NHAI signs MoU with ISRO and NECTAR for use of spatial technology for monitoring and managing National Highways

NHAI signs MoU with ISRO and NECTAR for use of spatial technology for monitoring and managing National Highways.

NHAI has signed Memorandum of Understanding with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and North East Centre for Technology Application and Research (NECTAR) for use of spatial technology for monitoring and managing National Highways.

NHAI has been entrusted with National Highways Development Project (NHDP), along with other projects for development, maintenance and management of National Highways across the country. To accomplish this mandate, it is required to use advanced and multiple technologies to expedite project preparation, monitor construction progress, operation and maintenance and optimal management of its assets.

ISRO is the nodal agency appointed by Govt. of India for Space Technology. National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), a part of ISRO, is the focal point for distribution of remote sensing satellite data products in India. The NRSC supplies satellite data products acquired by Indian Satellites (ISRO) and also by the foreign satellite product companies. North East Centre for Technology Application and Research (NECTAR), Department of Science and Technology uses Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for acquiring aerial images for infrastructure planning.

The use of satellite data and geospatial technology will be useful in providing inputs in highway and infrastructure projects for preparation of DPR, prefeasibility status in new alignment, upgrade/road widening, monitoring of road segments under construction and Road Asset Management System.

The use and benefits of unmanned aerial vehicle technology will be useful in monitoring, construction progress, Road Asset Management, feasibility report and DPR preparation, immediate assessment and remedy of problematic spots etc.

NHAI will take up some pilot projects with both the organisations to identify and finalise actual use and benefits of both satellite data & geospatial technology and UAV technology in highway and infrastructure sector. A technical cell would also be set up which will run 24x7 to provide relevant project specific data using this technology to project report Consultants, Engineers, staff and users.

Energy Cooperation with Japan will be defining feature of our relationship

Energy Cooperation with Japan will be defining feature of our relationship”- Shri Piyush Goyal

Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy, Government of India said, “energy cooperation with Japan will be defining feature of our relationship”. Shri Goyal was addressing Institute of Energy Economics Japan in Tokyo today and was received by Mr Masakazu Toyoda CEO, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ).

Taking inspiration from Japanese energy efficiency efforts, Shri Goyal said that Japan has 70-80% of lighting from LEDs, we are targeting 100% LED penetration in India by 2019. The Minister is on a visit to Tokyo, Japan to attend the 8th India-Japan Energy Dialogue on 12-14 January 2016. He also invited Japanese companies “to Come to India, Make in India and Conserve Energy in India”.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Goyal informed that USA & Europe with just 10-12% of the world's populations have contributed ~50% of GHG emissions while India contributes only 2.5% with 17% of population. He demanded that developed countries should support the developing & emerging economies with green tech, low cost finance to keep our energy costs affordable. “Climate justice demands that the developed world reassess its lifestyle and consumption of electricity & petroleum products”, Shri Goyal added.

Earlier during the day, Shri Goyal attended three roundtable conferences on Clean Coal Technologies and Efficient Coal Based Power Generation, Super-Efficient Appliances & LEDs and Energy Efficient Petroleum Refining- Energy Audit in Refineries. He will also participate in two roundtable conferences to be held on the theme of Energy Storage Technologies and Smart Grids/Smart Meters on Thursday.

On the sidelines of the Energy Dialogue, five interactive sessions on relevant themes of Clean Coal Technologies and Efficient Coal Based Power Generation, Super-Efficient Appliances and LEDs, Energy Efficient Petroleum Refining-Energy Audit refineries, Energy Storage Technologies and Smart Grids/Smart Meters are scheduled to take place between the Indian and Japanese companies on 13th & 14th January. The themes were selected based on India’s energy needs and with a view to further deepen the cooperation in the energy sector between the two sides such that Japanese technology and capital can be dovetailed with Indian high skilled human resources and “Make in India” to create win-win situations bilaterally and beyond.

“150th Birth Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai

Dr. Mahesh Sharma Inaugurates an Exhibition on Lala Lajpat Rai at a Function to Commemorate his 150th Birth Anniversary

Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent charge) and Civil Aviation inaugurated an Exhibition on Lala Lajpat Rai entitled “Lala Lajpat Rai – A Selfless Patriot” at a function to commemorate “150th Birth Anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai” here today. Shri NK Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Culture and senior officers of the Ministry were present on the occasion. A puppet show performance based on the life and ideals of Lala Lajpat Rai was also presented on the occasion.

