The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

10th Nov 2014

President of Indias message on the eve of Republic day of Maldives
India and Maldives celebrate the 50th year of the establishment of our
diplomatic relations commencing November 2014,
Bharat Scouts and Guides is the largest youth organization in the country
functioning as a purely voluntary and non-political organization since 7th
November, 1950. All the different scouts and guides associations merged
together to form a unified organization called Bharat Scouts and Guides.
Departure Statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Ten-nation ASEAN community has the third largest population; it would be
the seventh largest economy in the world; and, the third fastest growing
economic unit this century. This dynamic region is our continental and
maritime neighbor, linked by centuries-old ties. ASEAN is at the core of our
Act East Policy.
G 20 Summit, which brings together countries that account for 85% of the
world`s economic output, is a key forum for countries to coordinate their
activities and pursue collective action to support global economic growth
and stability. We can accelerate the creation of next generation
infrastructure, which also includes digital infrastructure, and ensure access
to clean and affordable energy. A key issue for me would be to highlight
the importance of international cooperation against black money.
33 years after the last visit of Prime Minister. It will be my privilege to visit
Fiji soon after the return of democracy in September 2014. We also owe
them a debt of gratitude for hosting our scientists on the island in support
of our Mars Mission.

Jeevan Pramaan" an "Aadhar-based Digital Life Certificate" for

pensioners, in a move that could eventually benefit over a crore
pensioners.
The proposed digital certification will do away with the requirement of a
pensioner having to submit a physical Life Certificate in November each
year, in order to ensure continuity of pension being credited into his
account. The Department of Electronics and IT has developed a software
application which will enable the recording of the pensioner`s Aadhar
number and biometric details from his mobile device or computer, by
plugging in a biometric reading device. Key details of the pensioner,
including date, time, and biometric information will be uploaded to a

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

central database on real-time basis, ultimately enabling the Pension

Disbursing Agency to access a Digital Life Certificate. This will conclusively
establish that the pensioner was alive at the time of authentication.
Software application system will be made available to pensioners and other
stakeholders on a large scale at no extra cost. It can be operated on a
personal computer or a smartphone, along with an inexpensive biometric
reading device. This facility will also be made available at Common Service
Centres being operated under the National e-Governance Plan, for the
benefit of pensioners residing in remote and inaccessible areas.
MoS (agriculture) orders Constitution of a three member Committee(Dr.
Gaya Prasad, ADG (AH), ICAR Chairman) to Investigate Quality of F.M.D.
Vaccines
Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh has taken initiative
which will have far-reaching implications for the entire veterinary
professionals in the country by reconstitution of Veterinary Council of
India which was long pending and by allowing government as well as
private veterinary colleges, affiliated to various State Agricultural /
Veterinary Universities to admit students for the academic year 2014-15
Following new innovative approaches were approved by VCI:
(a) The Universities imparting undergraduate veterinary education were
asked to give an undertaking signed by its Vice Chancellor and
countersigned by Chief Secretary of the State to the effect that all the
minimum standards prescribed by VCI will be fulfilled by March, 2015,
failing which their recognition will be withdrawn.
(b) As regards private colleges, they have been asked to give an
undertaking signed by its Trustees and countersigned by the Vice
Chancellor of the concerned University to which the college is affiliated to
fulfil all minimum standards prescribed by VCI by March, 2015 along with a
bank guarantee of Rs. 5 crores in the name of VCI, which would be
forfeited in case of default.
(c) The government veterinary colleges with sufficient manpower and
infrastructure have been permitted to increase the intake capacity from 60
to 100.
The above initiatives will prove to be a milestone in removing the shortage
of veterinary professionals in the country and also give a moral boost to all
the passed out veterinary graduates from these colleges, who were
awaiting clearance of VCI and were not in a position to practice in spite of
having valid degree.
Draft Civil Aviation Policy Geared to Face New Global and Domestic
Demands

