I am there for the state and the party: CAPT AMARINDER SINGH

Punjab Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh is in an upbeat mood. After presiding over 40 rallies in the state and visiting every nook and corner, he is confident that the party will form the government and win over 70 of the 117 seats.

Unfazed by large-scale rebellion in the party following ticket distribution, the Captain says that some resentment is natural because the ticket seekers know that Congress would form the government and want to be a part of it. In an exclusive interview, the 70 year old Maharaja of Patiala says that this could be his last election. Excerpts from the interview.

Q. Elections are round the corner. How are you feeling?

A. I feel confident. The response is positive everywhere be it the urban or rural areas. We are going to win 70 plus seats and in remaining days we will concentrate on the marginal seats for better results. We are going to sweep in all the regions of the state.

Q. There has been an unprecedented rebellion within congress after distribution of tickets. Will it affect the outcome?

A. We have only 117 seats and had received 1550 applications. Therefore this reaction takes place. Everyone wants to join us and want to get ticket because Congress is going to win and make the government with a clear majority. But now, people are coming back after initial resentment.

Q. The SAD-BJP coalition has brought in Right to Service Act and is claiming to have ushered in several administrative reforms.

A. They have not brought any administrative reforms. I introduced the Suvidha Centers in all Blocks of Punjab and they changed its name to Service Act. They have made the bureaucracy accountable through this. But I am of the opinion that ministers and politicians should also be made accountable for administrative lapses and failure to deliver services in time.

Q. If you fall short of numbers who could be your possible ally?

A. There is no if. We will get a clear majority and form the government.

Q. Will Manpreet’s Sanja Morcha have an impact on the outcome?

A. He is a young man in hurry. He does not practice what he preaches. His brother-in-law used to run a mafia of collecting JoJo tax, which is the name of the person. Manpreet tries to be holier. But, he is of same dictatorial ideology of SAD. Even if he wins, he will support Akalis instead of Congress.

Q. Your elder brother, Malvinder, has defected to SAD. Will it make any difference?

A. I don’t know why he did so. He had made his mind already as he met the Badals in his village two weeks ago. At that time we had not even started the ticket distribution exercise. This will not make any difference at all.

Q. There was resentment over selection of your son Raninder from Samana constituency.

A. My son is not a first timer. He got ticket on merit. Mrs. Gandhi said candidates should be taken on the basis of merit. He contained the Akalis successfully in Bathinda during the last Lok Sabha elections.

Q. There is speculation that your wife Preneet Kaur could be made the CM after the polls.

A. I have got a good track record behind me. My performance as Chief Minister is there. Look, Congress party has its own procedure for selection of CM. After we win the elections, the Congress High Command will meet and take the final call on who will be the leader. We will leave it to the Congress President to decide. This is what Congress is doing in all states before making the government. Here also same procedure will be adopted.

Q. Will the anti-incumbency against UPA impact the Congress in Punjab and is corruption an issue?

A. Corruption is rampant in Punjab. You go to any office, government employees cough up money from public for doing small work. People are concerned about their own region. They don’t care beyond Ghaggar river which is the boundary. Look at the Akalis, they have their hand in mining, transport, media and Liquor business in Punjab. Overnight, we should not expect sea change. I brought Lokpal in Punjab during my earlier tenure. This would be made more effective. A Vigilance Commission, headed by a judge will also be established.

Q. Will Sehajdhari Sikhs support you in elections?

A. They are joining us. Why can’t a Sikh, who cuts his hair, not be allowed to vote in SGPC elections? All Sikhs who have cut their hair have not changed their religion. They are born to Sikh parents and have been following Sikhism. No one can stop them from voting. Akali knew these young people will not vote on traditional values and will support Congress, so they are against their voting.

Q. If voted to power, how will you deal with the huge debt Punjab faces?

A. There is an economic crisis in Punjab. The state debt is a major challenge we are facing. We have income of about Rs 20,000 crore and there is a state debt of Rs 71,000 crore. This does not include the debt guaranteed by the State for public sector units which would otherwise double the debt figure. Punjab is borrowing Rs 8,000 crore every year to keep the system running and that goes just to salary. And no one is bothered about the state revenue. So, we have to bring in major overhaul in the system to ebb the debt crisis.

