NATIONAL JANUARY 2013

NATIONAL JANUARY 2013

• The Union Cabinet on 31 January paved the way for further consideration of Lokpal legislation in Parliament as it approved most of the modifications recommended by a Rajya Sabha Select Committee on its draft Lokpal Bill. The Cabinet approved 14 of 16 recommendations made by the committee. These include the mode of appointing the Lokpal and CBI director. The Cabinet, however, delinked the Lokpal from the institution of Lokayukta at the state level. Contrary to provisions of the earlier draft, states will continue to appoint Lokayuktas. The Cabinet accepted that the CBI director will be appointed by a panel comprising the prime minister, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the chief justice of India. But it dropped related recommendation that CBI officials involved in probing cases under Lokpal supervision will not be transferred by the government. Therefore, though the CBI will be under the Lokpal, the government will have the authority to transfer them. The Cabinet decisions were announced by Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy. Non-religious charitable institutions receiving government funds too will come under the Lokpal purview, though the Upper House panel did not favour this. As per the decision, the nine-member Lokpal will be selected by a panel comprising the prime minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, the chief justice of India and an eminent jurist who will be in turn selected by the first four. The decision to leave out Lokayukta appointment came after states vehemently opposed and accused the Centre of “usurping the rights of the states in the Lokayukta appointment.” Owing to opposition, the controversial bill got stuck in the Upper House. After the enactment of the bill by the Centre, states will have to appoint their Lokayuktas within a year.
  
• President Pranab Mukherjee on 3 February, gave his assent to the ordinance sharpening laws against sexual assault, mandating harsher punishment like death penalty for offenders in cases where the victim dies or is pushed into a persistent vegetative state. The amended law comes into force immediately. The ordinance, which also introduced voyeurism, stalking, disrobing of women and acid attacks as specific offences under the Indian Penal Code, was approved by the Union Cabinet on 1 February. Though the presidential assent has brought the "changed" provisions of the law into force, the government will have to get it passed in Parliament within six months. The President's assent to the ordinance came even as women's rights activists expressed unhappiness over the provisions. They were upset over the government's refusal to recognize marital rape as an offence, failure to hold command officers accountable for rapes by their subordinates and omission of rapes by armed forces as a category. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 — comprising several recommendations of the Justice (retired) JS Verma committee , was rushed through to beat the notification of the budget session which is due to begin on February 21. Going beyond recommendations of the Justice Verma committee, the ordinance has prescribed death penalty for cases of rape which lead to the victim's death or pushes her into coma. It seeks to treat such cases as "rarest-of-rare" for which courts can award capital punishment if they so decide. For such cases, the ordinance prescribes a minimum sentence of 20 years which can be extended to imprisonment until the natural life of the convict, or death. Brought against the backdrop of Nirbhaya's case, the ordinance changes various clauses in existing criminal law by amending Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Evidence Act. The new provisions will be brought before Parliament as part of official amendments to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 which was introduced in December last year. The pending legislation is currently being examined by a parliamentary standing committee.
  
• The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on 29 January, has constituted an Expert Committee for the purpose of reviewing the institutional frame work of Prasar Bharati including its relationship with Government, its continuing role as a public broadcaster and measures needed to ensure technical up gradation of the organization. The composition of the Expert Committee is as under the chairmanship of Sam Pitroda, Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure & Innovations. the other members are-Smt. Asha Swaroop, IAS (Retd.) and former Secretary to the Govt. of India, Dr. B.K. Gairola, Mission Director (e-Governance), Sh. Shekhar Kapur, Member of the National Innovation Council, Prof. M.P. Gupta, IIT Delhi 
  
• Government of India on 31 January signed an agreement for a $100 million loan with Asian Development Bank (ADB) as second tranche of Uttarakhand Urban Sector Development Investment Program which will support rehabilitation and expansion of basic urban infrastructure in five major urban centers of Uttarakhand and ensure sustainable municipal service delivery. The project will supplement the urban infrastructure program already initiated under the first tranche in Dehradun, Haridwar and Nainital and will be extended to cover in addition Haldwani, Roorkee and Ramnagar towns specially for improving the water supply infrastructure that will benefit about 800,000 residents. A comprehensive sewerage system will also be developed under the project, which will provide improved sanitation facilities to about 100,000 residents of Roorkee town. The documents were signed by Dr. Anup Wadhawan, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of Government of India, Mr. Hun Kim, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission on behalf of ADB and Mr. M.H. Khan, Secretary (UD) on behalf of Government of Uttarakhand. Smt. Radhika Jha, Project Director and Dr. Anwar A. Khan, Deputy Program Director from Uttarakhand Government were the part of loan signing team. ADB based in Manila is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members 
  
• Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar topped the inaugural Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. The ranking was given based on the popularity as well as income of the biggest entertainers of India. Second on the list was Salman Khan and MS Dhoni followed in the third position. The special edition of Forbes India judged in eight different categories, i.e., directors, film actors, TV personailities, models, comedians, sports stars, authors and singers/musicians. Even though Salman Khan and MS Dhoni were ahead in the ranking in terms of popularity, in comparison to SRK, but the Bollywood King ranked high because of his earning, most of which came from the brand endorsements. According to the Forbes India estimates, the total earning of SRK from October 2011 and September 2012 was 202.8 crore Rupees. In comparison to SRK’s, Salman’s earning was 144.2 crore Rupees, while that of Dhoni was 135.16 crore. In the list of top 10 celebrities were Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Kareena Kapoor, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Katrina Kaif. The list prepared by Forbes India is meant to rank most powerful Indians in media as well as entertainment sector. Among the sportspersons, MS Dhoni, the captain of India cricket team grabbed the top most position. In the category of singer/musicians, AR Rahman led the pack. Malaika Arora Khan was declared as the leading TV personality. On the other hand, Karan Johar was listed as the most powerful director. The youngest celebrity in the list of Forbes India was Saina Nehwal, aged 23 years.
  
