CIVIL SERVICES (Preliminary) EXAMINATION, 1999 AS SCHEDULED
    The Union Public Service Commission will hold the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 1999 on Sunday, the 30th May, 1999 as scheduled. There is no change in the Schedule of the examination.
 
 
‘38’
WORKSHOP ON DRAINAGE & WATER FOR AGRICULTURE & AGRO- FORESTRY IN SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AT CSSRI KARNAL INAUGURATED
    The Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Water Resources, Shri Sompal has expressed concern over the fact that already 8.4 per cent of irrigated land in the country is affected by high salinity and water-logging. He called upon the experts to deal with this situation on a priority basis.

    Shri Sompal, who was inaugurating a workshop on Drainage and Water for Agriculture & Agro-Forestry in Salt-Affected Soils, organised at the Central Soil & Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) in Karnal said that only 56% total agricultural land in the country is under arable conditions. It is required to bring the rest of the agricultural land under arable conditions.

    Shri Sompal expressed concern over the lack of drainage facilities for agricultural lands in north-west India. This has resulted in a high level of soil salinity and water-logging. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers is also another cause of soil salinity, he added. He stressed upon the need to develop infrastructure for surface and sub-surface drainage.

    The Minister also stated that another area of concern is the pollution of ground water and depletion in ground water table due to over-exploitation. He hoped that the experts in the country would benefit at the workshop from the interaction with the experts from Aral Basin States on issues of soil salinity. India can also help Aral Basin States on problems confronting them in the water sector, the Minister assured.

    Participating in the deleberations at the workshop, Shri Z. Hasan, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources said that shrinkage of water in Aral Sea basin is due to the decreased flow in two rivers namely, Seesdaria and Amudaria. This situation has caused increase in soil salinity in the area. It will be very useful for the experts in India to discuss this problem as the problem of soil salinity is also a cause of concern in India. He suggested certain steps to check soil salinity like improvement in irrigation management, ground water table management, drainage of water-logged areas and the need to adopt bio-drainage system as in the case of Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana areas in Rajasthan.

    The participants in the workshop include renowned experts from India and a delegation of scientists from Aral Sea Basin countries of central Asia. The deleberations will contiune tomorrow.
 
 

'38'
COASTAL SHIPS AND SAILING VESSELS EXEMPTED FROM PAYING LIGHT DUES
    In a bid to develop coastal shipping and provide incentives to the sailing vessels, Government has decided to exempt coastal ships and sailing vessels from paying light dues of lighthouses. The Central advisory committee for lighthouses under the chairmanship of Secretary, Surface Transport has recently recommended for the exemption.

    Of late, Government has been contemplating several measures to make coastal shipping, which is pollution free, cost -effective vis-à-vis rail and road transport. An expert committee constituted to suggest measures for developing coastal shipping under the chairmanship of Shri S.N. Kakkar, former Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Surface Transport, has already finalised its report. The minister of Surface Transport, shri Nitish Kumar has directed officials in the Ministry to take immediate steps for implementation of this report.

    Light dues are collected from ships entering or leaving the country’s ports by the customs authorities on behalf of the Department of Lighthouses and Lightships for aids to marine navigation provided by the department. The department has 167 lighthouses and other navigational aids spread over 7516 kilometers of the country’s coastline.

    The Coastal Vessels include Home Trade Vessels up to 3000 GRT and also vessels with more than 3000 GRT which are treated as "foreign going" vessels for the purpose of light dues. The rates of dues are different in both the categories. The total lighthouse revenue as per present rates work out to about Rs.6 Crore a year.
 
 

'32'
UPCOMING BHASHA BHAVAN IN CALCUTTA
    The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has completed basement and pile foundations of a six-storey Bhasha Bhavan in the precincts of the National Library of India in Calcutta. The project taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.72 crores in an area of 31,055 square meters is to be completed by March, 2004. In all, 30 per cent of the total works has so far been completed.

    It is a project of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Culture.

    The Bhasha Bhavan will be a fully air-conditioned building with temperature and humidity control for proper up-keep of and preservation of books, documents and micro films. It will be equipped with mechanical devices for fetching and keeping books, a laboratory for processing of micro films, a main frame computer and close circuit television. It will provide a library facility of most modern and international standards.
 
 

'13'
IRS-P4 WILL GREATLY HELP IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COASTAL OCEAN REGIONS.
    The successful launch of the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT-1) by the Indian Space Research Organisation will significantly contribute to the ocean observation systems of the Department of Ocean Development and promote oceanographic studies in the country. The Department of Ocean Development has evolved the programme jointly with ISRO and other national research institutions for utilisation of the satellite. Under the DOD’s major programme called Ocean Observations and Information Services, observations both from space and insitu will be made of the oceans, the data analysed and applied for the development of Algorythms for retrieval of application oriented ocean parameters like winds, waves, currents, chlorophyll, eddies, temperature etc. In order to play the role of information provider to the nation, the Department has established a centre called "Indian National Cetnre for Ocean Information Services" (INCOIS). The INCOIS will be a single window to obtain information for all the sectors involved in the developmental activities like ports, fisheries, navigation, weather and climate, environment, offshore development and coastal defence work etc.

