total result

General 517
OBC 326
Scheduled Castes (SC) 187
Scheduled Tribe (ST) 92
Total 1122

Interviews for Assistant commandant (CAPF-2013) will start from 16th June 2014.

UPSC announces civil services examination result, Gaurav Agrawal tops the list

The Union Public Service Commission on Thursday announced the result for civil services examination (2013), the test for which was conducted in December 2013 followed by interview during April-June 2014.
Gaurav Agrawal has got the first rank in the exam with Economics as his optional subject. He holds Bachelor of Technology (Computer Science) degree from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow.
This was his second attempt.
Delhi-based Munish Sharma and Rachit Raj have got second and third positions respectively.
Women had bagged the top slots in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Civil Services Examinations.
Munish has a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry) degree from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University. He got through the exam in second attempt.
“I am very happy. My success is the result of hard work and blessings of my teachers and my mother,” Munish told PTI over phone.
Rachit has cracked the examination in his first attempt.
Bharti Dixit is the topper among female candidates. She has secured fifth rank. She has done Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi. This was her first attempt.
As many as 1,122 candidates have been recommended for appointment in Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and other central services on the basis of the Civil Services Examination, 2013, said a release issued by the Ministry of Personnel.
There are 15 males and 10 females in top 25 positions.
Among the top 25 candidates, 24 took the examination in English and one in Kannada medium.
Nine of the top 25 candidates are from Engineering stream, three from Medical Science; four from Science and nine from Commerce, Humanities and other Social Sciences background.
Five of them have made to the merit list in their first attempts, 11 in second attempts, seven in third attempts and two in their fourth attempts.
The result also showcases the pan-India distribution of successful candidates. Among the top 25, there are candidates claiming domicile from as many as 11 states or union
territories: Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, it said.
Of these, 20 appeared for the examination from Delhi; two from Jaipur and one each from Lucknow, Bangalore and Chandigarh centres.
Of the total successful candidates, 517 are of General category, 326 of Other Backward Class (OBC), 187 of Scheduled Castes (SC) and 92 of Scheduled Tribes (ST).
There were 1,228 advertised vacancies vacancies– 622 General, 326 OBC, 188 SC and 92 ST– for Civil Services Examination 2013.
The Civil Services (preliminary) Examination was held on May 26, 2013. A total of 7,76,565 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 3,23,949 candidates actually
appeared and 14,959 candidates were declared qualified for appearance in the mains examination.
The mains exam was held in December, 2013 and based on their performance, 3,003 candidates were shortlisted for the personality test which was conducted in April-June.
The Civil Services Examination is conducted in three phases– preliminary, mains and interview.

Good news for UK PCS ASPIRANTS.NOW THERE IS NO SUBJECT IN MAINS.THERE WILL BE TOTAL 07 PAPER IN MAINS. SEE THE DETAIL. http://www.ukpsc.gov.in/files/scan0001_45.pdf

Management of Economy and Government Finances is collective resposibility of States and UTs: FM;

Management of Economy and Government Finances is collective resposibility of States and UTs: FM; Union Finance Minister holds Pre-Budget Consultation with the Finance Minsiters of States/UTs; States asks for revival of Economic Growth, Curbing of Inflation and creation of job oppurtunities among others

The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley said that the Union and the States must complement each other in managing the economy and fiscal policy which is the essence of cooperative federalism. They must act like a “Team” in doing so, he added. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley emphasised the need to address regional disparities through evenness of growth between States. While maintaining the imperative of growth, fiscal discipline can not be compromised, he added. The Finance Minister stated the need of “rounding off corners” towards implementation of GST. He also emphasised the need for states to address supply side bottlenecks to manage inflation in the economy. The Finance Minister reiterated the commitment to allow greater autonomy to States in scheme implementation. It was noted that some initial steps have been taken in this direction. Reforming Public distribution system was stated to be high on the agenda of the Government, he added.The Finance Minister said that the Mandate of 2014 clearly spells out that economic growth cannot be compromised at any cost and sine quo non to reap the benefits of the demography dividend. He said that we owe it to our youth and under-privileged that we partner in this process of growth and its equitable redistribution. The Finance Minster further added that his Government is committed to evolve a model for national development