Rashid Khan takes top honours at PGTI Eagleburg Masters
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Rashid Khan takes top honours at PGTI Eagleburg Masters with a two-stroke triumph
Rashid leads Rolex Rankings and Super Series Points Table
Eagleton – The Golf Resort, Bangalore, October 3, 2014: Delhi’s Rashid Khan bagged his sixth title in style at the Rs. 40 lakh PGTI Eagleburg Masters 2014, the fourth Super Series event of the season. Rashid shot a confident three-under-69 in the final round to end up with a tournament total of 19-under-269. C Muniyappa of Bangalore also fired a 69 in round four to garner second place at 17-under-271.
Rashid Khan (68-67-65-69), the overnight leader by two shots, had a slow start with a bogey on the third but then put together three straight birdies from the fourth to the sixth to consolidate his position. He sank a 15-footer on the fifth. The 23-year-old dropped a shot on the ninth against the run of play but came back strongly once again courtesy an eagle on the par-5 10th. Rashid’s magnificent second shot landed within a foot and a half of the flag on the 10th. The wiry lad from the Delhi Golf Club then made eight straight pars to seal the affair.
Khan has now moved from second to first place in the Rolex Rankings having overtaken Chikkarangappa. He took home a cheque worth Rs. 6,46,600 this week to take his total earnings for the year to Rs. 21,25,200. Chikkarangappa is currently second in the Rolex Rankings. In the Super Series Points Table, Rashid built on his lead by taking his tally to 2805.5 points. Chikkarangappa is second in the Super Series with 1429.4 points.
Rashid, a winner on the Asian Tour this year, said, “I played really good golf this week compared to the last two weeks on the Asian Tour. This is my second-best tournament total and I’m very proud of this effort. I changed my iron shafts before this tournament and that definitely paid off. The second shot from 240 yards out on the 10th was the turning point as it set up the eagle. I’ve done well on the 10th through this week having birdied the hole in all three previous rounds. I knew I could score on the 10th again. Even after the eagle I played steady as I knew that Muniyappa could be a threat till the end due to his local knowledge.”
Muniyappa (69-67-66-69), who started the day in second, two behind Rashid, had a poor start with a bogey on the first. The 2009 Indian Open champion then went on a birdie spree with four birdies from the fifth to the 10th to stay in touch with the leader. He chipped-in on the fifth and almost holed it from 70 yards on the ninth. Muniyappa, who won at Eagleton back in 2008, had two more birdies thanks to long putts on the 14thand 16th. However, bogeys on the 13th and 18th proved to be costly for him.
Muniyappa’s runner-up finish meant he moved up from 28th to 13th in the Rolex Rankings and from 33rd to fifth in the Super Series.
Muniyappa said, “This is one of my best finishes in a long time. I’m delighted with my performance here. Nonetheless, I feel I missed out on a crucial eagle opportunity on the 10th that cost me dearly. But this event has got my confidence going.”
Harendra Gupta of Chandigarh returned the day’s best score, a seven-under-65, to end up in third place at 16-under-272. Ajeetesh Sandhu, another Chandigarh golfer, was another two shots back, in fourth place.
Delhi-based Vikrant Chopra grabbed fourth place at 13-under-275. His final round of 66 featured four straight birdies from the 15th to the 18th.
Bangalore’s Chikkarangappa returned a 70 in round four to claim tied seventh place at 11-under-277. He thus conceded his lead in the Rolex Rankings to Rashid Khan.
There are three events remaining in the Super Series this year.
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Categories : Business, sports
Central govt & LG saving top officers indicted by CBI in Rs 100 cr CNG fitness scam
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From: Media Cell AAP <mediacellaap@gmail.com> Fri, 3 Oct ’14 3:13p
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The BJP’s central government and the Delhi administration must reveal whether the CBI has recommended strict action and imposition of major penalty against the city’s top bureaucrats, including the Delhi chief secretary in a Rs 100 crore scam by awarding a contract in violation of rules to a private firm for conducting fitness tests of commercial vehicles.
