Telangana State Budget 2016-17

presented

15-MAR-2016

Telangana State Finance Minister Etala Rajender on 14 March 2016 presented the State Budget for the financial year 2016-17 in the legislative assembly.

Though the Budget for 2016-17 is the third Budget of the State since its formation 2 June 2014, it is the first Budget to be prepared after a comprehensive review of all items of expenditure and a realistic assessment of resources based on the facts and figures.

Macroeconomic scenario

• The budget was built on the vision of Bangaru (Golden) Telangana. For this purpose an outlay of 130415 crore rupees were proposed. Out of this planned expenditure is 67631 crore rupees. The budget size for 2015-16 was 115000 crore rupees.

• GSDP is estimated to grow at 11.7 percent in 2015-16 at current prices. This growth rate is more than the national average of 8.6 percent.

• The fiscal deficit was estimated at 23467 crore rupees or 3.5 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for 2016-17. Lower than 4 percent deficit can be achieved on account of surplus in the revenue account.

• Revenue receipts are proposed at 72412 crore rupees in 2016-17 as compared with 54256 crore rupees in 2015-16.

• Transfers from the Centre proposed at 28512.52 crores as compared to 25223 crore rupees in 2015-16.

• The per capita income of the State at current prices improved by 12.7 per cent in 2014-15 to 129182 rupees and is estimated to further improve by 10.7 percent to 143023 in 2015-16, much higher than the national average of 93231 rupees.

General Highlights of the Budget

• Irrigation: It is the major beneficiary of the Budget. The ultimate objective is to provide irrigation water to every acre of cultivated land in the State and making agriculture in the State totally drought-proof.

• For the construction of irrigation projects and Mission Kakatiya, the amount proposed in 2016-17 is 25000 crore rupees.

• 7861 crore rupees allocated for Palamuru Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme, 6286 crore rupees for Kaleshwaram project and 1152 crore rupees for Sitharama and Bhakta Ramadasu lift irrigation projects.

• Agriculture and allied sectors: A total of 6759 crore rupees allocated to this sector.

• Government proposed to cover 600 SC and ST farmers under poly house cultivation in 2016-17 with 100 percent subsidy.

• Telangana State Horticulture Development Corporation will be set up to promote cultivation of horticulture crops, procurement, storage, processing and marketing of horticulture produce. It will also facilitate implementation of water saving technologies like micro irrigation.

• Medical and health sector: Stabilisation, standardization and consolidation of medical and health services in the State are the main focus areas in 2016-17. 5967 crore rupees allocated for this sector.

• About 40 Dialysis and 40 Diagnostic centres are also proposed.

• Community Health Centres will be transferred to Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad for better administration.

• Housing: Two lakh two-bedroom houses will be constructed in 2016-17. Funds will be raised in the form of loans from the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco).

• Special Development Fund: The fund will be set up with 4675 crore rupees to allow ministers and MLAs to take up impromptu developmental works.

Sector wise allocation of funds

• Irrigation projects - 25000 crore rupees

• Mission Bhagiratha - 40000 crore rupees

• Health sector - 5967 crore rupees

• Education sector – 10738 crore rupees

• SC welfare - 7122 crore rupees

• ST welfare - 3552 crore rupees

• BC welfare - 2538 crore rupees

• Aasara pensions - 4693 crore rupees

• Kalyana Lakshmi scheme - 738 crore rupees

• Women and Child Welfare - 1553 crore rupees

• Brahmin Welfare Corporation - 100 crore rupees

• Roads and Buildings - 3333 crore rupees

• Panchayat Raj and Rural Development - 10731 crore rupees

• Urban Development - 4815 crore rupees

• Industries - 967 crore rupees

• IT and Communications - 254 crore rupees

• Special Develpment Fund - 4675 crore rupees

Parytak Mitra Programme to enable

Students to act as Tourist Facilitators

15-MAR-2016

Parytak Mitra Programme: Skill initiatives to improve the sectoral service standards

Parytak Mitra Programme was in news on 14 March 2016. It came in news after the information on the same was provided in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (I/C) Dr. Mahesh Sharma.

The programme was launched by Union Ministry of Tourism on 12 January 2016 (National Youth Day) to inculcate appropriate tourism traits and knowledge amongst the trainees to enable them to act/work as Tourist Facilitators (Prayatak Mitra).