which is driven by the States and intends to extend necessary flexibility to the States in achieving this. However, he urged the States to be fiscally responsible with this greater devolution of power. The Finance Minister was addressing the Finance Ministers of different States and Union Territories (with legislature) as part of his Pre-Budget Consultation process here today. Along with the Finance Minister, the meeting was attended by Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Dr. Arvind Mayaram, Finance Secretary, Shri Rajiv Takru, Revenue Secretary, Shri G.S. Sandhu, Secretary, Financial Services and other senior officers of the Ministry of Finance and the States and Union Territories among others. The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Finance, , officers of State and Central Government. From the States/UTs, the meeting was attended by six Chief Ministers, holding Finance portfolio, 18 Finance Ministers/ Ministers representing their Finance Ministers of States including Lt. Governor of Delhi, Shri Najeeb Jung, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Smt. Vasundhra Raje, Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Sikkim Shri Pawan Chamling, Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri T.R. Zeliang, and Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri Okram Ibobi Singh among others. Various suggestions were made by the representatives of different States/UTs during the meeting. Some of the suggestions made during the aforesaid meeting included revival of growth in the economy and curbing of inflation especially food inflation, payment of compensation to the States for phasing-out Central Sales Tax (CST), revision of royalty on minerals, and creation of job opportunities especially in rural areas among others. State Governments also suggested higher investment in infrastructure, boosting of industrial growth and need for job creation. Rationalisation of taxes and duty were also sought by some State Governments. Union territories also suggested that they may be made a part of Finance Commission award. States expressed concern regarding the likely impact of the VII Central Pay Commission award on their finances. It was suggested that consultative process for implementation of VII CPC award must also include the States. States expressed concerns regarding certain provision of new Land acquisition law and its impact of infrastructure projects and investments. States also pointed towards provisions of Environmental laws and their adverse impact on completion of critical infrastructure projects. Views were also expressed towards bringing the CAMPA funds lying in the Bank Accounts to Consolidated Fund of India and redeploying these amounts for environmental regeneration. There were a few common issues such as factoring State’s uniqueness in Central Schemes and CST compensation raised by State governments. Other suggestions included focus on and promotion of MSME sector for creating more employment opportunities in rural areas, mechanism in GST to protect the revenue of the States, opening of more bank branches in rural areas to focus on financial inclusion, incentives for promotion of exports, building of investors’ confidence about forthcoming Government policies, restructuring of State Electricity Boards to make them financially viable, rationalization of duty structure as presently it is adversely affecting the growth of industries. Flexibility in implementation and allocation of funds under Central Sponsored Schemes according to the requirements and needs of each specific State/UT and tax relief in backward districts among others. The Finance Minister Shri Jaitley assured the States and the UTs that the issue raised and suggestions made by the different States/UTs will be looked into in detail and all efforts made to address them

New & Renewable Energy

Secretary, MNRE Underlines Importance of Biomass Based Power Generation in the Country MNRE Organises Workshop on Regulatory and Financial Barriers and Challenges in Power Generation from Biomass

Shri Upendra Tripathy, Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), inaugurated a Workshop on ‘Regulatory and Financial Barriers and Challenges in Power Generation from Biomass’ here today. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Tripathy underlined the importance of biomass based power generation and said that it plays a very important role among various renewable sources due to its high Plant Load Factor (PLF), affordable unit cost of generation, potential to provide large scale productive employment and the other economic benefits to farmers who are main producers of biomass and therefore, biomass power generation a focus area of the Ministry. He informed that the present cumulative installed capacity of biomass based power plants, both grid-interactive and off-grid, is about 4700 MW in India. Shri Tripathy, also mentioned that despite so many inherent benefits, a number of biomass power projects, of late have been facing problems in their operation due to high cost of operation. He opined that this is mainly due to continuous rise in biomass prices. On the other hand, the revision of tariff for biomass based power by SERC’s has not kept pace with the increasing costs of biomass. Also the existing inconsistencies in values of the certain parameters