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

The Draft notes that airports are to be designed as integrated multi-modal

hubs, so that they provide the best possible service levels as well as
potential for growth. An integrated multi-modal hub should include rail,
metro, bus and truck connectivity as well as accommodation and other
services. While developing airports, it is equally essential to ensure that
related sectors such as access to manufacture, business, tourism and
pilgrim centres are developed. This needs to be done in association with
other Central Government Departments as well as the State. The six
metropolitan airports at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and
Hyderabad would be developed as major international hubs and would in
future be the main access points for international travel to and from
India.In future a hub-and-spoke model would be followed, which would
also facilitate the development of regional networks and air connectivity as
a whole. Draft puts emphasis on rationalizing the cost of Aviation Turbine
Fuel (ATF). Due to high rates of taxes, the cost of ATF in India is 40 to 45%
higher than the international costs. the six metro airports will be developed
as regional cargo hubs, integrating multi-modal transport facilities, cold
chains and other commodity specific requirements. The turnaround time
for cargo will be upgraded to international standards.
As institutional reforms, an Expert Committee will be constituted to
develop a future roadmap for Air India. Airports Authority of India will be
corporatized, followed by listing in the Stock Exchanges, in order to
improve efficiency and transparency. Pawan Hans Ltd. will be listed in the
Stock Exchanges with the same objective.
Special package will be developed for the North-Eastern Region to improve
air connectivity and provide linkages to remote locations. The Route
Dispersal Guidelines will be reviewed with the objective of encouraging
Indian carriers to enhance regional connectivity through deployment of
small aircrafts and code sharing arrangements. The 5/20 guidelines will be
reviewed with a view to encouraging the entry of new Indian carriers.
For development of the civil aviation sector, provision of Air Navigation
Services (ANS) of international standards is essential. The Airports
Authority of India has taken several initiatives in this direction. These
would be intensified with the objective of reducing flying time, elimination
of crowding at airports,
Helicopter Aviation is a segment that has considerable potential for growth
in areas such as reducing congestion in the big cities, medical evacuation,
relief operations, law and order, oil exploration etc. Heliports and helipads
will be developed in locations with sufficient potential.
India Signs Loan Agreements with World Bank for US$ 200 Million for
Technology Centre System Programme (TCSP)
Technology Centre System Programme (TCSP) is for setting-up 15 new
Technology Centers (TCs) and to modernize/upgrade existing 18 TCs.
Objective of the project is to enhance the productivity of MSMEs by
improving their access to technology and business advisory services as well
as skilled workers through systems of financially sustainable technology
centers.

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

Maulana Abul Kalam Azads 125th Birth Anniversary

towering figure on the Indian political scene and a scholar rated high in the
realms of Urdu Literature. He was a dogged freedom fighter and an unfailing upholder of secular and democratic values. contributions in shaping
the Education System of the country as First Education Minister of
Independent India. He gave lot of thrust to Adult literacy, Universal primary
education -- free and compulsory for all children, girls education,
diversification of secondary education and vocational training.
Successful Flight Testing of LR SAM Missile
The Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LRSAM) is successfully flight tested
against a flying target in a range in Israel, today. Israel Aerospace Industries
(IAI), Israel has carried out the test in the presence of DRDO scientists and
officials of the Indian Armed Forces. The LRSAM system is jointly developed by
DRDO and IAI Israel.
All the systems including the radar, communication launch systems and the
missile system have performed as expected and hit the target directly and
damaged. The system is developed for both Israel Defence Forces and Indian
Armed Forces.

11th Nov

President attends National Education Day Celebrations

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee attended the National
Education Day Celebrations organized by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (November 11, 2014) at Vigyan Bhavan to mark the birth
anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
National Education Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth
anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Indias first education minister.
Maulana Azad was a key architect of education in independent India. As
Minister of Education, he had a challenging task of conceiving an education
system to develop a national spirit, an element that was missing from the
colonial system. He introduced a system to inculcate a rational approach
and spirit of enquiry in the education curriculum. To create socio-religious
and cultural inter-linkages in India, he set up a number of institutions - Lalit
Kala Academi, Sangeet Natak Academi and Sahitya Academi.
On the occasion, the President also launched Know Your College Portal
and the website of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. The programme also witnessed
the launch of two scholarship schemes Saksham and Pragati. The Skills

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

Credit Framework developed by AICTE was released by the Union

Minister of Human Resource Development and its first copy was
presented to the President.

PM's meeting with Myanmar President U Thein Sein focused on

connectivity, cultural contacts and commercial ties
The Prime Minister the President of Myanmar, Mr. U Thein Sein. This
was the first meeting between the two leaders, and focus was on
connectivity, cultural contacts and commercial ties.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Thein Sein reviewed
the progress of major connectivity projects between the two
countries including the India Myanmar Thailand trilateral highway,
and Kaladan transport project. Both sides see the trilateral highway
as an opportunity for industrial cooperation, and sought to explore
the possibility of setting up industrial parks along the highway. The
Imphal-Mandalay bus service also came up for discussion.
Both sides reviewed cultural contacts and it was noted that students
from Myanmar shall also study at Nalanda University.
President Thein Sein said that as India grows and develops, Myanmar
would also benefit. The possibility of India investing in Special
Economic Zones in Myanmar was discussed. Investment in the oil
and gas sector in Myanmar, and India`s assistance in development
projects in the agriculture and skill development sectors also came
up for discussion.

Second Services Conclave to Ideate Newer Export Paradigms

Services Conclave 2014, the second edition of the on-going initiative
of the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII) will be held on 12-13 November 2014 in New
Delhi. The two-day event will lay emphasis on widening Indias
basket of services exports, to cover sunrise areas like education,
health tourism, creative entertainment and many more segments
that hold export potential.

