The government has initiated a series of measures in the recent past to provide relief to tea growers, particularly the small growers from unremunerative prices and to help the tea industry in the country. These measures include increase in the basic customs duty on import of tea from 15 per cent to 35 per cent; reduction of State sales tax from 8 per cent to 4 per cent and Central sales tax from 4 per cent to 2 per cent by the Tamil Nadu Government for a specified period; ban on the sale of tea in the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) by Export Oriented Units (EOUs)/Export Processing Zones (EPZs) (vide Notification dated 20/7/2000) and the introduction of a Price Subsidy Scheme for the small growers of tea. Representations have been received from the Indian Tea Association (ITA) and UPASI (United Planters Association of Southern India) for raising the import duty from 35 per cent to the bound duty level of 150 per cent and the matter is presently under the consideration of the government.

    The Government has notified the revised rates of royalty for major minerals other than coal, lignite and sand for stowing and rates of dead rent. The proposed revision in royalty rates is expected to result in a likely increase in royalty accruals for major mineral producing states by about 21.25 per cent. The revised rates have came into effect from 12.9.2000. The main highlights of the revised rates are as follows:

    Over 400 students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and 40 Professors of eminence from the School of International Studies, JNU and other academic faculties have, in a Memorandum, submitted to Union Urban Development Minister, Shri Jagmohan, warmly welcomed the take over of the Indian Council of World Affairs, located at Sapru House, New Delhi and expressed their sense of appreciation and gratitude for the efforts made to resurrect the institution. The Memorandum was submitted by a large delegation headed by Prof. R.P. Kaushik of the School of International Studies, JNU, here yesterday.

'17'

   Shri Murasoli Maran, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, has approved 28 cases of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of about Rs.161.00 crore on the recommendations of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). The proposals cover various sectors like household insecticides, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, tourism, medical equipments, automobiles, computer software development, Internet portal. E-commerce, reinsurance, development of ayurvedic drugs and education &     career services on Internet. A list of proposals cleared is enclosed.

    Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Shri V.N. Kaul released the Golden Jubilee issue of the in-house magazine "Koyal" of the Ministry on the occasion of Hindi Divas here today. This magazine has been published to mark the conclusion of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Hindi as Rajbhasha.

   Union Ministry of Water Resources received the prestigious Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Award for the year 1999-2000 at a special function organised by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs in Vigyan Bhavan here today. The Ministry was awarded the prize for its outstanding performance for implementation of Hindi as Official Language in day to day work of the Union Ministry. This award distribution function coincided with the celebration of Rajbhasha Golden Jubilee Year 1999-2000.

    Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Awards for 1999-2000 were presented to various Ministries/Departments, Banks/Financial Institutions and Public Sector Undertakings for outstanding achievements in the implementation of Hindi as Official Language here today. The Vice-President, Shri Krishan Kant gave away the Awards at a function in Vigyan Bhavan. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Krishan Kant said Hindi has been successful as link language of the Union of India and helped strengthening unity and integrity. The Vice-President said, the main languages of the country have very rich thoughts and Hindi should try to enrich itself from writings in these languages. He also called for efforts for making Hindi an International Language.

'8A'

   The Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Women and Child Development) Smt. Sumitra Mahajan has sought the active participation of the Non-Governmental organisations for the effective implementation of Government schemes concerning women and child welfare. Addressing a northern region consultation meet of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) here today on the Beijing+5 platform of action concerning women, she said, progress has been made in the implementation of the Beijing recommendations and much more remains to be done. In this, government initiatives need to be supported by Non-Governmental and private efforts. She also said that interaction at the grassroot level is very essential to formulate strategies for fuller development of women. Only by working together and in partnership we can move towards the common goal of gender equality, she said.

    The Minister disclosed that a task force has been set up to identify and crystallise specific actions to be taken by various Ministries and Departments for the successful implementation of the suggestions made in the Outcome Document of the Special Session of UN General Assembly on Women, held recently in New York. She said more such regional consultations will be held to evolve strategies to achieve the objectives. A review meeting will later be held with all the stake holders at the highest level.

