After guidelines for private sector participation in major ports were announced by the Government in October 1996 (amplified on 1.6.98 by making a provision for formation of Joint Ventures by Major Ports with foreign ports, minor ports and any other person), 12 projects involving investment of about Rs.3700 crores have been approved.
The first major Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT) in July, 1997 for a new 600 m long Container Terminal with two berths. While this agreement is a trend setter, some difficulties were faced in raising finances. It was, therefore, felt by the Ministry of Surface Transport that bankable model documents may be prepared prescribing not only terms and conditions of License, but also laying down bidding procedures and selection criteria, revenue sharing etc. in respect of private sector projects, for being adopted by the major ports.
Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited (IDFC) was entrusted the task of preparing a draft of model documents. Based on the drafts prepared by IDFC, the Department of Shipping has finalised the documents.
The salient points of the model documents are:-
For berths and terminals, whether new or existing, two stage procedure: Stage 1 – qualification based on experience and financial strength; and Stage 2 – submission of 2 covers by the qualified bidders ( i ) Technical Proposal ( ii ) Price Bid. For other areas of privatisation, only a single stage comprising the above mentioned Stage-2 has been prescribed.
2. Qualification Criteria
of managing a facility for similar cargo with average annual volume for the last three years equal to at least 50 per cent of the proposed capacity of terminal/berth under bidding.
3. Content of Technical Proposal
Scoring system, with the suggested score for each element as under, out of 1000:
Passing score – 800 in total and on each headings not less than 70 per cent of the possible marks to be obtained.
This is a characteristic formula. The port trusts may change the weights, depending on the project requirement. The weights and passing criteria should be indicated in the bidding documents.
i ) No throughput guarantee.
Bidder quoting the highest percentage is selected.
7. Compensation in the event of termination
- Termination due to Force Majeure Event
If the termination is due to a Force Majeure Event, compensation payable to the Licensee shall be the aggregate fair value, as determined by the Expert being a reputed valuer, of ( i ) the tangible assets forming part of, fixed or attached to the ground created, installed or provided by the Licensee and comprised in Project Facilities and services including cargo handling equipment, which in the reasonable judgement of the said Export are capable of being put to use/utilized by the Licensor and ( ii ) the movable assets which the Licensor agrees to take over, less any amount due to the Licensor from the Licensee under this Agreement.
b) Termination due to Licensee event of Default
If the termination is due to a Licensee event of default, the compensation payable by the Licensor to the Licensee shall be the lower of -
i ) the aggregate fair value, as determined by the Expert being a reputed valuer, of (a) tangible assets forming part, fixed or attached to the ground created, installed or provided by the Licensee and comprised in the Project Facilities and services icluding the cargo handling equipment, and (b) the movable assets which the Licensor agrees to take over, less amounts if any due to the Licensor from the Licensee under the provisions of this Agreement and ;
ii ) the Debt Due.
C ) Termination due to Licensor Event of Default
If the termination is due to Licensor event of Default, the compensation payable by the Licensor shall be the aggregate of the Debt Due and the fair value as determined by an independent Expert ( on the basis that the Licensee is a going concern but limited to the unexhausted/unexpired License Period), of the aggregate equity shares of the Licensee, less amounts if any due to the Licensor from the Licensee under the provisions of this Agreement.
The amounts of payable compensation is net of insurance proceeds, in all cases
8. Independent Engineer
Independent Engineer will approve drawings etc. on behalf of the Licensor and certify construction.
The Licensee shall be entitled to mortgage, hypothecate or otherwise charge from time to time all its rights, title and interest in assets in favour of Lenders for securing Finance Assistance.
10. Dispute Resolution
The dispute resolution process comprises 3 stages; ( i ) amicable settlement, ( ii ) Assistance of Expert; and ( iii ) Binding arbitration by a panel of 3 Arbitrators and the provisions of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 shall apply to the arbitration. The place of arbitration shall be the headquarters of the Licensor in India.
'15'
WORLD BANK GIVES US $ 182.4 MILLION FOR UP THIRD DISTRICT PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT
India and World Bank signed an agreement for IDA credit of SDR 132.30 million (US $ 182.4 million) to help finance the Uttar Pradesh Third District Primary Education Project, here today. The agreement was signed by Shri R.S. Sharma, Joint Secretary on behalf of government of India, Mr. Edwin Lim, Country Director, World Bank on behalf of the World bank and the Principal Secretary (Education) of government of Uttar Pradesh, Shri R. Ramani.
