Jal Manthan –III to be held on January 13, 2017 

With a view to have wider consultations among various stakeholders to brain-storm new ideas for solutions to various issues of water sector the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has organized the third National conference called “Jal Manthan-III” on January 13, 2017 in New Delhi. Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti will inaugurate the conference.

 

The daylong event will have consultations and discussions on Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, River Basin Management, River Rejuvenation and Ecology, Flood management, Water use efficiency and Participatory irrigation management. The focus will be on refining policies of the Ministry to make them more people friendly and responsive to the needs of the states. 

 

About 700 participants comprising Union Ministers of related Ministries/Departments, Chief Ministers of some States/Union Territories, Irrigation/ Water Resources Ministers of States/UTs, eminent experts in water sector, representatives of NGOs and senior officers of the Central and State Governments will be attending the event. 

 

It may be recalled that the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharati has emphasized the need to hold wider consultations amongst various stakeholders engaged in water resource development and management to achieve synergy of water resource development with environment, wild-life and various social and cultural practices. Jal Manthan programmes are being held to achieve this purpose.  The earlier Jal Man

Water level of 91 major reservoirs of the country goes down by Two per cent 

The Water storage available in 91 major reservoirs of the country for the week ending on January 05, 2017 was 89.348 BCM, which is 57% of total storage capacity of these reservoirs. This was 126% of the storage of corresponding period of last year and 98% of storage of average of last ten years.  

The total storage capacity of these 91 reservoirs is 157.799 BCM which is about 62% of the total storage capacity of 253.388 BCM which is estimated to have been created in the country. 37 Reservoirs out of these 91 have hydropower benefit with installed capacity of more than 60 MW.

 REGION WISE STORAGE STATUS:-

 

            NORTHERN REGION

The northern region includes States of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan. There are 6 reservoirs under CWC monitoring having total live storage capacity of 18.01 BCM. The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 8.1 BCM which is 45% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage during corresponding period of last year was 53% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 54% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, storage during current year is less than the corresponding period of last year and is also less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.

EASTERN REGION

The Eastern region includes States of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Tripura. There are 15 reservoirs under CWC monitoring having total live storage capacity of 18.83 BCM. The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 14.75 BCM which is 78% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage during corresponding period of last year was 58% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 69% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, storage during current year is better than the corresponding period of last year and is also better than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.

 WESTERN REGION

The Western region includes States of Gujarat and Maharashtra. There are 27 reservoirs under CWC monitoring having total live storage capacity of 27.07 BCM. The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 18.35 BCM which is 68% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage during corresponding period of last year was 40% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 64% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, storage during current year is better than the storage of last year and is also better than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.

 CENTRAL REGION

The Central region includes States of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. There are 12 reservoirs under CWC monitoring having total live storage capacity of 42.30 BCM. The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 30.70 BCM which is 73% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage during corresponding period of last year was 55% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 53% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, storage during current year is better than the storage of last year and is also better than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.

 SOUTHERN REGION

The Southern region includes States of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, AP&TG (Two combined projects in both states) Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. There are 31 reservoirs under CWC monitoring having total live storage capacity of 51.59 BCM. The total live storage available in these reservoirs is 17.45 BCM which is 34% of total live storage capacity of these reservoirs. The storage during corresponding period of last year was 31% and average storage of last ten years during corresponding period was 56% of live storage capacity of these reservoirs. Thus, storage during current year is better than the corresponding period of last year but is less than the average storage of last ten years during the corresponding period.

 States having better storage than last year for corresponding period are Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, AP&TG (Two combined projects in both states), Telangana and Karnataka. States having lesser storage than last year for corresponding period are Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

****

 

Shri Gadkari Flags Off Road Safety Walk: Calls Upon The Youth to Educate The Public about Road Safety Issues

 

The Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari flagged off a Road Safety Walk from India Gate in New Delhi this morning. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ashok Gajpathi Raju and  Minister of State for Home Affair Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir were also present on the occasion. The walk was organized by the Ministry  of Road Transport and Highways, in association with Delhi Police and Society for Indian Automobile Manufactures (SIAM) to create awareness about road safety among the general public and to solicit their active participation in the road safety movement.  The walk marks the beginning of the Road Safety Week which is being observed from 9^th to 15^th of January 2017.  Several NGOs and youth organizations also participated in the walk.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Gadkari  reiterated the commitment of his Ministry to reduce the number of road accidents and the associated fatalities by 50 in the next few years. He said his Ministry was working on all the 4 Es of road safety – Engineering, Enforcement, Education and Emergency Care – to meet this objective. He informed that the work of rectification of identified accident Black Spots was on  in full swing. An amount of Rs 11,000 Crore has been set aside for this purpose. He also called upon people to report to the Ministry any spot where there were very frequent road accidents, so that steps could be taken to rectify the engineering defects. He also informed that flyovers, underpasses, crash barriers, rumble strips, traffic signages etc were being  put up in an appropriate manner to bring down road accidents.

Shri Gadkari also expressed hope that the Motor Vehicles (Amendment ) Bill which is with the Department- related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture for examination will be passed by Parliament in its next session.The Bill addresses road safety issues by providing for stiffer penalties, permitting electronic enforcement, improving fitness certification and licensing regime, statutory provisions for protection of good Samaritans and recognition of IT enabled enforcement systems.   The Bill also paves way for reforms in public transport which in turn will help in improving road safety.  The Bill contains provisions for treatment of accident victims during golden hour which will help in saving precious lives.

Referring to the Good Samaritans Guidelines issued by the Ministry, Shri Gadkari called upon people to come forward to help accident victims so that prompt intervention and emergency care can save precious lives . He called upon people to follow traffic rules and show responsibility on roads. In this regard he called upon the youth of the country to reach out to people and educate them about road safety issues.

Also speaking on the occasion Shri A.Gajpathi Raju said that it is not possible to make Indian roads safe unless people come forward and do their bit in this regard. Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir also called for people’s participation to bring down the number of road accidents and fatalities related to these.

Secretary Road Transport & Highways Shri Sanjay Mitra, Delhi Police Commissioner Shri Alok Kumar Verma and Delhi Jt CP Traffic Ms Garima Bhatnagar also addressed the gathering. A youth group presented a street play on traffic rules and safety issues on the occasion.

***

UM/NP

India’s partnership with Japan in Energy Sector critical for a Sustainable Energy Future for both Nations: Shri Piyush Goyal 

Union Power Minister presides over 7th India-Japan Energy Forum, 2017 

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal presided over a bilateral meeting with the Japanese delegation led by H.E. Mr. Hiroshige Seko, Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan. The meeting took place on the side-lines of the 7^th India-Japan Energy Forum, 2017 being held in New Delhi today.

During the day long sessions in the Energy Forum, there would be technical discussion sessions on critical subjects of mutual cooperation in the energy sector, which include Enhancing Renewable Energy and Grid Stability, Promoting Technological Cooperation in Energy Efficiency in Industrial and Commercial Sectors and Technological Options and Energy Efficiency Improvement in Transport Sector.

Speaking on the scope of India-Japan cooperation, Shri Goyal said that this forum is a platform to engage with Japan for mutual benefit in the energy sector by working towards bringing Japanese strengths in cutting edge engineering and technology to India. This would help India in enhancing Grid stability, bringing Electric Mobility at affordable prices to the country etc., which the Government is vigorously pursuing, he added.

The Minister also informed that during the bilateral meet with his Japanese counterpart, it was put across that India’s power demand is going to expand four fold in the next 15 years to become one of the largest energy markets globally and it would open immense business opportunities for Japan in the sector in India, hence making this bilateral engagement mutually beneficial for both countries.

Shri Goyal also said that India and Japan should cooperate on long term contracts for LNG with a defined cost of energy which would provide a stabilizing factor for the Renewable Energy thrust that India is currently giving. India being a price sensitive market cannot afford costly power and hence needs Japanese cooperation in maintaining a balance between renewable energy and conventional coal based power.