Addressing on the occasion, Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that Lala Lajpat Rai Ji was a great patriot and man of masses. He was a stalwart of freedom struggle who ranks among India’s most outstanding leaders. He was popularly known as ‘Punjab Kesari’. He was a prominent figure in protests against the Partition of Bengal and led the extremist wing of the Congress along with Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The three were affectionately called ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’. As a tribute to the recognition of his sacrifices the Government of India has decided to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary. Ministry of Culture observes birth centenary/125th/150th etc. anniversaries of great personalities of national importance and various activities are organized for a period of one year, he added.

Dr. Sharma said that Lala Lajpat Rai Ji was greatly influenced by the Arya Samaj and its founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati and he fought against many social evils, especially Untouchability in society. He was a prolific author and wrote many books. He also founded and edited newspapers and journals. Assaulted by the police while leading a demonstration against the Simon Commission in Lahore on 30th October 1928, he succumbed to severe injuries on 17th November 1928. The present generation should be indebted to great freedom fighters like Lala Ji.

Shri NK Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Culture in his address said that Lala Lajpat Rai Ji was a great freedom fighter who along with Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak formed a trio of Lal-Bal –Pal. He authored many books and edited many journals which inspired the youths and public at large to take part in freedom struggle.

Lala Lajpat Rai was born on 28th January 1865 at a small village of Dhudike in district Ferozepur, Punjab. He was a contemporary of great stalwarts including Mahatma Gandhi. He was a prominent figure in protests against the Partition of Bengal and led the extremist wing of the Congress along with Bipin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The three were affectionately called ‘Lal-Bal-Pal’. He was a man of masses. In 1907, Lajpat Rai along with Ajit Singh (uncle of Shaheed Bhagat Singh) resisted the Punjab Colonisation Bill. Lalaji was deported without trial to Mandalay, Burma on 9 May 1907 and released after six months.

A passion for India and concern for social upliftment were the two motivating passions throughout Lalaji’s life. He established Punjab Shiksha Sangh(1911) and set up the Radha Kishan High School at Jagraon (1913). The reform of the Hindu society especially caste and gender relations was an abiding mission. He crusaded for an end to “untouchability”. He visited England in 1905, 1908-10 and delivered many public lectures. He also visited USA & Japan. He founded the Indian Home Rule League of America in October 1917. On being elected as President at historic Calcutta Congress (Special) Session in September, 1920, he said, “There is no life without freedom and there is no Freedom without ‘Swarajya’ or self –government. At the Nagpur Congress session in December 1920 he fully endorsed Gandhiji’s programme of Non-cooperation with the British.

Lalaji established at Lahore the ‘Tilak School of Politics in 1920 and the Quami Vidyapeeth in 1921. He founded the Servants of People Society to work for social reform in May 1921. He was arrested on 31st January 1922 and sentenced for two years rigorous imprisonment for participation in Non-cooperation movement. He joined Swaraj Party in 1926 and was elected its Deputy Leader in the Central Legislative Assembly. He later resigned from the Swaraj Party in August 1926. On 16 February 1928, he moved the resolution in the Central Legislative Assembly refusing co-operation with the Simon Commission as the latter had no Indian member. Assaulted by the police while leading a demonstration against the Commission in Lahore on 30th October 1928, he succumbed to severe injuries on 17th November 1928.

Lalaji was greatly influenced by the Arya Samaj and its founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati. He wrote his biography (1899) and also a book on the history of Arya Samaj (1915). In collaboration with Mahatma Hans Raj,, he founded the DAV School at Lahore, 1886. He founded Punjab National Bank along with Lala Harkishan Lal at Lahore (1894) and Lakshmi Insurance Company to give boost to export by Indian traders. He was also closely associated with the Hindu Mahasabha. He was a prolific author and wrote many books. He also founded and edited newspapers and journals. He launched three English weeklies, The Regenerator of Aryavarta (1883); The Panjabee(1904) and The people (1925); an Urdu weekly Deshopkarak(1883) and an Urdu daily Bande Mataram(1920). Lalaji dies as martyr. Paying tribute to him Gandhiji wrote in Young India under the caption ‘Long Live Lalaji’: ‘Men like Lalaji cannot die so long as the sun shines in the Indian sky.”

