Daily News Notes: 20th March, 2012

· Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy was today elevated to cabinet rank to take over as Railway Minister. He replaces Dinesh Trivedi, who was forced to resign after his party criticized his proposal to hike railway fares.
· The production of total pulses has been increased in the country to 18.24 million tones during 2010-11. It is around 4 million tones higher. In order to enhance the production and productivity of pulses in the country, National Food Security Mission-Pulses is being implemented since 2007-08. Under the programme, assistance is being provided for seed production, seed distribution and Integrated Nutrient Management.
· In Tamil Nadu, work has resumed at the Kudankulam nuclear power project site with 80 Russian scientists and 950 employees of Nuclear Power Corporation of India resuming work to ensure early commissioning of the 1000 MW power plant. Meanwhile, police have clamped Section 144 in Radhapuram Taluk area prohibiting people from congregating. Over 2000 policemen have been deployed in and around Kudankulam to maintain law and order. In a related development, The People’s movement against nuclear energy which is spearheading the agitation against the power plant, in a statement issued today demanded the immediate release of arrested people and wanted withdrawal of Tamil Nadu's cabinet resolution giving the green signal to power project.
· Facing stiff opposition from allies over various measures, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said difficult decisions were getting “more difficult” because of coalition compulsions and pressed for eschewing narrow partisan approaches in the interest of the country. Singh made a strong pitch for the NCTC (National Centre for Counter Terrorism), saying it was an important step to fight terrorism. PM noted that the issue of NCTC has been discussed at various fora and Multi-Agency Centre was set up in 2001 as a precursor. “A number of chief ministers have expressed concern after the order (on setting up of NCTC) was issued (in January),“ Singh said, adding he had responded to these. “A meeting of chief ministers took place on March 12, another meeting will take place on April 16. Emphasizing the need for faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth, the PM said credible steps in this regard would be unveiled in 12th Five Year Plan to be presented to the National Development Council this year.
· Bihar under Nitish Kumar grew at over 10% between 2004-05 and 2009-10 is now well-known. But data released on Monday shows that in the same period, the number of poor in the state actually grew. During this five-year period, Bihar added 50 lakh people to the number of its poor, by far the largest number of any Indian state in this period. In 2009-10, 54.4% of Bihar was under the poverty line as compared to 53.5% in 2004-5. “Reduction of poverty is brought about by agricultural transformation, but Bihar’s growth was construction-centric,” says Shaibal Gupta, social scientist. “Construction-based growth does not address the problems of poverty in a constructive manner,” he added. “The government is in the process of chalking out a techno-managerial strategy to bring about a new green revolution,” the social scientist said. Bihar is one of three states — Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh being the other two — in which poverty has declined, but so slowly that the absolute number of people living in poverty has actually increased in the five years. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have between them 128 million poor people, over a third of all of India’s poor, and roughly a tenth of the worlds poor. In five other states, the proportion of poor as well as the absolute number has risen. These are Delhi, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, with Nagaland’s performance being by far the worst; the proportion of people living below the poverty line has more than doubled over five years in this tiny state, going from 8.8% in 2004-5 to 20.9% in 2009-10.
· In Uttar Pradesh 15 people were killed and 3 others seriously injured when an Express Train rammed into an overcrowded jeep at an unmanned railway crossing. Railway authorities have announced financial assistance of 2lakhs rupees to the kith and kin of killed passengers while 50 thousand rupees will be given to the injured.
· The Supreme Court pulled up the Centre for its casual approach on the issue of decriminalization of homosexuality, saying that it needs to be condemned. It further said it is a peculiar case in which the government is taking a neutral stand before the apex court. The bench also expressed concern that during the last 60 years the Parliament has not considered amending Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, despite recommendations for it by the Law Commission.
