Anna Hazare reminds Modi of 'unfulfilled promises'
Ralegan-Siddhi (Maharashtra), July 5 : Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "unfulfilled promises" and warned that if these were not implemented by October 2, he would resort to a fresh agitation.
Hazare said in the past four years he had written several times to Modi but did not receive an acknowledgement.
In his latest directive to Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh, he listed seven major unfulfilled or partly fulfilled promises made by the Centre after his week-long hunger strike in New Delhi in March.
While conceding that the main issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produce has been accepted, he said that owing to the interference by the Central Agriculture Department, the recommendations sent by the State Agriculture Prices Commission were slashed.
Demanding the implementation of promised "autonomy" for the Agricultural Prices Commission, Hazare said this would ensure that farmers get the MSP based on the actual cost of cultivation.
Dwelling on the assurances of electoral reforms, he referred to the proposals of treating a candidate's photograph as his/her election symbol, the Right to Reject and if the votes in None of the Above (NOTA) were higher than the number of candidates, then re-elections, candidates securing less votes be debarred from contesting elections in future, and Right To Recall, which the government promised to forward to the Election Commission.
The next was the government's assurance that farmers aged over 60 years of age would be given a pension of Rs 5,000 per month, for which a committee would be constituted and its recommendations would be implemented, Hazare said.
He listed the long-pending promise on the appointments of Lokpal and Lokayukta for which a Selection Committee meeting headed by Modi was held on March 1 and after discussing the criterias, it decided to meet soon.
"Even the Supreme Court had reprimanded the government on the appointment of Lokpal, Lokayukta, which bodes ill for the government's image, and now the apex court has again directed it to file an affidavit in 10 days. If the government does not abide by these directives, it's a contempt of the Supreme Court," Hazare said.
He also called for immediate consultations on the amendment of Section 63 and Section 44 that weakens the Lokpal, which the government had assured would be done.
"After breaking my fast, I have sent two reminders on all these assurances and the action taken to fulfil them, this is the third reminder. If these are not implemented by October 2, I shall be compelled to start an agitation in my village," Hazare declared.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