• Chief Justice’s recommended for 3 NE states 
  The Supreme Court collegium has recommended three Chief Justices for the proposed High Courts in the northeastern states of Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya, officials said here on 27 January. The three High Courts are likely to start functioning in March after completion of necessary formalities. "We have heard that the Supreme Court collegium has recommended the names of three Chief Justices to the Union ministry of Law and Justice," Datamohan Jamatia, secretary, Tripura Law Department, told. "Now the law and justice ministry through the Prime Minister would send the recommendations to the president for the appointment and notification of the three chief justices," he said. As per the suggestions of the Supreme Court collegium, Justice T Meena Kumari, a judge of the Patna High Court, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, is being elevated as the chief justice of Meghalaya.Justice Deepak Gupta, who hails from Himachal Pradesh is being elevated as the Chief Justice of Tripura, and Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court, is being appointed as the Chief Justice of Manipur. 
  
• The Supreme Court on 21 January, banned tourists from taking the Andaman Nicobar Trunk Road that passes through the area where the Jarawas live. The road is used to reach the Limestone Cave. The court has already banned all commercial and tourism activities within a five-km radius of the Jarawa Tribal Reserve on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A Bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and H.L. Gokhale passed the order, taking on record the Andaman and Nicobar Administration’s January 17 notification to comply with the court directives issued last year. Except 30 villages notified in the schedule, the notification declares a buffer zone the area up to a five-km radius, adjacent and contiguous to the Jarawa Tribal Reserve Area ,starting from the Constance Bay in South Andaman to Lewis Inlet Bay in Middle Andaman. No person shall operate any commercial or tourist establishment directly or indirectly in the buffer zone. Furthermore, no one shall carry out any activity, which may be prejudicial to the safety, security and interests of the Jarawas in any of the settlement villages. The Bench directed that only government officials, persons residing in the reserve and vehicles carrying essential commodities for the Jarawas would be allowed on the Trunk Road. 
  
• A special CBI court on 22 January, sentenced former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Chautala to ten years rigorous imprisonment for illegal selection of over 3,000 junior basic trained (JBT) primary school teachers in 1999-2000 by replacing the original selection lists compiled from 18 Haryana districts with fake ones. Special Judge Vinod Kumar sentenced eight others including Mr. Chautala’s political advisor Sher Singh Badshami, his former OSD Vidya Dhar, and the former Haryana Director of Primary Education Sanjeev Kumar to ten years’ rigorous imprisonment. One person was sentenced to five years and 44 others were sentenced to four years in prison.
  
• The government on 24 January, said it will set up a committee to look into the allegations that US retail giant Walmart indulged in lobbying activities in India to gain entry in the country's market. Corporate Affairs Minister Sachin Pilot said the government will set up a committee to look into the matter. As per the proposal, the government will set up one-man commission to be headed by a retired High Court Chief Justice or a judge. The move comes over a month after the proceedings of Parliament during the Winter Session were paralysed over the allegations that the US retail giant indulged in lobbying here to gain entry into the Indian market. According to the proposal of the Corporate Affairs Ministry, the Commission, to be set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1951, will submit its report within three months of its constitution. The Terms of Reference include probe into "recent media reports regarding their lobbying activities" and "whether Wal-Mart undertook any activity in India in contravention of any Indian law". Under the Commission of Inquiry Act, it is obligatory on part of the government to table the probe report as well as the action report in Parliament. 
  
• 24 January is celebrated as the National Girl Child Day every year by the Government of India with an objective to raise consciousness of Indian society towards the girl children. The Women and Child Development Ministry observed National Girl Child Day on 24 January 2013. 24 January is celebrated as the National Girl Child Day every year since 2008 by the Government of India. The primary objective of the National Girl Child Day is raising awareness and consciousness of the society towards the girl child. The primary aim is to ensure that every girl is respected and valued in Indian society. On this day, the Women and Child Development Ministry take up multi-pronged approach for addressing as well as working towards the trend of diminishing child sex ratio in India. The initiatives like these ensure that girl child is born as well as nurtured in a way that it gives them equal opportunities as well as rights like those to the boys. On the National Girl Child Day, the aim is to address issues related to health, education and nutrition of the girl child. The State's Women and Child Development Department instructed the District Programme Officers of various states of India to organise programmes for the National Girl Child Day.
  
• The Election Commission of India celebrated the 3rd National Voters’ Day across the country on 25 January 2013. The theme for the 3rd NVD is “Inclusion”. NVD functions were held at more than 6.5 lakh locations across the country covering nearly all 8.5 lakh Polling Stations. Around 46000 Educational Institutions also celebrated National Voters’ Day. Around 4867 Youth Voter Festivals have been held across the states to engage youth in the registration process. The National Function to mark the 3rd National Voters’ Day was held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. 25th January is also the foundation day of the Commission, which came into being on this day in 1950. The Commission’s objective through NVD is to increase enrolment of voters, especially of the newly eligible ones, to make universal adult suffrage a complete reality. The National Voters’ Day is also utilized to spread awareness among voters regarding effective participation in the electoral process.
  
• The West Bengal Government on 22 January 2013, the day of Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birth anniversary, declared that it would give a heritage status to his ancestral house at Kodalia in South 24 Parganas district. The Government also announced that if the need arises to acquire the land, than it is also ready to do so.
  
