I&B Ministry seeks views of TRAI and PCI on revised FDI Caps proposal

In response to the draft consultation paper of the Ministry of Finance on FDI Caps in the Print and Broadcasting Sector, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry has sought the recommendations of TRAI for issues related to the Broadcasting Sector and has sought the comments of the Press Council of India for matters concerning the Print Media. As the process of consultations with both TRAI and PCI would take time, the Ministry has communicated to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) that the existing limits of FDI caps and entry routes in the Print and Broadcasting Sectors may continue and status quo in the interim be maintained as prescribed in the consolidated FDI Policy 2013.

Earlier, on receipt of the draft consultation paper on FDI Caps, the Ministry undertook comprehensive consultations with stakeholders in the Print and Broadcasting Sectors to elicit their views on the issues concerned. During the consultations, divergent views emerged leading to the issues remaining inconclusive. It may be pointed out that while the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) have sought additional time to give their comments, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), has not furnished their comments till date. In view of the given position, the Ministry has felt that the matter be referred to TRAI and PCI for seeking their comments.

It may also be pointed out that TRAI being the regulator for the Broadcasting and Cable Services needs to be consulted as in the past on account of the likely impact of the proposal is expected to have on the Broadcasting Sector as a whole. On 20th September, 2012, the foreign investment limits of various segments in broadcasting sector were revised based on TRAI recommendations. TRAI had gone through the due process of consultations with the stakeholders before it made its recommendations.

State Council of Higher Education to Monitor the Funds to Educational Institutions of Higher Education

The country will substantially increase the number of students in higher education in next seven years. The presentation made by the HRD Ministry to the Consultatative Committee expressed that Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) will increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from 18% to 30%. The scheme estimated to cost Rs.99000 crore will include other existing schemes in the sector. The highlight of the scheme will be that central funding from the Ministry and UGC to institution will be through the State Council of Higher Education as against the direct funding by the Centre and UGC to educational institutions of higher education. Moreover, the funding by the Centre will be upto 90% and it will be available to even private institutions based on certain norms.

The scheme emphasizes to promote reforms in the State Higher Education System by creating a facilitating institutional structure for planning and monitoring at the state level. It will help to promote autonomy in state universities and include governance in the institutions. One of the goals of RUSA will be to ensure academic examination reforms in the higher education institutions and enable conversion of some of the universities into research universities at par with the best in the world.

The project will be implemented through HRD Ministry as a centrally sponsored scheme with matching contribution from the State government and Union Territories. It is proposed to set eligibility criteria for states to achieve a high and sustained impact of the project through monitoring and evaluation. The primary responsibility of the monitoring will lie with the institution themselves. The State Government and the Centre through The Project Appraisal Board will monitor the project annually. The main component of the programme is to set up New Universities and Upgrade the existing autonomous colleges to universities. The other attempt will be to convert colleges to Cluster Universities and set up new Model Colleges. The strategy will also include converting existing Degree colleges to Model Colleges.

The HRD Minister Dr. M. M. Pallam Raju said collective effort should be made to raise standard of higher education and increase employability. He also wanted research be given more priority in the context of higher education. Pointing to various legislation relating to HRD pending in parliament, Dr. Raju hoped that some of them will get parliamentary nod in the mansoon session.

Other related points that came up for discussion were expanding the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing new institutions in order to achieve enrolment targets; correcting regional imbalances in access to higher education by facilitating access to high quality institutions in urban and semi-urban areas creating opportunities for students from rural areas to get better access to better quality institutions; and improving equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities of higher education to SC/STs and socially and educationally backward classes.

The members present from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha include : Sh. Jagda Nand Singh, Dr. Nirmal Khatri, Shri G.R.N.R Dudhgaonkar, Dr. M. Thambi Durai, Smt. Rama Devi, Shri Lalji Tandon, Shri Sucharu Ranjan Haldar, Dr. Ram Prakash, Sh. Ishwar singh, Sh. Mohamad Shafi, Dr. Prabhakar Kore, Sh. G.N. Ratanpuri, Sh. Javed Akhtar, Sh. Ram Vilas Paswan and Sh. Basawaraj Patil. Special invitee were Dr. Tarun Mandal and Sh. Avinash Pandey.

Response to Media Reports on India- UAE (Abu Dhabi) Bilateral Air Services Agreement

There have been media reports over the last few days on the India- UAE (Abu Dhabi) Bilateral Air Services Agreement and on the Jet Airways-Etihad equity stake proposal. Some of these reports have inferred that PMO is playing a role in the Jet Airways-Etihad proposal.

2.         The allegations in some media are factually incorrect and baseless. There is absolutely no disagreement within the government or between the Ministers and Prime Minister on the matter. The Prime Minister is neither washing his hands off the Bilateral Air Services Agreement nor is the Prime Minister's Office trying to do a U-turn on the issue now.

Two Different Matters - A Bilateral Air Services Agreement and a Private Equity Stake proposal

3.         There are two distinctly different matters being reported by the media. The first is the enhancement of seat entitlements under a Bilateral Air Services Agreement between India- Abu Dhabi. This is an inter-government agreement on bilateral air traffic seat entitlements and concerns the governments of the two countries. The second is an equity stake proposal between Jet Airways and Etihad which is a private agreement between two private entities. Such agreements, as they involve foreign direct investment, have to be as per the laws of the land and any government policies in place in this regard. Being distinct issues and between different categories of entities, the two matters need to be handled separately without mixing them up.

Seat Entitlements under the India - UAE (Abu Dhabi) Bilateral Air Services Agreement

4.         As far as the Bilateral Air Services Agreement is concerned, the facts are simple. Changes in seat entitlements under Bilateral Air Services Agreements are normally entered into by the Ministry of Civil Aviation with its counterparts in other countries. These changes are done through an MOU and do not need approval at higher levels.

5.         However, on 22.4.2013, the Minister of Civil Aviation, sought the Prime Minister's clearance for concluding an MOU with Abu Dhabi with a seat entitlement which was different from that recommended by an Inter-Ministerial Group. This is how the matter came up to the Prime Minister's level. The Prime Minister directed the Finance Minister to hold a meeting with the Ministers of Civil Aviation, External Affairs and Commerce & Industry to discuss the matter in detail. The Ministers met and agreed to a proposed mandate for the bilateral negotiations. The Minutes of this meeting, issued by the Finance Minister, refer to this and are annexed.

6.         Later on the same day (22.4.2013), the Ministers met the Prime Minister to discuss the matter. This was attended by the NSA and the Principal Secretary to PM. In this meeting, the pros and cons of the enhanced seat entitlement were discussed, including the reasons for the mandate that was being finally given. At the end of the discussions, it was agreed to give an 'in-principle' go ahead to the negotiating team as per the formulation mentioned in the minutes of the earlier meeting.

7.         The Prime Minister subsequently, on 26.4.2013, asked for the matter to be brought to the Cabinet. He even spoke to the Minister of Civil Aviation in this regard. On 29.4.2013, the PMO asked the Ministry of Civil Aviation formally to bring the matter to the Cabinet followed by a reminder on 20.5.2013.  The note sent by PMO is annexed.

8.         Subsequently, a note was received in the PMO on the impact of Middle eastern Carriers on our aviation sector. This was sent on 22.5.2013 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for consideration.

9.         When the Cabinet Note was received by PMO, it was felt that the Note should be reformulated to reflect the sequence of events and the discussions more accurately as its current formulation did not explain the detailed examination of the matter that had taken place on 22.4.2013. An accurate description of issues would make it easier for readers of the Cabinet Note to understand the multiplicity of issues that have a bearing on the matter and the reasoning behind the mandate. It was in this context that PMO sent a Note to the Ministry of Civil Aviation on 13.6.2013 to redraft the Cabinet Note. The note sent by PMO is annexed.

