Ministerial action on 9 October 09, Friday

Ministerial action on 9 October 09, Friday

1) Appointment of Additional Judges of Punjab and Haryana High court

Conferred by Clause (1) of Article 224 of the Constitution of India, (1) Mehinder Singh Sullar (2) Ram Chand Gupta and (3) Gurdev Singh have been appointed as Additional Judges of the Punjab & Haryana High Court. They will hold the office for a period of two years.

Courtesy: ministry of law and justice release
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2) Online Registration for IFFI 2009 opens wef from October 12

The online registration the 40th International Film Festival of India, Goa will open from October 12, 2009. The 40th International Film Festival of India will be held at Panaji, Goa from November 23rd 2009 to December 3rd 2009.

Courtesy: Ministry Information and Broadcasting release
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3) Nokrek (Meghalaya), Simplipal (Orissa) and Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) made part of World Network of Biosphere Reserves

Three biosphere reserves, Nokrek (Meghalaya), Simplipal (Orissa) and Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) had been included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves during 2009. Speaking at the 35th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris on Friday, Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for human resource development informed that “India would be bringing to the General Conference at its next session its proposal for the establishment of a UNESCO Category II Centre for Heritage Conservation and Management using the existing facilities at the Wildlife Institute at Dehradun India.”

“UNESCO would commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Mother Teresa in 2010 and the 150th Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in 2011, both initiatives brought by India, he added.
Sibal requested UNESCO to consider reviving the Regional Office for Information and Communications which was earlier located in New Delhi, in order to share the benefits of the development of science and technology with the countries of the Asia Pacific Region. He made this request especially in the context of India having operational zed in October 2007,a state-of-the art Tsunami Early Warning System, set up at a cost of approximately US $ 31 million, which is of benefit to the entire region. India has expressed its readiness to assume the responsibility of RTW Provider for the Indian Ocean region and has offered to set up an integrated multi-hazard Warning Centre. Sibal also expressed pride that Yash Pal from India and Trinh Xuan Thuan from Vietnam will be jointly awarded the UNESCO-Kalinga Prize for popularisation of Science 2009. UNESCO- Kalinga Prize is the oldest prize of UNESCO and we are pleased that it would be awarded again after a gap of 3 years, he added

Courtesy: Ministry of Human Resource Development release
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4) Ministry of finance

a) New Direct Tax Code to factor in time tested best practices to withstand judicial scrutiny: Pranab Mukerjee
Finance Minister has announced that the Government has identified seven critical areas on the Direct Taxes Code for further detailed examination. At an interactive session with representatives of trade and industry from all over the country, here on Friday, Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister of Finance said that the areas identified after interactions with all stakeholders.
The concept of Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT) based on gross assets; Capital Gains Taxation in the case of non-residents; The Income Tax Act and the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA); General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR); Issues relating to effective management control and taxation of foreign companies in India; Taxation of charitable organizations; and Shift from EEE to EET taxation system are part of the said critical areas.Mukherjee said that it has been the endeavour of the government to incorporate the best practices prevailing across the globe and to use innovative methods for attaining equity—vertical and horizontal, ensure growth with sustainability, create stable fiscal eco-system and have well regulated free markets. The new Direct Tax system would also take into account established and time tested practices which have withstood judicial scrutiny. He said, “We want to present the stakeholders with a tax regime which is simple and broad based leading to lowering of tax rates, better tax compliance and reduced litigation.” Minister of State for Finance, S S Palanimanickam, Revenue Secretary, P V Bhide and senior officers of the Finance Ministry were also present at the interactive session.

Courtesy: Ministry of Finance release

b) Marching towarda inclusive growth

Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister of Finance, speaking at the annual function of ASSOCHAM on Friday emphasised that a country of more than 1 billion persons cannot be led by growth in a few sectors or a few cities and regions of the country in a sustainable manner. With nearly two-third of the population still living in the rural areas it is important for the economy to reach out to these people and provide opportunities to them from the ongoing economic expansion at their door steps. He stressed that its essential not only for strengthening the inclusive character of the growth process, but also for anticipating and addressing the demographic issues associated with unplanned urbanisation that the absence of a regionally balanced growth can potentially spark.

