Shri KPS Gill, President of the Indian Hockey Federation, Shri Randhir Singh, Secretary General, Indian Olympic Association, Shri Lalit Manoj, Secretary, Athletic Federation of India, Shri Tarlochan Singh from the Archery Association of India, Shri Janardhan Singh, President, Kabaddi Federation of India, Shri P.T Ummerkoya, Secretary, Chess Association of India, Shri A.K.Mattoo, President, Boxing Federation of India ,Shri D.K. Manavalan, Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri D.K. Mittal, Director General, Sports Authority of India, Shri J.P. Singh, Joint Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs and Sports, among others, were present at the meeting.
 
 

    Of the total amount released to the States for far, Rs.250 crores was granted in 1996-97, Rs.115.26 crores in 1997-98 and Rs.171.69 crores in 1998-99. The remaining amount will be disbursed during 1999-2000 and 2000-2001.

    The question of further grants to the urban local bodies is under consideration of the 11^th Finance Commission.

    Following the Constitution (74^th Amendment) Act, the Centre and the States have been making concerted efforts to make the urban local bodies (municipalities) financially viable and administratively more powerful so that proper upkeep and development of urban infrastructure could be taken care of and ensured .
 
 

    The Minister Shri Ray visited the house of the Martyr at Choudwar and handed over personally the draft of Rs. 1,00,000 to the father of the Martyr Shri Krushna Chandra Sahu.

    Shri Ray promised to bear all the expenses on the memorial being constructed in the town to commemorate the sacrifice of Sergeant Sahu.

    As Sergeant Sahu was the only earning member in the family Shri Ray has promised employment to his younger brother in Mahanadi Coalfields Limited , subsidiary of Coal India Limited.
 
 

    The Home Secretary highlighted the need for extreme caution on the part of State Governments & Union territory Administrations, with regard to daily developments, not only at the LOC or the Border but also within the interior of the country.

    Shri Pande directed the officials to tackle swiftly and firmly any attempts at inciting communal passions or caste tensions. Similarly, vital installations, sensitive establishments etc., should be suitably guarded. All States were advised to activate their intelligence outfits, be vigilant and at the same time prepared to face any contingencies. He called for a close watch on the actions and movements of known as well as suspected Pak ISI agents and their sympathizers.

    The Home Secretary asked the States to particularly sensitise the District Magistrates and the District Superintendents of Police. The border States were also told to be particularly careful and take all possible precautions to prevent any adverse fall out of the present developments.

    The States/Union Territories responded to the needs and assured that all effective steps to safeguard all fronts of internal security have been initiated by them and they will be on the constant look out to take care of any sensitive development on any count.
 
 

    The PFA Rules 1955 already permit the use of each of these two artificial sweeteners individually in sweetened carbonated water and soft drink concentrates, subject to a minimum level of 5 per cent sucrose or sugar content also being present in these products. The present Notification permits the use of the two artificial sweeteners in combination, within prescribed limits, to allow the benefit of the synergestic sweetener enhancements, resulting from this combination. However, it does not remove the mandatory requirement of 5 per cent sucrose content in these products. Hence, all carbonated water containing artificial sweeteners will have the minimum stipulated sugar content also.

    The decision to all the use of a combination of two sweeteners in sweetened carbonated water and soft drink concentrates was recommended by the Central Committee for Food Standards and its Food Additives Sub Committee. This recommendation also stipulated that the sweetened carbonated drink should carry the advice "not meant for children" on their labels, given the reduced nutritive value resulting from the use of artificial sweeteners.

    Marketing of any food article containing artificial sweeteners is regulated by the standards prescribed in the PFA Rules, 1955. These rules do not currently permit the use of these sweeteners in other food products.
 
 

    In view of efforts made by Shri Ram Naik, the Government of India notified in December 1995 that Bombay in English and ¤ÉƤÉ<Ç in Hindi will be written as àÉÖƤÉ<Ç. However, while issuing the notification the word àÉÖƤÉ<Ç was written as àÉÖƤÉ<Ç in Devnagari. Shri Ram Naik had promptly taken up the issue in January 1996 with the then Home Minister, Shri S.B. Chavan and urged him to follow Hindi grammer and scientific usage and use àÉÖƤÉ<Ç in Devnagari script. He had produced relevant documents in support of his demands. Subsequently, he had also remined Shri Indrajit Gupta, Home Minister in the National Front Government.

