PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
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OPEN MARKET SALE OF WHEAT, RICE BY GOVERNMENT IF REQUIRED: SHRI PAWAR
STATE SUGAR, FOOD, CIVIL SUPPLIES MININSTERS' CONFERENCE
New Delhi, August 19, 2009
Sravana 28, 1931
The Food and Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar has stated that if required, Government would not hesitate to undertake open market intervention and release of wheat and rice under Open Market Sale Scheme to State Governments.
The Minister was addressing State Ministers for Food and Civil Supplies and Sugar, here today. He asked the States to gear up and put in place appropriate mechanism to sell wheat and rice to consumers and ensure that these releases check inflationary trends in the food economy. He pointed out that though the Government allocated 9.09 lakh tonnes of wheat to State Governments under Open Market Sale Scheme, only 0.74 lakh tonnes of wheat was lifted, that too by only some States.
The Minister also stated that while almost all the State Governments have been requesting the additional allocation of foodgrains to meet the situation arising out of deficient rainfall, most of them have conveyed that they do not require any foodgrains under the Open Market Sale Scheme. The Minister said: 'Almost all the State Governments have been requesting for additional allocation of foodgrains to meet the situation arising out of deficient rainfall. It is, however, a matter of concern that when we requested State Governments to indicate their requirement of wheat under Open Market Sale Scheme, only the State Governments of Delhi, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Lakswadeep and Andaman & Nicobar have responded and except Jammu & Kashmir and Lakswadeep, all of them have conveyed that they do not require any foodgrains under OMSS for distribution through the State Governments. The Central Government proposes to allocate wheat to State Governments at Minimum Support Prices plus railway freight. The same principle is being adopted in case of rice where MSP derived price and equated freight will be the cost at which rice will be provided to the State Government. The Government of India is thus incurring subsidy on distribution of wheat and rice under the scheme. It is expected from the State Governments that they will effectively use this tool to cool down inflationary trends in food economy.'
The Minister asked the States to ensure maximum procurement of rice in the coming marketing season. He said: 'State Governments should impose a minimum 50% levy on rice millers. Appropriate mechanisms to record purchases of paddy by millers should be put in place by the States and the levy orders should be effectively enforced. States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry have not collected any levy rice during KMS 2008-09. It is also suggested that all required arrangements for KMS 2009-10 should be ensured by State Governments including sanctioning of cash credit limit, distribution of mandis between FCI and State Governments, finalization of milling contracts etc. Milling of paddy procured by State agencies should be completed by 31st March, 2010.'
Shri Pawar made a special request to Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh to review the high taxes levied by them on procurement of foodgrains by Government agencies.
Shri Pawar also expressed concern that the subsidized foodgrains meant for poor people are not reaching the targeted population. He appealed to the States to ensure that fair price shops function in an efficient and transparent manner.
The Minister also asked the States to enforce various laws available to them to deter hoarding, misuse of Public Distribution System and other such offences.
MP:MR:CP:conferencefood(19.8.2009)
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Commerce & Industry
India-Nepal bilateral trade to touch US $ 3 billion
NEPAL COMMERCE MINISTER MEETS ANAND SHARMA
New Delhi: August 19, 2009
Shri Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, during his interaction with Mr. Rajendra Mahato, Minister of Commerce, Government of Nepal, here today, has stressed on increasing the bilateral trade between India and Nepal for energizing the economic development in the region. Senior officials from both the countries were also present at the interaction. Both the Ministers discussed about the proposed revised Treaty of Trade and Agreement of Co-operation that is presently being discussed. Shri Sharma hoped that the proposed treaty would lead to furthering the economic engagement by increasing the mutually agreed points of trade and result in both investment and employment generation.
The present trade between India and Nepal during the year 2008-09 (April-Feb) is US $ 1862.02 million and is expected to touch more than US $ 3 billion. Nepal's major exports to India consist of vanaspati ghee, yarn, textiles, GI sheet and other wires, juice, sacks, twins and chemicals.
Nepal depends upon India for most of its essential supplies of food grains like rice, medicines, petroleum products, infrastructure items such as cement and steel, transport vehicles, spare parts, machinery equipment, chemicals, electronic and agricultural equipments.
India is also a major investor in Nepal. Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 400 projects and over 44% of FDI in Nepal has been contributed by India.
rj/mrs/dk/kol/18:05 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
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Ministry of Communications & Information Technology
BSNL ensures uninterrupted services during strike
New Delhi: August 19, 2009
BSNL has made adequate arrangements to ensure that telecom services rendered to its customers remain uninterrupted. A control room has been set up in BSNL Corporate Office, New Delhi and similar control rooms are functioning at State and District levels to constantly monitor the situation.
A section of executives of BSNL belonging to the cadres of Junior Telecom Officer and Junior Accounts Officers, recruited after formation of BSNL in year 2000, are participating in agitation with effect from 18th August 2009, in support of their demands related to increased wages and career progression, and also including demand for absorption of group 'A' officers in BSNL. Out of about 55,000 executives of BSNL, 2400 executives are unauthorizedly absent from their duties since 18th August 2009.
The issue of absorption of group 'A' officers in BSNL is under active consideration of Government and is likely to be finalized soon. The other demand of these executives relate to HR policies of BSNL, which has been finalized after due consultation with all the stakeholders and any change therein is likely to affect other section of executives. The position has been made clear to the representatives of agitating executives and BSNL management had offered to set up appropriate mechanism to settle the issue involving all section of executives. However, the offer has been rejected by the agitating executives and they have proceeded on agitation, which is totally unjustified.
In addition to above, on the call given by the majority union of non-executive employees of BSNL, i.e. BSNLEU, and its allies, a section of non-executive employees are on 48 hours strike on 19th and 20th August 2009, in support of their demand for immediate wage revision. Wage revision is done in all PSUs through process of Wage Negotiation with employees' unions as per government guidelines. The process of wage revision in BSNL is already in progress. So far, wage revision has been completed in none of the other PSUs, except one . As such BSNL is not lagging behind on this issue. BSNL has about 2,45,000 non-executive employees, and the union on agitation has about 50% membership.
bv/at/gk/dk/kol/18:05 hrs.
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