On the instructions of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. P. K. Mishra chaired a high level meeting on the Coronavirus outbreak in China.

During the meeting, the officials  apprised the Principal Secretary on the recent developments, preparedness and response measures associated with the spread of Coronavirus.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare briefed the Principal Secretary on hospital preparedness, laboratary preparedness, measures taken for the Capacity Building of the Rapid Response teams and the extensive surveillance activities undertaken by the Ministry.

Principal Secretary also reviewed the preventive measures taken by other Ministries like the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The officials assured the Principal Secretary that the situation is being closely monitored by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in close coordination with various other Union ministries as well as State governments and Union Territories.

So far, 20,000 people from 115 flights  at 7 international airports have been screened. National  Institute of Virology labs all over the country are fully equipped to test the virus. All State and District health authorities have been alerted and are in the loop.

Cabinet Secretary Shri Rajiv Gauba, Secretary Home Affairs Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary External Affairs Shri Vijay Gokhale, Secretary Defence Shri Ajay Kumar, Secretary Health and Family Welfare Ms. Preeti Sudan, Secretary Civil Aviation Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola and several other top officials attended the meeting.

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VRRK/KP

The Adhoc Committee of the Rajya instituted by Chairman Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has made 40 far reaching recommendations to prevent sexual abuse of children and to contain access to and transmission of child pornography content on the social media. The report of the Committee was today presented by the Chairman of the Committee Shri Jai Ram Ramesh to Shri Naidu.

The initiative of Shri Naidu in setting up of such a Committee to examine and report on an issue of such a wider social concern is the first of it’s kind and has been widely appreciated. Shri Jairam Ramesh in the Report of the Committee stated that it is a good model that can be followed from time to time to get members of Rajya Sabha to deliberate on pressing social issues.

Expressing concern over the seriousness of the prevalence of the horrific social evil of child pornography, the Committee has recommended important amendments to the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the Information Technology Act, 2000 besides technological, institutional, social and educational measures and state level initiatives to address the alarming issue of pornography on social media and its effects on children and the society as a whole.

The 40 recommendations made by the Adhoc Committee relate to adoption of a broader definition of child pornography, controlling access for children to such content, containing generation and dissemination of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), making accountable the Internet Service Providers and online platforms for denying access to children and removing such obscene content from online sites besides monitoring, detection and removal of content, preventing under-age use of such content, enabling parents for early detection of accessing such content by children, enabling effective action by the governments and authorized agencies to take necessary preventive and penal measures etc.

Noting that the purveyors of child pornography seem always to be one step ahead of the regulators, the Committee stressed on the need for implementation of its recommendations as an integrated package of measures and not piecemeal to have any value and impact. The Committee urged the Prime Minister to take up the subject of child pornography and the measures required to combat it in one of his forthcoming ‘Man Ki Baat’ broadcast besides taking the lead in building up a global political alliance to combat child pornography on social media like the International Solar Alliance initiative.

The Committee has broadly sought to address two main issues viz., access of children to pornographic material on social media and circulation of pornographic material on social media in which children are abused. The major recommendations of the Committee has given as under:

Legislative measures

1. The Committee has recommended some important amendments to the POCSO Act, 2012 and the IT Act, 2000 with corresponding changes to be carried out in the Indian Penal Code;
2. A clause to be inserted in the POCSO Act, 2012 under which advocating or counseling sexual activities with a person under the age of 18 years through any written material, visual representation or audio recording or any characterization is made an offence under the Act;
3. Another clause to be inserted in the POCSO Act, 2012 prescribing a Code of Conduct for intermediaries (online platforms) for maintaining child safety online, ensuring age appropriate content and curbing use of children for pornographic purposes;
4. Under the POCSO Act, 2012, school management should be responsible for safety of children within schools, transportation services and any other programmes with which the school is associated;
5. National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal shall be designated as the national portal under reporting requirements in POCSO Act in case of electronic material;
6. A new section be included in the IT Act 2000, providing for punitive measures for those providing pornographic access to children and also those who access, produce or transmit Child Sexual Abuse Material(CSAM);
7. Union Government shall be empowered through its designated authority to block and/or prohibit all websites/intermediaries that carry child sexual abuse material;
8. IT Act to be modified making intermediaries responsible for all measures to proactively identify and remove CSAM as well as report it to Indian authorities as well besides the foreign authorities. Gateway Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) must bear a significant liability to detect and block CSAM websites. Intermediaries shall also be responsible to report to the designated authority, IP addresses/identities of all those searching/accessing child porn/CSAM key words;

