VICE PRESIDENT TO CONFER PRANI MITRA AWARDS ON 15TH OF MAY
    Vice President of India, Shri Krishan Kant, will confer the Prani Mitra Awards to those who have rendered services for the cause of Animals on 15th of May, 1999 in New Delhi. The Animal Welfare Board of India under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has announced these awards.

    Smt. Maneka Gandhi, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment heads the list of award winners. Other award winners are representative of (Late) Capt. V. Sundaram, Chennai; Smt. Kaya Gupta, Calcutta; Shri Dashrathbhai Manilal Thaker, Mumbai; Smt. Marghaben Mohanlal Khandhar, Bota (Gujarat) and Com. Tilak Raj, Amritsar.

    Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Smt. Asha Das will grace the occasion.
 
 

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TARGET OF HUDCO LOAN SANCTION IN 1999-2000
    The Ministry of Urban Development has fixed the target of Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) loan sanction for housing schemes including Government of India Action Plan schemes and Land Acquisition scheme during the year 1999-2000 at Rs.1650 crores. In this connection, the category-wise demand is to be intimated by the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Besides, the target of loan sanction set for urban infrastructure projects is Rs.1380 crores.

    The Government of India subsidy for its Action Plan schemes is channelised through HUDCO. The schemes are : scheme for housing and shelter upgradation under Nehru Rozgar Yojana (NRY) , scheme for shelter and sanitation facilities for footpath dwellers in urban areas, integrated low cost sanitation scheme and Building Centres.

    Under the NRY, subsidy amount of Rs.1000 per unit was provided by States/Central Government in the ratio 40:60. The NRY was operated till November 30,1997 and has since been merged under the Swaran Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana with effect from December 1,1997.
 
 

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SAARC CONSENSUS ON ADHERENCE TO TIME SCHEDULE FOR QUOTA PHASE-OUT IN TEXTILES
SPECIAL GROUP FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION IN TEXTILES MOOTED
    There is consensus among SAARC Countries that the time schedule for phase-out of textile quotas under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) should be adhered to and there should be no extension of the stipulated phase-out period. Also, the implementation of ATC should be undertaken in the letter and spirit of its various provisions so that the integration process of textile products takes place in real and commercially meaningful terms. The consensus was arrived at after the conclusion of the session on "Agreement on Textiles and Clothing" held during the ongoing talks at the First Consultative Meeting of SAARC Commerce Secretaries on WTO issues, here today.

    The Textile Secretary, Shri Shyamal Ghosh, who chaired the Session, mooted the idea of forming a Special Group on Textiles and Clothing of SAARC Members to enhance the factor endowment competitiveness of the Member countries of the region and also to forge closer regional cooperation among the Members. During the deliberations, there was also consensus on the fact that the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) for the least developed countries (LDCs) may be continued in order to protect their interests.

    Shri Shri Shyamal Ghosh was also of the view that the process of harmonisation of Rules of Origin, which is presently going on, should not bring about such changes which prove to be detrimental to the interests of developing and the least developed countries.
 
 

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GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROGRAMME REVISED
SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE DRINKING WATER TO ALL RURAL  HABITATIONS DURING IXTH PLAN
    The Ministry of Rural Development has revised the guidelines for implementing the Rural Water Supply Programme pursuant to the restructuring and revamping of this programme. These guidelines envisage achieving the goal of providing safe and sustainable drinking water to all rural habitations of the country during the 9th Plan period. This would involve exercising control on over-extraction of ground water; more funds for repairs and rehabilitation; increasing people’s participation; reserving 20% funds for States promoting sector reforms; water to be treated as a socio economic good and establishing stronger links with watershed development programmes.

    The main objectives of these guidelines are to ensure coverage of all rural habitations especially to reach the unreached with access to safe drinking water; to ensure sustainability of the systems and sources and to preserve quality of water by institutionalising water quality monitoring and surveillance through a Catchment Area approach.
 

Norms for providing potable drinking water:

    The norms stipulate that 40 litres per capita per day (lpcd) for humans may be provided for the purpose of drinking, cooking, bathing, washing utensils and house and ablution. In addition, provision should be allowed at 30 lpcd for animals in hot and cold desert/eco system in 227 blocks of 33 Desert Development Programme (DDP) districts already identified in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka and Rajasthan.