Jivatram Bhagwandas
Kripalani
Jivatram Bhagwandas
Kripalani (11 November
1888 19 March 1982),
popularly known as
Kripalani, was an Indian
politician, noted
particularly for holding the
presidency of the Indian
National Congress during
the transfer of power in
1947. During the election
for the post of the future
Prime Minister of India held
by the Congress party, he
had the second highest
number of votes after
Sardar Patel. However, on
Gandhi's insistence, both
Patel and Kripalani backed
out to allow Jawahar Lal
Nehru to become the first
Prime Minister of India.
Kripalani was a Gandhian
Socialist, environmentalist,
mystic and independence
activist.
He grew close to Gandhi
and at one point, he was
one of Gandhi's most
ardent disciples. Kripalani
was a familiar figure to
generations of dissenters,
from the Non-Cooperation
Movements of the 1920s to
the Emergency of the
1970s.

The focus of the Conclave will be three pronged. First, to explore newer
paradigms in services exports, which is presently dominated by the exports
of IT and IT Enabled services (ITES). Two, it will attempt to identify the
challenge areas in services exports and strategize a roadmap for its

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

sustained and accelerated growth in short, medium and long term. Three,
the Conclave will lay down modalities for closing the gap between
merchandize and services exports to create more employment and
business opportunities in the sector.
Importantly, the other Conclave sponsors are Center for WTO Studies
(CWS), Federation of Indian Export Organization (FIEO) and Services Export
Promotion Council (SEPC).
The Conclave assumes importance against the backdrop of increasing share
of the services sector in the GDP, which stands at 57 per cent in 2013-14
and is increasing. Against this, the annual export of services is pegged at
$151.47 billion, while the export of merchandise stands at $312.5 billion.
For closing in this wide gap, innovative approaches and out of box solutions
are needed. While IT and ITeS will continue to be the dominant export
segment, quantum jump in the sector can be realized by augmenting
exports of animation, gaming, designing etc., where India has considerable
talent pool. Also, such ventures need minimum investment and can also be
individual centric enterprises, which will be cost effective.
Another related area is export of professional services. Creation of a highly
competitive talent pool, infusion of newer initiatives for skill development
and identifying and tracking niche destinations for export of professionals
are critical in this regard. Similarly, with about 8.9 million tourist arrivals by
2020, tourism will become not only a major foreign exchange earner but
also an employment provider. An important area in the tourism sector is
medical tourism, which is showing steady growth in the last few years.
Availability of state-of-the art medical technologies, internationally
acclaimed hospitals and infrastructure etc. can achieve the potential in
medical. These subjects will come for sharp focus at the Conclave
nformation Technology-driven initiatives would ensure transparent,
objective & expeditious decision making: Prakash Javadekar

GIS based Decision Support System to avoid undue delay in Clearances

for Developmental Projects
Minister launches GIS based Decision Support System for Forest
Clearances
Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change has said that meritbased and information technology-driven initiatives would facilitate
transparent, objective and balanced policy decisions that would not only
expedite processes but also help in striking a fine balance between

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environment protection and development. Shri Javadekar stated this while

launching the first version of Geographical Information System (GIS) based
Decision Support System for Forest Clearance here today. This step was the
latest in a series of key initiatives undertaken by the Ministry to fast-track
efficient, expedite and transparent decision making pertaining to
effective forest management, environment protection and biodiversity
conservation.
In order to facilitate the needs of the critical sectors necessary
amendments had been carried out to balance environment protection,
development, logistical needs and requirements. Such projects would be
balanced with compensatory afforestation programmes. In order to
decentralize the process of granting of Forest Clearances, the Ministry had
constituted Empowered Committees at regional levels and delegated
decision-making powers to these Committees for issuing Forest
Clearances to Linear Projects like Railway Lines, Transmission Lines,
Highways, and Pipelines. In a similar vein, development processes had
been expedited in Left Wing Extremism affected areas.
Information on Eco Sensitive Zones would be made available through the
newly launched web based Decision Support System in its second phase.
Hydrological layer, Net Present Value of Forest, Time Series of Forest
Cover Map, Important Wildlife habitats outside Protected Area network,
Recorded forest area boundaries would also be incorporated into the
system.
The first version of the Decision Support System developed by the Forest
Survey of India would provide qualitative, quantitative and
administrative attributes of forests to facilitate efficient management
and implementation of Forests Conservation Act. Designed with features
like Search Layer Tool, Draw and Measure Tool, Identify Tool and Print
Tool, the GIS based Decision Support System would help the government
classify forests of the country into various classes and categories based on
the ecological significance of each category. Availability of the database
would also significantly improve accessibility of information and
predictability of forest clearance applications. The new system contained
information on geo-referenced layers of Forest Cover, Forest Types,
Biological Richness, Landscape Integrity, Protected Areas, Tiger Reserves,
and Tiger Corridors.

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

National Education Day Celebration

The country celebrated the National Education Day on 11th November,
2014, which was the birth anniversary of Indias great freedom movement
leader Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
To mark the celebration of National Education Day, the following new
initiatives were started by the Ministry of HRDSaksham which is a college level scholarship for differently abled,
needy and meritorious children.
Pragati which is a scholarship for girl students who are pursuing
technical education at college level.

Skill Credit Framework document which provides a Skill Assessment

Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth (SAMAVAY). SAMAVAY
allows multiple pathways between Vocational education - skills,
education and job markets. This will facilitate India to harness the
potential of young India.

