KM Special October 26, 2009

Mamootty the Great Actor! Reality Show Stampade!

Reality behind the Reality Stage(d) Show

The Media in the Gulf is going gaga about a stampede outside a reality show featuring the Malayalam superstar, Mammootty, for a Malayali TV Channel, which is part of the Murdoch media empire now. About three weeks after it become a pay channel, the reality show featuring the Malayalam superstar and the current Chairman of the rival channel, , Mammootty grabbed headlines, not only in the Gulf Malayalam media but even of a prominent English newspaper like the National.

The Reality show in the name of another TV channel Chairman, Mammottty, went on air about three months ago and the actor was stunned by the proposal from a rival channel. As Mamootty, like his colleague, Mohanlal is an ace actor and businessman, he agreed for the deal which includes a key role for the reality show winner in the next film planned by the Mamootty film production company, Playhouse. Nobody knows how much money Mamootty got from the global media empire to agree for the show.

According to the channel insiders, the entire exercise was like a reality show hoax planned as part of a grand media strategy of the new Murdochian channel. Mamootty is a superstar and talented actor, but mostly he has been identified with the once popular TV Channel, in which he is a (major) shareholder and the Board Chairman. Mamootty like many others in the media industry realized that his parent channel is losing viewer ship, market share, popularity and good rating! The final of the reality show is conducted in the Gulf for obvious reasons, a major chunk of the petrodollars earned by the Gulf Malayalis is what keep the Malayalam media thriving in the region.

The finale of the reality show was planned almost three months ago and the organizers were ready to accommodate only "half of the 15,000 visitors" who thronged the venue and created the stampede. Many fans were injured in the stampede and euphoria created outside the reality show venue. There are many such talent hunt reality shows in many Malayalam channels, but the Mamotty show grabbed headlines! Now the channel will reap the benefit from increased rating for the show and more revenue flow! Like the six year boy who made a global hoax about helium ballon, the actor could be an innocent victim of the channels reality show plans.

KM can reveal that the Mammootty Reality show stampede on Friday night was no different from the Helium Balloon hoax that grabbed world media attention on the same day. The global media went gaga about a six year old New York Boy, Falcon Henee, who was reported to be accidentally flying away on a helium balloon. The USA (read the world) was gripped by the Helium Balloon Saga, which later turned out to be a bog hoax by the boys family with the TV channel for a reality show! Richard Heene and his Japanese-born wife Mayumi had fabricated the last Friday's drama in which their son Falcon was reported to have flown away on a home-made helium balloon. (More Ballon Story)

The Reality Show lies started ten years ago by Fox Special with its "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire" and the winner disclosing later that she was just playing a role for the reality show. Remember all the negative publicity that, Star Plus got for its reality show Sach Kaa Samnaa, the Indian version of the Moment of Truth, which used lie detectors during interviews with couples about their sex life ….The media needs to use lie detectors before reporting the actual reason behind the reality show stampede in Dubai! It is pity that even the highly literate Malayalis are becoming prey to such grand designs of media global moguls. Wait for new surprises in the world of reality shows! It is hightime we realize the reality behind the reality shows!

Organisers Apologise for the Reality Show Stampede

Old Story from Hit Parade Dubai

Mamootty Hits Out even Journalists!!!

Mamootty Hit Parade in Dubai has turned out to be a bitter experience for the media and some viewers who could see a different face of the superstar at Mamzar Park. Most of the Malayalam newspapers from Dubai have boycotted the Hit Parade programme ' organised by an advertising agency in Dubai. As the much published Dubai programme organisers did not give a red carpet welcome to journalists, they decided to keep away from the superstar!!! Despite the fact that prominent journalists from newspapers like the Malayala Manorama, Middle East Chandrika, Gulf Madhyamam and Deepika were keen to be near the superstar during his Hit programme, the organisers were not so keen to have the vernacular media anywhere near the superstar...."Who are you", "What Press", the star seems to have shouted at photographers and journalists."Keep away from me", he shouted through the microphone at the crowd who were in Mamzar Park. He was encircled by about 2000 strong crowd who were attracted to the venue by heavvy dose of advertisement... Journalists who had a direct encounter with the superstars feel that the real Mamootty that they saw yesterday is far away from the grass root image depicted in many of his hit movies...He was very arrogant and was in an agitated mood. Paradoxically enough, the superstar is the Chairman of a people friendly channel!!! "Normally he is very friendly with the media. What happened yesterday may be due to poor organisers," says one journalist who is familiar with the superstar. The fact that the entire Malayalam print media boycotted the superstar speaks volumes about the poor organisation that could have triggered an arrogant outburst by the superstar. Mamootty had many failures and a few successful movies recently ...It was not seven hits as the organisers advertised, but more...and the victims are again the media representatives...

