The total quantity and value of pulses imported and exported during the last three years are as follows:
(Qty: MTs / Value: in Rs. crore)
Year | Imports |
Exports |
||
Qty. |
Value |
Qty. |
Value |
|
1996-97 |
654908 |
890.34 |
55216 |
131.58 |
1997-98 |
1008161 |
1194.64 |
168052 |
360.89 |
1998-99(Prov.) |
312744 |
404.52 |
101448 |
218.74 |
1999-2000 (Apr.-Aug.99) |
62847 |
89.30 |
83774 |
176.81 |
(Source: DGCI&S, Calcutta)
Some of the varieties of pulses imported to augment domestic availability include peas (pisum sativum) dried and shelled, chickpeas (garbanzos) dried and shelled, beans of the SPP vigna mungo, hepper, small red beans dried and shelled, kidney beans including whitea pea beans dried and shelled, lentils (mosur) dried and shelled, broad beans and horse beans dried and shelled, grams (excluding split) dried and shelled, gram dal (grams split), mong, tur and urad and dan peas (a substitute for tur).
Some of the varieties of pulses exported include are peas (pisum sativum) dried and shelled, chickpeas (garbanzos) dried and shelled, beans of the SPP vigna mungo, hepper or vigna mungo, hepper or vigna radiata, wilozek dried and shelled, kidney beans including white pea beans dried and shelled, other beans lentils (mosur) dried and shelled, broad beans and horse beans dried and shelled, grams (excluding split) dried and shelled, gram dal (grams, split), moong, tur and urad.
24
SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN TO RELEASE COMMEMORATIVE POSTAGE STAMP ON SWAMI SAHAJANAND SARASWATI
The Minister of Communications Shri Ram Vilas Paswan will release a commemorative Postage Stamp on Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, noted revolutionary, in Patna on June 26, 2000. Issued by the Department of Posts (DoP), the stamp is in the denomination of Rs. 3.
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati (1889-1950) was a sanayasi as well as a revolutionary, who dedicated his life to the cause of political and economic independence of the Indian people.
Swami Sahajanand was a powerful agitator and propagandist, and his speeches moved and moulded millions of peasants in the defence of their rights. Swamiji came to be addressed as Kisan Pran (life of Kisans) by his Kisan Sabha followers. Such was his popularity that Sahajanand Day was observed throughout Bihar on 19 April 1940 in protest against his arrest. In 1949, only a year before his death, the country honoured him by celebrating his Diamond Jubilee and presenting him a purse of Rs. 60,000/- on the occasion.
He was also a forceful writer and ran the Hindi weekly Hunker from Patna. His noted works on peasant problems and struggle include The Other Side of the Shield. Rent Reduction in Bihar : How it Works, Gaya Ke Kisano Ki Karun Kahani (Pitiable stories of the Kisans of Gaya), How the Kisans Fight and Kisan Sabha Ke Sansmaran ( Reminiscences of the Kisan Sabha)
IMPLEMENTATION OF TRIBAL WELFARE SCHEMES IN STATES/UTs. REVIEWED
The Centre has directed the various Tribal Research Institutes in the country to devote more time and resources on tribal research to build information and database on various aspects of tribal life and culture, so that the Centre and State Govts. could freely draw upon them in formulating policies and programmes for development of tribals in the country. This follows a meeting of States/UTs. Secretaries in charge of Tribal Welfare organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs recently in the capital.
The meeting stressed the need for proper and timely utilisation of the funds released for various schemes and programmes for the tribal population, so that the benefits reach the target groups without much time-lag. The meeting also advised the participants to ensure active participation of NGOs. in the implementation of the programmes for the upliftment of the tribals.
Besides the State Govts./UTs., the Conference was attended by Directors of the various Tribal Research Institutes in the country. Representatives of the Planning Commission and the National Commission for SCs. and STs. also participated in the conference.
'15'
SPECIAL INCOME TAX RETURN COUNTER AT SHASTRI BHAVAN FOR ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS
The Central Board of Direct Taxes is setting up a special counter for accredited media persons to file their income tax returns for the assessment year 2000-01. This special counter will function at the Press Lounge, Press Information Bureau, Shastri Bhavan between 26th June and 30th June, 2000. Government of India accredited corespondents can file their IT returns, PAN applications at this counter between 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on these days.
The Commissionerate of IT Delhi has clarified that due to statutory and technical requirements, it will not be possible to receive IT returns from any other persons other than the accredited correspondents at this counter and for the same reason it will not be possible to issue on the spot refunds/PAN numbers.
Union Minister of State for Finance, Shri V. Dhananjaya Kumar had announced setting up of this special counter recently in a Press Conference.