• Kalyan Singh, the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on 21 January 2013 merged his Jan Kranti Party with Bhartiya Janta Party. Singh merged his party with BJP during the Atal Shankhnaad Rally of BJP in Lucknow’s Jhelum Park. He himself was unable to join the party himself as he is an independent MP from Etah Constituency and before joining the party it is required for him to resign from the membership of the house as it is an electoral cause under anti-defection law. His resignation from the Parliament would have created a space for by-elections for the Etah Seat. Kalyan Singh left BJP before the Lok Sabha Elections of 2009 due to the differences with the senior leaders of BJP.
  
• India celebrated its 64th Republic Day on 26 January 2013. Unfurling of National flag, the rich cultural heritage, and nation's achievements in various fields were the highlights of Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in Delhi. The impressive march-past was watched by Chief Guest, King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk. The Army showcased its impressive weaponry which included main battle tank- ARJUN, Super Sonic Cruise Missile Brahmos Weapon System and Multi Barrel Rocket System -Pinaka. Display of above 5000 kilometer range Agni-V missile, Mobile Integrated Network Terminal and mini version of INS Vikramaditya also remained the centre of attraction during the function. 19 tableaux from various States and Central Ministries also mesmerized the spectators. 
  
• The Justice Verma panel, which is a 3-member commission created to review the laws for sexual crimes submitted the report to the Government of India on 23 January 2013. Justice Verma panel was created after the brutal gang rape of the Para-medical student on 16 December 2012. Former Chief Justice of India, Justice JS Verma headed the commission and reviewed the laws on sexual crimes which exist already. The report was prepared by the panel in its 30-day deadline. The former CJI described that there were more than 80000 suggestions from the length and breadth of India as well as abroad after 5 January 2013 was declared as the deadline for receiving comments from common man in order to refurbish the present legislation that deals with the sex offenders. The Justice Verma panel recognised failure of governance as primary cause of sexual crimes. The panel additionally criticised the police, government and also the public for the lack of interest and also recommended changes in the entire society. 
  
• Some of the changes described by the Justice Verma panel are as follows:
  • There is a need for overall wide spectrum of law for violence against the women.
  • It is important to address even the placid sexual harassment and that every complaint of sexual harassment should be registered.
  • Anyone committing rape shall be given rigorous imprisonment which may range from seven years to life term.
  • Crimes like gang rape shall entail punishment ranging from not less than 20 years to whole life of the convict.
  • Gang-rape causing death of the victim shall amount to life imprisonment for the convict.
  • The panel also mentioned in its report the Khap panchayat mentioning that Khaps were unconstitutional and they had no right to declare the marriage invalid.
  • In order to preserve the rules of law, there is a need for police reforms as well.
  • The Panel suggested that Law enforcement agencies should not work as slaves of the political masters.
  • All the marriages should be registered, while making sure that there was no demand for dowry.
  • Minor children trafficking should be considered as a serious offence.
  • Trafficking should be made punishable with imprisonment ranging from not less than 7 years to 10 years.
  • In case, a police officer or a public servant is involved in child trafficking, it should be dealt with in a stricter manner than usual.
  
  
• Union Home Ministry issued Strict Guidelines for Regulating Surrogacy in India 
  The Union Home Ministry in India issued stricter guidelines for those visas which are used by the foreign nationals interested in surrogacy. This is said to be the archetypical step by the Home Ministry to regulate surrogacy in India. The new guidelines indicated that single foreigners as well as the gay couples would not be eligible for having the Indian surrogate. Only those foreign man and woman, who are married for at least two years, would be granted the visas. The Union Home Ministry stated that they had noticed a few foreign nationals visiting India for the purpose of surrogacy on their tourist visa, which is not appropriate. Back in July 2012, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had decided in the circular sent to foreign embassies that the foreigners were entitled to enter India for surrogacy only on their medical visas and no other kind of visas. Also, it was mandatory for the foreign nationals to fulfill a few criterions. The circular was notified on 17 December 2012 by the Foreign Regional Registration Office in Mumbai and was also sent to the fertility clinics. The guidelines are issued when the legislation for regulating the fertility clinics is waiting for tabling in the Parliament. This legislation is called the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Regulation Bill 2010. 
  
• SC, ST sub-plans Act in force 
  Andhra Pradesh SCSP and TSP Act came into effect on 25 January. A gazette notification has been issued to the effect after Governor ESL Narasimhan signed the papers. With this, Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state in the country to give effect to such Act. The Bill was passed in both the A P Legislative Assembly and Council in December 2012. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who participated in the Jaipur Chinthan Shivir, urged the AICC to bring such an Act at national level for the uplift of Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the country. It is expected that the provisions of the Act would make available an additional amount of about Rs 3,000 crore every year for SCSP and another Rs 1,200 crore for TSP. There are three salient features of the SC Sub-Plan (SCSP) and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) -- Earmarking of funds for the SCs and STs in proportion to their population, giving the funds to a nodal agency and appointing a separate Finance Secretary to release the funds allocated to SCSP and TSP. The recommendation of the Sub-Committee to establish an ombudsman to monitor utilization of funds was not accepted since there is the Lokayukta to handle complaints and the nodal agency, comprising ministers in charge of concerned portfolios, to oversee the implementation. 
  