    She told the NGOs that the Government is interested in having an honest appraisal of progress made in the twelve critical areas identified in the country report. Referring to the Beijing+5 and UN Special Session, she said ideas cannot be forced on countries with different priorities and concerns. The basic issues of poverty, economic empowerment, survival of the girl child are important and these cannot be pushed aside to make way for issues of sexual orientation and definition of family etc., she added.

    The meeting is being attended by Women and Child Development Secretaries from Northern States, representatives of various Non-Governmental organisations and officials of the Department of Women and Child Development.

   Union Minister for Information Technology and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Pramod Mahajan met Mr. Bill Gates, Chairman Microsoft Corporation, here today. At the outset Shri Mahajan apprised Mr. Gates of the IT initiatives undertaken by the Government in showcasing India to the world as an "IT Investment Destination." Both Shri Mahajan and Mr. Gates agreed that there was a convergence of mottoes, between Ministry of Information Technology and Microsoft Corporation of taking "IT to the Masses." Shri Mahajan apprised the Microsoft Chairman of the steps being undertaken by the Government to promote IT for Masses and IT Education for the people in India. The basic thrust of the Government Shri Mahajan said was to take IT to the rural areas and hence empower the people. A key input necessary for achieving this objective was to streamline and support IT in educational institutions in rural areas.

HINDI DIWAS SAMAROH

    Ministry of Rural Development celebrated `Hindi Diwas Samaroh' and `Raj Bhasha Hindi Swarn Jayanti Varsh Samapan Samaroh today as a part of year long celebration of "Rajbhasa Swaran Jayanti Varsh."

'11'

WEBSITE ON SYDNEY OLYMPICS LAUNCHED

    The Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Arun Jaitley inaugurated a website on Sydney Olympics, here today.

'42'

MONTEK SINGH AHLUWALIA TO HEAD THE PETROCHEMICALS VISION 2010 ADVISORY GROUP

    The Task Force on Petrochemicals recently established by the Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Suresh Prabhu, will be chaired by the Member, Planning Commission, Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The Task Force called Petrochemicals Vision 2010 Advisory Group, will draw a roadmap for the sector over the next 10 years.

   The Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Smt. Maneka Gandhi has said that the updated website of the Ministry will include the elaborate information for the use of NGO Sector.

‘27’

STEPS TAKEN TO AUGMENT FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY AND WELFARE OF FARMERS

CONFERENCE OF STATE MINISTERS FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD MEET TODAY

REVIEW OF WTO AGREEMENT ON AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURE POLICY AND AGRICULTURE INSURANCE ON THE AGENDA

    Our strategy on the Agreement on Agriculture under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should fully take into account the concern that liberalisation of trade does not threaten the viability of Indian agriculture, rural employment and the livelihood of the rural masses. Our primary objective during the review of Agreement on Agriculture will be to ensure the continued food and nutritional security, future growth of Indian agriculture and in improving the income levels and welfare of farmers. This was stated by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Nitish Kumar while addressing State Ministers for Agriculture and Food here today to elicit their valuable views and suggestions for the purpose of continuing the process of reforms in International trade in agricultural commodities under WTO, on implementation of the National Agriculture Policy and a review of the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme.

    Shri Nitish Kumar said that the process of globalisation offers opportunity to reap the potential gains of larger exports and higher incomes for the farmers. Trade policies will have to be dovetailed with domestic policies in order to encourage larger investments in sectors where we have comparative advantage. In order to prepare the proposals to be submitted by December 31, the country has started a process of wide ranging consultations at regional level with officials of the State Governments, farmers’ organisations, exporters and experts. The views and suggestions will help not only in formulating proposals for the negotiations on the Agreement on Agriculture but also to take effective steps for making Indian agriculture more competitive.

    Shri Nitish Kumar said that the long-term objectives of the Agreement on Agriculture under WTO are to establish a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system and to initiate a process of reforms on the support and protection given to the agricultural sector in order to correct and prevent restrictions and distortions in world agriculture markets. This Agreement incorporates three commitments on the part of Member countries in the areas of market access, domestic support and export subsidies.