Technology measures

9. Law enforcement agencies be permitted to brake end to end encryption to trace distributors of child pornography. Apps that help in monitoring children’s access to pornographic content shall be made mandatory on all devices sold in India. Such Apps or similar solutions to be developed and made freely available to ISP, companies, schools and parents;
10. Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of Home Affairs shall coordinate with Blockchain analysis companies to trace identities of users engaging in crypto currency transactions to purchase child pornography online. Online payment portals and credit cards be prohibited from processing payments for any pornographic website;
11. ISPs shall be required to provide family friendly filters to parents at the point of sign up to regulate children’s access to internet content;
12. All social media platforms should be mandated with minimum essential technologies to detect Child Sexual Abuse Material besides regular reporting to law enforcement agencies in the country;
13. On-streaming platforms like Netflix and social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook etc. should have separate adult section where under- aged children could be disallowed;
14. Social media shall have mechanism for age verification and restricting access to objectionable/obscene material;

Institutional measures

15. The Committee recommended an upgraded and technologically empowered National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) to be designated as the nodal agency to deal with the issue of child pornography. NCPCR should have necessary technological, cyber policing and prosecution capabilities;
16. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shall mandatorily record and report annually cases of child pornography of all kinds. A national Tipline Number should be created where child sexual abuse as well as distribution of child pornographic material can be reported by concerned citizens;

Social and Educational measures

17. Ministries of Women and Child Development and Information and Broadcasting shall launch campaigns for greater awareness among parents to recognize early signs of child abuse, online risks and improving online safety for their child. Schools shall undertake training programmes for parents at least twice a year, making them aware of hazards for children of free access to smart phones, internet at an early age. Based on the experiences of other countries, a proper practicable policy for restricting use of smart phones by under aged kids needs to be considered;

State level implementation

18. The committee recommended that each State and Union Territory shall have empowered State Commission for the Protection for Child Rights mirroring capabilities and capacities of the NCPCR. E-safety Commissioners be appointed at state level to ensure implementation of social media and website guidelines relating to removal of pornographic content, age verification, issuing warnings etc.

The 14-member Committee including 7 women members of Rajya Sabha was set up by Shri Venkaiah Naidu on December 12 last year further to some members voicing concern over widespread misuse of social media for accessing pornographic content and child abuse.

The Committee heard the views of the Ministries of Women and Child Development, Electronics and IT and Home Affairs besides NCPCR and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and other stakeholders like Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, Bytedance(TikTok), Twitter and Sharechat.

The Committee also received representations from 3 NGOs viz., HERD Educational & Medical Research Foundation, Nagpur, Centre for Child Rights, New Delhi and Internet Freedom Foundation, New Delhi.

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The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has greeted the nation on the eve of Republic Day. In a message to the people of India, he paid rich tributes to our freedom fighters and called upon the citizens to further fortify the unity and integrity of nation so as to build an inclusive, prosperous, progressive and harmonious India.

Following is the full text of Vice President’s message –

“I convey my warm greetings and best wishes to all citizens of our nation on the joyous occasion of Republic Day celebrations. It was on this historic day in 1950 that our Constitution came into being.

Today, as we celebrate our freedom, let us also pay respectful tributes to those heroic men and women who laid down their lives for the cause of independence for this country.

Our Constitution is a sacred document that acts as our guiding light and moral compass. Today, let us reaffirm our commitment towards the Constitution and the cherished ideals of liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice for all, which formed the bedrock on which this great nation was built.

Let us pledge to faithfully discharge our constitutionally mandated Fundamental Duties and be responsible citizens who will be proactive partners in the nation’s development.

As India makes steady progress and assumes a greater role in this contemporary world on the strengths of a modern economy, progressive society, and diverse and vibrant cultural ethos, let us once again, solemnly resolve that we, as a nation, shall remain united to overcome emerging challenges together and forge ahead on our development journey.

