Undercover Nov1
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Transcript of Undercover Nov1
NOVEMBER
Energy consumption in India and the efficient
ways
2002, First action by Govt. towards energy
conservation: Energy Conservation Act in
2002. The Act sought efficiency measures and
a legal framework to implement them
throughout the country.
2006 : In 2006, BEE introduced star rating of
appliances to influence consumer choice and
push the market towards improving the
energy efficiency of products ; Established a 5
star ratings of various products , bandwidth
decided for different ratings (revised every 2nd
year); putting the rating on the product made
mandatory, hence products with below
minimum rating banned from production.
Issues with rating system: a) 5 star products
for many products are very expensive.
b) Rating system still not put in place for many
products.
c) The energy consumption thresholds for
labelled products have not been raised at a
desired pace. Experts say one reason for this
is the resistance from manufacturers,
particularly in the unorganised sector, who
may find it difficult to improve manufacturing
technologies.
d) Indian rating system still not on par with
global standards.
Moving
towards super efficiency(LEDs and other
efficient products.)
a) Incentivesing super-efficient products.
b) Upgrading the baseline for 5 star
rating system.
c) Cross subsidizing , or charging more
for low-efficiency products and
passing on the subsidy to super-
efficient products.
d) For the manufacturers, making excise
duty inversely proportional to the star
rating of the product.
e) Majority of fan production is in the
organized sector, still the 5 star rating
fans haven’t picked up in the market;
In January 2014, the Union Cabinet
cleared a programme(Super-Efficient
Equipment Programme (SEEP)) to
provide incentives for the production
of 35 W ceiling fans, which are twice
as efficient as the conventional fan.
There is a two-way process: the star
rating of fans would be made
mandatory to push up the floor of
performance, while SEEP will provide
financial incentives to companies so
that they can pull up the ceiling level.
The reason for the low acceptability
of high efficiency fans being low cubic
meters of air available has also been
addressed in the SEEP.
f) Lighting provides the biggest scope
for saving energy as it accounts for
nearly a third of the electricity
consumed by appliances in Indian
houses ; 2009, Bachat Lamp Yojana :
Re[placement of incandescent lamps
with CFLs & subsidizing the price of
CFL (Rs 80-100), bringing it on a par
with an incandescent bulb (Rs 15) in
project areas.
g) As per BEE the barriers to LED in India
are limited product availability in the
country; high initial cost; absence of
national technical standards for LEDs,
leading to the import of substandard
devices; lack of testing protocols and
laboratories; and lack of incentives for
major LED firms to make them in
India.
h) Lumen/Watt should be the
parameter for measuring the
efficiency of a lighting fixture.
i) BEE has worked out a model for
promoting LED bulbs together with
the Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL)-a joint venture of four Central
power sectorPSUs-and electricity
distribution companies. Under this
model, EESL procures LED bulbs in
bulk and sells them to families at Rs
10 instead of the market price of Rs
400. The electricity distribution
companies then repay EESL over a
period of five to eight years from the
savings that accrue due to the use of
energy-efficient lights. Bulk purchase
of LEDs by EESL also brings down their
cost of LEDs.
j) However, there have been design
issues with LEDs, when they are
designed to retrofit the incandescent
lamps or CFLs.(Tube-Lights are also
inefficiently designed with half of
their light falling on the wall)
k) Also, LED, like CFL, requires careful
handling. While CFL contains mercury,
researchers at the University of
California have found the presence of
heavy metals like lead, arsenic and
nickel in LEDs. And very few
municipalities in India are equipped to
deal with this dangerous waste.
l) ACs : The AC market globally is
shifting to super-efficient inverter
technology. “All the ACs sold in Japan
and half in China are inverter ACs,
while in India the share of this
technology is just 5 per cent.
What is an inverter AC? The standard
fixed-speed AC has a single-speed
compressor motor that switches off
when the desired temperature is
reached and on again when the
temperature rises to a set level.
Inverter technology uses a variable-
speed compressor motor that slows
down and speeds up as needed. This
provides a more precise room
temperature and is, therefore, about
30 per cent more energy efficient
than fixed-speed ACs.
The inverter AC technology costs
more but the Indian star rating
system does not recognise the extra
edge it provides. No differentiation
has been made in the Indian rating
system for inverter ACs.
m) Indian rating system needs to be
tweaked, rating is done in laboratory
conditions, and hence actual
performance of the product is not as
good. Rating system needs to factor in
climatic and other factors(as done in
the US and EU).
SC rules famers have the first right over the
sugar
Sugar farmers suicide in large nos. Why?
Sugar mill owners take sugarcane from famers
> produce sugar> mortgage the sugar to
Banks for loans in the name of working
capital> sell the leftover sugar to others, and
divert the proceeds for other purposes >
leaving very little sugar for repaying the dues
of farmers > Hence, little and late payment of
dues to famers> famers taking to suicide in
large numbers.
Till now, Courts had recognized the
rights of Banks over the Sugar.
It is alleged that there is a nexus of
Govt.,banks and mill owners. e.g. Mill
owners don’t pay farmers their due>
Govt. doles out money to the mill
owners for the repayment of dues
(like the UP govt. did few months
back) > Mill owners again divert the
money leaving little for the farmers>
this whole cycle burns a big hole in
govt. treasuries, while doing very little
to alleviate the perennial plight of
sugarcane growers.
However, such decisions will hurt the
business sentiments, hence a solution
acceptable to all the parties should be
worked out.
Experts think that there should be a
proper system in place and farmers
should think about having their own
cooperative. “It is a failure of the
present system that it is unable to
check the arbitrary nature of mill
owners who fail to pay arrears within
15 days. Cane growers cannot be left
at the mercy of private mills. They
should think about their own
cooperative to come out of this mess
forever,”
Silent killer: HEPATITISCVIRUS (HCV)
The HEPATITISCVIRUS (HCV) causes acute
and chronic infections. The hepatitis C virus
(HCV) spreads in the same manner as
HIV/AIDS—through sexual transmission and
blood. Acute HCV infection is usually
asymptomatic, and very rarely associated
with life-threatening diseases. About 15-45
per cent of infected people spontaneously
clear the virus within six months of infection
without any treatment.
Rest 55-85 per cent develop chronic HCV
infection. People with chronic HCV infection
have a 15-30 per cent risk of developing liver
cirrhosis within 20 years. If not treated, liver
cirrhosis can cause liver failure or liver
cancer. According to WHO, three per cent of
world has been infected with HCV and
350,000 to 500,000 people die each year from
HCV-related liver diseases.
Costly cure
Hepatitis C TREATMENT is extremely costly.
In the absence of government policy, costs
vary depending on the type of medication,
duration, drug rates and local taxes. In
general, the treatment requires
administration of interferon injections once a
week for six months to two years. The cost of
the injection is between Rs 5,000 and Rs
7,000. But interferon has side effects such has
high fever, vomiting and anxiety.
Govt. doesn’t have any programme now for
Hepatitis C
Coal Mines (Special Provisions)
Ordinance,2014 Issued
On August 25, the Supreme Court cancelled
all coal blocks allocations made by the central
government from 1993 -2011 except four coal
blocks.
The Ordinance provides for the procedure for
auction of these coal blocks.
Main Features of Ordinance –
Categorization of Coal Mines –
The coal mines are categorized as –
Schedule I – It consists of all 214 coal blocks
cancelled by the Supreme Court Judgment.
Schedule II – It is a subset of Schedule I mines
and includes those where production has
started.
Schedule III – Subset of Schedule I and
consists of coal blocks marked for a specific
purpose by the government.
Allocation Process
Schedule I coal mines will be allocated by way
of public auctions not exceeding Rs. 5 Crores.
General Eligibility
Government Companies or Corporations
Any company incorporated in India
Joint venture between any two or more
companies
The above three types are eligible to
participate in the public auction by
competitive bidding
Eligibility for Schedule I and II
The above mentioned companies are also
eligible for bidding for Schedule I and II as
long as they are engaged in specific end use.
(Power generation, cement etc.)
Allotment of Mines
The government can allot mines to
Government Company which is not a joint
venture with a private company.
Company which has been awarded a power
project on the basis of competitive bidding for
tariffs through an allotment order.
Case of Prior Allottees
A Prior allottee shall not be eligible to
participate in the auction process if:
The Allottee has not paid the additional levy
imposed by the supreme court in its previous
August order.
The Allottee is convicted of an offence related
to coal block allocations and sentenced to
imprisonment for more than 3 yrs.
Responsibility of Central Government
The central government shall be vested with
the lease or license for all Schedule I mines
from April 1, 2015.
Amendments to other acts
The ordinance amends the Coal Mines
(Nationalisation) Act, 1973 and the Mines and
Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act,
1957 to allow for the changes proposed.
