Bt-Cotton giving high yield

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said, Cotton production in the country has more than doubled to 340 lakh bales, after use of Bt-cotton seeds. Replying to questions in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Pawar said cotton production has risen from 164 lakh bales in 2004-05, to 340 lakh bales in 2011-12.

Female status not improving-Female CMR still increasing

As per the data released today 31/03/12

Under-five mortality rate in the country has declined. However more females are dying even now before they reach their fifth birthday. Country's latest Sample Registration System data saysin 2010 15.41 lakh under-five deaths occured as compared to 16.83 lakh in 2009. The child mortality rate is much higher in rural than in urban India.

Assam recorded the highest overall under-five mortality rate followed by Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Kerala recorded the lowest overall under-five mortality rate of 15 followed by Tamil Nadu,Maharashtra , Delhi , Punjab and Karnataka.

The International Day for Biological Diversity 2011: Forest Biodiversity

The International Day for Biological Diversity 2011: Forest Biodiversity

• The United Nations proclaimed 22 May as the International Day for Biological Diversity to promote a greater understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.

  The theme of the 2011 International Day for Biological Diversity is “Forest Biodiversity”. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD Secretariat) encourages governments and civil society everywhere to organize activities and events to celebrate this day, raise public awareness, showcase good practices and inspire further actions for preserving forest biodiversity.

The Billion Tree Campaign – Growing Green

By the end of 2009, more than 7.4 billion trees had been planted under this campaign – far in excess of the year-end target of 7 billion – by participants in 170 countries. With this success continuing into 2010, the Billion Tree Campaign will make a substantial contribution to the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity for our well-being. The billions of trees planted by the collective efforts of participants of the Billion Tree Campaign from all parts of society will contribute to biodiversity across the planet.

The objective is to plant at least one billion trees worldwide each year.

The idea for the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign was inspired by Professor Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate for 2004 and founder of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, which has planted more than 30 million trees in 12 African countries since 1977. 

Earth Hour 2011: Your Voice, Your Action, Your Planet

Earth Hour 2011: Your Voice, Your Action, Your Planet

Earth Hour is driven by the global community’s will to protect the planet we share.

Earth Hour’s exponential growth – from a single-city initiative in 2007 to a global movement across 128 countries in 2010 – is indicative of the growing desire for a cleaner, healthier world that is gathering momentum by the hour.

Across the globe plans are underway to make Earth Hour 2011 even bigger still!

At 8.30pm on Saturday 26 March 2011, Earth Hour will mark a moment of global contemplation to go beyond the hour; a collective commitment by individuals throughout the world to be the ongoing change they want to see in it.

Switch off your lights for Earth Hour at 8.30pm, Saturday 26 March 2011 and celebrate your commitment to the planet with the people of the world

 

In Your Home

Turn off lights and appliances at the wall when not in use

• This is an easy way to reduce wasted energy and carbon. If you switch off just one appliance at the wall you could save 45 kilogrammes of greenhouse gas.

Switch to energy-efficient light globes

• Compact fluorescent light globes (CFLs) use less electricity and will last a lot longer, saving you money and time in the long run, and reducing landfill as fewer globes are chucked away.

Switch to Green Power

• Green Power is government accredited clean, renewable electricity from the sun, the wind, water and waste. All you need to do is contact your electricity supplier and ask about their Green Power options.

Install solar panels and a solar hot water system

• Free electricity from the sun! Capture the sun’s energy, lower your bills and increase the value of your home by investing in solar power.

Watch your water use

• Australian conditions mean water is especially precious, and we can’t take it for granted. Take shorter showers, install water saving shower-heads and dual-flush toilets, repair dripping taps – all these things add up!

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Getting From A to B

Walk or cycle more

• Save money on petrol, and avoid the hassle of waiting in traffic and looking for a parking space. Walking and cycling is also free, fun and good exercise.

Take public transport when you can

• Buses and trains ease congestion, reduce emissions, and allow you to relax, read or nap during that commute instead of fighting and stressing and feeling the road rage.

Car pool

• Double the efficiency of your car by putting another person in it. If you take turns at driving you’ll spend more time relaxing as a passenger and less time in the driver’s seat.

Avoid flying when possible

• Air travel contributes significantly to your mobility footprint. Skipping a long-haul flight can be one of the most effective ways to cut your carbon footprint! When you do fly, neutralise your footprint by offsetting your emissions.