July 24, 2009

Kerala police planning to make feature film on Islamic terrorism

July 9, 2009

Padmashree Mohan Lal conferred with rank of Lt col (Hony) in Territorial Army

Mohan Lal, the Malayalam superstar, was formally piped by the Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on being granted the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army at the Army HQ, New Delhi on Thursday. Army Chief bestowed this honour at a function attended by Army Vice Chief , Additional Directorate General Territorial Army, Col Commandant of The MADRAS Regt, family members of Mohan Lal and other senior officers of the Indian Army.

Lt Col (Hony) Mohan Lal is celebrating his third decade of indelible acting with many awards and accolades to his credits including four National awards and the prestigious Padmashree. His passion for the Army is amply evident from his outstanding and realistic portrayal of the penultimate, fearless and duty bound Army Officer on the Silver screen especially in movies like Kirti Chakra and Kurukshetra. As part of his preparation to truly depict the role, he shared the realities of army personnel in actual conflict zone like Tiger Hill and Drass, withstanding extreme weather conditions and combat situations.

Lt Col (Hony) Mohan Lal will be affiliated with the Kerala based 122 Inf Bn (TA) MADRAS (KANNUR TERRIERS). In Oct 2008 veteran cricketer Lt Col (Hony) Kapil Dev was also granted Honorary rank in the Territorial Army and has since been very active in actions of the Territorial Army. Speaking on the occasion Lt Col Mohan Lal said “it is truly a proud moment for me to have been granted an honorary rank during the Diamond Jubilee year of the Territorial Army. I will try to serve the Territorial Army to the best of my ability in my newly assigned role. Like others in our country, I pride the Indian Armed Forces and it is dream come true that I can now serve shoulder to shoulder with our Officers/JCOs and men”.“I look forward to witness the Prime Minister’s Territorial Army Day Parade to be held at Delhi in October 2009 along with other functions like Band Display and Blood Donation Camp which have been planned as part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Territorial Army. A visit to my battalion at Kannur will be important agenda for me”.

Superstar Endorsing Militarism and Corruption

Thousands of patriotic soldiers are working 24 hours to protec India's national security and boarders. KM Salutes these brave soldiers. However, the Indian defence establishment is one of the most corrupt establishments in the world, as is clear from various corruption reports and the regular reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General. A popular actor like Mohanlal can boost the soldiers morale and create a clean image about the army. His endorsing the army will create a new spirit of militarism in Indian society. Is it really good for the country? Lal's joining the corrupt league of Indian Military Industrial Complex is also sending a wrong message across the world about war being waged in different countries. Mohanlals current role as the Ambassador of the territorial army will negate the heroic role of Govardhan Menon, a patriotic freedom fighting doctor that he played in Kalapani and demote Govardhan to the role of Mirza Khan, a slave of British colonial army!

Scenes from Kalapani Dr Govardhan Menon sucking the shoes of British soldier(right), Left British soldiers torturing Indian patriots with heated Iron Box..some of the henious methods used by the US/British army in Iraq and Afghanistan

The Hollywood has been closely linked to the Military Industrial Complex in the USA in promoting violence and low intensity wars to create favourable American public opinion to legitimize aggression abroad. Many leading Hollywood companies are closely linked to the war machinery and help create demand for expensive military hardware. Is the Indian film industry going the Hollywood way to get integrated into the broader militarization of the Indian society? Thanks to a number of so called "terrorist" attacks recently, there is a new euphoria of "patriotic" spirit in the Indian media, especially the visual media. With an actore like Lal, who played a true patriots role in Kalapani, fighting British army officers, a new spirit of militarism and war jingoism may develop.