    The Aggregate Measure of Support (AMS) in India is well below the maximum level of 10 per cent of the value of agricultural output and, therefore, we are under no obligation to reduce the domestic support extended to the agricultural sector. As regards the commitment on export subsidy under the Agreement, we have no obligation as India is not providing export subsidies on agricultural items. Under market access commitment the imports can be controlled only through tariffs and not through quantitative restrictions. India has removed QRs in a phased manner since April, 1996. All the remaining QRs will be removed by March 31, 2000. India has considerable flexibility for imposing higher level of tariffs within the bound level on import of agricultural produce to deal with possible adverse consequences of the removal of QRs. The Government has recently raised upwards import duties on several agricultural items such as wheat, rice, grain sorghum, millet, arecanut, apples, sugar, skimmed milk powder and edible oils to protect domestic producers.

    Shri Nitish Kumar said that National Agriculture Policy, announced by the Government on July 28, 2000 aims to attain a growth rate in excess of 4 per cent per annum in the agriculture sector and sustainable growth of agriculture across regions and farmers. The Policy contains important statements on food and nutritional security, generation and transfer of technology, inputs management, incentives for agriculture, investment in agriculture, risk management and management of reforms. The success of the Policy will depend upon our ability to transform these statements into action within the shortest possible time. Suitable action plans and programmes will need to be formulated urgently for achieving the objectives and aims set out in the Policy in order to create a vibrant agricultural economy in the context of the challenges arising out of a large and growing population and the increasing trend of globalisation.

    National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) was introduced from Rabi 1999-2000 to cover more farmers, both loanee and non-loanee, more crops including annual commercial/horticultural crops and more risks, replacing the old Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme (CCIS). This scheme has been implemented so far only by 14 States and 2 Union Territories. Based on the suggestions given by the States and Union Territories and the experience gained during the implementation of the scheme in Rabi 1999-2000, some important issues have emerged for consideration. These issues relate to coverage of perennial crops, sharing of financial liabilities, sum insured, corpus Fund, adherence to the seasonality discipline by states and banks and crop cutting experiments at Gram Panchayat level. The present Insurance Scheme needs to be made more farmer specific and effective, he added.

    Shri Nitish Kumar informed that we propose to launch a new scheme for establishment of a network of Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres all over the country by Agriculture Graduates to strengthen the extension and other support services such as soil and input testing, information technology services etc. for increasing agricultural production and productivity and the income levels of the farmers and gainful self-employment to about 5000 Agriculture Graduates annually.

    Presentation was given to the State Ministers giving complete details of the agreement on Agriculture under WTO and India’s strategy to ensure welfare of the farmers. Also presentations on National Agriculture Policy and National Agricultural Insurance Scheme were given.

    Meeting was attended by Food and Agriculture Ministers of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Goa, Pondicherry, West Bengal, Orissa, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, J&K, Punjab and Haryana.

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CONSTITUTION OF A HIGH LEVEL TASK FORCE ON AGRICULTURE

    It has been decided to constitute a High Level Task Force on Agriculture with the following composition:

    i) Shri Sharad Joshi, Chairman, Shetkari Sangathana Chairman

    ii) Shri P.P Prabhu, former Secretary (Commerce),

    Government of India Member

    iii) Prof. Abhijit Sen, Economist, presently Chairman

    Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices, New Delhi Member

    iv) Shri R.C.A Jain, Additional Secretary

    Deptt. Of Agri.& Coop., Ministry of Agriculture Member Secretary

    The Task force will have the following Terms of Reference:-

1. To assess the impact of WTO commitments on Indian agriculture and to suggest steps to safeguard the interests of the sector, while exploiting the opportunities presented by this treaty;
2. To make recommendations to integrate the use of information technology and other emerging technologies in the agricultural sector;
3. To make recommendations for effective risk management in agriculture including in production systems, insurance, price mechanisms, future trading, etc; and
4. Any other matter referred to it by the Government.

    The Task Force shall submit its report by February 2001. It may, however, submit interim reports, as and when considered necessary.

    Shri Omar Abdullah, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry released a book (in Hindi) on WTO issues titled "Vishva Vyapar Sangathan: Bharat ke Pariprekshya Mein" (WTO: An Indian Perspective) here today. Shri Shailendra Kumar, an officer in the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has written the book. Significantly the book has been released on the Hindi Diwas Day and the writer has been awarded the Indira Rajbhasha Puraskar for this work. Complimenting the writer for having put in a lot of effort in bringing out the book, Shri Abdullah said that the book would fill a vital gap in the literature available on WTO issues which, he said, was predominantly in English only. Shri Nripendra Misra, Special Secretary and Shri R. P. Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, was also present on the occasion along with other officials of the Ministry.

