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Meeting of NCST On Tribals evicted at Polavaram Dam

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jual-oram-indianbureaucracy
jual-oram-indianbureaucracy

A meeting was held by Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, Chairperson, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) on 24.5.2016 with Chief Secretary of Odisha; Additional Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh; Secretary, Water Resources, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh on issues relating to displacement of tribals and other local people in Devaragodhi, Polavaram Mandalam, West Godavari District and Pudipall Panchayat in East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh due to construction of Indira Sagar (Polavaram) Multi Purpose Project on river Godavari, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. Member Secretary, Polavaram Project Authorities, Ministry of Water Resources and Secretary (Land Resources) from Ministry of Rural Department were also present in the meeting.

While taking note of the fact that the matter is subjudice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India due to suit filed by Government of Odisha on 9.10.2007, NCST has observed that the project is under implementation since 1948 and compensation has been provided as per Land Acquisition Act, 1894 or Andhra Pradesh State Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy 2005. The Commission further advised the following:

• Government of Andhra Pradesh should take into account the concerns / issues of Government of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

• As pattas under the Forest Right Act, 2006 has not been conferred to displaced tribal families, Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh should take immediately action in this regard.

• Allotted Banjar land to project affected families should be developed by the concerned State Governments.

• State Governments were also advised to create a data base bank for issuance of Scheduled Tribes certificates to displaced families so that they are not put to any disadvantages position on their displacement.

State Governments were also advised to create a data base bank for issuance of Scheduled Tribes certificates to displaced families so that they are not put to any disadvantages position on their displacement.

Vijay Goel updates Media on the Rio Olympics

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farmland_indianbureaucracy
farmland_indianbureaucracy

Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel has forwarded the following statement to the media:

“The largest ever contingent of sportspersons is taking part in the Rio Olympics 2016 being organized from 5th to 21st August 2016.  101 athletes whose events are in the earlier days of Olympics calendar have already reached and remaining are also on their way.   This is the first time in the history of Olympics that on the request of Government of India and IOA, International Olympic Committee has agreed to provide Indian cuisine in the Olympics Village Games Kitchen.  The will help players feel at home and is expected to bring out better performance.

            There are certain minor issues related to Indian contingent which have appeared in media-

(1)   The Hockey team has asked for T.V. and additional furniture (chair and table).  Providing such fixers and furniture is the responsibility of local Organizing Committee i.e. Rio Olympic Organizing Committee.  They have decided to provide Bean Bags instead of chairs.  However One crore rupee has been transferred to Indian Embassy in Brazil for buying any additional items for the Indian contingent.

(2)   The Jersey size issue for a few Hockey players is being sorted out by IOA and Hockey India.

(3)   The reports of lack of proper rapport between Leander Paes and Rohan Boppana are not true.  Both of them share good on-field relationship.

(4)   Draw of lots for Tennis is difficult, but we have confidence in our players.

(5)   There are some reports that some women athletes would prefer to wear sarees alone instead of blazer over sarees.  This issue is to be decided by IOA and as per International Olympic Committee norms for Opening Ceremony.

My officers are available at Rio as well as in Delhi to attend to the problems of athletes.  Indian Embassy in Brazil is providing all necessary support.  All small issues are being attended to by our officials in consultation with IOA, Federations and Rio Olympic Committee.

This has been the first Olympics in which Government has made efforts to connect the Olympics with the common man and youth so that there is an environment and fervor of Olympic Games in the country which will push the sports among youth which is good for the country in the long run.

To achieve this objective, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have organized Run for Rio which was flagged off by PM in which 20000 school going children took part.  In addition, Ministry has organized a “WALL OF BEST WISHES” at India Gate Lawns where common people can post their Best Wishes to the Rio participants Indian athletes, twitter handle #Khelo India @ India Sports can be used to change the background of icon of twitter account with the spirit of Rio.

Today  we are inaugurating an Olympic exhibition which will be held till 21st August 2016 at different locations of NDMC and MCD areas.  In these locations, giant size screens have been put so that people in large group can watch Olympics games as they happen.

Unprecedented efforts have been undertaken in preparations of Rio Olympics by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports by launching special schemes, such as Target Olympic Podium through which customized training with 34 Foreign Coaches and foreign exposure was provided to all athletes qualifying for Rio.  In addition, daily allowance of the athletes has been doubled to 100$, extra physiotherapists masseurs have been sent to Rio. Mental Trainers have been provided to athletes for getting a winning attitude.  An amount of Rs.160 crore has been spent on preparations of the athletes for the Rio Olympics making an average of more than Rs. one crore on each athlete who has qualified.  Athletes have been sent to Rio well in advance of around average 15 days so that they can acclimatize and feel comfortable unlike earlier Olympics where they were going just 2 to 4 days before the beginning of the events. “

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes all the players the very best .