Q. There is speculation that the Finance Minister has disapproved your proposal of debt waiver for farmers?

A. No. We have got back the manifesto which we sent. Both the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister have cleared it. I had asked for approval and I have copies of the order. The manifesto has now gone for publication.

Q. How will you deal with the drug menace in Punjab if voted to power?

A. I have raised this problem earlier also. Until, it becomes a national policy, you can’t deal with it. Unemployment and drug market is the main cause of increasing drug abuse in the state.

Q. What will be the key issues in your party manifesto?

A. There has to be major growth in industrial and agricultural sector for providing employment avenues. We have 47 lakh unemployed people in a population of 2.74 crores and among them 27 lakh are youth. This is very dangerous. Now to provide the healing touch to the people we have to come up with some innovative industrial policies. See, today there are 14 clearances required from the government to give a go-ahead signal to an industry, which is the main hiccup in industrial growth in Punjab. We will have to have single window clearances; otherwise they will not come here and go to other states of the country. We have to see that the power is also available for industries. Today because of shortage of power, our industries are shutting down for at least three days in a week. That is why our industries are running away to other places. Even the bicycle industry is going to Bihar. So we have to do something to hold them back. Here we have to do something productive because agriculture sector has become a liability on our farmers than a source of income.

Q. You had talked about introduction of high quality crops and abandoning of paddy cultivation. What is that idea?

A. The main revenue of people here comes mainly from agriculture. I think farmers having less than 4 acres of land should switch to production of fruits vegetables and high value cash crops and abandon wheat or paddy. I support Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the retail sector and it will give farmers a better price than what they get in mandis. We need to bring in major overhaul in agriculture production to push the state towards prosperity.

Q. Your alleged Pakistani connection is being raked up again. What do you have to say on that?

A. I am not bothered. I have friends all over the world in USA, Britain and in Pakistan. My friendship is not geared to keep anybody happy. It is media, which comes up with these baseless stories.

Q: Is this your last election?

A: Politics is not my bread and butter. I am there for the state and the party. By next election, I would be 74-75. So it could be the last one. (13.1.2012)

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All steps to prevent evasion: CBEC chief

Central Excise and Customs is considered one of the backbones of the country’s economy. To tone up the administration and increase the revenue collection, the department has taken several steps in recent months. In an interview with Amitabh Shukla, Chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs, S.K. Shingal says that custom cooperation agreement would soon be signed with several countries to give a new orientation to information sharing. Excerpts.

Q: What are the major evasion prone commodities in excise and what are the steps taken to combat such evasion?

A: The main evasion prone commodities are pan masala, Iron and Steel, Plastics and pharmaceuticals. We have intensified our drive against the evasions in the last 2-3 months and have seen good results. There has been significant seizures and from pan masala alone, the monthly revenue has increased from Rs 35-40 crore to Rs 200 crore. We plan to be more stringent and known evaders have been raided in the recent past to bring tax compliance. Due to these measures, some of them have also come up with voluntary disclosure.

Q: Any major step being taken from the Customs on the airports to streamline the services and become passenger friendly.

A: Well, the privatisation of the airport has been done and when the renovation work is over and it is modernised, the customs too would adapt it to the surroundings. We are aiming at hassle free clearance for the passengers.

Q: Could you tell us the priority areas as Chairman particularly in human resource management with around 70,000 employees?

A: The problem areas in human resource management are now being tackled. Promotions were not being given on time and there was stagnation in the cadre and the service. This had happened due to the conflicting orders of the court and various administrative tribunals. We have now approached the Supreme Court to tide over these problems. We want to give ad hoc promotions so that the employees remain motivated to deliver.

Q: What is the green lane project which is being talked about?

A: In this India and Belgium would sign an agreement to facilitate trade. Simply put, Antwerp port in Belgium would be linked to Mumbai port in India. This would ensure real time information to both the ports from where large business is transacted. This is a method to facilitate trade wherein import document of one country would become export document of the other and vice versa. This would help save time for the business and make it more competitive. A few rounds of discussion have already taken place and we expect the system to be put in place by the end of the financial year – March.

Q: What are the major countries with which India is signing the Customs cooperation agreement?

A: There are several countries – Brazil, Russia, Nepal, United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, UAE, amongst others. Basically, we are looking at assisting each other in sharing information. This would help making the mechanism of enforcement smoother and effective.

Q: It is understood that there is a major shortage of staff, particularly in the growing service tax sector. What is the government doing about it?

