TOLD FARMERS WE CAN AMEND LAWS. ISSUE IN ONLY 1 STATE: NARENDRA TOMAR

Signalling that the govt is ready to amend the three agriculture laws at the

centre of protests by farmer unions, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra

Singh Tomar told Parliament Friday that he had made such a suggestion to the

delegation of farmers while making clear that this should not mean that

there was a "mistake in the laws".

Defending the laws, Tomar, while participating in a Rajya Sabha discussion

on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, said the protest against

the laws was an issue in "only one state" where people had become "victims

of misunderstanding", and this had become a "burning issue".

He targeted the Congress for opposing the laws for the sake of politics - a

remark that he made was expunged from the records later.

On his talks with the farmers, the Minister said: "We made efforts to give

them proposal after proposal. But at the same time I also said that if the

govt is ready to amend any law, it should not mean that there's a mistake in

the farm law..Farmers were misled by being told that these laws will take

away their land. Tell me one provision in the contract farming Act about

this," he said.

He said he had repeatedly asked the farmers which provision in the laws was

"black" since these were being called "black laws".

He said he had heard the speeches of the Opposition members very carefully,

and while most said the law was bad and should be repealed, they too never

specified which provisions in the laws were against farmers.

Justifying the provisions of the farm laws, Tomar said: "We enacted the

Trade Act (The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and

Facilitation) Act, 2020). The Trade Act provided that the area outside the

APMC would be the trade area. It can be a farmer's house, it can also be a

farmer's warehouse, or it can be his farm. Our Act allows a farmer to sell

his produce to any person, at any place, at any cost."

"So, I want to ask the farmers, especially the farmers of Punjab because

they have a slightly different situation there - the commission of arhatiyas

is different, everything else is different. While we have exempted

(transactions) from tax, the state govt is levying tax. So, the agitation

should be held against the person who is collecting taxes or against the one

who is making it tax-free (transactions)? Lekin desh mein ulti Ganga bah

rahi hai. (But what is happening is the opposite)," Tomar said..

"I want to tell the farmers that the Govt of India, led by Narendra Modi, is

fully committed to the farmers.We have constantly tried to honour the farmer

movement. We held talks with them 12 times. We did not utter a word about

them here and there. (We) discussed with great sensitivity. We told them

that please draw our attention to provisions which have errors.""We even

identified some points and told them that it seems that you are doubtful

that the APMCs will end. So, we considered it and told them that the APMC

will not end," he said.

Tomar also compared provisions of the contract farming Act of Punjab with

that of the Centre. He said while the Punjab Act provides a jail term for

farmers violating the contract, the Centre's Act penalises the traders.

AFTER 18 MONTHS, 4G MOBILE INTERNET BACK IN J&K

One-and-A-half years after curtailing Internet services in Jammu and

Kashmir, the govt on Friday ordered the restoration of 4G mobile Internet in

all of the Union Territory.

The decision comes as the govt faces increasing criticism at home and

internationally for imposing curbs on the Internet, widely seen as a core

human right.

The official order issued by Principal Secretary to the J&K govt Shaleen

Kabra said the restrictions were being revoked "except to the extent that

the pre-paid SIM card holders shall be provided access to the Internet

connectivity only after verification as per the norms applicable for

post-paid connections".

The order asked the authorised officers to "ensure compliance.by the service

providers forthwith". The officers "shall also closely monitor the impact of

lifting of restrictions", it said.

Mobile Internet services were suspended in Jammu and Kashmir on August 4,

2019, the day before the Centre announced the decision to strip the

erstwhile state of its special status and bifurcate it into two Union

Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Internet services had been suspended on ground of anticipated law and order

situations as a result of the decisions, and intelligence inputs about

possible attacks by terrorists infiltrating from across the border.

Welcoming the development, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted: "4G Mubarak! For the first

time since Aug 2019 all of J&K will have 4G mobile data. Better late than

never."

On Tuesday, the govt told Parliament that terrorist attacks in the Valley

had more than halved in 2020 compared to 2019. The number of terrorists

killed by security forces in Kashmir went up by 41% in this period.

