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DEPARTMENT OF NORTH EAST REGION
Upgradation of the Department of North East Region to a full-fledged Ministry
Projects retained for detailed examination under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) for the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura
Budgetary provisions for Projects under NLCPR increased
North East Council (NEC) Revitalization Report finalized
15 NEC Projects in the Roads, Health and Power sectors approved
Guidelines for NLCPR Revised
Establishment of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) for NE Region approved
First Conference of Chief Secretaries and Vice Chancellors of NE Region
Externally Aided Projects in North Eastern Region invited
14 projects for Capacity Building Activities sanctioned
Under the Advocacy & Publicity Plan Scheme, DONER-NEWSLINE, a Quarterly Newsletter on the activities and achievements of the Ministry launched
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Efforts have been made to take forward and intensify the ongoing process of confidence building, dialogue and cooperation with Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary level talks in June 2004 marked the resumption of the Composite Dialogue. One full round of Composite Dialogue was concluded in September, 2004.
In order to promote greater people-to-people exchanges, the Government announced unilateral measures for further liberalization of the visa regime with Pakistan.
The momentum of high level interaction with China has been maintained.
Bilateral trade with China is expanding rapidly, as per China’s customs statistics in the first eight months of 2004, the trade volume registered a growth of 86.5 % to reach US $ 8.72 billion with India’s exports growing by 100 per cent to reach US $ 5.25 billion, and imports increasing by 69.1 % to reach US $ 3.47 billion.
There has been a marked acceleration in contacts with Japan at high level. In a significant step forward, India and Japan agreed to mutually support each other’s candidature for the permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council.
Prime Minister and the US President met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
A joint statement "US-India Partnership – Cooperation and Trust" was issued on September 21, 2004.
Foreign Office Consultations and Asian Security Dialogue between Foreign Secretary and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs was held on September 17, 2004 in Washington DC.
India announced a flood relief assistance of Rs. 100 crore to Bangladesh.
Home Secretary led a delegation to Dhaka and had a meeting with his counterpart on September 16-17, 2004. This meeting took place after a gap of four years and there was forward movement in areas such as issue of double entry visas.
Additional amount to fund the 1020 MW Tala Hydro electric Power Project in Bhutan is under processing.
India is in various stages of implementation of a total of 92 projects in Nepal and Bhutan.
The 25th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers met in Islamabad in July 2004. All delegates endorsed India’s view that SAARC must move from words to action.
India suggested setting up of SAARC High Economic Council, with the Finance and Commerce Ministers of the member countries.
India proposed for the setting up of a SAARC Infrastructure Fund, with a corpus of about $ 10 billion to fund large infrastructure projects in the region.
Our Missions in the Gulf have taken up with the contractors to let the interested Indian employees to leave Iraq and to ensure safety and well-being of civilian workers who chose to remain voluntarily.
With a view to ensure safety and well being of the Indian community in Saudi Arabia, a Helpline is being established in the Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah.
INFORMATION & BROADCASTING
The Ministry has proposed amendment of the relevant provisions of the Press & Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867; a Group of Ministers to go into the wider aspects of the print media policy.
The scope of the Ku Band transmission for Direct to Home (DTH) project enlarged. Now, the number of free-to-air channels, to be carried on Ku Band, has been increased from 30 to 40 channels without charging any carriage fees from the private broadcasters for two years.
Initiative has been taken to move towards finalization of Phase-II, Private F. M. radio broadcasting. Recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) have been examined and the matter is now under consideration between the Ministry and the TRAI.
A special package to improve radio coverage and radio signals in J & K is under formulation. Proposal for extending coverage of Kashir channel for 5 more years, with enhanced quality content in terms of software, as also efforts to improve the reception of both the Kashir Channel and general transmission in the State of J & K, is underway.
26 letters of intent issued and 10 institutions have signed License Agreements with the Ministry for setting up Community Radio Stations.
Festival of Children’s Films, the first of its kind, was organized in Srinagar between 12th and 14th October, 2004 and DVDs of children’s films were distributed to army personnel.
The Government is considering review of the uplinking guidelines for private TV Channels. Necessary action has already been initiated in this regard.
Various mechanisms for control over downlinking are being considered. Downlinking guidelines have been prepared, which provide for registration of channels uplinking from abroad.