• The 8th Annual Status of Education Report, ASER 2012 was released in New Delhi on 17 January by the Minister of Human Resource Development, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju. Speaking on the occasion the Hon’ble Minister said that the focus of the current 12th Five Year Plan is on quality of education imparted in schools. He said that the quality of the teachers in schools has to be improved and infrastructure needs to be strengthened. Appreciating the trend in improvement of infrastructure in schools including sanitation and mid-day meals, he said that the trend of the girl’s enrollment going down is a matter of concern. Expressing satisfaction over the performance of some states, the Minister said that after the enactment of RTE Act some states are doing well in primary and elementary education but states from north-east regions have to catch up. Stating that aspiration level of the parents and the child is going up. The report says that the enrollment level for the 6-14 age group continued to be very high in rural areas. In 2012, 96.5% of all the children in this age group in rural areas were enrolled in schools. The proportion of the children in the age group of 6-14 who are not enrolled in schools has gone up slightly from 3.3% in 2011 to 3.5% in 2012. The increase is largest in Rajasthan and UP. The report also says that learning outcomes were low but steady in the years leading to 2010. But across the country, children’s ability to read simple text and do basic arithmetic has declined since then. Nationally, private schools enrollment has increased (6-14 age group). In next five years, the country may have half of the children attending private schools even in the rural areas.
  
• President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the 28th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress in Hyderabad on 17 January. Speaking in the occasion he says, Private sector companies and Government institutions should join hands to fight blindness. Citing the World Health Organisation data, the President said by 2020, there would be 76 million blind people indicating that visual impairment would double in 1990-2020. India had a historical tradition of focusing on eye-care as its ancient sage-cum-surgeon, Shushruta was the father of cataract surgeries, he said. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said about 80 lakh school children were screened for detecting visual impairment in the State under various initiatives. The treatment for visual impairment was also included under State Government’s health scheme ‘Aarogyasree’, he added. The four-day congress is being organised in conjunction with the 71st annual conference of All-India Ophthalmological Society. It would throw light on the recent advances in the field. About 10,000 eye specialists and experts are expected to participate in the event. 
  
• The Supreme Court on 19 January banned fresh encroachment of roads, pavements and sideways by construction of religious structures or installation of statues of public figures. The apex court's ruling addresses a common hazard in all Indian cities and towns where unauthorized religious structures - often thinly disguised cases of land grab - have sprung up on public and private land and are obstructing roads and inconveniencing residents. The order can empower municipal and government bodies to prevent unauthorized constructions being carried out under the garb of religious structures as often local political interests and religious sentiments render authorities helpless. Along with religious structures, the court also ruled on installation of statues. "Henceforth, states shall not grant permission to install any statue or erect any structure on public roads, pavements and sideways and other public utility places," ordered a bench of Justices R M Lodha and S J Mukhopadhaya. The order was passed on an application challenging the Kerala government's permission to a private society to install the statue of public figure on a traffic island on a national highway at a busy intersection where vehicles had to crawl because of existing encroachments.
  
• President’s rule was finally imposed in Jharkhand on 18 January, a day after the Union Cabinet accepted Governor Syed Ahmed’s report recommending that the Assembly be kept in suspended animation. Regional ally JMM had withdrawn support to the Arjun Munda government on January 8, reducing it to a minority. President Pranab Mukherji has signed the proclamation under Article 356(1) of the Constitution, imposing Centre’s rule for the third time, on a request from the Union Home Ministry. Former Director General of CRPF, Vijay Kumar and former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta have been appointed advisers to the governor, the ministry stated. The government’s move has invited mixed reactions. The JMM was disappointed, having lost an opportunity to instate either Shibu Shoren or his son Hemant as the chief minister. A miffed BJP said it will stage a dharna against the Cabinet decision.
  
• Prompted by nationwide outrage over the Nirbhaya gang rape incident, New Delhi, the law ministry on 17 January has approved Rs 80 crore for recruitment of 2,000 more judges across the country for fast-track courts. In a letter to state governments and high courts on January 9, the Centre asked them to increase the strength of subordinate judiciary from the current 18,000 to 20,000 with the additional judges to be deployed in fast-track courts. The law ministry took Cabinet approval in the last week of December when India was rocked by mass protests over Nirbhaya's gang rape that saw activists, lawyers, officials and jurists pointing to how victims were disadvantaged by long trials that allowed accused to influence witnesses. Sources said the government was working on another proposal to allow states to use funds available for morning and evening courts to further increase the number of fast-track courts, a demand raised by various sections of society to expedite trial of pending cases, particularly those of sexual assault and heinous crimes.
  
• Govt. raises LPG cap to nine cylinders per year 
  The government on 17 January raised the cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to nine bottles from six per year and allowed oil companies to hike diesel prices by a “small quantum” periodically. There will be no change in LPG and kerosene rates, Oil Minister M. Veerappa Moily told in New Delhi after the meeting on Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA). Consumers will get a quota of five subsidised cylinders between September 2012 and March 2013 and from April 1, 2013, they will be entitled to nine cylinders per annum.Mr. Moily said that the oil companies have been permitted to raise diesel prices by a small quantum periodically till such time that they are able to cover Rs. 9.60 per liter loss they incur on the fuel. 
  
• Political uncertainty deepened in Jharkhand on 8 January, with Chief Minister Arjun Munda submitting his resignation to Governor Syed Ahmed. On 7 January, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced the withdrawal of its support to the BJP-led government. Mr. Munda recommended that the Governor dissolve the Assembly to facilitate fresh elections. He has been asked by the Governor to continue as caretaker chief minister. Mr. Munda said the decision was taken as no national party came forward to provide an alternative government after the JMM decided to pull out of the government, which was formed in September 2010. Both the JMM and the BJP have 18 seats each in the 81-member Assembly. The Congress has 13 seats, while the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) has 11. The JMM is expected to approach the Congress to stitch together an alliance, taking in five MLAs of the RJD and seven Independents. 
  