The programme seeks to improve the sectoral service standards, which is one of the pre-requisites for attracting tourists in larger numbers.

Objective of the Programme

i) To inculcate appropriate tourism traits and knowledge amongst the trainees to enable them to act/work as Tourist Facilitators (Prayatak Mitra).

ii) To expect the young men and women so trained to act as catalyst / resource persons in turn for similar effort.

iii) To gradually work towards a tourism-sensitive citizenary

Target Group & Eligibility

College going student including those enrolled with the NCC & NSS in the age group of 18 – 28 years. The age will be reckoned on the last date prescribed for application for admission. The applicant will also furnish a no-objection / sponsorship letter issued by the Principal concerned as to his/her joining the programme.

Jammu & Kashmir State Administrative Council approved Industrial Policy-2016

15-MAR-2016

Jammu & Kashmir State Administrative Council (JKSAC) under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra on 14 March 2016 approved the Industrial Policy-2016.

The aim of the Industrial Policy 2016 is to attract over 2000 crore rupees investment per annum and will be effective for next 10 years that is up to 31 March 2026.

The policy was formulated by the Industries and Commerce Department after thorough consultation with all the stakeholders.

Key Features of the Industrial Policy-2016

• It will enable creating business-friendly environment in the state through Ease of Doing Business which will facilitate the investors to establish Industrial Units and pave way for the establishment of mega units including that of Electronic City in the State.

• Apart from investment generation it also targets to create annually 15000 direct and indirect employment opportunities through upgradation and creation of infrastructure and establishment of new industries.

• It targets creation of land bank of 2500 acres across the state, zoning of districts in the state based on the extent and degree of industrial development in different districts, and supply of additional 150 Mw power every year.

• To set up an asset reconstruction company in partnership with J&K Bank was envisaged for the revival of sick industrial units.

• An investment facility cell was constituted at SIDCO and SICOP to facilitate the investors.

• Entrepreneurship and skill development fund was created for skill development of entrepreneurs.

• Environmental protection through setting up of green industries and adoption of green technologies were also incorporated in the Policy.

• The policy proposes setting up of industrial grievance forums to speedily sort out grievances and solve interdepartmental issues faced by entrepreneurs.

Myanmar Parliament elected Htin

Kyaw as first civilian President

15-MAR-2016

Myanmar's Parliament on 15 March 2016 elected Htin Kyaw as the first civilian president to lead the country after 53 years of military rule. Army took power in a 1962 coup.

He is a close aide and adviser of Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

He was elected with 360 of the total 652 votes casted while, military-nominated Myint Swe received 213 votes and stood second followed by the other NLD candidate, Henry Van Thio, who got 79 votes

They will serve as first vice-president and second vice-president respectively.

Kyaw will replace Thein Sein who will step down at the end of March 2016 after five years of army-backed rule.

Htin Kyaw was elected under a complex system in which the two chambers of parliament nominated two presidential candidates and military MPs nominated a third, assuring the army continued influence.

The army also retains 25 percent of seats in parliament under a 2008 constitution that it drafted, giving it an effective veto on constitutional change. It also keeps key ministerial portfolios related to security.

Back ground

The NLD swept to victory in historic elections in November 2015 with a huge majority in both houses of parliament. However, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of NLD, could not run for president because a clause in the constitution says that anyone whose children have another nationality cannot become president. Her children hold British passports.

UP Cabinet approved Senior Citizen

Policy

15-MAR-2016

Uttar Pradesh Government on 14 March 2016 approved a policy for senior citizens. Under the policy the state government will set up old age homes and also announced increase in monthly pension by 100 rupees, that is, monthly pension will increase from existing 300 rupees to 400 rupees.

The decision was taken during a cabinet meet chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The policy will come into effect from 1 April 2016 and the social welfare department has been made the nodal agency for this new policy.

Highlights of the Policy

• The policy was formulated under which old age homes and juvenile homes would be set up under one roof.

• The Government would provide land free of cost and the NGO would be asked to operate the same at no profit no loss basis.

• The new policy reserves 25 percent seats in these old age homes for the BPL families who will be provided free residence and food.

• A tribunal would be set to hear the cases related to the atrocities against the senior citizen.

• All the police stations would also have a separate senior citizen register.

• Any offence against senior citizen, like throwing them out of their houses by children, would be punishable for up to three years of jail and 10000 rupees fine.

• The schools and colleges would be asked to celebrate Dada-dadi and nana-nani diwas on regular basis.