    Ocean plays an important role in the complex inter-related biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere in influencing the weather and climate. It is also an inexpensive dumping site for the waste generated from the land based activities which contribute in a major way to the degradation of the marine eco-systems. The coastal zone is a highly productive area and the thrust is towards the development and use of the ocean science and technology in exploration and sustained utilitsation of the marine resources for the socio-economic benefit of the society. The OCEANSAT will help in providing reliable oceanographic data which hitherto was not available.

    The Department of Ocean Development is the driving force behind the development and launching of the satellite exclusively for ocean applications. The satellite is a beginning in the series of ocean satellites required to be launched by India in the future. A variety of sensors are needed as payloads and the OCEANSAT 1, has two pay loads i.e. Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Multi Frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR). A fairly large programme of the DOD for the insitu observations in the sea is already in operation. The potential applications of OCM will be identification of potential fishing zones in the sea, algal blooms, study of sediment dynamics, determination of shore line changes and marine pollution, besides oils slicks etc. The MSMR works on the principle of collecting radiation in microwave bands from Earth surface. Radiation emitted by the ocean surface passes through Earth atmosphere gets modified and sensed by MSMR. It will help in obtaining information on water vapour and cloud liquid water in the atmosphere, sea surface wind speed and sea surface temperature of the ocean surface.
 
 

‘23’
NEW MEDICAL RELIEF VANS
    Integral Coach Factory, Chennai has built five unique self propelled Accident Relief Medical Vans for Southern Railway, Northern Railway, Central Railway, North Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway. These twin coach vans can run at 100 kilometre per hour and reach the accident site quickly for speedy relief work. Each of these vans have been built at a cost of Rs.2 crores. The factory will manufacture 23 more such vans for other Zonal Railways.

    The van is a twin coach set comprising of an air-conditioned medical van which incorporates the self propelling power equipment. Both the coaches have driving cabs so that the unit can move in either direction. The new vans will eliminate delay in reaching the accident sites as they can run without locomotives.The medical van houses a fully equipped operation theatre with surgical and life sustaining equipments and essential drugs. It is a mini hospital on wheels with twelve beds.

    A potable diesel generator has been exclusively provided for feeding halogen lights mounted on the four corners of the twin cars for flood lighting the accident spot.There is provision for kitchen, potable fire extinguishers and staff. The existing old medical vans with design defects will be gradually replaced in phases for better diaster management.
 
 

'24'
SHRI JAGMOHAN RELEASES ISC/ICSE RESULTS ON INTERNET
    The Minister of Communications, Shri Jagmohan has underlined the need to be creative and contemplative in our approach towards taking the scientific education and information to the masses. Releasing the Indian School Certificate (ISC)/Indian Certification of Secondary Education (ICSE) results of class XII and X, conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations for the year 1999, on the "Internet" as well as on the "Intranet" here today, the Minister said that information could be disseminated for the benefit of the society at large with inquisitive mind and dedication. He said that the technological revolution might have shortened the space and distance between people, what can really bring them closer, was through the wisdom and radical transformation of their minds.

    The Chairman as well as the Secretary of the Council were present on the occasion.

    About 80 thousand students appeared for examination of ISC/ICSE both for class XII and X for the year 1999. Of the over 22 thousand students who appeared for ISC XIIth examination, as many as 93.99 per cent of the students passed through the examination. For the ICSE Xth examination, of the over 61 thousand students who appeared in the examination, the pass percentage was 91.04 per cent.

    The results of the examinations may be accessed on the Internet at the following address :

http://www.myusha.com/cisce

    Results may also be accessed through the Council's Website at the address :

http://www.cisce.org
 
 

'28'
CEA CLEARS 500 MW PETCOKE POWER PROJECT AT JAMNAGAR
    The Central Electricity Authority has accorded Techno-economic Clearance to 2X250 MW Jamnagar Petcoke based Thermal Power Project proposal of Reliance Power Ltd. The residual product of Reliance Refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, has been cleared at a completed cost of Rs. 2550 crore at foreign exchange rate of Rs. 42.00/US$. This is Rs.119 crore less than the cost originally proposed by RPL and recommended by the State Government of Gujarat. The project cost shall not be reopened due to delay in financial closure, delay in signing of power purchase agreement etc. RPL had proposed the fuel cost of petcoke at Rs. 3360 per tonne (80 US$), CEA has reworked the fuel cost on Avoided Cost Method and fixed the base price of petcoke at Rs. 1799 per tonne.

