The Department of Company Affairs (DCA) has ordered prosecution of Vadodra based company M/s Kesar Greenfield international Ltd and its Directors/officers in default for violation of Sections 370(1), 370(1C) and Section 370 (1D) of the Companies Act, 1956 as the company has given loans to body corporates in excess of the prescribed limit without prior approval of the Central Government and is not maintaining statutory registers for the purpose.

    Minister of Rural Development, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu called upon the member countries of the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) to focus on human resource development through training programmes and workshops.

    Inaugurating the 48^th Session of the executive of AARDO here today, Shri Naidu, who is also the current President of the Organisation said the member countries should deliberate on the possibilities of creating the organization’s own platform to offer human resource development programmes its personnel. "We must strive to network the centres of excellence that exist in different Member-countries and also link them up with the best institutions in the world. We may identify one or two centers in each of our countries for this purpose, which would not only conduct research into areas of our interest but also offer training programmes. Such institutions may be suitably strengthened", the Minister added.

    Shri Naidu opined that globalisation brings with it new opportunities and challenges. The biggest opportunity is the growing incomes and greater consumption levels. The large populations of the Afro-Asian countries offer very attractive markets. The member countries should ensure that the trade potential among the countries is maximized. Complementing the Organisation’s efforts to reduce poverty, illiteracy and drinking water problems in the member countries, the Rural Development Minister asked the member nations to evolve networking with bilateral and multilateral agencies working in this sphere. Shri Naidu appealed to the member countries to hold an inter-Ministerial Summit some time next year for more fruitful coordination among them.

    Afro-Asian Rural Development Organisation is an Inter-Governmental International Organisation with its headquarters in New Delhi. The Organisation was formed in 1962 with the objective of developing understanding among the member countries for a better appreciation of each other’s problems and to co-ordinate efforts for welfare, eradication of thirst, huger, illiteracy, disease and poverty amongst the rural people in the Afro-Asian region. Bangladesh, Central Union of Agricultural Cooperative, Japan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jordan, Korea, Kenya, Liberia, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Phillippines, Republic of China, Syria, Sierra, Leone, Sudan, Yemen, Zambia, Federal Republic of Nigeria are the members of the Organisation and Institute of Rural Development, Kenya is an associate member.

    The Consultancy Development Centre (CDC), an autonomous agency supported by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) has urged the Government to explore the possibilities of creating a consortium of developing countries to have a say at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This is necessary to counter any move by the advanced nations to thrust their agenda on the developing and poor countries. This was stated by the Vice-Chairman of the CDC and the Managing Director of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) Shri N.K. Sharma while addressing the 4^th National Consultancy Congress on "Consultancy in the Knowledge Economy – Prospects and Profits" here today.

    The world while entering the 21^st Century faces more or less the same problems of ‘maintaining natural balance with development’ that it faced in the 20^th Century. The pressure on the exploitation and use of natural resources is increasing with the rising population in the world. "It is, therefore, imperative that we use our natural and mineral resources judiciously, so that the generation of wastes is minimized and harmful effects on the environment are reduced", said the Mines Minister Shri Sundar Lal Patwa while presenting the National Mineral Awards 1999 in a function held here today. The Minister presented awards to 29 geoscientists of the country for their outstanding contribution for the nation. The prize winners got cash award with trophy and citation. Including them 391 geoscientists have received awards till today since its inception in 1996.

‘17B’

KVIC ORGANISES NATIONAL SEMINAR ON BEE-KEEPING

    The Khadi and Village Commission is organizing a two-day National Seminar on Bee-Keeping on 18-19 January 2001 at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi. The Seminar with a theme "Modern Techniques of Bee Management and Bee-keeping" is to create awareness among different section of people in general and importance of advanced techniques of beekeepers in particular emphasizing the role of bee-keeping in employment generation and food production.

    Machine tool exports from India can go up considerably if the industry follows a consortium approach to exports. Inaugurating IMTEX 2001 organised by the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers Association at Pragati Maidan, here today, Shri Omar Abdullah, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, suggested the following 4-point strategy for the Indian machine tool industry to surge ahead and achieve higher level of exports: (a) Focus on training and retraining so that the talents of engineers, supervisors and workers are put to more effective use; (b) Introduce the most advanced concepts of "Lean Manufacturing" in places of work and cut costs on a continuing basis; (c) Further strengthening dialogue with customer groups with consistency and, more important, proactively; and (d) Work for an export target of 25 per cent of the output At present, machine tool exports account for only 5 per cent of the domestic production. Clearly, this export percentage would have to go up considerably, Shri Abdullah said.