A: Actually no separate staff was provided to us when service tax was carved out. We started the collection from the existing staff alone. But now the government has sanctioned 4647 posts for service tax alone. With the manpower, we would be able to increase the collection. So far, we have not been able to tap it completely. Service tax is being administered in a gentlemanly manner. (9.12.2007)

Govt would not succumb to blackmail: Yusuf

Amitabh Shukla

New Delhi, July 11

The ongoing Blueline crisis has landed the Delhi government in soup. It is a proverbial choice between the devil and the deep sea for the government. If it does not continue its crackdown on the killer Blueline buses, it faces the ire of the people. On the other hand, if it continues the drive, commuters would suffer as has been happening in the last two days after a majority of the Blueline buses went off the roads. In an interview, Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf, said the government would not budge under the blackmail tactics of the Bluelines. Excerpts.

Q: The present situation is heading for an impasse with commuters facing great difficulty. What is the government doing to resolve the crisis?

A: The prime concern of the government at this point is road safety. The drive is against the buses which are violating the permit conditions. We would not tolerate this at any cost. No lawlessness would be allowed on the roads and the safety of the commuters, pedestrians and other users of the road cannot be compromised.

Q: But why did the government wake up so late when it was well known that the Bluelines violate the permit conditions and are a threat to others on the road?

A: We keep a check on these buses and drives are launched. As the media attention is more this time, it is getting the focus. Some anomalies might have crept in the system over a period of time but we are determined to remove them and bring discipline on the roads.

Q: With few DTC buses on the roads and the Bluelines keeping off, what are the options for the average commuter?

A: From Thursday onwards, the DTC would ply 2800 buses on the city routes. We are withdrawing our services from the NCR and deploying them in the city. The DTC buses from Noida too would be withdrawn. UP State Transport Corporation has agreed to ply 135 buses for services between Noida and Delhi.

Q: What about the Bluelines? When will they start operating?

A: They are violating the permit conditions by staying off the roads. Action will be taken against them. We will evoke Essential Services Maintenance Act against them if the situation demanded. We are reviewing the situation on an hourly basis and a decision would be taken. The government is also talking to the operators.

Q: What are the plans to ensure that such crises do not reoccur?

A: We have short and long term plans. We intend to increase the DTC fleet to 5000 by next year. We have already issued expression of interest for getting cooperatives and companies to operate the bus based transport system. It is easier for the government to deal with bigger entities than the individual owners, which is the case at present. Training of drivers, introducing the Kilometer scheme etc. are the other measures which are being adopted.

Q: When will the crisis end? Can you give an assurance to the commuters of the city about the date when this Blueline mess would end?

A: All of us in the government are working hard to find a solution to the issues involved. At this point all I can say is that in the next 4-5 days at the most, services would become normal in the city. (2007)

Our strategy worked: Harsh Vardhan

Basking in the glory of the victory of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the MCD elections, state party President Harsh Vardhan is on a political high. The soft spoken ENT speciaist doctor not only planned the strategy of the party but also executed it to bring back the party to reckoning. His next target now is the Assembly election due late next year. In an interview to Amitabh Shukla, he shares the formula which brought success to the party.

Q: What is the secret for the success of the party?

A: I won't go into details on issues like sealings, demolitions, half baked Master Plan, Inflation and price rise. These contributed to the disenchantment of the voters with the Congress. We started the campaign much before the dates for the polls were announced. The key element was door to door campaign and to convince the voters that we meant change in the functioning of the civic body.

Q: Ticket distribution was a key element. How did the party keep a balance?

A : We gave tickets to all sections of society - doctors, engineers, professionals, housewives, business people, traders, youth, people hailing from poorvanchal, Uttarakhand to reach out to all sections of the party. We realised the changing demographic profile of the city and included a cross section of the society in our list.

Q: The campaign strategy in which almost all top leaders of the party participated seemed to have worked.

A: Yes the campaign began with Advani ji addressing the workers. Our President Rajnath Singh was with us throughout. ThenShatrughan Sinha campaigned intensively. Guidance from leaders like V.K. Malhotra, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and others was of tremendous help. Then Navjot Sidhu came. It was a teamwork.

Q: How effective were the advertisements in print, radio and TV?

A: Very effective. We took the message across that the Congress was insensitive to the plight of the people. The party had failed to live up to the expectations and we exposed it through our intensive media campaign.