Further, Shri Goyal said that since large number of items in the Renewable energy sector come from abroad, we are working to create a sustainable framework for encouraging the manufacturing of solar equipments in India at less costs so as to make 24x7 Affordable and Quality power available to each citizen in India. This will also give a fillip to the Make in India mission by scaling up manufacturing sector in India with the help of cutting edge Japanese technologies in the power sector. India should leap frog the learning curve with the help of contemporary next generation technologies and should not miss out on the opportunities to provide sustainable energy future to every citizen, based on their needs, he added.

 

RM/VM

Tamil Nadu becomes 21st State to join UDAY 

State to derive an Overall Net Benefit of approximately Rs. 11,000 crores through UDAY

 

Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal presided over the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under the Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) Scheme with the Government of Tamil Nadu and its Discom TANGEDCO, for operational and financial turnaround of the DISCOM, in New Delhi today. The signing ceremony was held in the august presence of the Shri P. Thangamani, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition & Excise, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu would derive an overall net benefit of approximately Rs. 11,000 crores through UDAY, by way of savings in interest cost, reduction in AT&C and transmission losses, interventions in energy efficiency, coal reforms etc. The state also signed 24X7 Power For All document on the occasion. With Tamil Nadu joining the cause, 92% of country’s Discom debt has been covered under UDAY

By signing the MOU under UDAY, the State Government is taking over 75% of debt of Rs. 30,420 crores of TANGEDCO. The scheme also provides for the balance debt to be re-priced or issued as State guaranteed Discom bonds, at coupon rates around 3-4% less than the average existing interest rate. The State would have savings of about Rs.950 cr. in annual interest cost through reduction of debt and through reduced interest rates on the balance debt.

UDAY lays stress on improving operational efficiencies of the DISCOMs. Tamil Nadu and TANGEDCO have committed to bring about operational efficiency through compulsory feeder and distribution transformer metering, consumer indexing & GIS mapping of losses, upgrade/change transformers, meters etc., smart metering of high-end consumers, reduction in transmission losses and increased power supplies in areas with reduced AT&C losses. The reduction in AT&C losses and transmission losses to 13.5% and 3.7% respectively is likely to bring additional revenue of around Rs. 1,601 crores to TANGEDCO.

Demand Side interventions in UDAY such as usage of energy-efficient LED bulbs, agricultural pumps, fans & air-conditioners and efficient industrial equipment through PAT (Perform, Achieve and Trade) would help in reducing peak load, flatten load curve and thus help in reducing energy consumption in Tamil Nadu. The gain is expected to be around Rs. 2,304 crores.

The Central government would also provide incentives to the State Government and the Discom for improving the power infrastructure in the State and for lowering the cost of power. The State would get additional/priority funding through the Central schemes such as Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY), Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), Power Sector Development Fund (PSDF) or such other schemes of the Ministries of Power and New & Renewable Energy, if they meet the operational milestones outlined in the scheme.

The State shall also be supported through additional coal at notified prices and in case of availability through higher capacity utilization, low cost power from NTPC and other CPSUs. Other benefits such as coal swapping, coal rationalization, correction in coal grade slippage, availability of 100% washed coal would help the state to further reduce the cost of power.

The State would gain around Rs. 4,320 crores due to these coal reforms. With the financial turnaround through financial and operational efficiencies, TANGEDCO’s rating would improve, which would help in raising cheaper funds for its future capital investment requirement. This is expected to provide interest cost saving of around Rs. 60 crores for TANGEDCO in 3 years.

The ultimate benefit of signing the MOU would go to the people of Tamil Nadu. Higher demand for power from DISCOMs would mean higher Plant Load Factor (PLF) of generating units and therefore, lesser cost per unit of electricity thereby benefitting consumers. Availability of 24x7 power for all would increase the economic activity and improve employment opportunities in the State.

UDAY was launched by the Government of India on 20^th November, 2015 to ensure a permanent and sustainable solution to the debt-ridden Distribution utilities to achieve financial stability and growth, now has 21 States in the Club after Tamil Nadu coming on board.

Shri PK. Pujari, Secretary, Power Ministry,Shri Rajeev Ranjan, Additional Chief Secretary, (Energy), Government of Tamil Nadu, Dr. PV Ramesh, CMD, Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, Dr. M. Sai Kumar, CMD, Tangedco and other senior officials of Power Ministry and Tamil Nadu government were present at the occasion.