Let this Republic Day further fortify the unity and integrity of this vast and diverse nation. Let this strong bond of unity of purpose be the driving force of all our endeavors to build an inclusive, prosperous, progressive, peaceful and harmonious nation.”

****

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, graced and addressed the 10th National Voters’ Day Celebrations, being organised by the Election Commission of India, today (January 25, 2020) in New Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that the National Voters’ Day is being celebrated every year to spread awareness among the people about the use of franchise and to increase their participation in our democracy through voting. He was happy to note that Voters’ Day is not only celebrated at the national level but also at the state, district and polling station level.

The President praised the Election Commission for making special efforts to make polling easier for disabled people, senior citizens and women. He noted that a nationwide list of disabled people has been made to provide them special facilities. He was happy to note that the postal voting facility has also been made available to disabled people.

The President said that democracy becomes stronger and makes progress with the participation of everyone. He was happy to note that to increase the participation of voters, systematic efforts are being made by the Election Commission under the ‘Electoral Literacy for Strong Democracy’ program.

Click here to see  President’s speech

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1. On the eve of our 71^st Republic Day, I extend my warm greetings to all of you, in India and abroad.

2. Seven decades ago, on 26^th January, our Constitution came into effect. Even before that, this date had acquired special significance. Having resolved to attain ‘Purna Swaraj’, our people had been celebrating ‘Purna Swaraj Day’ on every 26^th January from 1930 to 1947. That is why, in 1950 we embarked our journey as a Republic on the 26^th January, affirming to the principles laid down in our Constitution. Since then, every year we celebrate our Republic Day on 26^th January.

3. The modern State comprises the three organs – Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, which are necessarily interlinked and interdependent. Yet, on ground, the people comprise the State. ‘We the People’ are the prime movers of the Republic. With us, the people of India rests the real power to decide our collective future.

4. Our Constitution gave us rights as citizens of a free democratic nation, but also placed on us the responsibility to always adhere to the central tenets of our democracy – justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It becomes easier for us to follow these constitutional ideals, if we keep in mind the life and values of the Father of our Nation. By doing so, we will be adding a meaningful dimension to our celebrations of 150^th birth anniversary of Gandhiji.

Dear fellow citizens,

5. The Government has launched a number of welfare campaigns, and what is especially noteworthy about them is the fact that citizens have voluntarily turned them into popular movements. The ‘Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan’ has achieved astounding success in such a short time. The same spirit can be seen in other endeavours. Be it giving up cooking fuel subsidy or pushing digital payments, the common man has made the government programmes his own, making them truly effective. The success of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ is a matter of pride, as the target of 8 crore beneficiaries has been achieved. With this, those in need have access to clean fuel. The ‘Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana’, that is, ‘Saubhagya’ too has brightened people’s lives. Under ‘Pradhanmantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’, more than 14 crore farmer families have become entitled to receive minimum annual income of Rupees six thousand. This has enabled the farmers who feed us to live a life of dignity.

To effectively meet the challenge of the increasing water crisis, the Ministry of Jalshakti has been created. Water conservation and water management are being given top priority. I am confident that, like ‘Swachchh Bharat Abhiyan’, ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ too will take the form of a popular movement.

6. Along with the welfare of those most in need, every policy initiative of the Government is guided by the ‘nation-first’ principle. The roll-out of the GST has realised our vision of ‘One country, One tax, One market’. It is being complemented by the e-NAM scheme, which is strengthening the process of creating ‘one market for one nation’ and will benefit farmers. There is a consistent effort by the government to ensure overall development of each and every part of the country – be it Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh, the states in the North-East or our Islands in the Indian Ocean.

7. Strong internal security is essential for the development of the country. Therefore, the government has taken several concrete steps to strengthen the internal security system.
8. Access to health and education are often considered the foundation of good governance. In both these sectors, we have come a long way in the seven decades. The Government has rightly focused its attention on the health sector, with its ambitious initiatives. Starting with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and expanding to the Ayushman Bharat, which is the world’s largest publicly funded universal healthcare programme, the Government has shown its care and concern for the well-being of the poor. Quality of healthcare has improved, so has its reach. The Jan Aushadhi Yojana has brought down the healthcare budget of common people in the country by providing quality generic medicines at affordable prices.