As a powerful modern media, films have always been used to promote peace and oppose war. According to Richard Khon, Professor of History and Chair, Curriculum in Peace, War, and Defense at the University of North Carolina one of the oldest fears in civil military relations is militarism, the displacement of civilian government by the military and the imposition of military values, perspectives and ideals on the rest of society. Militarism has a long history in Europe and America and the ongoing illusionary war on terror declared by the US demands molding public opinion in favour of this illusionary war against an illusionary enemy.

Now the Rambo culture of Hollywood is spreading to the rest of the world, especially India, which is an unofficial junior ally of the US in the so called war on terror. Molding public opinion and creating a popular culture justifying the inhuman wars and violent culture is in the interest of the military establishment. In a militarized society, the comic books, televison and the cinema reiterated the justification of "good war" against many evils. Even the very popular American cartoon series, Tom and Jerry, is nothing but a clever ploy to induct a spirit of war and fighting in young children. The wild chase between Tom, the Cat and Jerry, the mouse is a little personification of a small war. The children entertainment industry feeds them countless negative values and image.

Rambo movies starring Sylvester Stallone legitimize cold blooded murder and crude violence-- blowing up human beings apart by bombs, land mines and projectiles fired from the biggest, loudest firearms you may ever encounter on screen. These right wing movies justify the war machine . If it was Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, now it is Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq where a few million people have been killed or maimed by the US war machine. The latest war drums beating is about attacking Iran...Read More from Make Films, not War . Anti war movies like All Quite on Western Front of 1930s about the second World War, Heart and Minds against Vietnam war and the recent My Country My Country film on post invasion Iraq are all films that influenced American public opinion against military interventions abroad.

Hollywood, Bush, Rambo and Permanent War Industry

In a Research Article," Imperial Warrior: Rambo and Beyond," published in the New Political Science journal, Carl Bloggs and Tom Pollard narrates how the culture of militarism was intensified in the American society during the George Bush period. "The Bush years have witnessed the elevated militarization of American society, marked by expansion of the war economy and security state, an aggressive foreign policy, increasing incidents of civic violence, and a media culture saturated more than ever with images and narratives of violence." "The most successful and widely-viewed films of 2007-2008, including several Oscar candidates, embrace dark images of savage, often relentless violence, graphic depictions of killing, and celebrations of social chaos," the authors said. "We argue that these trends, reflected in the ongoing interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, have dramatically influenced the national psyche." Read More about Militarism and a Permanent War Economy by other American authors. (Watch Why We Fight Website)

The authors of Hollywood War Machine provide a hard-hitting critique of the growing culture of American militarism in the post-Cold War years. Analyzed in historical context and drawing on a broad mix of theoretical, political, and cultural sources, The Hollywood War Machine explores the U.S. film industry and its deepening impact on the popular and political culture. Through the lens of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Jonathan Mostrow, Edward Zwick, Tony Scott, and John Woo, the volume deconstructs the narratives and images of nearly 200 combat and war-related movies, along with related consumer fare such as television and video games, in the context of the permanent war economy, security state, recurrent military interventions abroad, and the expansion of U.S. global power.

"The US Congress on Thursday, June 18, 2009, voted to authorize a $106 billion military supplemental appropriation, largely for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is in addition to a 2009 defense budget already in excess of $500 billion. This supplemental is just the latest way in which the “permanent war economy” is being perpetuated. The PWE has its roots in the World War II plans to keep alive the partnership of corporations, the government, and the military in the post-war world. The PWE required demonic enemies, “threats to national security,” to justify the expenditure over the next forty to fifty years of three trillion dollars. The “communist threat,” “the war on drugs,” the threat of “terrorism” and the mystical Al-Qaeda, has kept a pliant public in a state of fear ever since. By the time of the Korean War, the U.S. government, as a national security state, was premised on the prioritization of military spending over spending on any other public issue. See Why We Fight Documentary

Pseudo Patriotism and War Euphoria in Malayalam Movies

The Bollywood, Kollywood and Mollywood are also now in the business of making "patriotic" films that encourage war jingoism and frenzy patriotic hate campaigns against Muslims and Pakistan, a country which was part of India, before the British divided the country on religious lines. There have been quite a few war movies in Bollywood --Aakraman, Boarder, Deewar, Haqeekat, Hindustan Ki Kasam, Deewar, Tango Charlie etc in the past, focusing on Indo-Pakistan wars of 1960s and 1970s and the Kargil war.

