Union Minister Shri Kalraj Mishra launches the SME Finance Facilitation Centre by CII
Government keen to revise the MSME definition: MSMEs Minister

With an objective to facilitate access to finance and credit for SMEs, the Union Minister for MSMEs Shri Kalraj Mishra today launched the “Online Finance Facilitation Centre”, an initiative by CII. This centre will operate as a one-stop-shop, aggregating financing options for SMEs from various major financial institutions. SME Members across India can easily access this facility online for their credit requirement and it will facilitate the SMEs with documentation and preparation of bankable project proposals. On the other hand, the complete KYCs will help Banks / financial institutions to render quick delivery. 

Speaking on an interactive session organised by CII, the minister emphasized the need to have an integrated approach which will create opportunities for the common people as well as young entrepreneurs. This will not only build confidence, but also self-sustainability resulting in self-development and nation building, he added. 

While recognising the various issues related to the sector, the minister laid emphasis on skill development of not only the entrepreneurs, but also the labourers. As there are over four lakh unregistered enterprises, how to bring them into the mainstream is what needs to be worked upon and this would require identification of several new sectors like defence and aviation, he added. 

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare takes up weeding of unwanted documents

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has initiated a clean-up drive to weed out unwanted files/documents, furniture, appliances, instruments etc. Senior officers in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare carried out a series of inspections from the ground floor to seventh floor of Nirman Bhawan yesterday. It has been decided to ensure that corridors and rooms are cleaned up by 9:00 am everyday to enable officers and staff to start working as soon a they arrive, without waiting for the rooms to be cleaned up alter. The Health Ministry has requested all the sections not to keep any unused or obsolete items in their rooms and the corridors. 

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is also renovating its Record Room with modern compactors, etc. for proper storage and retrieval of the records. All the Sections have been requested to undertake a special drive for recording/ weeding out of records/ files in the Ministry. 

Around 35 steel almirahs, 3 water coolers, around 40 chairs and other obsolete material lying in the corridors has been removed. The Ministry will auction these immediately following the GFR provisions. 

The Health Ministry has asked CPWD to provide proper lighting and channelling of wires in the corridors. CPWD has also been asked to expedite the pending renovation work of the wash-rooms on top priority. 

Government Plan a PR Strategy to Bring Back the Image of India as a Safe Destination

The Minister of Tourism and Culture Shri Shripad Yesso Naik has said that his Ministry would soon work out a PR Plan and strategy to bring back the image of India as a safe destination. Speaking at the IATO interaction meeting here today Shri Naik said, the issue of safety and security of tourists especially the women tourists is government’s utmost concern. He said, the Government recognises the role tourism and hospitality can play as a foreign exchange earner and their ability to create millions of jobs every year and therefore, it is important that both the Government and Private Sector are in same tangent so as to achieve the goals set for us.

PM discontinues four Standing Committees of Cabinet

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has decided to discontinue the following four Standing Committees of the Cabinet: 

1. Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities: The functions of this Committee will be handled by the Committee under the Cabinet Secretary whenever natural calamities occur. 

2. Cabinet Committee on Prices: The functions of this Committee will be handled by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. 

3. Cabinet Committee on World Trade Organisation Matters: The functions of this Committee will be handled by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and, whenever necessary, by the full Cabinet. 

4. Cabinet Committee on Unique Identification Authority of India related issues: Major decisions in this area have already been taken and the remaining issues will be brought to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. 

The Prime Minister will be re-constituting the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Security. 

Nominations Open for National Communal Harmony Awards

The National Communal Harmony Awards have been instituted by the National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, since 1996. Nominations are being invited for the Awards-2014 from eligible individuals and organizations for their outstanding contribution for promotion of communal harmony and national integration. 

The National Communal Harmony Awards, 2014 consist of a citation each and cash award of five lakh rupees for the Individual category and ten lakh rupees for an Organization. Individuals will be assessed over a ten year period while Organizations will be adjudged over a five year tenure. 

Nominations from competent proposers may be sent to The Secretary, National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), 9th Floor, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Road, New Delhi-110003 by June 30, 2014. Details may be seen on the Foundation’s website www.nfch.nic.in or obtained from the office of the Foundation. 

ECI orders Candidate`s election expenses accounts to be made public

Under section 78 of the R.P. Act, 1951 every contesting candidate shall lodge account of his election expenses with the District Election Officer (DEO) of the concerned Constituency within 30 days of date from the date of declaration of results.

To bring transparency and quick dissemination of information for public, Election Commission has today issued instructions to the CEOs that the election expenses accounts lodged by the Candidate shall be uploaded on  CEO/DEO website  without fail and  hyperlink is available on the Commission`s website www.eci.nic.in. The public can access such accounts under caption ``General Elections to the Lok Sabha/Legislative Assembly 2014-Candidate`s Election Expenditure

The Commission has also issued direction to the CEOs to ensure that if any member of public wants to obtain the copy of the account lodged by the candidate or CD/DVDs on important events/advertisement, he can get the same on payment of Re. 1 per page or Rs. 300/- per CD/DVD at the office of the District Election Officer. The officials have been directed to issue such copies/CDs/DVDs within 48 Hrs of receipt of the request.

English rendering of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement to media outside Parliament House

Following is the text of English rendering of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement to media outside Parliament House:

“The people of India have voted in unprecedented numbers, blessed their representatives and elected the sixteenth Lok Sabha. Today is its first day. I assure the people of this country that in this temple of democracy, every effort will be made to meet the hopes and aspirations of the common man of India. My best wishes to fellow Indians.” 

India Ranks Second in Global Textiles Exports

India has improved its ranking as per the recent data released by ‘UN Comtrade’ in Global Textiles as well as Apparel Exports. In Global Textiles Exports, India now stands at second position beating its competitors like Italy, Germany and Bangladesh, with China still retaining its top position. 

Mr. Virender Uppal, Chairman, AEPC, expressed his happiness over this impressive growth and stated that, “Despite having slow recovery in USA and EU, our biggest traditional markets as well as prevailing global slowdown coupled with sustained cost of inflationary inputs, we made the best possible efforts to reach here. The Government policy of diversification of market and product base has helped us and we ventured into the newer markets, which paid huge dividends. We also leveraged our raw material strengths and followed sustained better compliance practices which attracted the buyers and international brands across globe to source from India.” 

India’s share in Global Textiles has increased by 17.5% in the year 2013 compared to the previous year. Currently India’s textiles exports to the world is US$ 40.2 billion. This growth is phenomenal as the global textiles growth rate is only 4.7% compared to India as it has registered the growth of 23% beating China and Bangladesh which has registered 11.4% and 15.4%, respectively.