The four month-long Company Law Settlement Scheme (CLSS), 2000, which ended on September 30, 2000, fetched the Central Exchequer a total sum of Rs. 136.83 crores as the final figures as against the target of mopping up Rs. 100 crores from the defaulting companies.

    The export of manufactured goods from the country and total exports from the country for the years 1997-98,1998-99 and 1999-2000 is as follows:

    Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, today approved 37 cases of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of about Rs…2620 crore. The proposals cover a wide range of sectors like agriculture, bio-technology, machine tools, software development, internet related services, tourism, textiles, portfolio management advice and services, educational and entertainment software, investment in software units under STP scheme, business management and consultancy and telecommunication services. A list of proposals cleared is given below. Earlier, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board had submitted its recommendations for the Minister's clearance.

    Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, has said that India and the United States should target annual trade of at least US $ 25 billion in the next 5 years -- nearly double the current annual level of trade of $ 13 billion between the two countries. Speaking at the meeting of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) on the future of Indo-American business relations here today, Shri Maran also urged early restoration of GSP (Generalised System of Preferences) benefits on Indian exports to the US on a wide-range of products as well as speedy resolution of the issue of anti-dumping levies on exports so as to boost business confidence. Pointing out that although the US today was India's largest trading partner with an expanding volume of trade, India's share was only 0.7 per cent of US imports, Shri Maran stressed that "while the business on both the sides has to shift into higher gears for greater momentum, the governments need to work on issues of market access and building of appropriate institutional framework".

    Marking the occasion of Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Day falling on 21.10.2000, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. C.P.Thakur, in his message has said that more than 20 crore people are at the risk of iodine deficiency disorders in the country, out of about 150 crore people suffering from iodine deficiency disorders in the world.

    Iodine deficiency disorders are one of the major public health problems of today. Lack of iodine results in abortion, still-birth, mental retardation, deaf mutism, squint, dwarfism, goiter of all ages, neuromotor defects etc. The adverse effects of these disorders are profound on the mental ability of the individual which directly affects the human productivity, though they do not cause death.

    Iodine is an essential micronutrient and an intake of about 100-150 microgram is required daily for normal human growth and development. National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme is being implemented in India, as a Centrally assisted programme with special emphasis on iodine deficiency disorders survey, supply of iodated salt, laboratory monitoring and health education. The problem of iodine deficiency disorders exists in varying degrees in all States/ Union Territories in the country.

    Iodated salt is the most effective, economic and expensive way to control the problem of iodine deficiency disorders. India is self sufficient in production of iodated salt, having an installed capacity of more than 119 lakh tonnes per annum against the requirement of 50 lakh tonnes.

    Dr. C.P.Thakur has called upon the people to take a pledge to consume iodated salt daily in order to prevent, control and finally eliminate iodine deficiency disorders from the country. He has also sought the people's cooperation and support in eliminating iodine deficiency disorders by creating awareness about the crucial role of iodated salt in keeping them fit and healthy both mentally and physically.

    Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. C.P.Thakur has order the Secretary, ISM&H to keep the proposal of closing the extension unit of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy at Nemom in Kerala in abeyance.

    Some of the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the government during VIII and IX Five Year Plan to boost exports of agro-products including cash crops include:

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CONVERGENCE BILL LIKELY TO BE INTRODUCED IN COMING SESSION OF PARLIAMENT – PASWAN

    The proposed Bill on Convergence is likely to be introduced in the coming session of Parliament and the recommendations of the Sub-Group would be viewed positively by the Government. Stating this at a National Seminar on Convergence organised by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) here today the Minister of Communications, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan said that convergence of technology is the future which should benefit the consumer in terms of cost, quality, choice and reliability. The Minister said that the report of the Sub-Group headed by Fali Nariman and the Draft Convergence Bill that the Group has proposed may be seen as an expression of the Government’s determination to bring in convergence in India. In this respect, he mentioned about the policy initiatives by Government such as corporatisation of DTS and DTO into Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), opening of National Long Distance telephony for private participation, permitting unrestricted entry into Basic Services, strengthening of Regulator and the opening of International Long Distance telephony being brought forward to 1^st April 2002.