Q: Did you take professional help from management professionals in the campaign?

A: Yes, for the first time management professionals also helped us out in the entire exercise. But it was not a paid service as I knew these professionals since a long time when I had planned the pulse-polio campaign as a Health Minister in the Delhi government. (April 8, 2007)

Drive to get more tourists

The Ministry of Tourism wants to make the vision of the President of the country into a reality. It has planned an over drive to get 15 millions foreign tourists in the country by the year 2010. Rajeev Talwar, additional director general of the ministry tells Amitabh Shukla that there are some hurdles but they would be overcome with spirited efforts.

Q: What have been the recent thresholds in terms of tourism in the country?

A: We have managed to get 4 million foreign tourists and the earnings from this sector are five billion dollars. This is a new high for the country. The growth rate is 15 percent – one of the highest anywhere in the world. We are now gearing for the 15 million mark by 2010 when the Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi.

Q: The achievements could be impressive but what are the bottlenecks which is preventing a further growth of tourism in the country?

A: Well, we are doing the coordination part of the entire effort to get more and more foreign tourists. Various ministries and state governments are involved in the exercise and we are sending continuous reminders to upgrade the facilities. For instance, we want an open air policy so that more airlines operate from the country. The ministry of civil aviation is already doing it and a large number of airlines have now got permission to operate from the country.

Q: Do we have sufficient international gateways for the foreign tourists?

A: Ideally, we should have around 50-60 international gateways with facilities of an international airport. The new destinations in this segment are Pune, Nagpur, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Bodh Gaya, Guwahati, Kochi etc. We want more of such places so that the tourists can have more options.

Q: Infrastructure to support 15 million foreign tourists is missing in the country. How can the infrastructure be upgraded and what role is the Tourism ministry playing in this effort?

A: We have repeatedly stressed on the need for the state governments to compete with each other for Rs 45,000 crore worth of investment in all categories of hotels in the next few years. The minister has been continuously reminding the state governments that land is given on the lease hold basis so that the cost of hotel construction is reduced. We need 1.5 lakh new rooms of all categories to accommodate the flow of tourists in the country.

Q: What have been the successes on the hotel and accommodation front?

A: It has been estimated that 35,000 hotel rooms under various categories are coming up all over the country. The Indian Railways have already issued tenders for the construction of budget hotels under Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis. Delhi too is coming up with a plan to create more space for the tourists. In Delhi, the policy is to auction the plots. If it is leased, the cost would come down and would be much better for the growth of tourism. We have asked for speedy approval of the hotel projects.

Q: The visa bottlenecks is paramount for the foreign tourists? Has any effort been taken to outsource the issuance of visa as various foreign countries do here in Delhi?

A: The issuance and validity of visas is an area which needs to be looked into. Those who come to India for conferences, get a conference visa. Ideally, they should get tourist visas so that they can see the country on a business visit. The validity of the visas could also be extended. Outsourcing issuance of visas would definitely facilitate the foreign tourists.

Q: What spurs the tourism ministry?

A: It’s simple. The tremendous potential of the tourism sector to generate jobs in minimum of investment. It has been found that each Rs 10 lakh invested in tourism generates 89 jobs. On the other hand such an amount invested in manufacturing would generate only 13 jobs and in agriculture only 45 jobs. (26.11.2005)

New security realities facing CISF

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was created to protect the nation’s economic wealth but has diversified into other specialised areas like airport security. Having strength of around one-lakh personnel, the force has recently entered into providing consultancy services to the establishments in the private sector also. Director General of CISF, SIS Ahmed tells Amitabh Shukla that continuous training to the personnel has improved the airport security scenario in the days following the Kandahar hijack.

Q: What changes have taken place after the CISF took over airport security from the local police?

A: When CISF was inducted in airport security after the Kandahar episode, we were relatively young in the field. We accepted the responsibility and through proper and well-modulated training adjusted to the new job effectively. Since then, the level of security has gone up without any inconvenience to the passengers. We had conducted a passenger survey in January-February this year on various parameters like frisking, communication skills of the personnel, general security etc. and found that the response was very positive. The feedback of around 1.6 lakh passengers was taken for the survey.

Q: What kind of training is imparted to the personnel to handle a sensitive area like the airport?