Dear fellow citizens,

9. The foundations of a sound education system were built in ancient times, with the setting up of great universities like Nalanda and Takshashila. In India, knowledge has always been considered more valuable than power, fame or riches. In our tradition, educational institutions are respected as temples of learning. When our land was pushed into backwardness after the long colonial rule, it was education that emerged as a path to empowerment. Even though the development of our educational institutions commenced soon after Independence, in an environment of scarcity of resources, our achievements in the field of education have followed a remarkable trajectory. Our endeavour is to ensure that no child or youth is denied education. At the same time, we need to strive to reach global education standards by continuous reform of our educational systems.
10. India is proud of the achievements of ISRO. They are making further progress in Mission Gaganyaan, and the nation excitedly looks forward to the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme gaining further momentum this year.
11. This is also the year of Tokyo Olympics. While India has traditionally done well in a number of sports, the new generation of players and athletes has brought laurels for the nation in more and more varieties of sports in recent years. At Olympics 2020, the Indian contingent will be backed by cheers and good wishes of millions of Indians.
12. Another source of pride for our country has been our diaspora. During my visits abroad, I have observed that Indians have not only brought prosperity to their adopted lands, they have also enhanced India’s image before the world community. Many of them have made great contributions in a wide variety of endeavours.

Dear fellow citizens,

13. I have nothing but unreserved praise for our armed forces, paramilitary and internal security forces. Their sacrifices to preserve the integrity and unity of our country present a saga of unparalleled courage and discipline. Our farmers, doctors and nurses, teachers who impart learning and values, scientists and engineers, alert and active youth, industrious members of our workforce, entrepreneurs contributing to our economic wealth, artists who enrich our culture, service sector professionals who have earned global appreciation, our fellow countrymen contributing in many other spheres of activity and specially our resilient daughters who have scaled new heights of  achievements against odds – they all bring pride to our nation.

14. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interact with some achievers who have done commendable work in various fields. Working silently, they have made immense contributions to various fields including science and innovation, sports, empowerment of Divyang persons, farming and afforestation, women and child empowerment, education, healthcare, revival of old art forms and providing food and nutrition to the needy. For example, Sushri Aarifa Jan has revived the Numdha handicrafts in Jammu & Kashmir; Sushri Ratnawali Kottapalli has been serving patients suffering from thalassemia in Telangana; Shrimati Devaki Amma has developed forest wealth through her individual efforts in Kerala; Shri Jamkhojang Misao has improved the lives of many people through his community development efforts in Manipur and Shri Babar Ali has been providing education to underprivileged children in West Bengal since his childhood. There are numerous such examples, I have mentioned only a few of them. They exemplify that ordinary people can make extraordinary contributions. There are a large number of voluntary organisations too who have been contributing to the project of nation-building, and complementing the initiatives of government.

Fellow Citizens,

15. We are now in the third decade of the twenty-first century. This will be the decade of the rise of New India and a new generation of Indians. More and more of those born in this century are participating in the national discourse. With the passage of time, we are gradually losing living links with our great freedom struggle, but there is no reason to worry about the continuity of the beliefs that guided it. With advances in technology, the young minds of today are better informed and more confident. The next generation remains strongly committed to the core values of our nation. For our youth, the nation always comes first. With them, we are witnessing the emergence of a New India.
16. Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals remain relevant in our nation-building efforts. It should be part of our daily routine to introspect on Gandhiji’s message of truth and nonviolence, which has become all the more necessary in our times.

When fighting for a cause, people, particularly the youth, should not forget the gift of Ahimsa Gandhiji gave to humanity. Gandhiji’s talisman for deciding whether an act is right or wrong also applies to the functioning of our democracy. Government and opposition both have important roles to play. While giving expression to their political ideas, both must move forward in tandem to ensure that development of the country and welfare of its people are promoted consistently.

Dear fellow citizens,

17. As our Republic Day is a celebration of our Constitution, let me conclude with the words of its chief architect, Babasaheb Ambedkar:

“If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do? The first thing in my judgment we must do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives.”

These words have always lighted our path. These words will continue to show us the way ahead to new glories.

Dear citizens,

18. The idea of world as a large well-knit family, captured in our message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, strengthens our relations with other nations. We have been sharing our democratic ideals and the fruits of our development with the entire world.

