NATIONAL FEBRUARY 2014

NATIONAL FEBRUARY 2014

• India’s navy chief, Admiral D.K. Joshi resigned as chief of the Indian navy, owning “moral responsibility for the accidents and incidents during the past few months”. Admiral Joshi is the first Indian military commander to have resigned since General Kodandera Subayya Thimmaiah in 1959 -- and the only to have his resignation accepted by the government. The naval chief's resignation came hours after a fire on board the newly-refitted Sindhuratna claimed the lives of two naval officers and injured seven -- the third in a series of submarine accidents, including an explosion on the Sindhurakshak which exploded and sank in Mumbai’s naval dockyard in August, 2013, killing 18 crew. Last month, the Sindhughosh ran aground on its way to Mumbai harbor, though without loss of life. The INS Sindhughosh, Sindhudhaj, the Sindhuraj, Sindhuvir and ill-fated Sindhuratna, all Russian-manufactured Kilo-class submarines, were all inducted between 1986 and 1988. The most recent of the Kilo-class fleet, the Sindhushastra, was purchased in 2000, preceded by the Sindhurakshak in 1997, and the Sindhuvijay was inducted in 1991.The Sindhurakshak had suffered an earlier fire accident in 2010, which claimed the life of a sailor. The Navy has long complained of delays in submarine fleet modernization, at a time when regional navies, notably China, are dramatically expanding their fleets. India also does not have a full-fledged submarine rescue vessel. 
  
• The Union Cabinet on 28 February, approved financial support of Rs.434 crore for establishing four new National Institutes of Design (NID) at Jorhat (Assam), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) and Kurukshetra (Haryana). The proposed design institutes will offer both under-graduate and post graduate education in design disciplines meeting the regional needs. 
  
• Union Minister for Urban Development, Kamal Nath and the Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Dr. GirijaVyas have laid the Foundation Stone for the Urban Institute of India in New Delhi. The Urban Institute of India, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, is proposed as an apex National level institution, to facilitate inclusive and sustainable urban development and provide effective capacity building in the urban sector. The Institute would be an autonomous, not–for–profit institution, registered under the Societies Registration Act and would be partly funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation through the allocations under Rajiv Awaas Yojana (RAY). Mc Kinsey, which is a leading global firm and has a pre-eminent position in urban advisory services, would be the knowledge partner for this Institute. This Institute, will conduct high quality research on relevant and contemporary urban issues and policies, design, and implementation and engage in systematically creating and disseminating standards and best practices to all tiers of Government, support existing institutions like State Administrative Training Institutes and National Network of Resource Centres (NNRCs) and build synergies with other Government programmes and will create a platform for collaboration between Governments, private sector, civil society and academia in urban management. The Institute would be set up on fast track mode and would be the first institute for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and the first of its kind institute in the country. 
  
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 28 February approved setting up of 3500 model schools in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) in 27 States/UTs with certain modifications. This is under the scheme for setting up of 6000 model schools at block level as a benchmark of excellence. For the year 2013-14, an amount of Rs.1000 crore has been allocated under the scheme. Any financial liability arising out of continuation of the present sharing pattern of 75:25 would be taken care of within the said allocation. Each school will have 560 students. The total beneficiaries for 3500 schools would therefore be 19.60 lakh students. The Model School Scheme was launched in November, 2008. The objective of the scheme is to set up one senior secondary school of high quality in 6000-blocks as a benchmark of excellence. 3500 of these schools are to be set up under State/UT Governments in EBBs and the remaining 2500 schools are to be established under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in blocks which are not educationally backward. The State Sector component of the scheme is operational since the launch of the scheme. The major impact of the scheme will be availability of quality senior secondary education to meritorious rural / semi-urban students, thereby nurturing talent. These schools are expected to act as pace-setting institutions of excellence and to have a demonstration effect on neighbouring schools. 
  
