PIB Press Releases


		8th May, 2003


		Ministry of Tourism & Culture 11% increase in tourist arrival Foreign tourist arrival during January to April, 2003 has recorded 11% increase. ........................... Ministry of Railways Pilot project to introduce internet services RailTel Corporation of India Ltd., a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, is planning to provide, as pilot projects, internet kiosks at New Delhi Railway Station ........................... Ministry of Railways Additional amount paid for duplicate rail tickets It has been decided that the charges collected for issuing duplicate tickets, before preparation of reservation chart, ........................... Ministry of Railways Decline in passenger traffic There was decline in the season ticket segment due to a major reduction in the sale of low value monthly season tickets priced at Rs. 15/-. ........................... Ministry of Railways Rail line between Ranchi-Hazaribagh Final location survey for rail link between Ranchi and Hazaribagh has been completed and work taken up. ........................... Ministry of Railways Satellite telephone facility in Railways All Zonal and Divisional Railway Headquarters, have been provided with one satellite phone each except South Central Railway Headquarters, ........................... Ministry of Railways Short term loan to Railway PSUs The Railways have not granted any short term loan to Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) out of the funds raised through Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC). ........................... Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Reach the disabled in rural areas, Dr. Jatiya, urges NGOs The Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya has exhorted the NGOs to go to rural areas and mainstream the persons with disabilities. ........................... Ministry of Rural Development Central assistance to Gujarat, Karnataka & Rajasthan for watershed development Ministry of Rural Development has released Rs.643.27 lakh to the State Governments of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka for watershed development projects during 2003-2004. ........................... Ministry of Steel Bolani loading capacity up Keeping pace with the increased demand of iron ore from Durgapur Steel Plant, the Bolani Ores Mines have geared up to enchance the loading capacity through upgradation of different loading facilities. ........................... Ministry of Finance & Company Affairs Impact of gulf war on the economy minimal : FM The Union Finance Minister, Shri Jaswant Singh has said that the Finance Ministry is concerned and watchful over the increasing rate of inflation but there is no reason for alarm. ........................... Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Utilization of funds for disabled Periodic reviews are conducted at various levels to monitor the expenditure and corrective steps are taken by the Ministry and its organization in order to maximize utilisation of funds for persons with disabilities. ........................... Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Panel of entrepreneurs of road projects About 10,000 km of National Highways carrying high volume of traffic are proposed to be taken up for widening to four-lanes through public-private partnership. ........................... Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Policy for passenger safety Steering effort and Steering impact for all motor vehicles other than three wheelers not fitted with steering wheels, motor-cycles, invalid carriages and agricultural tractors have been prescribed. ........................... Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Bidding norms for BOT projects Government proposes to adopt new bidding norms for the 23 short-listed BOT projects for four-laning of 3000 km of National Highways. ........................... Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation Delay in implementation of projects Spillage in implementing the major infrastructure projects, costing over Rs. 100 crore, in sectors like roads, railways and power, ........................... Ministry of Agro & Rural Industries KVIC provides employment to 1,43,251 persons The Government through the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) of the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries has set up 8687 new agro based industrial units during the second half of 2002-03 ........................... Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Short-circuit possibly caused fire at NFAI The high level inquiry set up to probe into the fire incidence of National Films Archives of India (NFAI) at Pune on January 8, 2003, ........................... Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Notification on CAS issued The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has specified that a minimum of 30 (thirty) free-to-air television channels would have to be included in the package of channels forming the basic service tier after 14th July, 2003 ........................... Ministry of Commerce & Industry Potential for greater Indo-Italian trade underlined The need to tap the vast potential for greater bilateral trade between India and Italy was underlined at a meeting between the Italian Minister of State for Productive Activities ........................... Ministry of Commerce & Industry Agricultural exports on rise The exports of agricultural products which were valued at Rs. 24626 crore at the beginning of the 9th Plan (1997-98) have gone up to Rs. 27922 crore in 2001-02. ........................... Ministry of Labour Consolidation of Labour Laws The Second National Commission on Labour in its report submitted to the Government has made wide-ranging recommendations on various facets of labour, ........................... Ministry of Labour Remittances by workers abroad In an effort to increase the remittances made by the Indian workers working abroad the address various problems being faced by the Indian workers, the Central Government ........................... Ministry of Labour Cases pending in Labour Courts The number of industrial disputes that are pending in the Central Government Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Courts during the last three years are as under: ........................... Ministry of Labour Accidental deaths in Industries The Factories Act, 1948 and the rules frames there under prescribe the safety and health provisions for the workers employed in