'11'
I&B MINISTER CONDOLES THE DEATH OF MS. KATARIA
    The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shri Pramod Mahajan condoled the death of Ms. Neelam Kataria here today. Ms. Kataria was an IIS officer of 1974 Batch and was working in Press Information Bureau as Addl. P.I.O. Expressing grief, Shri Mahajan said that Ms. Kataria was a very bright officer who made a very important contribution in the field of information dissemination and communication development.

    Condoling the death, Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting said that Ms. Kataria held important positions in her service career and discharged her duty with utmost devotion and commitment.
 
 

'17'
SALT BOARD RECONSTITUTED
    The Central Advisory Board for Salt has been reconstituted. With the Industry Minister as Chairman, the new Board has senior officials of the Ministries of Industry, Health, Labour, Railways as Members besides representatives of state governments and salt manufacturers. Five embers of Parliament will be nominated in consultation with the Department of Parliamentary Affairs. The Salt Commissioner, Govt. of India, will be the Member- Secretary of the Board which will have a term of three years. Representatives of the ministries of Surface Transport and Commerce and also of State Trading Corporation will be invited to attend the meetings of the Board whenever necessary.

    The functions of the Board will be to advise the Government of India on the administration of proceeds of the Salt Cess levied under Section 3 of the Salt Cess Act, 1953 and to make recommendations generally for measures conducive to the development of the salt industry such as : i) establishment and maintenance of research stations, model farms and salt factories; ii) fixing the grades of salt and improving its quality; iii) development of exports; iv) promoting and encouraging co-operative efforts among the manufacturers of salt; v) any other matter pertaining to the development of salt industry; vi) promoting the welfare of labour employed in the salt industry.
 
 
 

'7'
MEASURES FOR FILLING UP VACANCIES IN HIGH COURTS
    The Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs has set in motion a process for filling up vacancies in High Courts expeditiously. There are 121 vacancies out of a total sanctioned strength of 588 Judges in the High Courts. Of the vacancies, 78 are for permanent judges and 43 for additional judges.

    There are , in all, 17 High Courts in the country. The biggest High Court is Alhabad High Court and the smallest one Sikkim High Court.

    Out of the total strength of 588 sanctioned posts of judges, 492 posts are for permanent judges and 96 for additional judges. In addition, the Government has created 30 more posts including 4 of permanent judges and 24 of additional judges.

    The filling up of the existing vacancies expeditiously would go a long way in expediting the disposal of cases in the High Courts.

    As for the Supreme Court of India, out of 26 sanctioned posts of judges, there exists one vacancy at present.

    More than 31 lakh cases are pending in the High Courts all over the country. Average annual disposal of cases is about 10 lakh and about 11 lakh cases instituted annually.
 
 

'15'
SAFEGUARD DUTY ON IMPORTED PHENOL NOTIFIED
    The Government has notified a safeguard duty on imported phenol. The time-linked rates of safeguard duty notified are 22% upto 29-02-2000 and 15% for two years following that date. This safeguard duty will not operate against the developing Countries, which have a share of less than 3% of the imports to India. Also, this safeguard duty will not be applicable to imports under advance licenses with actual-users condition. It is expected that this safeguard duty will give necessary support to the domestic phenol industry, which in the recent past has been facing unfair competition as a result of an upsurge of imports.

    The Government has also notified a provisional anti-dumping duty of Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE). The notified duty is Rs.2990 per metric ton on PTFE originating in or exported from Russia. This has been found necessary because of the unequal competition being faced by the domestic manufacturers from under-valued imports.
 
 

'25'
MAJOR PORTS HANDLE 43 MILLION TONNES OF CARGO DURING APRIL & MAY
    Eleven Major Ports of the country handled more than 43 million tonnes of cargo during the first two months of the current financial year. The throughput at these ports was 6.60 per cent higher than the traffic handled at these ports in the first two months of the 1997-98 fiscal.

    In terms of commodity, POL constituted the maximum. These ports handled 18.6 million tonnes of POL during April and May compared to 16.57 million tonnes in the first two months of the fiscal 1997-98. These ports handled 6.62 million tonnes of fertilizer against 2.14 million tonnes during the corresponding period of previous year showing an increase of over 209 per cent. However, there was a shortfall in handling iron ore and coking coal during this period. The major ports handled 5.86 million tonnes of iron ore against 6.16 million tonnes and 1.51 million tonnes of coking coal against 1.81 million tonnes.

