INDIAN BIOGAS TECHNOLOGY FOR NAMIBIA

    A biogas plant constructed by Indian Experts near Windhoek in Namibia was recently inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Namibia Dr. Nujoma. He termed this project involving transfer of biogas technology from India to Namibia as a shining example of South-South Cooperation. He also thanked the Government of India and the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources for their support to this project. On this occasion the High Commissioner of India to Namibia Shri P.S. Haer highlighted the fact that both India and Namibia face many common challenges in the field of energy.

    This Indo-Namibian Cooperation project was conceived by the International Relations Division of the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources under the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of Renewable Energy between the two countries. The project envisages electrification of two remote Namibian villages through Solar Photovoltaic cells and setting up of ten biogas plants based on Indian design and technology. The village electrification project is being implemented by the Central Electronics Limited, Sahibabad while the biogas plants are being set up with the help of two Indian experts drawn from the Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation, Ahmedabad. Given the abundant sunshine and a large live-stock population, Namibia is ideally suited for solar photovoltaic and biogas technology. India can appropriately transfer the relevant technology in these fields and can also train Namibian experts in various areas of renewable energy.

    The Government has begun processing amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 in terms of the 154^th Report of the Law Commission of India in consultation with States for provision of protection and facilities to witnesses, among other things. This Report has already been laid in the Parliament. The Law Commission had undertaken a comprehensive review of the Criminal Procedure Code.

    The Supreme Court of India has blamed unscrupulous lawyers and the courts for the ill-treatment meted out to witness in criminal cases. In a recent judgement, the Supreme Court has observed that it has become more or less a fashion to have criminal case adjourned again and again till the witness tires and gives up. It is a game of unscrupulous lawyers to get adjournment on one excuse or the other till a witness is won over or is tired. Not only that, a witness is threatened; he is abducted; he is maimed; he is done away with or even bribed. Besides, a witness suffers inside the courtroom. He has no place to sit and even to have a glass of water. When he does appear in court, he is subjected to unchecked and prolonged examination and cross-examination. He finds himself in a hapless situation. For all these reasons and others, a person abhors becoming a witness.

    The proposed amendment, when carried out in the Code of Criminal Procedure, will provide for necessary facilities and protection to witnesses in criminal cases resulting in such cases sustaining on the touchstone of law and justice. This will also benefit the litigating public to help them get justice.

    A programme aiming at developing preventive, diagnostic and curative technologies for opthalmic diseases has been undertaken by the Department of Science & Technology. Under one of the projects, some herbal drugs i.e. Neem, Tulsi, Ashvagandha and Cinneraria are being investigated for their potential in preventive as well as delaying of cataract occurrence. Suitable technologies for manufacturing and processing of opthalmic plastics with applications in low vision aids and spectacle lens are also being developed under the programme. These technologies have wide ranging applications in transport, information technology and certain other areas.

    The Department has also undertaken a Laser Awareness programme for the students. Laser is the most important component of "Photonics" which is widely acclaimed as the technology of the 21^st century.

    A high technology project has also been sponsored for the development of Finger Print Identification System based upon the Pattern Recognition by Optical Correlation technique. This technology has wide ranging applications in defence and industry.

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    India and Finland have expressed their keenness to increase the level of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and take the level of trade much beyond the present level of US $ 200 million. During the 12th Meeting of the Indo-Finnish Joint Economic Commission held recently in Helsinki, the two sides decided that an Agreement for Promotion and Protection of Bilateral Investments will soon be signed between the two countries. The two sides also considered the feasibility of signing an Agreement or MoU for cooperation in the field of Science & Technology and a similar MoU on cooperation in the Environment Sector. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Nripendra Misra, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce and the Finnish side was led by Mr. Jorma Julin, Director General in the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Finland.

    Both sides also noted the ongoing cooperation between India and Finland in energy and power sectors and emphasised the need to deepen the cooperation in this area. Indian side welcomed Finish technologies in various sectors and participation of Finland in modernisation of Indian ports and shipping sector. An invitation for exchange of delegations in the IT sector was also suggested. A list of action points for promotion of trade and economic cooperation was formulated in the Meeting and it was decided that it will be closely followed. The Finnish Minister for Trade, Mr. Kimmo Sasi will be visiting India in September 2000.

    Finland is a member of the European Union (EU) and its trade and commercial policies are regulated as per EU regulations. The meeting of the Commission had assumed importance as it was held immediately after the conclusion of the India-EU Summit held in Lisbon on 28^th June, 2000. During the second half of the year 1999, Finland had the Presidency of the EU.

    The Indo-Finnish bilateral trade is presently of the order of approximately US $ 200 million per annum. The trade is, however, in favour of Finland from where India imports paper boards, manufactures, newsprint, organic chemicals, non-ferrous metals, etc. 50% of India’s imports from Finland consist of machinery/electronic goods and professional instruments. Major exports from India to Finland are garments, carpets, manufactures of metals, handicrafts and gems & jewellery.

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INDIA WILLING TO EXTEND COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR-NITISH KUMAR

INDIA –THAILAND MINISTER’S MEET

    Union Minister for Agriculture, Shri Nitish Kumar welcoming Foreign Minister of Royal Kingdom of Thailand H.E. Dr Surin Pitsuwan expressed his willingness to extend cooperation and all assistance in the field of agriculture for mutual benefit. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between India and Thailand in the field of agriculture has been approved by the Cabinet and is awaiting signature.

    Shri Nitish Kumar expressed his concern to Thailand Foreign Minister about Thai trawlers engaged in poaching and illegal fishing operations under the guise of chartered vessels.