    The Union Minister of State for Finance (E, B&I), Shri Balasaheb Vikhe Patil has directed the Chairmen of Central Bank of India, State Bank of India and Bank of Maharashtra to settle by 30^th September, 2000 the grievances of Sikh Community of Maharashtra affected by the riots that followed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. This was decided at a meeting of a business delegation from the region who called on Shri Patil here today.

   Following is the text of the address of the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to Joint Meeting of the US Congress in Washington today.

"It is with a deep sense of honour that I speak to you today, I would like to thank you, Mr. Speaker, and the members of the Congress for giving me this opportunity.

In November 1999 a remarkable event took place in the House of Representatives. By a vote of 396 to 4, the House adopted a Resolution congratulating India and my Government on the successful elections completed in October 1999. This display of broad-based bipartisan support for strengthening relations with India is heartening.

It is a source encouragement to both President Clinton and to me, as we work together to infuse a new quality in our ties. I thank you for the near-unique approach that you have adopted towards my country.

Those of you who saw the warm response to President Clinton’s speech to our Parliament in March this year will recognize that similar cross-party support exists in India as well for deeper engagement with the USA.

I am also deeply touched by the Resolution adopted in the House two days ago welcoming my visit and the prospect of closer Indo – US understanding.

Mr. Speaker,

American people have shown that democracy and individual liberty provide the conditions in which knowledge progresses, science discovers, innovation occurs, enterprise thrives and, ultimately, people advance.

To more than a million and half from my country, America is now home. In turn, their industry, enterprise and skills are contributing to the advancement of American society.

I see in the outstanding success of the Indian community in America, a metaphor of the vast potential that exists in Indo-US relations, of what we can achieve together.

Just as American experience has been a lesson in what people can achieve in a democratic framework, India has been the laboratory of a democratic process rising to meet the strongest challenges that can be flung at it.

In the half century of our independent existence, we have woven an exquisite tapestry. Out of diversity we have brought unity. The several languages of India speak with one voice under the roof of our Parliament.

In your remarkable experiment as a nation state, you have proven the same truth. Out of the huddled masses that you welcomed to your shores you have created a great nation.

For me the most gratifying of the many achievements of Indian democracy has been the change it has brought to the lives of the weak and the vulnerable.

To give just one figure, in recent years it has enabled more than a million women in small towns and distant villages to enter local elected councils and to decide on issues that touch upon their lives.

Two years ago, while much of Asia was convulsed by economic crises, India held its course.

In the last ten years, we have grown at 6.5% per year: that puts India among the ten fastest growing economies of the world.

Economic activity gets more and more diversified by the year. President Clinton and many among the friends gathered here have had occasion to glimpse our advances in Information Technology.

We are determined to sustain the momentum of our economy: our aim is to double our per capita income in ten years – and that means we must grow at 9 per cent a year.

To achieve this order of growth we have ushered in comprehensive reforms. We are committed to releasing the creative genius of our people, the entrepreneurial skills of the men and women of the country, of its scientists and craftsmen. At the same time, we in India, remain committed to the primacy of the State in fulfilling its social obligations to the deprived, the weak and poor.

Important sectors of the country’s infrastructure – power, insurance, banking, telecom – are being opened to private initiative – domestic and foreign.

Trade barriers are being lowered.

Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen,

There are forces outside our country that believe that they can use terror to unravel the territorial integrity of India. They wish to show that a multi-religious society cannot exist.

They pursue a task in which they are doomed to fail.

No country has faced as ferocious an attack of terrorist violence as India has over the past two decades: 21, 000 were killed by foreign-sponsored terrorists in Punjab alone, 16, 000 have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir.

As many of you here in the Congress have in recent hearings recognized a stark fact: no region is a greater source of terrorism than our neighbourhood.

Indeed, in our neighbourhood – in this, the 21^st century – religious war has not just been fashioned into, it has been proclaimed to be, an instrument of State policy.

Distance offers no insulation. It should not cause complacence.

You know, and I know: such evil cannot succeed.