    The drastic reduction in the fuel cost brought by CEA would result in considerable reduction in the price of electricity to be purchased by Gujarat Electricity Board from this project. The power project shall be set up with environmental friendly Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion (CFBC) boiler with provision of lime injection for sulphur removal from the flue gases. The project is scheduled to be commissioned in 39 months from the date of financial closure. As the power project is located adjacent to the Reliance Refinery in Jamnagar, practically no expenditure would be incurred in the transportation of fuel.

    At present there is no major generating station in the Jamnagar region of Saurashtra and power has to be brought by long distance transmission line.
 
 

‘19’
COTTON ADVISORY BOARD RECONSTITUTED
    The Government of India has decided to reconstitute the Cotton Advisory Board originally set up in October 1958 and subsequently reconstituted from time to time. The Board, which is a representative body of the Government, the growers, the industry and the traders, will advise the Government generally on matters pertaining to production, consumption and marketing of cotton including matters within the purview of the Cotton Control Order, 1986 and also provide a forum for liaison between the cotton growers, the cotton trade and the Government. The members of the reconstituted Board will serve on the Board upto May18, 2001.

    The Board, as reconstituted now, comprises the following members:

Chairman

    Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India
 

MEMBERS FROM THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

Joint Secretary               Joint Secretary (Trade & Coop.)
Incharge of Cotton         Deptt. of Agri. & Coop.
Ministry of Textiles       Ministry of Agriculture
New Delhi                     New Delhi

Economic/Statistical Adviser         Representative of the Department
Ministry of Agriculture                 of Science & Technology connected
New Delhi                                   with National Remote Sensing Agency
 

MEMBERS FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENTS

Commissioner/Director to Govt.               Commissioner/Director to Govt.
(Incharge of Agriculture)                          (Incharge of Agriculture)
Government of Andhra Pradesh               Government of Maharastra
Commissioner/Director to Govt.               Commissioner/Director to Govt.
(Incharge of Agriculture)                         (Incharge of Agriculture)
Government of Tamil Nadu                    Government of Madhya Pradesh
Commissioner/Director to Govt.              Commissioner/Director to Govt.
(Incharge of Agriculture)                         (Incharge of Agriculture)
Government of Rajasthan                        Government of Punjab

GROWERS’ MEMBERS

Shri Rameshbhai Dudhat, Surat,Gujarat
Shri Ratilal Devajibhai Vikani, Gujarat
Shri Krishan Kumar Jhakar, Rajasthan
Shri D. Varupaksham, Andhra Pradesh
Sh. Pt. Pandurang Munde, Maharashtra
Shri Ashok Jain, Uttar Pradesh
 

MEMBERS FROM THE INDUSTRY

Sh. Jayanthibhai Ishvarbhai Patel, Baroda, Gujarat
Sh. Gurmeet Singh Brar , Karanpur
Chairman, Indian Cotton Mills Federation, Mumbai
President, All India Federation of Cooperative Spinning Mills Ltd.,Mumbai
Chairman-Cum-Managing Director, National Textile Corporation (HQ)
New Delhi
President, South India Small Spinners Association, Coimbatore,Tamil Nadu
Dr. Mohan Lal Piramal, Chairman, M/s. Piramal Spinning &
Weaving Mills Ltd. , Mumbai
 

MEMBERS FROM THE TRADE

C.M.D., Cotton Corporation of India Ltd., Mumbai
Managing Director, Maharashtra State Cooperative Cotton Growers’ Marketing Federative Ltd., Mumbai
President ,East India Cotton Association, Mumbai
Chairman, All India Cotton Federation Ltd.,Ahmedabad
Chairman, Forward Market Commission Everest, Mumbai
 

MEMBERS FROM THE GINNING & PRESSING SECTOR

President, The Northern India Cotton Association, Bhatinda, Punjab
 

MEMBERS FROM COTTON RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Shri A. K. Basu, Consultant, CCI, Mumbai
Director, Central Institute of Research in Cotton Technology, Mumbai
Chairman,Textile Commissioner’s Cotton Certification Committee, Mumbai
Director, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Post Off Narpur
 

MEMBERS FROM THE POWERLOOM SECTOR

Shri Ramaswami Ramayya Bhairi, Thane, Maharashtra
Chairman, Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council, Mumbai
 

MEMBERS FROM THE HANDLOOM SECTOR

Shri T. R. Gopalan, Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Chairman, Handloom Export Promotion Council, Chennai
 

MEMBER SECRETARY

Joint Textile Commissioner (Cotton)
O/o Textile commissioner, Mumbai
 
 

"16"

PANT HAILS THE LAUNCH OF IRS - P4
    Shri K. C. Pant, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission has lauded the successful launch of the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT-1) by the Indian Space Research Organization. He expressed the hope that it will significantly contribute to the Ocean observation systems and help in the sustainable development of the coastal Ocean regions.

    Shri Pant, while congratulating the scientists further said that the achievements of Indian Scientists are of greater significance especially as working in developing countries is far more difficult.