· The suspense continues over release of two Italian nationals in Odhisa. Maoists had announced three names through an audio message sent to some selected journalists to mediate. The mediators are Narayan Sanyal, a senior Maoist leader lodged in the Giridih jail of Jharkhand, social activist Dandapani Mohanty and Kanungo. Maoists have also announced a unilateral ceasefire and have appealed to other Maoists operating along the state border not to indulge in violence. The message also said the hostages are safe and are regularly being given food and rest. The 13-demands put forwarded by the Maoists in the list include halting of anti-Maoist operations, scrapping of accords with MNCs for land transfer and projects, compensation for the families of Maoist sympathizers killed in police custody and release of about 600 prisoners. In the latest demands, they said tribals are not commodities and tribal areas not a place for tourists to visit. The Maoists said the government should declare this clearly and arrest and punish those who violated the rule.
· Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare has informed that the Government of India has decided to strive towards elimination of Measles and Neonatal Tetanus from the country. The patients suffering from measles and neonatal tetanus are decreasing. The Government of India has initiated measles catch-up campaign in year 2010 targeting 13.5 crore children and included second dose of measles vaccine under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). Neonatal tetanus is prevented by providing tetanus toxoid vaccination under UIP to pregnant women and children. In addition, institutional delivery is promoted for clean and safe delivery through Jannani Suraksha Yojana and other interventions including Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram.
· Minister of State of Home Affairs has informed that the Planning Commission is implementing the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) for 78 Selected Tribal and Backward Districts for accelerated development. The aim of this initiative is to provide public infrastructure and services in 78 LWE affected/contiguous Districts. As regards, implementation of the IAP, the guidelines of the Scheme stipulate that –“A Committee headed by District Collector/District Magistrate and consisting of the Superintendent of Police of the District and the District Forest Officer will be responsible for implementation of this Scheme. The District-level Committee will have the flexibility to spend the amount for development scheme according to needs assessed by it. A suitable form of consultation is to be ensured with the local Members of Parliament on the schemes to be taken up under the IAP”. He also informed that the Government has constituted Diplomatic Security Force (DSF). Besides, a sizable number of Police personnel/ Central Armed Police Forces personnel have been deployed under the operational control of DSF on static guard duties at various embassies and diplomatic premises.
· Minister of State for Environment & Forest has informed that the ambient air quality is being monitored across the country under the National Air Monitoring Programme (NAMP). There are 518 operating stations under NAMP covering 216 cities. Three pollutants, namely, Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and PM10 (particulate matter having size less than 10 micron) are being monitored at all stations. She said the monitored data for ambient air for the last three years (2008, 2009 and 2010) reveals that levels of SO2 (annual average - 50 µg/m3) are within the prescribed national ambient air quality norms across the country and that of NO2 (annual average - 40 µg/m3) are within norms in most of cities and towns. However, the level of PM10 (annual average - 60 µg/m3) exceed the prescribed norms in a majority of cities and towns. A fluctuating/mixed trend is being observed and NO2 is an upcoming pollutant. On question of “Tropical Cyclones due to Air Pollution”, the Minister stated that as per India Meteorological Department (IMD), the frequency of cyclones and their intensification into severe cyclones over the Arabian Sea do not show any significant trend based on the recorded history of IMD (1891 – 2010) which includes the satellite era (1961-2010). As the annual frequency is very less over the Arabian Sea, the decadal frequency has been analysed by IMD to find out the probability of intensification of cyclone into severe cyclone.
· Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries has informed – “with the use of high quality hybrid cotton seeds Indian farmers experienced the biggest gain in form of reduced insecticide usage from 46% in 2001 to less than 26% after 2006 and 21% during the last two years 2009 and 2010. Introduction of Bt. cotton hybrids (in 2002) has helped in production increase too.” The Bt. cotton hybrids approved till date do not require any herbicide, in addition, to those required by their non Bt counterparts for enhancing the results. He also informed that the yield of wet and dry paddy have increased tremendously in the district of Nalanda, Bihar under the demonstration on System of Rice Intensification (under National Food Security Mission-Rice) which was organized at farmer’s field during Kharif 2011 (June to Nov). It has surpassed the yield of 19 tonnes/ha which was recorded earlier in China. Similarly, under the sub-scheme ‘Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI)’ of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), rice crop promotion programmes including SRI are being extended to the farmers in the seven States of eastern India. Besides, the farmers are being trained in the States by organizing Farmers Field School (FFS) at Panchayat level by the State Department of Agriculture of the concerned States.