    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today gave its recommendations to the Government on provision of mobile community phone services. The immediate context in which the need for these recommendations arose was a reference from the DOT on the subject. The DOT had earlier prohibited, by an executive order, the Cellular Mobile Service Operators from providing such public call facility, except in situations of inherent mobility, e.g. trains, buses, running taxis etc.

    Kargil is back in news but for different reasons. This time Kargil wears festive look as a three-day Swasthya Mela begins tomorrow.

    About thirty stalls have been set up for providing a wide range of health services to the people at the mela site. Facilities for child health care, immunisation, maternal health care, screening for leprosy and TB, Counselling for Family Welfare and HIV/AIDS will be available. Contraceptives, allopathic medicines as well as ISM drugs will be given free to the patients during the three-day mela ending on 23^rd this month. A separate stall for No Scalpel Vasectomy has been set up. The other facilities available are general physical examination including blood pressure and sugar, eye, ENT orthopaedic, cardiac and dental check-ups.

    Arrangements have also been made to transport patients from different blocks to the mela site. About 10 thousand people are expected to visit the mela every day. The mela is being organised by Jammu & Kashmir Government in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

    Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. C.P.Thakur and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri A.Raja have already reached Srinagar. A team of doctors from All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and the officials from the Ministry have reached Kargil with the medicines worth Rs.1.5 lakh and publicity materials in Urdu. The Indian Army is providing all support for this mega event of the border area. An intensive awareness campaign launched a fortnight ago has evoked enthusiastic response for this mela from the people in and around Kargil.

    Dr. C.P.Thakur will inaugurate the mela at Kargil at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow. Shri A.Raja, MOS for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Mian Altaf, Health Minister, Jammu & Kashmir & Shri Ghulam Hasan Khan, MP from Ladakh are the other dignitaries of the inaugural function.

    The mela will be a tribute to the local people for helping the Defence Forces of India thwart the intrusion last year from across the Border.

PRESS NOTE

    Government have issued a notification dated GSR No.775(E) on 6.10.2000 seeking comments from the public on the proposal to amend the PFA Rules to introduce the concept of labelling all non-vegetarian products for the information of the consumers.

    The proposal to label all non veg products using a symbol, viz a circle with a chord passing through it diagonally, was published on 17.5.2000 to come into effect on 17.11.2000. However, there were certain concerns expressed about the choice of symbol. Hence, after discussions with all the stakeholders, it has been decided to modify the symbol to a red full circle enclosed within a black square outline. It has also been proposed that the symbol will be will be placed in close proximity to the name or brand name of the product on the main display panel of all food products containing non veg ingredients, instead of placing it approximately in the middle, above and brand name. Further, the size of the symbol has been made in proportion to the surface area of the packaging, as per the existing requirements under the PFA Rules.

    The definition of what constitutes a non vegetarian ingredient will remain unchanged. However, those products which contain only eggs and no other non-veg ingredients, will be allowed in indicate this fact on the label, over and above the use of the symbol, for the information of those consumers who eat eggs but no other non-veg ingredients.

    This earlier notification issued on 17.5.2000 has been rescinded to accommodate the above changes and comments from the Public are invitied to the proposed changes by end of October, 2000. Comments may be addressed to Secretary (Health), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi.

    The Minister for Law, Justice and Company Affairs Shri Arun Jaitley has announced a pioneering initiative taken by the Department of Company Affairs for launching E-Corporate Governance. Addressing a press conference here today Shri Jaitley said that the E-Corporate Business Working group set up in the Department has evolved an investor friendly Corporate Identify Number (CIN) to be assinged to companies registered in the country. The CIN has been designed to uniquely identify each company registered in the country. The CIN would reflect the activity/industry, ownership, year of incorporation, state of registration and listing status of a company. With the introduction of CIN with effect from November 1, 2000, the investors/general public would be able to obtain more meaningful information on a company as compared to the existing Registration Number assigned to a company. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) officials will provide training to the officers at Registrar of Companies (ROCs) for allotting the CIN.