Shri Piyush Goyal dedicates World’s Largest LED Street Lighting Programme to the Nation 

2 lakh Street Lights replaced in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation Area; Rs. 135 crores to be saved in next 7 years 

SLNP App launched to address Grievances Regarding Faulty Street Lights 

Union Minister of Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines, Shri Piyush Goyal dedicated the LED based Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP), currently running in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) area, to the Nation here today. It is the World’sLargestStreet Light Replacement Programme, which is being implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. 

 

The SLNP programme is presently running in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. A total of 15.59 lakh street lights have already been replaced in the country with LED bulbs, which is resulting in energy savings of 20.66 crore kWh, avoiding capacity of 51.47 MW and reducing 1.71 lakh tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum. The energy efficiency market in India is estimated at US$ 12 billion that can potentially result in energy savings of up to 20 per cent of current consumption, by way of innovative business and implementation models.

 

While addressing the gathering, Shri Goyal said that this Government does not believe in taking money from the people, on one hand, and subsidizing their electricity bills, on the other. Rather, the Government believes in empowering the people and the power infrastructure in the country so as to make available 24x7 Affordable, Quality Power to all Citizens of the country. The Minister added that the residents of SDMC area would benefit from the LED Street Lighting Programme as it would lead to a reduction in dark spots and increased security. Further, he added that the cumulative savings of Rs. 135 crores in next 7 years and Rs. 50 crores per annum beyond that, through this programme, would help in investment in social development initiatives and that too without the people needing to spend any extra money.

 

Under the SLNP, SDMC area alone accounts for over 2 lakh street light replacements. The cumulative annual energy savings in SDMC through this programme is 2.65 crore kWh which has helped to avoid capacity addition of 6.6 MW, resulting in a daily reduction of 22,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases. The Minister inaugurated the Phase II of the street lighting programme, under which EESL has signed a tripartite agreement with BSES and SDMC to install 75,000 more street lights with more focus on installation in parks.  

 

In the SDMC Project, EESL is addressing complaints from various sources viz., registered from BSES helpline, night patrolling team by EESL, mobile vans, e-mails, social media and other sources including Ward Councilors. Additionally, EESL is putting stringent complaint redressal mechanism and Centralized Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) to enable remote operation and monitoring of the street lights. CCMS provides real time information on energy consumption and remote monitoring of the street lights.  

 

On the occasion, Shri Goyal launched the mobile app called EESL SL Complaint App for SDMC, wherein users can now lodge complaints about faulty street lights. These complaints will be addressed to within a period of 48 hours. Consumers can also WhatsApp on the helpline numbers 7827999111/ 7827999222 or they can send their complaints to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Members of Parliament Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi and Shri Manoj Tiwari, Shri Saurabh Kumar, MD, EESL, Shri Ashwini Kumar, MD, Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI) along with other officers of EESL, SDMC and members of the Resident Welfare Associations  under SDMC area. 

 

RM/VM

Global Crude oil price of Indian Basket was US$ 55.06 per bbl on 06.01.2017 

The international crude oil price of Indian Basket as computed/published today by Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas was US$ 55.06 per barrel (bbl) on 06.01.2017. This was higher than the price of US$ 54.57 per bbl on previous publishing day of 05.01.2017.

In rupee terms, the price of Indian Basket increased to Rs. 3741.64 per bbl on 06.01.2017 as compared to Rs. 3699.32 per bbl on 05.01.2017. Rupee closed weaker at Rs. 67.95 per US$ on 06.01.2017 as compared to Rs. 67.79 per US$ on 05.01.2017. The table below gives details in this regard:

 

 

 

RG/Rk/Daily Crude Oil Price      

No additional levy on use of cards at petrol stations says Petroleum Minister 

MoS (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said neither the customers nor petrol pump dealers will bear additional charges on digital transactions at petrol stations. He said that the Government had issued guidelines in February 2016 stating that the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charge will not be passed on to the consumers and that the stakeholders will take appropriate steps to absorb the MDR charges.