· The Minister for Culture and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has said that National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NNMA) was launched in 2007 with the objective to prepare a National database on monuments and antiquities from secondary sources and by collating antiquities available, in different formats and catalogues. So far, against an estimated 70 lakh antiquities, NNMA has completed documentation of 3.5 lakh registered antiquities and about 5 lakh antiquities from different museums across the country. The Mission was provided for the period 2007-2012.
· The Union Minister of Commerce Industry and Textiles called on the Vice-President of Zimbabwe and expressed happiness at reaching Bilateral Trade of US $ 125 mn (india export>>imports) in Financial Year 2010-11. Bilateral Trade has shown an impressive growth, increasing from US $ 64.02 mn in 2006-07 to US $ 125 mn in the year 2010-11, i.e. almost doubling in the last 4 years. The Indian Minister requested the Zimbabwean side to ratify BIPPA (Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement) which was signed in 1999 as it will help in increasing the investments in both countries. Indian side signed the Instrument of Ratification and the Ratification of the Agreement is awaited from Zimbabwe side. Shri Sharma conveyed India’s special interest in cooperation in Zimbabwe in the mining, power generation, railway, ICT and agricultural sector in Zimbabwe. He also met with the Trade Minister of Kenya and raised issues of higher import tariff with Kenya’s dignitary. It is to be noted that, Kenya imposes high import tariffs (MFN Duty) on the imports of Man-made fibre textile items from India viz. Yarn and Fabrics up to 25%, and Made ups up to 50%. In addition to tariff, Kenya also imposes 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) on imports. During the meeting Minister Sharma asked for the greater cooperation among the trade bodies and business chambers from both the countries will facilitate growth in textile trade. India is presently implementing the Pan-African e-Network project in Kenya. This will link universities and Hospitals in Kenya and India through tele-education and tele-medicine services. VVIP connectivity is also envisaged. The project is running successfully in countries across Africa. An India-Kenya Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) was signed in 1989. Negotiations for concluding a Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement (BIPA) and to review the DTAA have been under consideration of the two governments for some time.
· The sight of farmers in Tamil Nadu watching anxiously for the arrival of monsoon may soon be a thing of the past. Israel is in talks with Tamil Nadu for improving water supply for agriculture by recycling sewage water. “We have planned for three such recycling projects in Tamil Nadu. While two are meant for better growing methods for cut-flowers and vegetables, one is aimed at re-using waste water for agriculture. The investment for this will come from the state government.” Israel ranks highest among all countries for re-use of waste water. Over 80% of the water that it use is recycled for agriculture.
· UN Security Council meets in New York today to discuss a Presidential statement backing fully Kofi Annan's peace mission in Syria. According to UN estimates in Syria over 8,000 civilians have been killed in the ongoing violence. Around 30,000 have taken shelter as refugees in the neighbouring countries while 2 lakh persons have been displaced from their homes. In this backdrop and a divided Security Council, UN Special Envoy's mission to Syria needed the backing of member nations. The draft Presidential statement prepared by France expresses gravest concern at the grim situation in Syria. It declares full support to Annan’s six point peace plan which calls for a ceasefire, political dialogue and full access for humanitarian agencies. The statement would strengthen Annan’s hands. It will send a clear message to the Syrian authorities to cooperate with Kofi Annan and the Security Council in putting an end to the bloodshed in the country. The statement comes after Russia and China vetoed twice the UN resolutions condemning Assad regime for its crackdown in Syria. Unlike resolutions, statements are generally non-binding but require unanimous support from the council. UN Security council passed a Presidential statement on Syria last time in August 2011.
· China has raised the price of petrol by about 6 per cent and diesel about 7 per cent for the second time in 2012, as it struggles with the rising cost of crude oil. The move is aimed at ensuring domestic fuel supplies and to help local refiners cut heavy losses. Analysts said this was a sign the government is less concerned about inflation.