Jet Airways Etihad Equity Stake Proposal

10.       This is a matter between private parties which needs to be approved by the concerned agencies as per the policies and laws in place. This is not an agreement between governments and there is no question either backtracking from or disowning this proposal as this is not an agreement with the government.

Complaints about the Agreement

11.       The Prime Minister has received the following letters on the matter:

                                i.            Letter from Shri Gurudas Dasgupta dated 1.5.2013

                             ii.            Letter from Shri Prabodh Panda dated 2.5.2013

                           iii.            Letter from Dr. Sucharu Ranjan Haldar, MP dated 3.5.2013

                           iv.            Letter from Dr. Subramanian Swamy dated 29.5.2013

                              v.            Letter from Shri Jaswant Singh, MP dated 31.5.2013

                           vi.            Letter from Shri Ajay Sancheti dated 13.6.2013

                         vii.            Another letter from Shri Ajay Sancheti dated 21.6.2013

12.       Some of these letters were related to the India-UAE(Abu Dhabi) Bilateral Air Services Agreement and some were related to the Jet Airways - Etihad equity stake proposal. The action taken on each of these letters is as follows:

  i.            Matters relating to the Air Services Agreement were referred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for examination and appropriate action.

    ii.            Matters relating to the the Jet Airways - Etihad equity stake were referred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Department of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for examination and appropriate action, as they were concerned with various aspects of the complaints.

 iii.            Issues raised in the letters relating to security concerns in the context of the FDI policy in Civil Aviation were referred to the Cabinet Secretary for examination to suggest whether there is a need to look into any issues afresh.

13.       As far as the Bilateral Air Services Agreement was concerned, the Cabinet Note was asked to be kept in abeyance till responses on letters with complaints on the agreement and on security concerns were received.

Conclusions

14.       Some of the  facts to be noted from the above are:

  i.            The Minister of Civil Aviation approached the Prime Minister seeking clearance for concluding the seat entitlement MOU.

ii.            The Prime Minister directed the Finance Minister, along with other Ministers, to examine the matter.

 iii.            After the meeting of the Ministers with the Prime Minister and reaching a common understanding of the basis of their suggestion, it was agreed to give an 'in-principle' go ahead to the negotiating team which went ahead and concluded an MOU.

 iv.            The Prime Minister directed that the matter be brought to Cabinet much before any of the letters complaining about the seat entitlement enhancement or the Jet-Etihad equity stake were even received. 

 v.            While the PMO wanted the Cabinet Note modified to reflect the sequence of events and the discussions better, nowhere was there a suggestion to change the decision sought in the note, which is the ex-post facto approval of the MOU.

  vi.            As for the Jet-Etihad equity stake proposal, this is a matter for consideration by concerned departments and agencies and all complaints were referred to them as per usual practice.

15.       Media reports which selectively report some of the above facts or documents or are not based on full knowledge of facts do not reveal the full picture or the detailed discussions that took place on the bilateral arrangements. As for the equity stake matter, that is a matter still under examination and there is no question of backtracking or disowning it as it is not an agreement with the government.

Shri Bimal Julka assumes charge as Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

Shri Bimal Julka, IAS assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting here today. Belonging to the 1979 batch of M.P. cadre, Shri Julka has served at the Centre and State in various capacities. Prior to his appointment as Secretary (I&B), Shri Julka held the post of Special Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Ministry of External Affairs. He has also served as Additional Secretary and Director General in the Directorate of Currency under the Ministry of Finance.

Shri Julka has also served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. He has also worked in the Ministries of Finance, Civil Aviation, Commerce & HRD in his earlier stints at the Centre. In Madhya Pradesh Shri Julka has served as Commissioner, Gwalior, Resident Commissioner, M.P. Bhawan and as Director(Public Relations) in the Directorate of Public Relations, Government of M.P. He also served as Collector, Guna.

Shri Julka has also undergone several professional training programmes which includes a 39-week training at Queen Elizabeth House at the University of Oxford.