'30'
BIODIVERSITY BILL TO PROVIDE LEGAL FRAME-WORK FOR CONSERVATION OF BIO-RESOURCES
Government agencies, citizens groups, non-governmental organisations, scientists and academicians got together here today in a unique consultative process to formulate an action plan aimed at protecting the ecological security of the country. The occasion was a two-day inception-cum-training workshop organised by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the key individuals who will be implementing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Project (NBSAP) at the State and Regional levels. For implementation of the NBSAP, a consortium arrangement between Biotech Consortium India Ltd. and Kalpavriksh headed by Shri Ashish Kothari has been worked out.
In his inaugural address, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Forests Dr. Ashok Kumar Kundra said that the Biological Diversity Bill has been introduced in the Lok Sabha to provide a comprehensive legal frame work for conservation of bio-diversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of benefits arising from its use.
"It addresses the issues relating to regulation of access to biological resources of the country with the purpose of securing equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the access to and use of biological resources of the country and traditional knowledge related to these resources," Dr. Kundra said.
Speaking on the occasion, Inspector General of Forests Shri C.P. Oberoi said that bio- diversity is an inter-disciplinary subject and encompasses a whole range of issues and activities, which would require commitment of all stakeholders. "Biodiversity being an all pervasive subject cannot be the sole preserve of any single Ministry or Department," he said and added that all of us from the Government and the non-government sectors, universities and colleges, research organisations, industry, senior citizens, women and foresters have to work together to ensure conservation of Biodiversity.
Shri Oberoi emphasised the need for highlighting those aspects of our culture and religions, which urge people to conserve our biological resources. He said that India is one of the 12-mega Biodiversity countries of the world. The Botanical Survey of India has recorded 46,000 species of plants. The Zoological Survey of India has recorded 81,000 species of animals. India is also rich in agricultural biodiversity and domesticated animals.
7
The Department of Company Affairs (DCA) in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs has issued a Mission Statement endeavouring to work and to ensure responsive, resilient, responsible and healthy development of corporate sector. It further states that the Department will protect and promote the interests of all the stakeholders, consumers and the public and endeavours further to formulate investor friendly policies catalysing corporate excellence by encouraging free, fair and just competition.
The Mission Statement further endeavours to accelerate the reforms process, set in motion since 1991, for progressive integration and enhancing international competitiveness. This is just to make the Department as valuable to the public as the public is to it.
The Mission Statement has been issued to supplement the Citizens Charter issued by the Department in July, 1999, with a sense of urgency, dedication and professionalism. The Citizens Charter fixed a broad parameter for cooperative partnership between DCA and corporate sector and time limits for disposal of cases under the Companies Act, at the level of Registrars of Companies (RoCs), Regional Direcotrs, DCA and Company Law Board (CLB).
The Department maintains that : " Our endeavours is to ensure responsive, resilient, responsible and healthy development of corporate sector, to protect and promote the interests of the shareholders, stakeholders, consumers and the public, to evolve investor friendly policies catalying Corporate Governance by encouraging fair competition, to accelerate the reforms process for integration and increasing international competitiveness, with a sense of urgency and dedication to the delight of our constituents".
'18'
MODERNISATION INCREASES PRODUCTION OF DSP
Durgapur Steel Plant of West Bengal, a leading plant of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) which was commissioned in stages between December 1959 and January 1962 with an initial capacity of 1 million tonnes of ingots per annum is producing at present 2.088 million tonnes of hot metal, 1.876 million tonnes of liquid steel and 1.586 million tonnes of saleable steel every year. It produces merchant products, structurals, skelp, sleepers, wheels & axles, fish plates and semis.
The modernisation plan of the company was completed in March 1998. The anticipated cost of modernisation as considered in the present capital Budget is Rs. 5,074 crore. A provision of Rs. 20 crore for 1999-2000 (Revised Estimate) and Rs. 34.08 crore for 2000-01 (Budget Estimate) has been made towards the end payments. Other modernisation schemes of the company are in progress.
The total budget outlay for the company for the year 1999-2000 was Rs. 86.09 core. A plan outlay of Rs. 97.49 crore for 2000-01 has been made for the entire plant for its capital expenditure.
21
CENTRE DECLARES INDIA GOVERNMENT MINT, MUMBAI AS PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE UNDER THE I.D.ACT
Central Government has declared the services in the India Government Mint, Mumbai, as public utility service under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 for six months with immediate effect. In a notifications issued here, the Labour Ministry said the public interest required that the industry should be declared as public utility service.
