Releases..........pt2

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas  

SCO has important role in dealing with global financial crisis; time for zero tolerance to terrorism

NEED TO ENSURE STABILITY IN ENERGY MARKETS - DEORA

New Delhi: October 14, 2009

 

The Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Murli Deora has said that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO) can play an important role in strengthening the linkages in the areas of trade, business exchanges and investment while also adopting mutually reinforcing monetary and fiscal policies in the context of global financial situation witnessed recently. Making a statement as leader of Indian delegation at SCO Head of Government(HOG) Meeting in Beijing today he underlined that most of the developing countries have been affected by the global financial and economic crisis in varying degrees. He emphasized that as a result of policies and programmes adopted by the Indian Government with the support of people, the effect was marginal in India. He added that the need to revive global economy is a complex challenge requiring efforts from all.

Referring to terrorism Shri Deora asserted that the time has come to adopt a policy of zero tolerance to terrorism and that the need of the hour is to have greater cooperation and exchange of information and coordination. He added "terrorism and the ideologies of exclusion and intolerance threaten to undo whatever we have achieved". Further, he said that India has sought a mutually beneficial association with the Regional Counter Terrorism Structure based in Tashkent and are ready to complete the required formalities. The Minister called for moving towards early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

On the energy front, Shri Deora informed that the energy security figure very high on our national agenda. He pointed out that SCO countries can make effective contribution towards cooperation framework in ensuring energy security. The Minister called for ensuring stability and predictability of world energy markets as it represents a mix of energy producing and consuming countries. He expressed hope for SCO Energy Club taking concrete shape.

Following is the text of Minister's speech:

"Let me begin by extending felicitations from the people and Government of India on the momentous occasion of 60 years of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. I am pleased to participate in this Meeting, taking the Shanghai Cooperation process forward. We deeply appreciate the arrangements and hospitality extended by our hosts.

We are now into the fifth year of our association with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an Observer state and these years have been eventful and satisfying. We are happy that engagement of Observer states is progressively on the increase and hope that this continues to the mutual advantage of both Member and Observer states.

The recent Summit in Pittsburgh underlined the fact that a collective and inclusive approach is the best and probably only way of addressing these challenges.

Excellencies, most of us represent developing countries, and in varying degrees, have been adversely affected by the global financial and economic crisis. The crisis began in the heart of capitalist world but its effects have been felt across the globe. However, thanks to the policies and programmes adopted by the Government with the support of the people, the effect was marginal in India. The need to revive the global economy is a complex challenge, requiring efforts from all of us.

In such a scenario, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can play an important role. On the economic front, we can strengthen the linkages between us in the areas of trade, business exchanges and investment, as well as adopt mutually reinforcing monetary and fiscal policies. Sectors like energy, infrastructure, agriculture, banking, transportation, science and technology and education offer opportunities for substantive cooperation. India will be happy to participate in these activities.

In addition to this, terrorism and the ideologies of exclusion and intolerance threaten to undo whatever we have achieved. All of us who have gathered here take pride in our civilisational values and cultural diversity. The terrorist attack in Mumbai was a grim reminder of the transnational nature of terrorism. It evoked widespread condemnation from the world community. The time has come to adopt a policy of zero tolerance to terrorism. The need of the hour is to have greater cooperation, exchange of information and coordination. The SCO has made progress in the area of counter-terrorism and anti-drug trafficking measures. We have sought a mutually beneficial association with the Regional Counter Terrorism Structure based in Tashkent and are ready to complete the required formalities. We should also move towards early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

As a Minister dealing with energy matters in the Government of India, I would also like to mention energy security which figures very high on each of our national agendas. We need to ensure stability and predictability of world energy markets. As SCO is a unique forum which has a mix of both energy producing and energy consuming countries, SCO countries can make an effective contribution towards a cooperative framework for ensuring energy security. In this context, we hope to see the SCO Energy Club take concrete shape and become a forum of discussion among SCO countries in this critical area.

As a close neighbour, we wish the Shanghai Cooperation Organization all success in its diverse activities. There is a lot to be gained through strengthening connectivity between the SCO and India..

