Fwd: Releases.............pt5

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Press Information Bureau Ministry of I&B <pib.kolkata@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 6:02 PM
Subject: Releases.............pt5

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions                      

Amendment in RTI Act

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

The Right to Information Act, 2005 provides that the State Information Commission shall consist of the State Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners, not exceeding ten, as may be deemed necessary. No amendment of this provision is under consideration

The Act has an inbuilt system of monitoring of the implementation of the Act. It provides that the Central Information Commission and the State Information Commissions shall prepare reports on the implementation of the provisions of the Act each year which are to be laid before each House of the Parliament or each House of Legislature, as the case may be.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Shri Prithviraj Chavan in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

 

rs/sr/dk/kol/17:42 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Textiles                        

Export of Textiles

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

The exports of India's Textiles & Clothing (T&C) have been adversely affected over the previous two financial years due to global economic slowdown as well as unfavorable exchange rate variations. Exports of T&C was USD 22146 million in 2007-08, but declined to USD 20939 million in 2008-09. During 2009-10 (upto December, 2009) India exported T&C items worth USD 15044.89 million as against USD 15970.50 million in the corresponding period of financial year 2008-09. This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles, Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today to a question by Shrimati Supriya Sule.

The Minister further stated that the Government has been making every effort to ensure that India's T&C exports are increased in the global market. These initiatives include exploiting potential markets where the share of India's T&C exports could be enhanced. The LAC countries viz. Brazil and Argentina have been identified among such focused countries because of their immense potential.

 

rm/jl- pq 2 - usq 5668 - ls/dk/kol/17:42 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Textiles                        

Textile Parks Under SITP

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

The Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP) was approved in July 2005 to facilitate setting up of textiles parks with world class infrastructure facilities. The project proposals, which are in conformity which the guidelines of the SITP and are potentially viable, are approved by the Project Approval Committee. Forty (40) textiles park projects have been sanctioned under the SITP in accordance with the approved target. This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles, Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today to a question by Shri Gadhvi Mukesh Bhairavadanji, Shri Nityananda Pradhan, Shri Nishikant Dubey and Shri Baijayant Jay Panda.

The Minister further stated that under the SITP, a cumulative expenditure of Rs.911.54 crore has been incurred against allocation of Rs.985 Crore in the last three years.

 

rm/jl- pq 1 - usq 5632 - ls/dk/kol/17:42 hrs.

 

 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Labour & Employment                           

Train 10 lakh apprentices every year – says Union Labour Minister

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

The Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge has urged the Industry to make concerted efforts to train at least 10 lakh apprentices every year in all sectors of economy. He was addressing the 33rd Meeting of newly constituted Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC), here today. The CAC is an Apex Statutory Tripartite Advisory Body which advises the Government on various aspects relating to formal apprenticeship in the country.

 

Shri Kharge said 25,472 establishments were engaging trade apprentices at present. For Graduate, Technician and Technician (Vocational) Apprentices implemented by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, 99,372 seats were located, out of which about 51% i.e. 50,394 were utilized. The Minister expressed his dissatisfaction for not being able to utilize the Scheme and said that we should cover at least one lakh establishments under the Scheme. He urged the representatives of Industry, Trade Unions, State Governments and other stake-holders to give highest priority to Apprenticeship Training and turn out the most highly skilled technicians to meet future challenges.

 

The Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Smt. D. Purandeswari, the Vice Chairman of CAC, also spoke on this occasion. The day-long deliberation was attended by the representatives of various Trade Unions and Industries from across the country.

 

mg/as/dk/kol/17:43 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Labour & Employment                           

Consultative Committee of Ministry of Labour & Employment Meets

 

Evaluation Study on MGNREGA Undertaken - Says Union Labour Minister

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

An Evaluation Study on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been undertaken by V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Labour & Employment. This was stated by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Minister for Labour & Employment while chairing the meeting of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, here last night.

 

Shri Kharge further stated that the Institute had also set up a specialized Research Centre on Climate Change and Labour to undertake studies relating to the impact of climate change on livelihood and resources.

