be identified - hasn’t blamed anyone.
All he has repeatedly insisted is that it was his poverty that drove him to starvation, which made him helpless enough to put an end to his life.
“The suicide note says he had not eaten for last 12 days and was only surviving on water. He has also written that no one really cared for him or asked him where he had come from. We’ll get to know more about his death after the post-mortem,” says Verma.
Having lost his battle with hunger after putting up a brave front almost 15 days, this man is perhaps India’s most touching face of hunger and poverty.
But will his thought-provoking suicide note be of any relevance for the powers that be, or will his desperation be lost in the loud celebrations of an India galloping towards the goal of a global superpower?]

My heart is breaking seeing this, where are we going as a society and country, this is not what we want to leave back for the future generations. I don’t think reading these kind of news or hearing this any Indian would be proud that we are doing excellent as a nation.

I feel we have no time and we should work as a movement in this and bring civil society as a part of this movement and make sure no one dies with hunger in this country, I don’t think any company in India or any middle class person or any educated person would have a problem in contributing for this.

The point is who makes them aware of the realities of this country, we should, and we should provide them a medium to contribute back to society especially with regard to aged and helpless people and also the kids on the streets.

Everyone feels sad and hurt hearing all this or reading these, but what can they do other than try and forget if not they cannot go about their daily lives. But I strongly feel we should have system in place where every citizen gets an opportunity to contribute to the hungry and needy in whichever way they can instead of just feeling a moment of un happiness/helplessness and then going about their routine. We should try and build a social security for aged and children of this country unless we take care of the basic needs of our aged and future generation, otherwise we cannot claim to be a great nation.

I think we should find a solution to make people AWARE AND AWAKEN them to this sad state of our country. We should encourage people to participate in these causes which help poor old and children.

There should be minimum 10 old aged home and child care centers in every district and anyone above 50 and below 15 should be given food and medicine and everything to live happily
These centers should be run by retired army with the help of prisoner in open jails or members of society who are interested in helping society.
These centers should be run by the local community without any political or governmental influence only the land and funds should be provided by government.
We should encourage companies contribute for these causes, the ones who contribute should be given privilege like a STAR status or something so that people are keen to go to these shops, so that when they buy something here or eat something here a little goes to the poor.
We should involve the great corporate world of India specially IT, Telecom, Banking and others to contribute to this cause which needs urgent attention, i.e. feed the poor.

I know a contrary argument is that we are going make people complacent but see even in a family set up would we not give care and support to a member who doesn’t work or needs us? The same way we should as a country take care of all its citizens. The argument of providing employment, education etc is fine but there is an urgent need to provide the needy with the most basic of human requirement, which is food - food for the old and children of the country no matter what.

I want to tell you Dr.JP that these are the main reasons that is making me come and join a movement such as the one you have started.

I think we should find a solution to make people awake of this sad state of country. Everyone sees the roads, airports, hotels, shopping malls and think we are progressing, actually we are building a society on the dead bodies of the poor people, they have equal right on this country and its resources and its no utility to them if our country is fast progressing because our progress is in fact taking away from them their most basic requirement, which is food.

I feel so sad and heart broken when I am writing to you, I don’t know how I could have helped the who man died of hunger and I think I don’t want his sacrifice to go waste. As a mark or respect to him I want to initiate this project of old age home and home for kids through our loksatta. I want to go through what he went through, even in a small way, so I skipped lunch, break fast but I feel its not enough.


Yours truly,
Kiran kumar reddy


Reply:

Dear Kiran,
Thank you for the email.Like you, I am moved by the incident.Your passion and conviction are inspiring.I agree that we must also incorporate a program of minimum social security for all to ensure that the indigent and underclass can at least survive with some dignity.

While it is not easy,we, as a country can accomplish that.Let us be in touch to pursue the subject.

Warm regards

Jayaprakash Narayan