A: We have specialised training module for the personnel and they are trained at the National Industrial Security Authority (NISA) at Hyderabad. Model aviation security is imparted. They also undergo training with the Indian Airlines and other organisations. Behaviour and communications skill is taught to the personnel before they are posted at the airports. The trained people are kept at the airports for longer period though the airports are changed after an interval. Continuous upgradation, briefing and debriefing, decoy checks etc. are a part of this exercise.

Q: Have there been any serious lapses in recent months on the part of the CISF personnel?

A: No lapse has been reported recently. Through the decoy checks we monitor the situation on a continuous basis and if a lapse is found in the decoy checks corrective action is taken immediately. Through these checks, the level of alertness is always high.

Q: Has the CISF adopted any new technology to upgrade the level of security?

A: Upgradation of technology is a continuous process. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Ministry of Civil Aviation are consulted for the type of gadgets and equipments required. Perimeter fencing, explosive detection gadgets are being upgraded and monitored on a regular basis.

Q: VIP Security is to be entrusted to the CISF. Is there any plan to raise a specific battalion for the purpose?

A: There was a proposal in this regard from the Group of Ministers (GoM). We have been deployed in VIP security to some extent and steps would be taken in accordance with the government directive.

Q: The role of the CISF was primarily industrial security. It has diversified into several areas now. What happens to the core specialisation of the force?

A: We are still providing security to the establishments related to economic activity, strategic importance and critical infrastructure. We are also providing security to the government buildings in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana secretariat at Chandigarh, Indian embassy at Kathmandu, national monuments like the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort etc.

Q: CISF has been chosen to provide security in Delhi Metro? What progress has taken place on this front?

A: The Ministry of Home Affairs wanted our assessment on Metro security after the London blasts. We have given a detailed presentation to the Home Secretary. A view has to be taken by the MHA on the issue. For the Kolkata Metro too , we would be providing security. An assessment is being made on Kolkata Metro too.

Q: The force has ventured into providing consultancy to the private sector too. How successful is this new venture?

A: Several organisations are coming to us for providing security related consultancy. We prepare a report on the basis of security threat and infrastructure at the site. We study the entire security system and then make suggestions. (6.8.2005)

Power privatisation on right track

Power reforms in Delhi is at a crucial stage. The government believes that the privatisation exercise is on the right track and the rest of the country can learn from Delhi’s experience in successful power reforms. Arun Goyal, Special Secretary (Power) and CMD of Delhi Transco in an interview to Amitabh Shukla says that there are several achievements in the sector and the government can spare around Rs 1000 crore now on the social sector due to the gradual dismantling of the subsidy. Excerpts.

Q: What has been the achievements of the power sector reforms in Delhi?

A: Achievements have been on several fronts. Some of them are visible right now and others would be there for all to see in the next few years. At the time of the unbundling of the DVB, the government was pumping in Rs 1200 crore per annum in the organisation. This amount could have become around Rs 1500 to 1600 crore now. This year, the government subsidy is only Rs 300 crore and next year, it would reduce further to Rs 200 crore. The money saved from this exercise can now be used for social sector spending – in health education and other fields. The government outgo would become negligible in future and the power sector would become self-sufficient.

Q: Apart from this, what according to you are the other benefits accrued from privatisation?

A: The percentage of load shedding has reduced drastically after privatisation. It was 3 percent in the DVB days but now it stands at 0.84 percent. Moreover, DVB was finding it difficult to make the payments for the power purchase. Now, the payments are upto date and 100 percent. The combined AT &C losses were pegged at over 50 percent then, now it is around 40 percent. For the consumers, there has been a sea change in the billing options. They used to stand in long queues to pay their bills earlier, now there are several options and you need not go to the e counters to pay the electricity bills. The rate of distribution transformer failure then was 15 percent, it is a mere 0.5 percent now.

Q: The distribution companies in Delhi are running into profits but still tariff hike is being increased. Is there some flaw in the agreement signed between the discoms and the Delhi government at the time of privatisation?

A: Well, this is the domain of the regulator, DERC. In hindsight, we can analyse the agreement but at that point of time, it was perhaps the best decision.

Q: From the generation point of view, Delhi is not self-sufficient and depends heavily on other sources. What are the steps being taken to produce more power in Delhi?