The total cost of the project is US$ 214.70 million. US $ 182 million will be met through World Bank (IDA)'s interest free credit. The rest of US $ 32.3 million will be contributed by the government of India/State Government. Two phases of District Primary Education Project (DPEP) are currently being implemented in Uttar Pradesh. The first one is a part of the DPEP-II Project and the second one an expansion of the DPEP in 4 districts.
The current project will expand DPEP to 38 additional districts of Uttar Pradesh. The project will be implemented over a period of five years and aims to assist Uttar Pradesh and Education For All Project Board in building and strengthening Uttar Pradesh's state, district and sub-district institutional capacity to ensure that more children, especially children from socially disadvantaged groups, complete a five-year primary education cycle of appropriate quality in the project Districts. The project is expected to be completed by 31st March, 2005.
‘7’
ROLE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The Secretary, Department of Company Affairs, Dr. P.L. Sanjeev Reddy has called upon the Chartered Accountants to involve themselves in effective implementation of code of corporate governance to meet the societal expectations and ensure investors primacy. Addressing the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India here today, Dr. Reddy said that the dynamics of the new scenario required the auditors to forewarn the shareholders, Government and society well in time to enable them to take preventive and corrective measures against corporate frauds.Dr. Sanjeev Reddy placed the Government’s confidence in the expertise and skills of the accountancy profession and sought the well-considered views of the Council for reviewing Anti-Trust Law, Cooperative Law, Company Law and framework of regulations of Nidhis. He asked the professionals of accountancy to follow the highest standards of professional conduct. He urged the Institute of Chartered Accountants to be pro-active in its approach and actions to meet the challenges of emerging globalisation of Indian economy. He also assured the Council of the Institute that Government would help the Institute maintain supremacy as an accounting standards body.
Talking of the emerging role of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Dr. Reddy wanted the Institute to give primacy to the issues shaping up in corporate affairs and come out with practical and result oriented strategies that the Government should follow in building further the confidence of investors. This, he felt, would go a long way in tracking down vanishing and defunct companies. He exhorted the Institute to play an aggressive role in establishing the image of Indian accountancy profession with its attendant standards of excellence on international front to facilitate export of accountancy services worldwide.
The President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Shri G. Sitharaman, welcoming Dr. Sanjeev Reddy, apprised him of the code of conduct for the members of the Institute and assured the Institute’s response to areas of concern for corporate law management, administrative regulations including effective implementation of Citizens Charter evolved by the Department of Company Affairs for improving the efficiency, ensuring corporate democracy and investors primacy.
‘5’
HOME SECRETARY CALLS FOR INCISIVE THINKING FOR PREVENTION OF CRIME
Union Home Secretary, Shri Kamal Pande has called for incisive thinking on how to prevent people from taking to crime and also on how to prevent "preventable" crime from occurring. These are two ends of a social spectrum and would have to be dealt by different kinds of experts as the crime scenario today holds the portents of serious trouble ahead. Shri Kamal Pande was delivering the valedictory address at the two-day Conference of State DGPs, Heads of CID and Forensic Science Laboratories, here today.The Home Secretary stated that a time has come when the study of criminology should not be the preserve of Universities alone. We should think in terms of setting up a new institution or upgrade one of the existing institutions to enable it to undertake studies on the impact of changes in society on the nature of crime and the criminal. He stated that there should also be research on how the present-day criminal has become hi-tech and has learned to stay one step ahead of the police and the investigating agencies and how this trend could be reversed to restore the superiority of the police over the criminal. He suggested that these issues have to be analysed and resolved by dedicated R&D machinery which should also be tasked to prepare training modules for the police personnel on how to anticipate, pre-empt and handle the modern criminal. I would suggest that a contributory corpus should be created for this R&D effort to which the Ministry of Home Affairs could make an annual contribution out of the funds earmarked for the modernisation of State police forces.