Other Important Pts.
o The ordinance also approved a plan
for e-auctioning of the cancelled coal blocks
to end user private players from cement, steel
and power sector.
o The proceeds from the e-auction of
coal mines will entirely go to the states where
they are located, which would lead to
financial empowerment of these states.
o The land acquired back after the
cancellation of coal mines would be valued by
an independent authority under the Coal
Nationalisation Act.
This ordinance is mainly aimed at the
expeditious disposal of the entire coal
allocation process that will be eventually a
boost for the manufacturing sector and save
foreign exchange on coal imports.
Deregulation of Diesel Prices and Regulation
of Gas Prices –
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
decided to make the price of diesel market
determined.
In addition, a new gas pricing formula has
been approved –
• A modified Rangrajan formula, where
the upward revision in price will be 75% less
as compared to the price determined by the
original Rangrajan formula.
• Price shall be notified on half yearly
basis and will be on gross calorific value basis.
• A premium on gas prices will be
provided for discoveries in Ultra Deep Water,
Deep Water and High Pressure-High Temp.
Areas.
• Subsidy for gas supplied to the North
East region will continue and same to be also
provided to private operators.
Modified Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme to
be re-launched in the country
The Union Cabinet approved the modified
Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme in LPG.It will
be launched in 54 districts from November
1,2014 and in rest of the country by
January1,2015.
Features-
o Persons without Aadhar will also
receive the LPG subsidy. The subsidy will be
credited to their bank accounts directly.
o Grace period of three months for
consumers to join the scheme, during which
the consumers will receive the cylinders at
subsidized prices. After the grace period, if
the consumer does not join the scheme, there
is an additional three month parking period,
during which consumer will pay according to
the market price but the subsidy will be
credited to the bank account as soon as the
consumer joins the scheme.
o Revamped Grievance Redressal
System.
Schemes Launched by Ministry of Labour –
Prime Minister unveiled new measures for the
youth, workers and employees to improve
ease of doing business for enterprises while
expanding government support for training
workers.
• Apprentice Protsahan Yojana –
o This yojana will support
manufacturing units mainly and other
establishments by reimbursing 50% of the
stipend paid to apprentices during first two
yrs. of their training.
o Basic Training component of the
curriculum is being restructured on scientific
principles to make it more effective.
o Enhancing the rate of stipend and
indexing it to minimum wages of semi-skilled
workers.
• Universal Account Number –
Under this scheme, complete
information for approx. 4crore subscribers of
Employee Provident Fund has been centrally
compiled and digitized and a Universal
Account Number has been allotted to all.
o The Universal Account Number is
being seeded with Bank account and Aadhar
Card and other KYC details for financial
inclusion of vulnerable section of society and
their unique identification.
o It will ensure that all the subscribers
of EPF will have direct access to their EPF
accounts and will also enable them to
consolidate all their previous accounts.
o Minimum pension has been set at
Rs.1000 per month and wage ceiling has been
raised from Rs.6500 to Rs. 15000 to ensure
that vulnerable groups are covered under this
scheme.
• Random Labour Inspection Scheme –
Features -
o A computerized list of inspections will
be generated randomly based on pre-
determined objective criteria.
o Complaint based inspections will also
be determined centrally after examination
based on data and evidence.
o Provision for emergency list for
inspection of serious cases in specific
circumstances.
Objective of this scheme is to provide a check
on the arbitrariness in compliance
mechanism.
• Shram Suvidha Portal –
Features -
o Unique Labour Identification number
will be allotted to units to facilitate online
registration.
o Filing of self certified and simplified
single online return by the Industry.
o Mandatory uploading of inspection
reports within 72hrs. by the Labour
Inspectors.
Objective is to bring in the necessary ease in
compliance of provisions related to labour
and will be a step forward in promoting the
ease of doing business. It will also help in the
informed policy process.
National Mental Health Policy –
The National Mental Health Policy launched
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
outlines the prioritized agenda for extending
within a pragmatic time frame based mental
health care facilities to all sections of the
population across the country by 2020.
Also pushes for decriminisaltion of attempted
suicide.
Main Strategies on Implementing –
o Extension of basic mental health care
facilities to the primary level.
o Strengthening of psychiatric training
in Medical Colleges at the Undergraduate as
well as postgraduate level.
o Modernization and rationalization of
mental hospitals to develop them into tertiary
care centers of excellence.
o Empowerment of Central and State
Mental Health Authorities for effective
monitoring, regulation and planning of mental
health care systems.
o Promoting research in mental areas.
Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana –
o Yojana launched for the development
of model villages or Adarsh Grams.
o Under this, each Member of
Parliament take the responsibility of
developing physical and institutional
infrastructure in three villages by 2019.
o Goal is to develop three Adarsh grams
by March 2019 of which one would be
achieved by 2016. Thereafter, five such
Adarsh grams will be selected and developed
by 2024.
o It envisages integrated development
of the selected villages across multiple areas
such as Agriculture, health, education,
sanitation, livelihoods etc.
o The planning process in each village
will be a participatory exercise coordinated by
the District Collector, he will act as the nodal
officer. The MP will play an active facilitating
role in this exercise.
o At national level, a real time web
based monitoring system will be put in place
for the scheme covering all aspects and
components.
Swachhta Udyami Yojana –
o This Yojana provides financial
assistance to safai karamcharis and identified
manual scavengers for
o Construction and operation of
community toilets.
o Purchase of sanitation related
vehicles.
o Beneficaries will be provided loans at
intrest rate of 3-4% per annum.
India to Import Potatoes to curb prices –
India is planning to import potatoes in order
to increase domestic availability and curb
rising prices.
School of Planning and Architecture Bill,2014
–
o The Union Cabinet gave its approval
to introduce the School of Planning and
Architecture Bill, 2014 in the parliament to
bring all three schools of planning and
architecture (Delhi, Bhopal, and Vijayawada)
within the ambit of this bill.
o The proposed act will empower these
schools to award degrees through an Act of
Parliament.
o This would enable it to become
centres of excellence like IIT, NIT.
o All money spent apart from public
exchequer will be accounted for and audited
by the CAG and annual reports will be placed
before the parliament.
FDI Policy in the Construction Development
Sector Amended – ‘
The amendment allows 100% FDI under
automatic route in the construction
development sector.
Investment will be subject to following
conditions –
- Minimum floor area of 20,000sq. ft.
- Minimum FDI of USD 5million
required within six months of commencement
of project.
- Investor will be permitted to exit on
completion of project or after three years.
Project shall conform to all buildings and land
use norms and standards.
Swachh Bharat Mission replaces Nirmal
Bharat Abhiyan
o The Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan was
restructured and renamed as the Swachh
Bharat Mission.
o Swachh Bharat Mission will consist of
two sub missions;
o Swachh Bharat Mission for rural areas
and Swachh Bharat Mission for urban areas.
o The Ministry of Drinking, Water and
Sanitation will implement the Swachh Bharat
Mission (Gramin) (SBM-G) and Ministry of
Urban Development will implement the
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) (SBM-U).
Under the SBM-G, funds will be provided for
the following activities:
- Construction of household toilets.
- Construction of community sanitary
complexes.
- Solid Liquid Waste Mgmt.
- Information, Education,
Communication activities.
Features-
- Increase in amount provided for
household toilets from 10,000 Rs. To 12,000
Rs.
- Contribution from MGNREGA for
construction of household toilets has been
stopped.
- Construction of school toilets and
anganwadi toilets will be the responsibility of
Department of School Education and Literacy
and the Ministry of Women and Child
Development respectively.
P.S. Information on SBM-U has been covered
in detail in the previous issue of Undercover
Magazine.
India-Pakistan Relations: A Destructive Equilibrium The seven-decade rivalry between India and Pakistan is often portrayed as intractable – with good reason. The countries were birthed out of a bloody partition that encouraged each to define itself in opposition to the other, and they have fought four wars since. This year, though, encouraging overtures by newly elected prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Narendra Modi led some observers to cautiously hope that the two countries would step up cooperation on trade, energy, humanitarian, and environmental issues. Peace process started many time between both government butThus, a destructive equilibrium has emerged, in which both cooperative overtures and displays of deterrence by the Indian government have the potential to lead to a further deterioration of Indian and Pakistani relations. However, a new and more cooperative equilibrium could be achieved if India and reconciliatory elements within Pakistan’s government were able to establish patterns of cooperation on non-securitized issues, and prevent those issues from becoming securitized. Kashmir question is unlikely to be answered soon. While territorial disputes between states are usually bitter and persistent – states usually perceive competition over territory as a winner take all, zero sum proposition – Kashmir presents a particularly difficult case. For India, its claim to Kashmir rests on three main arguments. First, during Partition the ruler of Kashmir “choose” India over Pakistan (albeit in distress), giving India a legal claim to the territory. Second, retaining control over Kashmir is essential to India’s identity as a secular democracy, which can accommodate different ethnic and religious groups across a wide geographic area. And third, if India lost control of Kashmir, it would encourage separatist movements across the country.