The Government has stepped in after the issue on levy on digital transaction at petrol stations was raised by association of petrol pump dealers. Shri Pradhan said that there will be no additional levy on digital transaction at petrol stations even after 13 January, 2017. He also said that the Petrol pump transaction fee is a business model between the banks & oil marketing companies which they will resolve.

****

RG/RK

Good Governance is Minimum Government and Maximum Governance: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu 

E-Governance enables good governance in India: Dr. Jitendra Singh 

The 20^th National Conference on e-Governance began in Visakhapatnam today. Addressing the gathering at the inaugural function, the Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu said that Good Governance is Fundamental, but e-Governance is Instrumental. The mantra for our Government from first day has been Minimum Government and Maximum Governance. The idea was to reduce human interface in delivering services to the people. He further said that e- Governance is playing an important role in empowering citizens. The Union government is trying to improve the delivery systems enabling to reach the benefits of the welfare schemes of the government to the poorest of the poor.

 

The Prime Minister’s vision of Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhar and Mobile are helping for Direct Benefit Transfer to the common man for improving the quality of life and standard of living. The Union government stands for Accountability, Transparency, and provides responsive administration to the people of this country.  Referring to the demonetization, the Union Minister opined that this is the historic decision taken by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and a revolutionary measure for transformation of India. Information Technology is useful to eradicate corruption and unearth the black money. He further said that the Nation has highly talented young people and India can grow by using best technology. The government is striving hard to remove economic disparities among the people and implementation of Information Technology will bring in more transparency and accountability. 

 

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra singh said that e-Governance enables good governance in India. Dr. Singh also said that Andhra Pradesh is a role model in the country in the development of Information technology and promoted the e-governance. Digital India is initiative of government of India to ensure that government services are made available to citizens electronically by improving online infrastructure and by increasing internet connectivity. He further said that it is an elaborate and ambitious plan centered on three key areas namely providing digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen, providing governance and services on demand and finally to digitally empower the citizens of the country. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Y.S. Chowdary said that technology is the growth engine not only for the development of the nation, but also improving the civic amenities and catering to the needs of the people in a fastest way. 

 

 While delivering the inaugural address the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri.  N. Chandrababu Naidu said that Andhra Pradesh government has been promoting Information Technology in a big way. Union ministers released the books on e-governance. A film on e- governance “Transforming India” was screened on the occasion. Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India, Shri C. Viswanath; Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Smt. Aruna Sundararajan; Additional Secretary, DARPG, Smt. Usha Sharma, several State Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, local MPs and MLAs and more than 1000 delegates from central government, state governments, industry, and academia as well as experts from the private sector are participating in the conference.

 

 

NDMA Advisory Committee discusses road ahead on PM's 10-point agenda on DRR 

The Advisory Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) met here today to discuss the road ahead for the 10-point agenda for Disaster Risk Reduction, outlined by the Prime minister, Shri Narendra Modi.

 

The Prime Minister had listed the agenda during his inaugural speech at the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) 2016, which was held in New Delhi in November last year. The all-inclusive agenda presents a holistic approach to disaster risk management and addresses a whole range of issues, from community preparedness to use of technology and international cooperation. The Prime Minister’s 10-point agenda on DRR is -

 

1.      All development sectors must imbibe the principles of disaster risk management.

2.      Work towards risk coverage for all-starting from poor households to SMEs to multi-national corporations to nation states.

3.      Encourage greater involvement and leadership of women in disaster risk management.

4.      Invest in risk mapping globally. For mapping risks related to hazards like earthquakes we have accepted standards and parameters.

5.      Leverage technology to enhance the efficiency of our disaster risk management efforts.

6.      Develop a network of universities to work on disaster issues.

7.      Utilise the opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies.

8.      Build on local capacity and initiative.

9.      Opportunity to learn from a disaster must not be wasted. After every disaster there are papers on lessons that are rarely applied.

10.  Bring about greater cohesion in international response to disasters.

 

 

Shri R.K. Jain, Member, NDMA, welcomed the members of the Committee and briefly explained the role of the Committee in achieving the goals of DRR. NDMA also made a presentation underlining the institutional, structural and operational framework for Disaster Management in the country. It also highlighted the projects that are underway along with projects that have already been completed.