have to be harmonised and taken into account by SERC’s for determination of tariff. In the current scenario, Financial Institutions have displayed reluctance in financing biomass power projects, thereby posing problems for new investments in the sector. The Distribution Companies, who are key to the off take of biomass power, have also not been pro-active. They could play a more proactive and encouraging role in order to promote the sector. The Secretary appealed to the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERC’s) to help in effecting reforms by taking cognizance of the revised regulations recently notified by Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) and pass on the benefits to the biomass power producers so that their plants can run economically. CERC has also approved values for critical parameters and recommended for annual revision of fuel price based on independent survey. The Ministry has taken up some of the critical issues affecting the biomass power sector for their early resolution. This Workshop has been organized by the Ministry to provide a platform for all the related stakeholders to get together, discuss and deliberate, and utilize the collective knowledge in addressing the concerns of the sector and to remove the barriers faced by the biomass sector to provide it the much required and necessary impetus.

must read speech for ias exam

Address by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee to Parliament at Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi

Honourable Members          I am delighted to address this first session of both Houses of Parliament after the elections to the 16th Lok Sabha. Let me begin by extending warm greetings to my fellow citizens, who participated in large numbers in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. We should never forget that we are here because of them. Serving them should be our first priority. I also felicitate the members of the new Lok Sabha. You have successfully obtained the mandate from the electorate and now you represent their hopes, aspirations and dreams. I extend a warm welcome to all of you and hope that the sessions ahead with heavy legislative agenda will be productive and useful. 2.      It is a matter of great satisfaction that the recent general elections were smooth and largely peaceful. I would like to congratulate the Election Commission of India and the official machinery for conducting these elections successfully. The unprecedented interest shown by the people of India in the elections is a sign of progressive deepening of our vibrant democracy.  Before I dwell upon the tasks ahead of us, I would like to express my solidarity with the families of all those who lost their lives during the election process. 3.      I congratulate the new Speaker of the Lok Sabha on her unanimous election to this august office. By successively electing women Speakers, the Lok Sabha has re-affirmed our age-old belief in the importance of women in our society. Honourable Members 4.      This has been an election of Hope. It marks a turning point in the evolution of our democratic polity. The surge in aspirations and the belief that these could be realized through democratic processes, has been amply reflected in the record 66.4% participation by voters, and a clear verdict in favour of a single political party after a gap of nearly 30 years. The electorate transcended the boundaries of caste, creed, region and religion to come together and vote decisively in favour of Development through Good Governance.             5.      The country needed a strong and stable government that could provide effective leadership. In my Republic Day speech earlier this year, I had hoped for 2014 to be a year of healing after the fractured and contentious politics of the previous years. Standing here today, I applaud the wisdom of my fellow citizens for having voted for stability, honesty and development in a resurgent India in which corruption will have no place. They have voted for a united, strong, and modern India - “Ek Bharat - Shreshtha Bharat”. My government will work to fulfill these aspirations; with the involvement of all the 125 crore people of this great country. 6.      My government is committed to nurturing the right environment for actualizing this mandate of the people. For this, it pledges itself to the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’; which can be fulfilled only through your active participation. We will work together to re-establish the credibility of the institutions of democracy. My government will function on the mantra of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’. In all our actions, we will be guided by the core values of our great civilization. Honourable Members 7.      My Government is dedicated to the poor. Poverty has no religion, hunger has no creed, and despair has no geography. The greatest challenge before us is to end the curse of poverty in India. My government will not be satisfied with mere “poverty alleviation”; and commits itself to the goal of “poverty elimination”. With a firm belief that the first claim on development belongs to the poor; the government will focus its attention on those who need the basic necessities of life most urgently. It will take necessary steps to provide security in its entirety to all citizens; through empathy, support and empowerment. 