Know your College Portal which is an application developed for helping

a prospective student make a valued judgment of the college he / she
wishes to join by providing him / her the necessary information about the
college.
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan to involve higher educational institutions to
work with the people of rural India in identifying development challenges
and evolving appropriate solutions for accelerating sustainable growth.

First Meeting of Consultative Committee attached to Ministry of

Information &Broadcasting held to discuss the issue of Digitisation of
Cable TV Network, Phase III and IV
The importance of the digitisation programme is providing better quality of
service, wider choice of content and its important role in bringing about
transparency within the subscriber base. As a process it had also brought
about a change in the Broadcasting landscape as well as enabled
broadband penetration within the country.
Members of the Committee emphasised that quality of domestically
manufactured Set Top Boxes (STBs) must be ensured. The issue of

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digitization plan of Doordarshan terrestrial network and the steps being

taken to implement the process was also deliberated upon. It was also
mentioned that the Ministry needed to take proactive steps to ensure
timely registration of MSO applications so as to ensure the large presence
of MSOs to implement the digitization programme during Phase III and
Phase IV.
Ministry emphasised to integrate the domestic STB manufacturers with
the Make in India programme. Specific reference was made to the
initiative of the Ministry in resolving the long pending issue of C Form to
create a level playing field for domestic STB manufacturers. Members
were also informed that interactions were being held with the STB
fraternity to ensure that they utilized their capacity to fulfil the demand
for STBs during Phase III and Phase IV.

A Curtain Raiser on 4th Geoscience Advisory Council Meeting of the

Ministry of Mines
Minister of Mines & Steel will chair the 4th Geoscience Advisory Council
(GAC) meeting of the Ministry of Mines in New Delhi.
The Geoscience Advisory Council functions under the Chairmanship of the
Union Minister for Mines and Secretary, Ministry of Mines as Vice
Chairman.
GEOSCIENCE ADVISORY COUNCIL- PLATFORM
Geoscience Advisory Council provides a platform to the Administrators,
Earth Scientists, and Academicians to deliberate and suggest the gap areas
in our present system of pursuing Geoscience and the direction which
organizations, individually and collectively, should pursue to meet the
future challenges.
The GAC has already held three meetings till date.
Consultative Committee on Minority Affairs Discusses Seekho aur
Kamao and other Skill Development Initiatives
The skill development scheme for minorities viz. Seekho aur Kamao
which provides for ensured placement based skill training was discussed at
length in the meeting. Further, the skill Development component under
Multi- Sectoral Development Programme which envisages that at least 10%
of the allocation given to the State would be earmarked for activities
related to skill training to minority youth was also discussed.

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The Committee was also informed about the upcoming scheme

Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for
Development (USTTAD) and launching of Maulana Azad National
Academy for Skills (MANAS).
Pilot Training Programs by Manas Launched: Two MoU Signed One With
Health Sector Council, Other With Security Sector Council Income
Eligibility Criterion for Trainees Raised from Rs.1.03 Lacs to Rs.6.00 Lacs
:Dr.Najma Heptulla

The first Skill Development Training programs of Maulana Azad National

Academy for Skills (MANAS) was launched on pilot basis here today on
the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. In
this regard two Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) were signed by
MANAS .One with the representatives of Health Sector Council for
launching training programs on Bed Side Attendant and Home Health Care
Attendant through Skill Tree Consultant Pvt Ltd for 200 girls & boys and the
other with Security Sector Council launching security services training
program for 100 persons being organised through T.S. Skill and Tech Pvt.
Ltd. The Ministers distributed the Enrolment Cards to some of the trainees
selected for the three training programs under the Health and Security
sectors. These training programs will ensure 100% employment of trainees.
The outcome of the first training programs will guide the Ministry in
expanding network of MANAS and help it to acquire an All India footprint.
To increase coverage of program under MANAS, Ministry has recently
increased income eligibility criterion for trainees from Rs.1.03 lacs to
Rs.6.00 lacs (annual) to facilitate providing training and concessional credit.
This change of base is likely to benefit 12 to 13 crore people. The Ministry
of Minority Affairs is going to nominate MANAS as its Project Implementing
Agency.
SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement will be a Path-breaking Endeavour
The proposed SAARC Motor Vehicle Agreement has wider scope for
movement of all types of vehicles across SAARC member States and will be
a path breaking endeavour. The agreement for passenger and cargo
vehicles movement in SAARC countries is expected to be signed during the
forthcoming visit of Prime Minister to Kathmandu. India is doing its bit to
support the development of infrastructure in Nepal particularly for
connectivity and people-to-people contact.
This agreement would facilitate Nepal-India bus services on reciprocal basis
and a seamless movement of people from the two countries. It would

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The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

promote tourism and people-to-people interaction. The following three

routes, have been identified for the bus service in the first instance:
Kathmandu Bhairahawa Sunauli Gorakhpur Lucknow New Delhi:
Kathmandu Bhairahawa Sunauli Azamgarh Varanasi New Delhi;
Pokhara Bharahawa Sunauli Gorakhpur Lucknow New Delhi
In addition to the regular bus service along the three routes, the Motor
Vehicle Agreement also provides for movement of private vehicles and
non-regular passenger vehicles across the border. Such private and nonregular passenger vehicles would be entitled to use all established entry
and exit points in the agreed upon framework envisaged under the Draft
Agreement. Efforts would also be made to prevail upon any leading Indian
transporter to simultaneously commence a regular bus service on the same
day, from Delhi to Kathmandu.
MGNREGA will be strengthened to empower the rural poor-Birender
Singh
The Union Minister for Rural Development said that there is a need to
strengthen MGNREGA as the rural job scheme has led to empowerment of
poor people in the villages. He said, valuable suggestions have come
regarding reforming the rural job scheme and all necessary steps will be
taken to strike a right balance between creation of jobs and building
durable assets through MGNREGA. The Minister said, if the need arises
some new works will also be added to the scheme.
On the issue of impending changes in the Land Acquisition Act efforts will
be made to bring about a consensus on the issue. He further added that
the Government is not against industrialization but the interests of the
farmers should not be compromised at any cost. He also clarified that he is
not in favour of acquisition of multi-crop lands.
Referring to the Swachh Bharat Mission, the Minister said building toilets
in the rural areas will be taken on war footing and a massive awareness
campaign will be launched for behavioural change as far as sanitation and
cleanliness are concerned. Shri Birender Singh also underlined that the
problem of drinking water mainly in the arsenic and fluoride affected
regions will be addressed on a priority basis.

Uma Bharti calls for Fast Track mode for Inter-Linking of Rivers
Consultative Committee meeting of Ministry of Water Resources Held

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Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga

Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has called for fast track measures to
achieve the goal of inter-linking of rivers (ILR) in the country. As per the
National Perspective Plan of ILR, it would give additional benefits of 35
million hect. of irrigation (25 million hect. of irrigation from surface waters
and 10 million hect. by increased use of ground waters) raising the ultimate
irrigation potential from 140 million hect. to 175 million hect. and
generation of 34000 MW of power, apart from the benefits of flood
control, navigation, water supply, fisheries, salinity and pollution control
etc.
National Water Development Agency (NWDA) has identified 30 links, 16
under Peninsular Component and 14 under Himalayan Component for
preparation of Feasibility Reports. Out of this, feasibility reports of 14 links
of peninsular component and two links (Indian portion) of Himalayan
component have been prepared.
Members of Parliament who attended the meeting said that Government
should take this programme in the mission mode and it should be
completed in time bound manner. Some other suggestions like KrishnaGodavari link, Ganga-Gomti link, Sharda-Yamuna link, Pindari-Kosi link,
construction of rubber dams during ILR, linking of Falgu river in Bihar were
also made by the members.

A strong system of incentives and advocacy will drive the Beti Bachao Beti
Padhao (BBBP) scheme of the Government says Smt Maneka Gandhi
Regional consultations for the BBBP scheme to be completed within this
month.
The Union Minister of the Women and Child Development , Smt Maneka
Sanjay Gandhi has said that the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao(BBBP) scheme of
the Government will be based on a strong system of incentives and media
advocacy to bring about an all-round change in attitudes. She was
speaking after officially releasing the documentary film After My Garden
Grows, directed by the famous Oscar winning Director Miss Megan
Mylan in New Delhi today. The film is based in West Bengal and highlights
the role of Sabla programme and Aanganwadis to empower the Indian
girl child.

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The Minister said that the regional consultations with district collectors for
BBBP have already begun with the first round having taken place recently
in Chandigarh for 27 districts of North Indian states.
100 districts with low Child Sex Ratio have been identified for
implementing the scheme. The Minister said that states like West Bengal
and Punjab have developed good models for saving and empowering the
girl child. Successful models developed by other states will also be studied
for adoption by states which need to improve their child sex ratio.
The documentary film After My Garden Grows, tells the story of Monika
Barman, a rural Indian teenager growing a small rooftop garden over her
home, that is providing food to feed her family, and sowing the seeds of
her own independence. Barman manages to delay marriage and return to
school through the innovative girls gardening program.

12th Nov
Shri Pranab Mukherjee at the 20th Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial
Lecture on Women as agents of change
Women have become Ministers, Governors, Ambassadors and Judges but
their representation is not enough for them to play the role of change
agents in an effective way. In the World Economic Forums Global Gender
Gap Index for 2014, India has been ranked a lowly 114th, below Brazil,
Russia and China, and even Cuba, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Remarks by the PM at the 12th India-ASEAN Summit, Nay Pyi Taw,
Myanmar
For peace and stability in South China Sea, everyone should follow
international norms and law. This includes the 1982 United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea. We also hope that you will be able to
successfully implement the Guidelines to the 2002 Declaration on Conduct
and that the Code of Conduct on South China Sea can be concluded soon
on the basis of consensus. I also suggest that we conduct a review of our
free trade agreement on goods to improve it further and make it beneficial
to all. also urge that the FTA on Service and Investment be brought into
force at the earliest. Many of you have spoken about the Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. It can be a springboard
for economic integration and prosperity in the region. However, we should
aim for a balanced Agreement, which is beneficial to all; and, is truly
comprehensive. more than physical connectivity, we need Information
Highways or i-ways. My experience is that even where road connectivity is

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poor, we can create vast economic opportunities and employment through

i-ways. We should think ambitiously of what we can do in Renewal Energy
and Energy efficiency. Let us think of a major ASEAN India Solar Project for
research, manufacturing and deployment. We should move quickly
towards mutual Recognition of Degrees. Tourism has not grown the way it
should.
Under Sawachh Bharat Mission, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is
developing mandatory standards for garbage disposal and supply of
potable water.
Index of Industrial Production (IIP) with base 2004-05 released by the
Central Statistics Office of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation. IIP is compiled using data received from 16 source
agencies viz. Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP); Indian
Bureau of Mines; Central Electricity Authority; Joint Plant Committee;
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas; Office of Textile Commissioner;
Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals; Directorate of Sugar;
Department of Fertilizers; Directorate of Vanaspati, Vegetable Oils & Fats;
Tea Board; Office of Jute Commissioner; Office of Coal Controller; Railway
Board; Office of Salt Commissioner and Coffee Board.
STATEMENT I: INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION - SECTORAL
(Base : 2004-05=100)
Mining Manufacturing Electricity General
(141.57) (755.27)
(103.16)
(1000.00)

13th Nov 2014

India & UK Agrees to Scale-up Bilateral Research and Innovation
Relationship to a Greater Level .A Significant New Initiative to be Known
as the Newton-Bhabha Fund Announced.
4th UK-India Science and Innovation Council (SIC). UK-India Education and
Research Initiative (UKIERI)has been successful in building new scientific
partnerships through joint research projects and networking. it was
decided that a new be known as the Newton-Bhabha Fund will be taken to
further the relations.. Newton-Bhabha Fund (50 million over 5 years from
the UK and matched efforts from India) is an important programme, with a
strong interdisciplinary dimension that will further strategise the science,
research and innovation cooperation between the UK and India.
Left Wing Extremism discussed in the consultative committee meeting

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Union Home Minister said that the Centre has adopted a four-pronged
strategy with the LWE affected states to tackle the Maoist threat
comprising of security related interventions, development, securing rights
and entitlements to the largely tribal hit population and public perception
management.
On the development front, the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) being
implemented in 88 LWE affected districts since 2010 has been subsumed
into the Additional Central Assistance to LWE Affected Districts
programme. Sharing the concerns of the members regarding issues of
CAPF, Shri Rajnath Singh informed that a historic decision has been taken
recently by him to enhance the financial powers of the Directors General of
CAPFs for procurement.

Statement on WTO made by Commerce & Industry Minister

Commitment to Multilateralism

India is a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system and is

committed to strengthening it and ensuring that the WTO remains
a key pillar of the global economic edifice.
The principles of non-discrimination, predictability, transparency
and, most importantly, the commitment to development
underlying the multilateral trading system are too valuable to lose.
Plurilateral trading arrangements, among a few, cannot substitute
the multilateral system.

Reasons for Indias Stand

The Doha Development Agenda which was agreed in the year 2001
is the very first round dedicated to development. The agenda is a
fine balance between market access and development issues.
We supported the Bali Package but when subsequent
developments belied that hope, India had no option but to seek a
course correction. India, therefore, took the stand that till there
was an assurance of our concerns being addressed, it would be
difficult to join the consensus on the Protocol of Amendment for
the Trade Facilitation Agreement.

WTO Rules and Food Security

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The relationship between international trade and food security has

been the subject of debate; so also, the role of WTO rules in
enabling and promoting food security.
While the relevant WTO rules recognize food security concerns,
their primary focus is to liberalise agricultural trade rather than to
ensure food security. However, the fact is that some of these rules
are proving to be a hindrance to food security efforts.
We believe that the rules of the WTO should support the food
security efforts of countries rather than policies having to tiptoe
around WTO rules, as the former UN Special Rapporteur on the
Right to Food said.

Commitment to the Trade Facilitation Agreement

India has repeatedly reiterated its commitment to the Trade

Facilitation Agreement.
We recognise its value for trade and for that very reason we agreed
to it in the larger interest of global trade.
However, for developing countries the benefits may not be
commensurate with the associated costs. Implementation of the
rest of the Bali Decisions will give some comfort to the developing
countries and LDCs, even though most of the non-binding decisions
do not hold out the promise of substantial gains for these
countries. We will continue to work for the implementation of the
Bali Package and the DDA.

Call to WTO Membership to Take this Forward

17

We are extremely happy that India and the US have successfully

resolved their differences relating to the issue of public
stockholding for food security purposes in the WTO in a manner
that addresses our concerns.
This will end the impasse at the WTO and also open the way for
implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement.
We are confident that the membership will take the matter
forward in the WTO in a constructive spirit. This would be an
important contribution by the WTO reflecting its commitment to
development.