The present Government has a renewed mandate for reinforcing inclusive growth, for which the architecture was laid out by the present Government in its last term. It is a mandate for equitable development, where all legitimate aspirations of the people of India can be meaningfully realised. In the last five years, the Gross Domestic Product of the Indian economy has grown at 8.5 per cent per annum, notwithstanding the significant dip in growth in 2008-09 on account of the global slowdown. India has succeeded in significantly raising the growth rate and sustaining the momentum of the economy to levels that are historically unprecedented.

All this gives hope and courage to aim for a more ambitious growth path, which would give us the means to strengthen and building further the inclusive character of our economy. The ability to generate adequate employment opportunities will be a major factor on which the inclusiveness of the economic growth could be judged. The benefits of economic growth have to percolate down effectively to the most marginalised and vulnerable segments of the population.

In an era of rapid and broad based globalization Indian economy has to be integrated with the global economy to access the scarce resources, including technology, and markets if it has to become a developed nation where its people have the opportunity to realise their potential.

For far too long in the past we have denied ourselves the possible benefits and opportunities that accrue from being a part of a larger growth process at the international level. We have set this right now and cannot afford to turn back. With our resources, especially the human resources and the demographic advantage that comes with having a younger population, we are uniquely placed at this juncture to make the 21st Century a truly Indian Century, if we continue to build on our global linkages with our trade partners and potential markets. However, the recent global events have amply demonstrated that one has to be cautious in traversing this path. For us, economic growth has to be an instrument for development and not an end in itself. It has to be not only inclusive but also equitable so as to sustain it over long period. In the last five years, we have moved steadfastly in that direction. It is my earnest hope that the Indian entrepreneurs will continue to contribute effectively in our journey ahead to achieve this shared vision.
Note: Excerpts from the speech delivered by Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister of Finance, speaking at the annual function of ASSOCHAM on Friday 09 October 09

c) Auction for Sale of Govt Stocks

Government of India have announced (i) sale of a new “five year Government Stock” for a notified amount of Rs.3,000 crore (nominal) through a yield based auction (ii) sale (re-issue) of “6.35 percent Government Stock 2020” for a notified amount of Rs 4,000 crore (nominal) and (iii) sale (re-issue) of "7.35 percent Government Stock 2024" for a notified amount of Rs.3,000 crore (nominal) through price based auctions. The auctions will be conducted using uniform price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on October 16, 2009 (Friday). Up to 5 per cent of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities. Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Negotiated Dealing System (NDS) on October 16, 2009. The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. The result of the auctions will be announced on October 16, 2009 and payment by successful bidders will be on October 20, 2009 (Tuesday).

Courtesy: Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance release

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5) National Library, Kolkata has come out with action plan for holistic revamp

The National Library, Kolkata, the largest repository of print resources in the country has recently initiated certain developmental activities for improving its services to the readers, which includes Computerization and Modernization, Website of the National Library for Online Access, Digitisation of Rare, Brittle and Old Books, Microfilming of Old Newspapers in the Esplanade Reading Room, Retro conversion of Catalogue Records into Machine Readable Format, Conversion of Esplanade Reading Room into a City Hub, Processing of Backlog of Publications in Various Language Divisions, Outsourcing Stock Verification of Reading Materials held by the Library, CCTV Surveillance, and administrative reforms.

It has also constituted a 15 member Advisory Board to be headed by A R Bandhopadhyaya, former Director, National Library. The Advisory Board will guide the Director in administering the institution and implementing the development plans, readers’ services and policies of the Library. The members of the Board are mostly academicians from various institutions and universities specializing in humanities and social sciences disciplines. The Board supersedes the earlier Board of Management for National Library which was constituted in 2002.
Courtesy: Ministry of Culture release
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6) Affordable housing is commercially viable opportunity: Selja

