PIB Press Releases


		25th April, 2003


		Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers Disinvestment of Fertilizer PSUs Government have decided to disinvest its equity in the following major existing fertilizer Public Sector Undertakings........................... Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers List of life saving Drugs The Supreme Court vide its order dated 10.3.2003 in Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) 3668/2003 has directed, interalia, to review drugs which are essential and life saving............................ Ministry of Environment and Forests First digital assessment of forest cover in the country The Forest cover of the country has been assessed for the first time using digital technology. Giving details of the State Forest Report-2001 to the Members of the Consultative Committee............................ Ministry of Steel National Steel Policy The Government is thinking of preparing a comprehensive steel policy for the Indian steel industry in the light of the on-going revised restructuring and globalisation............................ Ministry of Steel Steel Research and Technology Mission The Research & Technology Mission functions under the technical wing of the Ministry of Steel............................ Ministry of Steel Subsidy on steel production In several steel producing countries of the world like USA, UK, Australia, France and Greece, specific as well as generic subsidies on steel production are provided............................ Prime Minister's Office Prime Minister's speech at the Shram Awards function The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has called for upgrading the skill level of Indian labour force............................ Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas Subsidised LPG for Non-Domestic - Exempted Category Shri Ram Naik, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas has approved the proposal to provide subsidised LPG to the users under non-domestic exempted category (NDEC)............................ Ministry of Railways Setting up of terminals by private entrepreneurs on Railways The Railways have been encouraging private entrepreneurs for setting up terminals and warehousing facilities. ........................... Ministry of Railways Allocation for ACD Total approved cost of provision of Anti-Collision Device (ACD), including ACD survey, on Indian Railway is Rs. 190.92 crores. ........................... Ministry of Railways Connecting of State Capitals with rail lines in NE Region The following three new line projects have already been included in the budget to connectivity to State Capitals in the North East Region: Harmuti-Itanagar, Diphu-Karong as first phase of HV line to Imphal, and Kumarghat-Agartala. ........................... Ministry of Railways No concession to patients in Rajdhani and Jan Shatabdi Heart patients are granted concession when called by recognized hospitals for heart surgery......................... Ministry of Railways Transportation of cement to NER The Railways are meeting requirements of essential commodities including cement in North-Eastern Region and their input by Railways in the region is regularly monitored......................... Ministry of Railways Mechanism developed to run trains in fog Shri Surajdin Yadav of District Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh has claimed to have developed a new technique by which the train would not lose time during run, in fog. ........................... Ministry of Labour & Empowerment The toughest challenges before us is, how quickly we can train the new entrants and aspirants to India's workforce to meet the needs of our domestic and export economy - PM Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the toughest challenges before us is, how quickly we can train the new entrants and aspirants to India's workforce to meet the needs of our domestic and export economy. ........................... Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Social Justice & Empowerment Ministry allocates Rs.18.94 crore for the welfare of older persons The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment has allocated 18.94 crore rupees for the welfare of older persons during the current financial year. ........................... Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Consultative Committee attached to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways meets The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Road Transport and Highways, Major General (Retd.), B. C. Khanduri today called for speedy utilisation of road development funds provided by the Central Government to the States. ........................... Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Import and export of wheat and rice on Government account According to the Annual Report of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, 2002-03 a quantity of 104.01 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and 57.23 lakh metric tonnes of rice have been lifted for export till December 31, 2002. ........................... Ministry of Rural Development Empowerment of women through Rural Development Women's Empowerment is critical to the social-economic progress of the community and to bring women into the mainstream of national development has, therefore, been a major concern of the Government. ........................... Ministry of Tribal Affairs Promotion of tribal products The Ministry of Tribal Affairs have taken steps to promote tribal arts and handicrafts through the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED). ........................... Ministry of Tribal Affairs Professional training to backward tribes The Ministry of Tribal Affairs implements inter alia, a Scheme of Vocational Training in Tribal Areas in the country, under which a 100% grant-in-aid is provided for setting up Vocational Training Centres (VTC), both to the State Governments as well as to NGOs. ........................... Ministry of Tribal Affairs Introduction of Water Harvesting Course The University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to introduce courses in Water Management/Water Harvesting in the Universities. ........................... Ministry of Human Resource Development World