    Further, the Department has put the list of all the registered companies and their state of registration on its website www.nic.in/dca. Alongwith the list, Corporate Deciles on 25,000 large and medium sized public limited companies is also available. The Corporate Deciles provies a frequency distribution of the corporates by their size. The CIN number would also be put on the website in due course. The disclosure of basic information on companies would improve transparency and benefit investing community, particularly the small investors.

    The Department of Company Affairs has also modified the various Company Law Forms filed at Registrar of Company offices. Under the Companies Act, 1956 the corporate sector has to file 100 different forms. Consequent on the opening up, 30 forms stand deleted. Out of the 70 forms the E-Corporate Business Group identified 20 forms which have a frequency use of more than 80 per cent by the corporate sector. After a careful study even these 20 forms have not only been reduced to 11 forms but also have been simplified, rationalised and made computer friendly. The new forms will also be available online at Department of Company Affair’s website www.nic.in/dca . the forms can downloaded from the website from November 1, 2000. This initiative would bring Indian corporate sector in line with the best international practices prevalent in countries like UK, USA etc.

    Yet another initiative taken by the Department of Company Affairs is Company Law Settlement Scheme-2000 (CLSS-2000), which has successfully concluded on September 30, 2000. About 41 per cent of the working companies have participated and contributed to the exchequer a sum of Rs. 136 crores. The Government proposes to utilize this amount for computerization and modernisation of the offices of Registrar of Companies (ROCs) and offices of Official Liquidators. This will enable provision of single window and quick service to public.

    Government’s efforts coupled with better coordination among the intelligence agencies and security forces has yielded notable results in containing terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir. The security forces neutralized over 1210 militants in the State till the 15^th of October this year which is higher than the militants killed in any calendar year since 1996. The Home Minister, Shri L.K. Advani told the Consultative Committee, here today that India has been successful in mobilizing world opinion against Pakistan for its activities in aiding and abetting cross-border terrorism.

'33'

NARAIN TAKES CHARGE AS DEFENCE SECRETARY

    Shri Yogendra Narain, a 1965 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service took over today as Defence Secretary. Shri Narain, who succeeds Shri T R Prasad, was earlier Chief Secretary UP Government.

    Shri Narain has held various senior administrative positions at the Centre and in the State of UP, including Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Power and Secretary to three State Chief Ministers as well as Principal Secretary to the Governor of UP. At the Centre, he held the appointments of Secretary, Surface Transport and Chairman, National Highway Authority of India before he took over as Chief Secretary of UP in April 1998. He was also the founder Chairman of the Greater NOIDA Industrial Development Authority. Among the other sensitive assignments in Uttar Pradesh, Shri Narain had been the District Magistrate of Muzaffarnagar and had successfully tackled the communal riots which took place in the district. He has also been the District Magistrate and Commissioner of the state capital of Lucknow

'33'

PRESIDENT CONFERS GALLANTRY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS

   President, Shri K R Narayanan conferred one Maha Vir Chakra, two Kirti Chakras, nine Vir Chakras and nine Shaurya Chakras on those Armed Forces and civilian personnel who displayed conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage and extreme devotion to duty at a solemn ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan, here today.

    The President also conferred one Sarvottam Yuddh Seva Medal, 12 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, two Uttam Yuddh Seva Medals, and 18 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals to senior officers of the Armed Forces for distinguished service.