The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

We urge the WTO membership to take this forward in the General

Council on behalf of the Ministerial Conference and pave the way
to spurring the WTO to more such successes.

India China Joint Training-Exercise Hand-in-Hand 2014 to Commence from

16 November 2014 at Pune
In continuation of the series of Joint Exercises between India and China,
the Exercise Hand-in-Hand 2014 is all set to commence shortly at Aundh
Camp, Pune on 16 Nov 14. This will be the fourth joint training exercise by
the Indian Army with Peoples Liberation Army of China. While the second
edition of the exercise was held at Belgaum in 2008, it has been conducted
twice in China in 2007 & 2013.
The aim of the joint training is to share the drills and practices learnt
while tackling insurgency and terrorism, thereby promoting healthy
military to military relations between the two Armies and developing
joint strategies of conducting operations in a counter terrorism
environment. Forming part of the different levels of the military to military
engagement across the entire spectrum of operations, this exercise will
enrich the two contingents in further honing basic military skills.

Union Home Minister Appeals LWE Rebels to Lay Down Arms and Join the
Mainstream
The Union Home Minister today appealed the Left Wing Extremists (LWE)
to lay down arms and join the mainstream. Addressing the CRPF Diamond
Jubilee Parade in Gurgaon, Shri Rajnath Singh said that Naxals and Maoists,
operating in certain parts of India, should abjure violence. In a democracy
like India, there was no place for violence and the Naxals should join the
mainstream.

Terming the CRPF as `Loktantra Ke Prahri`, Shri Rajnath Singh said that the
CRPF not only plays an active role in facing the challenges of internal
security but also provides security cover during General Elections. The
CRPF is one of the largest paramilitary forces in the world, he remarked.

India and the United Kingdom Agree to Further Strengthen the

Cooperation in Education

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The Sixth India-UK Education Forum Meeting took place in New Delhi. Both
the countries discussed the existing bilateral cooperation initiatives in
education and also agreed to further strengthen it by taking up several new
initiatives. Both sides also acknowledged the cooperation mechanism
through joint UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI).
Both sides also discussed the Chevening Scholarships for Indian students;
two-way student mobility; Generation UK-India programme which will
support up to 25,000 young people from the UK to come to India over the
next 5 years and initiatives supported by DFID. The UK delegation
confirmed that they will put in four times more resources for the
Chevening scholarships for Indian students and make it the largest
Chevening Programme in the World. The Indian delegation emphasized
that, along with students from UK, they would also like to welcome
teachers and faculty members under its new programme, Global Initiative
for Academics Network (GIAN), the response to which was extremely
positive from the Minister leading the UK delegation.
After taking over of the present Government, the issue of equivalence of
Indias 10+2 qualifications with A level qualification of UK was taken up
at very high levels. UK side has acted promptly on it and it was conveyed
today in the Forum meeting that most of the UK Institutions recognize the
10+2 qualifications for admission of Indian students into the higher
educational institutions in UK. The UK delegation also welcomed more
Indian students in the British Universities and also assured of addressing
the barriers in student mobility.
The Indian delegation appreciated the initiative of UK Government to
install the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Street, London and also
offered to co-sponsor the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture.
It was also decided to constitute a Joint Working Group consisting of
officers from both sides to deliberate and work on modalities of future
collaborations in education. The JWG will meet frequently and the first
meeting will be held by December 2014.
A Joint Statement was also signed by both the Ministers highlighting the
educational cooperation between India and the United Kingdom and the
future areas of collaboration. The areas of leadership development;
research, innovation, technology and knowledge transfer; Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship; enhancing people to people links and
two-way mobility; quality improvement in education; use of ICT in
education; development of MOOCs and e-Library and launch of UKIERI-III in
2016 have been highlighted in the Joint Statement.

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14th Nov 2014

Corrosion Control And Management Vital for Ensuring Zero Defect , Zero
Effect Manufacturing Ananth Kumar
according to a recent report of the World Corrosion Organization, the
annual corrosion cost is approximately US $ 2.5 trillions or 3-4% of the
global GDP. In India alone, the loss on account of corrosion is estimated at
around $ 67 billion ( over Rs 4 lakh crores), the minister added. He said, in
the fertilizer industry too, corrosion is a major concern due to corrosive
nature of raw materials.
Index Numbers of Wholesale Price in India (Base: 2004-05=100)
PRIMARY ARTICLES (Weight 20.12%)
Food Articles, Non-Food Articles, Minerals
FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)
Food Products, Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products, Textiles, Wood &
Wood Products, Paper & Paper Products, Rubber & Plastic Products,
Chemicals & Chemical Products, Non-Metallic Mineral Products, Basic
Metals, Alloys & Metal Products, Machinery & Machine Tools
Nehru Portal launched, Commemoration coins released
sum of Rs. 20 crore has been releasedto the Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library (NMML) this year for launching a Nehru Portal on the lines of
Gandhi Heritage Portal, publication of selected works of Jawaharlal Nehru,
renovation and modernization of Nehru Museum and other activities of
such nature. commemorative coins of denominations of Rs. 5.00 andRs.
125 were also released to mark the occasion.
New Paryavaran Bhawan, A Green Building
New Paryavaran Bhawan is a Green Building with state of art modern
amenities and comfort with Intelligent Building Management System which
optimizes energy consumption. It holds the unique distinction of being a
"net zero energy" building, with 100% on-site power generation. It
provides for 40% savings in electricity and 55% savings in water with zero
discharge. It is the first building in Govt. sector with highest green ratings 5 star GRIHA rating, and Platinum LEED India rating.
States of Kerala and Goa, Union Territories of Chandigarh, Puducherry
and Lakshadweep and Three Districts of Gujarat Porbandar, Mehasana,

