Sonia Gandhi at Waqf function to launch NAWADCO in New Delhi

Sonia Gandhi: We must be cautious of communal forces who want to weaken our secular culture
New Delhi: Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that one must be cautious of communal forces who want to weaken our secular culture. She was talking on the occasion of the launch of the National Waqf Development Corporation Limited (NAWADCO), a new Central Public Sector Enterprise under Ministry of Minority Affairs. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Corporation.
“We must be cautious of communal forces who want to weaken our secular culture. Even small disturbances can harm our harmony and brotherhood” said the Congress President. “We believe in unity in diversity... Our system guarantees protection of rights of all citizens including the minorities. It is the responsibility of the administration to protect the secular fabric of our country and to ensure equal opportunities to minorities” said Sonia Gandhi. ”We must know that inclusive growth is necessary for overall development and to bring happiness in the lives of the people of all sections” added the UPA Chairperson.
“Empowering the women belonging to the minorities is utmost important. The UPA Government has therefore launched ROSHNI to provide education, skill development, technical knowledge, to spread awareness about the benefits of government schemes and to provide banking facilities. This will boost their morale and self confidence” further said Sonia Gandhi.
“We witnessed a ten-fold increase in the expenditure for the minority affairs, in the last ten years, whether it is Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for minorities, allocating 15% funds for minorities in all flagship government programmes or for improving the quality of education. Our focus has been to ensure equality for minorities” emphasised the Congress President.
This Corporation will prove to be an important institution for the development of Waqf properties for the community welfare particularly for Muslims in India. The establishment of NAWADCO is a follow up of Sachchar Committee recommendation. India has the largest number of Waqf properties in the world. There are more than 4.9 lakh registered Auqaf (waqf properties) and the current annual income from these properties is about Rs.163 crores. Sachar Committee has estimated that such properties, if properly developed, with a minimum return of 10%, would be capable of generating an income of Rs.12000 crore per annum.
NAWADCO will facilitate and mobilize financial resources for the development of Waqf properties for community development purposes in a joint venture with the State / Union Territory Waqf Boards and the Mutawallis. The Waqf Boards and the Muthawallis were not having the financial resources to develop the properties leading to encroachments. The Central Government has recently enacted the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2013.This will make administration of waqf properties transparent and will provide an enabling environment for development and utilization of waqf lands for welfare of minorities.

Rahul Gandhi talks to media after Congress core group meeting

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said that screening process of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls have been started. "A new type of screening to pick the candidates have been screening to pick the Candidates have been initiated. It is a new process how the voices of the people can be brought to the system", said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi: Selection of Congress candidates for the Lok Sabha polls will reflect people’s voice

Rahul Gandhi: Selection of candidates will be based on voice of people
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi informed that the selection of party candidates will be through a new process which will take into account the voice of the people and will be completed before the deadline.
During a brief interaction with the media persons, Rahul Gandhi said, "For the first time, we are working on a deadline, getting voices of people into the party systematically". "The ticket distribution will be done by a new process. Discussions have been taking place within our party for a long time. We are doing this with a formal structure," he added.
To finalise the Congress candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Congress has constituted screening committees for all states and Union Territories. In the first meeting of the Chairmen of these screening committees, Rahul Gandhi underlined the importance of giving prominence to common people in decision making in political processes including deciding candidates. The Congress vice-president is impressed upon the broad parameters of candidate selection like no criminal record against them and an experience of right kind of politics along with winnability.
The meetings of the screening committees to select candidates will begin soon after the January 17 AICC meeting in Delhi. With Rahul Gandhi keen on early declaration of candidates for Lok Sabha polls, the party is understood to have decided to come out with a list of 150 to 200 nominees by the end of this month.
Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April-May and the decision will give at least three months time to the candidates to prepare for the elections.

PM Dr. Manmohan Singh lauds Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi has outstanding credentials to be nominated as PM: Manmohan Singh

“Rahul Gandhi has outstanding credentials to be nominated as Prime Minister. I am sure, Congress party will take a decision at an appropriate time” said Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh while addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. He was replying to a question whether the Congress Vice President would be declared as party’s PM candidate.

