DoNER Ministry moots commercial helicopter service within Northeast to improve intra-regional connectivity Post title

At a meeting of senior officers of the Union Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh said that the biggest hurdle in attracting investments, tourism and entrepreneurship in Northeast is the lack of adequate connectivity. Even though the rail network expansion has started on a fast track in the last one year or so. The first - ever rail link to Meghalaya was flagged off by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi within six months of the taking over of the present government, he said. He also said that most parts still remain unconnected by rail. Similarly, road connectivity also gets adversely affected due to weather conditions, he added. In such a situation, improvement in air connectivity is the only immediate viable option, the Minister said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that the DoNER Ministry is taking up with the Civil Aviation Ministry, the prospect of developing Guwahati Airport as regional hub for the entire Northeast. The helicopters can be grounded there overnight and can be put to use for commercial sorties for civilian passengers at frequent intervals to different destinations in all the eight states of Northeast. He said that this will give the civilians, the freedom to plan their movement as per their requirement and priority, and not be constrained by the availability of a routine aircraft flight.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that discussion can be held with different helicopter companies like Pawan Hans and issues related to equity can be worked out to the mutual advantage of all. Guwahati Airport is connected by regular flights to a number of destinations including Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur and Bangalore, and therefore, when regular commercial helicopter service gets initiated, passengers from any part of the country or abroad who land at Guwahati airport by a civil aircraft will have the option to take a connecting helicopter flight to a further destination in the region.

Shri Ameising Luikham, Secretary DoNER and other senior officers of the Ministry were also present.

Central Victim Compensation Fund set up with initial corpus of Rs. 200 crores

The Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced a Scheme called the Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) with initial corpus of Rs. 200 crores to enable support to victims of various attacks with the following key objectives :-

(1) To support and supplement the existing Victim Compensation Schemes notified by States UT Administrations. (ii) To reduce disparity in quantum of compensation amount notified by different States / UTs for victims of similar crimes. To encourage States / UTs to effectively implement the Victim Compensation Scheme (VCS) notified by them under the provisions of Section 357A of Cr. P.C. and continue financial support to victims of various crimes especially sexual offences including rape, acid attacks, crime against children, human trafficking, etc.

Victims will be compensated on the grounds of various injuries, loss and death with respect to acid attack, rape, human trafficking, disabilities and burns affected on them. Women victims of cross-border suffering permanent or partial disability or death will also be compensated under the Central Victim Compensation Fund Scheme.

States have been requested to suitably modify the State Victim Compensation Schemes to reduce disparity in quantum of compensation amount notified by them and claim financial support from the Central Victim Compensation Fund Scheme. A copy of the Scheme is also available on the Ministry of Home Affairs' website:

www.mha.nic.in.

International Technical Conference on “Rail Coach Interiors: Innovation, Safety, Comfort”

With Guidance and support from Indian Railways and Railway PSU “Rail India Technical and Economic Service” (RITES), “Institute of Rolling Stock Engineers” (IRSE) and “Indian Railways Service of Mechanical Engineers Association” (IRSMEA), are organizing an international technical conference on “ Rail Coach Interiors: Innovation, Safety, Comfort” at New Delhi on 09^th and 10^th October, 2015. China, Japan, Italy, Spain, Austria, England, Germany, France and Australia are likely to attend the conference.

Themes and sub-themes for the conference are as follows:

1.      Ergonomic Rail Coach layouts and amenities

·        Seating and Berthing systems

·        Case studies: space optimization

·        Paneling of walls, partitions and cellings

·        Colour schemes: Interiors and Exteriors

·        Flooring systems

2.      Passenger Safety, Security and Accessibility systems

·        Vestibules and gangways

·        CCTV system for rail transport applications

·        Provision of Automatic Entrance and Interior Doors

·        Window systems

·        Ladder arrangements for climbing on coaches and berths

·        Signages on coaches

·        Facilities for differently abled persons

3.      Air-conditioning & train lighting system

·        Air conditioning system, Ducting

·        Modern Train lighting system

·        Passenger information display system

4.      Hygiene friendly coach toilets and amenities

·        Coach toilets with optimized space and modern fittings

·        Pest and Rodent control measures

·        Dustbins and garbage storage and disposal system

5.      Innovative materials for interior furnishing and coatings

·        Light weight shell and furnishing materials

·        Maintenance free/friendly furnishing materials

·        Cost effective, aesthetically pleasing and safe materials

·        Interior Noise and Dust reduction measures

6.      Tourist, Service Coaches and equipments

·        Luxury coach designs

·        Pantry/Hot Buffet cars and equipments

·        Water/Coffee vending machines

7.      Financing models for interior upgradation of coaches

Backgrounder:

Indian Railways have a total fleet of 62000 coaches (approx.) running in around 12600 trains and carries over 25 million passengers daily. To meet growing expectations of the passengers for comfort and safety, there is need to upgrade interiors of Indian Railway (IR) coaches for better comfort and safety through use of innovative materials and designs. Majority fleet on Indian Railway coaches is non-air-conditioned which poses different challenges in their interior designs. These coaches traverse the length and breadth of the country with varying climatic conditions. This would require adaptation of proven products and technologies under IR operating conditions. New ideas and concepts also need to be tried out.

Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) is the R & D arm of Indian Railways located at Lucknow responsible for R and D works in all railway related disciplines and leads the process of technology induction. Working directly under Ministry of Railways, it is also responsible for standardization of all railway systems on Indian Railways.

RITES Ltd. is a Government of India Enterprise under the aegis of Indian Railways. An ISO 9001-2008 company, RITES is a multi-disciplinary consultancy organization in the field of transport, infrastructure and related technologies.

For more information about the conference website: www.ric.irse.co.in. can be referred.

Customs and Excise Duty Exempted on the Use of Bunker Fuels

The Ministry of Shipping is actively considering various measures to promote modal shift of cargo from roads to coastal waters not only to decongest roads but more importantly to harness the higher fuel efficiency of coastal movements vis-à-vis roads, as well as to reduce carbon footprint.

One of the issues hindering the growth of coastal shipping has been the levy of customs and central excise duty on bunker fuels which raises cost of transportation. This issue was resolved by Department of Revenue vide Notification No. 31/2014 dated November 11, 2014 by exempting Customs and Excise duty leviable on bunker fuels, namely IFO 180 CST and IFO 380 CST used in Indian flag vessels for transportation of EXIM and empty containers between two ports in India. The exemption has further been extended by Department of Revenue vide Notification No. 46/2015 dated September 17, 2015 to Indian flag ships carrying a mix of EXIM, empty and domestic containers.

This tax incentive for transportation along the coast will go a long way in enhancing Indian tonnage as well as in promoting development of transportation hubs in India.

Scope of Facility to Book Train Berth under Senior Citizen Quota Enhanced

With a view to meet the requirements of senior citizens, ladies passengers above the age of 45 and pregnant women travelling alone in trains, a reservation quota of two lower berths per coach in Sleeper, 3AC & 2AC classes was earmarked for these categories of passengers in all trains having sleeping accommodation in 2007. Recently, this accommodation earmarked in Sleeper class has been enhanced to four lower berths per coach instead of two lower berths per coach as per earlier provision. There is, however, no change in the number of lower berths earmarked in 3AC and 2AC classes.

Complaints were being received that in case two senior citizens (husband and wife) want to book berth under this quota, they are denied this facility despite the fact that both of them are senior citizens. It was, therefore, being requested that this facility should be provided even when two senior citizens are going together.

The reason for allowing senior citizens to book tickets under this quota only when travelling alone was that since only two/four lower berths per coach are being earmarked, there is a possibility that when two senior citizens travelling together book the ticket, they may get a scattered accommodation in two different coaches where the lower berths might be available. This will be the cause of complaint and then references will be received as to how the railway is facilitating two senior citizens by giving them scattered accommodation in two different coaches.