We have a tradition of inviting foreign heads of states to participate in our Republic Day celebrations. I am glad that this year, our distinguished friend, The President of Brazil, Mr. Jair Bolsonaro will take part in our Republic Day function tomorrow.

As India and Indians march forward, we remain committed to engaging the global community to build a secure and prosperous future for ourselves and for the entire humanity.

19. I once again convey my Republic Day greetings to all of you and I extend my best wishes for your bright future.

Jai Hind!

*****

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, received Mr Jair Bolsonaro, the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (January 25, 2020). He also hosted a banquet in his honour.

Welcoming the Brazilian President on his first state visit to India, the President said that it is a singular honour to have him as the Chief Guest for our Republic Day celebrations. It is indeed a special occasion for India-Brazil relations.

The President said that India and Brazil are close friends and Strategic Partners. India attaches the highest importance to its ties with Brazil, both in the bilateral and multilateral arenas.

The President said that India-Brazil economic relations are progressing well. But we can do a lot more together.  There is huge untapped potential both on the trade and investment sides. Indian companies are active in Brazil in IT, automobiles and energy sectors.  We are keen to leverage defence and food processing expertise of Brazil to boost our Make in India initiatives. We invite Brazilian companies to partner us in our economic programmes. Sectors such as renewable energy, biotechnology and animal husbandry also present huge opportunities for our companies.

Subsequently, in his banquet speech, President Kovind said that on the strong historical foundation, India and Brazil have established a multi-faceted partnership, one that would inspire many. Our shared perspectives have brought us together as Strategic Partners. We are committed to build an international order that is reflective of new global realities; we are committed to strengthen multilateralism for global peace and stability; and we are committed to fight terrorism for a secure and safe world for our peoples. From BRICS to bilateral platforms, we have a forward looking agenda. Even as we address the inequities of the past, we must craft a sustainable world for our future generations.

click here to see President’s speech

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VRRK/KP

On the occasion of National Girl Child Day, the Ministry of Women and Child Development is going to set up 10 Chairs in different fields with an aim to carry out research activities to encourage women. The initiative called Establishment of Chairs in the Universities in the name of eminent women administrators, artists, scientists and social reformers is being launched with the assistance of University Grants Commission (UGC). The main objective is to inspire women to pursue higher education and to achieve excellence in their area of work. This initiative of highlighting and celebrating women achievers of the country will motivate young girls and women towards higher studies.

The chairs proposed by UGC and approved by the Ministry are as under:

The financial implications of the proposal is Rs. 50 lakh per Chair per year and the total expenditure for establishing ten Chairs will be approximately Rs. Rs. 5 crore per annum. The Chairs are to be established for a period of 5 years initially as per the guidelines.

Academic functions of the Chairs will be to engage in research and, in turn, contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the area of the study, strengthen the role of university/academics in public policy making and to design and execute short-term capacity-building programmes for teachers in higher education focused towards the designated discipline of the Chair. The other academic functions will be to provide a forum for inter-university/ inter- collegiate Post Graduate and Research level dialogues, discussion meetings, seminars/summer & winter schools, publish articles/research papers/reports/books/ monograms and participate in teaching and Ph.D programme of the Department or School in which it is located.

The University will review the progress of the Chair annually and submit a final report on the activities and outcome of the Chair to the UGC after five years. However, the UGC may undertake the exercise of reviewing the Chair for its continuance, at any stage.

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The Department of Biotechnology organized an International Summit on Women in STEM–“Visualizing the Future: New Skylines” on 23^rd  and 24^thJanuary, 2020 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The Summit was organizedwith the overall aim to boost the participation of women in STEM field for development of scientific career.

During the summit, different sessions of the summit included mechanisms of leadership building, empowering womenthrough networking, career opportunities and interactive exercises with scientists. The aim was toshowcase women in STEM successes as real-world examples of successful women scientists, doctors andengineers demonstrating the excitement of being in the STEM fields as well as the rewards associatedwith it.

Discussions and interactive sessions between aspiring young, mid-career and senior scientists inthe STEM field were held to understanding the future requirements of women’s employment and careerprogression. Keynote speakers were renowned women scientists in STEM from different countries, youngas well as established women scientists, science communicators and entrepreneurs from India.

Around 350 participants from different STEM field across the globe participated in the event includingscientists, socialists, entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers and students. Posters were presented by womenscientists and students.