Policy makers & Eologists must develop a more constructive dialogue to Planet

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save the planet_indianbureaucracy
save the planet_indianbureaucracy

Summary:An international consensus demands human impacts on the environment ‘sustain’, ‘maintain’, ‘conserve’, ‘protect’, ‘safeguard’, and ‘secure’ it. But, policy makers have little idea what these terms mean or how to connect them to a wealth of ecological data and ideas.

An international consensus demands human impacts on the environment “sustain,” “maintain,” “conserve,” “protect,” “safeguard,” and “secure” it, keeping it within “safe ecological limits.” But, a new Trinity College Dublin-led study that assembled an international team of environmental scientists shows that policy makers have little idea what these terms mean or how to connect them to a wealth of ecological data and ideas.

Progress on protecting our planet requires us to dispel this confusion, and the researchers have produced a framework to do just that.

Ian Donohue, assistant professor at Trinity, and leader of this study, said: “Human actions challenge nature in many ways. We lump these into a grab-bag of ideas we call ecological stability. We want nature to be stable in some sense of that word. But what do we know about stability from our theories and experiments? And how can that knowledge help policy makers? We offer some solutions to these important questions.”

In the paper published today in the journal Ecology Letters, Donohue and an international team of colleagues outline exactly what policy makers, ecological experimenters, and theoreticians all think about this term “stability.”

The answer is very different things — and there’s a real problem with this lack of agreement. Professor Donohue said: “We need to be talking about the same things, using the same language, so that what ecologists know can sensibly inform the choices of policy makers.”

“Consider this example” says Stuart Pimm, Doris Duke Chair of Conservation at Duke University, in the USA, and one of the paper’s co-authors. “There’s a lot of discussion about “tipping points” — the idea that there are boundaries beyond which, if we push nature it will collapse. There may be places where this happens, but while nature may work this way sometimes, there is no compelling argument that it must always.”

Why should this matter? Pimm responds: “if politicians think there are tipping points and the world hasn’t collapsed thus far, then it encourages policies that continue to degrade our world. If there isn’t a catastrophe so far, why worry? The more likely alternative is not a sudden change, but a progressive loss of fisheries, croplands, damage to all our natural worlds. A wrong view of nature can have disastrous consequences.”

So what can we do? Professor Donohue and his colleagues believe that the solution is to recognise that nature responds to human pressures in complex ways, even as policy makers often demand simple solutions. Acknowledging the need for better communication on the science-policy interface is essential.

Policy makers sometimes have designed crisp, clearly defined targets, such as several of those for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services — a body broadly based on the more familiar IPCC that deals with climate change. “That’s good. The issue is when they have not. Our work identifies those discrepancies,” argues Donohue. “And we suggest solutions.”

Unfortunately, most of the policies examined by Professor Donohue and his colleagues contain terms that are ambiguous, or have multiple definitions that mean different things to different people. The recently announced United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are no exception.

Professor Donohue added: “This ambiguity is a huge problem as it means that we cannot measure progress, or indeed a lack of progress, towards achieving policy goals. This paralyses policy. Ecologists, policymakers and practitioners urgently need to develop a shared language in order to be more effective in managing the world’s ecosystems — our life-support system.”

More: Science

GST: India Inc gives its thumbs up

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FICCI
FICCI_logo_indianbureaucracy

India Inc has hailed the passage of Constitution Amendment Bill to enable the GST regime by the Upper House as the “most-awaited tax reform” and also the “biggest reform since 1991.”

Ashok P. Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies, India said it will make India an attractive destination for foreign investments.

“Manufacturing will get more competitive due to the emergence of a national market as against the present fragmented one. The low tax to GDP ratio of the country will go up, helping the government to adhere to fiscal discipline and keep the inflation in check. It will improve productivity and transparency,” he added. He, however, said, “the GST rate above the range of 18-22 per cent will be regressive. Clarity is needed on the continuance of existing exemptions especially those linked to investment made both at the Centre and State levels. Input tax credit possible only after ensuring vendor remit the tax to their authorities – provision will be difficult to comply.”

“Full-fledged IT system should be in place so that there is no dispute in arriving at the losses incurred by States in the first five years. Roll over on April 1, 2017 may affect the last quarter business of 2016-17. Hence, implementation during mid 2017-18 would be ideal and preferable,” Hinduja said.