In conclusion, I wish to convey our deep appreciation to His Excellency Premier Wen Jiabao for the excellent arrangements made by the Government of the People's Republic of China for the Meeting".

 

rcj/ls/dk/kol/17:02 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution  

World Standards Day celebrated

PROF. K.V. THOMAS CALLS FOR A FUTURE FRAMEWORK FOR CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES

New Delhi: October 14, 2009

 

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Prof. K.V. Thomas has said that technical standards can play a more pivotal role in achieving a low carbon and sustainable energy future. Inaugurating a seminar on tackling the climate change through standards on the occasion of World Standards Day here today Prof. Thomas said that standards have actively propagated use of new energy-generation and efficiency-enhancing technologies like CFLs, involving green buildings, solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, hybrids and combined cycle energy systems, which can become the engines of growth for this century, while efficiently combating climate change. He stressed on the fact that although many low-carbon technologies exist which have the potential to significantly reduce global emissions, there is still need for more enabling frameworks like pertinent technical standards and specific policy responses to support their rapid deployment.

The Minister stated that impact of climate change on the environment can be reduced by efficient use of energy and other natural resources, increased use of renewable raw material, increased reuse, recycling and recovery, greater use of non-conventional energies like solar and wind, use of alternative bio-fuels, CNG etc. He called upon all the stakeholders to collaborate in drawing a future framework for research, development and demonstration of clean energy technologies combating climate change and their economic implementation.

On the sustainable development path to be taken by India, the Minister emphasized on need to conserve our resources, including fossil fuels and promote energy efficiency. As renewable energy assumes a crucial role for adaptation to climate change, new technologies for conservation of water, drought proofing agriculture, more accurate modeling of monsoons would be required, and in this backdrop, standards assume great importance in the dissemination of new technologies, new business methods, good management and conformity assessment practices, making them an invaluable source of knowledge and technological know-how, Prof. Thomas pointed out. He urged the companies to develop and deploy technologies and products that are more environment- friendly, and incorporate environmental considerations into their operations and procedures as part of their shared responsibility to ensure sustainable development. He said that citizens on their part can embrace a lifestyle that considers the environment and limits resource consumption in their daily lives.

Referring to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Minister said that India as a responsible country is playing its own role in this global cooperative regime and Prime Minister is himself chairing the National Council on Climate Chang to underscore the importance of climate change impacts on our national developments. He expressed happiness over the commitment of the Bureau of Indian Standards, the National Standards Body, in increasing the effectiveness of their procedures and initiatives for identifying national as well as market needs and opening new work areas which has led to the formulation of a number of Indian Standards on these aspects.

Dr R A Mashelkar, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, Shri Rajiv Agrawal, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, DG, Bureau of Indian Standards, also spoke on the occasion.

 

mp:sb:cp:standards day(14.10.2009)/dk/kol/17:02 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Micro,Small & Medium Enterprises  

Secretary (MSME) chairs meeting for Infrastructure/Technology/Skill Development for SMEs

New Delhi: October 14, 2009

 

The First meeting of the Sub-Group on the Infrastructure/Technology/Skill Development of the Task Force constituted by the Prime Minister's office was held in New Delhi recently. Shri Dinesh Rai, Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises chaired the meeting.

 

The Sub-Group on the Infrastructure/Technology/Skill Development is one of the seven sub-groups of the Task Force constituted by the Prime Minister's Office to study the bottlenecks inhibiting the development of Micro and Small Enterprises and draft recommendations for implementation by various departments to put the MSEs on higher trajectory of growth.

 

The members of the sub group discussed various impediments in Infrastructure/Technology/Skill Development particularly in relation to MSEs. Valuable suggestions were given by the members in the meeting.

 

Additional Chief Secretary to Tamilnadu, Shri P. Selvam, suggested that there should be some earmarked quota of industrial plots for MSEs.

 

Shri Saurabh Garg, Secretary-Cum-Commissioner, Government of Orissa informed that a lot of projects are being established in the State of Orissa.

