Morning Brief: Israeli Job Scheme For Indians Hits Snag; Rahul Gandhi Attacks BJP, RSS In US For Second Straight Day; New Incentive Scheme For Farmers Runs Into Trouble

Dear reader, start your day sharp with the latest headlines and essential insights that keep you in the know.

Israeli Job Scheme For Indian Workers Hits A Snag

A bilateral job scheme aimed at deploying Indian workers to Israel's construction sector, launched after the ban on over 100,000 Palestinian workers following the Hamas attack on October 7 last year, is facing serious challenges. The scheme is unraveling due to a significant skill mismatch discovered after an assessment process, which over-promised the workers' capabilities. Israel has responded by re-deploying these workers to unskilled or industrial jobs in non-construction sectors. According to an investigation by The Indian Express, the problems have damaged the reputation of Indian labor abroad.

Israeli executives and Indian officials acknowledge the need for a "course correction," with manpower agencies estimating that 500-600 workers have already returned to India. Official data shows that around 5,000 workers were recruited through two pathways: Government-to-Government and Business-to-Business. Workers recruited through the former pathway have predominantly faced issues related to skills.

Rahul Gandhi Criticises BJP, RSS In US For Second Straight Day

Ignoring advice from some of his associates, who want him to discuss his vision, Rahul Gandhi bizarrely continued to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS for the second consecutive day in the US. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, currently on a three-day visit to the US, claimed that the sense of fear among people before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls has disappeared, and the "idea of Mr. Modi, 56-inch chest, direct connection with god, that’s all gone, it’s history now."

Addressing the Indian diaspora community in Herndon, Virginia, on September 9, the Congress leader asserted that "something has definitely changed" in India following the general elections. He also made a bizarre claim against the RSS, accusing the outfit of suggesting that "certain states are inferior to other states and certain religions are inferior to other religions."

New Incentive Scheme For Farmers Hits A Roadblock

The Finance Ministry has rejected a proposal from the Agriculture Ministry to offer Rs 20,000 per hectare as a one-time incentive for farmers adopting natural farming. The proposal, circulated by the Agriculture Ministry under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was deemed "considerably higher" than the Rs 15,000 per hectare incentive previously approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC).

The EFC's approval for the Rs 15,000 incentive was made during the financial year 2022-23 when Narendra Singh Tomar was the Agriculture Minister. The Agriculture Ministry's draft Cabinet note for the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) was based on this earlier approval. The Finance Ministry's recent decision reflects concerns over exceeding the previously set limits.

"Lying": Kolkata Rape Victim's Mother Slams Mamata Banerjee

The mother of the trainee doctor from Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of lying about not offering financial compensation. She refuted Banerjee's claim, asserting that the Chief Minister did offer money following her daughter's tragic death.

"The Chief Minister is lying. My daughter will not return. Would I lie in her name? She told us we would receive money and suggested creating something in my daughter's memory," the victim's mother told ANI, adding, "I responded that I would come to her office to collect the money once my daughter gets justice".Banerjee had previously denied offering any money, calling it slander.

Other Developments

Profit Boom Fails to Spark Corporate Spending

However, this profit boom has not led to a proportional increase in investment in fixed assets such as plant and machinery. The rise in earnings has not significantly boosted overall demand, resulting in lacklustre revenue growth. Additionally, revenue and profit growth have been volatile in recent years, complicating companies' ability to forecast future performance. This volatility has led to cautious corporate capital spending plans.

VHP Discusses Hindutva Issues With Retired Judges, Law Minister

Around 30 retired Supreme Court and high court judges attended a meeting organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) legal cell on 8 September. The gathering, which included Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, focused on legal disputes over the Varanasi and Mathura temples, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, and religious conversions.

VHP president Alok Kumar explained that the meeting allowed a free exchange of views between the judges and the VHP. Issues such as the control and handing back of temples, conversions, and temple liberation were discussed. VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal added that nationalism, Hindutva, and laws impacting Hindus were also part of the discussions.

Three Train Derailment Attempts Reported In One Week

In the past week, there have been three attempts to derail trains and two instances of stone-pelting, raising concerns of criminal intent, according to railway ministry officials. In one case, a train in Kanpur narrowly avoided disaster after hitting a cooking cylinder placed on the tracks, thanks to the quick action of the loco pilot.

Investigations at the scene uncovered petrol and matches, further indicating malicious intent. Authorities are particularly alarmed after a Pakistan-based terrorist, Farhatullah Ghori, released a video encouraging train derailments to disrupt supply chains. Since June 2023, 17 similar incidents involving track tampering have been reported.

From The States

BJP Considers Ticket Review Amid Haryana Dissent

As dissent brews in the Haryana BJP over ticket distribution since the announcement of the first list of 67 candidates, there is talk of potentially reviewing some selections. Party insiders suggest that a review is possible due to the significant discontent. However, some argue that replacing a few candidates might not resolve the underlying issues and could lead to further dissatisfaction. Changing names on an already announced list could also reflect poorly on the party's decisiveness.

BJP Allies In Maharashtra Likely To Get Desired Seat Share

Facing alliance troubles, the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra saw Amit Shah stepping in as the BJP’s chief troubleshooter. Shah held extensive talks with BJP leaders and met with alliance partners Shiv Sena and NCP at Mumbai airport before heading to Delhi. He urged the party’s core committee to aim for winning 125 seats in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Shah reassured partners Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar of a favourable seat share, despite the growing public discord within the alliance. The airport meeting focused on addressing these differences, with key leaders including Shah, Shinde, Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis, and Praful Patel present.

Kolkata Police Chief Offered To Resign But We Need Him: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee revealed that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal had offered to resign. However, she has decided to hold off on accepting his resignation until after the Durga Puja festivities. The Commissioner’s resignation is being demanded by junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of a colleague at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Banerjee emphasized that Goyal’s expertise in managing Kolkata’s situation is crucial during the upcoming festive season. She urged the striking doctors to return to work and enjoy the festivities.

Stay tuned for the latest updates through the day.