    During this period, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), Paradip Port and Calcutta Port reported the maximum growth of traffic over the previous year. While, JNPT reported a growth of 33 per cent, Paradip reported 25.6 per cent and Calcutta reported over 20 per cent. However, in case of Visakhapatnam, New Mangalore and Mormugao, there was a marginal fall of throughput.
 
 

'15'
SAFEGUARD DUTY ON IMPORTED PHENOL NOTIFIED
    The Government has notified a safeguard duty on imported phenol. The time-linked rates of safeguard duty notified are 22% upto 29-02-2000 and 15% for two years following that date. This safeguard duty will not operate against the developing Countries, which have a share of less than 3% of the imports to India. Also, this safeguard duty will not be applicable to imports under advance licenses with actual-users condition. It is expected that this safeguard duty will give necessary support to the domestic phenol industry, which in the recent past has been facing unfair competition as a result of an upsurge of imports.

    The Government has also notified a provisional anti-dumping duty of Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE). The notified duty is Rs.2990 per metric ton on PTFE originating in or exported from Russia. This has been found necessary because of the unequal competition being faced by the domestic manufacturers from under-valued imports.
 
 

'25'
MAJOR PORTS HANDLE 43 MILLION TONNES OF CARGO DURING APRIL & MAY
    Eleven Major Ports of the country handled more than 43 million tonnes of cargo during the first two months of the current financial year. The throughput at these ports was 6.60 per cent higher than the traffic handled at these ports in the first two months of the 1997-98 fiscal.

    In terms of commodity, POL constituted the maximum. These ports handled 18.6 million tonnes of POL during April and May compared to 16.57 million tonnes in the first two months of the fiscal 1997-98. These ports handled 6.62 million tonnes of fertilizer against 2.14 million tonnes during the corresponding period of previous year showing an increase of over 209 per cent. However, there was a shortfall in handling iron ore and coking coal during this period. The major ports handled 5.86 million tonnes of iron ore against 6.16 million tonnes and 1.51 million tonnes of coking coal against 1.81 million tonnes.

    During this period, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), Paradip Port and Calcutta Port reported the maximum growth of traffic over the previous year. While, JNPT reported a growth of 33 per cent, Paradip reported 25.6 per cent and Calcutta reported over 20 per cent. However, in case of Visakhapatnam, New Mangalore and Mormugao, there was a marginal fall of throughput.
 
 
 

'24'
SPECIAL POSTAGE STAMP ON MIZORAM ACCORD
    The Department of Posts has issued a postage stamp to commemorate Mizoram Accord. The stamp is in the denomination of Rs.3/-.

    The design of the stamp emphasizes the lasting peace brought on by the Accord with the two hands clasped in a firm handshake symbolizing the Accord. The richly embroidered Mizo cloth 'puanchai' worn by Mizo women on occasions of merriment, gaiety and festivity symbolizes peace and harmony in the state and the lush green hills in the background represent the natural scenic beauty of the state. The first day cover again symbolizes the peace and progress brought by the Accord.

    For a number of years Mizoram was ravaged by insurgency spearheaded by a separatist group called the Mizo National Front (MNF) resulting in untold hardship, suffering and loss of human lives. Development activities had come to a standstill.

    On 30th June, 1986 the historic "Mizoram Accord" was signed between the Government and MNF bringing an end to this era of insurgency and ushering peace and stability to the area. This historic Accord served to strengthen the emotional integration of the people of the state with the nation as a whole. With Mizoram becoming a model state of the north-east with the highest literacy rate, significant progress has been made in the field of education, agriculture, telecommunications, infrastructure and overall prosperity of the region.

    The First Day Cover alongwith the information sheet is available on sale at all Philatelic Bureaux/Counters and at selected Post Offices.
 
 
 

'39'
INSTITUTIONAL FINANCING FOR SUGAR INDUSTRY
    A Committee was set up by the Department of Sugar and Edible Oils for augmenting institutional financing for sugar industry. This Committee has been set up at a meeting of the Development Council for Sugar Industry which met here today under the Chairmanship of Shri R.P. Sinha, Secretary, Sugar and Edible Oils.

    The Council at its meeting reviewed the sugar situation in the country including production and imports. Deterioration of the variety of cane planted in Punjab and Haryana was also considered and a Committee was set up for initiating varietal replacement of early maturing high sucrose content variety which has shown genetic weakness in those areas.

    The members suggested review and revision of technical efficiency norms and the Standard Specifications of Cane Sugar Plants keeping in view the latest technological advancement. Sugar Industry representatives suggested review of the import duty in view of continuing heavy imports of sugar. They also impressed upon the use of other packaging materials in place of jute gunny bags to the extent of 25% on account of anticipated decline in jute production and other reasons.