'21'
INCREEASE IN ALL INDIA CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL LABOURERS
The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural and Rural Labourers (Base 1986-87 = 100 ) for May 2000 increased by three points to stand at 310 for Agricultural Labourers and at 311 for Rural Labourers.
In case of Agricultural Labourers, the index rose by 1 to 9 points in 15 states, went down by 1 to 5 points in 3 states while it remained constant in two states. The index for Rural Labourers, also increased by 1 to 9 points in 15 states, but decreased by 1 to 4 points in 3 states while no change in indices was registered in two states. Meghalaya topped the index with 343 points for Agricultural labourers and 342 points for Rural Labourers while West Bengal figured at the bottom of the points table with 291 and 292 points respectively.
Point to point rate of inflation based on CPI-AL and CPI-RL, decreased from 4.07% and 4.05% in April, 2000 to 4.03% and 4.01% during May, 2000 respectively. Respective rates of inflation during May, 1999 were 7.97% and 7.94%.
All-India Consumer Price Index (General & Group-wise)
GROUP | Agricultural Labourers |
Rural Labourers |
||||||
April, 2000 |
May, 2000 |
April, 2000 |
May, 2000 |
|||||
General Index | 307 |
310 |
308 |
311 |
||||
Food | 309 |
311 |
309 |
311 |
||||
Pan, Supari etc | 362 |
363 |
362 |
363 |
||||
Fuel & Light | 273 |
282 |
273 |
282 |
||||
Clothing, Bedding & Footwear | 306 |
307 |
313 |
314 |
||||
Miscellaneous | 307 |
307 |
306 |
307 |
PUBLIC NOTICE Subject: Civil Writ Petition No. 2718 of 1998 in the High Court of Delhi by Shri V.K. Jain (Petitioner) vs. Union of India through Secretary (P) and Others regarding Power Crisis in the Capital and ensure optimum electricity consumption from existing power stations.- Shri Vinod Kumar Jain a resident of New Delhi filed a Civil Writ Petition No.2718 of 1998 in the High Court of Delhi against the Union of India through Ministry of Power, Govt. of NCT of Delhi through Chief Secretary and Delhi Vidyut Board through Chairman, DVB praying therein:-
( a ) Direct the respondent to make public complete details of power projects which are being set-up to supply electricity to Delhi;
( b ) Direct the Respondent No.(I) i.e. Union Government and (2) i.e. Govt. of NCT of Delhi to make public estimates of the power needs of the city for the next 5 years and measures being adopted to fulfil them;
( c ) Respondent No.(2) i.e. Govt. of NCT of Delhi to ensure optimum electricity production at its existing power plants during the summer months; and
(d) Respondent No.(2) i.e. of Govt. of NCT of Delhi to give details of the measures adopted by it to prevent theft and unauthorised use of electricity. The action taken by the Union Government in respect of (a) and (b) is indicated below:-
(a) Direct the respondent to make public complete details of power projects which are being set-up to supply electricity to Delhi;
At present Delhi meets its power requirements from the following sources:-
i) | Delhi Vidyut Board's (DVB)own power stations | 664.5 MW (Derated Capacity) |
ii) | Badarpur Thermal Power Station | 705 MW (Derated Capacity) |
iii) | Entitlement from existing Central Sector generating Stations in Northern Region (Installed Capacity: 9016 MW) | 1588 MW |
iv) | Allocation to Delhi out of 15% unallocated shares from Central Sector Stations | The present allocation is 25%(225 MW).This allocation is reviewed by CEA from time to time. |
Name of the power |
Installed capacity |
Likely year of Commissioning |
Entitlement of Delhi(Tentative)
|
|
i) |
Dulhasti H.E.P |
390 MW |
3/2003 |
46 MW |
ii) |
Dhauliganga H.E.P |
280 MW |
9/2005 |
33 MW |
iii) |
Tehri H.E.P State-I |
1000 MW |
12/2002 |
88 MW |
iv) |
Nathpa Jhakri H.E.P |
1500 MW |
3/2002 |
135 MW |
v) |
Rajasthan Atomic Power Project State II |
440 MW |
10/2000 |
53 MW |
vi) |
Chamera H.E.P Stage II |
300 MW |
5/2004 |
34 MW |
Total |
3910MW |
390 MW |
Name of the Project | Installed Capacity | Entitlement(Tentative) | |
i) | Parbati HEP Stage II | 800 MW | 93 MW |
ii) | Anta Gas Project Stage II | 650 MW | 78 MW |
iii) | Auraiya Gas project Stage II | 650 MW | 78 MW |
iv) | Rihand STPS Stage II | 1000 MW | 120 MW |
Total | 3100 MW | 369 MW |
4. In addition, 15%(1051 MW) of the installed capacity (7010 MW) of the future projects indicated at paras 2 & 3 above will be retained with Government of India to meet the requirements of the constituent states depending on the prevailing power supply position. Accordingly, Delhi will be also getting allocation from this unallocated power depending upon the prevailing power supply position in Delhi.