 

A detailed discussion on the need for multi-hazard preparedness, given the fact that a primary event brings with it an increased risk of secondary events, such as landslides following an earthquake, was done. The need for sharing of resources, leveraging technology, ensuring last mile connectivity, sharing best practices and success stories and involving the common man was also discussed.

 

Underlining that the implementation of guidelines and advisories was a major problem, the Committee members emphasised on the role of fixing accountability of stakeholders in case of a disaster and gaps in response, preparedness and information dissemination, both in terms of Early Warning Messages and community awareness. This will help in improving coordination thus enabling better response.

 

The importance of strengthening communities to act as effective first responders during disasters was underlined. It was further added that academia should be used to spread awareness and more and more institutes and universities should offer courses in disaster education.

 

The 15-member Advisory Committee consisting of experts from various areas of Disaster Management and allied disciplines has representatives from academia, governments, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and civil society members. The members of the Committee are: Ms. Sushma Iyengar of Kutch Abhiyan; Secretary General of the Indian Red Cross; Shri P.P. Shrivastava, Former Special Secretary to Govt. of India and Former Member North Eastern Council; Dr. S.K. Nanda, Former Additional Chief Secretary to the Govt. of Gujarat; Dr. R.K. Bhandari, Chairman, Forum on Engineering Intervention of Disaster Mitigation; Prof. C.V.R. Murthy, IIT Jodhpur; Prof. Arun Kumar Sarma, IIT Guwahati; Lt. Gen. (Retd.) A.K. Puri, PVSM, AVSM, Former DGBR; Dr. Y.S. Ramakrishna, Ex-Director, CRIDA (ICAR); Dr. L.S. Rathore, Former DG, IMD; Sh. Arjun Katoch, Former Chief Field Coordination Support Section, UNOCHA; Sh. Ranjan Dwivedi, former DGP, UP and Advisor (Cyber Security), Ministry of Power; Sh. T.P. Singh, Advisor, DietY, Govt. of India, Dr. Ajay Mathur, DG, TERI and Sh. Chewang Norphel, Chief Project Officer of the Leh Nutrition Project Housing Colony.

 

NDMA Members, Shri Kamal Kishore, Lt. Gen. N.C. Marwah (Retd.) and Dr. D.N. Sharma also attended the meeting and provided valuable inputs.

 

Shri Rajnath Singh lays the Foundation Stone of New NDRF Campus in Andhra Pradesh 

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone of the new NDRF campus at Konda Pavuluru, Gannavaram (Mandal), Krishna, Andhra Pradesh, today. The Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri Chandrababu Naidu and senior officers were also present on the occasion.

This campus will come up in 50 acres land provided by the Andhra Pradesh Government and the expenditure for construction will be borne by the Central government. The campus will be completed in two years. 10th Battalion of NDRF is responsible for looking after the areas of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka for disaster response. 

On this occasion Shri Rajnath Singh applauded the NDRF for combating disasters within the country and beyond and asserted to modernization of Force. He appreciated NDRF for gaining the confidence of people of India in a short span of 10 years. Shri Rajnath Singh said the NDRF today has competence to handle radiological, nuclear and biological disasters. The efforts of NDRF have been appreciated not only in India but also in countries like Nepal and Japan where it has provided disaster relief. Recalling a conversation with the Mayor of a Japanese city, the Union Home Minister said that the mayor was particularly impressed by the way in which NDRF teams have not only rescued the survivors but also recovered the dead bodies of victims with full dignity which no other rescue agency could have probably done. 

Appreciating NDRF for being effective, efficient and responsive Shri Rajnath Singh said that people of India want more NDRF Centres and the MHA is working on it. He said that the personnel of this unique Force will be provided with world class accommodation and thanked the Government of Andhra Pradesh for providing land to NDRF. 