• The Andhra Pradesh government has banned the manufacture and sale of gutkha and pan masala in the state with immediate effect, according to the State Health and Family Welfare Department.The ban has made Andhra Pradesh the 14th state in the country to take the step towards eradicating tobacco use, bringing down shutters on the 12 gutkha manufacturing units in the state. Various departments, including vigilance and enforcement, commercial tax, transport, labour, municipal administration, panchayat raj and police will work together to enforce the ban. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2010), released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in October 2010, about 29 per cent of the adult population in AP consumes tobacco products in some form or the other. Among them, 15 per cent use smokeless tobacco while 17.4 per cent are smokers. Experts point out that among the 3,095 chemical components found in the tobacco products, including gutkha, 28 were proved to be carcinogens which cause cancer. While it is widely known that gutkha causes oral cancer in the long run, not many users are aware that its immediate effects are on the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. The non-food grade agents and chemicals present in gutka can also lead to heart attacks and infertility, experts warned.
  
• The Prime Minister on 9 January, unveiled the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 in the presence of Mr. Praful Patel, Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises and Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission. The principal end objectives of the National Mission for Electric Mobility (NMEM) are National energy security, mitigation of the adverse impact of vehicles on the environment and growth of domestic manufacturing capabilities. The NEMMP 2020, the mission document for the NMEM that was approved by the National Council for Electric Mobility (NCEM) on 29th August, 2012, sets the vision, lays the targets and provides the joint Government – industry vision for realizing the huge potential that exists for full range of efficient and environmentally friendly electric vehicle (including hybrids) technologies by 2020. The NEMMP 2020 is a well researched document and relies on in-depth primary data based study conducted jointly by the Government and the Industry which indicates that high latent demand for environmentally friendly electric vehicle technologies exists in the country. As per these projections, 6-7 million units of new vehicle sales of the full range of electric vehicles, along with resultant liquid fuel savings of 2.2 – 2.5 million tones can be achieved in 2020. This will also result in substantial lowering of vehicular emissions and decrease in carbon di-oxide emissions by 1.3% to 1.5% in 2020 as compared to a status quo scenario. The NEMMP 2020 projections also indicate that the savings from the decrease in liquid fossil fuel consumption as a result of shift to electric mobility alone will far exceed the support provided thereby making this a highly economically viable proposition. Therefore on all counts encouraging the faster adoption of hybrid & electric vehicles and their manufacture in India is a wise investment for our future generations. NMEM is amongst the most significant interventions of the Government that promises to transform the automotive paradigm of the future by lessening the dependence on fossil fuels, increasing energy efficiency of vehicles and by providing the means to achieve ultimate objective of cleaner transportation that is compatible with sustainable renewable energy generation. This Intervention will also help encourage the Indian Automotive Industry to shift to newer, cleaner technologies so that it builds its future competitive advantage around environmentally sustainable products, high end technologies, innovation and knowledge. The implementation and roll out of the NEMMP 2020 will be done through various specific schemes, interventions, policies that are currently under formulation and will be considered by the Government in the near future. 
  
• The Union Cabinet on 10 January, approved the revised cost estimates of Rs.1457.56 crore for reconstruction and completion of the Salma Dam Project (3X14 MW) in Afghanistan by M/s WAPCOS Ltd. towards civil, hydro-mechanical, electro-mechanical and other components of the dam till completion of the dam in December 2014 or two years from the date of approval of revised cost estimates. The expenditure on the projects will be met from the Non-Plan head of 'Aid to Afghanistan' budget of the Ministry of External Affairs. The Cabinet had approved the proposal in June 2010 for the revised cost estimates of Rs.854.86 crore up to December 2010. The project has registered physical progress of 60 percent. The project is being executed by M/s WAPCOS, a central PSU under the Ministry of Water Resources. The local communities of Western Afghanistan would directly benefit from the project. The availability of power and water through the project upon its successful completion will lead to overall economic development of Afghanistan's Western region and generate goodwill for India in Afghanistan. The completion of this project will address the issues of energy requirement and irrigation needs in Western Afghanistan. 
  
• The Union Cabinet on 10 January approved the declaration of the National Institute of Design (NID) by Parliament by law as an 'Institution of National Importance'. The status of 'Institution of National Importance' would authorise NID, Ahmadabad to award degree to its students. This, in turn, may prove to be beneficial for students who wish to pursue post graduation. This will fulfill the need to professionalize, standardize and internationally benchmark professional design education in India, so as to take full advantage of opportunities opening up for the design industry, both in domestic as well as in international markets. 
  
• The Union Ministry of Tourism will organise an International Tourism Mart at Guwahati from 18th to 20th of January, 2013. Announcing this at a press conference in New Delhi, Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi said that this will not only be the first ever International Tourism event to be organised in the north-eastern region, but also the first International Tourism Mart to focus on a specific region of India. He said “It will bring together the tourism business fraternity and entrepreneurs from the eight north eastern States of India and West Bengal. The event has been planned and scheduled to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, Government agencies and others. The Minister informed that about 100 delegates including tourism Ministers, Tourism Secretaries, Tour operators, Hoteliers and Media Representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Combodia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam will be attending the mart. He said these delegates will engage in one-two-one meetings with sellers from the north eastern region and West Bengal. Mr. Chiranjeevi said this will enable tourism product suppliers from the region to reach out to international and domestic buyers and promote tourism in the region. Chiranjeevi disclosed that celebrity artistes such as Lou Majaw from Meghalaya, Rubin from Manipur, Mami Varte from Mizoram and Debojit Saha, Dikshu, Priyanka Bharali, Manas Robin, Joy Chakravarty, Simanta Shekhor, Mousam Gogoi and Papori Sharma from Assam will perform at the Mart. The north east region of India comprising the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, is endowed with diverse tourist attractions and products. The varied topography of the region, its flora and fauna, the ethnic communities with their rich heritage of ancient traditions and lifestyles, festivals, arts and crafts, make it a holiday destination waiting to be explored. Considering the contiguous features of West Bengal with the north east, the state has been included in the Mart. 
  