    The following is the list of awardees :-

SARVOTTAM YUDDH SEVA MEDAL

1. Lt Gen Hari Mohan Khanna (IC-12315), Infantry

1. Vice Admiral Ravindra Nath Ganesh (00523-N)
2. Lt Gen Malik Ram Sharma (IC-12508), Infantry
3. Lt Gen Jitendra Swarup Bhatnagar (IC-13021), Army Service Corps
4. Lt Gen Shailendra Kumar Bhatnagar (IC-12405), Army Ordnance Corps
5. Lt Gen Malvinder Singh Shergill (IC-13152), Armoured Corps
6. Lt Gen Prakash Gokarn (IC-12855), Signals
7. Lt Gen Harijinder Singh Bagga (IC-13969), Infantry
8. Lt Gen Amarjit Singh (IC-12827), Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
9. Lt Gen Ramanand Jayaswal (MR-01515), Army Medical Corps (Retired)
10. Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar (6748), Flying (Pilot)
11. Air Marshal Pran Nath Bajaj, (6392), Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) (Retired)
12. Air Marshal Sahab Prasad Verma (6466) Medical (Retired)

1. Sepoy Imliakum (14702937), 2 Naga

KIRTI CHAKRA

1. Subedar Daljit Singh (JC-518184), Dogra, 31 Rashtriya Rifles (Posthumous)

2. Maj Sushil Aima (IC-48212), Air Defence Artillery, 17 Rashtriya Rifles (Posthumous)

UTTAM YUDDH SEVA MEDAL

1. Lt Gen Nirmal Chander Vij (IC-13710), Infantry
2. Maj Gen Krishnamurthy Nagaraj (IC-16620), Infantry

1. Lt Gen Ravindra Mohan Chadha (IC-13529), Engineers
2. Maj Gen Mathew Mammen (IC-15792), Engineers
3. Maj Gen Joginder Jaswant Singh (IC-16078), Infantry
4. Maj Gen Parinder Paul Singh Bindra (IC-18964), Infantry
5. Maj Gen Bhupender Singh Thakur (IC-16234), Armoured Corps
6. Maj Gen Varinder Singh Yadav (IC-16241), Engineers
7. Maj Gen Tej Swaroop Pathak (IC-16844), Infantry
8. Rear Admiral Rajeev Paralikar (40210-K)
9. Rear Admiral Ajit Tewari (00904-K)
10. Rear Admiral Ravindra Mohan Kshetrapal (40292-Y)
11. Air Vice Marshal Krishna Chandra Varma (7083) Meteorological
12. Air Vice Marshal Suresh Chandra Vohra (6713), Logistics
13. Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Sehgal (8390) Flying (Pilot) (Retired)
14. Brig Vijai Pal Singh (IC-17131), Military Farms
15. Brig Jagtar Singh (IC-26292), Infantry
16. Brig Dinesh Prasad (MR-02349), Army Medical Corps
17. Air Cmde Kanwar Dalinderjit Singh (12403) Flying (Pilot)
18. Col Sikdar Jyotirmoy (MR-02967), Army Medical Corps

1. Capt Rupesh Pradhan (IC-57301), 2 Engineer Regiment
2. Maj Prabhu Nath Prasad (IC-39610), Army Aviation, 32 R&O Flight
3. Naik Brij Mohan Singh (5045510), 9 Paraschute(SF) (Posthumous)
4. Naik Gyanendra Kumar Rai (9418968), 1/11 Gorkha Rifles
5. Subedar Nirmal Singh (JC-208096), 8 Sikh (Posthumous)
6. Subedar Tashi Chhepal (JC-226210), Indus Wing, Ladakh Scout
7. Lt Col K P R Hari (IC-40798), 1 Bihar
8. Capt Shashi Bhushan Ghildiyal (IC-56633), Artillery, 315 Field Regiment
9. Capt Deepankar Kapoor Singh Sharawat (IC-57502), 2 Naga

1. Shri Ram Awadh Tiwari, Bihar
2. Shri Basavaraj, Karnataka (Posthumous)
3. Shri Yogeshwar Prasad Sah, Bihar
4. Subedar Om Prakash (JC-155660), 16 Rajaputana Rifles (Posthumous)
5. Sepoy Surjit Singh (2488120), 20 Punjab (Posthumous)
6. Lt Col Sanjeev Bhatty (IC-40640), 4 Grenadiers, 12 Rashtriya Rifles
7. Maj Viney Chaudhary (IC-50228), 13 Punjab (Posthumous)
8. Naik Pardeep Singh (9088192), 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
9. Maj Manish Mishra (IC-51280), 5 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry

The Vice President, Shri Krishan Kant, Home Minister, Shri L K Advani, Defence Minister, Shri George Fernandes, Minister of State for Defence Production and Supplies, Shri Harin Pathak, Cabinet Secretary, three Service Chiefs, Defence Secretary and senior officials of Armed Forces and Defence Ministry were also present on the occasion.

'33'

SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM J&K CALL ON GEORGE FERNANDES

    A group of twenty-two school children from Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district in Jammu & Kashmir called on the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes here today. Shri Fernandes talked to the children and enquired after their welfare.

    The children aged between 9-16 yrs are on an excursion trip Vision India organized by counter insurgency delta force of the Indian Army. The purpose of the excursion is to expose them to the vastness and greatness of rest of India. The children left Kishtwar on 7^th October and toured Jamnagar, Ajmer, Jaipur, Agra and are now in the Capital. They are slated to return to Kishtwar on 23^rd October.

'33'

DEFENCE EXPORTS TO BE DE-LICENCED

    The Ministry of Defence is working on de-licensing the exports of defence production and a legislation to this effect is contemplated in the near future. This was disclosed by Shri Dhirendra Singh, the Additional Secretary, Defence Production and Supplies. Delivering the keynote address on the workshop on Export Potential of Defence Equipment here today, Shri Singh said the Ministry of Defence has great interest for such interactions among producers and exporters of defence equipments. He said that since 1995 self-reliance in defence production has been the policy of the government and 70 per cent of self-reliance was to be achieved within the next ten years. Shri Dhirendra Singh said armed forces in the country are sole users of defence products so exports of defence equipments in the world market is very difficult and limited. But he encouraged the participants of the workshop saying that those who have entered this area are doing well. Shri Singh added that when others can do well at our cost then we can also do well at their cost. The Additional Secretary stated that during the last financial year the export of defence equipments by private sectors amounted to 1800 crore rupees and the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) shared 16 per cent of the export.

    The workshop was organized by the Federation of Indian Export Organisation where Ordnance Factory Board, Director General of Quality Assurance and eight DPSUs participated in addition to about 80 defence equipment exporters.

   The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (Base 1986-87 = 100) for September ,2000 went down by 2 Points and for Rural Labourers by 1 point over the previous month to stand at 306 for Agricultural Labourers and at 308 for Rural Labourers.

    A high-level Chinese delegation led by the Vice Minister, Ministry of Labour & Social Security, Mr. Li Qiyan is arriving in New Delhi on Sunday on a four-day official visit to India. The delegation will call on the Labour Minister Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya to exchange views on various labour issues of bi-lateral and international importance on October 23,2000 (Monday). The Minister of State for Labour Shri Muni Lall will be present during the meeting. The six member delegation will also hold talks with the Union Labour Secretary Shri Vinod Vaish and Bureau Heads in the Ministry of Labour.

    The delegation, during its stay in the capital, would hold a meeting with the captains of industry and Central Trade Union Organisations at the Confederation of India Industries, CII. It will also visit the Employees Provident Fund Organisation to know the working of various social security schemes for workers in public and private sectors. It will visit a leather unit at Agra in Uttar Pradesh and Research & Development unit of a major Indian pharmaceutical company at Gurgaon in Haryana.

    The visit of Chinese delegation comes close on heels of the Labour Minister, Dr. Jatiya’s visit to China last month. India and China signed an agreement on bilateral cooperation in employment services, vocational training and social security issues in Beijing during Dr. Jatiya’s visit. Under the agreement the two countries will exchange information and knowledge on social security and employment generation and jointly organise training programmes. The two countries will also be sharing each other’s experiences on emerging labour issues due to economic reforms.