8.      Containing food inflation will be the topmost priority for my government. There would be an emphasis on improving the supply side of various agro and agro-based products. My government will take effective steps to prevent hoarding and black marketing. It will reform the Public Distribution System, incorporating best practices from the States. My government is alert about the possibility of a subnormal monsoon this year and contingency plans are being prepared. 9.      Despite more than two-thirds of our people living in rural areas; we have not been able to provide adequate public amenities and livelihood opportunities to them. My government is committed to improving the quality of life in our villages, through empowered Panchayati Raj institutions. A substantial part of investment will focus on creating community assets and improving basic infrastructure such as roads, shelter, power and drinking water. My government will strive to end the rural-urban divide guided by the idea of Rurban; providing urban amenities to rural areas while preserving the ethos of the villages. 10.    Agriculture is the source of livelihood for majority of our people.  In the recent past, our farmers have been under severe stress with hopelessness driving some of them to suicides. My government is committed to reversing this unfortunate trend. It will increase investment in agriculture, both public and private, especially in Agri-infrastructure. Steps will be taken to convert farming into a profitable venture through scientific practices and Agro-technology. My government will address issues pertaining to pricing and procurement of agricultural produce, crop insurance and post-harvest management. Productivity of Animal Husbandry will be increased. My government will incentivize the setting up of food processing industries. Existing cooperative sector laws will be reviewed to remove anomalies and lacunae. My government will adopt a National Land Use Policy which will facilitate scientific identification of non-cultivable land and its strategic development. 11.    Each drop of water is precious. My government is committed to  giving high priority to water security. It will complete the long pending irrigation projects on priority and launch the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana’ with the motto of ‘Har Khet Ko Paani’. There is a need for seriously considering all options including linking of rivers, where feasible; for ensuring optimal use of our water resources to prevent the recurrence of floods and drought. By harnessing rain water through ‘Jal Sanchay’ and ‘Jal Sinchan’, we will nurture water conservation and ground water recharge. Micro irrigation will be popularised to ensure ‘Per drop-More crop’. Honourable Members 12.    India is the world’s oldest civilization. Today it is also a country with the largest population of the youth. We must equip and nurture our youth with the right kind of education, skill-set and opportunity to reap this demographic dividend. My government will strive to transition from Youth Development to Youth-led Development. It will set up Massive Open Online Courses and virtual classrooms. It will formulate a National Education Policy aimed at meeting the challenges posed by lack of quality, research and innovation in our educational institutions. We will set up IITs and IIMs in every state. In order to empower school teachers and students, a national e-library will be established. With the motto of “Har Haath Ko Hunar”, my government will strive to break the barriers between formal education and skill development, and put in place a mechanism to give academic equivalence to vocational qualifications. With the goal of Skilled India, my government will also launch a National Multi-skill Mission. 13.    The children and youth of the country need avenues of recreation that develop them constructively and keep them fit. My government will launch a ‘National Sports Talent Search System’. It will facilitate development and promotion of Indian sports, particularly rural sports. Sports will be popularised by making it an integral part of the school curriculum and providing educational incentives. 14.       Our country needs a holistic health care system that is universally accessible, affordable and effective. To achieve this objective, my government will formulate a New Health Policy and roll out a National Health Assurance Mission. It will promote Yoga and  AYUSH. To address the shortfall of health care professionals, health education and training will be transformed. AIIMS like institutes will be established in every State in a phased manner. 15.       We must not tolerate the indignity of homes without toilets and public spaces littered with garbage. For ensuring hygiene, waste management and sanitation across the nation a “Swachh Bharat Mission” will be launched. This will be our tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary to be celebrated in the year 2019. 16.    Keeping in mind welfare of the people belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and the weaker sections of our society; my government will take steps to create an enabling eco-system of equal opportunity in education, health and livelihood. My Government is committed to see that those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Other Backward classes are able to avail emerging opportunities. For the Scheduled Tribes, my government will launch a dedicated “Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana”. Electrification of tribal hamlets and connecting them with all-weather roads will be a priority area. 17.    It is unfortunate that even after several decades of independence, sections of minority communities continue to suffer from poverty, as benefits of government schemes do not reach them. My government is committed to making all minorities equal partners in India’s progress. The government will especially strengthen measures to spread modern and technical education among minority communities and a National Madarsa Modernization Programme will be initiated. 18.    The welfare and rehabilitation of specially-abled people is integral to my government’s vision of a caring society. It will take steps to provide dignity of life to them by facilitating their participation in all walks of life. Steps will be taken to identify their special needs and to provide institutional care to them. 19.    My government recognizes the important role our women play in the development of our society and growth of the nation. It is committed to providing 33 per cent reservation to them in the Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies. With a commitment of “Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao”, my government will launch a mass campaign for saving the girl child and enabling her education. It will structure a comprehensive scheme, incorporating best practices from States in this regard. In the recent past, the country has witnessed some grue some incidents of violence against women. The government will have a policy of zero tolerance for violence against women, and will strengthen the criminal justice system for its effective implementation. Honourable Members 20.    India is a federal polity. But, over the years, the federal spirit has been diluted. The States and the Centre should function as an organic Team India. In order to actively engage with the States on national issues, my government will reinvigorate fora like the National Development Council and the Inter-State Council. The Centre will be an enabler in the rapid progress of States through Cooperative Federalism. State-specific development models will be developed taking into account the special needs and unique problems of Coastal, Hilly and Desert areas. Highest priority will be accorded to bring eastern region of the country on par with western region in terms of physical and social infrastructure. My government is committed to addressing the issues relating to development of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The government will lay special emphasis on improving the intra-region connectivity and border infrastructure in the Northeast as well as in Jammu & Kashmir. The issue of infiltration and illegal immigrants in the Northeast region will be tackled on priority and all pending fencing work along the Northeast border will be completed. Special efforts will be made to ensure that Kashmiri Pandits return to the land of their ancestors with full dignity, security and assured livelihood. 21.    My government is committed to providing a clean and efficient administration focussed on delivery. The institution of Lok Pal is important to curb corruption and my government will endeavour to formulate rules in conformity with the Act. My government will take steps to build the confidence and morale of our bureaucracy; enabling it with the freedom to work, and welcoming innovative ideas. The government will stress on putting in place transparent systems and timebound delivery of government services. Government systems and processes will be revisited to make them citizen friendly, corruption free and accountable. Efforts will be made to eliminate obsolete laws, regulations, administrative structures and practices. Rationalization and convergence among Ministries, Departments and other arms of the government will be ensured to have focussed delivery. Digitization of government records will be done for improving accessibility. 22.       E-governance brings empowerment, equity and efficiency. It has the power to transform peoples’ lives. The backbone of my government’s new ways of working will be a Digital India. IT will be used to drive re-engineering of government processes to improve service delivery and programme implementation. We will strive to provide Wi-Fi zones in critical public areas in the next five years. My government will rollout broad band highway to reach every village and make all schools e-enabled in a phased manner. Technology will be used to prepare our children for a knowledge society. The National e-governance plan will be expanded to cover every government office from the centre to the Panchayat; to provide a wide variety of services to citizens. Emerging technologies like Social Media will be used as a tool for;participative governance, directly engaging the people in policy making and administration. 23.       My government is determined to rid the country of the scourge of corruption and the menace of black money. As a first step in this direction, the government has already constituted a SIT to unearth black money stashed abroad. This will be followed up vigorously by proactively engaging with foreign governments. 