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Task Force recommendations on development of manufacturing capabilities in Pharmaceutical production released

Task Force recommendations on development of manufacturing capabilities in Pharmaceutical production released; Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister says Six pharma parks and two medical devices parks will be set up

The Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Ananth Kumar today released recommendations of the task force on development of manufacturing capabilities in each medical vertical in Pharmaceutical production. Speaking on the occasion, he complemented the task force for giving the report in a time bound manner, after extensive and in-depth consultations. Shri Ananth Kumar said that Pharma Industry in the country is a sunrise industry with 30 billion dollars output and the Government is supporting the industry in taking up this output to 55 billion dollars by 2020. The Minister said, the sector is growing at the rate of 14 percent per annum and it has to show additional 1-2% growth every year to reach the 2020 target. Shri Ananth Kumar said that Government is going to set up six pharma parks and two medical devices parks very soon which will involve an investment of about Rs. 30,000 crores.

The Minister said that due to the Central Government’s encouragement and focus, there is a transformation in the pharma industry. On the issue of recommendations by Katoch Committee on bulk drugs, he assured that these will be implemented soon. The Minister said that the Government has taken up human resource capacity building in this sector in a big way. He said in the last one and a half years, there have been more NIPERS( National Institutes for Pharmaceutical Education and research), more students, more infrastructure and more industry participation in them. He said that in the current budget, three new NIPERSs in Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Maharashtra have been announced and the Department of Pharmaceutical will propose another three NIPERs in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka for the next financial year. The Minister assured full support to the pharma industry through faster decisions, enabling environment, benign policy initiatives and incentives.

The Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Dr. V.K. Subbaraj said that India has a large population and a variety of diseases. There is a need to build capacity for improving manufacturing capacity and distribution of medicines and ancillary products. He said facilitating citizens to gain access to affordable medicines shall be in line with the ‘Make in India’ vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister.

The major objective for constitution of the task force was to identify the gaps in production of drugs, vaccines etc in various therapeutic categories and to suggest remedial action. The task force chaired by Secretary, Pharmaceuticals has given recommendations with respect to policy support, infrastructure, skill development, duty structure, policy for pricing, regularity framework and promoting research and development for three different verticals – communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and Bio-Pharma, Prophylactics and Over The Counter products. The task force has recommended that taking steps to enhance access to safe and affordable medicines is crucial for addressing the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Need for India and CLMV countries to promote greater connectivity and economic integration with Regional Value Chains:

Need for India and CLMV countries to promote greater connectivity and economic integration with Regional Value Chains: Nirmala Sitharaman

According to Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry (IC), Government of India “The trade links and ties between India and the CLMV countries can be much better, and the two governing principles, connectivity and economic integration with regional value chains are crucial.” The Minister was delivering the Keynote Address at the 3rd India – CLMV Business Conclave being organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, at Chennai today. The conference focused on the topic,” India – CLMV Economic Integration: Developing Regional Value Chains.”

“India’s trade with the CLMV countries is over 11,000 million USD and there is immense potential.” The tri-lateral highway, connectivity in the North East, port connectivity improvement and the Act East policy are moves in that direction. The External Affairs study proves that there’s a huge potential of about 100billion USD dollars of additional export.

The Minister stated that there was a need for Indian banks to establish their branches overseas and the proposal of a Project development fund, an important instrument to handhold manufacturing units in the CLMV countries and duty free tariffs. While globally FDIs are falling, last year India had 38% growth in FDI, which shows the investors’ confidence in India. She also added that with the world economy falling, it will depend on CMLV countries and India for revival.

Mr. Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister, Minister of Commerce, Kingdom of Cambodia said, “It’s important to network and share best-practices and strengthen businesses ties between the countries. The trade investment between India and the ASEAN countries is crucial since the CLMV countries cover 32% of the ASEAN region and has a huge market for Indian products and with a 165 million strong population. This will attract considerable amount of FDI from India. It has an open investment regime and does not discriminate between foreign and local investors. It is investing heavily into its transport infrastructure.”

Mr. Somchinth Inthamith, Vice Minister of Industry and Commerce, Lao PDR, said, “ The investment between Laos and India is still insignificant. We are working on policy level changes in laws and regulations and open sky policies to facilitate trade. CLMV and India should work together to strengthen the strategic partnership to reduce the poverty. We are committed to make Laos a preferred destination.”