Shri Pande mentioned that training of Investigating Officers (IOs) is another issue of considerable significance. The investigating officer has to be equipped with the skills and techniques of professional investigation. He advised that these skills and techniques have to be periodically upgraded through refresher courses and on-the-job demonstrations by the trainers. The police has also to contend with the economic and cyber crimes sweeping across not only the banking and financial sector but also the telecommunications, the aviation, the railway and the power sectors. He enquired whether the States have adequate facilities to train their detectives and crime investigators so that they are able to match the skills and expertise of the criminal of the 21st century. He suggested that CBI should assume the nodal role for identifying and locating the training institutes which have the requisite skills as well as institutes.
He stated that an important facilitator of the crime investigation is the easy and proximate availability of forensic science laboratories. There is admittedly a dearth of this facility, both in terms of quality and quantity. He suggested, "We should, therefore, aim at setting up state-of-the-art laboratories in each district of the country. Each such laboratory should also be provided a Mobile Laboratory Van to cover the farther areas of the district".
The Home Secretary said that the absence of a comprehensive data bank on the criminal gangs and militant outfits operating in the country, whether from within or outside, has been recognised as an area of weakness in our on-going battle against criminality and terrorism. This weakness is now sought to be removed and a Policy Planning Group of the Home Ministry comprising inter alia officers of the CBI, IB and NCRB has been working out modalities of creation of such a data bank, advised the Secretary.
Shri Pande expressed the hope that this forum would develop, over a period of time, into a think-tank for formulating innovative techniques and approaches to make the police force highly responsive and capable of assisting the civil authority in the resolution of societal conflicts which give rise to most crimes.
This is the first Conference of its kind in which CBI has made a careful selection of subjects, covering a wide spectrum for discussion in ten sessions spread over two days. A Survey of the Crime Scenario in India; Organised Crime and Criminal Intelligence; Need to Strengthen Criminal Laws; Use of Information Technology in Crime Detection; Upgradation of Investigative Skills; DNA Fingerprinting in Criminal Investigation; Cyber Crime; Coordination between the Prosecution and Investigative Agencies ; Causes of Unmerited Acquittals; Qualitative Management of Forensic Science Laboratories; etc. are the topics which have been engaging the attention of every soul dealing with crime and its investigation.
‘5’
BETTER COORDINATION LEADS TO REDUCED POLL VIOLENCE
Proactive intelligence gathering, intelligence sharing and better coordination among Central and State Governments, intelligence agencies and Security Forces has resulted in a reduction in poll related violence during the Assembly elections in the States of Bihar, Manipur, Orissa and Haryana concluded on February 22, 2000
Better effective deployment of Central Security Forces, in spite of limited availability due to counter insurgency requirements in J&K, was achieved by better planning and spreading over the elections in three phases. Although 197 incidents of poll related violence were reported, as against 135 incidents during parliamentary Elections, 1999, the number of persons killed and injured was less at 60 and 158 as compared to 61 and 160 during Parliamentary Elections 1999.
While threats of poll boycotts and disruption by Left extremist groups and extremist groups in the North East loomed large, precise intelligence reports pinpointing soft and vulnerable areas and targets were gathered and shared by the Union Home Ministry with the concerned State Governments.
In Bihar, where large-scale violence was anticipated from MCC, PWG and criminal elements, only 49 casualties and 105 injuries were reported as against 58 casualties and 133 injuries during Parliamentary Elections, 1999. Casualty of Security Forces, particularly in land mine explosions in Central and South West Bihar, was significantly less due to measures such as movement on foot instead of vehicles and intensified pre-poll patrolling. In Orissa also, the threat from Left extremist groups was contained effectively.
COMPARATIVE DATA ON ELECTION RLEATED VIOLENCE: 1999 & 2000PE 1999 AE 2000
Phases |
Incidents |
Killed |
Injured |
Phases |
Incidents |
Killed |
Injured |
|
Bihar |
3 |
118 |
58 |
133 |
3 |
120 |
49 |
105 |
Manipur |
2 |
8 |
2 |
11 |
2 |
41 |
10 |
35 |
Orissa |
2 |
7 |
1 |
15 |
2 |
29 |
0 |
17 |
Haryana |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
1 |
Total |
135 |
61 |
160 |
197 |
60 |
158 |
‘5’
RESULT OF THE ENGINEERING SERVICES EXAMINATION (WRITTEN) 1999 DECLARED
The Union Public Service Commission has declared the result of the written part of the Engineering Services Examination held by the Commission in July, 1999. The successful candidates have qualified for interview for personality test for Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electronics and Telecom. Engineering categories.