Bollywood blockbusters like LOC: Kargil, on the Kargil war focuses on several Indian and Pakistani soldiers who died in the confrontation. It appears that the Indian government is encouraging war films and war jingoism. Last month, the Films Division of the Indian Government in collaboration with the Armed Forces Film and Photo Division (AFFPD organised a unique film festival in Mumbai --a two day war movie festival, showing several vintage war movies and documentaries related to the Indian army. In all, 80 films on World War II, the struggle for Indian Independence and Indian troops in action on the war front were shown. Such war film festivals are likely to be organised in other parts of the country. Simulatenous with such patriotic sentiment is popularised through Bollywood movies, major defence related scandals during the Kargil war went unnoticed. The Indian government military establishment is covertly and overtly engaged as a junior partner of American war on terror. Naturally, the Hollywood culture promoting war economy is spreading to India, a major market for military hardware.

Major Ravi: Patriotic Film Maker or PRO for Military Industrial Complex?

A soldier turned film maker, Major Ravi has started a new momentum for making war related Malaya lam movies -- Keerthichakra, Kurushethra on Kargil war with Mohanlal, Mission 90 with Mamootty on Rajiv Gandhi Assassination plot, Pattalam (Army) are well received , thanks to the positive media hype about patriotism and war on Islamic terrorism in the Indian visual media. A former commando of the Indian army, Major Ravi became a "miliary consultant" for Indian films. He proudly claims to have "killed" seven militants in Kashmir. However, questions need to raised about the source of funding such big budget films and one source believe the Indian Ministry of Defence has been funding such projects to give a clean public image to the most corrupt military in the Third World. For making any movies, documentaries and TV serials about Indian army that needs the army's official support, prior approval of the Ministry of Defence is needed. Copies of the script, army assistance required for the filming, and a preview committee with members from various departments scrutinize the final films/documentaries or TV serials before being released.According to the Indian army sources, it takes minimum 90 days to get clearance for such projects. So do not expect any negative movies about Indian army or defence department!

Mahadevan, the character played by Mohanlal in Keerthichakra is a ruthless Hindu army officer, who does not mind shedding blood, to "protect the country" from the so called evil terrorists intruding from across the boarder, viz Pakistan. While the war jingoism about Kashmir commando operations is depicted as heroism and patriotism, corruption by the then Defence Minister George Fernandes did not catch much public attention. Thecontroversy was about giving "coffin" contracts to an American firm at a vastly inflated sums. Even in the purchase of coffins for carrying the dead body of soldiers killed in Kashmir in 1999 Kargil war involved alleged kick backs and corruption. The 500 aluminum coffins supplied from an American company were purchased at an inflated price. About 420 Indian soldiers died in the Kashmir operation and the Defence Ministry paid $2500 for each coffin, which was later rejected for poor quality. Five years ago, the same coffins were offered for as little as $172 per coffin during Indian operations in Somalia. Patriotism and corruption go side by side.

Colonial and Neo Colonial Wars Using Indian Soldiers, Resources

Troops from the British Empire fought in every theatre of war through the years of World War Two - as they had fought in a range of conflicts, on the side of Britain, for the past 150 years or so. There were over two and a half million Indian citizens in uniform during the war. The Fifth Indian Division, for example, fought in the Sudan against the Italians, and then in Libya against the Germans. From North Africa the Division was moved to Iraq to protect the oilfields, says a BBC report on War History. Over 36,000 Indian members of the armed forces were killed or went missing in action, and 64,354 were wounded during the war. These Indian soldiers died fighting for the British in the first and second world wars, which were nothing but imperial wars to decide who owns right to exploit different parts of the colonial world. While the scarce resources from the country were used to meet the war demands of Britain, poverty, food scarcity and hunger were rampant in the country. The colonies like India provided resources and people to wage the imperial wars fought by the British to protect its vast colonial empires.