The summit provided a good platform for young students and researchers to interact and networkwith leaders in the field, to develop ideas and generate a future action plan for making career in STEMfields.

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RCJ/NK

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Rood Transport & Highways and MSME along with General (Retd.) V. K. Singh, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways  reviewed projects of all National Highway development, on 23 and 24 January 2020 at Manesar near Gurugram, Haryana. The review was done state wise. All senior officials of the Ministry, NHAI, State Governments, contractors, concessionaires, and consultants attended the review meeting. Every ongoing project was reviewed with a 360-degree view from all stakeholders. The meeting led to identification of issues and way forward with clear timelines for most of the delayed projects. The major reasons found were delay in land acquisition by State Governments, delay in regulatory clearances such as for quarrying etc. In addition, lack of coordination and communication between and within government agencies continues to delay decision making. About 740 National Highway Projects of 16 States were reviewed.

The Minister Shri Gadkari went into the minutest of detail of every project making sure a clear path forward emerged to speed up projects. Officials and contractors also committed to redoubling of efforts to ensure timely completion of projects.

The issue of timely approval of Extension of Time (EOT) and change of scope (COS) was particularly raised by the Contractors/ Concessionaire. As these timely approvals would help in facilitating lending by banks, an on-line tool called “GATI” has been launched and this will be closely monitored at the highest level. Shri Gadkari also instructed to start performance audit of officer and fix responsibility to delays.

The meeting concluded with all stakeholders committing to impart greater momentum to construction of highways by identifying issues holding up/delaying construction and completion of highways.

In order to carry the momentum of the meeting forward, Sh. Gadkari decided that monitoring and review at the official level needs greater attention and focus. To deal with this issue he has directed all chief engineers in the Ministry and all members of NHAI to organise “Review Mondays” on the first and third Monday of every month. On these days no meetings other than for the purpose of review will be held by officials. Technology and video conferencing will be the means for review and monitoring. These days will be dedicated only for reviews to impart more focus on completing highway projects. Delay in completion of projects has a high probability of leading to claims by contractors and hence the focus on review and monitoring by officials of the ministry will lead to cost savings in addition to timely delivery of projects.

Interacting with media after the meeting today, the Minister informed  22 Greenfield Corridors  of length 7500 kms is being developed with a total capital cost of Rs. 3.00 lakh crore.  Work has  started on some while awarding all other projects are/ will be completed  expeditiously. These projects are being pursued vigorously and  are being implemented on priority. He added that besides reducing length and decongesting existing NHs, the projects will work as growth engines as they fast through the less developed backward / tribal areas.    The  development of way-side amenities  will  result in more opportunities for business and employment. The minister also added that  the  construction of National Highways in terms of kms per day have been increasing and this is targeted to reach the level of 40 kms per day.

The Minister also informed that the pilot project on convergence of National Highway works and conservation of water in Buldhana district in Maharashtra is running successfully. As many as 152 villages benefitted covering a population of 4,83,360 where 22800 wells were recharged and irrigation facilities increased in 1525 hectares. These details were shared with all the Stakeholders in the review meeting with an aim to implement the scheme in more areas.

He also informed that the progress of FASTags was also reviewed.  All 537 Toll Plazas are now ETC enabled and more than 1.37 cores FASTags have been issued.  My FASTag App has crossed 10 lakh down loads.

****

Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Rood Transport & Highways and MSME along with General (Retd.) V. K. Singh, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways  reviewed projects of all National Highway development, on 23 and 24 January 2020 at Manesar near Gurugram, Haryana. The review was done state wise. All senior officials of the Ministry, NHAI, State Governments, contractors, concessionaires, and consultants attended the review meeting. Every ongoing project was reviewed with a 360-degree view from all stakeholders. The meeting led to identification of issues and way forward with clear timelines for most of the delayed projects. The major reasons found were delay in land acquisition by State Governments, delay in regulatory clearances such as for quarrying etc. In addition, lack of coordination and communication between and within government agencies continues to delay decision making. About 740 National Highway Projects of 16 States were reviewed.

The Minister Shri Gadkari went into the minutest of detail of every project making sure a clear path forward emerged to speed up projects. Officials and contractors also committed to redoubling of efforts to ensure timely completion of projects.