• The Committee on Economic Affairs on 28 February approved the opening of 54 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under Civil Sector during the 12th Five Year Plan as recommended by the Expenditure Finance Committee. These 54 KVs will be located in 53 districts in 17 States. The total cost of opening of these new KVs is projected at Rs. 927.40 crore. The non-recurring costs covering constructions cost, furniture, fixture will be Rs. 793.58 crore and recurring cost covering pay and allowance and other expenses will be Rs.133.82 crore. Per unit cost of construction of a school building is Rs. 14.55 crore. These new KVs when fully functional will provide quality education to approximately 54,000 students in addition to 12 lakhs students already studying in the present KVs. The main objective of KVS is to cater to the educational needs of children of transferable Central Government employees including defence and para-military personnel by providing a common programme of education. There are at present 1094 functional Kendriya Vidyalayas including three abroad. These are in Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran. 
  
• The Cabinet on 28 February, approved amendment of the Conduct of the Election Rules, 1961 and revised the limit of election expenditure for incurred by a candidate for Parliamentary Constituencies to Rs.70 lakh in all States except Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshdweep and Puducherry which has been kept at Rs.54 lakh. This is due to the increase in the number of electors, polling stations as well as the increase in the cost inflation index. In case of assembly constituencies, the maximum limit has been increased to Rs.28 lakh in all States except Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Puducherry where it will be Rs.20 lakh. 
  
• The government on 26 February set up an expert committee to study and examine the demand of a separate Bodoland state to be carved out of Assam. The one-man expert committee of former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai will consult all sections of the society on the viability of a separate state of Bodoland and submit its report within nine months. This is for the first time the central government has set up such a committee to examine the demand of Bodoland. After the government's decision to carve Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh, several Bodo outfits have intensified their agitation to press for their demand of a separate state for Bodo tribals, mostly living in a few districts on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra river in Assam. The government set up an autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in 2003 by signing an accord after years of violent agitations that claimed hundreds of lives. The BTC area had witnessed ethnic clashes between Bodo tribals and immigrant Muslims in 2012 that killed more than a hundred people. 
  
• Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India dedicated to the Nation “Indira Paryavaran Bhawan” in New Delhi on 25 February. The centrally air conditioned office building which has provision to accommodate about 600 officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forests is located on Jorbagh Road and in proximity to other Central Government Ministries/Departments. Indira Paryavaran Bhawan is India’s first on site Net Zero Building built by adoption of solar passive design and energy efficient building material. This building is expected to be a trend setter in the country and shall inspire people towards adoption of green technology. The building has been designed as the highest green rated building, i.e., GRIHA 5-Star and LEED India Platinum.
  
• The Union Cabinet on 28 February gave its approval for setting up a new rail coach manufacturing unit at Kolar, Karnataka to manufacture 500 coaches per annum at an estimated cost of Rs 1460.92 cr. (excluding cost of land) with active participation of State Government. The Ministry of Railways will finance 50 percent of the cost and the Government of Karnataka shall provide the required land, free of cost as well as meet the remaining 50 percent of the project completion cost with escalation. Land to the extent of about 1118.38 acres shall be provided free of cost by the Government of Karnataka. The proposed plant shall help Indian Railways in ensuring timely availability of passenger coaches to meet the increasing demands of passenger transportation. 
  
• Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, the government on 2 February decided to include the Jat community in the central list of OBCs in nine states, a move that is expected to benefit about nine crore people from the community. The decision would pave the way for the community members to avail benefits of reservation in central government jobs and central education institutions as per the existing norms. Union cabinet approved the inclusion of the Jat community in the Central list of OBCs for the states of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and the National capital territory of Delhi. 
  
• The Centre on 2 February launched a massive programme of School Leadership to provide training to about 9 lakh principals /headmasters in Government and Government-aided schools to enable improvement of standards of education in the country. The scheme was launched by Human Resources Development Minister Dr. M. M. Pallam Raju in New Delhi. Launching the National Programme for School Leadership Development, Dr. Raju said that it is a massive task to initiate a nation-wide programme owing to an array of diversity in our schools. The Minister added that Regional Centres of School Leadership would be set up by National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), in collaboration with other regional institutes of repute to bring about long term sustained engagement and capacity building in schools. The prime purpose of the programme is to transform current schools into schools of excellence, eventually bringing about improvement in the entire school system through leadership development. The School Leadership Programme ensures internalization and application of learning to bring about transformation in the school. It envisages a one-year long engagement with follow-up provisions for review and feedback as an integral part of the programme. 
  