    He said that deep sea fishing policy involving joint venture in deep sea fishing has been rescinded by Government in the wake of agitation from fishermen association and is under review.

    Shri Nitish Kumar suggested Dr. Pitsuwan that ministerial staff must discuss in detail various fields of cooperation in agriculture sector including deep sea fishing. India and Thailand are members of BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka & Thailand – Economic Cooperation) and IOR-ARC (Indian Ocean Rim Association – Regional Cooperation – 19 countries at present)

    Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Foreign Minister of Thailand and Chairman of ASEAN desired cooperation in between both the countries in the field of Agriculture, Fishery, Research and Development, Food Processing and Information Technology.

    He said that Thailand Agriculture Minister has desired himself to sign the MOU as he was a student of Indian Agriculture University.

    Both sides expressed their willingness to cooperate for the mutual benefit of both the countries.

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    Union Surface Transport Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, who left here yesterday on a three-day visit to Malaysia at the invitation of the Malaysian Minister of Works, Mr Dato Seri S.Samy Vellu has a busy schedule in Kuala Lumpur.

    Beginning with a visit to Highway and Tunnel Control Centre at MTD Office, Gombak, the Minister will visit Lingkaran Trans Kota Holdings Berhad (LITRAK), where he will see the working of Traffic Control and Surveillance Centre at LITRAK Headquarters at Bandar Sunway.

    Shri Rajnath Singh will call on his Malaysian counterpart tomorrow. At their meeting, the two leaders will discuss matters concerning road construction and other related topics. Shri Rajnath Singh will also attend a briefing and presentation by the Malaysian Highway Authority on "Privatisation of Highways in Malaysia" at Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan Bhd. (PLUS) Bhd and visit the New Klang Valley Expressway.

    During his stay in Malaysia, Shri Rajnath Singh will also visit Klang Port Management Berhad at Port Klang and see the functioning of the port.

    The Minister for Rural Development, Shri Sundar Lal Patwa has emphasized the need for sustainability of sources and of the systems in rural water supply sector. Shri Patwa was inaugurating a workshop "Jal Manthan" on Implementation of Rural Water Supply Sector Reform Pilot Projects, here today. In his inaugural address Shri Patwa lamented on the lack of involvement of the community in Government progammes leading to poor operation and maintenance practices. He said the Government of India has introduced sector reforms as a new concept whereby the Government is to primarily function as a facilitator and not as the provider. He called for cooperation and coordination between the Government, community and other stake holders for making sector reforms pilot projects a success.

    The Minister pointed out that the Government has already invested about Rs.29,000 crores in the rural water supply sector since the First Plan period. He drew attention to the excessive withdrawal of ground water for various purposes and total neglect of rainwater harvesting, watershed management, water conservation measures, which have had their adverse impact on sustainability of water sources and added that the Government has already taken a policy decision to earmark 25% of Sub-Mission funds under Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) and 25% of the Pradhan Mantri Gramodya Yojana (PMGY) funds for watershed management and water conservation measures.

    While addressing the gathering, the Minister of State for Rural Development, Shri A. Raja said that only if people themselves operate and manage the systems created, their sustainability can be ensured. He pointed out that the sector reforms have been initiated to induce a feeling of ownership in the people and hoped that the reforms will ensure the sustainability of systems created.

    In his welcome address, the Secretary, Drinking Water Supply, Shri S.K. Tripathi pointed out that today’s workshop symbolizes the formal launching of the reform projects at the national level. He reiterated that the sector reforms projects are different from traditional projects for implementation, as the objective here is not just implementation for the hardware component of water supply scheme but also to implement a particular philosophy and concept. Shri Tripathi said that the funds for implementation for these projects are to be released by the Government of India directly to the concerned districts.

    The day-long workshop jointly organized by the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission and UNDP-World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Programme, South Asia Wing, deliberated on the modalities to establish strong linkages with the PRIs in the institutionalisation of community reforms in water supply sector. The meeting also discussed in detail the nuances of implementation of the pilot projects in the chosen 58 districts identified by the State Governments. There were also presentations on the successful project being run in Kerala and Uttar Pradesh under the SWAJAL experience. The details of project cycle, namely, the institutionalizing phase, sensitization and identifying phase, scheme/system planning phase and implementation and commissioning phase were also discussed. State Secretaries dealing with Rural Drinking Water Supply and Chief Engineers of all the 22 States, where pilot projects have been identified and representatives of external support agencies attended the workshop along with senior officials of RGNDWM. This workshop will be followed up by four regional workshops of key state functionaries: in Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Assam by November, 2000.

    The Water and Sanitation Program – South Asia – an international partnership managed by the World Bank, through its Strategic Alliance with the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission the Programme is supporting the national level policy dialogue and supporting two of the Mission pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

    Shri V.S. Dutta, Commissioner of Railway Safety, Northern Circle, New Delhi, held a statutory inquiry into the dashing of 2 ETA MEMU passenger train with tractor trolley at manned engineering level crossing no.58-C at km 1223/17-19 between Block Hut "N" and Makhanpur stations of Tundla-Kanpur double line electrified section of Allahabad Division of Northern Railway at 2018 hrs on 30.5.00. Due to the accident, 6 passengers died, 3 had grievous injuries and 3 sustained simple injuries.

    According to "Provisional Findings" of the Commissioner, the accident occurred due to combined effect of "Failure of other than Railway Staff" and "Failure of Railway Staff".

    The recommendations made by the Commission are under consideration of the Government.

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    The Government of India, Department of Disinvestment, has recently appointed advisors for disinvestment of its stake/shareholdings in a number of PSEs. The advisors in cases of disinvestment which are being pursued are as follows: