The Central Government has so far approved 19 proposals for establishment of EPIPs in the State of Punjab, Harayana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Meghalaya and Manipur. While the EPIP in Rajasthan at Sitapura (District Jaipur) has since been completed, the park at Surajpur, District Gautambudh Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), Hoodi, District Bangalore (Karnataka) and Ambarnath District Thane (Maharashtra) are nearing completion. Other Parks are at various stages of implementation.
 
 

    For class X, the overall pass percentage of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas was 84.7% as against the overall CBSE average of 64.2%. 32 Vidyalayas produced a 100% pass result in the class X exam in 1999 compared to 28 in 1998.

    Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are primarily meant for talented rural children. At present, about 79% of the students studying in these schools are from rural areas. 23% and 14% of the students are from the SC & ST categories respectively. 33% of the students are girls. One Navodayas Vidyalaya is proposed to be established in each of the districts of the country. Uptil now, 408 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas have been sanctioned and 11 new schools are expected to become functional during the current year. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas are co-educational . Admission into Navodaya Vidyalayas is done at the Class VI stage, only through a competitive examination . Around 2500 students are selected each year out of the 500,000 students appearing in the examination.

    The education in these schools is provided free of cost of all the students selected, including cost of boarding and lodging, text books, uniforms, travel etc. Roughly about Rs.15,000 is spent per student per year in the Navodaya Vidyalayas. The schools also seek to impart strong cultural values in their educational system.
 
 

    Various issues were discussed at the two meetings. Earlier in New Delhi, the United Kingdom had expressed interest in joining the Global Tiger Forum. In this context, the two Ministers sought to determine further areas of collaboration in the field of wildlife conservation. One such areas related to prevention of trade in endangered species. An official level meet will be held soon between the two countries.

    The possibility of the United Kingdom Highways Agency hosting the National Highways Authority of India for exchange of experience was explored. A seminar would follow. The structure of the seminar would be formulated to bring out the issues relevant to the Indian requirements. Certain areas could be focussed on, like the National Capital Region and the Greater Mumbai Metropolitan Area, from the point of view of traffic planning and management and decongestion keeping in view the overall environmental perspective and the need to control vehicular pollution.

    Exchanges would be held to enable a comparison of the integrated water management situation in both countries. The need is to examine the possibilities of collaborating for upgrading existing institutional mechanisms for collating, analysing and assessing water quality data.

    The possibility of exchange of experience between the two countries for combating environmental offences was considered. This would cover issues related to enforcement of pollution laws and the management of hazardous substances.

    It was decided that a project be launched to determine impacts of climate change in India. A launch workshop will be held in New Delhi, next month. The recent climate change negotiations at Bonn were also reviewed. Shri Prabhu stated that developed countries had fallen very short of their Green House Gases (GHG) reduction commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Shri Prabhu also reiterated that the new overseas mechanisms for reducing emissions should be supplemental to domestic actions. Shri Prabhu said that the principles and basic elements of the mechanisms in the Kyoto Protocol must be decided first so that the methodological and the institutional issues can be guided accordingly. Compared to the other mechanisms, the clean development mechanism must be given priority.

    Shri Prabhu also gave the keynote address at the Royal institute of International Affairs at London, inaugurating an international conference on climate change, "Implementing the Kyoto Protocol." The Environment and Forests Minister said, "Per capital emissions in developing countries are many times lower than in the developed countries. It is the emissions of developed countries, primarily, that are responsible for the climate change problem. Hence the developed countries should take commensurate measures for mitigating climate change". The various initiatives taken in India for protecting the environment and controlling pollution were mentioned.

    Shri Prabhu said that the Framework Convention on Climate Change states that the extent to which developing countries will effectively implement their commitments will depend on the effective implementation by developed countries of their commitments related to financial resources and transfer of technology. There has been little or no progress in the provision of new additional financial resources and technology to developing countries on non-commercial and preferential items, Shri Prabhu said.

    While designing the mechanisms, there must be no discounting of the inequities, disparities and differentiated capabilities between the developed and the developing countries. He added that the design of the mechanisms must not in any way compromise the modification of longer term trends in emissions, consistent with the objectives of the Convention.