Some other decisions taken at the

meet

• Free dialysis at district hospitals will be created: The scheme will be operated with the help of private players under PPP model. Under this scheme 180 dialysis machines would be set up in select district hospitals.

• Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Kanpur metro to the tune of 17000 crore rupees was approved. The DPR is prepared by RITES. The total length of the Kanpur metro would be 32 km divided in two corridors. It will have 31 stations – 19 of which will be elevated. Now the proposal would be sent to the Union Government for approval.

• The implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana under which houses will be made available to all by 2022 was approved. Under the scheme, Union Government would finance 60 percent of the project while the rest would be shared by the state government.

• Decision to construct Taj Orientation Centre and Shilpgram at the eastern gate of Taj Mahal was made. DPR of 23185.25 lakh rupees was approved.

• It approved demolition of the structure of UP Animal Husbandry Department at CG City to facilitate construction of cancer institute.

• It also approved the Mobile (Trolley-based) Solar Panel and Pump Programme.

Delhi clinched Lloyd Business Today

Pro-Am of Champions golf title

15-MAR-2016

Delhi on 13 March 2016 won the 20th edition of the Lloyd Business Today Pro-Am of Champions golf tournament.

The final of this event was played at the Jack Nicklaus designed Classic Golf Resort in Gurgaon.

Delhi, comprising of Bharat Dhawan (Mazars), Avesh Bhatnagar(M/S Bhatnagar Agencies), Ravi Khanna (Kwikforms Structurals) and Saurabh Sood (GATX,) prevailed with a combined score of 105 points in the event where India's top corporate decision makers and leading golfing professionals played together.

The Mumbai team, comprising of Subrat Mohanty, Pramod Bhambani, Jayen Ramesh Shah and Paras Shah, ended as runners-up with 101 points.

About Lloyd Business Today Pro-Am of

Champions

• Lloyd Business Today Pro-Am of Champions is one of India's most prestigious corporate Golf events. It is an exclusive invitational event for CEOs and corporate heads across India.

• In its 20th edition, the tournament was played across 4 regions and culminated with the national finals in Delhi.

YES Bank inked MoU with India Brazil

Chamber for strategic cooperation

15-MAR-2016

India's fifth largest private sector Bank, YES Bank on 11 March 2016 signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India Brazil Chamber of Commerce (IBCC) to enable significant cooperation in terms of knowledge partnerships, project consultancy, B2B opportunities, skill and technology initiatives.

As per the announcement of YES Bank, the MoU signing comes in the run up to the 8th Annual BRICS Summit to be held in New Delhi in 2016.

The core sectors covered in the MoU will be Sports, Media and Entertainment with special focus on IT, Infrastructure, Broadcast and Innovative solutions driven business opportunities.

YES BANK and IBCC will jointly endeavour to explore exchange of best practices in Sports goods Manufacturing, CSR in sports, SM&E talent management.

Moreover, IBCC will also recommend YES BANK as the Preferred Bank to Brazilian companies looking to do business in India.

Key highlights of the MoU

• Knowledge partnerships: Including with various industry bodies/chambers and at Brazil Government/ Embassy forums.

IBCC and YES BANK will also create knowledge reports together by facilitating industry and Government participation on the same.

• Project Consultancy: Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on entry strategies for Brazil companies in the Sports, Media and Entertainment space into India.

• B2B Opportunities: Identifying the right business partners in India for Brazil companies for strategic/business tie-ups and for Indian companies interested in strategic tie-ups/investments in the Brazil.

Assist in financing advisory covering strategic advisory, fund raising, direct & structured financing.

• Skill Initiatives: Jointly facilitating imparting of soft skills in Sports, Media and Entertainment sector (to individuals/corporate/NGO community, education institutions etc.)

• Education in SM&E: Exchange program for education institutes in SM&E and imparting best global practices/education systems.

• Introduction to existing Brazil companies in India: More than 13 Brazil companies are currently operating in India.

• Preferred Banker status to YES BANK as well as Sports, Media and Entertainment Advisor recommendation to potential companies, looking at investing in/entering India for strategic partnerships with Indian entities.

• Introduction to companies in Information and Technology in SM&E: Would provide a platform for both companies in India and Brazil to showcase/exchange technology/knowledge.

• Introduction to companies in Infrastructure development in Sports: Enhancement of state of the art infra installations in Media and Entertainment.

• SM&E Value chain analysis and trade policy advisory with Government and industry associations.

• Harness business opportunity specifically in Sports goods Manufacturing, CSR in sports, SM&E talent management.

About India-Brazil Chamber of

Commerce

• India-Brazil Chamber of Commerce was founded in 2003 in Brazil.

• It is a non-profit organisation, which aims to foster the economic, cultural and tourism ties between India and Brazil, facilitating bilateral business and assisting its members in relevant matters, providing them its operational infrastructure and its knowledge of both cultures.

• The Chamber promotes imports-exports of Indian and Brazilian members offering quality customized services, through a professional team committed to the order of their members.

NBFC Altico Capital appointed Naina

Lal Kidwai as independent non-

executive director

15-MAR-2016

Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Altico Capital India on 14 March 2016 appointed former HSBC India chairperson Naina Lal Kidwai as an independent non-executive director on its board.

Kidwai retired as Executive Director on the board of HSBC Asia-Pacific and Chairperson of HSBC India after a 13-year stint in December 2015.

About Naina Lal Kidwai

• Naina Lal Kidwai is an Indian banker, Chartered Accountant and business executive.

• She is also a former President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

• She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from University of Delhi and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1982. She was the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School and also the first woman to guide the functioning of a foreign bank in India.

• She has also been honoured with the Padma Shri award for her contributions in the areas of trade and industry.

• She has also received ALL Ladies League's Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award 2013 for Excellence in Banking.

Indian Scholar H Deep Saini appointed

Vice Chancellor of Canberra University

15-MAR-2016

Renowned Indian scholar and plant physiologist H Deep Saini on 9 March 2016 was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the prestigious University of Canberra.

Saini, currently the Vice-President of the University of Toronto and Principal of the University of Toronto Mississauga campus in Canada, will succeed Vice Chancellor Stephen Parker in September 2016.

Who is H Deep Saini?

• Hargurdeep Saini, also known as Deep Saini, is a notable scientist and plant physiologist.

• He has previously served as the dean of the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario.

• An alumnus of Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, and later the University of Adelaide, Australia, he joined many Indian-origin educationists holding high positions in Canadian universities.

• He began his academic career in Canada in 1982 when he joined the University of Alberta as a post-doctoral fellow.

• He is currently a member of the NSERC's Biological Systems and Functions grant selection panel, the Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Botany.

Booker prize-winner Anita Brookner

died

15-MAR-2016

The Booker prize-winning British author and renowned art historian Anita Brookner died on 10 March 2016. She was 87.

Brookner, who won the Booker in 1984 for her novel Hotel du Lac, was a bestselling author and wrote more than 25 novels.

Brookner, who in 1967 became the first female to be named a Slade professor of art at Cambridge University, was known for her style and stories centering on the theme of middle-class loneliness, often featuring female protagonists.

In 1990, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). She was a Fellow of King's College London and of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge.

She was born in Herne Hill, a suburb of London to a Polish immigrant family. Her family changed the family’s surname to Brookner because of anti-German sentiment in Britain.

Brookner was educated at the private James Allen's Girls' School. In 1949 she received a BA in History from King's College London, and in 1953 a doctorate in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London.

Some of her works includes

• A Start in Life, 1981 (her first novel)

• Greuze 1725-1805: The Rise and Fall of an Eighteenth-century Phenomenon (1972)

• Jacques-Louis David (1980)

• A Start in Life (1981, US title The Debut)

• Providence (1982)

• Look at Me (1983)

• Hotel du Lac (1984) (won the Booker Prize)

• Family and Friends (1985)

• Latecomers (1988)

• Lewis Percy (1989)

• The Next Big Thing (2002, US title Making Things Better), longlisted for the Booker Prize

• The Rules of Engagement (2003)

• At The Hairdressers (2011), novella, available as an e-book only

Honours conferred on Brookner

• 1984 Man Booker Prize, Best English Language Novel, Hotel du Lac

• 1990 Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• 2010 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, Strangers (shortlist)

90% of domestic workers excluded

from social protection: ILO

16-MAR-2016

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) on 14 March 2016 announced that around 90 percent of domestic workers in the world are excluded from social protection.

It was revealed by the ILO in its Social Protection Policy Paper 16 entitled Social protection for domestic workers: Key policy trends and statistics.