Now the modern war on terror is being waged like a video game, sometimes using piolotless planes, drones and robots controlled from far away control stations. Robot soldiers are being developed to fight future wars like video games. The mass civilian casualties are sometimes caused by pre-programmed robots that automatically trigger the preconfigured machine guns. Several thousand people have been killed or maimed in the recent wars, but wthe corporate media refers to the war in Afghanistan or Iraq as "good war" against "evils of t "Islamic militancy". As domestic opposition to waging foreign war is increasing due to escalating casualties o, the US Military Industrial Complex is increasingly privatising the war machinery by creating mercenaries and private armies, not accountable to national governments.

India, which has the fourth largest army in the world, is poised to be a recruitment center for the out sourcing of war. It is likely that new military colleges and defence training centers from the West will enter the country through the new foreign direct investment in the educational sector --universities. The three top Military Academies in the US are reportedly getting thousands of new applications. Due to recession and poor economic situation, more American students are opting for military service. However, the long term strategy to avoid domestic political opposition to foreign wars is to depend on mercenaries and private armies and the Third world countries like India are the targets for out sourcing such dirty war assignments.

Mr Clean Antony to Clean Up the Aegean Stable

After A K Antony the Indian defence minister is in charge of the fourth largest army in the world. The three time chief minister of Kerala has now vowed to introduce transparency in defence deals. The Tehelka.com scandal exposure really took the entire nation by surprise and later new corruption charges against former defence minister George Fernandes and a retired naval chief included a multi-million dollar arms deal with a state-run Israeli firm. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) charged Jaya Jeitley, leader of Fernandes's opposition Samata Party with accepting bribes to clinch a deal for seven Barak anti-ship missile systems from Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. The CBI said retired admiral Sushil Kumar, prodded by middle-men, strongly lobbied for the purchase of the missiles from the same firm for which a contract was signed in October 2000. The agency also raided the homes and offices of defence agents in five cities in connection with four separate cases of alleged illegal payoffs involving Israel, Russia and South Africa.

With a clean defence minister in place, Ramesh Nambiar, a Keralite Indian Airlines official was arrested in connection with a Rs 6000 crore defense scandal. Nambiar, an Assistant General Manager in Air India was caught along with cash of Rs 2.2 million from his residence. As per media reports quoting the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Nambiar was responsible for striking deals with foreign suppliers and money transactions through hawala for former director general of Ordnance Factories Board (OFB), Sudipta Ghosh. Ghosh, the main conspirator in this case, reportedly struck his maximum deals from Delhi. He was under arrest since May 19, 2009. The Malayali was reportedly a frequent visitor to the Prime Ministers Office and was showered with out of turn promotions. BJP President Ravi Shankar Prasad has demanded an explanation from the PMOs office about his frequent visits to the Prime Ministers office in violation of protocols, his connection with the civil servants in the PMO and even the removal of his exit and entry records in the official visitor registry.

Just days after the Bombay terror attacks, caused mainly by the official negligence to act on reliable intelligence, the government was quietly pushing ahead with several multbillion dollar defence deals with US and Israeli companies for purchasing coastal security monitoring boats, helicopters and planes. India signed a massive US $ 1.4 billion deal with the Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the supply and joint development of medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM). The deal signed on February 27, 2009, just two days prior to the notification of elections to Parliament, was wrapped in secrecy till the Israeli Aerospace Industries officially announced. The Octopus grip of a Permanent War Economy in the US that caused the downfall of the US economy is slowly extending to India too. More About deepening India-Israel Defence Deals. The left parties have demanded that the deal with Israel be revoked as it involved alleged kick back and business charges.