A: At present, Delhi is not self-sufficient. However, we have three projects in hand which would go towards this direction. The Pragati II project would produce 330 MW of power. In addition, we have planned a power plant in Bawana with private participation. This would produce an additional 1000 MW of power. The third major project is the conversion of the Indra Prastha Thermal Power Plant to gas based. This too would give us 1000 MW of power.

Q: Curbing power thefts is crucial to the success of power reforms. How many courts do you have to try cases of power thefts?

A: At present, we have two courts but we want to increase the number to 6. Probable locations have already been seen and the process is on for setting up the remaining four courts as early as possible. This would expedite trial in all cases of power thefts.

Q: What lessons can the rest of the country learn from the power privatisation exercise in Delhi?

A: Power reforms in Delhi has been largely successful. For every state of the country, subsidising power and pumping money in this sector is a tremendous burden. The state governments have to bear the losses of the State Electricity Boards. The Delhi reforms has shown that the sector can become self-sufficient and the money pumped in the sector can be used for the social sector. (27.8.2005)

Tourism in Delhi set to grow

Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), an undertaking of the Government of Delhi, is into multi-faceted operations, the prime being the promotion of tourism. Offering a wide-ranging spectrum of services to tourists and also to the citizens of Delhi, the DTTDC has drawn up several new plans to boost tourism and involve new stakeholders to give a new direction to tourism. Managing Director Ramesh Negi tells Amitabh Shukla that increasing the hotel accommodation in Delhi and involving the civic bodies would be the focus areas.

Q: How is tourism in Delhi and north India placed vis-à-vis other parts of the country?

A: We had commissioned a survey recently and the report is just out. Interestingly, a slight decline in tourism has been reported in Delhi and north India as compared to other parts of the country. The year 2000 was the peak when 2.65 million international tourists arrived in the country. Post 9/11 and bird flu scare, there was a decline in the numbers. The domestic tourism too declined to some extent. However, of late, tourism is picking up and it is now touching the 3 million mark for international tourists.

Q: Delhi is the gateway of international tourists and the Capital of the country. Do tourists come here by default?

A: We had recently done a survey on the response of the international tourists who arrive in the city. The response was an eye opener for us. These tourists rated public convenience, tour operators and guides as the most hopeless in the city. Interestingly, the same tourists rated food, public transport and immigration in the higher category of satisfaction. These tourists did not see security as a threat in the city even though the western media had blown some criminal incidents out of proportion. As the main attractions of the city, the tourists listed monuments, entertainment scenario and shopping.

Q: What corrective steps are being taken following the survey?

A: Now, we have to improve the attractions of the city and remove the negatives as rated by the international tourists. For instance, the monuments are a strong plus for us but there are no public utilities and even a place for a cup of coffee of mineral water in the main monuments. We are talking to the ASI to introduce these in the monuments of the city. We have also found that 50 percent of the international tourists to the city come from Europe, 26 percent from Asia and 16 percent from South America. Only 4 percent of the tourists are from North America (USA and Canada). We are trying to promote the city and the country in the areas from where most of the tourists come here.

Q: You have identified the civic bodies in the Capital as the major stakeholders in tourism. How can they help the tourism scenario.

A: Well, the civic bodies are one of the most important aspect which we overlook most of the times. Unless there is general cleanliness and civic facilities available to the tourists, the scenario would remain grim. In most of the countries in the world, the civic bodies actively help promote tourism. I have talked to the MCD Commissioner and he has agreed to a cell in the civic body for tourism. Then urban upgradation is an important aspect in attracting tourists. DDA and the civic bodies have to be involved as major stakeholders to give a new orientation to tourism.

Q: The problem of accommodation is quite acute here. What will be the scenario in the next five years when the Commonwealth Games are slated to be held in the city?

A: Delhi has only 10 thousand registered rooms for the visitors. There are another 10 thousand in the unorganised sector and these are not governed by the rules. First of all we have to bring these unorganised hotels and guest houses in the regulated category. Providing accommodation is a big challenge. As land is with the DDA, we have asked for 15 plots from the DDA so that a capacity of 5000 rooms could be built well before the Games. Due to the acute shortage of rooms in the Capital, the room rents are quite high. While the international norm is to charge $30 for a 3-star hotel and $100 for a five-star hotel, the charges in Delhi are much more. If more rooms are created the charges will come down. (10.7.2005)

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is one of the largest paramilitary forces of the country and has strength of a little over 96 thousand personnel. The organisation was given the responsibility of airport security some time ago from the local police of the respective states. There was a security lapse last week at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi when a scooter was allowed access in the prohibited area. Director General of CISF, K.M. Singh admits to Amitabh Shukla that there was a security lapse but adds that it was a case of "human failure" and such lapses would be prevented at all costs.