FARMERS' 'CHAKKA JAM' TO EXCLUDE DELHI, UP, U'KHAND

Protesting farmers will not block roads in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and

Uttarakhand during the nationwide 'chakka jam' on Saturday even as agitating

unions asserted that peasants in other parts of the country will block

national and state highways for three hours but in a peaceful way.

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of the farmer unions protesting

the three farm laws, said emergency and essential services such as ambulance

and school bus will not be stopped during the 'chakka jam' that is proposed

to be held between 12 pm and 3 pm.

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers in small groups

will submit a memorandum to district headquarters in Uttar Pradesh and

Uttarakhand.

"There will be no chakka jam programme inside Delhi since all the protest

sites are already in a chakka jam mode. All roads for entering into Delhi

will remain open except where farmers' protest sites are already located,"

the SKM said in a statement.

In a bid to avoid what happened during farmers' tractor parade on Republic

Day, the Delhi Police has taken additional measures this time, including

tightening security and intensifying vigil at the city's border points, to

deal with any situation emerging out of the 'chakka jam'.

On Friday, Darshan Pal, a senior member of Samyukt Kisan Morcha, said that

'chakka jam' will remain completely peaceful and non-violent, adding that

protesters have been asked to not to indulge in any conflict with government

officials or any citizen.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the chakka jam program will end with the

sounding of horns for one minute.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

NEPAL PM OLI ADDRESSES HUGE RALLY, DEFENDS DECISION TO DISSOLVE HOUSE

Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli addressed a massive public rally on

Friday, but more than the content of the speech that was full of rhetoric

against his political rivals, it was the choice of venue that has sent

across a political message.

The dais was built right in front of the Narayanhiti Palace - the seat of

power when Nepal was ruled by a monarch until 12 years ago. A one-and-a-half

km long road connecting the palace to the Army Headquarters was occupied by

his supporters.

"There is no chance of a return of the monarchy," he said in apparent

response to a series of rallies that have taken place across the country in

the past few months seeking the restoration of Nepal's status as a Hindu

kingdom. Along with these protests, certain political leaders, activists and

retired army officials have demand that the "army should intervene to

prevent the situation drifting towards chaos", fuelling speculation about

the political future of the country.

Addressing the crowd made up of supporters of the Oli-led faction of the

ruling Nepal Communist Party, the Prime Minister said he has been focusing

on strengthening Nepal, and that his decision to go for early election was

aimed at seeking a stable govt. "I dissolved the House because I was not

allowed to work, and now it is in the hands of the people who want to rule."

GOOGLE OPENS PAID-FOR NEWS PLATFORM IN AUSTRALIA

Tech giant Google on Friday launched a platform in Australia offering news

it has paid for, striking its own content deals with publishers in a drive

to show legislation proposed by Canberra to enforce payments, a world first,

is unnecessary.

The tech firm, still lobbying the Australian govt in private meetings, has

previously said was the legislation was "unworkable" and would force it to

pull out of the country altogether if implemented.

With the legislation now before a parliamentary inquiry, the launch of News

Showcase in Australia will see it pay seven domestic outlets, including the

Canberra Times, to use their content. Financial details of the deals weren't

disclosed.

Google said in a statement on Friday it looked forward to striking

agreements with more publishers, whose position has been bolstered by

Canberra's push back.

SQUARE KM ARRAY: THE WORLD'S LARGEST TELESCOPE COMING UP

On Thursday, a global collaboration for the world's largest radio telescope

took formal shape with the constitution of an Intergovtal Council. The

Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) project, spanning two continents

and involving the participation of 20 countries, is expected to be ready for

carrying out observations towards the end of this decade.

Headquartered and controlled from the UK, the SKA is not a single telescope

but will be an array of antennas strategically designed and set up in South

Africa and Australia. It is proposed to be built in two phases, with an

estimated 1.8 billion euros required for phase-I, planned over the next ten

years.