Total number of candidates who have qualified for the interview is 1254 including 186 SC, 78 ST and 350 OBCs.
The candidature of all the candidates is provisional. Interviews of the successful candidates for the above mentioned Engineering categories are likely to start from first week of April, 2000.
Candidates are advised to intimate changes in their addresses, if any, to the UPSC immediately to facilitate delivery of summon letter to them promptly. In case the summon letters are not received by 3rd week of March, 2000, the candidates are required to contact the facilitation counter of the Commission on telephone numbers 3385271/3381125 or on fax number 3387310 or on website address www.upsc.gov.in
'14'
| RAJYA SABHA |
The country has achieved a total capacity of 1320 MW of nuclear power. The net profit of NPCIL reached Rs. 361.53 crores during 1998-99 from Rs. 264.95 crores in 1997-98, registering an increase of Rs. 96.58 crores.
This was stated in the Rajya Sabha today by Minister for State in the Department of Atomic Energy, Smt. Vasundhara Raje, in a written reply to Dr. Manmohan Singh.
In reply to another question by Shri Ved Prakash P. Goyal, Smt. Raje said that 12001 million units of power was generated by Atomic Energy in 1998-99. Smt. Raje also informed Dr. Manmohan Singh that Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) carries out periodical inspection of the plants to ensure adherence to safe reaction.
'31'
Secretary, Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Shailaja Chandra has urged the Indian manufacturers of ISM& H drugs to capitalise the export potential available for alternative medicines in the West, especially in Germany, USA and Japan. In her inaugural address at the National Seminar on Research and Development in Unani Medicine- an Appraisal, here today, she has said that by 2050 the annual global trade on alternative medicines will touch 5 trillion $, quoting the WHO’s recent report.
Incidence of communicable diseases goes down substantially by 2010 and non-communicable diseases will surface more during the next 50 years. The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine has to step up its research activities on the speedy relief to non-communicable diseases. She has announced that Good Manufacturing practices (GMP) on ISM & H drugs will be issued by the Government very soon.
State Health Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh where stronger presence of Unani system is existent, will be asked by the Department of ISM&H to introduce Unani medicines as adjunct to allopathic drugs in the Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres.
The Secretary, ISM&H has called upon the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine to take up the research projects on fundamental areas of Unani.
Embassy officials of Iran and Greece are among the others who have addressed the national seminar.
'26' /Lok Sabha/ NSG COMMANDOS ON FLIGHTS
The Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Sharad Yadav in a written reply to a question asked by Shri M.V. Chandrashekhara Murthy and Shri K. Yerrannaidu in Lok Sabha today said that Armed Sky Marshals (NSG) Commandos have been deployed on certain identified routes which cannot be disclosed due to security implications.
The following measures have been taken to strengthen security at airports in the country:-
The countries where Indian Airlines and Air India flights are being operated have been directed to ensure proper safety of these flights.
'26' /Lok Sabha/ SECURITY OF INDIAN AIRLINES AT KATHMANDU
The need for enhanced security and immigration controls at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu has been discussed by the Government of India with the Government of Nepal on several occasions. The Government of India is aware of the possibility of anti-India terrorist elements from third countries entering Nepal through the Tribhuvan International Airport and the Nepalese Government has been sensitised on this issue. The Government of Nepal has assured the Government of India that they are taking steps to enhance security at the Tribhuvan International Airport on a priority basis. Security measures required by Indian Airlines at the Tribhuvan International Airport are also under discussion.
His Majesty’s Government of Nepal (HMGN) was also requested of times to grant permission to Indian Airlines to post its own Security Officer and to have ladder point frisking at Tribhuvan International Airport. The proposal was not accepted by the Nepalese Government stating that the security of flights, including Indian Airlines and the entire operational area, was the exclusive responsibility of HMGN.
This was stated by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Sharad Yadav in a written reply to a question asked by Shri Sushil Kumar Shinde in Lok Sabha today.
‘27’
|RAJYA SABHA|
ACTION PLAN FOR DOUBLING FOOD PRODUCTION
For doubling the food production in the next ten years, an Action Plan has been prepared on the basis of regionally differentiated strategy based on different agro-climate zones. The main features of the strategy for crops are -
For achieving these targets of foodgrains production, the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation is implementing a number of Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes in different States of the country including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. These schemes are Integrated Cereals Development Programme-Rice in Eastern Madhya Pradesh, Coarse Cereals in other parts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, Wheat in Western Uttar Pradesh, including Bundelkhand region. National Pulses Development Project is being implemented for the development of Pulses in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh besides other States.