5. Delhi Vidyut Board is setting up 330 MW Pragati CCGT which will be exclusively for Delhi.
6. The Supply of power from the Central Sector future projects would be subject to the following conditions :-
(i) Power from the new Central Sector Power Stations will be made in accordance with power purchase agreement (PPAs) to be signed between the CPSU and the State/UT or any of their authorised agency/board;
(ii) First offer for purchase of power shall be made by the CPSU to each constituent (State /UT or their authorised agency) of the region as per their entitlement;
(iii) In case any constituent of the region does not buy its share or part thereof, the CPSU shall have the right to sell that power to any other State/UT in accordance with the PPA to be entered into by them. However, such offer by the CPSU shall first be made to the State(s)/UT(s) within the region (where power station is located) before diverting the power to State(s)/UT(s) outside the region.
(iv) Where there are more than one claimants to the surplus power, so offered, weightage in allocation shall be given to the Power Sector reforming State(s)/UT(s).
(v) This does not affect allocation of 10% of the power to the State where the central thermal power plant is located and the 12% free power from Central hydel power stations to the State(s)/UT(s) of the regions (including the state where the hydel project is located).
(b) Direct the Respondent No.(I) i.e. Union Government and (2)i.e. Govt. of NCT of Delhi to make pyblic estimates of the power needs of the city for the next 5 years and measures being adopted to fulfil them
1. The estimates of power demand made for Delhi in accordance to the 15th Electric
Power Survey undertaken during 1994-95 are indicated below: -
Year |
Energy Requirement (MWH) |
Peak Load (MW) |
2000-01 |
19352 |
3253 |
2000-02 |
20735 |
3481 |
2006-07 |
29082 |
4847 |
2. The actual energy requirements and peak demand in Delhi during the year 1999-2000 was 17635 Million Units and 2850 MW respectively. It is further visualised that by taking various demand management measures by the DVB , the peak load of 4847 MW projected in the Power Survey by 2006-07 is likely to be flatten.
3. Power would be available to Delhi from the following sources after implementation of the projects indicated as paras 2 to 5 above.
i) | Delhi Vidyut Board's (DVB) own power stations (Existing) | 664.5 MW(Derated Capacity) |
ii) | Badarpur Thermal Power Station(Existing) | 705 MW (Derated Capacity) |
iii) | Pragati CCGT under execution by DVB | 330 MW |
iv) | Capacity allocation in exiting Central Sector Generating Stations In Northern Region(Installed Capacity :9016 MW) | 1588 MW |
v) | Entitlement from future Central Generating Stations (Total Installed Capacity : 7010 MW) | 759MW |
vi) | Allocation from 15% unallocated power from existing ) and future Central Sector Power Stations (1953 MW) depending upon the prevailing power supply position. | 195-488 MW (Varying from 10% to 25% |
'3'
PRIME MINISTERS SPEECH AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE ROTRAY INDIA AWARD ON HUMAN RIGHTS TO JUSTICE SHRI M. N. VENKATACHALIAHFollowing is the text of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's address at the presentation of the Rotary India Award on Human Rights to Justice Shri M. N. Venkatachaliah here today:
"It gives me great pleasure to be invited by Rotary Award for Service to Humanity (India) Trust to present a very special award to a very special person this evening.
Few men are perhaps better qualified to be chosen for the first Rotary India Award on Human Rights than Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah. His name is indelibly linked to the noble ideal of advancement of human rights in India, thanks to his long and distinguished service in the judiciary and, later, as the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. The good work started by him in the Commission has been continued by his able successor, Justice Verma.
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Human rights is not an alien concept to us. It is not as if India borrowed it from democracies in the West after the issue gained international currency in recent decades. In the very emblem of the National Human Rights Commission is enshrined the age-old Vedic ideal: Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah May All Be Happy.
Here "All" does not mean all of a particular community or a race or a nation, but all the human beings on earth. Our ideal of human rights is, thus, as universal as it is ancient.
Nor do we in India understand human rights in a limited and restrictive sense in terms of certain abuses here and there. It is wrong to think of human rights in parts, nor their denial in parts. Human life and happiness are indivisible. Only a holistic approach will help us achieve material prosperity for all, social and cultural progress for all, and human dignity for all.
