Daily News Notes: 17th April, 2012

· Announcing the Monetary Policy for the year 2012-2013, RBI governor D Subbarao today said that the Repo Rate has been reduced by 50 basis points from 8.5% to 8%. Repo rate is the rate at which banks borrows money from the RBI. The cash reserve ratio has been left unchanged at 4.75%. It reduced bank rate by 0.5 percent to 9 percent. The apex bank has projected the growth rate for the current fiscal at 7.3%. While announcing the credit policy, Mr. Subbarao said that the liquidity conditions were moving towards RBI's comfort zone and added that there is a need to increase fuel prices for macro economic stability.After hiking policy rates for 13 consecutive times between March 2010 and October 2011, the apex bank today took a pause to support India’s falling growth momentum.
· The judicial commission of inquiry looking into the Adarsh housing scam has held that the land on which the controversial building stands belongs to Maharashtra government and not the army, and the building was not reserved for war heroes and Kargil widows. The two-member panel, which submitted its interim report to the government, is headed by former Bombay High Court judge J A Patil and includes former state Chief Secretary P Subramanian. There were allegations that the land was allotted by the state government to the Adarsh Society though it belonged to the Defence Ministry, and the building came up in violation of several civic and environmental norms.
· The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has banned the use of live animals in dissection and other experiments in educational and research institutions. But scientists conducting new molecular research will be exempted from the ban. Based on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960), the MoEF has issued guidelines to the University Grants Commission, ministry of health and family welfare, Pharmacy Council of India and the Medical Council of India to discontinue dissection and experiments with live animals in universities, colleges, research institutes, hospitals, laboratories and instead use alternatives like computer simulations and mannequin models. The guidelines were framed based on the duties of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments and Animals (CPCSEA).
· Faced with strong opposition from non-Congress states on the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Centre took a moderate line stressing on coordination with states to tackle the challenges of internal security. Non-Congress CMs had raised objections to the provisions in the NCTC, arguing that it would upset the federal structure and encroach on the powers of the states. The PM warned that threats from terrorism, left wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and ethnic violence persist in the country. “Like other internal security matters, we need joint and coordinated efforts to deal with the challenge of terrorism, whatever be its origin, whether internal or external, and whatever its motivation," Singh said. He added, "Today, terrorist groups are nimble, more lethal than ever and increasingly networked across frontiers."
· The Asia’s first Dolphin Research Centre will be set up in Patna as the population of Dolphin in India is around 2,500 out of which Bihar accounts 60% of them. Bihar’s State government would provide land near the river Ganga. Also, fresh water dolphins are found only in three areas across the globe-the Ganga river system, the Indus and its tributaries and the Amazon. The Ganga Dolphin is distinguished by the other species by its long snout and is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
· Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (CAMPCO) Ltd. will sell its chocolates in milk parlours of Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Dairy Federation Ltd. (which sells its milk products under the brand name Sanchi) from June. CAMPCO was also making efforts to sell its chocolates through Sudha milk parlours of Bihar State Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation. There are plans to export CAMPCO chocolates to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan too. At present CAMPCO chocolates are sold at select Nandini milk parlours in Karnataka and Milma milk parlours of the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.
· Chairing the meeting of National Ganga River Basin Authority in New Delhi, the Prime Minister Dr. Singh has asked the Centre, the Ganga basin States, civil society and industry to come together to clean the Ganga. The National Ganga River Basin Authority was set up as a high level body that would give focussed attention to fulfilling our sacred and solemn duty to restore the pristine glory of the Ganga and preserve its riches for future generations. The Prime Minister asserted that all the stake holders must find the right balance between the need for environmental and ecological conservation of the Ganga and its basin on the one hand and the imperatives of growth and development on the other. Further he said that increasing urbanisation, industrialisation and population are not only polluting the Ganga waters, but also threatening its ecological and hydrological viability. Added to this are the spectre of climate change and melting of glaciers that are also likely to affect the flows of the river adversely. He said that in order to formulate long term policies and actions, the Ministry of Environment and Forests commissioned a consortium of seven IITs to prepare a comprehensive River Basin Management Plan for the Ganga. This Plan would recommend comprehensive measures to restore and maintain the ecological health of the river giving due regard to the competing water uses and the necessity of a paradigm shift in the manner in which we exploit land, water and other natural resources in the Ganga basin. Some issues: [1.] The issue of untreated sewage - Every day about 2,900 million litres of sewage is discharged into the main stream of the river Ganga from municipal towns located along its banks. The existing infrastructure has a capacity to treat only 1,100 million litres per day, leaving a huge deficit; [2.] The issue of industrial pollution - Though they are only 20% of the total volume of effluents, industrial effluents are a cause for major concern because they are toxic and non-biodegradable; [3.] The issue to maintain the ecological flow of the Ganga, starting with the upper reaches of the river - State Governments and urban local bodies should promote water conservation and recycling of treated waste water. There is a need to promote efficient irrigation practices as a large amount of water from the Ganga is drawn through the canal systems in the upper reaches for agricultural use. There is also the complex problem of tackling water use by hydel projects in the upper reaches.
· As per researchers, a few glaciers on Asia's Karakoram Mountains are defying the global trend and getting thicker. A French team used satellite data to show that glaciers in part of the Karakoram Range, to the west of the Himalayan region, are putting on mass. The cause behind this is uncertain, as glaciers in other parts of the Himalayas are losing mass - which also is the worldwide trend. The region's glaciers are inadequately studied, yet offer a crucial water source for more than a billion people.
· Planning Commission has given investment clearance for the scheme “Madhya Pradesh water sector restructuring project (MPWSRP)”. The project shall be completed in the financial year 2014-15. The pari-passu implementation of the “Command Area Development Plan” would be monitored by the Planning Commission. The Madhya Pradesh Government shall ensure that any civil works under the Madhya Pradesh Water Sector Restructuring Project (MPWSRP) that involve any scope of additional utilization of water in the scheme falling under Ken, Tons, Betwa, Chambal and Sindh basins may be taken up only in consultations with Central Water Commission.
· Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways will inaugurate country’s first Radio frequency identification (RFID) Technology Based Electronic Toll collection Plaza at Chandimandir, Punchkula (Haryana). This technology will help users to make payment without stopping at toll plazas and will reduce traffic congestion and commuting time. Toll Statements can be made or made available online to the road users and they need not have to stop for receipt. RFID, besides satisfying functional requirements, is the cheapest solution available. It is extremely simple to use and administer, requiring no actions on the part of the user (the sticker itself can be stuck on the vehicle by the user). Its Mechanism: It is essential to network all the toll plazas for seamless data communication between toll plazas and the Central Clearing House (CCH). For updating toll data, two tier database structure will be deployed, one at the Plaza level and other at the National level (Central Clearing House). The entire transaction details of all the Tag accounts will be stored in the Central Database. Before issuance of RFID Tags, the road users need to register with the agency with the basic details like Name, Address, Vehicle type, Vehicle registration no. etc. The information will be stored in the central database along with the unique identification code of Tag. Irrespective of the toll plazas being operated by NHAI or BOT concessionaires, the readers at toll plazas will read Tag Ids and send this along with the Plaza ID to the Central Clearing House. The CCH system will debit the applicable amount from the account of road users. The CCH will run an end of day settlement and send files to every toll plaza operators for their receivables for that particular day.
· India and UAE inked an agreement in Abu Dhabi to amend the double taxation avoidance treaty to pave way for better sharing of tax related information b/w the India and UAE and also agreed to set up a joint committee to look after consular issues which include issues such as birth or death registration, quasi judicial matters like detention or arrest, travel documents like passport and visa and others affecting the people.. The India-UAE agreement on avoidance of double taxation has been updated to bring it at same level with the internationally established standards. With this, the banking information as well as any information without any domestic tax interest can be shared between the two nations.