Q: How does the CISF maintain airport security around the country?

A: Airport security came to us following the Kandahar hijack of the Indian Airlines aircraft. Moreover, with globalisation and more and more foreigners coming to the country a need was felt for a specialised force to deal with the higher echelons of the society. At present, the CISF provides security to 47 airports across the country and 11,500 personnel are involved in this exercise.

Q: What is the criteria for selecting personnel for airport security out of the huge pool of manpower which the organisation has?

A: We select only the best people for airport security. We have a manual on the type of personnel who are suited for airport security. The age profile of the person, his educational background and qualifications, body language etc. is counted in selecting the person for airports. Before induction at the airport, he is given an extensive training on how to deal with passengers. Then in service training is provided on a regular basis to these personnel. These personnel ensure that security norms are followed with politeness and firmness.

Q: What exactly happened when a SPG man and a female CISF constable managed to get their scooter through the prohibited area in the vicinity of the runway?

A: This was definitely a security lapse and we have taken immediate action. A sub-inspector, a head constable and a constable have been suspended. We also wrote to the SPG to take strict action against Ashok Bhatt, who strayed in the airport. He is being sent to his parent cadre of ITBP. The lady constable Kusum Lata too has been suspended and departmental proceedings are on. Bhatt and Kusum Lata strayed on a service road close to the runway while visiting the mazar of Peer Baba in the airport. Kusum Lata used to work at the airport till a month back and was transferred to some other unit. She had come to have the blessings of Peer Baba along with her relative. As the CISF personnel manning the gate knew her personally, she was allowed entry. Though this was a human failure, it should not have been allowed. It is however, wrong to say that the scooter strayed in the runway and was close to the Royal Jordanian aircraft. The logbook of the Airport Traffic Control (ATC) indicates that the pilot of the Jordanian aircraft did not even mention the incident. The scooter stopped some 200 meters from the aircraft when the aircraft started moving for the runway.

Q: What happened when toy pistols were taken inside a PIA aircraft?

A: Well, this cannot be called a security lapse at all. The toy pistols were made of plastic and were meant for children. Moreover, plastic cannot be detected through the metal detectors. One can even take a mini tank made of plastic in the aircraft without detection. We have not taken any action against the personnel concerned as this was not a breach of security.

Q: Can the metal detectors detect any plastic based explosive?

A: The machines that we have at present cannot detect plastic based explosives. However, such explosives are of no use unless they are attached to detonators and wires. We can easily detect the detonators and the attached wires. Sniffer dogs, however, are suitable for detecting plastic explosives. They are used for this purpose. Only the Tel Aviv airport in Israel has a system to detect plastic based explosives. This is however, very costly.

Q: What is being done to check the stress level of the CISF personnel so that another Namdev is not repeated?

A: Well, the Namdev case at Mumbai airport was not due to stress but some flimsy reason. We have lesser stress levels amongst the personnel than those of other paramilitary forces. We have introduced yoga in a big way to reduce the stress level. Moreover, we have a grievance redressal mechanism in place where the senior officers designate a day to meet their juniors and sort out their problems, if any. (October 24, 2004)

Delhi could well be one of the most important heritage cities of the world if the range of historical monuments are showcased to the foreign tourists in a proper way. The Art and Culture Department of the Delhi government has renovated 25 monuments in the recent past and has identified another 100 where these monuments would be brought to their original grandeur and splendour. Nita Bali, IAS, Secretary Art and Culture Department tells Amitabh Shukla the new strategy to promote heritage tourism in Delhi.

Q: What are the thrust areas to promote heritage tourism in the Capital?

A: Delhi has a very high potential for development of tourism and can have a much bigger flow as cultural heritage is perhaps its most important resource and unquestioned wealth. The city is dotted with 1317 historically important monuments, including world heritage sites and 474 heritage buildings. Apart from them, a large number of havelis and British bungalows, which do not find a mention anywhere, are historically and architecturally of immense value. Our endeavour would be to conserve and restore these to their original splendour and attract tourists on the strength of these.