    Shri Ram Naik assumed additional responsibility of Minister of State for Home Affairs recently on 5^th May 1999. He got the entire issue examined and took the decision that Mumbai would be written as àÉÖƤÉ<Ç only in Devnagri script. Accordingly, the Ministry of Home Affairs have issued clarifications to all Ministries, Departments and State Governments/Union Territories. In a separate personal letter Shri Ram Naik has urged all the Cabinet Ministers and Chief Ministers of State Governments and Administrators of Union territories to ensure the correct usage of àÉÖƤÉ<Ç (Mumbai) in Devnagari.
 
 

    One scholarship is being offered for doctoral studies in Polish Language and Culture or alternatively two scholarships are being offered (for two years each) for a Diploma Course in Polish Language and Culture.

    Another two Scholarships are being offered for Doctoral Studies in Mining Technology. The duration of this course will be three years.

    As regards eligibility, for the first scholarship i.e. for the Polish Language Course, the person should have been nominated by the Department of Slavonic and Ugro Finn Studies, University of Delhi. The second scholarship, i.e Doctoral Studies in Mining Technology, requires a uniformally good academic record, with 60% or above marks in the concerned subject. Applicants should also have adequate knowledge of India and also of Poland.
 
 
 

    Six persons have been selected for the National Adventure Awards – the categories for the award being land, water and air. Late Brig. Gyan Singh has been selected posthumously for the National Adventure Award for his life time achievements in the field of mountaineering. Major Krishan Kumar and Shri Lalneihsenga have been selected for their brilliant achievements on land and Ms. Gunjan S. Parulkar and Ms. Rupali Ramdas Repale have been selected for the awards in the category of water. Sqn. Ldr. B.K. Das has been selected for his excellence in air adventure.

    Two Universities, six NSS units , Six Programme Officers (NSS) and sixteen NSS Volunteers have been selected for the Indira Gandhi NSS Awards. S/Shri K. Siddappa, Vice-Chancellor , A.M.R. Kotriah of Bangalore University and the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. S.K. Bharati of Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur have been selected for the University level awards. As regards NSS Units, the awardees include the Principals of Government College, Kottayam; Lunglei Governemnt Colleg, Lunglei, Mizoram; Pathari Samant College, Khadaparagarh, Nayagarh (Orissa); Govt. Mira Girls College, Udaipur (Rajasthan); Govt. Nutan Girls Degree College, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Govt. Sr. School, Zahura, Hoshiarpur (Punajb). The Programme Officers who are to be awarded are Shri K.K. George of Govt. College, Kottayam (Kerala), Sh. Darchyailova of Lunglei Govt. College, Mikzoram, Sh Pradipta K. Mishra of Pathari Samant College, Nayagarh (Orissa), Dr. (Smt.) Pushpa Bhardwaj of Govt. Mira Girls College, Udaipur (Rajasthan), Dr. (Ms.) Nasreen Rahman of Govt. Nutan Girls Degree College, Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Shri Sarwan Singh of Govt. Sr. Schoold, Zahura, Hoshiarpur (Punjab). The NSS Volunteers selected for the awards are Ms. K. Roopa Shree of Bangalore, Shri Ramesh K.G. of Mangaore, Ms. Sapna Antony of Kerala, Sh. Ram Mahesh R. of Thiruvananthapuram, Ms. Sita Sahu of Jabalpur (M.P.), Sh. Kamlesh Kumar Bhargav of Ratlam (M.P.), Shri Naseem Ahmed Shah Ansari of Puri (Orissa), Shri C. Senthil Kumar of Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, Ms. Rekha Verma of Barabanki (UP), Shri Rishabh Kumar Jain of Agra (UP), Ms. Shabana Khan, Daryaganj, Delhi, Ms. K. Sailaja, Warangal (A.P.), Shri K. Srinikvas of Warangal (AP), Shri Rahul Singh Parihar of Bhopal (MP), Ms. Pramila Machindranath Shikhare, Mumbai and Shir G. Uma Shankar of Gandhigram (Tamil Nadu).
 