LABOUR
Social Security Scheme for unorganised workers launched in 50 districts on pilot basis.
National Child Labour Project to be extended from 150 to 250 districts to eliminate child labour.
Five hundred existing Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to be upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs. 800 crore for imparting skills to workers to meet international standards.
Tripartite consultation process being further strengthened to deal with workers’ issue.
Outstanding arrears of workers amounting to Rs. 727 crore recovered from CPSUs.
Unorganized Sector Workers’ Bill 2004 being redrafted to promote well being of workers in the unorganised sector.
Housing assistance to beedi workers for each unit doubled upto Rs. 40,000, eligibility ceiling also increased.
Labour Ministry to give one time grant of Rs. 2 crore to State Governments, ESIC and NGOs for construction of hospitals for beedi workers.
Core group set up under Labour Secretary to monitor implementation of NCMP concerning Labour and Employment Ministry.
RAILWAYS
Safety Standards improved. The precautionary, protective and preventive measures reduces the number of train accident drastically to 133 during the period ending October 2004 compared to 217 during the corresponding period of the previous year. A Technology Mission in collaboration with IIT, Kanpur underway for further improving safety on the Railways.
A time bound action plan on modernization of Indian Railways worked out at a cost of Rs. 24,000 crores to modernize, upgrade and augment rail services.
Security on trains and in rail premises beefed up with conferment of power of police on the Railway Protection Force from July 1, 2004.
Tatkal Reservation Scheme to enable passengers to travel at a short notice extended to all mail and express trains in all classes except in first air conditioned class.
Indian Railways being reoriented to work for the advantages of the poor and the common man following the introduction of Kulhar, (earthen pot), milk products, Khadi and Handloom to generate employment for the people.
Action underway to fill 84,000 vacancies in safety category and over 8000 vacancies in Railway Protection Force.
All air conditioned coaches being fitted with electrical points for charging cellular phones and laptop computers within a time frame of one year to provide further customer satisfaction.
A new catering policy introduced to end monopoly of big caterers with attendant transparency and competitive biding with increased reservation upto 49.5 per cent for weaker sections to maximize revenues from the existing Rs. 22 crores annually to Rs. 500 crores.
Purchase of reserved tickets through mobile phones, launched in September 2004 in National Capital Region, being extended across the country.
Techno-economic feasibility study by a Japanese company commissioned for introduction of high speed (bullet) trains on Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor.
ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Under the Special package of Rs. 7931 crore for North-Eastern States, a length of 6396 km of National Highways and other roads in the North East region to be developed.
822 kms of the Golden Quadrilateral completed; nearly 73 percent of the work likely to be completed by December 2004.
Works for nearly 6000 km of North-South & East-West Corridors worth about Rs. 34,000 crore are to be awarded by June 2005.
The complete length of 10,000 km of NH to be developed under Phase-III of the National Highways Development Project identified. Action on preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for the identified stretches has been initiated.
The Ministry intends to take up upgradation of the remaining 41,000 km of NH to a minimum 2-lane with paved shoulders where required. This would take the fruits of better connectivity to all parts of the nation and unleash a new wave of development and prosperity, especially in the remote and economically backward areas.
New Road Transport Policy on the anvil to deal with development and management of road infrastructure and road transport.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Six facilities at a cost of Rs. 17.64 crore supported for strengthening of S & T Infrastructure and enabling facilities and environment for promoting R&D in new and emerging areas.
Specialised Research facilities in 140 Departments strengthened at a cost of Rs. 44.00 crore.
National Mission for Bamboo Applications to develop value added bamboo products, practices technology and processes and to promote innovative design and fabrication techniques.
16 New Projects worth Rs. 6.90 crore supported, in the Nano Science & Technology Initiative.
Upgradation of the present observational system of India Meteorological Department to enable them to forecast weather more accurately.
National Mapping Policy is on the anvil and will be announced shortly.
A roadmap in agriculture biotechnology for improvement of crops has been prepared.
National Biotechnology Policy is being formulated. An apex committee and seven sectoral committees on promotion of innovation, business and trade, regulation and IPR, agriculture and healthcare have been constituted. Consultations with industry, non-governmental organizations, Ministries of Health, Environment and Agriculture are in progress. Policy is to be announced in early 2005.
