Japan stops cash for bullet train after project stalled over land row
The protest against land acquisition for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project has become a huge roadblock for the cash flow from Japan.
The latest installment that funding agency Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was supposed to release for last quarter, did not reach, said sources from Gujarat government. The JICA stopped the payment on the grounds that the project did not show any progress due to several disputes.
A senior state official, said on condition of anonymity, "As issues over acquisition of land for the bullet train project surfaced in Gujarat as well as in Maharashtra, no progress could be made. The agreements for payment of installment is conditional and the funds arrive from JICA if the progress is constant. The first installment of Rs 125 crore was sanctioned when the Japanese PM visited Gujarat in last September."
"The state government has been trying hard to expedite the land acquisition by talking to farmers. The next installment of fund will not arrive unless the progress is achieved," said the official.
The JICA has agreed to provide nearly Rs. 80,000 crore for the High Speed Rail Project (HSRP) estimated at 1 lakh crore.
The amount to be provided by the Japanese body to India will be given in installments as a soft loan for 15 years. The fund will come in installments.
While the rest of Rs. 20,000 crore will be paid by Gujarat and Maharashtra state government jointly and that too in installments. The special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the project was formed with the equity of Rs. 500 crore in last September only.
The chief secretary of Gujarat Dr JN Singh coordinates with different partner agencies in the project on behalf of Gujarat government. Talking on the issue, Singh said, "The Gujarat government is hardly aware of any development of cash flow from JICA for the project as it is not our purview. If that has happen in any case, the installment will come in future anytime as it comes viz a viz project implementation."
The revenue minister Kaushik Patel said that the Gujarat government was seriously making effort for land acquisition and CM has asked the government to ensure that no farmer should be meted with injustice in due process.
Courtesy: www.dnaindia.com
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