Bank Aid Programme for Technical Education The Government has launched the 'Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme of Government of India' with World Bank assistance for improving the quality of technical education in the country. ........................... Ministry of Human Resource Development Setting up of open universities and television channel for higher education The Government has been encouraging growth of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system in the country. During the 10th Plan period, it is proposed to increase the enrolment in the ODL system to the extent of 40% from the existing 20% in the Higher Education Sector. ........................... Ministry of Human Resource Development Scholarships for students going abroad The Government of India provides scholarships to Indian scholars for Post Graduate/Research/Post Doctoral studies abroad on the basis of offers received from foreign Governments under the various Cultural/Educational Exchange Programmes. ........................... Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Levy sugar As per reports received from some sugar factories, the levy sugar is not being lifted by the States/UTs/FCI/Agencies nominated by them. ........................... Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Outstanding dues to sugarcane growers As per available information, the estimated outstanding cane price arrears for the season 2000-2001 and 2001-02 are about Rs. 40.35 crores and Rs. 99.80 crores, respectively. ........................... Ministry of Home Affairs All assistance being provided to cyclone hit people of Dhubri in Assam All necessary assistance is being provided to the Cyclone affected people of Kalapani area of Mankachar Revenue Circle of Hatsingimari sub-division of Dhubri District of Assam. ........................... Ministry of Rural Development World Bank loan to Andhra Pradesh for Rural Poverty Reduction Project The World Bank has agreed to provide Andhra Pradesh a loan of $150 million for the Rural Poverty Reduction Project during the current year. ........................... Ministry of Home Affairs Naga cease-fire further extended The Cease-fire between the Government of India and the NSCN (K) in Nagaland was reviewed at a meeting held here on Monday, the 21st April, 2003. ........................... Ministry of Textiles Measures to strengthen the Textile Industry for meeting global competition The textile exports during the period April-December 2002 have amounted to US$8849.4 million which when compared with the exports of US$ 7814.6 million during the corresponding period of 2001 show a growth of 13.2 per cent. ........................... Ministry of Textiles Cotton procurement during 2002-03 The Cotton Corporation of India procured 6,33,748 bales (170 kg) of cotton during 2002-03. ........................... Ministry of Textiles Demand for Indian handicrafts The assessment of increase in demand of Indian handicrafts items including hand-knotted carpets are periodically made by the Government through Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). ........................... Ministry of Textiles Health Package Scheme for handloom weavers The Government has been implementing the Health Package Scheme for the handloom weavers in the country. ........................... Ministry of Textiles Strategy to defend anti-dumping measures against Indian textiles The Government has been making efforts to crate capacities within the domestic industry for making them knowledgeable about the domestic as well as international laws on various trade defence measures like anti-dumping/anti-subsidy. ........................... Ministry of Environment & Forests GEAC rejects permission for commercial release of Bt Cotton MECH-915 The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has rejected the proposal by M/s Mayco Seed Company Pvt. Ltd. for commercial release of Bt. Cotton MECH-915 variety in the Northern States. ........................... Ministry of Science & Technology Indigenous cryo-engine undergoes another successful test The third indigenous cryo-engine underwent recently another successful ground test. This time it was for a full flight duration of 760 seconds in closed loop, simulating GSLV flight conditions. ........................... Ministry of Law & Justice Registeration of marriages There is no general Central law governing all the communities in respect of compulsory registration of marriages. ........................... Ministry of Law & Justice No paucity of Lawyers in Patent Laws The patent rights are territorial in nature, that is, they are effective only in the country of grant......................... Ministry of Law & Justice Supreme Court benches outside the National Capital According to article 130 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or in such other place or places as the Chief Justice of India may, with the approval of the President, from time to time, appoint........................... Ministry of Rural Development Review meeting with eleven drought affected states on rural drinking water Secretary Rural Drinking Water Supply Shri P. Mohandas took a review meeting here today with the representatives of eleven drought affected states. ........................... Ministry of Steel Steel Minister asks SAIL to produce all types of high grade steel Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) must locate at least Rs. 1000 crore for improvement and upgradation of production facilities of its plants so that it can produce all types of high grade steel that India imports from other countries today, said the Minister for Steel, Shri Braja Kishore Tirpathy while reviewing today the performance of SAIL during the year 2002-03. ........................... Ministry of Finance & Company Affairs No levy of service tax on export of services The Finance Ministry has clarified that the Service Tax is destination based consumption tax and it is not applicable on export of services. ........................... Ministry of Development of North-East Grand start to the DD North-East Music Fest - 2003 For the music lovers, the DD North-East Music Fest - 2003 has brought a virtual treat in the shape of music competition in the Capital at Hotel Ashoka. ...........................