The silence of the central government and the Lietuenant Governor on the reported indictment of top city bureaucrats by the CBI in what is commonly known as the 2002 CNG fitness scam gives rise to reasonable apprehensions that people of Delhi are being cheated by an unaccountable administration and taxpayers money is being looted without any fear.
The Aam Aadmi Party government had directed the Delhi’s Anti Corruption Wing (ACB) in January to provide all the relevant documents to the CBI, when the investigating agency had registered a preliminary enquiry and sought all such documents from the ACB.
It is shocking that indicted bureaucrats are continuing in top administrative positions and the BJP’s central government, which is indirectly controlling Delhi, appears to be turning a blind eye towards the multi-crore scams committed during the Sheila Dikshit government’s tenure.
The AAP demands that the home ministry and Delhi administration break their silence on following questions :
1) Is it not a fact that the CBI has sent a report to the union home ministry and Delhi’s department of vigilance asking for departmental action and further inquiries against three top bureaucrats, including the present chief secretary ?
2) Is it not a fact that the former Sheila Dikshit government had tried to scuttle a probe into this scam by the Anti-Corruption Branch citing an order from the LG that no inquiry was required ?
3) Is it not a fact that official documents were forged to conceal facts about this scam ?
4) Is it not a fact that the contract for giving CNG fitness certificates to commercial vehicles was fraudulently awarded to a company despite it losing in the tendering process ?
5) Is it not a fact that the LG gave a clean chit to officers against whom the Delhi ACB had registered an FIR in 2012 ?
6) Did the LG send any report to the union home ministry on the status of the case against the officers named in the FIR ?
7) Is it not a fact that the LG ignored the ACB opinion that a case under Prevention of Corruption was made out against these officers and chose to close the probe ?
8) Was the union home ministry aware of the fact that the current chief secretary’s name figured in this scam when it cleared his reappointment to the post on August 27 ?
The Congress will no doubt remain silent on the scam which took place in its tenure and allegedly involves its former chief minister and other members of her cabinet, but the BJP’s silence is mysterious.
It is strange that the BJP, whose party leaders run to union ministers on all matters related to the national capital, chose a bureaucrat indicted by the CBI to be reappointed as chief secretary and are now feigning ignorance about the scam. (Pls find attached Hindi Press Release)
Regards.
AAP Media Cell
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Categories : Business
Modi’s Japan Visit : CHECKMATING CHINA
4102014
From: Ashok B Sharma Sat, 4 Oct ’14 1:35p
To: You
Modi’s Japan Visit : CHECKMATING CHINA
ASHOK B SHARMA*
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s five-day long visit to Japan is enough signal to China that if it can afford to have an “all-weather” friendship with Pakistan in an attempt to checkmate and antagonise India, the latter can have more significant relationship with its immediate island neighbour. Modi did so by elevating the relationship between the two countries to the level of Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Adding “special” is not just a “play of words” he said but it signifies Japan’s increasing role in India’s economic development, increased political dialogue and a renewed push to defence cooperation.
More so, his utterances of “expansionist” mind-set of the 18th century still visible in the world, some countries “encroaching “ upon others, while some “entering the seas” and some “capturing the territory of a country” have perplexed the Chinese leadership, if not annoyed them. Incidentally, Modi’s remarks came when Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit India in the third week of this month.
Reacting to Modi’s utterances in Japan the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said “I want to stress that China and India are major countries. We both advocate and practice the five principles of peaceful coexistence.” But the official Chinese media accused Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of dividing China and India and termed the attempt as “crazy fantasy”.
India and China has a longstanding border dispute. China has occupied thousands of sq km of Indian territory in the western and eastern sector and continues to lay its claim over other parts of Indian territory. China is also in possession parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir gifted by its “all-weather” friend. This had prompted Modi to say in a recent election rally in Arunachal Pradesh (which is claimed by China as its territory), “China should shed its expansionist policy and forge bilateral ties with India for peace, progress and prosperity of both the nations.”