Highlights of Social Protection Policy

Paper 16

• 60 million of the world’s 67 million domestic workers still do not have access to any kind of social security coverage.

• The vast majority of domestic workers are women, accounting for 80 per cent of all workers in the sector globally.

• Most of their work is undervalued and unprotected. When domestic workers become old or injured, they are fired, without a pension or adequate income support.

• As female workforce highly subject to social and economic vulnerability, policies to extend social protection to domestic workers are key elements in the fight against poverty and the promotion of gender equality.

• The largest gaps in social security coverage for domestic work are concentrated in developing countries, with Asia and Latin America representing 68 per cent of domestic workers worldwide.

• The study revealed that social protection deficits for domestic workers also persist in some industrialized countries.

• In Italy, for example, some 60 per cent of domestic workers are not registered with, or contributing to, social security systems.

• In Spain and France, 30 per cent of domestic workers are excluded from social security coverage.

• It cautioned that migrant domestic workers – currently estimated at 11.5 million worldwide – often face even greater discrimination.

• Around 14 per cent of countries whose social security systems provide some type of coverage for domestic workers do not extend the same rights to migrant domestic workers.

• Apart from mandatory coverage, the strategies to protect them should include fiscal incentives, registration plans, awareness-raising campaigns targeting domestic workers and their employers as well as service voucher mechanisms.

• Domestic work should also be integrated into broader policies aimed at reducing informal work.

• The coverage of domestic workers by social security schemes is feasible and affordable, including in lower middle and low-income countries, as evidence from Mali, Senegal and Viet Nam clearly demonstrates.

Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography

authored by Pramod Kapoor

16-MAR-2016

Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography: Pramod Kapoor

Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography authored by Pramod Kapoor was in news in the second week of March 2016. It is a biography of Mahatma Gandhi who played a key role in Indian independence movement.

The book is an intimate study into the evolution of a mischievous, fun-loving boy, into the Mahatma. It also seeks to decode Gandhi for modern generation

The chronological text and accompanying photographs in the book bring out Gandhi’s unique complexities – his failures and successes, the intimate relations he shared with his contemporaries, and the difficult one he shared with his own family.

The books covers all the important aspects of his life – schooling, early marriage in Kathiawar, his college days in London, employment in South Africa, train ride in Pietermaritzburg, etc.

About Pramod Kapoor

• He is the founder and publisher of Roli Books that was established in 1978.

• He has conceived and produced award-winning books that includeThen and Now series, Made for Maharajas, New Delhi: The Making of a Capital.

• Gandhi: An Illustrated Biography is his first book as an author. It will be followed by another book My Experiments with Gandhi.

Lok Sabha passed Constitution

(Scheduled Castes) Order

(Amendment) Bill, 2016

16-MAR-2016

Lok Sabha on 15 March 2016 passed Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The bill seeks to amend the Constitution Scheduled Castes Order 1950.

The bill was passed on proposals of five states, namely Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Kerala, Odisha and West Bengal, to modify the list of Scheduled Castes in their states.

The proposal relates to the inclusion of certain communities, modification and removal of area restriction in respect of certain communities and exclusion of certain communities in the case of State of Odisha.

Following castes/ communities have

been included/excluded/modified in

the list of Scheduled Castes:

State

Inclusion/ Exclusion/Other modification

Community

Chhattisgarh

Inclusion

(i) Sais, Sahis, Sarathi, Soot-Sarathi, Thanwar

Haryana

Inclusion

(ii) Aheria, Aheri, Hari, Heri, Thori, Turi

(iii) Rai Sikh

Kerala

Modification in the area of specification

(iv)Malayan

Inclusion

(v)Peruvannan

Odisha

Exclusion

(vi) Bariki

(vii)Kummari

West Bengal

Removal of area restriction

(viii) Chain

The Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has already conveyed their concurrence to the modifications.

The amendment to the Constitution Schedule Caste Order 1950 was done in accordance with the clause (2) of Article 341 of the Indian Constitution. Clause (2) of the aforesaid article empowers the Parliament to modify 1950 order from time to time.

Earlier on 27 November 2014, Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders Amendment Bill, 2014 to include more castes under Scheduled Castes category in four states namely Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tripura; and exclude Majhi (Nepali) community from it in Sikkim.

ICICI Bank launched NFC-based

mobile payment solution Touch & Pay

16-MAR-2016

ICICI Bank on 15 March 2016 announced a new mobile payment solution Touch & Pay. This solution is based on Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and will enable the bank’s customers to make secure contactless payments at retail stores using smartphones.