Check the fuel efficiency of your next car

• In this way you can achieve up to a 70% reduction in transport emissions as well as save money on petrol. The most fuel efficient vehicles, and kindest to the environment, are hybrid-fuel cars

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At the Checkout

Take a reusable cloth bag when you go shopping

• Did you know that Australians use 6.9 billion plastic bags every year? In addition to being manufactured from non-renewable fossil fuels, plastic bags degrade extremely slowly.

Steer clear of heavily or unnecessarily packaged goods

• All this excess plastic and paper just ends up straight in the bin. Choose products in minimal, refillable or reusable containers where you can. And for the remainder, reduce, reuse, recycle!

Buy local, seasonal produce

• Think about how far the food you buy has travelled before it reaches your table. Food produced locally costs less to process and transport, and it’s fresher and better for you.

Cut down on meat

• Did you know that hundreds of litres of water are needed to produce one kilogram of beef? Try to eat a little bit less meat by making one extra vegetarian meal each week.

Choose Fair Trade

• It’s a powerful way to contribute to environmentally sustainable social and economic development. Fairtrade helps workers and farmers to earn a decent living and rewards and encourages farming and production practices that are environmentally sustainable.

Most of all, avoid buying things you don’t need…

• Ask yourself, do you really need/want it?

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In Your Backyard

Plant Natives

• Native plants require less water, care and maintenance. Plus, you will be creating the ideal conditions to attract native species to your backyard or balcony by creating a habitat for them.

Start a compost

• Almost 75 per cent of household waste is compostable. Composting not only saves landfill space, but recycles material and saves money on fertilisers. Add worms to speed up the process.

Grown your own fruit and vegetables

• Reduce your footprint with a veggie-garden. Fresh veggies are good for you and for the earth. No packaging and no food miles!

Install a rainwater tank

• Secure your own water supply and collect water for use in the garden or washing machine. And rainwater is free, so that means a reduction in bills too.

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At the Office

Think before you print

• Are you a habitual document-printer? Paper is too valuable to waste! Around the world we use 1 million tonnes of paper every day. Too much of this paper usage is wasteful and unnecessary and puts huge pressures on the environment.

“Save as WWF” and save a tree

• Sometimes pushing the print button is just too easy. Now, WWF has just released a PDF format that is not able to be printed. Download the free software here.

Recycle

• Recycle the paper you have and ask for recycled paper products. Collect the paper you use and then reuse where possible (print again on the other side, or make a scratch pad out of it).

Ditch the take-away coffee cups

• Avoid unnecessary waste and take your own reusable mug with you. Through this simple daily action, you will reduce landfill and save money as many friendly cafes are willing to offer a discount.

Switch off!

• Set your computer to sleep after 10 minutes of inactivity and make it a habit to turn off computers, laptops and printers when you leave the office at the end of the day. Easy.

World Environment Day 2011

World Environment Day 2011

World Environment Day

The World Environment Day is celebrated every year, to not only create awareness but also to reaffirm our commitment to protect and safeguard the environment for us and our future generations. It’s a call for a positive environmental action to save our planet from further degradation. As so rightly said: "Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."(American Indian proverb) Our own scriptures are replete with conservation ethos: Rising or sitting, standing or walking, May we, either with our right foot or our left, Never totter on the earth. (hymn to Earth : Atarva- veda) World Environment Day celebration that began in 1972, is now a global movement that has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political & social attention and action. It enables enable everyone to realize that not only it is their responsibility but also their power to becomeagents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development. India is blessed with rich natural resources, from the mighty Himalayas to the Gangetic plains to the Deccan; from the deserts to the lush greens in the North east; the Western Ghats, the coasts and the islands. No wonder our country is one of the 12 mega-diverse countries in the world, rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. It is not just about the tigers and the elephants, but it is also about the algae and the fungi, and the microbes that build up our systems. This biodiversity can only be protected for future use through informed and responsible decision making and by sustainable use by the communities. This requires understanding the value of the ecosystems to the benefit of the communities. Being aware of the biodiversity is the key to protecting the fragile ecosystem and threatened species. One of the example is that the tiger. The tiger population estimates, through sustained interventions, has increased in numbers from 1411 in 2006 to 1706 (about 20% increase). The mosaic of environment conservation is interwoven with sustainable livelihoods through implementation of programmes at the local level, creating awareness and fostering partnerships. To fight degradation of the ecosystem and biodiversity, the policies of the Ministry aim at a convergence between sustainable natural resources management and livelihood enhancement programmes. These innovative approaches are aimed to restore the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing degraded natural resources such as soil, vegetative cover and water while providing sustainable livelihoods. The current decade (2010-2020) has been declared as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity andUnited Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification. With India is hosting the Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), from 8- 19 October 2012 in Hyderabad. This CBD COP 11 assumes immense importance considering that it is being held in the 40th anniversary year of Stockholm Conference held in 1972, 20thanniversary year of Rio Earth Summit held in 1992, and 10th anniversary year of World Sustainable Summit held in 2002. This would also be the first CoP in the UN Decade on Biodiversity 2011-2020. About 10,000 delegates and participants from 192 countries are expected to participate in the event, making in one of the largest global event. In an effort to highlight the multifaceted dimension of biodiversity, the Ministry of Environment & Forests is flagging off the “Science Express- Biodiversity Special” - a collaborative initiative between the Ministry and the Department of Science & Technology. The train “Science Express” with the theme on Biodiversity, very clearly enunciates our commitment to the creating awareness on the diverse ecosystems that sustains us and way and means to conserve the same. The Science Express- Biodiversity Special- “Biodiversity on Wheels” is an exhibition - an expression of our existence! Why the train? One would ask. The Ministry chose the Science Express train as a medium to reach out to the far flung areas through its extensive networks that will enable reaching out to the masses and create widespread awareness on the rich biodiversity of our country and the issues associated thereof. The Science Express- Biodiversity Special will be traversing across the country over two years, halting at more than 100 plus stations. Between 5 June 2012 & 22 Dec 2012, the train will travel almost 18,000 km, halting for 3-4 days at each of the 52 locations. It is expected that the train will be visited by a wide range of people, especially school & college students, directly engaging more than 15 lakh visitors and engaging over 50 lakhs people indirectly. Platform and outreach activities are being planned at each halt and will actively engage Ministry’s National Environment Awareness Programme (NEAC) and National Green Corps (NGC). The train’s 8 coaches devoted to show-case the biodiversity of the country through different lens and include exhibits on bio-culture heritage, biodiversity-livelihoods linkages, and the also domestic biodiversity. The train also has four other coaches dedicated to climate change, biodiversity & water and energy conservation, supported by other agencies, like HSBC, PCRA and the Swiss Embassy & Nestle. One coach is dedicated to the Joy of Science Lab which throws open the door of scientific experimentation to students specially school children. The exquisiteness of the train is the collaborative effort between multiple stakeholders, including government ministries, scientific organizations, the civil society organizations and the corporate in bringing together the significance of biodiversity in our lives. I take this opportunity to invite you all to visit the Science Express- Biodiversity Special and experience the unique biodiversity that our country that so proudly boasts of. I also call upon each of us present here to pledge our allegiance to the future generation by leaving behind a ‘living & thriving planet’. Lastly, I would like to share with you the slogan of the UN CBD COP meeting that summarizes our relationship with nature - ‘Prakriti Rakshati Rakshita” - Nature protects if she is protected.”

WED 2011, in support of the UN International Year of Forests (IYF), is aimed to be the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive action for the environment. We count on you to make this happen!

World Environment Day (WED) is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place all year round but climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere.

This year’s theme – Forests: Nature at Your Service – underscores the variety of life-sustaining services that forests provide and calls us all to take action to protect these resources and move towards a green economy.

The Republic of India will be the host for World Environment Day, 5 June 2011, for the first time since the celebrations began in 1972. This year’s commemorations are expected to be the largest and most widely celebrated globally.

 theme- Forests: Nature at your Service

The Green Economy Initiative TO TAKE OVER BROWN ECONOMY
has three main activities, which are to produce a Green Economy Report and related research materials, which will analyse the macroeconomic, sustainability, and poverty reduction implications of green investment in a range of sectors; to provide advisory services on ways to move towards a green economy in specific countries; and to engage a wide range of research, non-governmental organizations, business and UN partners in implementing the Green Economy Initiative

Green Jobs  rEPORT
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has commissioned a report titled Green Jobs: Towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbon world.
The paper assembles evidence - quantitative, anecdotal, and conceptual - for currently existing green jobs in key economic sectors (renewable energy, buildings and construction, transportation, basic industry, agriculture, and forestry) and presents estimates for future green employment.

Rajiv Awas Yojana approved

In pursuance of the announcement made in June 2009 of creating a `Slum-Free India` the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the launch of the Phase-I of Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) FOR URBAN POOR

Ø     to provide financial assistance to States that are willing to assign property rights to slum dwellers for provision of shelter and basic civic and social services for slum redevelopment, and for creation of affordable housing stock.