Modi’s words have sounded as music to Abe’s ears as China continues to claim Senkaku Islands in East China Sea. But it is noteworthy to see how Modi deals with the Chinese President Xi Jinping when he arrives here for talks. Will Modi insist upon the Johnson Line and the MacMahon Line fixed by the British as the boundary between India and China and that represented by the official map of the country? Will he try to resolve the dispute over Indian presence in South China Sea?
Modi had assured to work together with all South Asian (SAARC) countries. The participation by SAARC leaders in his swearing in ceremony was a symbolic gesture. He also wanted to reopen dialogue with Pakistan, but as the latter increased ceasefire violations at the border and talked to the Kashmiri separatists, the scheduled talks at foreign secretaries level was called off. The Modi government is of the view that the dialogue process should be on the basis of Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration with peace at the border. New Delhi, however, is of the view that the situation would improve for a dialogue.
The tilt in India’s foreign policy under Modi government is quite visible. Instead of waiting, the time is ripe for sub-regional cooperation in South Asia and then extending it to South-East Asia and East Asia. Buddha diplomacy is the trump card. Modi’s first foreign tour in South Asia was to Bhutan and then to Nepal. Japan is his first visit outside South Asia and this is the first time an Indian Prime Minister was staying in an Asian country for five days.
Budhha diplomacy also holds good for roping in many south-east Asian countries. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s recent visits to Singapore, Vietnam and to Myanmar for 21st ASEAN Regional Forum Meeting and 4th East Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting has already set the tone for Modi government’s future interaction with east Asian countries.
The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as a point for US’ game of rebalancing in Asia. This region has become important for India to play its key role. Shortly after his return from Japan, Modi is expected to host Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot. Australia is an important player in the region and presently is the chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
Modi has assured to strengthen defence relations with Japan. He needs to do so with South Korea also. Both New Delhi and Tokyo have agreed to take forward the India-Japan-US trilateral process to the level of foreign ministers and continue with joint naval exercises. Though the India-Japan civil nuclear deal could not get through in the recent summit talks, it is in an advanced stage of negotiations.
Similarly are the talks for cooperation in production and technology of US-2 amphibian aircraft. Japan has already removed six of India’s space and defence-related entities from its foreign end user list and is supportive of New Delhi’s membership of four international export control regimes.
On economic cooperation, Modi’s visit yielded Japan rolling out 3.5 trillion yen public and private investment and financing from Japan within a span of five years. Abe also pledged ODA loan of 50 billion yen to India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd for public-private partnership infrastructure projects in India. Cooperation between Varanasi and Kyoto was inked for the development of India’s holy city and Modi’s pet project.
Japan is a major investor in the project for revival of ancient Nalanda University. So also are other south-east Asian and east Asian countries. Development of Buddhist Tourist Circuit in India has also drawn the attention of Japan. Feasibility study on Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train with Japanese assistance is at an advanced stage.
There are over 1000 Japanese companies having their bases in India, making Japan the 4th largest investor in India. This includes iconic brands like Sony, Toyota, Hitachi and Mitsubishi. In the last 12 years, Japanese companies have invested $12.66 billion in India, accounting for 7% of total FDI inflow into the country. But bilateral trade is stagnating around $18 billion, which needs to improve.
India and Japan particularly agreed to work jointly for development of Africa. This effort would help to check the growing Chinese influence in this continent.
In sum, Modi’s visit extends hope for India to play a major strategic role in South-East Asia and East Asia and check the Chinese sinister ambition to dominate over entire the Indo-Pacific region, including South Asia, South-East Asia and East Asia.