 

Taking part in the discussion, the Members appreciated Government's effort in implementing MGNREGA. One of the Members suggested to enhance the 100 Days' Work Scheme to 150 Days. Lok Sabha Member, Shri Gurudas Dasgupta while lauding the Institute's effort in studying various labour related subjects, cautioned that this unique Institute should not be turned into another academic institution. Rather, it should be utilized to instill a sense of belonging to the working class and make them aware of their rights. He also suggested that the Institute should undertake studies on various other aspects like the impact of recession on unorganized workers.

 

Shri Kharge assured that the points raised by the Members would be considered at the appropriate level. The Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Shri Harish Rawat also spoke on this occasion and thanked the Members for their participation.

 

mg/as/dk/kol/17:43 hrs.

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Earth Science                             

Ocean Development Activities

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

The Government has taken up the work on survey and mapping of various marine resources.  The Ministry of Earth Sciences is implementing a programme on Studies on Gas Hydrates Exploration and Technology Development.  This includes mapping of possible locations of gas hydrates.  The mineral exploration in the offshore areas of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India is carried out by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) under the Ministry of Mines. The exploratory surveys and mapping of marine fishery resources in offshore waters of EEZ of India are carried out by the Fishery Survey of India (FSI) and Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), an attached office under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) including the EEZ off Gujarat coast.  Further, the marine biota is sampled by Ministry of Earth Sciences towards development of potential drugs from sea. The Ministry of Earth Sciences is also carrying out work on Low Temperature Thermal Desalination Technology (LTTD) for generating freshwater from sea including the survey and mapping of suitable sites for setting up the desalination plants in Islands communities at Lakshadweep.

 

The major outcomes in the course of survey carried out so far along the Indian Coasts including coastal belt of Gujarat are furnished at   Annexure-I:

 

Annexure-I:

 

The major outcomes of marine survey are as under:

 

(i)            Based on the analysis of multichannel seismic data, two gas hydrates sites of 100 km x 100 km have been identified in Krishna – Godavari (KG) and Mahanadi basins for detailed survey under the programme on studies of gas hydrate exploration and technology development, implemented by Ministry of Earth Sciences.

 

(ii)           As a part of a programme on Marine Living Resources implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, qualitative information on deep-sea fishery of Indian EEZ along the 200-1000 meters depth contours have been gathered.  Similarly, comprehensive information on the marine benthos of the shelf and slope areas (upto 1000 meters) of the Indian EEZ have been generated under the programme.

 

(iii)          During the course of carrying out systematic seabed mapping along with survey, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) under the Ministry of Mines has delineated occurrences of mineral resources in the EEZ of India including the territorial waters and oolite & calcareous sands, high grade lime mud occurrences and phosphatic sediments off Gujarat coast.

 

(iv)         The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences has setup a Low Temperature Thermal Desalination Technology (LTTD) plant generating 1 lakh litre of fresh water per day for island communities at Kavarati, Lakshadweep by using the temperature gradient between the sea surface water and deep sea water. 

 

This was stated by Shri Prithviraj Chavan, the Minister of State (I/C) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in the Rajya  Sabha today.

 

gg/bs/dk/kol/17:43 hrs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Earth Science                             

National Mission on Monsoon

New Delhi: April 29, 2010

 

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has proposed National Mission on Monsoon to develop most representative and advanced dynamic model framework for India for forecasting monsoon rainfall and its variability in various space and time scales.

 

On 16th January 2010, National level consultation meeting was organized with experts working in the atmospheric and oceanic modeling. Experts from the Ministry of Earth Sciences units, viz. India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) etc., also participated in the meeting to finalize the scope, identification/shortlisting of suite of models, activity schedule, roles of various participating groups, time frame, etc. for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) alongwith implementation mechanism.

 

The accomplishment of accurate medium and long range prediction of the monsoon rainfall along with associated variability (interannual and intraseasonal) is a highly challenging task scientifically. At present no dynamic model, globally, has a proven track record of accurately predicting the summer monsoon rainfall and its variability. The National Mission on Monsoon envisages developing India specific dynamical model framework that would outperform the existing suite of models available today.

 

This was stated by Shri Prithviraj Chavan, the Minister of State (I/C) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in the Rajya Sabha today.

 

gg/bs/dk/kol/17:43 hrs.

 

--
Palash Biswas
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http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/