Pakistan counters that India’s claim is illegitimate because, as a Muslim country established for Muslims, Pakistan should control a region like Kashmir that is predominantly Muslim and that culturally shares more with what is now Pakistan than it does with India. Moreover, Pakistan refutes India’s claim to Kashmir on the grounds that India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru promised Kashmir a UN administered plebiscite in 1956. This promise was not kept, denying Kashmir the right to self-determination. hen India cancelled talks between the foreign secretaries in retaliation for Pakistani meetings with Kashmiri separatist organizations Sharif sent a box of the “choicest Pakistani mangoes” to Modi in a bid to patch things up. Unfortunately, “mango diplomacy” could not block the Pakistani defense establishment, which had been empowered after protests forced Sharif to beg for the army’s help, which he got in return for handing it control over the country’s defense and foreign policy portfolios. India is pursuing a “tit-for-tat” strategy, in which it is willing to cooperate if Pakistan shows the willingness, but will respond to aggression with aggression. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s defense establishment has no interest in cooperation. The military will also use political means to stymie cooperative arrangements. For instance, while Sharifpromised to extend Most Favored Nation trading status to India without preconditions, the agreement remains un-ratified; the Pakistani government now holds that India must restart a comprehensive “composite dialogue,” which includes the issue of Kashmir, before Pakistan will consider ratifying the agreement. While populist protectionist impulses and distrust of India are partially explain this backtracking, a “substantial part of the business community, in particular small and medium sized enterprises fear being overwhelmed by cheap Indian goods.”
Notably, many former Pakistani soldiers and officers own or are employed by these enterprises. Thus, the military has an incentive “protect their own” by pressuring the civilian government against ratification. External factors also militate against movement towards a cooperative equilibrium. The NATO drawdown in Afghanistan is creating a space for increased competition between India and Pakistan, which both view Afghanistan as strategically important. Analysts also fear that the drawdown in Afghanistan will result in an influx of militants into Kashmir, something the Pakistani defense establishment may encourage, to prevent them from coming to Pakistan instead. Glimmers of Hope Still, there are glimmers of hope. Pakistan and India have managed to cooperate on “non-securitized,” non-zero sum issues like disaster response and energy, and the countries have made good faith efforts to deepen trade ties. India pledged relief to Pakistan after the latter’s devastating 2010 earthquake, and Pakistan reciprocated after recent floods in Indian administered Kashmir. The two countries have also discussed a proposal to share information about the level of rivers that run between the two countries to form an early warning flood system. India and Pakistan also inked a gas sharing agreement, which encourages efforts to bind South and Central Asia together through the proposed TAPI pipeline, which would run through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. The pipeline could help alleviate Pakistan’s chronic gas shortages, which cost the country 6 percent of its GDP a year. These areas present opportunities for small clusters of Pakistani and Indian officials, businessmen, and think-tankers to cooperate on low-profile issues, and discuss the benefits of, and terms for, deeper cooperation on more substantive issues. Small wins in Track II diplomacy settings could spill over and push India and Pakistan
towards a more cooperative equilibrium. Issues of national security are traditionally viewed as “zero-sum”: One party gains from the other party’s losses. Thus, if diplomats or technocrats allow the Indian or Pakistani defense establishments to securitize issues like water sharing or energy cooperation, compromises will become that much harder to reach, as any concession will be painted as possibly undermining national security. Thus, discussions over these issues should be kept quiet (and preferably held in Track II settings like think tank symposiums) and achievements should be publicized little, if at all. The United States could help create an environment that is more conducive to cooperation by maintaining the largest possible military presence in Afghanistan that its agreement with Kabul allows until 2016, dissuading Pakistan and India from exacerbating their competition there (at least in the short run). While this may not end the enduring rivalry between India and Pakistan, it’s imperative for the prosperity and stability of the region that opportunities for cooperation be pursued further. The most pressing issue is climate change, a transnational threat that requires transnational responses. For instance, Pakistan’s water supply is expected to shrink by 30 percent over the next 20 years, while its population is projected to nearly double by 2050. This could severely strain the vital Indus Water Treaty, which governs water sharing between the two countries. India also stands to gain through greater cooperation: Climate change threatens to wipe out 8.7 percent of India’s GDP through an increase in floods and droughts unless adaptation and mitigation measures are taken. India could become more resilient to floods by sharing river level information with Pakistan to form an early warning system, and by discussing best practices for making land and communities more resilient to climate change. The two countries could also jointly lobby major powers to reduce their carbon
dioxide emissions further., other actors, most notably the Pakistani defense establishment and its terrorist proxies, are derailing the process. There are two reasons. First, they see further cooperation and integration between India and Pakistan as putting off negotiations to settle the Kashmir issue. Second, from a broader perspective, closer relations between India and Pakistan would undermine the perception, held by a substantial portion of the Pakistani public, that India poses an existential threat to Pakistan. Both the military and terrorists would lose their raison d’être if this were to occur. http://thediplomat.com/2014/11/india-pakistan-relations-a-destructive-equilibrium/
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) - constituted in 1985 - first summit was held in Dhaka - economic and geopolitical organisation of eight countries that are primarily located in South Asia (Afghanistan (only central Asian country,joined in 2005), Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). - Secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal. - aim to promote welfare economics, collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia, and to accelerate socio-cultural development in the region The 18th summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is to be held in Kathmandu from November 22 to 27. Present status - more or less ineffective because heads of state get together every once in a while, there is no significant two-way flow of ideas, resources, trade or people between any two countries in the region, let alone among all SAARC member states. Present Utility- can solve problems that are beyond the capabilities of individual
member and require a joint, region-wide approach. The world is far more interconnected than it was in 1985, for better and for worse. Resources, people, and perhaps most crucially, information flows on an unprecedented scale through borders. Some of these flows have the potential to dramatically enhance well-being while others threaten to produce disastrous consequences. The speed with which they move puts them beyond the control of any single nation state. Take the growth of the murderous philosophy of the Islamic State; even the United States has admitted that it was surprised by the rapidity with which the group has emerged. Stringent border controls may serve to filter out “bad” flows some of the time, but they cannot be effective all of the time for e.g. migration from Bangladesh to India, drug smuggling from Afghanistan via Pakistan to Punjab But if stringent border patrols are only partially effective in curtailing the flow of things with “bad” consequences, it actively discourages flows with “good” consequences. Harsh patrolling deters trade and the movement of ordinary people from place to place. Both of these flows could help the economies of countries on both sides of the border grow. Again, if the countries had the ability to rapidly access and share information about the movement of people and goods, the need for such rigorous patrolling of the border would diminish. Resources could be deployed more effectively to places where its presence was actually necessary. Without impediment, relations between people on opposite sides of the border – economic, social and cultural – could flourish.
In recent years, South Asian heads of state
have tried to transform SAARC from a
marginal player into a proactive force within
the region. The formation of South Asian
University, and the introduction of free
trade regimes like SAFTA and SAPTA are
example initiatives. Recently, SAARC
members have agreed on the need to open
a regional bank. While all of these are
important steps in achieving regional
cooperation, they won’t get very far if there
is, as is the case today, a trust deficit among
the countries. Member countries are not
willing to be fair or open with one another.
Trade and cooperation can only really occur
in an atmosphere of trust, which in turn
cannot be created overnight.
Sharing information about issues that
concern the region is one way SAARC
members could begin to bridge this trust
deficit. Once cooperation on this crucial but
neglected area begins, it could facilitate
cooperation in other areas. Equally
importantly, South Asian countries need to
trust SAARC. They need to appreciate that
they have created an institution that could
truly lead to wider cooperation between
member states and that, by marginalizing it,
they only hurt themselves. http://thediplomat.com/2014/10/the-saarc-a-bloc-whose-time-has-come/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asian_Association_for_Regional_Cooperation More on SAARC - South Asian Free Trade Area SAFTA was envisaged primarily as the first step towards the transition to a South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) leading subsequently towards a Customs Union, Common Market and Economic Union.The SAFTA Agreement was signed on 6 January 2004 during Twelfth SAARC Summit held in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2006, and the Trade Liberalisation Programme commenced from 1 July 2006. Under this agreement, SAARC members will bring their duties down to 20 per cent by 2009. Following the Agreement coming into force the SAFTA Ministerial Council (SMC) has been established comprising the Commerce Ministers of the Member States.
SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme - launched in 1992 - certain categories of dignitaries entitled to a Special Travel document exempted from visas within the region. - Council of Ministers regularly kept under review the list of entitled categories. - list included 24 categories of entitled persons, which include Dignitaries, Judges of higher courts, Parliamentarians, Senior Officials, Businessmen, Journalists, Sportsmen etc. - Visa Stickers are issued by the respective Member States to the entitled categories of that particular country. The validity of the Visa Sticker is generally for one year. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank - Established at Beijing along with 21 other member countries, including India - a new and a highly significant financial institution emerged on the geo-strategic horizon of Asia - to boost economic development and regional economic cooperation by supporting investment in infrastructure and other projects in Asian countries. * Reason behind it while World bank and Asian development is already there - 1. Bcz neither World bank nor ADB are in a position to cater to the rising demands of Asian countries for infrastructure funding. 2. Some countries also sees the establishment of the AIIB as an attempt by China to pull South- East Asian countries closer to its orbit and a soft-power play that promises economic benefits while refurbishing its image among its Asian neighbours. US response - US is against AIIB since the inception of idea 1. has criticized AIIB as a ‘deliberate effort to undercut’ the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank; international financial institutions that are dominated by the United States and Japan. 2. new bank would ‘fail to meet environmental standards, procurement requirements and other safeguards adopted
by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, including protection intended to prevent the forced removal of vulnerable populations from their lands. 3. US think that this move will attract other countries especially S-E Asian countries towards China However the geo-strategic implications of this move, despite strenuous US opposition, should not be lost.
The 'One-India Policy' Needs More Thought Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s recent articulation of the One-India Policy finally gave official expression to India’s long-held suspicion that its friendly geopolitical concessions and gestures toward the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have gone unrequited.If this thought can become inherent in India’s China policy, it would indeed mark a significant departure. However, the government needs to flesh out some more details for the thought to become policy. It should have a clear perspective on whether it wants to put forward the One-India Policy with respect to India’s China policy only, or if it wants to make it the general framework of a more confident foreign policy. India has consistently maintained that China never truly appreciated India’s swift change of recognition from the Republic of China (ROC) to the PRC in 1949; its championing of China’s entry into the UN; its surrender of extra-territorial rights inherited from the British Indian government in Tibet to China; and its refusal to join the U.S. and its allies in isolating China after the Tiananmen Square episode. India in return complains that China has maintained ambiguity with regard to the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, even during the heyday of the India-China friendship in the 1950s; it has propped up a nuclear Pakistan against India
and essentially follows a balance of power approach towards India in South Asia, East Asia and Central Asia; and it has been less than forthcoming in supporting India in its fight against terrorism. Contrary to the PRC’s One-China Policy, the One-India Policy is still just a thought, not policy. The One-China Policy stems from China’s domestic political context – more precisely from the Chinese Civil War. The One-China Policy is not about the existing boundaries of the PRC. It is about China’s claim over Taiwan and its refusal to accept the existence of the ROC. Support for the policy is a precondition for any country that might want to have diplomatic relations with the PRC; Beijing refuses to countenance any simultaneous recognition of the PRC and the ROC. And China has been successful in getting the world to accept its policy, with the exception of some 22 small Pacific Island, Latin American and African countries that still recognize the ROC as a sovereign nation. International organizations, membership of which requires statehood, are closed to Taiwan. India has no comparable political context. It is largely content with its territory after the partition in 1947. Within the existing boundaries of the Union of India, the government’s writ is nearly ubiquitous. There are no claimants to state power outside the constitution, with the possible yet negligible exception of the ultra-leftist Maoist rebels (Naxals). For many, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) would be a reference point for the One-India Policy, in view of the Chinese presence in the area. Both houses of Indian parliament passed a resolution in 1994 demanding that Pakistan vacate its occupied territory in Jammu and Kashmir. Yet India has made virtually no military or diplomatic effort to regain the territory either before or after the resolution. But if New Delhi were to use the POK as a reference point for its One-India Policy, would it do so only in its relations with
China, or with other countries too? Would it object to the presence of other countries in the POK? To what extent can India make recognition of its claim on POK a pre-condition for good relations? A host of countries that deem Kashmir a dispute between India and Pakistan choose to use phrases such as “India-administered Kashmir,” and do not show the POK as part of India on their maps. What would be the implications of making POK the touchstone for the One-India Policy for India-Pakistan relations? As for Chinese claims on Indian territories, what would be the policy objective of the One-India Policy? Would India harden its position on the boundary issue? Would it shun a negotiated settlement? Would it revise its policy on Tibet and Taiwan? And, what exactly would the One-India Policy expect from the international community regarding India’s boundary dispute with China? Another aspect of the One-India Policy could be to ensure international support for India’s fight against terrorism. In that case, the policy should be more geared toward countries to the west of India. This is where the larger international terrorist problem originates from, and where it receives most of its support. These are difficult questions that will need to be resolved for this idea to graduate to a One-India Policy. A clear enunciation of the context and objectives is essential if it is to resonate within the international community. Otherwise, it will remain a vague concept, an emotional response, and a non-starter.
Kerala Piravi
Kerala Piravi marks the birth of the state of
Kerala in India. The state of Kerala was created
on November 1, 1956. November 1 is therefore
known as Kerala Piravi Dinam (day) in the state.
Malayalees around the world celebrate
November 1 as Kerala Piravi, which in
Malayalam "the birthday of Kerala".
Kerala, the southernmost state of India, was
formed long after Indian independence on 15
August 1947. Prior to that date it was three
independent provinces named Malabar, Cochin
and Travancore. Kerala originally got its name
after the first ruler, Keralian Thamboran, who
ruled one of these independent provinces
earlier in the millennia. But some historians say
that the name 'Kerala' comes from "kera",
which means coconut tree which is widely seen
in the region.
1st Nov 2014
PM to Secretaries of Union Government:
"We are one team. Let us bring openness
in Governance, come closer and work
together." (Pehle paas paas aaiye; phir
saath saath chaliye)
"Come up with innovative ideas and
suggestions."
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi,
called upon Secretaries of the Union
Government to work together and
decisively to build upon the momentum and
positive atmosphere generated in the first
five months of the new Government.
He encouraged Secretaries to come up with
new ideas and proposals for the
forthcoming Union Budget. He asked all
Government departments to pre-pone
budget related processes by three months,
so that the moment a new financial year
begins on April 1st, work could begin as per
the provisions of the new Budget in real-
time. He also called for shifting Government
emphasis from output to outcome.
He assured them that there would be no
political interference and asked Secretaries
to work fearlessly in the interest of the
nation. This was the second such interaction
that the Prime Minister had with
Secretaries, the first being on June 4th this
year. More than 80 Secretary-level officers
were present at the interaction.
PM chairs meeting of the National
Committee for Commemoration of 125th
Birth Anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
PM: Celebrations should be conducted in
such a way that the common man becomes
a part of them
The Prime Minister expressed hope that the
entire set of activities would be conducted
in such a way that the common man
became a part of the celebrations. The
Prime Minister said this opportunity must
be used to increase awareness about
"Chacha Nehru" among the younger
generation, and seek inspiration from his
life and work.
The Prime Minister highlighted the
proposed "Bal Swachhta Mission" to be
organized in schools across the country
between 14th and 19th November and
proposal to celebrate the 125th anniversary
of Shri Nehru as "Year of Bal Swachhta." He
also said "promotion of scientific temper
among children" would be a prominent
objective of the celebrations. The Prime
Minister invited suggestions on these and
any other related subjects.
Haryana Day
Haryana was carved out of the Indian
state of Punjab on 1st November 1966.
This state was formed on the
recommendation of the Sardar Hukam
Singh Parliamentary Committee. The
formation of this committee was
announced in the Parliament on 23
September 1965. On 23 April, 1966,
acting on the recommendation of the
Hukam Singh Committee, the Indian
government set up the Shah Commission
under the chairmanship of Justice J. C.
Shah, to divide and set up the boundaries
of Punjab and Haryana.
The commission gave its report on 31
May, 1966. According to this report the
districts of Hissar, Mahendergarh,
Gurgaon, Rohtak, and Karnal were to be a
part of the new state of Haryana. Further
the Tehsils of Jind (district Sangrur),
Narwana (district Sangrur) Naraingarh,
Ambala and Jagadhari were also included.
Kannada Rajyotsava
Kannada Rajyotsava (Kannada: ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ; Karnataka
Formation Day; literally "Birth of the Karnataka state") is
celebrated on 1 November every year. This was the day in 1956
when all the Kannada language-speaking regions of South India
were merged to form the state of Karnataka.
The Rajyotsava day is listed as a government holiday in the state
of Karnataka and is celebrated by Kannadigas across the world.
Commemorative coins on Pt. Nehru will be
released as part of the celebrations.
Radha Mohan Singh stresses need of taking
Indian Agriculture to newer heights
He has said that Indian scientists have great
potential and they can take the agriculture
to a new horizon.