In her message at the inaugural session of National Conference On Public Private Partnership in Housing on Friday, Kumari Selja the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Tourism Minister, it was said the enhancement of housing stock must be accompanied with high quality provision of basic services. The speech of the Minister was read in absentia. It said, it is a well established fact that safe, hygienic and spacious provisioning of housing duly buttressed with adequate basic services and a congenial habitat promotes significant improvement in productivity of workers. It has its social benefits too; as a nation of home-owners invariably becomes a nation of law-abiding and responsible citizens with a real stake in community welfare. Affordable Housing is increasingly being seen as a commercial opportunity, and not as a welfare programme which only the Public Sector must implement. With this conference, we operationalise an important element of the National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy 2007, that the huge and important goal of Affordable Housing for All can only be met with the involvement of all stakeholders and through multiple partnerships.
In the last century, our urban population grew 8.5 times, from 25 million in the early 1900s to 286 million in 2001 comprising 27.8% of country’s population. The projected share of urban households in the country’s population is likely to rise from the current 28% to 50% in the next two decades.
There are many impediments to the growth of affordable housing. The core issue of land at suitable places and at affordable prices has always been the focus of debate. Public authorities who own sizeable pockets of land have, of late, been increasingly resorted to auctioning of land at market prices, ostensibly to raise resources for funding the city. Unfortunately, this has led to a situation where there are world class buildings in a sea of slums with matching infrastructure missing. Cities depict a gross mismatch between demand and provision of infrastructure and facilities. Across States, the dimensions of the problem may vary, but the difference is a matter of degree and not of kind. Over the last few years, a serious intervention has been made by Government policy and programmes to reverse this trend. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) has succeeded in creating interest in our urban future, and rejuvenated the debate on urban planning. We have far greater confidence today that the course of urban development can be changed, and the chaos arrested.
Not only active thinking, even positive action is being taken in various cities and towns across the country for plans and projects to expand urban land availability, reduce housing scarcities, redress the norms of town planning and make cities that recognise the realities of our economic growth and its consequent dynamics.
At the Centre, building on the success of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), we have moved on to the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) with the mission of making cities slum free and keeping them slum free by striving to provide affordable housing and basic services to all slum dwellers. That is why a ‘whole city approach’ is a must. The proposed Rajiv Awas Yojana is designed to bring existing slums within the formal system and enable them to avail of the same amenities as the rest of the town; as also to redress the failures of the formal system that lie behind the creation of slums and force the poor to resort to extra legal solutions in a bid to retain their sources of livelihood and employment. Rajiv Awas Yojana will offer a RAY of hope to cites for access to decent housing and dignified living environment. Multiple partners and involvement of all stakeholders will indeed be required in this gigantic and visionary task. Public Private Partnership (PPP) is emerging as an efficient model for delivery of services in general. In a Public Private Partnership, the strength of the Public Sector, which controls land, and its regulatory and legal power combines with the initiative and resources of the private sector and its efficiency. Thus, the strength of both can be synergized to far greater effect and productivity. The PPP approach will allow the State agencies to overcome resource deficit, improve cost recovery and increase supply of houses on a demand-driven basis. As of now, PPP in Affordable Housing is a new concept. This conference is, therefore, most apposite and extremely timely. The policy atmosphere is right, the Governments target and motivation is high, and the demand is unquestionably growing. If at this stage, workable PPP models are shared, win-win partnerships can be formed, a new model for mass housing can emerge and progress made rapidly.
Note: Excerpts from the speech of Kumari Selja the Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Tourism Minister, read in absentia
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7) Defence Minister A K Antony to discuss extension of defence cooperation agreement by ten more during his Moscow Visit
AK Antony, Union Defence Minister will be going on a three day official visit to Moscow on 13 October to attend the 9th meeting of the India-Russia Inter Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC). The IRIGC-MTC meets annually, alternately in India and Russia, at the level of the Defence Ministers of the two countries to review and discuss matters relating to the bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries. The meeting to be held on 14-15 October will be chaired by Antony from the Indian side and by the Russian Defence Minister, A E Serdyukov from the Russian side. The extension of the existing India-Russia Long Term Inter-Governmental Agreement on the programme for Military Technical Cooperation for a further 10 years, from 2011 to 2020, will be the main focus of discussions during the meeting of the commission.
India and Russia had concluded an agreement in December 1988, which envisaged a programme for defence cooperation between the two countries up to the year 2010. The extension of this programme beyond 2010 has been under consideration and this matter had also been discussed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his meeting with President Putin in Moscow in 2007. Both sides have, since, been working towards finalising the programme for defence cooperation beyond 2011. The anticipated discussions at the commission level would pave the way for conclusion of the Agreement during Singh’s forthcoming visit to Russia in December 2009 for the Summit meeting between him and President Medvedev.
courtesy: ministry of defence release