24.       Keeping in mind that justice delayed is justice denied, my government will adopt a multi-pronged approach to address the problem of high pendency of cases in our judicial system. It will progressively modernize the courts to improve their operational efficiency, and start reform of the criminal justice system to make dispensation of justice simpler, quicker and moreeffective. It will initiate a mission mode project for filling vacancies in the judiciary and for doubling the number of courts and judges in the subordinate judiciary in a phased manner. The government will give special emphasis to the development of Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanisms. Honourable Members 25.    On the economic front, we are passing through an extremely difficult phase. For two consecutive years, our GDP growth has been less than 5 per cent. Tax collection has declined. Inflation continues to be at an unacceptable level. Thus, putting the Indian economy back on track is paramount for my government. We will work together to usher our economy into a high growth path, rein in inflation, reignite the investment cycle, accelerate job creation and restore the confidence of the domestic as well as international community in our economy. 26.    My government will create a policy environment which is predictable, transparent and fair. It will embark on rationalisation and simplification of the tax regime to make it non-adversarial and conducive to investment, enterprise and growth. My government will make every effort to introduce the GST while addressing the concerns of States. Reforms will be undertaken to enhance the ease of doing business. My government will follow a policy of encouraging investments, including through FDI; which will be allowed in sectors that help create jobs and assets. 27.    For rapid creation of jobs in the manufacturing sector, the government will strategically promote labour-intensive manufacturing. Employment opportunities will also be expanded by promoting tourism and agro-based industries. My government will transform Employment Exchanges into Career Centres - connecting our youth with job opportunities in a transparent and effective manner through the use of technology as well as through counselling and training. The government will strengthen the pension and health insurance safety nets for labour force of all categories and would provide them access to modern financial services. 28.       We need to transform ourselves into a globally competitive manufacturing hub powered by Skill, Scale andSpeed. To this end, the government will set up world class investment and industrial regions, particularly along theDedicated Freight Corridors and Industrial Corridors spanning the country. My Government will encourage the domestic industry to innovate and collaborate internationally. It will strive to move towards a single-window system of clearances both at the Centre and at the States through a hub-spoke model. 29.    To strengthen our share in global trade, procedures will be simplified and trade infrastructure strengthened so as to reduce transaction time and costs. The SSI and Handicraft sectors will be encouraged by providing them enhanced technological, marketing and investment support. Export potential of this sector will be encouraged. My government will make every effort to improve the working conditions of our weavers in particular. It will also set up a task force to review and revive our MSME sector. Honourable Members 30.    Lack of robust infrastructure is one of India’s major impediments. The government will chalk out an ambitious infrastructure development programme to be implemented in the next 10 years. A fast-track, investment friendly and predictable PPP mechanism will be put in place. Modernization and revamping of Railways is on top of the infrastructure agenda. My government will launch a Diamond Quadrilateral project of high speed trains. The country will have a network of freight corridors with specialised Agri-Rail networks for perishable agricultural products. Investment in railways will be increased using innovative financing methods. Expansion of railways in Hilly States and Northeast region and modernization of rail safety systems will be prime focus areas. We will encourage R&D and high level local manufacturing for railway systems. A fast, time-bound and well monitored programme for execution of the National Highways programme will be initiated, to overcome the stagnancy of the past few years. Low cost airports will be developed to promote air connectivity to smaller towns. The government will evolve a model of Port-led development. Our long coastline will become the gateway for India’s prosperity. My government will facilitate modernization of existing ports on one hand, and development of new world class ports on the other. Stringing together the Sagar Mala project we will connect the ports with the hinterland through road and rail. Inland and coastal waterways will be developed as major transport routes. 31.    