New Land Acquisition Bill

Questions were often being raised with regard to the utility in present times of the 100-year-old act for land acquisition. Several efforts were made to change it, but those efforts could not take concrete shape.
The United Progressive Alliance government ruling at the federal level has taken a strong initiative in this direction. The draft of the Land Acquisition Bill was approved in the union cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 5 September. Four major amendments have been made in it. The compensation for land acquired in urban areas has been made twice the market rate, while the same in rural areas has been made four times the market rate, whereas the National Development Council had recommended making it six times the market rate.
New Provisions
Projects linked to railways, canals, and power has been kept out of the bill's purview. It has also been provided that cultivable and irrigated land will not be acquired, and the same amount of land of the concerned district would be developed after acquiring. One important provision is also that if the acquired land is not developed within the stipulated time limit, the land would not be returned to farmers. Such land would be given back to state land authority.
The new provisions would also be applicable to past acquired land under dispute. Pressure from politicians and industrialists has also been paid attention to while preparing the draft of the bill. The stands of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Bannerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati have especially come to the fore. Mayawati had already prepared the draft of a separate bill, and she wanted it to be adopted at the national level. This did not become possible for several reasons.
Blows to State and Federal Governments
In fact, acquisition of land has become a sensitive issue. Agitations by landowners and farmers with regard to it and court verdicts have also dealt severe blows to the state and federal governments. Acquisitions were cancelled in many areas. The situation had become serious due to highhanded behavior of land mafia and state governments. Therefore, the necessity for a new law was being felt. The bill is yet to be discussed at length. We would also have to pay attention to interests of farmers and development works in it.