Features of Touch & Pay

• The feature will be incorporated into the existing Pockets application of the bank.

• Customers can make payment by tapping smart phone at a NFC enabled merchant terminal and make the payment through account linked ICICI Bank Debit/Credit Card.

• To ensure security of the card details, for every payment done at a merchant store using this service, a one-use unique token is created by the Bank's server and will be sent via encryption to the merchant,

• The facility will be available in the last week of March 2016 at more than 60000 merchants across the country.

Reliance Industries, Tata Motors

among top 10 sustainable firms:

Sustainable Plus Survey

16-MAR-2016

The Sustainable Plus survey on 14 March 2016 revealed that RIL, Vedanta, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and Wipro are among the top 10 companies, which have received the tag of India's most sustainable firms. These companies were followed by ITC, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Hindustan Zinc and ACC.

The survey conducted by CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development also revealed that the banking sector benefited from the high scores of HDFC and Axis banks. On the other hand, scores of Tech Mahindra and Wipro gave a boost to performance of software and services sector.

However, out of 100 firms profiled belonging to 20 sectors, only 18 companies responded to the Information Request (IR), while two companies partially responded. The remaining companies either did not respond to the IR or declined to participate.

Key highlights of the survey

• Ten companies, including Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Hindustan Zinc, Vedanta, ACC and Reliance Industries, were classified as Sustainable Plus Platinum. These companies showed the highest levels of adherence to sustainable business practices.

• Seven companies, including Bajaj Auto, Ambuja Cements, Hindustan Unilever and Tata Steel, received a Sustainable Plus Gold classification.

• The remaining 83 companies got Sustainable Plus Bronze.

• Social governance was the next highest scorer due to the adoption of occupation health & safety management systems and dedicated Corporate Social Responsibility norms.

• The environment dimension had the lowest overall performance scores.

About Sustainable Plus

• The Sustainable Plus survey looks at the 100 largest companies by market capitalisation across 20 sectors in the country.

• It is aimed at checking the environment, social and governance dimensions of business and measures the progress of Indian companies in adopting sustainable business practices.

• Sustainable Plus rates the companies across three levels, which are platinum, gold and bronze.

• The label is accorded to companies based on their responses.

• They are graded on parameters like governance and social and environmental initiatives.

• Companies that receive the Sustainable Plus Platinum are India's most sustainable firms.

World Consumer Rights Day 2016

observed with theme Antibiotics off

the Menu

16-MAR-2016

15 March: World Consumer Rights Day

The World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) 2016 was observed on 15 March 2016. The day was celebrated by the Consumers International (CI) across the world with the theme Antibiotics off the Menu.

The theme was taken up to ensure that fast food companies make a global commitment to stop the sale of meat raised with the routine use of antibiotics important to human medicine.

Significance of the theme

Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) cautioned that the world is heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which important medicines stop working and common infections and minor injuries can once again kill.

Growing antibiotic resistance is driven by over use of antibiotics. Around half of the antibiotics produced globally are used in agriculture, with much of this being used to promote faster growth and to prevent, rather than treat, disease.

Despite worldwide concern about the overuse of antibiotics, their use in agriculture is due to increase by two thirds by 2030 - from 63200 tons in 2010 to 105600 tons in 2030.

Against this backdrop, consumers have an important role to play in persuading food companies to make the changes that are needed to stop this global public health threat and protect our medicines for the future.

About World Consumer Rights Day

• It is an opportunity to promote the basic rights of all consumers, for demanding that those rights are respected and protected, and for protesting the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them.

• Every year, the CI chooses a theme and organizes various consumer awareness activities in close coordination with the governmental and non-governmental organizations.

• The CI is the world federation of consumer groups that serves as the only independent and authoritative global voice for consumers.

• The WCRD is observed on 15 March every year to commemorate the historic address given by the then US President John F Kennedy to the US congress in 1962.

• In the speech he outlined the definition of consumer rights for the first time. He was the first world leader to formally define ‘consumer rights’.

• WCRD was first observed on 15 March 1983 and has since become an important occasion for mobilizing citizen action.

• In 2015, WCRD was observed with the theme Fix Our Phone Rights Helping consumers choose healthy diets.

• In India, National Consumer Rights Day is observed annually on 24 December.