Agriculture Minister stressed upon various
new initiatives being taken by the
government to push up Indian agriculture
further to new heights including over all
development of villages to bring prosperity.
Steps are being taken to strengthen
infrastructure of the KVKs spread across
the country including significant increase in
their numbers.
Illegal Wildlife Products to be incinerated
at National Zoological Park tomorrow
Sustainable use of biodiversity is essential
for the survival of mankind and is an
imperative for sustainable development.
Adhering to this perspective, as a step to
encourage conservation of wildlife, Central
Zoo Authority under the aegis of Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate Change
will be destroying illegal wildlife articles
tomorrow at National Zoological Park.
Highlighting the importance of protection of
biodiversity, particularly wildlife, illegal
wildlife products will be consigned to flames
in the incinerator at the National Zoological
Park
Unethical and unjustified use of products of
various animals and plants, often based on
unjustified and unethical reasons has been a
factor flaming illegal activities like poaching,
smuggling and illegal wildlife trade. In order
to curb this unethical behaviour, the law
enforcing agencies all over the world
including India have been putting in serious
efforts in combating the wildlife crimes and
have seized a large number of wildlife
products resulting from unlawful activities.
The exercise is an attempt to deplore the
The Finance Commission
The Finance Commission of India came into existence in
1951. It was established under Article 280 of the Indian
Constitution by the President of India. It was formed to
define the financial relations between the centre and the
state. The Finance Commission Act of 1951 states the terms
of qualification, appointment and disqualification, the term,
eligibility and powers of the Finance Commission. As per the
Constitution, the commission is appointed every five years
and consists of a chairman and four other members. Since
the institution of the first finance commission, stark changes
have occurred in the Indian economy causing changes in the
macroeconomic scenario. This has led to major changes in
the Finance Commission's recommendations over the years.
Till date, Thirteen Finance Commissions have submitted
their reports.
The Fourteenth Finance Commission has been set up under
the Chairmanship of Dr. Y.V.Reddy [Former Governor
Reserve Bank of India].
unethical, indiscriminate and mostly
unlawful activities of harvest and trade of
wildlife products.
It would be a step in appreciating the efforts
of various law enforcing agencies like forest
and wildlife departments, wildlife crime
control bureau, police, customs and many
others who have contributed immensely for
the cause of protection of biodiversity.
Term of the Fourteenth Finance
Commission Extended by Two Months up
to 31st December, 2014
The proposal of extension of time period by
two (2) months for submission of report by
the Fourteenth Finance Commission has
been considered and approved by the
Cabinet on 29th October, 2014. Accordingly,
the President of India, on 31st October,
2014 has issued order for extension of time
for the Fourteenth Finance Commission by
two (2) months up to 31st December, 2014.
Shilpotsav 2014 begins
Shilpostav 2014, the annual fair of artisans
from across the country, belonging to the
weaker sections of the society, began at Dilli
Haat in New Delhi and it will continue till
10th Nov 2014.
The Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment is working towards
empowering marginalized and
disadvantaged artisans and in continuance
of this Shilpostav 2014 has been organized.
There are 160 stalls where in artisans
assisted by the Apex corporations i.e.
National Backward Classes Finance &
Development Corporation (NBCFDC),
National Scheduled Caste Finance &
Development Corporation (NSFDC),
National Handicapped Finance &
Development Corporation (NHFDC),
National Safai Karamchari Finance &
Development Corporation (NSKFDC) and
National Trust will display and sell their
products. The National Organizations under
the Ministry is also showcasing their
schemes and facilities.
The range of products in this fair includes -
silk sarees, durries, readymade garments,
terracotta product, jute products, dress
material, kashmiri shawls/stoles, leather,
cane & bamboo products, hand embroidery,
bead products, pearls, imitation jewellery,
lakh products, decorative candles, wood
carving, block printing, wooden toys, tie &
dye, wood, marble artifacts, handloom etc.
Venkaiah Naidu Calls for Three Pronged
Strategy to Realize the Goal of Clean India
While Reviewing the Implementation of
Swachh Bharat Mission
M. Venkaiah Naidu has called for a three-
pronged strategy to realize the goal of Clean
India which should include sustained
campaign – continue the chain of nine;
focus more on behavioural change -
encourage voluntary public participation;
and to recognize ULBs, NGOs and Private
Sector contributing significantly to the
success of the Mission.
The Minister reviewed implementation of
the Swachh Bharat Mission in national
capital.The Minister strongly felt that every
socially conscious citizen and public
representative should be persuaded to
make nine people to take up the task of
campaigning for Swachh Bharat and each
one of them should pass on to nine others
to keep the campaign going. We should
rope in not only social but also spiritual and
religious leaders for this campaign.
Respectable persons from the society also
have to be brought in to spread the core
message of this campaign.
MCDs and DDA should meet twice a week
to sort out the issues which are hindering
the solid waste management in the capital.
Local bodies should be involved to get
feedback on regular basis. The Minister said
all hospitals should be fumigated
periodically at least once a fortnight. Orders
for mandatory recycling of waste by
government bodies should be issued.
The Minister said all officers should get
together once a week for taking up Clean
India Mission. He said all Municipal
Corporations should prepare action plans
for the construction of toilets/Dhalaos in
slums/JJ colonies. The Minister directed that
Dhalaos should be cleaned regularly and
details of private agencies involved in the
task should be in public domain
The Minister suggested that all police
stations should prepare action plans for
cleanliness of police stations and their
residential areas.
The officers at every level should take note
of complaints and feedback from the media,
particularly the social media, relating to lack
of sanitation, act upon them and take
remedial measures as quickly as possible.
He suggested that private sector should also
be roped in Swachh Bhrat Mission as part of
its Corporate Social Responsibility.
Shri Naidu felt that the most important
aspect for the campaign should be to
create Swachh Manasikata (Clean
Mindset). Awareness among the people
should be created that the country is theirs
and that they have to do their bit by
developing a sense of belongingness and
responsibility and by keeping their
surroundings clean. He said that the
campaign will be successful only if it is
converted into a Jan Aandolan (public
movement). The idea of imposing fines on
people who litter their surroundings leading
to sanitation problems, can be thought of at
a later stage.
3rd Nov 2014
Rashtrapati Bhavan invites applications for
second batch of Innovation Scholars In-
Residence Programme
Rashtrapati Bhavan invites application for
the second batch of Innovation Scholars In-
Residence Programme.
The Innovation Scholars In-Residence
Scheme was launched by the President of
India on December 11, 2013 with a view to
promoting the spirit of innovation and
giving further impetus to grassroots
innovation activities. The main objective of
the Scheme is to provide an environment to
grassroots innovators in Rashtrapati Bhavan
to work on a project in hand and take their
innovative ideas forward. It also aims to
provide them with linkages to technical
institutions to strengthen their capacity to
innovate and to provide mentoring and
support so that the innovations can be used
for the progress and welfare of society.
The inauguration of the ASSOCHAM
Summit on livelihood security
ASSOCHAM’s summit on "Livelihood
Security: Realizing the vision for 1.3 billion
Indians”
Speaking on the occasion, the President said
that there is a compelling need to provide
livelihood security to those in the lower
rungs of the socio-economic ladder.
Additionally, there is a binding obligation to
realize the dreams of the aspirational
generation of young Indians.
All these, when India with 2.4 percent of the
world’s geographical area has seventeen
percent of its population, pose formidable
challenge. At this Meet, he anticipated an
honest appraisal of issues concerning
livelihood security and expects solutions
that will guide policy makers.
The President said that livelihood security is
incomplete without the provision of social
security. To make a decisive change in the
livelihood security of Indians, the challenges
are many and time limited. But he was
certain that with the combined efforts of all
stakeholders – government, industry, non-
governmental agencies and the community
at large – we will be able to extend to our
countrymen enormous livelihood prospects.
The industry can create mechanisms for
income opportunities and capacity building
under CSR initiatives mandated by the
Companies Act of 2013. He expressed the
hope that the Summit would discuss issues
threadbare and make recommendations in
the right perspective.
Government to establish Centre for Zoo
Sciences soon - Prakash Javadekar
Minister inaugurates the five day
Conference of World Association of Zoos
and Aquariums (WAZA)
Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate
Change, said that the Government of India
would be establishing a Centre of Zoo
Sciences at New Delhi in due course for
which the modalities were being worked
out. The purpose for establishing such an
institution would be to bring about a
turnaround in the functioning of the zoos
in the country, infuse scientific and
technical culture in the present system and
make the zoos more visitors friendly. The
proposed institution would act as a
Technical Advisor to the Central Zoo
Authority and to provide expert help to the
States and UTs in ex-situ conservation
breeding of endangered species, and
organize training courses for in-service zoo
personnel and stakeholders in India as well
as for zoo personnel of South Asian
countries. The Minister stated this while
delivering his inaugural address at the 69th
Annual Conference of World Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
The World Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (WAZA) is the "umbrella"
organization for the world zoo and
aquarium community. Its mission is to
provide leadership and support for zoos,
aquariums, and partner organizations of
the world in animal care and welfare,
conservation of biodiversity,
environmental education and global
sustainability.
Please refer to Wiki
Elaborating further the theme of the
Conference “Bio-diversity is Us” was quite
appropriate for India, a land of diverse
habitat eco-system, culture, religion,
tradition, language and food. This was also
manifested in the country’s cultural
tradition that preserved about 13,270
secret groves across the country by the
people. India with only 2.4% of the World’s
land area was home to 7-8% of the World’s
bio-diversity spanning across 91,000
species of animals and 45,000 species of
plants. It also had four of the 34 globally
identified biodiversity hotspots, supports
about 50% of the world’s tiger population
and 60% of Asian elephant and rhino
population including the only surviving
population of the Asiatic lion.
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(WAZA) has organized this five day
Conference to initiate discussions and
create public awareness about preserving
bio-diversity and contributing towards
achieving Aichi targets for Global
Biodiversity Conservation.
“Quality and Quantity not mutually
exclusive”
Dr Harsh Vardhan asks health officials to
uphold idea of Swachh Bharat
The government would institutionalise a
regulatory authority with full powers to
oversee all-round quality standards
enforcement and consumer protection
under the National Health Assurance
Mission (NHAM).
Key to the new culture would be
implementation of “Swacch Bharat”, the
Prime Minister’s vision of a society which is
intolerant to decay and apathy launched on
October 2, the Health Minister stated.
Highlighted the critical importance of
institutionalising quality assurance in
delivering of health service, including the
service and technical/clinical quality. The
Health Secretary stated that a “Medical
Audit”, not for punitive action, but for
learning from the mistakes and correcting
the system, is also need of the hour. In
addition, he laid stress on regular
monitoring of services through Key
Performance Indicators (KPIs) which may be
reviewed through field visits and review
meetings.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to
attend third Interpol Ministerial Meeting
and General Assembly
The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath
Singh has left for Monaco to attend the
third Interpol Ministerial Meeting and
General Assembly from November 03-07,
2014.
The agenda of the third Interpol Ministerial
Meeting is ‘Turn Back Crime: 100 years of
International Police Cooperation’. First
Interpol Ministerial Meeting was held at
Singapore on October 11-12, 2009 and its
agenda was ‘To Strengthen the Role of
Police in Peacekeeping Operations’. The
second Interpol Ministerial Meeting was
held at Rome, Italy on November 05-08,
2012 with the agenda of ‘Changes for
Police Facing Contemporary Criminal
Violence’.
Widespread use of Internet an instance of
Indians’ adaptive skills: Prakash Javadekar
Minister launches Indian Language Internet
Alliance (ILIA) by Google and Internet
Industry Partners
Minister for Information & Broadcasting,
said the adaptive style and skills of people
had successfully ensured the perfect
blending between technology use and the
masses at large. The Indian mindset with its
ingrained adaptive skills ensured the prolific
use of technology across different sectors.
The widespread use of internet and mobile
phone was a good instance of technology
blending with the needs and requirements
of people related to information use.
The rise of internet was not a threat to
traditional media platforms as all sectors of
media had been growing rapidly and
simultaneously along with the Internet.
Indian Language Internet Alliance(ILIA), the
support of the government with key policy
initiatives that would enable faster growth
of Internet and mobile based services.
As the first initiative of the Indian Language
Internet Alliance, the Minister launched the
website www.hindiweb.com, which would
be a platform for Hindi speaking internet
users to discover Hindi content across
websites, apps, videos and blogs. The new
initiative would expedite good quality
online-content generation in Indian
languages and that it would provide an
inclusive platform for non-English speaking
users to break language-barriers and access
online information easily.
Indian Language Internet Alliance(ILIA),a
consortium of 18 Internet industry partners
along with Google, was committed to
promote the growth of Indic-language
content online which would enable 300
million Indian language speakers to
become highly engaged in internet by
2017.
Ministry of MSME and ILO sign MoU to
support the Government’s Make in India
programme
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises and the International Labour
Organization signed a Memorandum of
Understanding. The Secretary, MSME
welcomed and expressed hope for greater
synergies between the stake holder. He
further added that the MoU will form the
basis for a technical partnership with the
primary objective of creating more and
better quality employment in India. Its
activities will be focused around three
priority areas; entrepreneurship
development, good workplace practices for
improving productivity and enhancing
integration into global supply chains, and
research and knowledge-building related
to sustainable enterprises and
formalization strategies.
The MOU is initially for a 5-year period and
will support the Government’s “Make in
India” programme.
Shilpotsav provides opportunity to the
artisans for interaction with potential
buyers and exporters says Minister for
Social Justice & Empowerment
The Minister for Social Justice &
Empowerment visited Shilpotsav the
annual fair of artisan from across the
country. Shilpotsav provides an opportunity
for creating awareness among the general
public and the target group in particular
about the variety of activities pursued by
the beneficiaries under various schemes of
Apex Corporations and National Institutes.
It also spread the message of poverty
alleviation through concessional finance and
marketing linkages. In addition to providing
social justice to the people through
economic empowerment, that Finance
Corporations are doing their best to provide
marketing platform to the artisans. Such
events provide information about
developmental programmes and
opportunity to the artisans for interaction
with potential buyers and exporters.
M. Venkaiah Naidu makes a Commitment
to Support APMCHUD in the Plenary of
APMCHUD Conference at Seoul
Shri Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Urban
Development and Housing & Urban Poverty
Alleviation made a commitment to support
APMCHUD during the Plenary of APMCHUD
Conference at Seoul. He indicated that India
is committed to provide its full support to
the APMCHUD’s initiatives and India agrees
with the decision of APMCHUD that
strengthening the Secretariat to undertake
multifarious activities is an urgent necessity,
and is in the interest of the APMCHUD
movement. In addition, India is also
considering to provide an initial one time
contribution, to enable the Secretariat
function in a full-fledged manner.
In his address to the Ministerial Conference
Shri Venkaiah Naidu indicated that the
countries in the Asia-Pacific region have
exhibited moderate to significant level of
economic growth in the recent past, and
the region has presented itself as an
Economic Power-house. The pro-active
policies of the Governments, the
willingness of the entire population and
particularly the youth to put-in hard
efforts, the high level of technical
expertise, a significant level of
improvements in the infrastructure and
social development status, have all
together resulted in a substantial
improvement in economic status with a
higher level of internal and foreign direct
investments in many Asia Pacific countries.
In many countries, the major cities play the
role of backbone of their economies. A
significant level of the GDP of many
countries is contributed by the urban
settlement systems, in Asia Pacific
countries.
The increasing economic dynamism and
growing urbanization levels is also
associated with increasing levels of
unacceptable human conditions in the cities
in many countries. Proliferation of slums
and informal settlements, increasing traffic
congestion on city roads, higher densities
and dilapidated conditions in city centre,
significant decline in overall hygienic
conditions are some of the manifestations
of the inability of the urban settlements to
keep pace with the emerging situation.
About 60% of the entire human population
has been estimated to be residing in the
Asia-Pacific countries, and by 2030, the
region would accommodate more than half
of the world’s urban population. The region
is also assessed to accommodate about 60%
of the world’s poor people, and about 40 to
50 per cent of the urban population in the
region is assessed to be living in slums, slum
like conditions and informal settlements.
The recommendations of the International
Conference organised by India on the
theme of Urban and Rural Planning and
Management was presented before the
plenary of APMCHUD on 3rd November,
2014 at Seoul. The major recommendations
were as under:
I. Approaches to Urban and Rural
Planning and Management in Asia Pacific
Region.
1) The urban centres in the countries of
Asia-Pacific region are playing the role of
generators of economic growth momentum
and act as the backbone of the economy of
their respective countries.
2) In the context of the rapid
urbanization, need to place human
settlements planning appropriately in the
realm of development planning.
3) The planning process need to be
reoriented towards being `bottom’ driven
and participatory, rather than `top’ driven
and expert oriented.
4) The role of the Governments in most
of the countries appears to be changing
from actual `delivery’ to being `facilitators’.
While this approach may be appropriate,
the Governments will have much increased
role in the era of privatization/globalisation
by way of regulating and addressing the
requirements of the urban poor.
5) There is also a need to enlarge the
platform from Public Private Partnership
(PPP) to Public Private People Partnership
(PPPP). The essential role of the
Governments should be to achieve a
balance between social costs and private
benefits, and social benefits and private
costs.