India not only developed an original and profound understanding of human rights, but also constructed the three pillars on which the edifice of human rights rests. These pillars are democracy, secularism, and the rule of law. These ideals might not have been articulated in the past through their modern idioms. But, in their essential form, they have always been the hallmark of the best periods in Indian history. They have been championed by philosophers and social reformers belonging to all the diverse religious and social traditions of India. That is why, after independence we adopted a Constitution that guarantees basic human rights not only to our own citizens, without any discrimination, but also to those who happen to visit our sacred land.
I am not harking back to the past because it is a comfortable distraction from the glaring gap between the ideals and the reality at present. No. I am doing so, because I believe that we can best promote respect for human rights by rooting our efforts in our own cultural and spiritual traditions, without, however, turning a blind eye to the positive lessons from the experiences of other countries around the world.
I emphasize the importance of our cultural and spiritual traditions for another reason. Not all the right things in society can be ensured by laws and regulations alone. Law cannot teach a person to be compassionate, caring, and sensitive to other peoples sorrows and joys. And human rights cannot be secure in a society where these qualities are weak. For example, atrocities on dalits, women, poor and the weak cannot be stopped by legal methods alone. Social maladies call for social remedies.
It is, therefore, necessary that we pay far greater attention than we have done so far to the role of education, media, and socio-cultural reforms in creating an environment in which respect for human rights becomes the natural trait of citizens and institutions.
Of course, the role of the law and governmental machinery in expanding and deepening the scope of human rights can hardly be overemphasised. The National Human Rights Commission has rendered a commendable service by creating greater awareness about human rights and also by checking their gross abuses. So far, however, only 10 States have set up similar commissions. I would urge those States, which have not done so, to follow suit speedily. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which, I am told, account for 65 per cent of the nearly 50,000 complaints that are received annually by the National Commission.
The Commission has suggested some amendments to the Protection of Human Rights Act following the report of the Justice Ahmadi Committee Justice Verma has referred to this matter in his speech. The Government will examine these suggestions and take early steps to enact necessary amendments to further strengthen the legal framework for the protection of human rights.
I believe that we should be open and willing to fully recognize the deficiencies and infringements in the area of human rights in India. For without being truthful to the nature and extent of the problem, there can be no effective and durable solution. We should spare no effort to infuse greater sensitivity, efficiency, and accountability in the functioning of the police, administration and other institutions that have a direct bearing on the human rights of citizens.
Wherever necessary, rules and procedures of these institutions should be radically overhauled to reduce the possibility of their contribution to the violation of human rights of our citizens. This is especially urgent in the context of the untold difficulties faced by the poor and illiterate in their dealings with the institutions of the State.
All the people working in these institutions should bear in mind a simple guiding principle: The more we enforce the rule of law, the better we promote human rights. It is a principle which Justice Venkatachaliah himself has enunciated very pithily in one of his famous judgements I am quoting from his judgement: "Governance is not of men but of the rule of law." I would like all of us responsible for governance at the Centre and in State Governments and local bodies to mull over the meaning of these profound words more and more.
At the same time, I wish also to caution against the tendency, seen among some commentators on the human rights in India, to exaggerate, to sensationalize, to judge a situation without regard to the overall context, to view certain issues through the coloured glasses of outsiders, and to wittingly or unwittingly project a negative picture of India around the world.
Another thought. In a developing country like India, the task of advancing human rights is integrally linked to speedy and balanced socio-economic growth. Poverty is one of the worst violators of human rights and so also is the society that allows poverty to persist. India has all the human and natural resources needed to provide decent living standards to all our citizens. This, however, can be achieved only by removing the shackles on Indias all-round economic progress. This is the true purpose of our economic reforms. Our reforms have a human face because they are designed to promote economic and social justice for all our citizens, especially the poorest and the most deprived.
A word about the timing of this award presentation ceremony, which appears to have something to do with our desire to bring the issue of human rights into greater limelight. Knowingly or unknowingly, the organizers have chosen this day for holding the function, which is only two days before the 25th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency in India. As we all know, it was the darkest period for Indian democracy. It was also a direct assault on the fundamental human rights of our citizens. Happily, that sad chapter came to an early end. It is our duty, and the duty of our succeeding generations, to ensure that it never re-visits us.
Before I conclude, I must applaud Justice Venkatachaliah for the new role in which he is now serving the nation: namely, as the chairman of the Constitution Review Commission. His stature, his erudition and his impeccable impartiality have been hailed by one and all. In this new responsibility, too, Justice Venkatachaliah will continue his spirited championing of human rights.
I once again heartily congratulate Justice Venkatachaliah for receiving the Rotary India Award on Human Rights and, thereby, further promoting the cause of human rights in India.
Thank you."