Referring to the request made earlier by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Union Home Minister said that the issue of setting up of a Grey Hounds Battalion Centre and CRPF Batallion Centres in Andhra Pradesh is being seriously examined by the MHA. In this connection he appreciated the gesture of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to give 50 acres of land to NDRF Centre. He also praised the efforts of Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu in pursuing the development projects of Andhra Pradesh at the Centre.

Earlier Shri. M. Venkaiah Naidu in his speech said that the Union Government is fully aware of needs of people while fighting disasters whether natural or manmade. The government has increased compensation for loss of life from Rs. 1.2 lakhs to Rs. 4 lakhs and the parameter of 50% crop loss for considering in giving relief has been reduced to 33% crop loss. 

Shri N. Chandra Babu Naidu also appreciated the NDRF for its prompt and effective response during disasters specially Hudhud and Wardha cyclones. He announced that the new NDRF campus will be connected to Vijayawada bypass (4KM) with a metal road very soon and water supply for the campus will be provided form Pollavaram canal. He also requested the Union Home Minister to speed up the implementation of the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

Earlier R.K.Pachnanda, Director General, NDRF welcomed the gathering. The NDRF teams displayed the mock rescue operation during the occasion. 

NDRF which has completed over a decade in the field of disaster response has responded numerous calamities across the country and beyond and proved its worth in the field of disaster response by rescuing over half a million precious lives and sensitized over 47 lakhs people through its capacity building programmes. 

The NDRF which has completed over a decade in the field of disaster response has responded to numerous calamities across the country and beyond and proved its worth in the field of disaster response by rescuing over half a million precious lives and sensitized over 47 lakhs people through its capacity building programmes. 

*****

KSD/NK/KM 
(Release ID :156238)

Tax collection figures for the period April -December 2016 show a positive trend as Direct Taxes grow by 12.01% and Indirect Taxes grow by 25% over the corresponding period last year i.e. April-December 2015

Direct Tax and Indirect tax collection figures for the period April 2016 to December 2016 have shown a positive trend as Direct Taxes grow by 12.01% and Indirect Taxes grow by 25% over the corresponding period last year i.e. April-December 2015. 

The details in this regard are as follows:

                                                                                                                    

Direct Taxes

 

The figures for Direct Tax collections up to December, 2016 show that net collections are at Rs. 5.53 lakh crore which is 12.01% more than the net collections for the corresponding period last year. This collection is 65.3% of the total Budget Estimates of Direct Taxes for F.Y. 2016-17. 

 

            As regards the growth rates for Corporate Income Tax (CIT) and Personal Income Tax (PIT), in terms of gross revenue collections, the growth rate under CIT is 10.7% while that under PIT (including STT) is 21.7%. However, after adjusting for refunds, the net growth in CIT collections is 4.4% while that in PIT collections is 24.6%. Refunds amounting to Rs.1,26,371 crore have been issued during April-December, 2016, which is 30.5% higher than the refunds issued during the corresponding period last year.

 

            After accounting for the third instalment of advance tax received in December, 2016, the collections under advance tax stand at Rs.2.82 lakh crore, which is 14.4% higher than the figures for the corresponding period of last year. CIT advance tax is growing at 10.6% while PIT advance tax has registered a growth of 38.2%.

 

Indirect Taxes

 

            The figures for indirect tax collections (Central Excise, Service Tax and Customs) up to December 2016 show that net revenue collections are at Rs 6.30 lakh crore, which is 25% more than the net collections for the corresponding period last year. Till December 2016, about 81% of the Budget Estimates of indirect taxes for Financial Year 2016-17 has been achieved.

 

            As regards Central Excise, net tax collections stood at Rs. 2.79 lakh crore during April-December, 2016 as compared to Rs.1.95 lakh crore during the corresponding period in the previous Financial Year, thereby registering a growth of 43%.

 

            Net Tax collections on account of Service Tax during April-December,      2016 stood at Rs. 1.83 lakh crore as compared to Rs.1.48 lakh crore during the corresponding period in the previous Financial Year, thereby registering a growth of 23.9%.

 

            Net Tax collections on account of Customs during April-December 2016 stood at Rs. 1.67 lakh crore as compared to Rs. 1.60 lakh crore during the same period in the previous Financial Year, thereby registering a growth of 4.1%.