(*The writer is a senior journalist writing on strategic and policy issues in several Indian and international newspapers and journals. He can be reached at ashokbsharma@gmail.com His mobile phone no 09810902204)
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Categories : Uncategorized
Gandhi – Truth, Satyagraha, Human Rights, $120b Coal Scam
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Categories : Business
CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO BUSINESS MODULE
4102014
CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO BUSINESS MODULE OF E COMMERCE COMPANIES
DEMANDS A REGULATOR FOR E COMMERCE BUSINESS
Much hyped advertisements by certain e commerce companies organising ‘big sale” on forthcoming days or “Diwali Sale” on their online portals has prompted the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an apex body of the trading community of India, to called for an investigation in the business module and trade practices of e commerce companies in India. How can the marketplace model companies can offer “big sale” or” Diwali Sale” when they are not the owners of the inventory. The CAIT has further asked for the investigation as to how the e commerce companies are able to sell same brand and quality of goods much cheaper than brick and mortar shops. The CAIT has also raised a question of diversion of VAT tax by these companies which is causing great revenue loss to consuming States. The CAIT has demanded the Union Government to set up a Regulatory Authority to regulate and monitor e commerce business in India.
In a communication sent today to Union Commerce Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, the CAIT has demanded a thorough probe in to the working and business module of e commerce companies in India. The CAIT has urged Mrs. Sitharaman to constitute a “special task force of experts” to conduct an in depth probe of working of such companies.If need be,the CAIT may lodge a complaint with Competition Commission of India since the online business is indulging into unfair competition practices. It is estimated that there is nearly a business loss of about 30% this year to offline markets due to online shopping. However, the CAIT favours the marketplace module and hence called the Commerce Minister to eliminate unhealthy business practices from online shopping.
CAIT National President Mr. B.C.Bhartia and Secretary General Mr.Praveen Khandelwal in a joint statement issued today said that recently big advertisements were appeared in newspapers for “big sale” by e commerce companies. Such companies pretend to be a marketplace. In such model, the e commerce companies are merely providing technology platform and the ownership of the products lies with sellers who are registered on such marketplace platform. How can the e commerce companies calls for big sale when they are not the owners of the products being sold. Certainly, there is some fishing which is hidden behind the scene and which needs to be unearthed to provide fair play and competition. Are such companies providing any subsidy to sellers registered on their online portals ? if it so, it amounts to predatory pricing which is again not permitted.
The traders leaders further said that it is astonishing that same brands of large number of products are being sold at a much cheaper rate by these companies in comparison to offline market. Such tendency is causing much business loss to brick and mortar shops particularly in segments of Cosmetics, daily use items, footwear, apparels, watches, gift articles, electronics, computer hardware and software, Mobiles and its accessories, Toys, Home Furnishings, Kitchen Appliances, Sports goods, Travel Luggage and Accessories, books and many other. Jewellery is yet another segment which is also being hit due to online market.It is further surprising that even after paying the Commission and shipping charges to the e commerce companies, the online shopping is cheaper than offline markets. It is understand that commission of such Companies ranges from 5% to 20% of the cost of the product which is generally not the profit margin of offline market.
Both Mr. Bhartia and Mr. Khandelwal alleged that e commerce companies are causing loss of tax revenue to consuming States. Such Companies are registered with taxation department of one State and making deliveries of the products through their logistic arrangement in different states across the Country. They seems to pay the applicable tax to State where they are registered but the goods consuming state does not get any revenue though the basic fundamental of the VAT taxation system is that the end consumer has to pay the tax. In the instant case, the consuming state is devoid of any revenue which it is eligible to get. Such anomaly needs to be corrected.
The CAIT favours competition but the level playing field should be equal. In fact it has launched a ” CAIT Retail School Project” conducting a nation wide drive to educate traders across the Country to adopt modern techniques of business and to upgrade and modernise existing business format of retail trade. It is prompting traders to register themselves on marketplace module of e commerce and obtain benefits of online shopping since there is a rising trend in online business and traders need to convert their business format according to customer behavior and choice.
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