• The Union Cabinet on 10 January approved the introduction of a Bill in the Parliament for declaring Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch (121 kms.) of the Barak River as a National Waterway. It also gave its approval for preparation of projects/schemes for development of infrastructure facilities on this stretch of the river at an estimated cost of Rs.123 crore with implementation in two phases. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) set up under IWAI Act, 1985 will be the implementing agency for this project. The first phase of the project would be completed by 2016-17 followed by the second phase which is likely to be completed by 2018-19. The enactment to declare Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch of the Barak River as National Waterway will result in unified development of the waterways for shipping and navigation and transportation of cargo to the North Eastern Region particularly in the states of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. The Government of India has so far declared five waterways as National Waterways. These are:- (i) Allahabad-Haldia stretch of the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (1620 km); (ii) Dhubri-Sadiya stretch of Brahmaputra River (891 km); (iii) Kottapuram-Kollam stretch of West Coast Canal along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals (205 km); (iv) Kakinada-Puducherry stretch of the canal along with designated stretches of Godavari and Krishna Rivers (1078 km); and (v) designated stretches of East Coast Canal, Brahmani River and Mahanadi Delta (588 km). The Lakhipur-Bhanga stretch of the Barak River would be the sixth National Waterway. 
  
• The Union Cabinet on 10 January, has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Rural Development to provide a quality and affordable house and also taking into account numerous requests from the stakeholders for increasing the unit cost, keeping in view the steep increase in cost of materials. The approval is that -Enhancement of unit assistance under the Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) from Rs. 45,000/- to Rs. 70,000/- in plain areas and from Rs. 48,500/- to Rs. 75,000/- in hilly/difficult/LAP district; The IAY is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development and aims at addressing rural housing issues by providing grant for construction / upgradation of dwelling units of BPL families especially giving priority to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and physically challenged persons with financial assistance of Rs. 45,000/- in plain areas and Rs. 48,500/- in hilly /difficult areas. 
  
• The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on ‘Silk Letter Movement’ at a function in New Delhi on January 11, 2013.Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the sacrifices of individuals and groups, such as those associated with the Silk Letter Movement, constitute a glorious chapter of India’s history of Freedom struggle and need to be acknowledged and appreciated. The President said that he is happy that the Department of Posts has done its bit over the years and has issued postage stamps to acknowledge the contribution of various groups and movements which in their own ways contributed to the overall effort to liberate India. 
  
• Recognizing the importance of cinema as a powerful tool for the development and promotion of various tourist destinations, Union Tourism Minister K.Chiranjeevi announced, several initiatives for promoting “Film Tourism” through films shot in India. Announcing this in New Delhi on 11 January, the Minister said that a “Land of Pi” campaign would be launched soon across all media, including print, online, electronic and outdoor, to promote Puducherry and Munnar as tourist destinations. The widely acclaimed film “Life of Pi” has been partly shot in the beautiful locales of Puducherry (Pondicherry) and Munnar in Kerala. In order to enable viewers of the film to visit the two regions shown in the film, Mr. Chiranjeevi held a meeting last month with the Secretaries of Tourism of Puducherry and Kerala along with Tour Operators of the region, immediately after it was observed that the film had highlighted awareness of the two regions. K.Chiranjeevi has already announced special National Tourism Awards for Mr. Ang Lee, Director and Mr. Yann Martel, author of the Book “Life of Pi”, for promoting India through the film.
  
• President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on 12 January, inaugurated the celebrations to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson UPA, A.K. Antony, Minister of Defense & Chairman NIC, P. Chidambaram, Minister of Finance, were also present at the function organized at the Rashtrapati Bhawan auditorium. The Finance Minister P. Chidambaram released a set of Commemorative Coins and presented the first set to the President Pranab Mukherjee. The coins are of Rs.150 and Rs. 5 denomination. The Government of India decided to undertake the commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. A National Committee under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was constituted to approve policies/plans, programmes and supervise and guide the Commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda including preparatory activities leading up to the Anniversary year in 2013-14. A National Implementation Committee was also constituted in 2010 under the Chairmanship of the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to implement the decisions of the National Committee. On Pranab Mukherjee assuming the office of President of India, Defence Minister Shri A.K. Antony has been appointed Chairman of the said National Implementation Committee.
  
• Foreign Exchange Earnings from Tourism shows an Increase of 21.8 Percent During 2012 Foreign Tourist Arrivals also Goes up by 5.4 Percent during the Year Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism during the year 2012 showed an increase of 21.8% as compared to FEEs of 2011. Foreign Tourist Arrivals ( FTAs) in the country also registered an increase of 5.4% during the year 2012 as compared to FTAs of 2011. 
  The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FEEs from tourism in India during the year 2012:
  • FEEs from tourism in rupee terms during 2012 were Rs.94, 487 crore with a growth of 21.8% as compared to the FEEs of Rs.77, 591 crore with a growth of 19.6% during the year 2011 over 2010.
  • FEEs from tourism in terms of US$ during 2012 were US$ 17.74 billion with a growth of 7.1% over 2011.
  • FTAs in India during 2012 were 66.48 lakh with a growth of 5.4% as compared to the FTAs of 63.09 lakh during the year 2011.
  Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on the basis of data received from major ports and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism on the basis data available from Reserve Bank of India. 
• National Aluminum Co Ltd (Nalco) Commissioned its First Wind Power Project in AP
  National Aluminum Co Ltd (Nalco) in the Month of January 2013 commissioned its first wind power project at Gandikota in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Nalco which is the Government-owned manufacturer and distributor of aluminum products had invested around 275 crore rupees for the 50-MW Suzlon-erected project. 
  
