Economic offenders Bill a face-saving exercise: Congress
New Delhi, July 25 : A day after fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi was reportely located in the small Carribean island-nation Antigua, the Congress on Wednesday targeted the government saying the government was "hurriedly" bringing the Ecomonic Offender Fugitive Bill in Parliament as a "face saving exercise."
"Three months after PM Modi meets Antigua's Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Mehul Choksi gets Antigua's passport," said Congress leader Rajeev Gowda at a press conference.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Browne in London in April this year on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
"Nirav Modi (another fugitive jeweller in the PNB fraud) i.e. Chhota Modi is globetrotting and Prime Minister Modi's 'our Mehul Bhai' i.e Choksi gets an Antigua passport after Nirav visited China, Belgium, UK, US, UAE and Hong Kong," the Rajya Sabha MP said.
"Investigation agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have failed to get a 'red corner notice (RCN)' issued against him (Choksi) till today," Gowda alleged.
The RCN is a request made to Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a suspect and is usually issued by CBI to the Interpol. "That notice is pending against Choksi," said the Congress leader.
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No LPG shortage in Andhra, says CM Naidu
Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said there is no shortage of LPG cylinders in the state and instructed officials to coordinate with the Centre to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Reviewing LPG stocks and supply during the sixth District Collectors’ Conference here, the chief minister assessed the situation in the backdrop of the ongoing war in West Asia.
“There is no shortage of LPG (domestic or commerical) anywhere. We should coordinate with the Centre to ensure that supply continues smoothly without disruption,” Naidu said in an official release.
The TDP supremo stressed that LPG supply to schools and hospitals should continue without any interruption.
Officials were asked to maintain strict vigilance to prevent blackmarketing of LPG cylinders.
Meanwhile, Civil Supplies department Secretary, Saurabh Gaur informed Naidu that the state currently has sufficient LPG stocks and supply remains stable.
Officials said gas is being supplied by public sector companies including HPCL, IOCL and BPCL.
According to officials, Andhra Pradesh has over 1.6 crore domestic LPG connections and nearly 10 lakh commercial connections.
The daily LPG demand in the state is around 4,000 tonnes.
At present, about 21,500 tonnes of LPG cylinders are available with various gas companies, ensuring adequate supply across the state, said the release.
Naidu directed officials to continuously monitor the situation through the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) and submit regular reports to the government.
He also instructed district collectors to remain alert and take immediate steps if any disruptions arise due to the global situation.
Meanwhile, the state government constituted a committee of ministers to continuously assess market conditions related to LPG and horticultural products.
The committee includes Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar, Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Achennaidu and Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav, who will review developments and suggest necessary measures.
District collectors were also asked to explore alternative markets for agricultural products such as eggs and bananas if exports are disrupted.
He emphasised that the administration should remain prepared to address any challenge and ensure stability in supply chains.
Similarly, Naidu called for strengthening branding and marketing of Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWACRA) products under Swayam (self) brand.
Addressing the sixth District Collectors’ Conference here, Naidu suggested that officials promote DWACRA products and create a structured marketing system through cooperative participation models.
“Products made by DWACRA women should be strongly branded and marketed under the Swayam brand to enhance their value and market reach,” he said.
These (DWACRA) products should also be marketed through cooperative systems, he added.
According to him, multinational companies succeed through strong branding and similar branding strategies are required to enhance recognition and value of DWACRA products.
Establishing a clear brand identity will improve market reach and create better income opportunities for women self-help group entrepreneurs.
The cooperative model adopted by a private dairy company, involving dairy farmers’ participation, could serve as a suitable framework for marketing products produced by DWACRA women.
Naidu noted that strong financial discipline shown by DWACRA women, who repay loans without defaulting, has enhanceded banks’ confidence in them.
He also stressed that products lose value without proper branding and officials have to improve quality standards so Swayam products can compete in national markets.
Reviewing sanitation efforts under Swachh Andhra, he noticed garbage along roads during visits to Kakinada and Samarlakota and directed municipal commissioners to prioritise cleanliness.
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