SKA will allow astronomers to look deeper into the universe and unravel

secrets about its evolution. Among its goals are: studying the universe and

its evolution, the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, and dark energy

and evolution of galaxies. Scientists are also optimistic that the SKA will

be able to detect very weak extra-terrestrial signals and search for

molecules that support life.

THE REST

========

VEIL OF PRIVACY CAN BE LIFTED FOR LEGITIMATE STATE INTEREST: CENTRE RESPONSE

IN DELHI HC

The Centre Friday told the Delhi High Court that though the right to privacy

has been held to be a "sacred fundamental right" and is being "respected" by

the govt, the "veil of privacy" can be lifted for certain "legitimate state

interest".

The govt said lawful interception, monitoring or decryption of any messages

or information stored in any computer resources is done by authorised

agencies after due approval in each case by the competent authority.

The govt was responding to a petition seeking permanent halting of the

Centre's surveillance projects - Centralized Monitoring System (CMS),

Network Traffic Analysis (NETRA) and National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID).

The petitioners have contended that these enable govt authorities to

intercept, store, analyse and retain telephone and internet communications

data in bulk in violation of the fundamental right to privacy.

The PIL, filed by Centre for Public Interest Litigation and Software Freedom

Law Center, seeks constitution of a permanent and independent oversight

authority - judicial or parliamentary - for authorising and reviewing

interception and monitoring orders or warrants issued under the Telegraph

Act, 1885 and the IT Act, 2000.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioners, has argued that

the three systems allow the govt a 360 degree surveillance of all citizens,

including judges.

The govt Friday said the interest of sovereignty or integrity of India,

defence of the country, security of the State, friendly relations with

foreign states or public order fall under "legitimate state interest".

COVID VACCINATION OF THOSE AGED OVER 50 FROM MARCH

India will begin vaccinating its third priority group of those who are 50

years and above - a group estimated to be more than 27 crore - in March,

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in Lok Sabha on Friday.

The vaccination programme began on January 16.

"In the first phase, the target was to vaccinate around one crore health

workers of govt and private clinics, which is happening swiftly. The second

phase, meant to inoculate two crore frontline workers, has already begun in

many states from February 2. After completing the two phases, the third

phase is expected to begin in any time in March. In this phase, every

citizen above the age of 50 will get vaccinated. The process will begin in

any week of March," the minister said.

The health minister said India has already supplied vaccines to 15 nations -

56 lakh doses have been sent through grants and 105 lakh doses through

contract.

Meanwhile, India's expert panel on Covid-19 drugs and vaccines has turned

down US pharmaceutical major Pfizer's application for emergency use

authorisation for its vaccine candidate -- already in use in the US and UK

-- in the absence of any plan on the firm's part to generate safety and

immunogenicity data in the local population.

Pfizer on Friday said it had withdrawn its application, and would submit

additional data as it becomes available in the near future.

GOVT EYES RS 30K CR PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN HIGHWAY PROJECTS

The Centre has drawn up a Rs 2.02-lakh crore investment plan to build

highways in the next financial year and Rs 30,000 crore of this sum is

expected to come from the private sector, a senior official said Friday.

The flagship Delhi-Mumbai Expressway will be expedited while the

Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway's construction will begin in 2021-22, the

official said.

Work on the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will begin this fiscal and the

Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway project will commence in 2021-22.

A 277-km Chennai-Salem corridor will be awarded soon and construction would

start next fiscal. In addition to these, the 464-km Raipur-Visakhapatnam

project passing through Chhattisgarh, Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh will

be awarded in the current year and construction will start in 2021-22.

CENTRE DECIDES TO INDUCT 30 MORE PRIVATE SECTOR SPECIALISTS INTO GOVT JOBS

In a major move, the Centre has decided to induct 30 more private sector

specialists into different govt departments at the crucial decision-making

level of Joint Secretaries and Directors.

The Personnel Ministry had in June 2018 invited applications for 10 joint

secretary-rank posts through lateral entry, considered an ambitious step by

the Modi govt to bring fresh talent in the bureaucracy.

The lateral entry mode relates to the appointment of specialists from the

private sector in govt organisations.