  Nalco signed a power purchase agreement with the State’s power transmission utility Transco and has begun inoculation of power to the State grid. The windmill project had received clearance from the Ministry of Forests and Environment. Also, setting up of the second wind power is on the line which is supposed to be of 50 MW, and will be situated in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. The cost of this project is estimated to be around 190 crore rupees. 
  
  Nalco, a large thermal power consumer for its aluminum smelting in Odisha, is appreciative to generate renewable energy under electricity regulations. As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the Indian Wind Turbine Manufactures Association (WTMA) had reported that public sector units have so far established around 1135 MW of wind power projects in the country, besides solar power projects of 27 MW. 
  
• News Broadcasting Standards Association Issued Guidelines for Reporting of Sexual Crimes
  The News Broadcasting Standards Association (NBSA) on 7 January 2013 issued certain guidelines for the television channels to exercise discretion and sensitivity, while reporting the sexual assault cases. Keeping in view, the Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), NBSA directed television channels to keep the identity of the victims involved in sexual assault, hideous. The guidelines were a result of the Zee News television interview of the friend of Delhi gangrape victim. The name of victim was also disclosed in one international publication. NBSA while issuing guidelines declared that the news channels needed to keep in mind that the coverage as well as reporting of crime can influence the mindset of viewers, thereby also creating significant impact on perception of their minds for such crimes. The news channels were advised to balance the right to privacy of the survivor as well as his/her family with the public interest. Channels were therefore asked to secrete the identity of victims of sexual assault, aggression and violence. The issued guidelines declared that in reporting of such sexual crimes on women, victims of juvenile offending and child abuse, the privacy should be respected and name, photographs as well as other private details should not be disclosed. The television channels were directed to practice sensitivity, sound judgment as well as discretion, especially while disclosing the details of sexual assault because these details re-traumatized the survivor. 
  
• National Data Centre for UIDAI to come up in Gurgaon 
  The Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda on 7 January 2012 laid the foundation stone of the state-of-the-art National Data Centre of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at Maneshar, Gurgaon in Haryana. The centre that will spread in an area of five-acres would serve as the respiratory system for the UIDAI and would store all the basic biometric and demographic information of the residents, before the 12-digit Aadhaar Number is issued. The development work of the UIDAI center would be completed by mid 2014 and is being developed as a green data centre and abides to all the global standards and guidelines. 
  
• Railway fares hiked for first time in 10 years; increase across all classes 
  Ahead of the rail budget for 2013, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on 9 January announced a fare hike with effect from January 21-22 midnight. Addressing a press conference Bansal said that having hiked the railway fares now, the government will not increase the tariff in the budget. This is the first railway fare hike in ten years. The new fares imply 2 paise per kilometer increase in second class ordinary suburban tariffs. The fare for second class non sub-urban travel has gone up by 3 paise per kilometer and that of sleeper class has been hiked by 6 paise per kilometer. Travelling in Air conditioned (AC) chair car and sleeper class will now be costlier by 10 paise per kilometer. Justifying the hike, Bansal said, "Input costs have increased immensely while rail fares have remained stagnant. In fact there was a decrease in lower class fares. Given economic slowdown, we have not been able to so far achieve this year's targets in either freight or fare side." In the last railway budget, government hiked the fares only to roll them back, except for AC-1 and II passengers. The last across-the-board hike had happened at the start of the millennium, when Nitish Kumar held the charge. His successors fought shy of taking the "politically incorrect" step.
• Three centers of ISRO, viz., Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), with campuses in Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore and Mahendragiri and Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota, have new Directors (Mr. S. Ramakrishnan, Mr. M. Chandradathan and Dr. M.Y.S. Prasad respectively) from January 1, 2013.Mr. S. Ramakrishnan, Distinguished Scientist of ISRO and hitherto Director, LPSC, has assumed the office of the Director, VSSC. He took over the charge from Mr. P. S. Veeraraghavan, the retiring Director. VSSC is the lead centre for the design and development of launch vehicle technologies for the Indian Space Programme. Mr. M. Chandradathan, Distinguished Scientist and hitherto Director, SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota, is appointed as Director, LPSC with campuses in Thiruvananthapuram, Mahendragiri and Bangalore. He took over the charge from Mr. S. Ramakrishnan, who is appointed as Director, VSSC. Dr. M.Y.S. Prasad, Distinguished Scientist and Associate Director of SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota has assumed the office of Director, SDSC SHAR. He took over the charge from Mr. M Chandradathan, who has been appointed as the Director of ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. SDSC SHAR with two launch pads is the spaceport of ISRO. 
  
• Former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, who broke with Sharad Pawar's NCP last year to contest the Presidential elections against Congress nominee Pranab Mukherjee, launched his own National People's Party (NPP) on 6 January and joined hands with BJP-led NDA. Launching the NPP at the "national level," in New Delhi Sangma said, it has been active for long as a recognised party from Manipur. Sangma had previously joined hands with NDA after he put together a coalition of north-east parties ahead of the 2004 election. Sangma who unsuccessfully contested the Presidential polls last year as a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India said that his party would give due importance to tribal and women issues.He announced that former Union minister Arvind Netam will be working president of the new party. 
  