New Centres of Excellence are being established in the following areas; public health and biotechnology; stem call and tissue engineering; marine biotechnology; testing of genetically modified products.
A major programme for development of neutraceuticalls and pre-cooked food for midday meal is being developed in consultation with CSIR and state government agencies.
TELECOM, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & POSTAL SECTORS
Broadband Policy 2004 announced with a view to provide impetus to broadband and Internet penetration in the country.
State Wide Area Network Policy announced to provide reliable connectivity for government – to government communication upto Block Level.
The Department of Information Technology (DIT), in association with the Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), has promoted the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) as a Not-for-Profit Company with the objective of facilitating improved Internet services in the country. NIXI aims to ensure improved traffic latency, reduced cost and better security.
Licence Fee for infrastructure provided-II has been reduced from 15 per cent to 6 per cent of the adjusted gross revenue.
The Government has decided to revamp the .in Domain Name Registry in India to provide a greater thrust to its activities. Unlimited generic. .IN registration will be offered at 2nd level of Domain Name and also at the 3rd level in the globally populace ones of Domain registration. the entire process of registration will be online and should be completed in less than 24 hours of the receipt of the request from a registrant.
Peak rate of customs duty continues to be 20 per cent. Duties on various items of computers, peripherals and IT-related components have been further rationalised and reduced.
Performance Bank Guarantee in respect of National Long Distance Service Licence has been reduced from Rs. 100 crore to Rs. 50 crore for each phase.
Four Internet Exchange Nodes have been set up and operational at Noida (Delhi), Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, in the premises of the Software Technology Parks of India.
A new service namely "Logistics" service will be introduced by the Department of Posts.
TEXTILES
Eleven projects have been cleared under the Apparel Parks Scheme so far in 9 States. The scheme was introduced for setting up of infrastructure facilities for production of apparel products exports of international standards.
Except the mandatory excise duty on polyester filament yarn including texturised yarn, synthetic and artificial fibres and synthetic and artificial filament yarns, the whole value addition chain given excise exemption option.
Additional Excise Duty on Textiles & Textiles Articles (AT&T) and Additional Excise Duty (Goods of Special importance) Act abolished.
Basic custom duty of 10 % reduced to 5 % in the case of silk machinery items and spare parts required for the maintenance of machinery. Custom duty on certain textile machinery items reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent.
Concessional customs duty of 5 % for import of polyester fiber/yarn plants extended for import of plant and machinery of all types of synthetic fibre/yarns.
The proposal of a separate fund with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore, for the regeneration of traditional industries under active consideration.
TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Process of consultation with the State governments started for creation of infrastructure in tribal villages.
Insurance coverage under "Janshree" schemes launched to provide social security to the tribal people.
Ministry has identified the development of tribal forest villages as the Priority Agenda item for the year 2004-05.
Project Screening Committee re-constituted to ensure transparency in the funding NGOs.
All State Governments asked to take immediate action to confer ownership rights in respect of Minor Forest Produce including Tandu Patta.
Under the new cluster approach, the focus will now be on schemes that enhanced income generating activities and creating infrastructure of the tribal villages.
Review overall strategy and programme for development of Tribal Areas to pluck loopholes and to work out more viable livelihood strategies.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Reappraisal of ongoing schemes like Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns (IDSMT) & Mega City to address the infrastructural requirement of cities and towns with 5-40 lakh population.
Mitigating drinking water shortage in cities particularly States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh & Orissa
Pooled Finance Development Fund to achieve higher credit worthiness of urban local bodies.
Nation Urban Information System to cover 137 towns at a cost of Rs. 100 crore.
Administrative Reforms and e-governance in municipalities to cover 35 one million plus cities at a cost of Rs. 200 crore.
Regularisation of industries in non-conforming areas of Delhi.
National Capital Region(NCR) Regional Plan 2021 approved.
URBAN EMPLOYMENT & POVERTY ALLEVIATION
National Mission for Urban Renewal to be launched shortly.
National Policy on street vendors circulated to states. The policy intends to give street vendors recognition for their contribution to the society and support to a dignified livelihood.
National Strategy for Urban Poor launched. The UNDP financed project would support urban poverty reduction based on inputs from all stake holders.
Reviewing of Housing and Habitat Policy 1998 and State Ministers’ conference by November end.
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