The issue of timely approval of Extension of Time (EOT) and change of scope (COS) was particularly raised by the Contractors/ Concessionaire. As these timely approvals would help in facilitating lending by banks, an on-line tool called “GATI” has been launched and this will be closely monitored at the highest level. Shri Gadkari also instructed to start performance audit of officer and fix responsibility to delays.

The meeting concluded with all stakeholders committing to impart greater momentum to construction of highways by identifying issues holding up/delaying construction and completion of highways.

In order to carry the momentum of the meeting forward, Sh. Gadkari decided that monitoring and review at the official level needs greater attention and focus. To deal with this issue he has directed all chief engineers in the Ministry and all members of NHAI to organise “Review Mondays” on the first and third Monday of every month. On these days no meetings other than for the purpose of review will be held by officials. Technology and video conferencing will be the means for review and monitoring. These days will be dedicated only for reviews to impart more focus on completing highway projects. Delay in completion of projects has a high probability of leading to claims by contractors and hence the focus on review and monitoring by officials of the ministry will lead to cost savings in addition to timely delivery of projects.

Interacting with media after the meeting today, the Minister informed  22 Greenfield Corridors  of length 7500 kms is being developed with a total capital cost of Rs. 3.00 lakh crore.  Work has  started on some while awarding all other projects are/ will be completed  expeditiously. These projects are being pursued vigorously and  are being implemented on priority. He added that besides reducing length and decongesting existing NHs, the projects will work as growth engines as they fast through the less developed backward / tribal areas.    The  development of way-side amenities  will  result in more opportunities for business and employment. The minister also added that  the  construction of National Highways in terms of kms per day have been increasing and this is targeted to reach the level of 40 kms per day.

The Minister also informed that the pilot project on convergence of National Highway works and conservation of water in Buldhana district in Maharashtra is running successfully. As many as 152 villages benefitted covering a population of 4,83,360 where 22800 wells were recharged and irrigation facilities increased in 1525 hectares. These details were shared with all the Stakeholders in the review meeting with an aim to implement the scheme in more areas.

He also informed that the progress of FASTags was also reviewed.  All 537 Toll Plazas are now ETC enabled and more than 1.37 cores FASTags have been issued.  My FASTag App has crossed 10 lakh down loads.

****

The Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice S.A. Bobde has said that the Tax Invasion is a Social Injustice to follow citizens and arbitrary or excessive tax is also results in injustice to tax payers. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the 79th Foundation Day Celebrations and All India Members’ Conference of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), here today. The Justice, Supreme Court of India, Mr. Justice M.R. Shah, the President, ITAT, Mr. Justice P.P. Bhatt, the Solicitor General of India, Shri Tushar Mehta, the Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Shri Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, the Vice President, ITAT, Delhi Zone, Mr. Justice, P.P. Pannu and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Saying speedy justice is being one of the important aspects in the civilised world, Mr. Justice Bobde said that ITAT is playing an important role in dispute resolution in an effective manner. He further said that Tax Judiciary plays a very important role in resource mobilization of the country and a just and speedy dispute resolution is perceived as a tax incentive by the tax payer.

Mr. Justice Bobde said that giving importance to infrastructure is the need of the hour. Good infrastructure is a prerequisite for an institution is like healthy mind to the healthy body. You must upgrade your skills constantly, he added.

While saying use of technology in judicial functioning is another fascinating area, the Chief Justice of India said that Artificial Intelligence can play a significant role in judicial functioning and it is very helpful in docket management and decision making. But we should never allow artificial intelligence substitute the human intervention which is a necessary for a just decision making, he cautioned. Several countries are experimenting and implementing Artificial Intelligence in their respective justice delivery systems and the Artificial Intelligence is a new hope to drive our Public Institutions, he added.

The Solicitor General of India, Shri Tushar Mehta said that the Tribunal is governed by the rules of evidence; it’s a combination of Judicial Officers and Accounting Members. He further said that this combination of functioning has been able to evolve satisfactory solutions for problems arising in taxation. Early resolution of disputes shall ultimately in the interest of tax payers and for the country’s economy, he added.