• The government is going to roll out its ambitious scheme of transferring cash to beneficiaries of select schemes in 20 districts on 1 January 2013, but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be covered in the initial phase. As per the roll-out plan, more and more districts and schemes would be covered under the scheme during the course of 2013.All 26 schemes are ready for rollout. On 1 January 2013 the seven schemes in which payout is due in the (20 selected) districts, the money will be transferred through the direct benefit transfer system using the UIDAI platform. However, Government clarified that subsidies relating to cooking gas (LPG), kerosene, diesel, food and fertilizers will not be included in the first phase of the rollout. The scheme is going to be rolled out in 43 districts by 1 March 2013, 20 districts from January 1, 11 districts from February 1 and 12 districts from March 1. By end of 2013, the direct cash benefit transfer will be rolled out in all the districts of the country. The subsidies would be transferred to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts if they do not have an Aadhaar number.
  
• Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on 6 January launched the Aadhar-enabled Direct Benefits Transfer Scheme (DBTS) for MGNREGP and Social Security Pensions at Gollaprolu village in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. East Godavari (EG) is one of the four districts in Andhra Pradesh where the scheme is being launched as part of the nationwide roll-out of DBTS in the first phase. EG has the distinction of achieving 99 per cent enrolment for Aadhar and as many as 43.32 lakh persons were already issued UID cards. To mark the launch of the scheme, the Union Rural Development Minister paid the pension amount to Nilla Satyanarayana, a physically challenged person, using a micro ATM. The minister also paid wages using micro ATM to MGNREGP workers on the occasion. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, state Home Minister P Sabita Reddy, MPs Undavalli Arun Kumar and G Harsha Kumar, ministers, legislators and senior officials were present on the occasion.
  
• Task force formed to review women’s safety in Delhi
  The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a special task force to look into the issues of women’s safety in the capital every fortnight. The 13-member body, to be headed by the Home Secretary, will also regularly review the functioning of the Delhi Police. Its members are the Chief Secretary; the Police Commissioner, the Special Commissioner (Traffic) and the Special Commissioner (Law & Order); the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women; the New Delhi Municipal Council chairperson; the Transport and Excise Commissioners; the Corporation Commissioners of East Delhi, North Delhi and South Delhi; and the Joint Secretary (Union Territory) in the Home Ministry, an official statement said. “The task force may co-opt any such member it may deem fit. It will also take into consideration the suggestions made by the Members of Parliament during the debate on the issue. The task force shall continuously review action taken by the Delhi Police and the Delhi Government,” the statement said. The Delhi Police works under the Home Ministry. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has been demanding that the State government be given control of the force for better policing of the capital 
  
• Foreign Tourists Not Allowed To Work as Journalists on Tourist Visa
  Ministry of Home Affairs on 2 January 2013 ordered foreign tourists not to indulge in the journalistic activities on their tourist visas. The order was issued by the Ministry after observing that a lot of foreigners visiting India on their tourist visa are also involved in covering the events as well as journalistic activities in India. The Home Affairs official cleared that tourist visa was not the appropriate visa for covering journalistic activities by foreigners. Tourist visa is issued to the foreigners who do not have residence as well as occupation in India and the primary objective of their visit is recreation, casual visit for meeting relatives and friends as well as sightseeing. Any other activity on this tourist visa was not permissible. Ministry of Home Affairs also requested the Ministry of External Affairs to communicate directives to the Indian Missions or Posts abroad. The Ministry also ordered that the State Governments as well as concerned authorities of India should strictly abide by the order. 
  
• Chief Justice of India Inaugurated First Fast-Track Court in Delhi for Hearing Rape Cases
  Chief Justice of India (CJI) Altamas Kabir inaugurated the first fast-track court in Delhi on 2 January 2013 for dealing with the crimes against females. The first fast-track court is one among other four fast-track courts which would deal with the cases of crime against the women. This court is set up in the Saket Court Complex and the first case to be heard here is that of the Delhi gangrape which took place on 16 December 2012. Other fast track courts would function from 3 January 2013 at Rohini, Tis Hazari and Dwarka in New Delhi. In the first rape case which would be heard in the fast-track court, the Delhi Police decided to submit a 1000-page chargesheet in the magistrate court in Saket on 3 January 2013 after which it would move to fast-track court where hearing will take place on daily trial basis. In December 2012, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court announced that all the cases of crime against women in Delhi would be dealt in the fast-track courts. 
  
• Regional Passport Office sets national record 
  The Regional Passport Office, Hyderabad, has become the first RPO in the country to deliver more than 5 lakh passport services, according to Dr Srikar Reddy, Regional Passport Officer, Hyderabad. He announced this at a press conference on 4 January. During 2012, the RPO, Hyderabad, received about 5.73 lakh applications (20 % more than 2011) and provided about 5.5 lakh passport services. Dr Srikar Reddy said that the AP police authorities were extending full cooperation in completion of police verification in the mandated three weeks’ time. The PVRs pending for more than 21 days had come down to about 4,000 as of December 31, 2012, from over 60,000 at the beginning of August 2012. The average police verification time for the month of December 2012 was 22 days, with over 84% of the police reports being submitted within 21 days. 
  
• Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde launched Pilot Project of Crime and Criminal Tracking System
  Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on 4 January 2013 launched Pilot Project of Crime and Criminal Tracking Systems. The Government launched the project to make use of technology in bringing greater transparency and accountability into government functioning, as Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) is supposed to be an important step forward in this direction which requires a significant change management effort. The pilot launch of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) Project would create a nation-wide environment for the real-time sharing of crime and criminal information and connect approximately 14000 police stations throughout the country apart from higher offices in police hierarchy.