Usually, the posts of Joint Secretary and Director are manned by officers

selected through the civil services examination and other tests conducted by

the UPSC and other organisations.

Candidates with a minimum of 15 years experience for Joint Secretary and 10

years experience for Director level posts are eligible to apply, the UPSC

said in an advertisement.

DONATE TO NGO OF CHOICE: KARNATAKA HC TO NHAI OVER FOREIGN POWERS CLAIM

A division bench of the Karnataka High Court had pulled up NHAI last month

for suggesting that the central Environment Protection Act, 1986 was

enacted at the behest of foreign countries and that NGOs working for the

environment, conservation and human rights were all foreign agents.

After being reprimanded and ordered to carry out an investigation on how the

"shocking" objections were filed in court-in response to a petition filed by

an NGO United Conservation Movement- NHAI has now sought to withdraw the

controversial objections. This request would be subject "to payment of

appropriate costs", the HC observed in an interim order on February 2.

"Before we pass any order regarding costs, we give an opportunity to the

NHAI to donate a substantial amount to any organization which according to

the NHAI is doing constructive work in the field of environment. While we

say so, we make it clear that we are not compelling the NHAI to do so as the

court always retains power to pass appropriate orders on cost," the High

Court stated.

RETAIL INVESTORS TO GET DIRECT ACCESS TO G-SEC MARKET: RBI

In a bid to improve retail participation in the govt securities (G-sec)

market, the RBI has proposed to allow small investors direct access to its

platform. This move is also driven by the central bank's need to keep down

the costs of funds for the central govt, which wants to borrow Rs 12 lakh

crore in 2021-22.

RBI said the retail investors can use this so-called 'Retail Direct'

facility to access both the primary market - where investors buy directly

from the issuer - and secondary markets where trading takes place among

investors. G-secs are debt instruments issued by the govt and considered the

safest form of investment.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das hailed this as a "major structural reform." He

said, "World over very few countries like the US and Brazil have done it. In

Asia, we are the first to do it."

CHENNAI TEST: ENGLAND LOSE ONLY 3 WICKETS ON DAY 1

Captain Joe Root won the battle of attrition against Indian spinners with a

classy century in his 100th Test as England reached a comfortable 263 for

three at stumps on Day 1 of the first match today.

Root, unbeaten on 128 off 197 balls, showed his mastery over slow bowlers as

he scored his 20th Test hundred, and the third in as many matches.

He admirably guided young opener Dom Sibley (87 off 286 balls), who showed

commendable game awareness and enormous doggedness during their 200-run

partnership for the third wicket before Jasprit Bumrah (2/40) got him in the

final over of the day.

Root's innings was an exhibition of how to construct an innings on a low,

slow track while countering a hostile post-lunch spell from Ishant Sharma

(15-3-27-0) in which he got the ball to reverse-swing.

INDICATORS

Sensex 50,732 (+117), Nifty 14,924 (+29), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores)

95039.63

Nasdaq 13,856 (+79) Dow 31,148 (+92), S&P 3,887 (+15)

US$-Rs. 72.85 GBP-Rs. 99.82, Euro-Rs. 87.40, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.83, Can$-Rs.

56.93, Aus$- Rs. 55.57

GBP 0.72 /US$, Euro 0.83 /US$, Jap.Yen 105.48 /US$, Aus$ 1.31 /US$, Sing

1.33 /US$, Bang Taka 83.29 /US$, Can$ 1.27 /US$, Mal Ring 4.06 /US$,

Pak Re 159.87 /US$, Phil Peso 48.05 /US$, Russian Rouble 74.97 /US$, NZ$

1.39 /US$, Thai Baht 30.03 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 27.54 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 39,431

Dollar Index 90.96 Brent Crude 59.34 BDI 1333

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,814 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,737 /

4,637, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 67,300

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them. - Michael

Jordan

OFF TRACK

"Take the green pill with a glass of water when you get up. Take the blue

pill with 2 glasses

of water after lunch. Then just before going to bed, take the red pill with

another glass of water."

Man: "Exactly what's my problem, doc?"

Doctor: "You're not drinking enough water."