However, keeping in view the demands for providing this facility even when more than one passenger are travelling, it was decided that the facility of booking tickets under senior citizen quota may be provided where in a single application, even if two passengers are in combination of senior citizens /female passengers above the age of 45 years/pregnant women. This facility can be availed only if both the passengers intending to avail this facility are eligible to book berth under senior citizen quota i.e. either both of them should be senior citizens or ladies above the age of 45 or pregnant women or a combination of one senior citizen and one lady above the age of 45 or pregnant women, etc.

From above, it is evident that vide New Commercial Circular No. 51, of Railway Board 2015, the scope of facility already available to senior citizens, female passengers above the age of 45 years and pregnant women to book accommodation under senior citizen quota has been enhanced. Earlier senior citizens /female passengers above the age of 45 years/pregnant women could book accommodation under this quota only when travelling alone whereas now they will be able to book accommodation even when two passengers of these categories (either both from the same category or combination of one from any two categories) are travelling.

Anti Human Trafficking Measures

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has said that Human Trafficking is a very sensitive and serious issue. Terming it as a borderless organised crime, he said that India alone is not a victim of human trafficking as it is a global phenomena. Citing a recent report of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Shri Rajnath Singh said the figures on South Asia are startling with more than 1.5 lakh people reported as victims in a single year. He said it is shocking that young girls are sexually exploited, children are subjected to amputation, people are sold like cattle stock and bonded labour is still rampant.

Mentioning that no civilized society can bear such inhuman practices, Shri Rajnath Singh said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has put in place an effective mechanism and some remarkable achievements have been made to check this menace. He said the MHA is working on a revised scheme to strengthen the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) with the cooperation of the various State Governments. Underlining the role of various stakeholders including the NGOs especially in the rehabilitation of rescued victims, Shri Rajnath Singh said it is equally essential to have a nodal coordinating agency for the purpose and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) project will also prepare a database on criminals engaged in human trafficking.

The Union Home Minister said India has recently signed an MoU with Bangladesh to check human trafficking and share information on perpetrating agencies or individuals. Shri Rajnath Singh hoped a similar agreement could be signed with Nepal.

On the occasion, the Union Home Minister gave away awards to the top performers of Operation Smile from States and Union Territories. Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Shri V. Somasundaram, Director CBI, Shri Anil Kumar Sinha and senior officials of MHA and MWCD were present.

Productivity Linked Bonus for Railway Employee

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Production Linked Bonus for Railway Employees.

As a result of the review of the scheme and approval of the Cabinet the salient features of the PLB scheme are as under: -

a) The output for a year is reckoned by the equated net tonne kilometres by adding together:-

i) total goods revenue net tonne kilometres.

ii) non-suburban passenger kilometres converted by a factor of 0.076.

iii) suburban passenger kilometres converted by a factor of 0.053.

b) The input is taken as the non-gazetted staff strength (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel), increased by the incremental increase/decrease in capital (over average of last three years) during the year. Incremental capital is confined to Rolling Stock utilised for movement of trains. The relative weights given are 0.50 for Tractive Effort, 0.20 for Wagon Capacity and 0.30 for Seating Capacity. The labour input i.e. non-gazetted staff strength is then increased to the extent of the percentage increase in the incremental capital.

Highest PLB amount of 78 days' wages was paid for the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. This year also PLB equivalent to 78 days' wages will be paid considering the good financial performance which is expected to motivate employees for working towards improving the same in future.

The financial implication of payment of 78 days' PLB to railway employees has been estimated to be Rs. 1030.02 crore. The wage calculation ceiling prescribed for payment of PLB to the eligible non-gazetted railway employees is 3500/- p.m. The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee is Rs. 8975 for 78 days.

About 12.58 lakh non-gazetted Railway employees are likely to benefit from the decision.

The Productivity Linked Bonus on Railway covers all non-gazetted railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) who are spread over the entire country.

Background:

The Union Cabinet in its meeting held on October 2015 accepted the proposal of the Ministry of Railways for payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days' wages for the financial year 2014-2015 for all eligible non-gazetted Railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel).