Ø     The scheme is expected to cover about 250 cities, mostly with population of more than one lakh, across the entire country by the end of 12th Plan (2017). The scheme will progress at the pace set by the States.

Ø     The Central Government will bear 50% of the costs of slum redevelopment. To encourage creation of affordable housing stock the existing schemes of Affordable Housing in Partnership and Interest Subsidy Scheme for Housing the Urban Poor have been dovetailed into RAY.

Ø     Credit enablement of the urban poor and the flow of institutional finance for affordable housing is an important component of the scheme. The Government has agreed to establish a Mortgage Risk Guarantee Fund to facilitate lending to the urban poor for housing purposes with an initial corpus of Rs.1000 crore.

Ø     This scheme has been designed on the basis of experience of the Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) sub-mission of Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and the Integrated Housing and Urban Development Programme (IHSDP).. The foundation laid by the JNNURM is now being built upon by aiming at creation of a Slum-Free India through assignment of Property Rights to slum dwellers with greater inflow of additional Central assistance for slum redevelopment and creation of new affordable housing stock.

 They will benefit by way of property rights and access to decent shelter, basic amenities and a dignified life. The inclusive city growth process will lead to enhancement of productivity at the bottom of the pyramid and will sustain the contribution of cities to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

inclusion of more castes in the central list of OBCs

The government on Thursday approved inclusion of more castes in the central list of OBCs for various states;
a move it hopes will especially help it reach out to people in Naxal affected states.

•  the Union Cabinet has given approval to most additions from Jharkhand and Chhattishgarh in the Other Backward Castes list.
• "Inclusion of these communities in the central list of OBCs will enable them to avail benefits of reservation in central government services as well as in central education institutions, thus contributing to the goal of equity and inclusiveness,"
• . Adrakhi Mahato caste of Bihar is one such community, whose inclusion in the central list of OBC for Bihar was approved today  
  Gada caste of Uttar Pradesh in the central list of OBC
• Similar  amendments in the names of castes and communities in the OBC's central list for Chhattishgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Daman and Diu. The new additions will be made public after the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment issues a notification in this regard.

•  The changes have been made on the recommendation of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).Commission said that these recommendations were sent in August last year
• Sources in the . The Commission sources added that similar recommendations were also sent for West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Uttarakhand. NCBC had also approved a proposal to include the Gada caste of Uttar Pradesh in the central list of OBC for the state, the sources said.

Source: The Indian Express

nada BANS INDIAN GOLDEN GIRLS-NADA, WADA

june 2011
The girls who were the pick of the Indian sports  scenario were Ashwini Akkunji, Jauna Murmu, Mandeep Kaur, Priyanka Panwar, Sini Joseph an dTiana mary thomas. these women were also the main stars and the best bet for a medal at the London Olympics in 2012 in the 4 X400 relay event.

 The Naional Anti-doping Agency (NADA) had carried out a detailed inquiry and the girls and the coach were heard. The disciplinary committe

•  has banned the 6 girls for a period of one year. the effect of the ban is quite telling as the girls for all practical purposes will not be able to take part in the London Olympics. The NADA ban is effective from the date the girls tested positive
• The sad part is that only 2 girls Mandeep and murmu can try and qualify  for the London Olympics  as the Olympic trials will take place from 24 to 27 June, 2012.
• The inquiry committee came round to the conclusion that the main culprit was the Ukranian Coach Yuri Ogorodnik who was appointed by the National Institute of Sports, Patiala.
• Thus the girls who would hav enormally got a 5 year ban, ended up with a year ban.

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is the national organization responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the doping control programme in sports in all its forms in the country. NADA works towards a vision of ’dope free’ sport in India.

TOTAL INCLUDES 8 MEMEBERS

6  EX OFFICIO

1 NOMINATED BY IOC

2 APPOINTED SCIENTIST/DOCTOR

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), French: Agence mondiale antidopage, is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne",^[1] to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs in sport.