In his opening remarks he highlighted the achievements of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and also ruled out a third term for him as Prime Minister after the 2014 general elections. “I will hand the baton over to a new prime minister. I hope it will be a UPA chosen prime minister and our party will work to that end," said the Prime Minister.  “I do not believe I am a weak prime minister. It is for historians to judge. The BJP and its associates may say whatever they like. If by strong prime minister you mean you preside over mass massacre of innocent citizens on the streets of Ahmedabad, if that is the measure of strength, I do not believe that that this country needs that kind of strength” said Dr. Singh to a query.

Digging at the opposition, Dr. Singh continued, “"Opposition has vested interests. Sometimes the media plays into their hands. When history is written we (UPA Govt) will come out unscathed. This is not to say that there are no irregularities. But the dimensions of the problem have been overstated by the media, by CAG sometimes and other entities."

“When I became PM the perception was that Congress couldn't run a coalition govt. We showed Congress can successfully manage a coalition” he added. To another question, the PM said, “The views of the Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) or vice president (Rahul Gandhi) should be reflected in the govt as far as possible, it is not a disadvantage”

“Mrs Sonia Gandhi's support has been enormous; especially in dealing with complex issues” said Manmohan Singh adding “I sincerely believe that the arrangement where the Congress President and PM are not the same person has worked exceedingly well.”

These are the highlights of the record of the Congress-led UPA government, titled "10 years of progress and growth", cited by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his address to the media on Friday and which was released by the Prime Minister's Office ahead of the press conference:

* Education - India has achieved "near universal education" at the primary school level due to Right to Education and the dropout rates have also decreased. The outlay for education has been constantly increased. Central universities increased from 17 to 44 during 2004-13.

*Farmer welfare - Minimum support prices (MSP) for wheat and paddy has been doubled since 2004, while MSP for other grains have increased three fold. More than 650 lakh farmers were financed by the banking system during 2012-13. The new Land Acquisition Act will provide livelihood rehabilitation and financial benefits for the affected people.

*Food security- There has been a three-fold increase in food subsidy during UPA tenure. The Food Security Act will entitle 35 kg of food-grains per month and other families for 5 kg per person at subsidised rates.

*Rural employment- The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is the largest welfare scheme of its kind in the world started in 2006. Wages given under the scheme per day have almost doubled from Rs.65 to Rs. 128 since the launch of the scheme. In 2012-13, the scheme provided employment to over 4.98 crore households, generating more than 213 crore person-days of employment.

*Healthcare- Consistent investment in public healthcare showed reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates, while life expectancy has improved. Absence of new endemic polio case for the last three years.

*Social security for special sections - There has been ten-fold increase in the expenditure on minorities since 2004-04.

*Economic growth - Per capita income in India has grown three fold since UPA came to power. The average GDP growth during the period of UPA government has been 7.7 percent despite two global slowdowns.

*Infrastructure - More than 2 lakh km of new roads have been added to the rural road network. Allocation for PradhanMantri Gram Sadak Yojana has increased by 88 percent in the 12 th Five Year Plan.

*Poverty reduction - Average decline in poverty was two percent per annum.

*Direct benefit transfer and Aadhaar card- The UID has issued more than 51 crore Aadhaar cards giving people access to direct benefit transfer in 184 districts.

*Development of North-east : Internal security has improved and the growth rate in north-eastern region is now higher than national average. Northeast growth rate is 9.9 percent compared to national average 7.4 percent.

*Governance and transparency - Right to information, second administrative reforms commission, and e-governance ensured transparency. Among the anti-corruption measures, the government was able to bring the Lokpal Act, as also the Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, Grievance Redressal Bill, and Amendment to Prevention of Corruption Act.

*Security of women and children - The law has been amended to provide stringent punishment for sexual offences against women and children. The government has also passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. TheWomen Reservation bill has been passed by the Rajya Sabha.

 

Sonia Gandhi pays tribute to Indira Gandhi

Nation remembers former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 29th death anniversary. Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi paid tributes to the departed leader at Shakti Sthal.

Central Cabinet Reshuffle: Eight new ministers sworn in

Eight new faces were inducted in the Council of Ministers today, with Sisram Ola and Oscar Fernandes making a re-entry after a gap of four years. President Pranab Mukherjee administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers. Ola, along with Girija Vyas and K S Rao, were inducted as Cabinet Ministers. The Ministers of State inducted were Manikrao Gavit, Santosh Chowdhury, J D Seelam, E M S Natchiappan. Ola and Fernandes were ministers in the UPA-I but did not find a place in the UPA-II government. With the new inductions, the strength of the Council of Ministers went up to 77.