My government will come out with a comprehensive National Energy Policy and focus on development of energy related infrastructure, human resource and technology. The aim of the government will be to substantially augment electricity generation capacity through judicious mix of conventional and non-conventional sources. It will expand the national solar mission and connect households and industries with gas-grids. Reforms in the coal sector will be pursued with urgency for attracting private investment in a transparent manner. The international civil nuclear agreements will be operationalized and nuclear power projects for civilian purposes will be developed. 32.    My government is conscious of the fact that our urban infrastructure is under severe stress. Soon, 50 per cent of our population would be residing in urban areas. Taking urbanization as an opportunity rather than a challenge, the government will build 100 Cities focussed on specialized domains and equipped with world class amenities. Integrated infrastructure will be rolled out in model towns to focus on cleanliness and sanitation. By the time the nation completes 75 years of its Independence, every family will have a pucca house with water connection, toilet facilities, 24x7 electricity supply and access. Honourable Members 33.       While putting the country on a high growth path, my government will keep sustainability at the core of our planning process. My government strongly believes that environmental conservation can go hand in hand with development. To achieve this, environment and forest clearance systems will be made more predictable, transparent and time-bound. Simultaneously, an effective system will be developed for sound appraisal processes and strict compliance of clearance conditions, especially those relating to rehabilitation of displaced communities and regeneration of forests. Cleaner fuels will be promoted to bring down pollution levels in our cities. The government will earnestly take up mitigation works to meet the challenges posed by climate change and will closely work with the global community in this regard. Conservation of Himalayan ecology will be a priority area for my government. A National Mission on Himalayas will be launched. 34.    In the recent past, serious concerns have been expressed regarding use of discretionary powers in allocation of our precious natural resources. The government will formulate clear and transparent policies on allocation of critical natural resources such as coal, minerals and spectrum. 35.    River Ganga is a part of our rich cultural heritage, a symbol of faith and the lifeline for millions. However, Ganga continues to remain polluted with many stretches of the river becoming dry in lean season. My government will take all necessary steps to ensure a perennial, clean and pristine Ganga. 36.       Our rich cultural heritage is the very foundation on which rests the unity of our diverse nation. Indian languages are repositories of our rich literature, history, culture, art and other achievements. My government will launch a national mission “e-Bhasha” that will develop digital vernacular content and disseminate our classic literature in different languages. My government will also provide the required resources for the maintenance and restoration of national heritage sites. 37.    India has a vast untapped potential for tourism which can play a special role in our socio-economic progress. The government will initiate a mission mode project to create 50 tourist circuits that are built around specific themes. With a view to encouraging pilgrimage tourism, a National Mission for beautifying and improving the amenities and infrastructure at pilgrimage centres of all faiths will be launched. 38.    My government recognises the central role of Science and Technology in raising the quality of life. It will encourage and incentivise private sector investments, both domestic and foreign, in science and technology and in high-end research aimed at nurturing innovation. My government will build world class research centres in the fields of nanotechnology, material sciences, thorium technology, brain research, stem cells, etc.  The government will also establish institutes of Technology for Rural Development and a Central University of Himalayan Studies. Honourable Members 39.    The government will maintain utmost vigil in the area of internal security.  A policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, extremism, riots and crime will be pursued. The States will be assisted for modernizing police infrastructure and equipment to tackle new forms of terrorism including narco terrorism and cyber threats. A national plan will be chalked out in consultation with the state governments to effectively curb incidents of communal violence and the challenges posed by left wing extremism. My government will take steps to equip the security forces with the latest technology and to improve their working conditions.  40.    My Government will carry out reforms in defence procurement to increase efficiency and economy. It will encourage domestic industry, including the private sector; to have a larger share in design and production of defence equipment. We will introduce policies to strengthen technology transfer, including through liberalised FDI in defence production. With readily available skilled human resource, India can emerge as a global platform for defence manufacturing including software, which will strengthen our defence and spur industrial development as well as exports.   41.    