Rana Kapoor, Managing Director and CEO, YES BANK, said, “Implementation of GST in one sweep will lead to efficient allocation of resources, smoothen supply disruptions, harness inflation, aid tax buoyancy and improve compliance, thereby reinforcing conviction in ‘Believe in India’.”

Harshvardhan Neotia, President, FICCI, said that it was “heartening to see” that there is consensus emerging in passage of crucial GST bill, which is, “ one of the most awaited reform measures by the industry.”

“The cooperation extended by the Opposition to this crucial legislation is the cornerstone of democracy and gives industry a lot of hope on progress of reforms in the country”, he added.

Kamlesh Rao, CEO, Kotak Securities, said, this will send out a strong signal to the international markets that we are serious about reforms.

Sunil Kanoria, President, Assocham, said this will mark a new beginning of a “broad-based non-partisan political support for the critical economic reforms.”

Maritime Security at Ports

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Maritime Security_Ports_indianbureaucracy
Maritime Security_Ports_indianbureaucracy

All Major Ports of the country are International Ships and Port Security(ISPS) compliant in the context of combating the threat perception from terrorist activities. Round the clock security arrangement is strictly followed in all Major Ports through deployment of adequate number of armed CISF personnel, using modern technologies like VTMS, CCTV surveillance system etc. and also with the assistance of Indian Coast Guard, local police etc.

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes the best.

National Implementation Committee

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National Implementation Committee_indianbureaucracy
National Implementation Committee_indianbureaucracy

The Government of India has decided to commemorate the following eminent personalities in the country during this year:

(i) Birth Centenary of Biju Patnaik (05.03.2016 to 05.03.2017)

(ii) Birth Centenary of Bismillah Khan (21.03.2016 to 21.03.2017)

(iii) Birth Centenary of Amritlal Nagar (17.08.2016 to 17.08.2017)

(iv) Birth Centenary of M. S. Subbulakshmi (16.09.2016 to 16.09.2017)

(v) 150th Birth anniversary of Swami Abhedananda (02.10.2016 to 02.10.2017)

(vi) Birth Centenary of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyay (25.09.2016 to 25.09.2017)

(vii) Birth Centenary of Nanaji Deshmukh (11.10.2016 to 11.10.2017)

(viii) 350th Birth Anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (22.12.2016 to 22.12.2017)

National Implementation Committees under the Chairmanship of the Union Home Minister have been constituted for all the commemorations.

CCTV at Railway Stations in 344 Railway Stations

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CCTV_Railway Stations_indianbureaucracy
CCTV_Railway Stations_indianbureaucracy

At present, Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTV) have been installed at 344 railway stations over Indian Railways. Prevention and detection of crime, registration of cases and their investigation over Railways is the statutory responsibility of States which is being discharged by them through the Government Railway Police (GRP).

Timely registration of cases, speedy investigation, inter-State coordination among GRPs of respective States, etc. are important factors in tackling crime over Railways. Availability of CCTV cameras at railway stations may act as deterrent, however, absence of CCTV cameras is not a major factor in tackling crime at railway stations.

Security has been identified as one of the priority areas by Railways for strengthening and upgradation of security system in Railway. CCTV surveillance system already forms part of an Integrated Security System (ISS) and 202 stations have been identified as sensitive for the purpose of installation of ISS. Railways have further planned to install Video Surveillance System (VSS) at balance A1, A, B & C category 983 stations under Nirbhaya Fund. In addition, Railway Protection Force, (RPF) under the Ministry of Railways, supplements efforts of States to ensure security of passengers. Besides initiating physical security measures like escorting of trains, access control, rendering security related assistance through Security Helpline (182), prosecution of offenders under relevant provisions of the Railways Act, RPF maintains close coordination/liaison with GRPs of respective States to check crime over Railways.

Four new Ports proposed in India

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Mangalore Port_indanbureaucracy
Mangalore Port_indanbureaucracy

The Government has proposed to set up four new Major Ports viz. Enayam in Tamil Nadu, Sagar in West Bengal, Dugarajpatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Vadhawan in Maharashtra. Out of these, the Cabinet has conveyed in-principle approval for setting up of Enayam Port in Tamil Nadu on 5th July, 2016.

Assistance will be extended by the Government based on their need.

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes the best.

Technology Development Fund

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TDF_indianbureaucracy
TDF_indianbureaucracy

The scheme for operational of Technology Development Fund (TDF), announced in Union Budget of 2014-15, is at the final stages of approval at Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).  The achievements made by the fund can be ascertained only after its operationalization.