 

On technology upgradation issues, the members of the Sub-Group mentioned that cost of technology is very high for MSEs and the Government should facilitate, incentivise and support the technology transfer at individual as well as collective levels. Linkages with Research & Development Institutes, rewarding innovation and new technology, creation of technology development fund etc. were the other suggestions for technology upgradation of SMEs. The cluster approach to offset the higher cost of technology upgradation may be one of the visible options.

 

The issues related to skill upgradation were also discussed and it was suggested that the existing mechanism of providing training through industrial training institutes, polytechnics needs to be strengthened. Vocational training as per the requirements of the industry will be supported.

 

The guidelines of micro and small enterprises cluster development programme (MSE-CDP) are under revision. Provision for power generation by non-conventional energy, infrastructure development, technology upgradation, skill upgradation have been included in the proposed guidelines. The support will be provided to create infrastructural facilities in new industrial estates and to upgrade infrastructure in existing industrial clusters.

 

The recommendations of the Sub-Group shall be submitted to the PMO after its finalization.

 

rts/vn/dk/kol/17:03 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises  

Prime Minister to address Chief Executives of CPSEs and to present MOU & SCOPE Excellence Awards

New Delhi: October 14, 2009

 

The Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh will address the Chief Executives of Public Sector Enterprises and present the MOU and SCOPE Excellence Awards on 15th October 2009 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The ceremony is jointly being organized by Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE).

 

Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises and Shri Arun Yadav, Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, will also address the select gathering of top management of PSEs. Shri Bhaskar Chatterjee, Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and Shri Arup Roy Choudhury, Chairman, SCOPE along with galaxy of participants from Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), government officials and distinguished guests would also be present on the occasion.

 

Four PSEs will receive MOU Awards for two consecutive years i.e. 2006-07 and 2007-08. They are CONCOR, Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL), Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) and Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. (RCF). Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) will receive two MOU Excellence Awards in the mining and metal sector and also in the category of listed CPSEs for the year 2007-08.

 

Other MOU Award winning PSEs for the year 2007-08 are Hindustan Paper Company Ltd. (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), MMTC, PFC and WAPCOS. Award winners for 2006-07 are Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd. (MECL), Manganese Ore (India) Ltd. (MOIL), National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd. (NBCC), National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and State Trading Corporation of India Ltd. (STC).

 

SCOPE Excellence Awards for the year 2007-08 will be received by Shri S.K. Roongta, Chairman, SAIL (Individual Category); CIL (Institutional Category); HEC (Special Institutional Category); ECIL (Medium PSE Category); WAPCOS (Smaller PSE Category) and NSKFDC (Commendation Certificate in Smaller PSE Category). For the year 2006-07, the SCOPE Excellence Awards will be received by Mr. Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, IOC (Individual Category); SAIL (Institutional Category); MDL (Special Institutional Category); BEML and NBCC (Medium PSE Category) and REIL (Smaller PSE Category).

 

MOU and SCOPE Excellence Awards will encourage and motivate the PSEs and individuals to set new benchmarks in their performance.

 

gg/bs/dk/kol/17:03 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs  

Indian diaspora youth complete 12th know India programme

New Delhi: October 14, 2009

 

A group of 36 Indian diaspora youth from 11 countries called on the Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi in New Delhi today. The diaspora youth were the participants of 12th Know India Programme (KIP), organized by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with States of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Interacting with the participants, Shri Ravi said that Indians are playing important role in different countries and diaspora is making its presence in the world. He said that India is proud of the present generation of diaspora, who are placed in prominent positions across the globe. He further said that said the purpose of organizing Know India Programme is to provide a unique forum for students and young professionals of Indian origin to share their views, expectations and experience and get an exposure to the diversities of contemporary India.

 

Know India Programme of the Ministry is a three-week orientation programme for diaspora youth conducted with a view to promote awareness on different facets of life in India and the progress made by the country in various fields e.g. economic, industrial, education, Science & Technology, Communication & Information Technology, culture, etc. and face –to-face with the culture and tradition s in the field of their ancestors. These are conducted in partnership with one or two State Governments. The participants, PIOs in the age group of 18-26 years, are selected based on recommendations received from Heads of Indian Missions/Posts abroad. Selected participants are provided with full hospitality in India during the duration of the programme.

 

pkm/dk/kol/17:03 hrs.