6) In the emerging context, the Metros
and Mega Cities will need to focus on
efforts to reduce the consumption of land,
water and energy.
7) Metro and Mega Cities shall also be
required to reorient or evolve an urban
form capable to incorporate renewed
planning so as to make way for ever
changing technology, transport and
business.
8) Integration of land use and public
transport should be a focus area and cities
need to be restructured in accordance with
the same.
9) Each country would review the
efficiency, applicability of the same
especially in view of operationalization and
implementation of the plans, environmental
issues, hazard prone areas as well as issues
connected with urban poor.
10) Small and Island Nations need to
focus their planning efforts, inter-alia, in
relation to the environmental sensitivity
issues including impact of climate change,
and the planning paradigm needs to shift to
focus additional and centre-stage such
critical issues of long term in nature.
11) Disaster preparedness should be a
focus area of human settlement planning.
Every planning effort should essentially
incorporate, in relation to the anticipated
natural calamities, the context based
response mechanism and avenues.
II : Inclusive Planning and Practices
1) The Human Settlements planning
should be `people centric’ rather than
‘project and space centric’.
2) The planning process should be
`inclusive’ by adequately recognizing the
role of `informal sector and settlements’
and should follow a `city-wide approach’.
3) The human settlements planning
should be sensitive to the requirements of
all the sections of the society and
particularly the women, children,
differently-abled, and such other socially
disadvantaged, and the planning efforts and
outputs should be responsive and
incorporate provisions that address such
special requirements.
4) The human settlements planning
process should be `pro-active’ in
anticipating the growth dynamics and its
expected impact on city structure and form,
and accordingly incorporate futuristic
provisions for urban poor and vulnerable
sections.
5) Need to evolve a range of options for
shelter delivery, in tune with the
affordability of the anticipated sections of
the society. Feasibility of incorporating
provisions such as reservation of land and
housing in major development projects for
the urban poor need a special focus.
6) Access to basic services to all sections
of the city should be the core objective of all
planned efforts, with focus on sanitation,
health and education services.
7) The planning process must recognize
the locational association in terms of work-
residence relationship, and accordingly,
accommodate the same while considering
any urban renewal effort.
8) The planning process should recognize
the contributory role of the urban poor, in
the city’s function and economy, and need
to incorporate provisions that would
facilitate their integration in the urban
society.
9) The local culture need to be used as a
tool for harnessing support and cooperation
of the local community.
10) The planning efforts must ensure the
preservation of culturally rich cities and the
cultural identify of cities, and focus on
preservation and conservation of the
cultural heritage of such cities and their
value enhancement.
III. Urban-Rural Continuum - Imperatives
of Integrated Planned Development
1) The planning process must recognize
that human settlements are like organisms
and they tend to grow within a socio-
economic and cultural milieu. Thus, the
existing complementary relationship in the
resource flow and interaction between the
urban and the rural hinterland should form
the basis for integrated planning.
2) Asia Pacific countries need to
incorporate a regional settlement
development framework in their human
settlements planning effort.
3) The planning of large cities should
essentially be on a larger regional canvas to
facilitate development in a regional
resource framework.
4) In the context of rapid urbanization, it
is imperative that if the planning process is
not responsive, the per-urban areas would
face haphazard development.
5) There is an increasing tendency for
large scale space intensive and also
polluting activities getting located in the
urban fringe areas in most cities of the
countries. The planning process must be
sensitive towards this issue to ensure that
the fragile fringe areas do not become
dumping yards for the large cities.
6) The planning efforts need to ensure
strengthening the connectivity of the
mother city and its region, towards
facilitating spatial disbursal of
unmanageable growth from the city, and
also facilitating the ‘deprived’ periphery to
attract activities.
IV: Land-related issues in Urban and Rural
Planning and Management
1) A more democratic approach towards
land acquisition and development to
minimize the need for conversion of
agricultural land for urbanization and
controlling the urban sprawl by optimum
densities, intensive development and
decentralization.
2) Toward the same, an inclusive land
policy and participatory planning effort,
where in-situ rehabilitation can be done by
using land as a resource needs to form part
of City Planning process.
3) In the context of land become a scarce
commodity in cities for organized
development, innovative land pooling, re-
adjustment and development models,
deserves examination for suitable adoption
and adaption.
4) A hybrid Land Policy to suit various
types of development may be adopted by
synergizing the resources of both public and
private sectors. Such a land policy may have
a combination of modes such as compulsory
land acquisition through cash/alternative
land allotment, development rights, FAR/FSI
and Land Pooling. The infrastructure
development can be financed through
various monetization modes such as
conversion charges, FAR charges,
Betterment Levy, etc.
5) Public Private Partnership in Land
development initiatives covering land
acquisition, development and disposal, may
be encouraged and prerequisites for
implementing Public-Private-Participation in
Land Policy should be in place before hand.
Simplification of all regulations and
procedures concerning land management,
guaranteeing more transparency and
cheaper land administration, better
information base, like MIS enabled GIS,
computerization of land records and
inventory of land need to be done.
6) A strong legal and regulatory
framework would be necessary for
enhancing the participation of the private
sector in development of land. Innovations
like land sharing, one-window approval,
permitting Transferable Development
Rights, fiscal incentives for private sector
development, etc. would go a long way in
making PPP in land development a success.
7) Incorporation of `Informal Sector’ in
planned development by earmarking
`hawking Zones’,sites for `weekly markets’,
new areas for informal trades and
involvement of NGOs, etc. is very relevant
for most Asia Pacific countries and require
attention.
8) In the context of rapid growth of cities,
the urban land need to be appropriately
organized and utilized towards adequately
meeting the financial requirements for
implementation of the city plan.
V. Tools, Technologies and Capacity
Building for Urban and Rural Planning and
Management
1) By using Spatial Data Infrastructure
(SDI) in convergence with Geographic
Information System (GIS) techniques
accurate information on environment and
infrastructure resources could be collected
and maintained in data bank at
country/state/district/block/ward/slum
level.
2) The successful use of Spatial Data
Infrastructure (SDI) in governance and
development will depend upon
pervasiveness of the basic Information
Communication Technology (ICT)
infrastructure. SDI and GIS techniques
should be effectively utilized in
preparedness of disaster management
programme.
3) It is necessary to strengthen the
planning education structure and network
in all the countries, to have adequate and
trained personnel in the field of sustainable
development of human settlements at
large.
4) Planning is a process, and there is a
need to ensure a continuing effort for
capacity building of the personnel involved.
5) For capacity building of urban
managers, Exchange Programmes for city
mayors/officials of ULBs need to be
introduced between countries of Asia-
Pacific region.
6) Institutions imparting training in
innovative planning techniques need to be
identified in countries of the Asia- Pacific
region.
7) For exchange of technical know-how
of tools and technologies in planning and
management, an Asia Pacific Alliance for
urban and rural managers could be
constituted.
8) An award for `the most liveable and
inclusive city’ could be introduced/initiated
with seed money being provided by
member countries.
4th Nov 2014
Railway Minister Launches a Book “Art & Railways – A Bangalore Saga” Written by Railway Officers This is the First Book Published by National Rail Museum SAFAR – Support and Appreciation for Art
and Railways – was a movement launched
by Bangalore Division. as a part of its effort
to promote art and bring it closer to the
people. Set against the sights, sounds,
colours and flavours of a Railway station,
quintessentially the microcosm of India,
four Art Camps, including a Rail Cartoon
camp, were held at the Bangalore City
Railway station in 2011 – 2012. Several
Karnataka based nationally and
internationally acclaimed artists
participated in these camps producing
precious Railway themed artworks and
cartoons. These artworks were
subsequently displayed in the specially
created Rail Art and Rail Cartoon galleries
open for public viewing. SAFAR blends the
artist’s journey through varied life
experiences with the infinite journeys that
Railways affords in both real and
metaphorical senses across the nation’s
prismatic landscapes and cultural mores. It
was therefore deemed befitting by the
National Rail Museum to publish this Coffee
Table book on the 160th anniversary of the
Indian Railways.
The India-Russia Working Group on Culture
and Tourism Meets
The two sides agreed to hold the following activities and 2015: · To hold Festival of India in Russia in Russian Federation in 2015. · To renew the Cultural Exchange Programme 2015-2018 · To strengthen links with Roerich International Memorial Trust in the village of Naggar in Kullu Valley. · To provide assistance in the development of direct ties and contacts between the Prasar Bharati and the All Russian State Television and Radio Company.