After assuming charge as Secretary (I&B), Shri Julka held a meeting with senior officers of the Ministry. The officers briefed him on the key initiatives and policies undertaken by the Ministry in the Information, Films and Broadcasting Sectors.

Anil Goswami Takes over as Home Secretary

Shri Anil Goswami took over as Union Home Secretary today. He succeeds Shri Raj Kumar Singh who retired from Government service.

Shri Anil Goswami is an IAS officer of 1978 batch and belongs to the Jammu & Kashmir Cadre. Before joining MHA as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) on April 27, 2013, Shri Goswami was Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. He has served in his Cadre and at the Centre in various capacities including Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Book Railway ticket through your mobile

Book your ticket through USSD:

USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) based booking for Airtel subscribers*

Registration

•     Register for Airtel money by dialing *400#.

•     Load cash on this or recharge from any Airtel money outlet.

Booking Flow

•     Dial *400# and select book tickets option.

•     Select Reservation.

•     Enter your IRCTC User ID.

•     Enter the details of ticket (station, train no. date of journey, class etc.).

•     Enter mPIN for authorizing payment.

•     Booking confirmation SMS is sent by IRCTC and same can be used during journey along with valid ID proof.

•     Fare & IRCTC service charges are debited from your Airtel money account.

•     Charges: No PG Charges.

•     Agent / IRCTC Service Charges: As applicable

Helpline No.: 121

Helpline Email : 121@airtelmoney.in

Book your ticket through SMS:

1. SMS based booking through 139*

Registration

•     Register your mobile number with IRCTC as well as with your bank.

•     Bank provides MMID (Mobile Money Identifier) & OTP (one time password) for authorization of payment.  (More than 25 banks are providing this facility. For details, visit website:  http://www.npci.org.in/bankmember.aspx.)

Booking Flow

•     Send SMS, in the following syntax, to 139

      BOOK

•     You will receive Transaction ID alongwith other details.

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      PAY and your ticket is booked.

•     Service is available to all mobile subscribers.

•     SMSes @ Rs 3/- per SMS (2 SMSes are required for each booking).

•     PG charges Rs 5/- for ticket amount Rs 5000/- (as applicable by bank).

•     Agent / IRCTC Service Charges: As applicable

Helpline No.: 139

Helpline Email : smsticket139@bharatbpo.in

2. SMS based booking through 5676714*

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1.   “PAY , MPAY, ” for authorizing payment through MPAY

or

2.   “PAY  ,,, ,” for authorizing payment through IMPS.

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Helpline No. : 8882001001

Helpline Email : support@saarthii.com

3. SMS based booking through BSNL*

User should have the following:

1.   BSNL SIM card installed.

2.   Java enabled mobile phone.

3.   Andhra Bank Prepaid card.

      This is a menu driven application where user has to enter the details asked for in simple step-by-step process to get the ticket.

Registration

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Booking

•     Click the icon BSNL Prepaid Card

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Helpline No. : +91-8801298038

Helpline Email : bsnl.support@pyrogroup.com

IIMC to launch short duration course in Urdu Journalism

Course aimed at skill upgradation for journalists and media persons
Programme to commence in next academic session

In order to promote the proficiency of working journalists in Urdu language newspapers and the capabilities of media professionals in the Urdu language, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has decided to launch a short duration course in Urdu Journalism. The initiative to launch the course has been taken after Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Shri Manish Tewari had detailed discussions with working journalists and editors of Urdu language newspapers at the recently concluded All India Conference of Urdu Editors. During the discussions, the representatives of the Urdu newspapers had requested the Minister to initiate skill and capacity building measures through short term courses in the medium.

The decision to launch the Certificate course in Urdu Journalism was taken in the 124th Meeting of the Executive Council of IIMC held on 26th June 2013 under the Chairmanship of Shri Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary (I&B) and Chairman, IIMC.