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 February gave its approval for continuation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) in the XII Plan, with enhanced financial norms. The total financial implication for the XII Plan period would be Rs. 3000.33 crore, which includes a Central share of Rs. 2350 crore and a State share of Rs. 650.33 crore. The approval of the revised scheme with enhanced financial norms at par with other existing government schemes and flexibility in staffing and structural patterns etc. will: 
  1. Prevent attrition and help in recruitment of skilled child protection personnel; 
  2. Ensure sufficient nutrition and minimum required facilities are provided to children; 
  3. Promote convergence with other schemes being run by government or NGOs to reduce staff cost and build linkages between existing programs; and
  4. Help State/UTs to provide child protection services in a more cost effective manner. 
  The ICPS is a centrally sponsored program for child protection, being implemented across the country from 2009-10. It was conceived at the beginning of the XI Plan period, when children were placed at the "centre of development` by the XI Plan and protection of children from abuse and exploitation was stated to be integral to their holistic growth and development. 
  
• Purushottam Express is slated to become the first train in the country to have a Braille- embedded AC coach for visually-challenged passengers. In a first of its kind, Railways has manufactured an AC three-tier coach with Braille signages to be operational by end of this month in the Delhi-Puri superfast Purshottam Express as part of its social commitment to make trains and stations friendlier towards specially abled passengers. At present, coaches are provided with signages, instructions, seat numbers, etc, which are mostly in the form of vinyl stickers or metallic plates and have no Braille characters and cannot be read by visually-impaired passengers. The first coach with Braille signages, manufactured at Integrated Coach Factory in Chennai is ready. The AC coach is equipped with Braille-embedded signages on berths, toilets, wash basins and doors as well. The visually-impaired friendly AC coach was made with the inputs received from Research Designs and Standards Organisation, Railways' research arm, and consultation with blind associations. It was announced in the Rail Budget of 2013-14, that Braille stickers will be introduced for visually-challenged passengers. 
  
• India's first Minority Cyber Village was inaugurated by the Minister for Minority Affairs K Rehman Khan on 19 February 2014 in "Chandoli" in Alwar district of Rajasthan. The Cyber village project will provide computer education to people in the age group of 15 to 59.Institution under the project will be instituted in the villages with substantial population of minority. 
  
• The Telengana bill dividing Andhra Pradesh was passed in the Lok Sabha on 18 February 2014. The Lok Sabha passed the Andhra Pradesh Re-organization Bill 2014 that aims to create the 29th State of India. The Bill saw the light of the day in the Lok Sabha due to support from the main opposition party in the Lok Sabha Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).Moving the bill for consideration and passage, the Centre announced that the Union Government will give special financial package to Seemandhra, residual part of Andhra Pradesh, to address the grievances of the people of Seemandhra region. 
  
• The Union Cabinet on 20 February gave its approval for classifying Odia as classical language. This will give impetus to scholarship in this language. There has been a demand that Odia, which is one of the oldest languages and has no resemblance to Hindi, Sanskrit, Bengali, Telugu, etc., be declared as a classical language. So far Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam have been declared as classical languages. The following benefits are available for languages which are declared as classical languages: -
  i. Two major annual international awards for scholars of eminence in the concerned language.
  ii. A `Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages` can be set up.
  iii. The University Grants Commission can be requested to create, to start with at least in Central Universities, a certain number of professional chairs for classical languages, for scholars of eminence in the concerned language. 
  
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 20 February, approved a proposal of the Ministry of Environment and Forests for a National Mission for a Green India (GIM) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Of the total expenditure of Rs. 13,000 crore envisaged in the 12th Plan, the plan outlay is Rs.2000 crore. The source of funding for the scheme would be from the Plan outlay, and convergence with MGNREGA activities, CAMPA and the NAP. The sharing pattern for the plan outlay would be 90 Centre and 10 State for the North Eastern States and 75 Centre and 25 State for the rest of the States. The 13th Finance Commission grant funds may be counted towards the States' share, to the extent that this is in conformity with the Commission’s award. The objectives of the Mission during 12th Plan period includes increased forest/tree cover and improved quality of forest cover in two to eight million hectares, along with improved ecosystem services including biodiversity, hydrological services, increased forest-based livelihood income of households, living in and around the forests, and enhanced annual CO2 sequestration. Mission implementation will be on a decentralized participatory approach with involvement of grass root level organizations in planning, decision making, implementation and monitoring. The gram sabha and the committees mandated by the gram sabha, including revamped JFMCs will oversee implementation at the village level. 
  