Bangladesh Starts Projects Under Indian Credit Program

The work on implementation of the projects have started under the $1 billion loan agreement (with India) is going to be started before the Dhaka visit of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is likely to visit Bangladesh in September 2011.
Approved Projects
A total of seven projects have been finally approved under the agreement. Meanwhile, an agreement with the contractors for purchasing 165 broad gauge tank wagons (for railway), signed on 4 July. The other agreements signed in phases after selection of separate contractors.
Officials of the External Resources Division (ERD) of the Foreign Ministry and the Communications Ministry said that excepting 165 broad gauge tank wagons, the agreements on procuring 10 broad gauge diesel electric engines and 450 buses for BRTC (Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation) will be signed soon.
Bangladesh Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said that the appointment of contractors for the projects of the Communication Ministry, approved by the Indian Government, will be made soon. The minister said the tank wagon project will cost nearly taka 1.85 billion.
When asked to know about the matter, Bangladesh Railway Director General Abu Taher said that Indian company Texmaco Limited has been selected as contractor of the project to purchase 165 tank wagons. The organization will supply the wagons within one year. Abu Taher said: ‘The agreement with Texmaco Limited was scheduled to be signed on 30 June 2011, but it could not be done because of procedural reasons.’
ERD sources said that 20 projects on road and railway communication infrastructure, shipping and quality control were sent to Indian Foreign Ministry through Indian High Commission in Dhaka in several phases from 26 February to 16 March 2011.
The projects included 18 schemes of the Communication Ministry, 2 of the Shipping and Industries ministry. Of the 18 projects of the Communication Ministry, 12 are related with railway. Indian has already been given approval to appoint contractors of 7 projects, including 6 of railway, and begin the next phase of the work. But India has raised question about the cost of two railway projects and one project of BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution), the organization monitoring quality of products. The country advised to re-fix cost of the project through a fresh evaluation.
Nearly one year back on 7 August 2010, India and Bangladesh signed the $1 billion agreement in Dhaka. This is the highest amount of loan that India has given to any country so far.
Bangladesh Railway sources said the project implementation process took much time due to ambiguity about some projects and calling of tenders before approval. Particularly tender invitation process began before the railway project sending to India. The bidding began in November 2010. Meanwhile, the work orders have been issued to the contracting firms to purchase 180 broad gauge tank wagons and 6 bogie brake vans.
Foreign Ministry sources said India has presented its stance at the recently held foreign secretary level meeting between the two countries. Recently, demand letter (DO letter) was sent to the Bangladesh Railway lodging an objection against the process of appointing contractors without approval from India. India gave approval to the 7 projects after receiving an explanation from the Bangladesh Railway.
Seven Approved Projects
India sent a letter on 15 June 2011 giving its consent for seven projects. The projects are the purchasing of 50 meter gauge (MG) flat wagons, 150 MG flat bogies, 30 broad gauge diesel electric engines, 100 meter gauge bogie tank wagons, 170 meter gauge flat wagons and 300 double-decker buses, 50 articulated buses and 100 single-decker buses.
Three Projects Under Questions: India has asked for evaluating three projects. The projects are the second Bhairab and Titias bridges with railway connection, establishing railway communication from Khulna to Mongla seaport and purchasing equipment for modernization of the BSTI. India recently told the ERD that there have been ambiguities in the studies conducted for the implementation of the projects on Bhairab and Titas bridges and establishing railway communication from Khulna to Mongla port. India could agree with the estimated cost of these projects. For this reason, New Delhi has suggested to conduct fresh studies on the projects. In the case BSTI project, India says Bangladesh should mention more explicitly what types of machinery and equipment it requires.
According to the version of the communication ministry, the projects on Bhairab and Titas bridges and railway communication from Khulna to Mongla port are virtually concerning with works that means the use of soil, sand and cement is prominent in the schemes. According to the terms of condition of the Indian loan, 85 percent equipment will have to be purchased from that country.
Nazim Panjetan, general manger of the EXIM Bank of India, who signed the agreement on behalf of New Delhi, at a meeting in Dhaka in November 2010, said side by side with other materials bricks, sands, soils, cement, rods and bitumen will have to be purchased from India. In the wake of this, Roads Division in February 2011 sought instructions of Prime Minister's office in this regard. The Road Division said these materials are locally available and because of this prices of the items have been determined according to the local market. The department said more money and time will be required if these items are collected from India. The Prime Minister's office on 17 February 2011 sent a letter to the communication ministry in this regard. The letter said,’ In particular cases local items are procured with money sanctioned under foreign loans. This rule could be followed in this regard.’
More Time in Engine and Bogie Projects
Contractors recently held a meeting with officials of Bangladesh Railway after purchasing tender schedules for supplying railway meter gauge engines, bogies and brake vans. In the meeting, they said theses equipment are normally supplied in a period ranging from one and a half years to two years. It will take more time to supply all these engines, bogies and brake vans as the internal demands for the items in India higher.
Because of this a proposal has been made to increase the time limits of the four projects concerning meter gauge of the contractors. On the basis of their proposal, the communication ministry has informed India about the extension of the time.
One official of Bangladesh Railway said 18 to 24 months will be required for procuring bogies and engines of the railway. But in India the use of meter gauge line is very less. They virtually produce meter gauge bogies and engines for export. In the wake of the present supply order position, the Indian contractors have clearly told that they would not be able to supply the items within two years.
According to the terms of condition in the agreement, Bangladesh will a pay an annual commitment fee at the rate of 0.50 percent to the suppliers before purchasing the items.

India-China Cooperation

The twists and turns in China-India relationship show no signs of disappearing in the near future. It is, however, equally necessary not to let these complications exceed a certain limit. Some progress might be made in this direction with the meeting between Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on 29 October.

Dr Singh and Jiabao have met 10 times in the last six years, as the Chinese leader observed when the two met. That is a high metric even for top leaders of neighboring countries. On each occasion there has been a degree of feel-good, considering that relations between Asia’s two biggest countries and fastest rising economies -- which also leave a mark on the world stage -- are not wrinkle-free. And yet, it is apparent to all that the frequency of contact hasn’t lent itself to the two countries moving to a stage of easy give-and-take in ties.