Out sourcing War from private armies and Mercenaries

While the Obama administration is said to be following a different strategy in Iraq by withdrawing American troops, there are 250,000 private defence contractors fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- about 50 percent of the total US fighting force. The situation is very similar to what it was under Bush. In Iraq, there are 130,000 private defence contractors. Recently, there was a reported 23 percent increase in the number of armed contractors in Iraq. In Afghanistan there's been a 29 percent increase in armed contractors. Even under Obama, the radical privatization of war continues unabated and the new "strategic friendship" between India and the US implies out sourcing more war resources and support from India. Journalist Jeremy Scahill , a peace activist, revealed the growing power of corporate private armies and the "disintegration of the nation state apparatus." We've spent $190 billion on the war in Afghanistan. And some estimates say that, within a few short years, it could it could end up at a half a trillion dollars. The fact is that I think most Americans are not aware that their dollars being spent in Afghanistan are, in fact, going to for-profit corporations in both Iraq and Afghanista," he said in an interview.(Red the Full Interview)

"These are companies that are simultaneously working for profit and for the U.S. government. That is the intricate linking of corporate profits to an escalation of war that President Eisenhower warned against in his farewell address. We live in amidst the most radical privatization agenda in the history of our country. And it cuts across every aspect of our society. The Pentagon has just awarded war contractors DynCorp and Fluor Corp five-year deals worth up to $7.5 billion dollars. The companies will provide ‘support and logisitics’ at U.S. military bases across Afghanistan. The Afghanistan officials have just returned from India, seeking help for developing the country's road transport network --read logistics. There are many Indian companies and businessmen looking at the lucrative subcontracts in the war zones. While these robotic wars and multi billion dollar defence contracts fuel a permanent war like situation in South Asia now, the human suffering and mounting casualty figures are dumped by the mainstream media to justify the "good war" of private Rambos.

In just one day this month, at least 45 people were reported killed Wednesday in two U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan’s South Waziristan region. It was the second consecutive day of U.S. drone attacks inside Pakistan and the sixth attack in just over two weeks.Meanwhile in Afghanistan, at least 25 people have been killed in a bombing south of Kabul. Sixteen students and four police were among the dead. In Iraq, more than fifty people have been killed in separate bombing attacks. At least 34 people died and 60 were wounded in a double suicide attack in the northern town of Talafar. Another seven people were killed and around 20 injured when bombs struck the Sadr City district of Baghdad. Sixteen people were also killed in twin bombings in Mosul. Reports suggest that now Iraqi children are recruited to plant bombs anywhere in the country, for a paltry payment of $2!

Mohanlal should not lend his name or public image to create more militarism and patriotic jingoism that will be used to justify purchase of unwanted military hardware and create wars to perpetuate the interest of the Indian and global military industrial complexes. He should keep away from the Permanent War Economy advocates. He should not be endorsing unjust wars and innocent killings against soverign countries --be it Iraq, Afghanistan or Iran. Ideally, Govardhan Menon, Lals character in Kalapani should be a role model for a country like India. Being a part of the military industrial complex, he will be remembered more as the Mirza Khan of Kala Pani (Amrish Puris role) as a stooge of British imeperial masters, and not as Doctor Govardhan, who fight fiercely against foreign colonial masters-- Colonialism is replaced by neo colonialsm and the colonial wars are replaced by the "war on terror."

Why Mohanlal and not Mamootty?

Mamootty, the Malayalam superstar, did not become the brand ambassador of Indian army for obvious reasons. A K Antony is a true secular leader, but has to work under the constraints of real politics. Whether Mammootty is interested or not in the position, the socio-political situation in the country is not conducive for the superstar from the minority community to be considered for the post.. of a brand ambassador. Reasons? The same uwritten rules that resulted in the ouster of T Siddique, former KSU presidents from that post, immediately after the election. Or E Ahmed, the former Minister of State for foreign Affairs who is now dumped as the Deputy Railway Minister --a great fall from past diplomatic glory. The same fate affected the fortunes of M A Shanavas, the Wayanad Congress MP representing the minority community in the new UPA Government. Or if you stretch your imagination further, the same logic applied by the Indian Prime Minister to keep away Muslim journalists from his media list, during a foreign visit or the tactical removal of Muslim police officials from the VIP escort force during a high profile Kerala visit from New Delhi. The reasons for dumping the minority community leaders and actors is to be viewed in the background of the current global geo political situation. The war on terror in Pakistan-Afghanistan boarder involves killing hundreds of innocent civilians, read Muslims. The next projected war may involve the US, Israel surgical attack against Iranian nuclear facilities. Perhaps with overt and cover Indian tactical and logistical support for the strike. Keeping such leaders like Siddique, Shanavas, Ahmed or even our own Mamookka as the brand ambassador of the army will be a major irritant for the government -- a junior partner of US and Israel now....