• The foundation stone of NTPC`s Gadarwara Super Thermal Power project in Madhya Pradesh was laid on 19 February Jyotiraditya Scinda, Union Minister of State for Power (I/C). The Project, comprising 2 units of 800 MW is situated in Narsingpur Distt. of the State. Speaking on the occasion, he announced that the project shall have ultimate capacity of 3200 MW at a total investment of nearly Rs. 25000 crore. Narsinghpur will become energy capital of the state with Gadarwara super thermal power project of NTPC, he added. The Union Power Minister said that the aim of the Government is to make the country self sufficient in power along with efficient transmission and distribution systems. He appreciated NTPC `s capacity program with the company projected to become 1.28 GW Company by the year 2032. The coal requirement of the project will be met from Talaipalli block from Mand –Raigarh coalfields and water sourced from river Narmada.NTPC’s largest power plant, Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station of 4,260 MW installed capacity is situated in Singrauli District of Madhya Pradesh. 
  
• Parliament on 19 February 2014 passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) bill-2014. The Bill provides protection of livelihoods rights, social security of street vendors, regulation of urban street vending in the country and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Street Vendors Bill aims at protect the rights of the urban street vendors and regulating street vending activities. It also aims towards creation of a conducive atmosphere where street vendors will be eligible to carry out their business in a fair and transparent manner, without fear of eviction and harassment. 
  
• At the very fag end of the 15th Lok Sabha, Parliament on 20 February, passed the Whistleblower Protection Bill. The Rajya Sabha cleared this crucial anti-corruption law, two years after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. In fact, the Bill, seeking to ensure the safety of those exposing corruption in government, was passed exactly the way it was cleared by the Lower House. The Whistleblower Bill seeks to provide "adequate protection to persons reporting corruption or wilful misuse of discretion which causes demonstrable loss to the government or commission of a criminal offence by a public servant". The Bill will also ensure punishment for false or frivolous complaints. The bill was passed by Lok Sabha in 2011 and was taken up by the Upper House in 2012 for consideration. However, it could not be passed because of the death of Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Another important Bill that squeaked past on the last day was one amending the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to ease the availability of morphine (an opium derivative) for medicinal purposes. Morphine is used for pain management in cancer and AIDS cases, but was difficult to procure because of the stiff provisions of the NDPS Act. 
  
• Union Cabinet approved the setting up of an Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) on 20 February 2014. The proposal for EOC was made by the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs on the recommendations of the Justice Sachar Committee on Social, Economic and Educational Status of Muslim Community in India. The Equal Opportunities Commission will address the grievances of people from the minority communities when minorities are discriminated against by government agencies. Its role is advisory in nature and will have no jurisdiction over private agencies.EOC is a three-member body and will be headed by a retired judge of the High Court. It will not have any powers to impose penalties. 
  
• The Bezbaruah committee, set up by the government to suggest measures to address concerns of people from the Northeast following outrage over the death of a student from Arunachal Pradesh, has been expanded on 22 February, with the inclusion of four members. The four members drafted in the committee, headed by former IAS officer M P Bezbaruah, are Marina Nido, mother of the student Nido Tania who died after being allegedly beaten by some shopkeepers in south Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, former IPS officer S T Sangliana and student’s leaders J Mavio and J T Tagam from Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh respectively. Former IAS officers H W T Syeim, Allen Temshi Jamir, Tape Bagra and P Bharat Singh will be members of the committee which will have Deputy Secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs S Saha as Member-Secretary. The government on 22 February announced the Terms of Reference of the Committee. 
  They are: 
  (i) To examine the various kinds of concerns, including concerns regarding security, of the persons hailing from the North Eastern states. 
  (ii) To examine the causes behind the attacks/violence and discrimination against the people from North-Eastern states. 
  (iii) To suggest measures to be taken by the government to address these concerns. 
  (iv) To suggest legal remedies to address these concerns. 
  