AIIMS at Mangalgiri Andhra Pradesh

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for setting up of three new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AllMS) at Nagpur in Maharashtra, at Manglagiri in Andhra Pradesh and at Kalyani in West Bengal under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY). This involves financial implication of Rs.4949 crore.

The new AIIMS will be established as institutes of national importance for providing quality medical education, nursing education and also to provide tertiary healthcare facilities to the people of these locations. The proposed institution shall have a hospital with capacity of 960 beds. In addition, there shall be a teaching block, administrative block, AYUSH block, auditorium, nursing college, night shelter, hostel and residential facilities.

Of the total expenditure of Rs. 4949 crore, the cost of the new AIIMS at Manglagiri in Andhra Pradesh will be to the tune of Rs. 1618 crore, at Nagpur in Maharashtra of Rs.1577 crore and at Kalyani in West Bengal of Rs. 1754 crore.

Setting up of these AIIMS will address regional imbalances in availability of affordable and reliable tertiary health care services in these regions. It will augment the facilities of quality medical education and would also address the shortfall of health care professionals in these regions.

The large populations of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra (Vidarbha) and West Bengal along with adjoining States and region will be beneficiary of this project.

Six new AIIMS under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY) have been made functional. Also construction of AIIMS, Rae Barely is under progress.

Background:

This approval is in accordance with the announcement made by Union Finance Minister in his Budget Speech 2014-15 establishing new AIIMS at these places. This also fulfils the promise made under the Andhra Pradesh re-organization Act 2014 that provides for establishment of one AIIMS type institute in the successor State of Andhra Pradesh.

Bihar Assembly Elections second Phase -2015 schedule

(Phase 2, Date of Poll 16.10.2015 )

S. No.	Item	Number of Assembly Constituencies going on poll=32
1.	Total Electors	General Elector- 8596856 a)      Male –                 4576722 b)      Female-               4019878 c)      Others -                       256 Service Elector -                   16976 d)      Male –                       11501 e)      Female-                        5473 f)        Others:                            02   ------------------------------                Total  -               8613832
2	Total number of Candidates	456
3	Total Number of Female candidates	32
4	No. and Name of the Assembly Constituency with maximum No. of  Candidates	One AC (215-Kurtha of Arwal district)
5	No. & Name of the Assembly Constituency with  minimum number of Candidates	One AC (227- Imamganj (SC) of Gaya district)
6	No. & Name of the Assembly constituency where more than one women candidate	8 ACs (205-Bhabua, 211-Nokha, 218-Makhdumpur (SC), 220-Obra, 221-Nabinagar, 226-Sherghati, 228-Barachatti (SC) and 231-Tikari)
7	Party-wise list of candidates:	BJP	16
		BSP	32
		CPI	13
		CPM	02
		INC	06
		JD (U)	13
		NCP	06
		RJD	13
		LJP	03
		RLSP	06
		Registered Political Parties (other then recognized National and State)	200
		Independents	146
		Total	456
8	Largest Assembly constituency Electorate wise	208-Sasaram
9	Largest Assembly Constituency Area Wise	206- Chainpur
10	Smallest Assembly constituency Electorate wise	218- Makhdumper (SC)
11	Smallest Assembly constituency Area wise	230- Gaya Town
12	Number  of Total Polling Stations	9119
13	Number of EVMs to be used in the elections	Control Units -   9119 Ballot Units -   5624

Mid-Day Meal Rules, 2015

The Central Government notified ‘Mid Day Meal Rules, 2015’ on September 30^th, 2015. The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA, 2013) contains provisions related to welfare schemes including Mid Day Meal Scheme. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Ministry of HRD has finalized the MDM Rules after consultation with the States and other related Central Ministries. The rules will be known as Mid Day Meal Rules, 2015 and will be in effect from the date of notification in the Gazette of India. The Rules inter alia provide for temporary utilization of other funds available with the school for MDM in case school exhausts MDM funds for any reason; Food Security Allowance to be paid to beneficiaries in case of non-supply of meals for specified reasons; and monthly testing of meals on a random basis by accredited Labs to check its quality. Further, the Rules also provide that concerned State Governments shall fix responsibility on the person or agency if meals are not provided on 3 consecutive school days or 5 days in a month. These rules and their effective compliance by implementing agencies in the States will ensure better regularity in serving mid day meals in schools and also improve quality of the meals as well as overall implementation of the Mid Day Meal Scheme in the country. The salient provisions of the rules are as under:

·        Entitlements of children: Every child within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII who enroll and attend the school, shall be provided hot cooked meal having nutritional standards of 450 calories and 12 gm of protein for primary and 700 calories and 20 gm protein for upper primary free of charge every day except on school holidays. The place of serving meals to the children shall be school only.

·        Implementation of the Scheme: Every school shall have the facility for cooking meal in hygienic manner. Schools in urban area may use the facility of centralised kitchens for cooking meals wherever required in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Central Government and the meal shall be served to children at respective school only.

·        Responsibility of School Management Committee: The School Management Committee mandated under Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 shall also monitor implementation of the Mid-day meal Scheme and shall oversee quality of meals provided to the children, cleanliness of the  place of cooking  and maintenance of hygiene in implementation of mid day meal scheme.

·        Utilization of School Funds: The Headmaster or Headmistress  of the school shall be empowered to utilise any fund available in school for the purpose of continuation of Mid Day Meal Scheme in the school in case of temporary unavailability of food grains, cooking cost etc. in the school. The utilised fund shall be reimbursed to the school account immediately after receipt of mid day meal funds.

·        Testing of the meals by Accredited Labs to ensure nutritional standards: Hot cooked meal provided to children shall be evaluated and certified by the Government Food Research Laboratory or any laboratory accredited or recognized by law, so as to ensure that the meal meets with the nutritional standards and quality.

·        The Food and Drugs Administration Department of the State may collect samples to ensure the nutritive value and quality of the meals. The samples shall be collected at least once in a month from randomly selected schools or centralised kitchens and sent for examination to the accredited laboratories.

·        Food Security Allowance. -  If the Mid-Day Meal is not provided in school on any school day due to non-availability of food grains, cooking cost, fuel or absence of cook-cum-helper or any other reason, the State Government shall pay food security allowance by 15^th of the succeeding month in the manner provided herein below:-

(a)                Quantity of Food grains as per entitlement of the child; and

(b)               Cooking cost prevailing in the State.

Ø      In case of non-supply of meal by the Centralised Kitchen, the Food Security Allowance shall be realised from the Centralised Kitchen as stated above.

Ø      Provided that in case a child has not taken food on offer for whatever reasons, no claim of food security allowance shall lie with the State Government or Centralised Kitchens:

Ø      Provided further that no claim shall lie with State Government or Centralised Kitchen for reasons of quality of food grains and meal:

Ø      The State Government shall take action to fix responsibility on the person or agency in accordance with the procedure laid down, if mid day meal is not provided in school on school days continuously for three days or at least for five days in a month.

Ø      Wherever an agency of Central Government is involved, the State Government shall take up the matter with Central Government which shall resolve the matter within a month.        

Kharif Crop Sowing Crosses 1031 Lakh Hectares

           The total area sown under kharif crops as on 01^st   October, 2015 has reached to 1031.37 lakh hectares as compared to 1017.86 lakh hectare last year at this time.

             Rice has been sown/transplanted in 375.93 lakh hectares, pulses in 114.58 lakh hectare coarse, cereals in 183.16 lakh hectares, oilseeds in 184.64 lakh hectares, sugarcane in 48.84 lakh hectares and cotton in 116.41 lakh hectares.

             The details of the area covered so far and that covered during last year this time given as follows:

                                                                                                                              Lakh hectare 

Crop	Area sown in 2015-16	Area sown in 2014-15
Rice	375.93	375.21
Pulses	114.58	102.56
Coarse Cereals	183.16	178.44
Oilseeds	184.64	178.24
Sugarcane	48.84	48.74
Jute & Mesta	7.80	8.13
Cotton	116.41	126.55
Total	1031.37	1017.86