•  Its current President is former Australian finance minister John Fahey, who in 2008 succeeded Dick Pound, a former IOC vice-president and outspoken opponent of drugs in sport.
• In 2001, WADA voted to move its headquarters to Montreal, Canada, the following year.
• Initially funded by the International Olympic Committee, WADA now receives half of its budgetary requirements from them, with the other half coming from various governments throughout the world.
• Its governing bodies are also composed in equal parts by representatives from the sporting movement (including athletes) and governments of the world.
• The agency's key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code – the document harmonizing regulations regarding anti-doping in all sports and countries.
•  It also produces an annual list of prohibited substances and methods that sportspersons are not allowed to take or use.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports	Chairman	Ex-officio
2.	1.        Secretary, Deptt, of Sports Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports	Vice Chairman	Ex-officio

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination programme

17DEC 2011

Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccination programme has made progress in the country. JE vaccination campaign was launched initially during 2006-07 in 11 high endemic districts of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam and West Bengal achieving an overall coverage rate of 88.39%.

• Due to intensified efforts by Government of India, JE vaccination has significantly contributed to the decline of JE positive cases from 35.88% 
•  State of Uttar Pradesh which contributes more than 80% of cases and deaths respectively in the country.

Japanese encephalitis (Japanese: 日本脳炎, Nihon-nōen)—previously known as Japanese B encephalitis

• —is a disease caused by the mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus.
• The Japanese encephalitis virus is a virus from the family Flaviviridae.
• Domestic pigs and wild birds (herons) are reservoirs of the virus;
• transmission to humans may cause severe symptoms. Amongst the most important vectors of this disease are the mosquitoes Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Culex vishnui.
• This disease is most prevalent in Southeast Asia and the Far East.

SYMPTOMS

• Japanese encephalitis has an incubation period of 5 to 15 days and the vast majority of infections are asymptomatic( An asymptomatic carrier (healthy carrier or just carrier) is a person or other organism that has contracted an infectious disease, but who displays no symptoms. ):
• only 1 in 250 infections develop into encephalitis.
• Severe rigors mark the onset of this disease in humans.
• Fever, headache and malaise are other non-specific symptoms of this disease which may last for a period of between 1 and 6 days.
• Signs which develop during the acute encephalitic stage include neck rigidity, cachexia, hemiparesis,
•  convulsions and a raised body temperature between 38 and 41 degrees Celsius.
• Mental retardation developed from this disease usually leads to coma.
• Mortality of this disease varies but is generally much higher in children.
• Transplacental spread has been noted.
• Life-long neurological defects such as deafness, emotional lability and hemiparesis may occur in those who have had central nervous system involvement. In known cases some effects also include nausea, headache, fever, vomiting and sometimes swelling of the testicles.

NDMA- in the wake of fukusima

dated 1 may 2011

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh  reviewed the disaster preparedness in the country in the wake of recent disasters in Japan. As Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Prime Minister reviewed the safety measures being undertaken by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) in respect of the nuclear facilities in the country and directed DAE and AERB to upgrade the safety measures in the light of the Fukushima experience and look at Beyond Design Basis Accident.

• Prime Minister also reviewed Earthquake and Tsunami preparedness and highlighted various issues in this regard

Evolution of NDMA

Ø     On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister of India, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers of the States, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.

Ø      Tenth Five-Year Plan Document also had, for the first time, a detailed chapter on Disaster Management. Similarly,

Ø     the Twelfth Finance Commission of India was also mandated to review the financial arrangements for Disaster Management

Organisation

Ø     National Disaster Management Authority has been constituted with the Prime Minister of India as its Chairman,

Ø     a Vice Chairman with the status of Cabinet Minister, and eight members with the status of Ministers of State.

Ø     Each of the members has a well defined functional domain covering various states as also disaster specific areas of focus and concern.

Ø     To carry out the mandated functions, NDMA has evolved a lean and professional organization which is IT-enabled and knowledge based. Skills and expertise of the specialists are extensively used to address all the disaster related issues. A functional and operational infrastructure has been built which is appropriate for disaster management involving uncertainties coupled with desired plans of action.

Ø     The concept of the organization is based on a disaster divisions-cum-secretariat system. The NDMA Secretariat, headed by a Secretary is responsible to provide secretarial support and continuity.

Ø     The Disaster Management Act, 2005 has mandated constitution of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF

At present, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is about constituted of eight battalions, two each from the BSF, CRPF, CISF and ITBP.

Ø     Each battalion will provide 18 self-contained specialist search and rescue teams of 45 personnel each including engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical/paramedics. The total strength of each battalion is approximately 1,149.

Ø     All the eight battalions are being equipped and trained to combat all natural disasters including four battalions in combating nuclear, biological and chemical disasters.