The course would be non residential and would be open to all working / freelance journalists in the Urdu language and shall focus on latest journalism practices, use of technology, copy-writing and writing for TV. The course would be aimed at capacity building and enhancing the skills of practitioners of Urdu journalism. The Institute is in process of finalizing the course duration, curriculum, fee structures etc. which is expected to start in the next academic session.

Flexibility of Funds Earmarked for SCs/STs/Physically Disabled /Minorities

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has stated that it will not let the money earmarked for SCs/STs/physically disabled/Minorities education and North-East Institutions lapse. On the occasion of the release of UGC brochures by the HRM, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju and UGC Chairman here today, the Ministry has asked the UGC to device new schemes so that the money meant for the purpose is 100 percent utilized. These will be student-friendly schemes which will help in the purpose of not letting the money go unutilized. It will come into force in the current financial year itself.

The UGC on this occasion also brought forth its decision to launch an inspirational intervention through the establishment of Chairs in honour of Nobel Laureates who have done our country proud. The Chairs will be associated with the names of Rabindranath Tagore, C.V. Raman, Hargobind Khorana, Mother Teresa, Subramanyam Chandrasekhar, Amartya Sen and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan. It is a unique scheme which seeks to inspire the youth to take up research under the guidance of the best minds in the world.

Railways to carry relief material for Uttarakhand free of cost

The Ministry of Railways has decided that relief material, viz. food, medicines, clothes, building materials, utensils etc, will be carried to Uttarakhand free of cost by coaching trains, from any station in India, for a period of 15 days, i.e. from 25.06.2013 to 09.07.2013.

The relief material will be consigned to the District Magistrate of the concerned district on production of a certificate from the consignor that the consignment is a gift in kind or has been purchased with the funds donated by public for flood victims and has not been paid for by the Government or any of its agencies.

No claim for any loss or damage to consignment carried under this arrangement will be entertained unless it is clearly proved that the loss or damage took place due to willful negligence on the part of the Railways.

India-US Higher Education Dialogue – 2013

The HRD Minister Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju and visiting US Secretary of State Mr. John F. Kerry are to co-chair India-US Higher Education Dialogue on 25th June, 2013 in New Delhi. During the dialogue, the two sides will take up Research and Innovation Partnership under Singh-Obama Knowledge Initiative, Institutional Partnership and Skill Development as well as Promotion of Community Colleges in India and Technology Enabled Education including massive Open Online Courses. IIT – Bombay is entering into an MoU with edx. The intended outcome also includes two-way students’ mobility from India to USA and vice-versa. India and US will also take up linkage between industry and academia and faculty development. They are also expected to take up issues like post Doctoral Research and co-operation in training for the school teachers.

The HRD Minister had visited USA last month for forging linkages and collaborations in the field of Higher Education. The educational relations have intensified between India and USA after the visit of the Prime Minister of India to USA in 2009 and reciprocal visit of the President of USA Mr. Barack Obama to India in 2010. The first India-US Higher Education summit was convened at Washington DC in October, 2011.

During the dialogue, major announcements are expected. This includes Second Round of Singh-Obama Knowledge Initiative Awards which have 8 joint research programmes under it, first batch of 126 Raman Fellows, who are being sponsored by UGC to take up Post-Doctoral research in US institutions and “Connect India” Programme for US students to come to India.

To promote community colleges in India, a framework has been developed by the HRD Ministry after the first India-US Higher Education Summit and International Conference on Community Colleges. It was organized in February this year in the Indian capital. Following un-precedented response from both academia and the industry, five community college principals/leaders will be sponsored for a visit to community colleges in US for the leadership development. The two sides may also agree to promote cyber networks through IIT Delhi and University of Nebraska.

The Plenary session will be followed by three working session on students mobilities and research collaborations, community colleges and technology enabled education. The working sessions would be co-chaired by Secretary (HE) Mr. Ashok Thakur and US Under Secretary of State Ms. Tara Sonenshine.