 

    These awards are being presented to the outstanding sportspersons under the Government’s scheme of "Special Cash Awards to Winners of Medallists in International Sports Events and their Coaches". Under the scheme, the prize money payable to Gold Medal Winners in the Olympic Games is Rs.15 lakh, for Silver Medal Winners, Rs.9 lakh and for Bronze Medallists, Rs.6 lakh. For the Asian and Commonwealth Games, the prize money for Gold Medal Winners is Rs.5 lakh, for Silver Medal Winners Rs.3 lakh and for Bronze Medallists, Rs.2 lakh.

    The scheme of Special Cash Awards for winners of medals in international sports events and for their coaches was first introduced in 1986 to compensate medal winners in international sports events for expenses incurred by them on diet, training, preparation and also for their devotion and service to sports. These awards are also aimed at encouraging and motivating the outstanding sportspersons and their coaches towards even higher achievement and also to attract the younger generation to take up sports as a career.

    770 sportspersons have been conferred with Cash Award under this scheme up to last year.

    The lists of award winners are given in Encl.I and II.
 
 

    The meeting was attended by senior officers from National Dairy Development Board, Federation of Oilseed Cooperative and Growers, Bangalore , Vanaspati Manufactuers’ Association, besides the Economic Advisor of the Department of Consumer Affairs,. Commodities Editor of Business Line who is a member of the Working Group, President SEAI, etc.
 
 

    Earlier, the Government of India had decided to merge Vayudoot Ltd. with Indian Airlines Ltd. with effect from May 25, 1993 with a moratorium of five years on repayment and servicing of dues owed by Vayudoot. Now, there will thus be a moratorium of a total period of seven years on repayment and servicing of dues. Thereafter, the liabilities will be discharged by Indian Airlines in 10 annual instalments. In case of a delay in payment of any instalment, interest, at the bank rate prevailing at that time would be payable on the defaulted amount.
 
 

    Looking to the cumulative revenue collection up to end May 1999, the Indirect Tax collection is Rs. 15150 crores, which is 19.1% higher than that in the same period last year. In the disaggregated from the cumulative collection up to end May 1999 for Excise Duty is Rs.7950 crores, 27.8% higher than in the last year, and, that of Customs Duty is Rs.6764 crores, which is 11.4% higher than that in the last year. On the Direct Tax side the cumulative figure of revenue collection up to end- May 1999 is Rs.2003 crores, which is 41.5% over that in the same period in the last year. In disaggregated form on the Direct Tax side, the Income Tax collection is Rs.2673 crores, 37.9% more than that in the last year, while the Corporate Tax collection is Rs.94 crores higher, which is 17.5% higher than that in the last year. Taking the revenue collection as a whole (Indirect and Direct Taxes), the revenue collection up to end May is Rs.17153 crores, which is 21.3% higher than that in the last year.

    An analysis of these figures gives some very interesting results. There is an indication of a sustained revival trend in the industrial sector, as is evidenced by the buoyant excise collections. Market indications are that cement, passenger and utility vehicles, two wheelers, auto ancillaries, capital goods, cement, consumer durables, plastics, synthetic yarns, pharmaceuticals, electrical cables are showing a marked revival. Steel and textile industries have shown a modest revival trend. In respect of Customs duty also , significant buoyancy has been observed. This is partly on account of the increased prices of crude oil and petroleum products, and partly on account of higher realisation on certain other imports. Looking to these collection figures, it can be said that the growth trend in the industrial sector in 1999-2000 is very satisfactory as compared to that in the last year, when the growth was limited to 9.1% in Excise revenue and 0.9% in Customs revenue.
 
 

    According to information received from the South Central Railways, out of 14 coaches five were capsized infringing both the lines. The DRM, Sec__}underabad, the General Manager, South Central Railway along with Senior Officials rushed to the spot to supervise relief and rescue operations.

    The Member (Mechanical), OSD(Safety) and Additional Member (Civil Engineering) of the Railway Board have also rushed to the spot. The Medical vans and other relief equipments have reached the site in time. The stranded passengers have been cleared by the buses in the morning.

    The Railway Minister Shri Nitish Kumar has cut short his tour and rushed to the site along with Member (Engineering), Railway Board to take stock of the situation. He has expressed his grief and heartfelt condolence to the bereaved families.

    Ex-gratia has been paid to the injured persons and to the Kith & kin of the deceased. An enquiry by the Commissioner, Safety, South Central Circle has been ordered to find out the cause of the accident. A control room has been opened at Secunderabad to give information to the public regarding the accident. The telephone numbers are : (040) 7833099, (040) 7833348 & (040) 7823156