Common Interests
The Chinese prime minister will visit India in December. In order to make this visit a success, it is important to reduce the misgivings of the two countries. India and China are neighbors. Both are members of alliances like BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China). They have common interests in matters like environment and world trade. They also work together in these fields. At the same time, it is also true that the two countries compete in economic and several foreign affairs, especially in spreading their influence in areas like East Asia and Africa. The old border dispute between India and China is yet to be solved. This often creates bitterness.

Dr Singh went ahead and raised all the troubling questions in the bilateral relationship that have surfaced of late -- China’s adopting a forward position in respect of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), its questioning of India’s sovereignty in Kashmir suggested by stapling -- not stamping, which is the international norm -- of visas for Jammu and Kashmir residents, Beijing’s offer of a stapled visa for a general who commands India’s Northern Army, (which had the effect of scuttling the military officer’s visit to China on a goodwill defense visit earlier this year), and the revival by Beijing of its claims over Arunachal Pradesh (after the Indian state had been officially shown as being part of India during the term of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee).

Exploring Possibilities
India intends to explore these possibilities as much as it can. Such joint efforts will help all countries to overcome poverty and backwardness quickly. Distrust and suspicion between India and China obstruct any progress in this direction. Even the dispute between India and Pakistan has been kept alive to a large extent on China's support.

China certainly completes with India in the economic field, but it also has problems with Indian democracy. Modern China has had a dictatorial form of government for more than 60 years. Having adopted a liberal economy, it is now going through difficulties of introducing a liberal political system. Prime Minister Jiabao had to face severe criticism from conservative forces for advocating such a system.

Lack of Equilibrium
Chinese are afraid that a close friendship with a big democratic country like India might create an urge for democracy in the country. Suppressed dissatisfaction and lack of equilibrium might come out in the open.

The other problem faced by China is that democratic Western countries and Japan pin hopes on India rather than on China's monopolistic economic strength. India is trying not to let these issues come in the way of mutual relationship, but China has its own reasons for being apprehensive.

Failure To Reform Administration Dents Government Credibility

Addressing the first annual meeting of chief secretaries, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh referred to the anger of the common man at the extreme indifference, lethargy, and corruption of the government machinery. His evaluation of the general mood pervading the country was, of course, correct. However, it is equally true that problems cannot be avoided by merely admitting them. Had confession of shortcomings been enough the purpose would have been served much earlier.

Warning to Bureaucrats
Complaints on corruption in administration have been raised for years. It has also been pointed out that hardly 5 percent or 10 percent of the total allocation was being spent correctly. If the prime minister is under the impression that a warning to the bureaucrats is all that is required, he is only day dreaming, since this too is an old practice.
Strangely enough, he has confessed that the administration has become quite complicated in the present situation. Yet, he has refrained from taking any steps to make its functioning smooth.

Recommendations of Second ARC
The country would like to know why recommendations of the second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) are not being implemented? They should have actually been introduced in the first term of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. It is very difficult to predict in the present conditions whether this will be done during its present term. It is both frustrating as well as disconcerting that the work, which should have been taken up on a priority basis, now seems to have been excluded from the agenda.
What is even more tragic is that an effort is being made to solve the problems by giving advice. Are our bureaucrats so naive that they will be aware of their obligations on listening to such advice? It is a waste of time and money to summon senior officials in the states, now and then, to Delhi in order to counsel them on improved methods of functioning and on meeting public expectations. If the federal government fails to realize even now that the situation cannot be improved in this way it is rather unfortunate for the country.

Government's Style of Functioning
On 1 February, the prime minister confessed before the chief secretaries that the masses were getting restless with the speed at which results are declared. On 2 February, he referred to the shortcomings that still remain in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act at a function organized on the completion of four years of this scheme. If the most important project of the federal government suffers from lapses can it be said with certainty that everything is satisfactory at least in some field?
The weaknesses of bureaucrats cannot, of course, be removed overnight. But if necessary steps are not taken in this direction, what can be deduced from such reluctance? At a time when it is necessary to change the government's style of functioning drastically, failure to take even ordinary measures prove that the government is itself not determined to reform the administration. Due to this lack of resolve, the UPA government has so far failed to create any impression during its second tenure.