Expansion of Dealership Network

Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), a Public Sector Undertaking of Ministry of Steel, operates two schemes for dealers under its network:

(i) SAIL Dealership Scheme

(ii) SAIL Rural Dealership Scheme

With a view to widen the reach of its products, SAIL has been expanding its dealer network extensively to cover all the districts in the country. Expansion of SAIL dealer network over last few years is as given below:-

As on à	1.4.06	1.4.07	1.4.08	1.4.09	1.4.10	1.4.11	1.4.12	1.4.2013
Number of Dealers	200	653	1897	2406	2508	2649	2662	2896

After establishing a strong network of dealers spread over 629 districts of the country, SAIL launched a new “SAIL Rural Dealership Scheme” to expand its scope of business in rural areas (block/taluka) of the country with the primary objective of meeting the steel demands of the small rural consumers at block and taluka levels. As on 1^st April, 2013, SAIL has a dealer network of 2896 dealers which includes 562 Rural Dealers. SAIL plans to increase the number of rural dealers to 1000 in a phased manner. The details of the existing Dealers network, state-wise category-wise are at Annexure-I and II.

          Under the Scheme, for appointment as a Rural Dealer, as a minimum qualifying criterion, the applicant should possess an Office / Retail Outlet beside a storage space of suitable capacity.  Applications are evaluated generally on the basis of the following parameters:-

          i)       Infrastructure facilities

          ii)      Financial Standing

          iii)     Market reputation

iv)     Any other criteria which the company considers necessary to take into account while evaluating the application.

While evaluating applicants for appointment as SAIL Rural Dealer, suitable weightage may be given by SAIL to such applicants who intend to deal exclusively with SAIL products. SAIL has taken steps to expand the Dealer Network both at the District level as well as the Block and Taluka levels through its SAIL Dealership Scheme and SAIL Rural Dealership Scheme.

Scholarship Awards for Students with Disabilities Increased

Laptop to be Provided to All Students with Disabilities

The Board of Trustees of the Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities increased the fresh scholarships from 1000 to 1500 per year under the Scholarship Scheme (Trust Fund) here today. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India chaired the meeting of the Board.

Laptop will be provided to all the Students with Disabilities now. The Board of Trustees decided that Laptop shall be provided to Orthopedically Handicapped (OH) students as an aids and appliances once in life time upto estimated cost of Rs.40,000/-(Rupees Forty Thousand only). Till now, this facility was available to Hearing Handicapped and Visually Handicapped students only.

It was also decided in the meeting that the advance funds for the year will be made available to NHFDC in the beginning of financial year for award of scholarships to students with disabilities without any delay.

The Scholarship Scheme for the Students with the Disabilities is being implemented by NHFDC, Department of Disability Affairs, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India.

The Secretary, Law & Justice and Secretary, Ministry of Finance are other members of the Trust. The Joint Secretary, Department of Disability Affairs is the Member Secretary.

CMD, National Handicapped Finance & Development Corporation (NHFDC) along with senior officials were also present in the meeting.

Pension to Aged Artists

Under the Scheme of “Financial Assistance to Persons Distinguished in Letters, Arts and such other walks of life who may be in Indigent Circumstances and their Dependents”, applications are received by the Ministry of Culture throughout the year.

The above Scheme is being implemented since 1961 and there is a continuous flow of the applications throughout the year. As on 23rd April 2013, 3410 individuals are getting financial assistance under this scheme.

Applications received under the Scheme are scrutinized and the applications found complete are forwarded to the Zonal Cultural Centers (ZCCs) for their recommendations. The reports received from ZCCs are placed before the Expert Committee for their recommendations. As on 23rd April 2013, there are 2442 applications under scrutiny in ZCCs. 148 applications received from ZCCs are pending for placing them before the Expert Committee.

The applications are received throughout the year, and the consideration of application depends upon various factors like completeness of applications, fulfillment of eligibility criteria under the Scheme, recommendation from ZCCs, availability of funds and consideration by the Expert Committee. The time frame for taking a final decision in each case varies accordingly. Efforts are made to dispose them of expeditiously.