World Consumer Rights Day 2016

observed with theme Antibiotics off

the Menu

16-MAR-2016

15 March: World Consumer Rights Day

The World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) 2016 was observed on 15 March 2016. The day was celebrated by the Consumers International (CI) across the world with the theme Antibiotics off the Menu.

The theme was taken up to ensure that fast food companies make a global commitment to stop the sale of meat raised with the routine use of antibiotics important to human medicine.

Significance of the theme

Despite worldwide concern about the overuse of antibiotics, their use in agriculture is due to increase by two thirds by 2030 - from 63200 tons in 2010 to 105600 tons in 2030.

About World Consumer Rights Day

• Every year, the CI chooses a theme and organizes various consumer awareness activities in close coordination with the governmental and non-governmental organizations.

• The CI is the world federation of consumer groups that serves as the only independent and authoritative global voice for consumers.

• The WCRD is observed on 15 March every year to commemorate the historic address given by the then US President John F Kennedy to the US congress in 1962.

• In the speech he outlined the definition of consumer rights for the first time. He was the first world leader to formally define ‘consumer rights’.

• WCRD was first observed on 15 March 1983 and has since become an important occasion for mobilizing citizen action.

• In 2015, WCRD was observed with the theme Fix Our Phone Rights Helping consumers choose healthy diets.

• In India, National Consumer Rights Day is observed annually on 24 December.

Lok Sabha passed Real Estate

(Regulation and Development) Bill,

2015

16-MAR-2016

Lok Sabha on 15 March 2016 passed the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2015. The Bill seeks set up a Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) for the orderly growth of the real state sector.

The bill aims at protecting the interests of the large number of aspiring house buyers and enhances the credibility of construction industry.Earlier, it was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 10 March 2016.

The bill seeks to create a set of rights and obligations for both the consumers and developers.

The mandatory registration for projects has been brought down to 500 sq m area, or those comprising eight flats. It also provides for a clear definition of carpet area and a system that would require the consent of two-thirds of the buyers in case there are changes in project plans.

World Kidney Day 2016 observed with

theme Kidney Disease & Children. Act

Early to Prevent It!

16-MAR-2016

10 March 2016: World Kidney Day

World Kidney Day (WKD) was observed globally on 10 March 2016 with the theme Kidney Disease & Children. Act Early to Prevent It!

The theme was taken up to inform parents, caregivers, young patients, policy makers and the general public of the importance of identifying and treating childhood kidney diseases.

World Kidney Day

The World Kidney Day is annually observed on the second Thursday in March. It is a joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF).

The day is a global health awareness campaign that focuses on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.

World Kidney Day started in 2006. Themes of the day since its start includes

• 2016 Kidney Disease & Children. Act Early to Prevent It!

• 2015 Kidney Health for All

• 2014 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and aging

• 2013 Kidneys for Life – Stop Kidney Attack!

• 2012 Donate – Kidneys for Life – Receive

• 2011 Protect your kidneys: Save your heart

• 2010 Protect your kidneys: Control diabetes

• 2009 Protect your kidneys: Keep your pressure down

• 2008 Your amazing kidneys!

• 2007 CKD: Common, harmful and treatable

• 2006 Are your kidneys OK?

The International Society of

Nephrology (ISN)

The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is a not-for-profit society dedicated to advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of kidney diseases in 126 countries. The Society celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010.

The International Federation of Kidney

Foundations (IFKF)

The IFKF, a not-for-profit federation founded in 1999 and currently has a membership of 63 kidney foundations and patient groups in 41 countries. IFKF advocates worldwide improving the health, well-being and quality of life of individuals with kidney disease.

UN suspended Maria Sharapova as

goodwill ambassador after doping

allegations

16-MAR-2016

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on 15 March 2016 suspended Maria Sharapova as a goodwill ambassador.

The five-time grand slam winner who became a goodwill ambassador in February 2007 was suspended after she tested positive for the banned substance meldonium at 2016 Australian Open.

The New York based UNDP in a statement said that it was suspending Sharapova, who worked as a goodwill Ambassador, until the outcome of the investigation into her case is known.

Maria Sharapova provisionally suspended after failing drug test at Australian Open

The statement said that the UNDP remains grateful to Maria Sharapova for her support of our work, especially around the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster recovery.

On 7 March 2016, the Russian tennis player announced that she tested positive for a drug called meldonium, also known as Mildronate, at the Australian Open.