But even in failing it could inflict untold suffering.

That is why the United States and India have begun to deepen their cooperation for combating terrorism.

We must redouble these efforts.

Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen,

There was a time when we were on the other side of each other’s globes. Today, on every digital map, India and the United States are neighbours and partners.

India and the United States have taken the lead in shaping the Information Age. Over the last decade, this new technology has sustained American prosperity in a way that has challenged conventional wisdom on economic growth.

We are two nations blessed with extraordinary resources and talent. Measured in terms of the industries of tomorrow, we are together defining the partnerships of the future.

But our two countries have the potential to do more to shape the character of the global economy in this century.

We should turn the example of our own cooperation into a partnership that uses the possibilities of the new technologies for defining new ways of fighting poverty, illiteracy, hunger, disease and pollution.

Mr. Speaker, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We believe that India and America can – and should – march hand in hand towards a world in which economic conditions improve for all.

A situation that provides comfortable living standards to one-third of the world’s population, but condemns the remaining two-thirds to poverty and want, is unsustainable.

The foremost responsibility that the 21^st century has cast on all of us is to change this unacceptable legacy of the past.

It should be our common endeavour to overcome this legacy. I, therefore, propose a comprehensive Global Dialogue on Development.

We would be happy to offer New Delhi as the venue for this Dialogue.

In this Congress, you have often expressed concern about the future contours of Asia. Will it be an Asia that will be at peace with itself? Or will it be a continent, where countries seek to redraw boundaries and settle claims – historical or imaginary – through force?

We seek an Asia where power does not threaten stability and security. We do not want the domination of some to crowd out the space for others. We must create an Asia where cooperative rather than aggressive assertion of national self-interests defines behaviour among nations.

If we want an Asia fashioned on such ideals – a democratic, prosperous, tolerant, pluralistic, stable Asia – if we want an Asia where our vital interests are secure, then it is necessary for us to re-examine old assumptions.

It is imperative for India and the United States to work together more closely in pursuit of those goals. In the years ahead, a strong, democratic and economically prosperous India standing at the crossroads of all the major cultural and economic zones of Asia, will be an indispensable factor of stability in the region.

Our cooperation for peace and stability requires us to also define the prinicples of our own engagement. We must be prepared to accommodate our respective concerns.

We must have the mutual confidence to acknowledge our respective roles and complementary responsibilities in areas of vital importance to each of us.

Security issues have cast a shadow on our relationship. I believe this is unnecessary. We have much in common and no clash of interests.

We both share a commitment to ultimately eliminating nuclear weapons. We have both declared voluntary moratoriums on testing.

India understands your concerns. We do not wish to unravel your non-proliferation efforts. We wish you to understand our security concerns.

We are at a historic moment in our ties. As we embark on our common endeavour to build a new relationship, we must give practical shape to our shared belief that democracies can be friends, partners and allies.

In recent years, through all the good and difficult times, we have spoken to each other more often than we have ever done in the past. I thank President Clinton for his leadership and vision in steering this dialogue. I sincerely thank Members of this Congress for supporting and encouraging this process.

As we talk with candour, we open the doors to new possibilities and new areas of cooperation - in advancing democracy, in combating terrorism, in energy and environment, science and technology and in international peacekeeping. And, we are discovering that our shared values and common interests are leading us to seek a natural partnership of shared endeavours.

India and the United States have taken a decisive step away from the past. The dawn of the new century has marked a new beginning in our relations.

Let us work to fulfil the promise and the hope of today.

Let us remove the shadow of hesitation that lies between us and our joint vision.

Let us use the strength of all that we have in common to build together a future that we wish for ourselves and for the world that we live in.

Thank you.

   "10% Relief Bonds, 1995" issued in terms of Government of India, Ministry of Finance Notification No. F.4(14)-W & M/95 dated 29^th September 1995 will be maturing for repayment with effect from 4^th October 2000. The Scheme provided that interest at the rate of 10% per annum shall be payable to such of the holders who do not encash their Bonds (both cumulative and non-cumulative) on the expiry of 5 years from the date of their issue, at half yearly intervals or compounded with half yearly rests, as the case may be. Such interest will be payable from the date of maturity till the time the Bonds are redeemed.