   The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. C.P. Thakur has said that the Government is starting an intensive monitoring of TB, Malaria and AIDS control programme in the country so as to ensure that the funds transferred to the State Government is properly utilized. Dr. Thakur was explaining the various initiatives of the Central Government in the Health and Family Welfare sector to the visiting British Secretary of State for International Development, Mrs. Clare Short, here today.

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    Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa dedicated the Gandhar Complex of Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL) to the Nation in Dahej, District Bharuch, Gujarat, today. Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Satyabrata Mookherjee was the Guest of Honour. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Keshubhai Patel and senior officials of the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers were also present on the occasion.

    Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dhindsa said that Government is working for the planned development of the petrochemicals sector by promoting Comprehensive Chemical Estates . Such specialized industrial estates dedicated to chemical industries, as a whole would provide comprehensive infrastructure facilities, which would attract leading domestic and global players. Besides, the project cost would be minimised and the environmental aspects would be taken care of.

    Shri Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said that preliminary ideas developed by the Ministry, indicate that one such facility consisting of large refinery, a petrochemical unit, chlor alkali unit, ammonia and methanel facility, power plant, central water supply and disposal facility and disaster management facility, preferably connected to port and railway can be set up at a cost of Rs.50,000 crore. This kind of facility cannot be promoted by the union government alone and will need active support from the state governments. The Minister offered the assistance of the union government in such endeavour and exhorted the state governments to take the initiative in this area.

    Complimenting the IPCL, the Minister said that the Corporation has been the pioneer in the field of petrochemicals in India. The setting up of Gandhar Gas Cracker Complex has accelerated the developmental process in this remote area. At present, there are 8 Naphtha/Gas cracker complexes with an installed capacity of 24 lakh tonnes per annum of Ethylene in the country. Out of these, IPCL owns three cracker complexes with an installed capacity of 8.3 lakh tonnes p.a. of Ethylene. Gandhar is the second gas cracker complex which IPCL has set up, apart from its gas cracker complex in Nagothane, Maharashtra. Commissioning of three lakh tonne per annum Ethylene capacity gas cracker places the company on top of the domestic manufacturers of this important petrochemical building block. He congratulated the management and employees of IPCL for setting the state of art cracker complex in this remote area of Gujarat. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Satyabrata Mookherjee said that the IPCL project has brought social and economic development to this region and help in minimising regional imbalance.

    Petrochemicals have played a prominent role in the industrial and economic growth of the country. This sector has been growing at the rate of 14 – 15 per cent, which is double the GDP growth rate. The current consumption of petrochemicals, viz., commodity plastics, synthetic fibres and Elastomers are estimated at 30 lakh tonnes, 16 lakh tonnes and about 1 lakh tonnes respectively. Shri Dhindsa expressed concern that despite very high growth in consumption of petrochemicals, our per capita consumption is much below the world average, not even near to that of China. In case of plastics, our per capita consumption is 3 kg. as against world average of 17 kg. Similarly, in case of synthetic fibres, our per capita consumption is about 1.6 kg. vis-à-vis world average of about 4 kg. I am confident that the sector would maintain the similar growth rates in future, he added.

   The Human Resource Development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, has expressed shock and grief at the passing away of the veteran Congress leader Shri Jitendra Prasad. In a statement here today, he said Shri Jitendra Prasad was an able parliamentarian and an experienced leader who remained steadfast in his beliefs and convictions. The vacuum left by his untimely death would be difficult to fill, Dr. Joshi said.

   The all India Consumer price Index for Urban Non-Manual Employees (CPI (UNME) with base 1984-85=100 for the month of December 2000 has been released by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; together with the indices for 59 selected urban centres in India. The all-India CPI (UNME) for December 2000 is 375 which is 1 point less than the index for the month of November 2000. The decrease in the index in December 2000 as compared to previous month i.e. November 2000 is mainly due to significant reduction in the index for vegetables Sub-group. The vegetables Sub-Group index decreased by 12.38% in December 2000 when compared to last month. The indices for Fuel & Light Group and Sugar, Honey Sub-Group also recorded moderate decrease by 1.68% and 1.61% respectively. With the corresponding all-India index for December 1999 being 354 the index for the month of December 2000 has shown a rise of 5.9% over a year.

    Stressing the need for greater solidarity among the developing countries, Shri Omar Abdullah, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, has said that the developing countries should have a focussed and a result oriented dialogue with the industrialised, developed world to be able to successfully face the challenges being thrown up by the WTO-led trading system. Speaking at the First Session of the Sixth General Body Meeting of G-15 Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry & Services (FCCIS) here today, Shri Abdullah pointed out that while the developing countries had undertaken unilateral trade liberalisation as well as made contributions well beyond their normal capacity to global trade liberalisation under the WTO, the WTO system had not delivered on the promise of trade creation and income generation for developing countries. Moreover, the Minister added, the developing countries continue to face traditional as well as new and complex barriers and challenges to their exports of commodities, goods and services.

