Releases.........pt2

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Textiles  

NHDC pays dividend of Rs 80 lakh

New Delhi: September 24, 2009

 

National Handloom Development Corporation ( NHDC) Ltd , a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of Ministry of Textiles presented a cheque of Rs 80 lakh to Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, Union Textiles Minister towards dividend for the financial year 2008-09 here today. On the occasion, Smt . Panabaaka Lakshmi , Minister of State for Textiles , Smt Rita Menon, Secretary Textiles , Shri B.K Sinha, Development Commissioner, Handlooms , Shri J.K Baweja, Chairman , NHDC along with senior officers of the Ministry and NHDC were present.

NHDC has been declaring the dividends for the last 13 years since 1995-97. During the FY 2008-09 , the Corporation has achieved highest ever turnover of Rs 829 crore and declared highest ever dividend of Rs.80 lakh. For the first time in the history of the corporation , it is qualified for " Excellent" rating as per MOU for the FY 2008-09. During the last 6 year the rating was "very good".

Corporation has taken up restructuring of its operations which aims at enlarging the scope of services in terms of Availability, Accessibility , Awareness and Affordability , enhanced thrust in the states of uttar Pradesh , Haryana , Orissa and North Eastern states besides continued attention to the "key areas" and "key states" . Under the Mill Gate Price Scheme , depots are also set up through handloom agencies for ensuring easy and uninterrupted supplies. 595 depots are operating all over the country.

As a result of restructuring of operations and other initiatives taken during the last 1-2 years, the corporation's yarn supplies to the handloom sector have gone up from Rs 398 crore during FY 2006-07 to Rs 799 crore during FY 2008-09 and is expected to cross the Rs 1000 crore mark during current financial year.

 

rm/as/dk/kol/17:22 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Agriculture  

Shri Pawar calls for all out efforts to maximise Rabi production

 

ADEQUATE AVAILABILITY OF FERTILIZERS AND SEEDS

 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGRICULTURE FOR RABI CAMPAIGN INAUGURATED

New Delhi: September 24, 2009

 

Union Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Shri Sharad Pawar has called for achieving higher crop production levels in Rabi season to compensate the production losses in the kharif season. Inaugurating the two-day National Conference on Rabi Campaign here today, Shri Pawar said that the early meeting on Rabi campaign will give a good opportunity to plan well in advance the steps needed to mitigate the situation arising out of the partial failure of kharif 2009.

Shri Pawar said that the Government has been monitoring the Kharif season very closely and interacting with the State Governments in ensuring that, to the extent possible, standing crops are saved. Full support has also been extended to the farmers for taking alternate contingent crops. He stressed on sincere and correct evaluation of the status of crops at the district level to ensure that the farmer's income are not hampered and wherever it appears so, the farmers are compensated by growing catch/alternate crops like pulses, toria, bajra, maize, potato etc. between kharif and rabi seasons during the year.

Referring to deficient and erratic monsoon, particularly in the North West and North Eastern regions of the country which has adversely affected the Kharif crop season with nearly 6 million hectare of paddy crop having remained unsown, besides another 12 lakh ha unsown in oilseeds, the Agriculture Minister advised the States to bring additional crop area under summer/boro rice in potential Eastern India States particularly Assam, West Bengal and Bihar to compensate the lost rice production in Kharif season.

The Minister said that late revival of monsoon has improved the ground water and the reservoir levels to a great extent and there is need to make best use of the available water by a good and efficient water distribution system so that the farmers particularly in the tail end can avail of the stored water at the critical time of the crop growth. He also reminded the States of the need to take necessary steps for ensuring power and/or diesel to the farmers for timely irrigation of the crops. Referring to a number of steps taken by some States in promoting shallow tube wells and Low Lift Pumps to exploit the available ground water resources, he stressed on further intensification of these steps, especially in states where the ground water level is good.

Shri Pawar said that there is a good opportunity to plan year for ensuring timely sowing of wheat especially in the eastern region with no stagnating water and the timely harvest of the catch crops. The Minister called for ensuring full support to the farmers with supply of the needed inputs. He said, advantage of residual moisture due to the late rains can also be fully exploited in bringing more area under rabi pulses, particularly chickpea and mustard besides rabi jowar. Shri Pawar expressed the hope that focused attention towards timely sowing, water conservation and scientific use of available water and provision of inputs including timely credit will go a long way in reaping a good harvest of rabi crop, partly compensating the production loss of the kharif season.

Apart from ensuring the availability of fertilizers, seeds and other inputs during the season there is also need to monitor the movement, placement and timely distribution of these inputs to the farmers, Shri Pawar added. He pointed out that at the national level there is no shortage of either seeds or fertilizer and all efforts must be made to ensure their timely availability to the farmer. He said that the needed quantities of seeds are available and additional quantities of seed minikits have been sanctioned under different schemes to ensure that the farmers have access to the latest varieties of seeds to maximize production. The Minister said that the farmers at the grass root level, should be given appropriate heat tolerant varieties through accelerated breeding programmes to deal with the impact of climate change on crop production.

Addressing the Conference, Secretary (Agriculture and Cooperation) Shri T Nanda Kumar gave details of the advisories issued to the States.

The 2 day Conference is being attended by senior officers of all States and Union Territories, besides experts and representatives of the concerned Ministries.

 

mp/sb/dk/kol/17:23 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs  

3rd Mini-Pravasi Bhartiya Divas concludes in Hague

New Delhi: September 24, 2009

 

The third regional Mini-Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was held in Hague to bring together members of the Indian Diaspora in Europe at a common platform to discuss their role in enhancing Indo-European cooperation in the fields of culture, heritage and tradition and explore the Indo-European Trade and Investment opportunities. The event was held in partnership with the Municipality of the Hague and with the active support of Indo-Dutch organizations in the Netherlands. 535 people, including 405 registered delegates, besides 24 speakers, 30 invited guests and 40 media personnel participated in the event.

 

In his address, Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs emphasized the resilience of the Indian economy and said that India offered immense opportunities to PIOs/NRIs in Europe in all fields. He also outlined the competitive business environment and investment climate obtaining in different states and said that OIFC has been set up by MOIA in PPP mode with CII to facilitate investments and business by the overseas Indian community. He promised to take up the demand for setting up of a Cultural Centre in the Netherlands.

 

Prof. Ruud Lubbers, former Dutch Prime Minister and the Chief Guest, brought out how the international focus has shifted from independence and sovereignty of states to inter-dependence of states and said that India has a significant role to play in a multi-polar world and that the Indian Diaspora could play a vitalcal role in connecting civilizations. Mr. Jan Piet Hein Donner, Dutch Minister for Social Affairs and Employment and the Guest of Honour, emphasized how the Netherlands could act as a bridge between India and Europe and said that in response to the persistent demands from the resident Indian community in the Netherlands, a Social Security Agreement would soon be signed between the two countries.

 

dnm/pkm/dk/kol/17:23 hrs.