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The Undercover Issue 02 November 2014

Gandhi Nagar, Declared as 100% Saturated in Terms of Coverage of all

Households with at Least One Bank Account
Home Minister Rajnath Singh emphasises on prison reforms, by using
technology and improving infrastructure
prisons should not be seen only as places of confinement, but also for
reforming the prisoners. He said that the prisoners should be imparted
appropriate skill training. phase 1 of modernization of prisons concluded in
2009 and phase 2 of the modernization scheme will be taken up from
February 2015.
Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launches the nationwide Bal Swachhta
Mission
Bal Swachhta Mission is a part of the nationwide sanitation initiative of
Swachh Bharat Mission
nationwide Bal Swachhta Mission will have the following six themes:1. Clean Anganwadis
2. Clean Surroundings e.g. Playgrounds
3. Clean Self (Personal Hygiene/Child Health)
4. Clean Food
5. Clean Drinking Water
6. Clean Toilets
During the Bal Swachhta Week from 14th to 19th November, one of the
above themes would be covered at each Anganwadi Centre in the states.
The Women and Child Development Departments of various states have
been asked to implement the Bal Swachhta Mission with the help of
Departments of School Education, Urban Development, Drinking Water
and Sanitation, and Information and Publicity. The events will be organized
at State, District, Block, and Gram Panchayat level.
Modified DBTL launch on 15.11.14 in 54 districts and in the rest of the
country by 1.1.15
Consumers who had joined the scheme earlier and had received cash subsidy
in their bank accounts do not need to do anything further. To confirm this,
they should check their CTC (cash transfer compliant) status on
www.MyLPG.in.

The major changes in the modified scheme are designed to enhance

consumer convenience and are as follows:
o
Consumers who affirm that they do not have Aadhaar number, can
receive cash directly in their bank account without producing Aadhaar.
However, as and when they get Aadhaar they may have to shift to Aadhaar
based cash transfer.
o
Consumers who are not CTC will get a 3 month Grace Period during
which they will receive the cylinders at subsidised rate. After the Grace
Period, they will get an additional period of 3 month as Parking Period.

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During the Parking Period they will have to buy cylinders at the market
rate. If the consumer joins the scheme within the Parking Period, the
subsidy as per entitlement and consumption during Parking Period will be
transferred to his bank account.
o
The permanent advance is paid in the bank account of consumers as
soon as they make the first booking for a cylinder after joining the scheme,
prior to the delivery. This advance ensures that LPG consumers have extra
cash to pay for the first LPG cylinder at market price. The permanent
advance shall be notified for the consumers now joining the scheme
separately.
15th Nov 2014

PM's intervention at the informal meeting of BRICS leaders, and bilateral

engagements in Brisbane - November 15, 2014
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, said repatriation of unaccounted
money from abroad was a key priority for his Government. He was making
an intervention at the meeting of BRICS leaders ahead of the G20 summit
in Brisbane. He said unaccounted money abroad posed both economic and
security challenges.
The Prime Minister said this G20 meeting was happening in the shadow of
continued weak global economic growth. He said political turbulence in
many parts of the world, and the Ebola pandemic were also factors of
concern. Therefore, he said, there is need for a positive environment to
achieve economic goals, and G20 can support this effort. He said there is a
strong need to give a message to revive economic confidence and boost
growth and job creation.
The Prime Minister also stressed on the need for better international policy
coordination, and the need to reform global economic institutions. He
suggested the creation of a digital hub for sharing of information and best
practices for infrastructure.
PM's intervention on "reform experience and thrust forward" at the
Retreat for G20 leaders
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today made an intervention
during the Retreat for G20 leaders, on the subject "Reform Experience and
Thrust Forward." He was invited to speak on the subject and share his
vision of reform, based on his own experiences, by Mr. Tony Abbott, the
Prime Minister of Australia.

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In his intervention, the Prime Minister stressed that reforms cannot be

done by stealth, but have to be people-driven and people-centric. He said
reforms should take into account the issues being faced by people. He
emphasized that reforms cannot be superficial, but should take into
account the root causes of the issues involved. The Prime Minister said
there is bound to be resistance to reform, and therefore, it is essential to
insulate the reform process from politics. He stressed that reform should
be an institutionalized process.
The Prime Minister said reforms should lead to simplification of processes,
and should also involve improvements in governance processes.

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