1. BACKGROUND

Consumers are the largest stakeholders in the telecom sector. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) appreciates and values the important contribution Consumer Organisations and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) can make in carrying out TRAI’S mandate. TRAI considers the participation and representation of consumer organisations/ NGOs essential in its consultative process. With the liberalisation of telecom sector, the monitoring of quality of service assumes greater significance, and consumer organizations/NGOs would play a major role in this regard.

Keeping in view the above facts, TRAI today issued a Regulation on ‘Guidelines For Registration of Consumer Organizations /NGOs and their Interaction with TRAI’. This regulation is issued following the normal TRAI process of a Consultation Paper, Open House Discussions, an analysis of written comments on the matter. This regulation stipulates criteria for registration, rules governing registration and interaction with TRAI, including the mode of sharing data and other information by TRAI with these organisations.

2. THE MAIN GUIDELINES

    The Regulation specifies Guidelines for Registration of Consumer Organisations /NGOs and for their interaction with TRAI.

(a) Registration

    The following criteria are specified for registration of consumer organizations /NGOs: -

1. The consumer organisations and NGOs should be those registered either under Societies Act or Companies Act. The organisations registered with MRTPC and BIS shall also be eligible for registration with TRAI.
2. The organisations should be non-profit and non –political.
3. The organisations should have a minimum three-years of experience in the areas of representing views of consumers.

    A Registration Form has been specified by TRAI, based on the inputs provided by consumer organisations themselves. The registration will be valid for a period of two years, unless renewed by TRAI.

2. Interaction With TRAI

    In addition to being informed to attend Open House Discussions held by TRAI, the Registered Organisations will have an independent two-way communication channel through which TRAI will share additional data/information and have discussions over and above the interaction through other channels.

    TRAI will also hold half-yearly meetings with registered consumer organisations/NGOs, to increase interaction for better understanding of the problems of telecom consumers. These meetings may be organised in different parts of the country for better participation.

    The information about any survey, opinion poll conducted by any consumer organisation/NGOs has to be shared with TRAI either free of cost or through a reasonably priced document.

    A Nodal Officer in TRAI has been appointed to handle the issues related to registration of consumer organisations/NGOs and their interaction with TRAI.

(For more detail, please see TRAI’s web site at http://www.trai.gov.in )

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UNION MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS SPONSORED 70 SEMIRANRS/CONFERENCES ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES DURING YEAR 2000

  The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has sponsored 70 Seminars/Conferences on various environmental issues during the year 2000. These conferences, which are organised by the universities, other academic and research institutions, professional groups etc., facilitate exchange of information between the environmentalists, technocrats, scientists etc. on recent advances in various areas related to the environment. The discussions during these conferences also provide inputs for policy decisions in specific areas.

'33'

FERNADES CONDOLES THE DEATH OF JITENDRA PRASAD

    Defence Minister, Shri George Fernandes has expressed grief over the death of senior Congress leader Shri Jitendra Prasad.

    In his condolence message, Shri Fernandes has said that untimely death of Shri Prasad has deprived the country of a crusader for democratic and human values in public life.

    Apart from various long and short distance special services, the Railways have decided to run Rajdhani and Shatabdi type of special trains to Allahabad from Howrah and New Delhi to meet the pilgrim rush during the "Maha Kumbh Mela".

    The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has condoled death of Shri Jitendra Prasad, Member of Parliament and the former Vice-President of the Indian National Congress. In his message the Prime Minister said:

'24'

    The President and CEO of CISCO, Mr. John Chambers called on the Minister of Communications, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan here today. The Minister apprised the CEO of the process of telecom reforms in India, in particular, opening up of various sectors like national long distance, cellular and basic telephony which has created an attractive environment for foreign investment. Shri Paswan also pointed out that special strategies need to be involved in India for rural telecommunications to reduce the ‘digital divide’.

    Mr. Chambers said that CISCO would like to participate in this new environment by providing educational strategies in telecom and networking technologies. The CISCO President said that the company is planning to increase R&D investment in India and make India the nodal market in Asia-Pacific by 2005. He also said that India does not lack software engineers but to drive the infrastructure built in this country so as to reach even the rural areas, systematic education in this direction is needed to increase productivity and revenues. He expressed CISCO’s interest to be partners with enterprises in India to continue building out their networks and work with service providers and commercial customers to expand their capabilities.