The country is proud of its Armed Forces. They serve the nation with professionalism, dedication and valour; securing our nation and supporting relief and rescue operations in the wake of disasters and calamities. We will strengthen defence preparedness by modernising our Armed Forces and addressing the shortage of manpower on priority. Recognising the importance of coastal security, my government will set up a National Maritime Authority. 42.    My government will do everything to repay the debt of our brave and selfless soldiers. It will appoint a Veterans Commission to address their grievances, so that they know that we don’t stop caring for them when they retire from active service. The government will build a National War Memorial to honour the gallantry of our soldiers. One Rank, One Pension scheme will be implemented. Honourable Members 43.    India’s foreign policy, with its civilizational roots and heritage, is based on the principles of developing peaceful and friendly relations with all countries. We will pursue our international engagement based on enlightened national interest, combining the strength of our values with pragmatism, leading to a doctrine of mutually beneficial relationships. My government is committed to building a strong, self-reliant and self-confident India; regaining its rightful place in the comity of nations. 44.       My government sent a unique and bold signal to the South Asian region and the world, by inviting for the first time in independent India, leaders of all South Asian neighbours to the swearing-in ceremony of the new Council of Ministers on May 26. We are grateful to them for accepting the invitation at such a short notice. Their participation, as also the gracious presence of the Prime Minister of Mauritius; not only added sheen to the ceremony, but also represented a celebration of democracy in the region and convergence of our shared hopes and aspirations. This shows my government’s commitment and determination to work towards building a peaceful, stable and economically inter-linked neighbourhood which is essential for the collective development and prosperity of the South Asian Region. We will further work together with South Asian leaders to revitalise SAARC as an effective instrument for regional cooperation and as a united voice on global issues. 45.    At the same time, we will never shy away from raising issues of concern to us at a bilateral level. We emphasize that the future of shared prosperity can only be built on the foundation of stability in the region, which requires sensitivity to security concerns and an end to export of terrorism to neighbours. 46.       My Government will engage energetically with other neighbours in our region, including China, with whom we will work to further develop our Strategic and Cooperative Partnership. We will strive to make progress in the many initiatives that are ongoing with Japan, especially in the field of building modern infrastructure in our country. Russia remains a privileged and strategic partner and my government will build further on the firm foundations of this relationship. 47.       India and the United States have made significant progress in developing strategic partnership over the years. My government will bring a renewed vigour to our engagement and intensify it in all areas, including trade, investment, science and technology, energy and education. India also values its broad-based cooperation with Europe. The government will make concerted efforts to achieve progress in key areas with the European Union as well as its leading members. 48.      To fully realize our softpower potential; there is a need to integrate it into our external interchange, with particular emphasis on our rich spiritual, cultural and philosophical heritage. The government will revive Brand India riding on our strengths of 5T’s: Tradition, Talent, Tourism, Trade and Technology. 49.    Across the world, we have a vibrant, talented and industrious Indian Diaspora that is a source of great pride for us. They have done pioneering work in diverse fields, held the highest public offices and have worked hard to support their localities and families in India. While they have contributed immensely to their adopted country, they also carry a little flame of India in their hearts that can light up the promise of change in our country.  A hundred years ago, in 1915, India’s greatest Pravasi Bharatiya, Mahatma Gandhi, returned home and transformed the nation’s destiny. The next Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in January 2015 will thus be a special occasion. As we celebrate the centenary of Gandhiji’s return to India, we would also take steps that would deepen every Pravasi Bharatiya’s connection with India and involve them in India’s development. Honourable Members 50.       The people of India have given a clear mandate. They want to see a vibrant, dynamic and prosperous India. They want to see a resurgent India regaining the admiration and respect of the international community. Brimming with hope and expectation, they want quick results. With three Ds of Democracy, Demography and Demand on our side, India is poised to actualize these aspirations. We must rise to the occasion to fulfill these great expectations. In 60 months from now, we should be able to say with confidence and pride that we have done it.