Raising of two more NDRF battalions at Patna, Bihar and Guntur, Andhra Pradesh has been approved by the Government and NDMA has initiated necessary actions for the same

WHITE LABEL ATMS

• These are ATM’s which are not owned by banks but by private ATM service providers.
• Customers from any bank can deposit or withdraw money from such ATM,s. Your banks pay a service fee for the usage.
• The product needs to be approved by Reserve Bank of India. RBI has been reluctant to allow white-label (or no name) ATMs by non-banking entities.
•  Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to permit non-bank entities to setup, own and operate ATMs.
• while the primary responsibility to redress grievances of customers relating to failed ATM transactions would vest with the issuing bank, the sponsor bank will provide necessary support in this regard, including making available necessary records and information to the issuing bank.
• For this purpose, the sponsor bank should have necessary arrangements with the White Label ATM operator. 

after approval of white label ATMs, the bankers will review the expansion model for their ATMs.

What is the Status of Brown label ATMs in India :
'Brown label' ATM are those Automated Teller Machines where hardware and the lease of the ATM machine is owned by a service provider, but cash management and connectivity to banking networks is provided by a sponsor bank whose brand is used on the ATM.
The `brown label' has come up as an alternative between bank-owned ATMs and 'white label' ATMs. As in India white label ATMs were not allowed by RBI (in February, 2012, RBI has issued the draft guidelines for introduction of white ATMs, but final approval has yet to come.), the concept of Brown Label ATMs started picking up.

In view of the high cost of ATM machines and RBI's guidelines for expansion of ATMs, the concept of Brown Label ATM network is likely to expand at a brisk pace in next few years. In the recent years, there is a visible shift in the way banks look at the ATM business. From the earlier model where banks used to buy outright the ATM machines and bear the cost of service, they are now preferring brown label ATMS i.e. where the machine and service is outsourced. There are indications that as many as 50% may soon be under this category.
However, after approval of white label ATMs, the bankers will review the expansion model for their ATMs.

Gold duty in the budget

Current Budget had the provision of the duty increment and duty on non branded as well

• Jewelers will have to pay 4% import duty on gold, earlier they had to pay only 2%.
• Aam-Aadmi will have to pay 1 percent excise duty on non-branded gold jewelry
• If Aam-Aadmi purchases jewelry worth more than 2 lakh rupees, the Jeweler will have to collect 1% tax from him in TDS

Main motive is to provide the enhanced tax revenue from the increasing consumption part of the Economy

India's consumption of gold has increased our import by a large factor in last 12  months around 1 million kg of gold imported worth 2 lakh crore Rs , this tend to increase trade deficit and also depreciating the  rupee in the world market.

In addition to the above, government is also worried about the sudden disproportionate surge in the investments being done in Gold by the small investor, often at the cost of other saving and investment avenues like bank deposits, saving certificates,post office savings, provident funds and, as also, the capital market. In fact the changes in the gold tarrif should be seen along with three important announcements that the finance minister did, mamely,the launch of Rajeev Gandhi Equity saving scheme and tax free infra bonds and allowing deductions in respect of inetrest on deposits in saving account, to get the larger picture.
Thus in my humble opinion this view should also be taken into view

sMART cARD

A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC), is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits.

• A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components.
• The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or polycarbonate.
• Smart cards may also provide strong security authentication for single sign-on within large organizations.
• (SSO Single sign-on (SSO) is a property of access control of multiple related, but independent software systems. With this property a user logs in once and gains access to all systems without being prompted to log in again at each of them. Single sign-off is the reverse property whereby a single action of signing out terminates access to multiple software systems.
  Benefits include:
  
  • Reduces phishing success, because users are not trained to enter password everywhere without thinking.
  • Reducing password fatigue from different user name and password combinations
  • Reducing time spent re-entering passwords for the same identity
  • Can support conventional authentication such as Windows credentials (i.e., username/password)
  • Reducing IT costs due to lower number of IT help desk calls about passwords
  • Security on all levels of entry/exit/access to systems without the inconvenience of re-prompting users
  • Centralized reporting for compliance adherence.
  )
• Smart cards can provide identification, authentication, data storage and application processing

“Harit Rajasthan” (Green Rajasthan

Japanese agency to aid Rajasthan project

Special Correspondent

JAIPUR: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to provide financial assistance of Rs.1,152.50 crore to the Rajasthan Government for implementation of the second phase of a forestry and bio-diversity project in the State with emphasis on sustainable development through joint forest management.