factories. ........................... Ministry of Labour EPF defaulters As on 31st March 2002, Rs. 1336.24 crores was outstanding as PF arrears. ........................... Ministry of Labour Recommendations of Manisana Wage Board As per Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955, t ........................... Ministry of External Affairs India's response to Pak Prime Minister's statement Government have been continuously taking appropriate and effective steps, both on the ground and at diplomatic level, ........................... Ministry of External Affairs Rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Iraq In response to the UN emergency appeal for humanitarian assistance to Iraq, India has already announced a contribution of $20 million in cash and kind including 50,000 MT of wheat. ........................... Ministry of External Affairs Japan's opposition on transfer of nuclear technology to North Korea In an interview given to the Hindu on 2/1/03, Japanese Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Answering a question on Japan's view on ........................... Ministry of External Affairs Selection of journalists for official delegations The Ministry of External Affairs handles media arrangements for VVIP visits abroad. ........................... Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Sports Minister congratulates Ms. Anjali Bhagwat Shri Vikram Verma, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports has congratulated Ms. Anjali Bhagwat on her winning the World Cup Gold in the Air Rifle Women's event of ISSF World Cup at Atlanta, U.S.A. ........................... Ministry of Environment & Forests Task Force to be constituted to make CREP more effective Task force involving experts, industry associations field engineers is proposed to be constituted to make the charter on Corporate Responsibility for Environment Protection (CREP) -Implementation and Monitoring more effective. ........................... Ministry of Home Affairs Milad-Un-Nabi Holiday on May 15, 2003 Milad-Un-Nabi, Prophet Mohammad's Birthday will be celebrated on May 15, 2003. Accordingly the Public Holiday on May 14, 2003 ........................... Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Essential Commodities Act amended to streamline sugar industry The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2003 has been passed by Lok Sabha today enabling the Central government to take necessary steps to safeguard the interests of sugarcane growers, sugar mills and the general public. ........................... Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment 25.80 crore rupees distributed to OBC women beneficiaries under Swarnima Scheme The National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation, NBCFDC, apart from its various scheme, is implementing "New Swarnima" Scheme for OBC women living below the poverty line ........................... Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Service Centres of Maruti Udyog Limited The Government of India is a minority shareholder in the Maruti Udyog Limited. According to Maruti Udyog Ltd. during the last three years ........................... Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Agreements in auto industry In the post liberalised economy a number of global auto manufacturers including Volvo, Daimler Chrysler and Cummins Inc. have set up manufacturing facilities in India ........................... Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Protection of retirement benefits Government have provided for exgratia compensation under voluntary retirement scheme in May, 2000 and November, 2001 ........................... Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Long term agreements in PSUs The public sector enterprises have option to enter into wage negotiations for 10 years or 5 years subject to certain stipulations. ........................... Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Non-payment of salaries of employees in CCI Officers and staff of three operating units of CCI viz. Rajban (Himachal Pradesh), Bokajan (Assam) and Tandur (Andhra Pradesh) and all Zonal Offices are being paid on regular basis from within the internal resources of the Company. ........................... Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Power generation from NCES in Uttar Pradesh It is estimated that about 258.50 million units of electricity was generated from non-conventional energy sources during 2002-03 in Uttar Pradesh. ........................... Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy New technology to develop bio-mass energy A target of 775 MW has been fixed for biomass power projects for the Tenth Five Year Plan. ........................... Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Funds for existing development projects The Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources has provided financial support of Rs.3.68 crore for the development of various non-conventional energ ........................... President's Secretariat P.M. meets President The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee met the President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. ........................... Ministry of Science & Technology Dr. Joshi hails GSLV-D2's successful launch "It is another momentus day in Indian Space history. Infact, we are just a step away from launching our own INSATs from our own soil. ........................... Ministry of Science & Technology MoS Space applauds successful launch of GSLV-D2 The Minister of State for Department of Space Shri Satyabrata Mookherjee applauds successful launch of the second experimental flight of GSLV - D2. ........................... Ministry of Textiles Striking textile units start production The Official sources in the Ministry of Textiles have stated that the announcements made by the Finance Minister Shri Jaswant Singh on April 30, 2003 ........................... Prime Minister's Office PM's statement in the Lok Sabha on the successful launch of GSLV The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee made the following statement in the Lok Sabha on the successful launch of GSLV today: ........................... Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas 24 exploration blocks offered for global bidding under NELP-IV Shri Ram Naik, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, launched the fourth round of bidding under the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP-IV) on 8th May at New Delhi. ...........................