The Planning Commission have suggested the following targets for various food items:
| 2001-02 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
| Rice | 99.0 | 124.2 | 130.0 |
| Wheat | 83.0 | 104.1 | 109.0 |
| Coarse Cereals | 35.5 | 40.0 | 41.0 |
| Pulses | 16.5 | 19.4 | 20.0 |
| Total foodgrains | 234.0 | 287.7 | 300.0 |
| Oilseeds | 30.0 | 42.7 | 45.0 |
| Sugarcane | 336.0 | 435.2 | 495.0 |
| Fruits & Vegetables | 179.0 | 307.2 | 342.0 |
| Milk | 87.0 | 121.5 | 130.0 |
| Egg(Million Nos.) | 3500.0 | 4928.6 | 5300.0 |
| Fish | 6.9 | 9.1 | 9.6 |
The target of ‘Doubling Food Production’ includes not only foodgrain crops but also oilseeds, sugar, fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs and fish production.
This was stated by the Union Minister for Agriculture Shri Nitish Kumar in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today. In reply to another question it was stated that the yield rates of paddy, cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds and pulses in India, at present, are lower than those in countries like the USA, Australia and Canada. The scientists of ICAR system including Agriculture Universities are continuously working to develop improved technologies so as to enhance the productivity of foodgrains.
AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF INDIA AND INDIAN AIRLINES ASKED TO EVOLVE CITIZENS' CHARTERS
HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE TO TAKE SPECIFIC STEPS TO STREAMLINE PUBLIC GRIEVANCES
The Standing Committee of Secretaries for Public Grievance chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, Shri Prabhat Kumar has asked the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Health & Family Welfare to take specific steps to streamline the redressal of grievances.
At a meeting here today which reviewed the grievance mechanisms in these Ministries, the Indian Airlines and the Airport Authority of India have been asked to finalise their citizens charters expeditiously. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has been told to compile and analyse grievance data of its subordinate formations in order to identify the scope for systemic changes.
The Committee advised the Health & Family Welfare Ministry to monitor the pendency of Grievances in the Ministry and its subordinate formations. It also advised that the Citizens' Charters should be monitored regularly. The Standing Committee desired that the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy should put in place a grievance redress mechanism and formulate a Citizens' Charter.
In the light of the decision taken in a previous meeting, the Cabinet Secretary had addressed all the Secretaries to ensure greater accessibility of the senior officers, particularly the Joint Secretary level officers, and to review the pendency of grievances during their weekly meeting with the officers.
The representative of the Ministry of Civil Aviation informed that the airlines have taken several citizen-friendly measures such as tele-booking, tele-check-in, return and through check etc. Citizen's Charter for Air India has been issued. Systemic changes are being introduced to make travel, traffic control and maintenance easier.
Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, informed the Standing Committee that arrangements for review of disposal of public grievances have been made at different levels. A Parent Charter for government hospitals has been prepared and specific Citizens Charters for Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital have been issued. Delegation of powers has been revised to facilitate expeditious settlement of reimbursement claims in the CGHS and purchase of equipment in Hospitals. Computerized processing of CGHS claims has been initiated.
The Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy was set up in the recent past. The Committee has been informed that its grievance redress mechanism is being designed to meet the requirement of its various clients. A user-friendly web-site has been put in place.
GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIAN IT INDUSTRY IN MAURITIUS
Mauritius and India should come together for a mutually useful and productive partnership in the Indian Ocean region. These views were expressed by Shri Yashwant Sinha, Finance Minister of India and Dr. Vasant Bunwaree, Finance Minister of Mauritius in a meeting, here today.
Shri Sinha suggested that Mauritius should take steps to generate a better awareness about business opportunities in Mauritius among the Indian corporate sector. Dr. Bunwaree said that the Indian expertise in the information technology sector could be used to modernise financial services in Mauritius. Both the leaders agreed that a foothold in Mauritius can be a launching pad for expanding Indian IT industry into African countries. Shri Sinha hoped that the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister of India to Mauritius would usher in a new chapter in Indo-Mauritius ties.