 The first phase of the project, which began in 2003-04, was extended till July 31 this year and the funds were utilised for increasing the forest cover, improving the quality of life of villagers adjoining the forests and strengthening joint forest management.

the JICA representatives were impressed by the outcome of the “Harit Rajasthan” (Green Rajasthan) campaign initiated in the State recently and noted that the area under forests in the State had expanded by 185 sq. km.
The new phase of the project will be implemented in the ten desert districts of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Pali, Jodhpur, Jalore and Nagaur and five other districts of Bhilwara, Sirohi, Banswara, Dungarpur and Jaipur.

LATEST REPORT

 The Japanese financial assistance for the Nagaur Lift Water Supply Project has been revised to Rs.2,199 crore from the earlier amount of Rs.1,774 crore. The proposal is for supply of surface water from the Indira Gandhi Canal Project to Rajasthan's fluoride-affected district of Nagaur. The project, financed through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will cover 978 villages and seven towns.

According to a communication from Union Minister of State for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, the proposal has been revised following a suggestion from the JICA mission taking into account the latest schedules of rates and incorporating the fluorosis mitigation programme.

• The ground water in Nagaur has high fluoride presence which causes fluorosis and other diseases of the bones and teeth in the local population. Availability of fresh drinking water is going to provide much-needed relief to the people here and bring down their medical expenses sharply.
• The availability of water will also make a big difference to the economy of the mineral-rich Nagaur as paucity of water has been holding up its industries.
• The physical works of the project will start in September 2013 and it is scheduled for commissioning in October 2016.

P S Appu, LBS Academy head, dies at 83.

common approach to the problems facing Syria and Iran.

On Thursday morning, the strategic community around the world will be focussed on the outcome of the hour-long restricted meeting between the heads of government of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) to see if they can forge an effective and common approach to the problems facing Syria and Iran.

Graphic: The BRICS countries

• Russia and China have made it clear that they will press for opposing any West-led attempt to put these countries under the threat of intervention. But the stand of the other three BRICS members will have to be reconciled with that of Russia and China. India opposes foreign military intervention in principle but has broken ranks with the two by opting to vote with the West on Syria.
• Brazil under the new President, Dilma Rouseff, imprisoned by an earlier military junta and whose father as a Communist leader was forced to flee Bulgaria to escape persecution, has turned around the country's approach to human rights. Brasilia now opposes any prolonged attempt by a regime to indulge in prolonged violence.
• And South Africa has tended to succumb to hustling by the West as happened last year when it was in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and inclined to side with other BRICS countries on Libya. But sustained pressure from the West ensured that South Africa, along with Nigeria, the other African nation in the UNSC at that time, supported the West.

On Iran, the West is pressuring both China and India on reducing oil imports from Tehran at a time when they are in no position to do so because of mounting energy needs. But a common position on Iran will be easier to formulate after the BRICS Trade Ministers' statement on the summit eve.

The Ministers were tactful but left no doubt where their collective sympathies lay. “We respect U.N. resolutions...at the same time the U.N. resolution does not forbid countries to engage in trade in essential commodities and what is required for human good… Therefore, we look at things...in very pragmatic manner and remain within the ambit of the U.N. resolution,'' said Commerce Minister Anand Sharma.

Both Syria and Iran assume importance even though they are essentially topical issues because it was only at the last summit that BRICS introduced a political element by commenting on Libya.

While India has officially not said anything on its approach to Syria at the BRICS summit, Russia has expressed concern over “foreign interferences” in domestic affairs of sovereign countries. Like China, it downplays its differences of approach with India.

“It is a sovereign decision of India and we respect that. But we vetoed [the Syria resolution in the UNSC] because we oppose outside imposition on any sovereign country,” said Russian Ambassador Alexander Kadakin.

“We are worried at the U.S. and Israeli threats to use force against that country. A new war in the region, already overburdened with armed conflicts and acute crises, will rapidly deteriorate the situation in the vast Asian region, will entail shocks in the oil markets and, therefore, in the entire global economy,” he said.

The BRICS summit is expected to sign two enabling agreements on setting up a development bank and local credit facility.

“Two agreements would be signed during the summit. These emanate from decisions taken in Brasilia. These are framework agreements arrived after banks of all five countries met twice. These are enabling agreements subject to national laws,”said Sudhir Vyas, Secretary (ER) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The World Bank has approved a $109-million grant for Rajasthan

Washington, March 28: 

The World Bank has approved a $109-million grant for Rajasthan to promote water-efficient agriculture through sustainable and efficient use of resources in the desert state.

The fund, approved for the Rajasthan Agricultural Competitiveness Project, is expected to benefit some 1,55,000 farmers, mainly those with small land holdings in the state.