Q: This seems to be a monumental task. How would the Department go ahead with the plan?

A: This could be done with a collaboration of the government with the citizens and the private sector. The plan is to upgrade the historical sites and spruce up the ambience and environment. Then we intend to develop tourist complexes with facilities like restaurants, souvenir shops, public conveniences, audio guides etc. Development of heritage trail and travel circuits covering colonial and Mughal monuments. Development of effective marketing plans, development of transport network between major historical monuments, organising cultural programmes at the historical sites to bring life to the monuments are some of the other measures.

Q: The monuments of the Mughal period are a major attraction but several of them are lying in a state of neglect. Is there any plan to promote the heritage tourism based on the Mughal monuments?

A: Definitely. We have planned to erect a new concept in Qudasia Garden - the museum of Mughal queens. We will have everything here which would reflect the lifestyle of the queens. This is something which the people of Delhi and foreigners hardly know about. Then the walled city could be developed as a major tourist attraction. For this a co-ordinated effort is required. The idea would be on the overall development, including repair and face-lifting of buildings and havelis, environment friendly transport system, proper illumination, repair of pavements, provide underground cables, special type of street lighting and regulation of traffic. Development of heritage trails and special tourist circuits for this area is the need of the hour and we are trying for that.

Q: For the first time private participation has been mooted to protect, conserve and promote heritage sites. How would the department go about it?

A: Without private participation and help from the people, the government cannot achieve much. To make Delhi a world class city, bhagidari of the people is essential. We have planned to invite the NRIs for investment in and around the heritage sites. Then for the development of a site, infrastructure like restaurants are essential and the government would facilitate this. Apart from this, the residents of a particular locality where a monument lies are being involved for the upkeep. The Resident Welfare Associations will help the government in a big way in the near future.

Q: What are the other plans which would be launched soon?

A: Aggressive marketing of heritage tourism, increased national-international cultural exchange programmes, promotion of state functions and festivals, decentralisation of culture by establishing nine district cultural centres in Delhi etc. are some of the plans on which we are working to make Delhi a world class heritage city. (August 30, 2004)

Information Act: So far, so good

Implementation of the Right to Information Act of the Centre in Delhi from October 12 last year has been a success story. For the first time, the entire complaints, their status and all details pertaining to the Act have been put online by the Delhi government. Complainants can now pursue their applications online and find out whether it has been disposed or not. Entire questions put to the various departments can be accessed and it has been made "live" on the website. Secretary Administrative Reforms, Prakash Kumar tells Amitabh Shukla that a silent revolution has taken place.

What has been the response of the new Right to Information Act in the city?

In the last four months of the implementation of the Act, the response has been tremendous as we have got 1200 applications of people seeking different sorts of information concerning various departments. This shows that the citizens are coming forward to ask questions from the government departments. As we have put everything on the website, people seeking information never had it easier. All the questions posed so far and the answers have been put on the "live" web page. The status of application changes every minute after information is uploaded. People can search for the departments and the frequently asked questions and frame their questions accordingly. At present, two Acts pertaining to Right to Information are applicable in Delhi - both the Central Act and the state government Act.

Isn't there any confusion on this part?

Both the acts are applicable to the city as the Act of Delhi is yet to be repealed. However, there is no confusion. People can ask questions under whichever of the two acts. While the fee under the Delhi Act is Rs 25 for a question, the fee under the central Act is only Rs 10. The public information officers have been asked to provide information as per the demand of the citizens. Some questions still are being asked under the old Act. What is the status of the private power distribution companies in the city.

Do they come under the purview of the RTI Act?

We had asked the opinion of the Law Department on the subject. As the government has only 49 percent of the share in the discoms, it does not fall under the category of substantially financed as provided in the Act. Then, there is a provision of substantially controlled. But, it does not come under this category too. At present, the citizens can ask questions through the Power department but this might not cover day to day supply of power. Recently, the Central Information Commission ruled that file notings should also be made available to the people if asked for.

Yes, we are providing the information on file notings now. Earlier, there was some ambiguity but after the ruling of the central information commission, it has been made clear to the public information officers. You have now authored a book on Right to Information.

What is the target audience of the book?

I wrote the book along with another official Dr K.B. Rai. It targets public information officers who are supposed to provide information.

(Feb 12, 2006)

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