    With normal output of 12 litres per minute, one handpump or standpost is estimated for every 250 persons. In case of an independent habitation/hamlet/Wadi/Tola/Majra/Mohra etc, if their population is less than 250 persons and there is no potable water source within its location, one source may be provided. A rural habitation not having any safe water source with a permanently settled population of 20 households or 100 persons, whichever is more, may be taken as the unit for coverage with funds under the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme(ARWSP). However, the State Government could cover any habitation regardless of its size/population/number of households with funds under the Minimum Needs Programme(MNP).

    DDP areas and SC/ST habitations with less than 100 persons can, however, be covered under the ARWSP. Once the task of providing every habitation with safe and sustainable drinking water source is completed as per the above norms in the entire State, the state Government may consider relaxation of norms with the approval of the Mission.
 

Other Norms/Guidelines

    In addition to the above, guidelines have been laid down regarding criteria for identification of Problem Habitations, priority for coverage of No Safe Source Habitations, criteria for allocation of funds under ARWSP, Operation and Maintenance, earmarking of allocation for SCs/STs, involvement of women as well as norms for release of funds under the Central assistance for ARWSP.

    The guidelines devote a specific chapter to Community participation in rural water supply programme. Implementation of a participatory demand driven approach will ensure that the public obtain the level of service they desire and can afford to pay. Further, full cost recovery of operations and maintenance and replacement costs will ensure the financial viability and sustainability of the schemes. The norms further provide that from the financial year 1999-2000 onwards, incentives would be given to the States which initiate steps for institutionalising community participation in the rural water supply programme.

    The revised guidelines also include provisions for the Sub-Mission projects which are undertaken to provide safe drinking water to the rural habitations facing water quality problems like fluorosis, arsenic etc. These projects are also taken up for ensuring source, sustainability through rain water harvesting, artificial recharge etc.

    As far as Support Services are concerned, guidelines have been laid down for Water Quality, Monitoring and Surveillance, Human Resource Development, Information, Education and Communication, Monitoring and Investigation Units, Research & Development, provision of drinking water in rural schools etc. Regarding Externally Aided Projects, the guidelines stipulate that the various external support agencies like World Bank, are willing to support projects in Rural Water Supply sector and states which desire to avail of such a system may prepare project proposals as specified in the guidelines.

    Sustainability of Sources through control of withdrawal of ground water is also stipulated in the guidelines. Possible strategies for conserving ground water sources have been suggested. Implementing Agencies for the ARWSP may be decided by the State Government. The implementation may be through the PHED or Rural Development Department/Panchayati Raj Department/Board/Corporation or Authority. The guidelines provide for the constitution of Water and Sanitation Mission (WSM) at the State/UT level and District level.
 
 

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SHRI JAGMOHAN TO INAUGURATE HEADS OF TELECOM CIRCLES MEET TOMORROW
    The Minister of Communications, Shri Jagmohan will inaugurate a two-day Conference of Heads of Telecom Circles begining here tomorrow. The Minister of State for Communications, Shri Kabindra Purkayastha will also be present. Organised by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Conference will be attended by the Chief General Managers (CGMs) of all Telecom Circles from all over the country. Besides, the participants also include representatives from the Hindustan Teleprinters Limited (HTL), the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) Limited, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), the Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limted (VSNL), the Centre for Development of Telematics and other experts. The Chairman and Members of the Telecom Commission will also address the meeting.

    The agenda for the two-day Conference includes, among others, Direct Exchange Lines (DELs) Programme for 1999-2000, introduction of Wireless Loop Line (WLL) equipment and tariff revision. Issues related with introduction of new services such as the Internet, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and Intelligent Network (IN) would also be discussed at the meeting. Besides, matters concerned with customer care services such as opening of Customer Service Centres, printing of telephone directories and holding of 'Adalats' and 'Open House Sessions' are also likely to come up for discussion.
 
 

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PROMOTING SALES OF COIR PRODUCTS
    The Ministry of Industry has issued orders requesting all the Ministries/Departments and their attached and subordinate offices including public sector undertakings under their control to make purchases of Coir products from the show-rooms and sales depots of Coir Board without inviting tenders and quotations. This is intended to promote eco-friendly Coir products which provides employment to a large number of poor people. In this connection, the Department of Small Scale Industries, Ministry of Industry has reiterated its earlier orders of March, 1996 and urged all the Ministries and Departments to step up their purchases of Coir products. The Coir products are to be purchased from the Coir Board show rooms and sales depots which will help encourage the use of Coir products.