• In about two to three months’ time, the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP), Visakhapatnam will be the first zoo in the country to have a conservation breeding centre for the endangered wild dog or ‘dhole.’ Selected by the Central Zoo Authority to carry out this project at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh, the zoo authorities have earmarked an area on the premises for the centre. After a series of successful in-breeding of wild dogs in the zoo, its population witnessed a massive increase within the protected area from just two to 22, the highest number of wild dogs in captivity in the country, according to current records. Similar in-breeding of wild dogs was carried out in zoos in Chennai and Mysore without much success. Classified as endangered by the IUCN, wild dogs or ‘dholes’ are dwindling in numbers due to habitat loss, depletion of prey base, and destruction of forest corridors leading to fights with other predators and diseases from domestic and feral dogs. 
  
• Minister of State for HRD, Dr Shashi Tharoor on 18 February, launched ‘Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan’ under Sakshar Bharat at New Delhi. It will be a target focused approach to impart functional literacy, HUNAR (comprising up scaling of basic education and vocational skill training) and continuing education activities to cover around one crore non-literate Muslim adults. Launching the scheme Dr Shashi Tharoor said that our effort should aim at enhancing adult education in our country with special focus on groups that have remained untouched by the enabling promise of education. National Literacy Mission Authority has designed a target focused approach to enhance literacy among Muslim adults under the name of Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan. It will provide opportunities for up scaling basic education to around 2.5 lakh adults and impart livelihood skill training covering around 3 lakh beneficiaries and provide opportunities of continuing education to the community. 410 Sakshar Bharat Districts will be covered with a financial outlay of Rs 600 crores during the current Plan Period. 
  
• The Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad will launch fourth phase of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP-IV) of the Department of AIDS Control (DAC) on 12th February, 2014 to accelerate the country’s AIDS programme. NACP-IV has been designed based on the lessons learnt from previous phases. The strategic plan for NACP-IV for the period 2012–17 has been developed through an elaborate multi-stakeholder consultative planning process. Consolidating the gains made till now, the NACP-IV aims to accelerate the process of epidemic reversal and further strengthen the epidemic response in India through a cautious and well defined integration process over the five-year period. The objectives of NACP-IV are to reduce new infections and provide comprehensive care and support to all PLHIV and treatment services for all those who require it. A number of new initiatives have been planned under NACP-IV. The national programme will continue to innovate and generate lessons from its performance management system and disseminate the best practices across the globe. The total budgetary allocation for the fourth phase of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP-IV) for five years is Rs 14,295.05 crore. The project will be partly funded through grants from the Global Fund and credit from the World Bank. India has demonstrated an overall reduction of 57% in the annual new HIV infections (among adult population) from 2.74 lakhs in 2000 to 1.16 lakhs in 2011, reflecting the impact of various interventions and scaled-up prevention strategies under the NACP. The adult HIV prevalence has decreased from 0.41% in 2001 to 0.27% in 2011. Besides, the estimated number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) has decreased from 24.1 lakhs in 2000 to 20.9 lakhs in 2011. Wider access to Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has resulted in a 29% reduction in estimated annual deaths due to AIDS related causes between 2007 and 2011. It is estimated that around 1.5 lakh lives have been saved due to ART till 2011. 
  
• The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 11 February signed a $275 million loan agreement to continue improving rural roads in five States including the States of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. The loan represents the second tranche of a $ 800 million financing facility under the Rural Connectivity Investment Program. The loan will construct 3,693 kilometers of all-weather rural roads in the five states, benefiting nearly 1,800 rural habitations. The Ministry of Rural Development (MORD) is the executing agency of the project at the central level, while the governments of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal are charged with overall implementation at the state level for a period of 43 months. The second tranche is expected to be completed in June, 2017. The implementing agencies at the state level will be the respective State Rural Roads Development Agencies. The Government of India will provide counterpart funds of $81.56million for a total second tranche project investment cost of $356.56 million. 
  