Mr. Pwint San, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar, said, “Myanmar is trying to improve the trade policies and create attractive and investor-friendly policies. A new foreign investment law has been passed to attract more investors and the mass investment potential lies in the economic partnerships.”

“We are stepping up our stand in business collaborations and diplomatic cooperation between the CLMV countries and India. Knowledge sharing, simplifying laws and policies should be encouraged between countries to address commercial challenges.”

Mr. Nguyen Cam Tu, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam, said, ”We welcome India’s economic integration with the CLMV countries. India and CLMV need to strengthen economic integration through connectivity, infrastructure, and trade facilitations.We also aim to focus on the added advantage from sectors such as seafood, manufacturing, engineering, automobiles and chemicals.

In his address, Mr. Ravi Capoor, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India stated that “The Ministry of Commerce has taken a huge step to launch the CLMV fund and is looking at large investments in these regions. We see problems in connectivity, banking, actual physical movement of people in trade and business collaborations. We are also looking at physical land connectivity to the CLMV countries through the North-East region.”

Ms. Shobana Kamineni, Vice-President, CII, and Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, said, “Every business has opportunities to thrive and it would be a threat if we do not make use of the opportunities as growth elements. CLMV countries have been going on a major transformation inward and outward. We should aim to follow best-practices to enhance productivity in Agriculture, mining and minerals, oil and gas, infrastructure, Service sector (manpower, training, skilled-resources), SMEs, and opportunities for smaller business to engage and grow.

Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General,CII stated that “This conference comes at an opportune time, with a slew of reforms announced by the Government of India. I firmly believe that India needs to deepen the relationship with the CLMV countries in sectors such as agriculture, mining, healthcare, and energy (hydro and solar energy).” He added that through this trade and business expansion millions of job opportunities will be opened up.

Kerala as the First Total Primary Education attained State in India

Remarks by Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari, at the function for Declaration of Kerala as the First Total Primary Education attained State in India at Kerala University, Thruvananthapuram

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the impressive march of Kerala on the education and various other socio-economic fronts has been due to the constructive and combative roots of its historical background. Addressing a function at the Kerala University in Thruvananthapuram today for ‘Declaration of Kerala as the First Total Primary Education attained State in India’, Shri M. Hamid Ansari said the remarkable performance of Kerala on the various socio-economic indicators are a testimony to the transformative nature of mass education. You have set a model for the rest of the country to follow, he added.

Following is the text of the Vice President’s address on the occasion:

“Many years ago distinguished anthropologist Bill McKibben had described the spread of education as the most important factor in the making of a new Kerala.

The impressive march of Kerala on the education and various other socio-economic fronts has been due to what Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has called “the constructive and combative roots of its historical background”. The constructive roots are Kerala's indigenous intellectual history and the impact of its global exposure. The latter has resulted in a tolerant pluralism in the State, brought about by opening its doors to other peoples and cultures, because the host society remains alive to learning from other traditions, and other ways of living. The former was a result of the historically pro-education outlook in Kerala. As far back as the year 1817, Rani Gouri Parvathi Bai of Travancore had issued a royal proclamation that said:

“The State should defray the entire cost of the education of its people in order that there might be no backwardness in the spread of enlightenment amongst them….”

This was the precursor to the unleashing of progressive forces against backwardness, superstition, conservatism and casteism in Kerala. The contribution of religious reformers such as Sree Narayana Guru, the Nair Service Society, the Muslim Educational Society (MES) and of the Christian missionaries to the expansion of educational facilities in Kerala also helped in inculcating and sustaining the spread of education as a social movement.

The progressive aspect was manifest in the opposition to caste inequalities, which took a pro-mass education form. Kerala's politics, especially after the 1950s, continued in the same leitmotif of combating social inequalities through public activism and spread of education. The response was, to paraphrase Amartya Sen, dialectical- the spread of education helped overcome the traditional inequalities of caste, class, and gender, just as the removal of these inequalities contributed to the spread of education.

The spread of education in Kerala has led to enhancement of individual freedom and capacity for asserting one’s rights such as for better healthcare, demands for more public services and monitoring their delivery, a better climate for gender equity, and above all, much faster reduction in income poverty than in many other States of India.

The remarkable performance of Kerala on the various socio-economic indicators, which approximate more those of the developed countries than developing ones, are a testimony to the transformative nature of mass education.