5th November 2014 Treaty on transfer of sentenced persons between India and Nigeria The Cabinet today at the meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for signing a treaty on transfer of sentenced persons between India and Nigeria. Signing of the treaty shall facilitate Indian prisoners imprisoned in Nigeria or vice-versa to be near their families, for serving the remaining part of their sentence and shall facilitate their social rehabilitation. Background:
Prior to 2004, there was no domestic legislation under which foreign prisoners could be transferred to the country of their origin, to serve the remaining part of their sentence, nor was there a provision for the transfer of prisoners of Indian origin convicted by a foreign court to serve their sentence in India. Hence the Repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003 (hereinafter referred as Act) was enacted for serving this purpose. For achieving the objectives of the Act, a treaty/agreement is required to be signed with countries having mutual interest with India and later to be notified in the Official Gazette. Government reconstitutes the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change The Government has decided to re-constitute the Prime Minister`s Council on Climate Changeto coordinate National Action for Assessment, Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change. The Committee would focus on the following tasks: · Evolve a coordinated response to issues relating to climate change at the national level; · Provide oversight for formulation of action plans in the area of assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate change; · Periodically monitor key policy decisions. Union Home Minister calls for strengthening of strategies to deal with cyber crimes The Union Home Minister congratulated the Interpol on attaining its centenary status and appreciated the efforts towards international cooperation from all the member countries to turn back the crime. He cited the Indian philosophy ‘Vasudhaiv
Kutumbakam’- the whole world is a family. He said that India believes in the well being of the whole world alongside its own. of the good people”. Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the role of information technology to bring about even better control in the field of cyber security, preventing misuse of internet social media for spreading toxic ideology in particular including the radicalization of the people. The subject of fool proof cyber security is of paramount importance. Indian Railways to go for Bio-Diesel in a Big Way - Gowda With a concern for cleaner environment, Indian Railways has decided to promote use of alternative fuels like bio-diesel in a big way for powering our vast fleet of over 4000 Diesel locomotives. This was stated by the Minister of Railways at the inauguration of Bio-Fuels – 2014 Conference with a theme ‘Energize growth & Business opportunities in Biodiesel sector in India’ organized by Bio-Diesel Association of India (BDAI) , Indian Railways, is the single largest bulk consumer of diesel in the country and as mentioned in Railway Budget 2014-15, Indian Railways will start using Bio-Diesel up to 5% of the total fuel consumption in diesel locomotives. This will save precious foreign exchange substantially. Diesel locomotives cater to a large segment of rail traffic in the country, hauling both passenger and freight trains. Indian Railways consume over two billion litres of diesel every year. For this Railways have to foot a bill of over Rs.15000 crore annually. Therefore, even a small reduction in fuel consumption through blending with Bio-Diesel will result in a substantial savings in the fuel bill. Railway Minister said that Indian Railways initially attempted blending of High Speed Diesel (HSD) with Bio-Diesel extracted from the Jatropha plant. Jatropha oil had been used in India as biodiesel in remote rural
and forest communities; Jatropha oil can be used directly after extraction i.e. without refining in diesel generators and engines. The Minister said that Indian Railways will consider exploring possibilities of planting Jatropha plants along the railway tracks. Indian Railways have also set up an Indian Railways Organisation for Alternate Fuels (IROAF) to promote Bio-Diesels and other environmentally benign alternate fuels. They have also been given the mandate to facilitate setting up of trans-etherification facilities for converting plant residues into Bio-Diesels. These facilities could be set up in the country on the PPP mode. In order to generate interest in bio-diesel, adequate quantities of bio-diesel will have to be made available at competitive and attractive prices. To achieve this, setting up of raw material supply chain would be necessary. This is a big challenge in a country where neither edible oils nor other oils are surplus to the requirement. In case the availability is unsatisfactory, the interest of common user would not get generated. 6 nov 2014 Centre for quality checks on Ayurvedic drugs The Central Government is working towards setting up a separate Central Drug Controller for traditional medicines to ensure quality in production standards. This was announced by the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan while inaugurating the first “Arogya Expo”, which started in the Capital. “Call it whatever — Ayurvedic medicines or herbal medicines or traditional medicines — the global market is estimated at about $100 billion today. India’s share in this is negligible because quality standards are not maintained to international specifications. The government has decided to address this lacuna,” he said.
The institutionalisation of a regulatory authority backed up by Central and State laboratories would ensure for traditional and indigenous medicine pride of place in mainstream healthcare, the Health Minister said.Dr. Harsh Vardhan said with the launch of the National AYUSH Mission, the government will focus on building up brand value for Ayurvedic drugs. 7th Nov 2014 Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change has congratulated the Clam Governing Council of Ashtamudi Lake in Kerala for becoming the first Marine Stewardship Council certified fishery in India. He was speaking at the Press Conference in New Delhi today. Ashtamudi Estuary showcases to the world that development and environment protection go hand in hand and participatory approach at the local level in managing biodiversity is an important aspect of it. The achievement of MSC certification would mean that implementation of measures to ensure valuable resource was not overfished and its ecosystem was protected. This achievement also opens up the scope for other fisheries in India to work towards MSC certification, which would enhance conservation and sustainability of the resource, while providing greater economic returns. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization set up to help transform the seafood market to a sustainable basis. The MSC runs the only certification and eco-labeling programme for wild-capture fisheries. Ashtamudi short neck clam fishery is only the third fishery in Asia to have received the recognition. Background:
· Ashtamudi Lake, a Ramsar Wetland of international importance, is the second largest estuarine system in Kerala. · The clam fishery in Ashtamudi dates back to 1981 and supports the livelihoods of around 3000 fisherpersons involved in collection, cleaning processing and trading clams. · The growth of Ashtamudi’s commercial fishery was driven by demand from Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia in the 1980s and 1990s. By 1991, the catch peaked at 10,000 tonnes a year, but declined 50 percent in 1993 due to overfishing. · Closed season fishing and mesh size restrictions for nets were introduced, along with a minimum export size and a prohibition on mechanical clam fishing. These measures showed immediate effects, and clam fishery has sustained landings of around 10,000 tonnes a year for the past decade. · Globally, over 11 percent of the annual global harvest of wild capture fisheries is engaged in the MSC programme. Certified fisheries currently land over seven million metric tonnes of seafood annually – close to eight percent of the total harvest from wild capture fisheries. Worldwide, more than 19,500 seafood products, which can be traced back to the certified sustainable fisheries, bear the blue MSC ecolabel. 8th Nov 2014 Shri Pranab Mukherjee on “India-Bhutan relations” It is significant that in Bhutan, the Gross National Happiness principle is the vision as well as the screening tool for Bhutan’s Five Year Plans: its four pillars – (i) sustainable development, (ii) preservation and promotion of cultural values, (iii) conservation of the national environment and (iv) establishment of good governance rely on the full and enthusiastic participation of the people for their success.
India stands ready to assist in the realization of these important goals. From the time of Bhutan’s First Five Year Plan itself, India, herself a developing economy, has offered Bhutan her technical assistance and shared her resources to the best of her capabilities and capacities. India has, in the past - and will continue in the future, to offer seats in our premier educational institutions to our Bhutanese friends. we have decided to enhance the value of the Indian Ambassador’s Scholarship Fund from current Rs. 1 Crore per annum to Rs. 2 Crore per annum. This scholarship will be utilized to encourage promising but needy students from Bhutan desiring to pursue higher studies in premier educational institutions in India. We have decided to allocate seats in new areas such as ayurveda and law. Government of India is glad to play a role in the School Reform Programme. The three existing hydropower projects have helped to electrify almost all of Bhutan, export surplus power to India and earn assured revenues to further fuel growth and expansion. With the Punatsangchu projects on track for completion by 2018 and the Mangdechhu Project expected to be completed by the end of 2017, the future of power production in Bhutan looks promising indeed. we have decided to also take up 4 more projects as joint ventures between public sector undertakings of India and Bhutan. The foundation stone for the first such project, the Kholongchhu, has, in fact, been laid by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India during his visit to Bhutan in June 2014. the commencement of a flight from Paro to Mumbai has, I believe, led to a significant rise in the numbers of tourists from Western India. 2015 has been designated as “Visit Bhutan Year”. In signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Nalanda University, our two Governments will open new opportunities for Bhutanese students to once again visit the famed Nalanda University.
three MOUs on bilateral cooperation in the field of education were also signed during the visit: Between the Royal University of Bhutan and the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, for academic cooperation for English language teaching in Bhutan; Between the Royal University of Bhutan and the National Innovation Foundation of India, to enable mutual cooperation and exchange of expertise and ideas. Between the Royal Civil Services Commission and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, for joint organization of training programmes and capacity building of officials of the two countries. Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)— Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), is a society set up by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India in 1991, with the objective of encouraging, promoting and boosting the Software Exports from India. STPI maintains internal engineering resources to provide consulting, training and implementation services. Services cover Network Design, System Integration, Installation, Operations and maintenance of application networks and facilities in varied areas. Process development is based on the Quality Management System. STPI centres also adhere to ISO 9001 certification.