• The Central Vigilance Commission organized a two day national seminar on “Combating Corruption, Role of Accountability Institutions, Investigating Agencies, Civil Society and Media” to mark the Golden Jubilee Celebrations on 11 February in New Delhi. Pranab Mukherjee, President of India as the Chief Guest said that the CVC was the result of the SanthanamCommittee’s recommendation that an apex body be set up exercising general superintendence over vigilance administration in Government. The President said that over the years, successive Governments have progressively strengthened the institutional framework for addressing corruption with the establishment of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Directorate of Enforcement, State Anti-Corruption agencies and Lokayuktas. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister in his Presidential address mentioned that the CVC is a very important part of the institutional framework for fighting corruption and ensuring probity, transparency and accountability in the work of conduct of public servants. On the occasion of Golden Jubilee Celebrations, the President released the commemorative stamp and the Minister Kapil Sibal presented the first copy of the stamp album to the President. The Prime Minister released coffee table book and presented its first copy to the President. 
  
• The Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs Smt. Preneet Kaur on 12 February, said in reply to a question in Lok Sabha that India has Extradition Treaties in operation with 37 countries: Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Tunisia, UK, USA, Uzbekistan, UAE, Ukraine and Vietnam. In 2013, India extradited five criminals - four to USA for murder, intimidation, fraud, child rape & sexual abuse and one to UK for kidnapping and false imprisonment. Three criminals were extradited to India from UAE on charges of criminal conspiracy and terrorism. Extradition Treaties define an offence as an extraditable offence if it is punishable under the laws in both the Contracting States by imprisonment for a period of at least one year. 
  
• Human Resources Development Minister Dr. M. M. Pallam Raju, released the UGC publication titled “Saksham” in New Delhi on 12 February. “SAKSHAM”, a Report of the Task Force set up by UGC to “Review the Measures for Ensuring Safety of Women on Campuses and Programmes for Gender Sensitization” has come up with several fundamental and far-reaching recommendations which are in consonance with the Justice Verma Committee Report and the Vishaka Guidelines. It is as follows: 
  1. UGC should set up a Gender Sensitization Unit and develop a Handbook on gender sensitization on sexual harassment.
  2. All members of higher educational institutions must undergo processes of gender sensitization.
  3. All Institutions must formulate guidelines for dealing with sexual harassment.
  4. Modules on gender sensitization to be offered to students in higher education institutions.
  5. Counselling services must be provided on a full time basis.
  6. Adequate infrastructure, such as lighting in and around campuses, reliable public transport, toilet facilities and girls’ hostel accommodation must be provided in the higher education institutions.
  7. Women’s study centres in universities and women’s development cells in colleges must be strengthened.
  Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath of UGC was the Chairperson of the task force constituted to review the remedial measures to address the concerns of all girls and women studying in diverse university campuses of the country. The task force was set up in the wake of the aftermath of the Nirbhaya incident of December 16, 2012 in the Capital. 
  
• The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare on 14 February, launched a web based Pension Sanction and Payment Tracking System “ BHAVISHYA” which provides for on-line tracking of sanction and payment processes by the individual as well as the administrative authorities. The new proposed system will capture information relating to the pensioner’s personal and service data including contact details like mobile number and e-mail etc. It will also have electronic Forms required to be submitted to pension sanctioning authority. The system will keep retiring employees informed of the progress of pension sanction process through SMS/E-mail in future. The application will help in monitoring the delays which take place in sanction of pension and retirement benefits to a retiring Government Servant. The software has been launched on a pilot basis in fifteen Ministries/Departments of the Government viz. Department of Home, D/o Electronics & Information Technology, M/o Statistics & Programme Implementation, M/o Steel, D/o Health, D/o Family Welfare, D/o Ayush, M/o Urban Development/o Textiles, D/o Commerce, D/o Industrial Policy & Promotion, Planning Commission, D/o Personnel & Training/o Administrative Reforms &Public Grievances and D/o Pension & Pensioners Welfare. 
  
• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved composition of the 7th Pay Commission, which will revise the salaries of over 50 lakh central government employees. Former Supreme Court Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur has been appointed as chairman of the Commission, with Oil Secretary Vivek Rae as full time Member. Rathin Roy (Director, NIPFP) will be part-time Member and Meena Agarwal (OSD, Department of Expenditure) its Secretary. Earlier in September 2013, the Prime Minister had approved setting up of the 7th Pay Commission. The Commission has been mandated to submit its report in two years time and its recommendations would be implemented from January 1, 2016.The setting up of the Commission, whose recommendations will benefit about 50 lakh central government employees, including those in defense and railways, and about 30 lakh pensioners, comes ahead of the general elections. The government constitutes Pay Commission almost every ten years to revise the pay scales of its employees and often these are adopted by states after some modification. The sixth Pay Commission was implemented with effect from January 1,2006. 
  
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 5 February approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs to establish an Integrated Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) platform. This is an emergency response system for women and other vulnerable groups who may face violence. The Geographical Information System (GIS) based call taking and Geographical Positioning System (GPS) based Police vehicle dispatch system will be able to respond to distress calls and ensure speedy assistance to women. Distress/emergency alarms generated by panic buttons/landlines/mobiles through individual devices pioneered by the Dept. of Information Technology (DIT) or mobile phone applications would be tracked and Emergency Response (ER) units will be dispatched to attend the call. This project would obtain funding from the Nirbhaya Fund. The key objectives and features of the initiative are: 
  1. Providing 24 Hours and 7 Days (24X7) helpline service to women in distress and an efficient and effective response system to attend to their calls as well as for alarms related to other emergency services such as medical and disaster (fire etc.) by other responders in an integrated manner.
  2. Handling of emergency situations of children and other vulnerable sections of society.
  3. Speedy assistance for helpless women / children of a defined area, who face any form of violence, such as eve teasing, dowry demands, sexual assault, molestation or any other abuse either in public or at home.
  4. Integration with existing Dial 100 system for seamless operation and coordination between both systems
  The project involves setting up of city wise hi-tech Control Rooms to cover 114 cities and districts in different States and Union Territories of India, as identified by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which includes 71 cities having a population of more than a million or which are headquarters of the State/UT as well as headquarters of 41 highly crime prone districts. 
  The Union Finance Minister P. Chidambararn in his 2013 Union Budget speech announced that a corpus called `Nirbhaya Fund` would be setup by the Government of India. An integrated `Public Emergency Response System` was also suggested in the Justice (Retd.) Verma report as well as in the Justice (Retd.) Usha Mehra report and was also recommended by the Cabinet Committee of Secretaries (CoS). 
  
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 6 February approved the proposal to convert and expand the pilot programme of Burn Injuries of the 11th Plan period into a full fledged National Programme on Prevention & Management of Burn Injuries during the remaining part of the 12th Plan Period. Infrastructural facilities for burn management and rehabilitation in 67 state Government Medical Colleges will be established in different States at an estimated cost of Rs. 407.21 crore. In addition, Rs. 17.16 crore has also been approved for completing three Burn Units of the 11th Plan Pilot Programme. The Programme also aims to improve awareness among the population, especially the vulnerable groups, that is, women and children and industrial workers regarding prevention of burn injuries, apart from creating trained personnel for specialized treatment of burn injuries. 
  
• Government on 6 February constituted a Committee to look into the various kinds of concerns of the persons hailing from the North Eastern States who are living in different parts of the country, especially the Metropolitan areas and to suggest suitable remedial measures. The Committee has been asked to submit its report within two months. The Committee has been asked to examine the various kinds of concerns, including the concerns regarding security of the persons hailing from the North Eastern States. It will also examine the causes behind the attacks/ violence and discrimination against the people from the North Eastern States and suggest measures to be taken by the Government to address these concerns. The Committee will be chaired by M.P.Bezbaruah, IAS (Retd.). The Chairman of the Committee shall co-opt members, one each from the other North Eastern States, viz. Tripura, Mizoram and Sikkim as well as one lady member. Robin Hibu, IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, Delhi will also be in the team of the Ministry of Home Affairs which will assist the Committee.