            The details of expenditure on Defence R&D vis-à-vis Defence Services Estimates (DSE), Ministry of Defence during the last five years are as under:-

(Rs. in Crore)

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE Vs DEFENCE R&D EXPENDITURE

YearDefence

ExpenditureDefence R&D

ExpenditureDefence R&D as % of

Defence Expenditure

2011-12170913.009893.845.792012-13181776.009794.805.392013-14203499.0010868.885.342014-15218694.1813257.986.062015-16 (RE)224636.0013277.285.91

Some of the major ingenuously built defence equipment / platforms inducted in the Services during the past one year are: Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas; Advance Light Helicopter, Akash Missile system, INS Kochi, Mareech and Varunastra etc.

Biotechnology Sector developments

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Bio-Technology Sector_indianbureaucracy
Bio-Technology Sector_indianbureaucracy

India’s research performance in Pharmacology and Biotechnology indicates that India’s scholarly output based on publication data is nearly 5 % of the world’s total in 2014 and showing strong average growth of over 12 % annually.

Shri Y.S. Chowdary, Minister of State for the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply to a Question in Lok Sabha today, informed the House that the Department of Bio-Technology (DBT) is implementing an integrated human resource development programme. It comprises of M.Sc./ M. Tech. teaching program, fellowships for doctoral and post-doctoral research in biotechnology and Biotechnology Industrial Training program for post graduate students for skill upgradation. Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowships also provided to 50 scientists each year.

The DBT has implemented postgraduate teaching program in 71 universities, there is a provision of 275 and 125 fellowships per year in DBT-Junior Research Fellowship Program and DBT-research Associateship program, respectively. It is also providing 6 months industrial training to fresh B. E./B. Tech./M.Sc./ M. Tech biotechnology students for skill development and enhancing their employability in biotech industries. The total budget for Human Resource Development program in FY 2016-17 is INR 209 crores, the Minister added.

Further, Shri Chowdary stated that the Department established Biotechnology Industry Research Assessments Council (BIRAC) as a Section 8 (not for profit) Public Sector Enterprise in 2012 with the mandate to build the biotechnology innovation ecosystem in the country. Since its inception, BIRAC has provided funding to entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs and translational organizations to the tune of Rs. 677 crores which has helped innovation research to bring high quality and affordable products towards commercialization.

BIRAC has several flagship programs for supporting startups and SMEs across the biotechnology innovation pipeline including funding (from ideation stage to commercialization), incubation, patent assistance, capacity building through training and mentoring including business and technical mentoring. The total budget from BIRAC in FY 2016-17 for startups and innovation research in industries is Rs. 120 crores.

The Minister also informed the House that it is proposed to set up an independent regulator for bio-technology including Genetically Modified (GM) crops for which the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority Bill (BRAI) Bill, 2013 was introduced in 15th Lok Sabha and was lapsed with the tenure of the same. BRAI Bill 2013 has now been revised taking into consideration recent developments in genetic engineering technologies for reintroduction through appropriate legislative process.

Meanwhile, the Minister noted, that as an interim measure to implement the best practices contained in the BRAI Bill, establish a separate office dealing with biosafety issues it is proposed to get Genetically Engineered products within the existing regulatory framework under the Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Micro-organisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells (Rules, 1989) of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), 1986.

The proposed Office of Biotechnology Regulation will have an Inter-Ministerial Board represented by senior officials of concerned ministries for overall supervision along with strengthened risk assessment and management system through a functional unit of multidisciplinary scientists, the Minister added.

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes the very best.

Sharing intelligence inputs

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Hansraj Gangaram Ahir-indianbureaucracy
Hansraj Gangaram Ahir-indianbureaucracy

During the meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of ‘Heart of Asia – Senior Officials meeting’ in New Delhi on 26th April, 2016, the Foreign Secretary of India (FS) had suggested reviewing the progress of investigation of Pathankot Airbase terror attack. It was also clearly conveyed to Pakistan that it cannot be in denial on anti-India terrorism emanating from territory under its control.

The FS has also asked Pakistan Government to expedite action to punish those found guilty in Mumbai Terrorist Attack of 2008.

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes the very best.

Fourth runway at Delhi Airport

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Runway closed at Mumbai airport
Runway closed at Mumbai airport

The Delhi International Airport Private Limited (DIAL) has included construction of a new fourth runway parallel to the existing runway in the just concluded Master Plan, 2016 of IGI Airport, New Delhi with features to handle large wide body aircrafts, navigational aids and lighting to permit operation in low visibility etc.

IndianBureaucracy.com wishes the very best.