    In respect of developing countries, build-up of endogenous expertise is required for identification of technology needs and helping enhance capacities for assimilation of technologies. Capacity building is also required for carrying out adaptation activities. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the mechanisms do not subsume the commitments of developed countries in the Convention for transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries.

    The design of the new mechanisms must ensure that environmental effectiveness is not compromised. In this connection, the principles and basics, and the nature and scope of the mechanisms must be decided first. The methodological and operational issues should be guided accordingly, Shri Prabhu said.

    The integrity and environmental credibility of the mechanisms must be above board. There should not be latent seed or potential of freezing or perpetuating existing North-South inequities in production and consumption patterns.

    It must be ensured that domestic policies and measures by developed countries remain the principal means for stabilising greenhouse gas atmosphere concentrations. Domestic initiatives in the developed countries should not get eclipsed by the overseas mechanisms, the Minister concluded.
 
 

    A model park at a cost of Rs.11.61 lakhs is being developed by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD). The work is in progress and expected to be completed within this year. A four-storey building with a covered area of 3047 square metres, which will accommodate allopathic, homeopathic and ayurvedic dispensaries under the CGHS, has been sanctioned for Rs.2.14 crores. This building is expected to be completed by September, 2000.

    Sanction has also been received for constructing boundary walls at Sadiq Nagar at a cost of Rs.53.62 lakhs. The boundary walls are expected to be completed by January ,2000. The length of boundary wall facing J.B. Tito Marg will be taken up after receipt of approval from Delhi Government Public Works Department for inclusion of PWD service road within the boundary walls.
 
 

    Mr. Prabhu informed the meeting that a key element of the National Agenda of Governance of the Government of India, was the formulation of a comprehensive national policy to balance between development and the environment. For this purpose, a State of the Environment Report has been prepared.

    Mr. Prabhu mentioned that despite the fact that India's per capita greenhouse gas emissions are many times below the average of the developed countries, policies and programmes have been pursued nationally for conserving energy and promotion of renewable energy. India has raised the conversion efficiency of its power plants. Industries are reducing their energy intensity by cutting production costs. New fiscal policies are promoting low emission technologies. In the automobile sector too, new technologies and corresponding regulations are reducing emissions. India has a full-fledged ministry for non-conventional energy sources which has attained much acclaimed success in the installation of solar and wind generated energy. There has been fuel switching to oil and natural gas. In the agricultural sector, there is emphasis on replacement of fuel inefficient irrigation pump-sets.

    The NGOs raised questions on climate change with the Environment and Forests Minister. Mr. Prabhu said that per capita emissions in developing countries are many times lower than in developed countries. It is the emissions of developed countries, primarily, that are responsible for the climate change problem. Hence the developed countries should take commensurate measures for mitigating climate change, the minister said. Mr. Prabhu stated that the Framework Convention on Climate change states that the extent tow which developing countries will effectively implement their commitments will depend on the effective implementation by the developed countries of their commitments related to financial resources and transfer of technology. There has been little or no progress in the provision of new and additional financial resources and technology transfers to developing countries on non-commercial and preferential terms, the minister emphasised.

    Mr. Prabhu stated that the design of the new mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol must ensure that environmental effectiveness is not compromised. In this connection, the principles and basis, and the nature and scope of the mechanisms must be decided first. The methodological and operational issues should be guided accordingly. The integrity and environmental credibility of the mechanisms must be above board. There should not be latent the seed or potential of freezing or perpetuating existing North-south inequities in production and consumption patterns.

    The NGOs said that some way must be devised in which information could be forthcoming more easily from India about environmental initiatives taken by the government. The Minister spoke about initiatives taken by him for introducing transparency in the department's functioning. Shri Prabhu mentioned that more and more information, including facts about environmental clearances, is now being made available on the Internet.