Government of India data indicates that Kerala was the best performing state in terms of the Decadal growth of population at 4.9 per cent and had a sex ratio 1084, the best among Indian States. Infant Mortality rate (IMR) was the lowest in Kerala at 12, against the Indian average of 40. Kerala had a birth rate of 14.7 compared to the Indian average of 21.4.

These figures have their root in the literacy statistics. The total literacy rate in Kerala was, according to the 2011 census, 93.9% compared to a national average of 74. The female literacy in the State was 92% against the Indian average of 65.5. The high literacy rate has an impact on some other aspects as well. The percentage of households availing banking services, for example was 74.2 in Kerala compared to a national figure of 58.7. Similarly, the percentage of households with toilets, something that the central government has been pushing strongly under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, in Kerala was 95.2 compared to India’s average of 46.8%.

I believe that the date today is as historic for Kerala as was 18th April 1991, the day Kerala was declared to be a Fully Literate State.

Today, Kerala adds another feather to her educational cap. The state is marking the successful culmination of its ‘Athulyam’ programme aimed at ensuring Total Primary Education in the State - equivalent to Std IV of formal education. This was the fructification of the continuing efforts under the Total Literacy Campaign through the well planned and executed post -literacy activities and the Continuing Education Programme by the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority under the Government of Kerala.

The Programme was launched with the support of local self-Government institutions in the year 2014-15. This Programme mainly targeted the adult learners between the ages of 15 and 50 years who were denied primary education for social and economic reasons beyond their control. Interested learners, even if they were above the age of 50, were also enrolled. The continuing education centres spread all over the state under the local self-Government Institutions with the cooperation of various government departments and voluntary organisations formed the spearhead of this programme.

I am informed that some 2,40,804 learners were identified out of which 2,05,913 learners were brought to the classes after the outreach programmes. Classes were arranged for six months for the teaching and learning with the help of text books specifically prepared for this purpose. The State level examination of this remarkable project was conducted on 7th June 2015, where 2,02,862 candidates were declared successful.

What is also remarkable about the project is that it was completed using limited resources. The project also relied heavily on the participation of volunteers and the Panchayati Raj institutions. The object lesson is that when well motivated, the civil society and the local governance structures are able to deliver remarkable results at the grassroots.

The formal external evaluation of the programme has been conducted by the State Resource Centre of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. The findings of the report estimate that the programme was successfully implemented fulfilling all the aims and objectives as envisaged in the project prepared by the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority for this purpose.

It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I declare Kerala as the first Total Primary Education Achieved State in the country.

This remarkable educational achievement is a result of the enlightened political leadership of Kerala, the dedication of its public functionaries and motivated volunteers as well as the dynamism of the people of Kerala who have come to value the importance of education. I congratulate all those who were involved in the success of this programme and the people of Kerala at this remarkable achievement.

You have set a model for the rest of the country to follow.”

India joining the International Energy Agency – Ocean Energy Systems

Cabinet approves India joining the International Energy Agency – Ocean Energy Systems

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for India becoming a member country of the International Energy Agency - Ocean Energy Systems (IEA-OES) by signing the Implementing Agreement (IA). The nodal agency for the membership would be Earth System Science Organisation - National Institute of Ocean Technology (ESSO-NIOT) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

By becoming a member of the IEA-OES, India will have access to advanced R&D teams and technologies across the world. India will partner in developing test protocols along with other countries. This will help in testing Indian prototypes as per international requirements and norms. Joint cooperative programs with institutes of member countries could be taken up. India's own research projects with specific targets can be taken up in conjunction with other countries.

Background:

The long coastline of India and severe power deficit in the country, warrant the study of ocean renewable energies. Vagaries of the sea makes harnessing ocean energy a technological challenge. In the Indian context designing of scaled up ocean energy devices (including wave, currents and tidal) and their techno-commercial viability needs to be undertaken. Tropical countries have high sea surface temperatures and hence Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a good option for countries like India. NIOT, an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is working in the area of ocean energy and desalination.

The IEA is an inter-governmental organization with a broad role of promoting alternate energy sources (including renewable energy), rational energy policies and multinational energy technology co¬operation and acts as energy policy advisor to 29 member countries. The OES, launched in 2001, is an intergovernmental collaboration between countries, which operates under framework established by the International Energy Agency. This initiative is to advance research, development and demonstration of technologies to harness energy from all forms of ocean renewable resources, as well as for other uses, such as desalination etc. through international cooperation and information exchange.