The President, ITAT, Mr. Justice P.P. Bhatt, in his welcome address, said that we need to rededicate ourselves in serving the society in dispensation of justice in the field of direct taxes in the expected and appropriated manner. Our motto – Nispaksh, Sulabh and Satvar Nyay are not merely a set of words but they reflect values aspirations on which our organization work, he added.

The two-day event has several sessions of interaction in which eminent speakers will address and variety of subjects.

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BN/BK

The process of applying for Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata Joint Entrance Test 2020 (JET 2020) is fully online. However, considering that internet services are still not fully operational in Kashmir, candidates from this region of the Union Territory have been given opportunity to apply offline for JET 2020 as well.

FTII and SRFTI, in coordination with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, have made it possible for the candidates ordinarily residing in the Kashmir region of the Union Territory of J&K, to apply for JET2020 by filling the application and depositing the fee offline.

Hard copies of application forms will be made available at the office of J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), Lalmandi, Srinagar, from January 24th onwards in a way that provides about a week’s window for the candidates to fill the Application Form and deposit the same along with the Demand Draft of the requisite fee at JKAACL’s Lal Mandi office during working hours, on or before the last date i.e. 31st January 2020.

In a first, candidates desirous of seeking admission to Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune both leading educational institutions in the art and craft of film making and television production, need to go through a multistage selection process from this year.

This year, SRFTI is conducting JET 2020 examination, which will be on Saturday, 15th February (afternoon) and Sunday, 16thFebruary, 2020 in two sessions (forenoon/afternoon).

For other details of courses and examination check the following links:-

JET website:   https://applyadmission.net/jet2020

FTII website:    http://ftii.ac.in/

SRFTI website: http://srfti.ac.in/

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GK

In continuation of Union Government’s outreach initiative, Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘ Nishank’ today inaugurated NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement), a two day orientation workshop for the teachers of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir at SKICC, Srinagar. Besides, a number of completed projects and initiatives were e-launched by the minister on the occasion.

Shri Pokhriyal said that NISHTHA is a benchmark programme that will raise the standards of education throughout the country. It will prove to be helpful in inculcating creativity among children and stimulate their imagination as well as physical and mental wellbeing. The programme devised in Urdu language for J&K will bring in a positive change in the region, he said.

NISHTHA has already been launched in 20 states of the country and around 21000 e-resource persons have been trained so far. The main objective of the initiative is to help overall development of students as better citizens. The art modules included in the programme instill cooperation and spirit of unity with responsibility.

The minister appreciated the efforts of NCERT for providing all possible support to a programme of such magnitude. The programme will provide training to 37,000 government teachers. This is the largest teacher training exercise of such kind that will be carried out in a cascading manner.

The minister e-inaugurated about 45 projects including setting up of degree colleges, upgradation of infrastructure, construction of hostel and other facilities among others. These include 25 smart schools equipped with state of the art learning and teaching facilities in Srinagar.

Shri Pokhriyal said that the initiatives announced today as part of the current outreach programme of the government will greatly help in improving the overall education scenario in J&K. He said that the government is committed towards taking education to the last mile. Elaborating further, the minister said that our aim is to reach out to the Gram Sabha level ensuring that no child remains deprived of education.

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Advanced Instrumentation and Sheikh ul Alam Chair at Centre for Sheikh ul Alam Studies at the University of Kashmir were also e-inaugrated by the minister. Besides, Engineering College at Safapora, Degree College at Zakoora, two hostels at NIT Srinagar, Transit Campus of IIM at Srinagar were also e-inaugrated.

Terming teachers as builders of the nation, the minister expressed his contentment for being part of the gathering. He appreciated the role of teachers of Jammu & Kashmir who work tirelessly despite challenges and said that there is a need to provide them all possible support so that the nation is on course. He informed the gathering that 208 teachers’ hostels will be constructed at 26 places for which Rs 26 crores have already been sanctioned. The government is looking into the regularization of services of 35000 teachers as well.

Shri Pokhriyal said that the Prime Minister has a vision for the youth of Kashmir and desires to see them at the top. Going by the trend, we are seeing the results in that direction, he commented. Lauding the efforts of the Education department, the minister expressed satisfaction over the functioning and progress made towards realization of core objectives.  He also expressed satisfaction over the achievements of University of Kashmir, National Institute of Technology, IIM, Central Universities and other academic institutions.