    The Environment and Forests Minister informed the meeting about legislation being formulated on bio-diversity after detailed discussions with all sections of society, and in which the NGOs had also made substantial contribution. The meeting also appreciated the work being done in India for wild life conservation, particularly in the area of protection of the tiger. The NGOs indicated that the CITES forum should be used for ensuring efficacy of measures for prevention of trade in endangered species. The NGO representatives acknowledged the good work being done in India for protection and conservation of turtles.

    The NGOs were very appreciative of the initiative taken by the Environment and Forests Minister in convening the meeting. The NGOs representatives expressed the hope that such interactions will continue to enable discussions on various issues related to protection of the environment.
 
 

    The above measures have been ordered keeping in view that mails for and from the troops carry high emotional value for the members of the Armed Forces and go a long way in boosting up their morale.
 
 

    The target for the exports of cotton yarn for the year 1999-2000 has been pegged at US$ 1500 million which would be 10.4 per cent of our total target for textiles exports during the current year. Thus, in case of cotton yarn 9.1 per cent of the target has already been achieved in the first month of the year itself.

    The exports of handicrafts, which comprise nearly 14 per cent of our total textiles exports, also recorded an impressive growth of 14.2 per cent in the month of April this year as against the figures for the corresponding month last year. Handicrafts exports during April’ 99 were to the tune of Rs. 557.7 crores as against Rs. 488.46 crores during April’98. In dollar terms, the exports of handicrafts went up by 2.7 per cent during the month recording export figures of US$ 132.5 million.

    During April, 1999 the exports of cotton fabrics and made ups (HL) also went up by 14.5 per cent as against corresponding period last year recording exports figures of Rs. 141.27 crores as against Rs. 123.33 crores for the month of April, 1998. In dollar terms too, the exports went up by 6.3 per cent.

    The exports of readymade garments, which form a major chunk of our total textile exports did not fair as impressively during April while recording a growth of 6.1 per cent with exports reaching a figure of Rs. 1557.2 crores as compared to export worth Rs. 1467.6 during April, 1998. In dollar terms the exports of readymade garments were to the tune of US$ 363.4 million. However the exports of readymade garments were back on the growth path in the month of May, with the export of 1101 lakhs pieces valued at US $ 416.5 million (Rs. 1780.1 crores) as against exports of 1062 lakhs pieces worth US $ 385.6 million (Rs. 1562.85 crores) during May, 1998. This was increase of 8 per cent in dollar terms for the month.

    Aggregate exports of textiles during the first month of the current fiscal year were recorded at Rs. 4016.59 crores or US$ 941.3 million.

    These provisional exports figures are based on the data provided by the Exports Promotion Councils and Commodity Boards.

ard areas for their families living in civil destinations. Further, it has also been decided that special despatches, wherever required, would be introduced forthwith by the concerned Chief Postmasters General of the States.

    The above measures have been ordered keeping in view that mails for and from the troops carry high emotional value for the members of the Armed Forces and go a long way in boosting up their morale.
 
 

    Shri Sinha said that domestic sugar industry had been subjected to several kinds of regulations and controls but no control or discipline had been imposed on sugar importers. The importers are free to import, stock and sell according to their convenience and commercial considerations. Heavy imports of sugar are continuing with about 1.01 lakh tonnes coming into the country in the month of May, 1999. According to available data, 16,638 tonnes of sugar has come through Calcutta port and 59,476 tonnes through Haldia Port in May, 1999. Sugar import from Pakistan has been reduced to about 3,977 tonnes in May as compared to about 45,566 tonnes in March this year. In the first fortnight of June, sugar imports have touched 61,427 tonnes.

    The Government under an order, may direct that no producer or importer shall sell or agree to sell or otherwise dispose of, or deliver or agree to deliver any kind of sugar or remove any kind of sugar from the bonded godowns of the factory in which it is produced or from the warehouses of the importers except under and in accordance with a direction issued in writing by the Central Government.

    The sugar production in the country during the current year is expected to cross 150 lakh tonnes compared to 100 lakh tonnes during last year. The large scale imports of sugar is attributed to the low prices prevailing in the international market. The Government is having enough stocks of levy sugar for meeting the requirement of the Public Distribution System. The status of cane arrears is currently not alarming at Rs. 989 crores.