He noted that the initiatives under the project are expected to help farmers move from low value and water-guzzling crops to high value farming, as aimed in the state’s water policy of 2010.

• It is also expected to increase productivity through efficient management of water and crops, improved farming technology, farmer organisations and market innovations in some 20 selected areas of around 10,000 hectares each across 10 agro-ecological zones.
• The primary focus of the project is to reduce agricultural water footprint by improving harvest, capture, collection, delivery and distribution of water for crops and livestock dependent on various sources of the natural resource.
• It also aims at efficient use of water in farms apart from increasing moisture and fertility in the soil and promote market-oriented production, a World Bank statement said.

“The agricultural sector needs an end-to-end approach ranging from water management to better agricultural practices and marketing,” World Bank Country Director for India, Mr Roberto Zagha,

Monetary Tsunami-Brics

Holding developed countries responsible for triggering "monetary tsunami" after global financial crisis, Brazil today said it cannot be overcome just by austerity steps and pitched for reforms of financial institutions that include India and other emerging economies.

• Addressing a gathering after being conferred Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters by the Delhi University, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff pitched for reforms of the UNSC, saying it is hard to imagine an international debate or a discussion forum where the views of India and Brazil are not valued and even called for.

She said here the two countries were increasingly called upon to perform a "central role" in addressing the main issues on the international agenda.
The Honorary D.Litt was conferred on her by Vice President and Chancellor of Delhi University Hamid Ansari for her contributions to the polity in Brazil and her role in deepening bilateral ties.
In her 20-minute acceptance speech, the Brazialian leader invoked Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and quoted Rabindranath Tagore's famous lines 'Where the mind is without fear'.

2011 position 6th (69 pts) -Force F1-Mercedes engines

Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence.

• The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and Michiel Mol bought the Spyker F1 team for € 90 million.^[6] Force India F1 represents increased Indian participation within Formula One, with Greater Noida having hosted the first Indian Grand Prix in 2011.^[7]
• The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile confirmed the change in name from Spyker to Force India on 24 October 2007.
• 2011 position 6th (69 pts) -Force F1
• Force India won their first Formula One world championship points and podium place when Giancarlo Fisichella finished second in the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix,^[9] Force India scored points again in the following race when Adrian Sutil finished fourth, and set the team's first fastest lap, at the Italian Grand Prix.
• The team's current drivers are Paul di Resta and Nico Hülkenberg.
• In October 2011, Indian company Sahara India Pariwar, purchased 42.5% of Force India F1's shares at $US 100 million.^[10]

F1 rules

Current rules and regulations

• Chassis-An F1 car can be no more than 180 cm wide and 95 cm tall.
• The car must only have four wheels mounted externally of the body work with only the front two steered and only the back two driven. There are minimum distances allowed between the wheels and the rear and front body work.
• Engine Formula One engines must be of presribed type.Each driver is allowed to use up to eight engines during a season
• From 2010, refuelling is no longer permitted during the race meaning every car starts with a full fuel load. The 2010 season cars are about 22 cm longer than 2009 cars to accommodate the enlarged fuel tank this necessitates.
• Competitors are allowed only a limited number of tire sets during a race event: eleven dry, four intermediate, three wet, total of 18.
• 
  

  

  F1 Start Lights
  The pit lane opens thirty minutes before the start of a race, during which time drivers may drive around the track as .
• Two green lights signify the start of the formation lap, also known as the parade lap, during which drivers must remain in the same order (no passing) except if a car ahead has stopped due to a technical problem, or has had an accident
• The race is started by five red lights, controlled by FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting. The lights illuminate one at a time, left to right, in one-second intervals, and then go out simultaneously after an interval of between four and seven seconds. When the lights go out, the race begins. Should the start need to be aborted for any reason, all five red lights will come on as normal, but instead of going out, the three orange lights will flash. All engines are stopped and the start resumes from the five minute point.
• 
  

  Driver completed 90% of winner's race distance
  1st place	25 points
  2nd place	18 points
  3rd place	15 points
  4th place	12 points
  5th place	10 points
  6th place	8 points
  7th place	6 points
  8th place	4 points
  9th place	2 points
  10th place	1 point
  11th place onwards	No points

  
  For scoring systems prior to 2010, refer to the Drivers finishing lower than tenth place receive no points.
  If the race had for some reason to be abandoned before 75% of the planned distance (rounded up to the nearest lap) had been completed, then the points awarded are halved: 12.5, 9, 7.5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5.