 

            During December 2016, the net indirect tax (with ARM) grew at the rate of 14.2% compared to corresponding month last year. The growth rate in net collection for Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax was -6.3%, 31.6% and 12.4% respectively during the month of December, 2016, compared to the corresponding month last year. The de-growth in customs collections appear to be on account of a decline of gold imports by about 46% (in volume terms) in December 2016 over December 2015.              

 

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DSM/MS/KA

To ensure implementation of GST by 1st April, 2017, Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) has initiated the process of migration of its existing Central Excise/Service Tax assessees to GST from today. A 24x7 Helpdesk (Through Toll-Free number and Email) started for the purpose. 

 

            Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) has initiated the process of migration of its existing CENTRAL EXCISE/SERVICE TAX assessees to GST with effect from 9^th January, 2017.

            As part of its efforts to ensure implementation of GST by 1^st April, 2017, CBEC has taken steps to ensure that its existing taxpayers are migrated to GST in a simple, user-friendly and smooth manner. Once the existing registered Taxpayers (both Central Excise as well as Service Tax) login to CBEC’s Web Portal www.aces.gov.in, a facility will be given in a secure manner to access the provisional login ID and password given by Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN). Thereafter, using the same, they can log in to GST Portal (www.gst.gov.in) to fill the required fields and submit scanned documents.

 However, if they have already initiated the process of migration to GST as a VAT asssessee under STATE COMMERCIAL TAX department, no further action is necessary.  PAN is mandatory for migration to GST. Hence, if the existing Central Excise/Service Tax Registration Code does not have PAN, then PAN has to be obtained from Income Tax Department and the Registration details have to be updated in the ACES Portal www.aces.gov.in

            CBEC has made available a 24x7 HELPDESK (TOLL-FREE NO 1800-1200-232, EMAIL: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for the purpose of assisting existing CENTRAL EXCISE/SERVICE TAX assessees. GSTN also has a HELP DESK number: 0124-4688999 and GSTN email address is: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.     A Step-by-Step Taxpayers User guide for Migration is available at www.aces.gov.in and at www.cbec.gov.in

CBEC is also sending Emails/recorded telephonic messages to all registered CENTRAL EXCISE / SERVICE TAX assessees requesting them to migrate to GST. Outreach programmes such as Awareness Workshops/ Training for CENTRAL EXCISE/SERVICE TAX assessees are being organized all over India at the Commissionerates and Divisional offices of CBEC.

All existing CENTRAL EXCISE/SERVICE TAX assessees are requested to migrate as early as possible, latest by 31^st January, 2017.

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DSM/MS

India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians 

India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians (IDF-OI) is a not-for-profit Trust set-up by the Government of India to facilitate philanthropic contributions by Overseas Indians to social and development projects in India. IDF-OI is chaired by External Affairs Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj yesterday

 Presently, IDF-OI is promoting flagship programmes of Government of India- Swachh Bharat Mission and National Mission for Clean Ganga; and projects identified by the State Govts, for funding by Overseas Indians.

Working with State Governments in areas such as sanitation; education; drinking water; women’s empowerment et/c, IDF-OI is offering projects for funding by Overseas Indians. Overseas Indians can contribute as an individual, or a group of individuals or even through their respective Indian Associations.

IDF-OI does not recover any administrative cost from contributions received from Overseas Indians.

At the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention 2017 the Plenary Session I focused on The Indian Diaspora- Catalyst for Realising India’s Development on 08 January 2017, chaired by Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri M.J Akbar. The session discussed how IDF-OI can effectively enable Overseas Indians to reconnect and contribute to India’s social and development efforts. They expressed interest in working with IDF-OI and highlighted the need for credibility i.e. accountability, efficiency, and transparency in project implementation and fund utilisation.

At the conclusion of the session IDF-OI also received contributions from Overseas Indians.

To Contribute Online, please visit: https://idfoi.nic.in/contribute.aspx

Follow IDF-OI on Twitter @GivingtoIndia

Like IDF-OI Facebook Page: fb.com/idfoi

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YSK/Uma