India-Israel-Turkey Project for Crude Oil Pipeline

The Foreign Minister of Turkey, during his visit to India in February 2008, had outlined a proposal for cooperation between Turkey, Israel and India for transportation of crude oil from the Caspian region through the Mediterranean and Red Sea and into India. Briefly, this project envisages transport of crude oil from Ceyhan port in Turkey to Ashkelon port in Israel in the Mediterranean Sea, initially through very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and eventually by laying a sub-sea pipeline. Thereafter, crude oil will be transported through the existing Ashkelon-Eilat pipeline in Israel to Eilat port on the Red Sea. From there, crude oil may be carried to India/other parts of Asia, Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today. . The project is still in a conceptual stage and requires a detailed feasibility study to establish its techno-commercial viability. A tripartite meeting between Turkey-Israel-India was held in September 2008 at Ankara to discuss conceptual features of the project. Since the project is still at the conceptual stage, the total quantity of crude oil that will be imported from Turkey, cannot be determined at this juncture.

The implementation of PNG in various cities will be taken up in a phased manner as and when the bids are called for by Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB). Currently seven cities, namely, Yanam, Shahdol, Rajahmundry, Ghaziabad, Chandigarh, Jhansi & Allahabad, are under bidding process by PNGRB in the second round of bidding. In the first round of bidding, which concluded in March 2009, bids were called for six cities, namely, Kota, Dewas, Sonepat, Meerut, Kakinada & Mathura. Once the cities are awarded on the basis of bid, the City Gas Distribution projects will be executed by the Company authorized for the same, the Minister said. As regards Agra, Green Gas Limited, a Joint Venture of GAIL(India) Limited, IOC, and State Government of U.P., has been authorized by Central Government for implementing PNG & Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the city. PNGRB Act, 2006 provides the legal framework for the development of city or local gas distribution networks for inter alia supply of PNG.

The PNGRB Act provides that when PNGRB forms an opinion that it is necessary or expedient to lay, build, operate or expand a city or local natural gas distribution network in a specified geographic area, it may give wide publicity of its intention to do so and may invite applications from interested parties to lay, build, operate or expand city or local natural gas distribution network.

As on 01.04.2009, Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) were operating 182 LPG bottling plants with a total bottling capacity of 8967 Thousand Metric Tonnes Per Annum (TMTPA). LPG bottling plants are set up by OMCs on the basis of techno-economic feasibility after taking into consideration the demand potential of packed LPG. Three bottling plants one each at Muzzafarpur (Bihar), Baroda (Gujarat) and Irumpanam (Kerala) are under construction. OMCs have proposed to set up 14 more new LPG bottling plants in the country. The location-wise/State-wise details are as under :-Vizag (Andhra Pradesh) , Raipur (Chattisgarh) , Mangalore (Karnataka) , Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) Kolhapur (Maharashtra) Badnera (Maharashtra) Akolner (Maharashtra) Nagpur (Maharashtra) Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) Virudhachalam (Tamil Nadu) and Madurai (Tamil Nadu).

Protection of Indian Overseas Workers

The protection and welfare of emigrant workers requires bilateral cooperation. India had signed Labour Agreements with Jordan and Qatar in 1980s. The Ministry, after its creation in 2004, has made concerted efforts to enter into bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with all the major receiving Countries for ensuring the safety and welfare of our emigrant workers. MoUs have been signed with UAE in December, 2006, with Kuwait in April 2007, with Oman in November 2008, with Malaysia in January 2009 and with Bahrain in June, 2009, said the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Shri Vayalar Ravi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha . The MoUs contain broad principles for enhancing employment opportunities and for ensuring that the recruitment and terms of employment are in conformity with the laws of both the Countries, measures to be taken by the host Country for protection and welfare of the workers and constitution of a Joint Working Group for effective implementation of the MoU.