· While co-chairing the second India-Azerbaijan Inter- Governmental Commission in capital Baku, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry stressed the need for establishing the International North-South Transport Corridor, INSTC, to improve connectivity between India and Azerbaijan. The development would lead to saving in transportation cost and time. The protocol signed at the end of the meeting identified key areas of cooperation, such as pharmaceuticals, energy, transport, agriculture and IT sectors. The Minister also advocated early finalization of a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between the two countries to encourage investment flows and boost investors’ confidence.
· A meeting of the heads of state of the Western Hemisphere (Summits of the Americas) has finished without a joint declaration as the leaders were unable to reach a concurrence on whether Cuba should be authorized to attend the next summit. US and Canada opposed demands by the Latin American nations to invite Cuba to the next Summit of the Americas to be held in Panama in 2015. The US President Barrack Obama held that Cuba has yet to make the needed advancements as Cuba has not yet moved to democracy, and not yet observed basic human rights. 50 years ago, Communist Cuba was expelled from the Organisation of American States. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa boycotted the summit in protest at the lack of an invitation for Cuba. However, the summit's host, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, denied the meeting was not a success.
· The United Nations Organisation has selected Madhya Pradesh’s Bhagirath Krishak Abhiyan as one of the three best innovative methods in the world for water conservation. It gives away UN-Water Best Practices Award for encouraging best performances in water sector conservation. This year’s subject of the award was "Water for food security". The Bhagirath Krishak Abhiyan campaign was launched in Dewas district of the state in the year 2006. Under this campaign farmers have constructed about eight thousand reservoirs of various sizes in the district. These irrigation reservoirs have been given the name of “Rewa Sagar”. Some of these reservoirs are spread over 10 acres of land and are upto 40 feet deep. So far, irrigation potential of 40 thousand hectares area has been generated in Dewas district through these reservoirs. The prominent feature of the campaign is that farmers have constructed reservoirs with their own resources. Most of farmers secured loans from banks and other sources so that they could take better crops in their fields through irrigation. Bhagirath Krishak Abhiyan has also won five national level awards.
· Named “Balikatan”, the annual Joint military exercises b/w the US and the Philippines are getting under way in the South China Sea, even as Manila remained locked in a stand-off with Beijing over a disputed shoal. The exercise takes place every year but, this year they are different because the context within which they are taking place has changed. This year the Exercise Balikatan is taking place off Palawan, near parts of the South China Sea, which both Philippine and China claim. The games are happening at a time when tensions are already high between China and the Philippines over disputed territorial rights in the South China Sea. China believes the South China Sea issue is only a regional concern and therefore US should not get involved. But since 2011, the US has been doing the exact opposite - refocusing its military attention on Asia and strengthening ties with the Philippines, negotiating an increase in troop numbers and more frequent joint exercises. Six countries claim competing sovereignty over areas in the South China Sea, which is believed to contain huge deposits of oil and gas. They are China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan. That has led to occasional flare-ups and to competition to occupy islands, reefs and sandbars.
· Millions more children are now surviving beyond their fifth birthday, according to a study commissioned by UNICEF and 'Save the Children'. The reasons are good governance, child focussed policies and development aid. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the countries which received the most aid over the last decade also made the most progress in child well-being. The report by the Overseas Development Institute concludes that huge strides have been made in child welfare and development works. In 2010, nearly 12,000 fewer children died each day than in 1990.
· The army and opposition parties in Guinea-Bissau will dissolve all existing institutions and set up a National Transitional Council. Two committees had been set up to run the country in the period leading up to the creation of the transitional council: one would handle diplomatic affairs; the other social issues. That election had been due to take place between the then Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior and ex-President Kumba Yala on April 29.
· Australia has decided to lift sanctions against Myanmar's President and more than 200 others who are at present under travel and financial bans. It aslo announced that some 130 names will still continue on the restricted list, counting senior members of the military and others alleged of human rights abuses. The decision comes just days after British PM David Cameron and Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi issued a mutual call for the suspension of sanctions. The EU foreign ministers are also likely to act on the issue soon. Norway has also decided to lift economic sanctions against Myanmar, whilst keeping the arms embargo and limitations on military cooperation in force.