Daily News Notes

· Inaugurating Chief Secretaries Conference Dr. Manmohan Singh asked the Secretaries of the Centre, States and Union Territories to work to reduce chances of corruption and to ensure transparency, accountability and probity in public life and to address the challenges faced by the country through innovation and creative solutions. He urged the States and the Centre to jointly focus on areas of internal security, decreasing the infrastructure deficit, skill development, disaster management and other vital areas for overall development of the country. The Prime Minister said that the Bill on Citizen's Charter introduced in Parliament will empower citizens to demand services from government departments and progress is also being made on a law to regulate public procurement. The Prime minister said the National E-governance plan is being implemented to improve delivery of services to the people and the coverage of 40 crore residents under the Aadhaar Scheme has been recently approved. The Prime Minister termed the Food security Bill as a historic step the government has taken. He said, the National Manufacturing Policy envisages enhancing the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent within a decade and the creation of 100 million jobs. He said that all this builds upon our earlier initiatives such as the Right to Information Act, the Judicial Accountability Bill and the Whistle Blowers Bill. But we still have a long way to go in our efforts for ensuring transparency, accountability and probity in public life. [imp. for P’Ad]
· The Cabinet has approved the proposal to provide preference to domestically manufactured electronic products, in procurement of those electronic products which have security implications for the country and in Government procurement for its own use, consistent with our World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. It will soon come up with a Mission Plan to lay down a clear roadmap for enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic electrical equipment sector. Electrical equipment industry in the country covers over 1500 manufacturing units and the annual turnover of industry is around one lakh ten thousand crore rupees.
· The Supreme Court has said, the manner in the Army Chief Gen V K Singh's statutory complaint was rejected by the Government, appears to be vitiated. Defence Ministry had issued an order on December 30, turning down the statutory complaint of General Singh that his date of birth be treated in Army's records as May 10, 1951 and not as May 10, 1950.
· The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s tobacco control campaign has launched music video ‘Life Se Panga mat Le Yaar’. In order to implement the tobacco control laws and create awareness on the harmful effects of tobacco use the Government of India launched the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) 2007-08. National level mass media public awareness campaigns are very important component of the NTCP and as per the ‘ WHO report on Global Tobacco Epidemic 2011’ India is one of the few countries to have a dedicated budget for the tobacco control mass media campaign. As per estimates, in India, nearly 1 million people die every year due to diseases related to tobacco use. If current trends continue tobacco will account for 13% of all deaths in India by 2020. Available evidence suggests that 40% of all TB deaths are directly attributable to tobacco use. The majority of the cardio vascular diseases and lung disorders are also directly attributable to tobacco consumption. Tobacco has also been identified as a risk factor for Non-communicable disease (NCD) and it accounts for one in six deaths resulting from NCD’s. The prevalence of tobacco use in India is very high. As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey-India (GATS -2010) conducted in the age group 15 and above, over 35% of the population in India consume tobacco in some form or other, with 47% male and 20.8% female consuming some form of tobacco.
· Assam government is likely to conduct Gross State Happiness Index survey supported by the United Nations Development Programme. UNDP says that if the plan goes well, Assam will be the first state in the country to undertake such a survey which would be on the model of the Bhutan Gross National Happiness. The term Gross National Happiness, GNH, was coined in 1972 in Bhutan. It refers to the concept of a quantitative measurement of well-being and happiness. Again, the concept of well -being survey was initiated by the UNDP. The happiness index will be measured on the aspects of living standard, health, education, culture etc.
· The International Advisory Panel (IAP) on National Rural Health Mission today attributed India’s better Health Indicators to work accomplished under various components of NRHM and noted that NRHM has made substantial progress in its journey of providing accessible, equitable and affordable health care ever since its launch in 2005. India’s steady three point decline in the IMR both in 2009 & 2010 and the fact that decline in rural IMR is greater than the decline in Urban IMR is noteworthy. It added that stepped up interventions in child care through implementation of the Home Based New Born Care through ASHAs; incentives for ASHAs for delivering such care in the rural areas; launch of Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK), in June, 2011 with initiatives stipulating free drugs, free diet, free diagnostics, and, if required, free blood, besides free transport from home to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back home for every pregnant woman and similar entitlements having been put up in place for all sick neonates accessing public health institutions for treatment have gone a long way in improving the IMR figures. It stated that the Pulse Polio programme has had an unprecedented success with India having been Polio free for past one year.
· India Festival showcasing the rich cultural heritage and trade linkages between India and UAE got off to a colorful start. Over 100 retailers have put up their stalls during the festival. Cultural troupes on Gujarati folklore, Qawwali and a Shehnai group are showcasing their performance in this year’s festival. Another major attraction is the India food court.
· Bhutan has expressed happiness over acceptance of their request of exemption from application of any export bans on essential commodities which include: Milk Powder, Wheat, Edible Oil, Pulses and Non-Basmati Rice. Both countries expressed satisfaction that progress in meeting the target of developing 10,000 MW of hydropower capacity in Bhutan by 2020 is on schedule. Bhutan has an estimated hydropower potential of 30,000 MW with a little over 1,472 MW harnessed. In July 2006, India and Bhutan signed an Agreement wherein India agreed to develop and import 5000 MW of electricity from Bhutan by 2020. This target was revised to 10,000 MW during PM’s visit to Bhutan in May 2008. Bhutan has been requesting for Ghasuapara and Dalu in Meghalaya on Indo-Bangladesh border as on exit/entry points for Bhutan’s trade with Bangladesh. India’s trade balance with Bhutan has turned negative from 2006 i.e. India imports more than it exports to Bhutan. Both the Minister expressed the confidence that the trade can be diversified and also be doubled in less than 5 years.
· India Shows Interest for Cooperation with Portugal in Wave and off-Shore Energy. The two sides discussed possibilities of enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the field of renewable energy. The Portuguese Minister highlighted the progress made by her country in renewable energy especially bio-mass and bio-fuels.
· Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has brought out a guidance booklet on “Marriages to Overseas Indians” which contains information on safeguards available to women deserted by their NRI spouses, legal remedies available, authorities that can be approached for redressal of grievances. Apart from this, National Commission for Women (NCW) describes the problems related to NRI marriages and suggests precautionary dos and don’ts for Indian women considering marriage to a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or a Person of Indian Origin (PIO). Beside this, a scheme was launched in 2007 (revised on Nov, 2011) to provide legal /financial assistance to the deserted or divorced overseas Indian women through the Indian Missions/Posts.
· Heavy snow has left at least eleven thousand villagers cut off in remote areas of Serbia amid a European cold snap that has claimed more than 130 lives. Temperatures are below -30C in parts of Europe and 63 people have died in Ukraine and 29 in Poland. In Italy, weather experts say it is the coldest week in 27 years. Meanwhile, in Australia, severe flooding is threatening parts of New South Wales and Queensland, with towns cut off and thousands of residents evacuated. Emergency officials said water levels at the Mehi River there had peaked and flooding was expected to continue for several days.
· Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has been declared the outright winner in results released two months after November's disputed presidential election. Veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who declared himself president before this announcement, has called for a boycott of the parliament. International observers have declared the elections were flawed.
· Iran today launched an observation satellite into an orbit at an altitude between 250 and 370 km above Earth.