Amit Shah is BJP President
9072014
Amit Shah, who delivered crucial Uttar Pradesh to BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, appointed party president on Wednesday.
Shah, a close aide of Modi, was appointed to the top post in BJP at a meeting of Parliamentary Board where incumbent Rajnath Singh resigned after a tenure of one-and-a-half years.The former Minister of State for Home in Gujarat and who faces charges in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case is largely credited for BJP’s stunning performance in UP where it got 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats.
The meeting was attended among others by Modi, senior leaders L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, M Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari and Sushma Swaraj.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who had to table the pre-Budget Economic Survey in Lok Sabha, joined the press conference where the announcement was made by Singh before all these leaders.
“From now and now on, Amit Shah will be the president of the BJP and lead the party. His appointment was asp proved unanimously,” he said flanked by Modi and other leaders.
Shortly after the announcement, Modi and Singh offered sweets to Shah while other leaders including Advani, Joshi, Swaraj and Jaitley gave him bouquets.
As reporters started plying him questions, Shah replied “I will speak later” bringing the brief ceremony to a close.
MASTER STRATEGIST SHAH SCRIPTS HISTORY IN BJP
BJP’s key election strategist who crafted an unprecedented victory in Uttar Pradesh. Shah, 50, scripted history by becoming the youngest president of the party in which veterans have called the shots since its inception.
Considered an invaluable deputy to any neta, he has taken less than a year to catapult himself from a Gujarat BJP strongman to the party’s supremo on the national stage.
Most leaders in the BJP agree that Shah, who was associated with the RSS in his early days, has earned every bit of his success.
What worked eventually in favour of Shah was his extra-ordinary political performance in UP where as BJP’s general secretary in-charge he led the party to a dream run wresting 71 of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats in the politically crucial state.
Together with Apna Dal, a new ally which Shah got on board, the BJP won 73 seats in the state leaving a handful for the ruling SP and the Congress in the state.
Shah’s organizational skills came in handy for the BJP in bordering Bihar as well where the party forged alliances with the LJP and OBC strongman Upinder Kushwaha to score a staggering 22 alone and 31 out of 40 seats with allies and reducing the state’s incumbent JDU government to a virtual naught.
With his master act of scripting LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan’s return to the NDA fold after over a decade since Godhra riots, Shah managed a massive political makeover for his boss Modi, who had long been denounced by Paswan for the 2002 Gujarat riots.
That apart, Shah’s poaching of LJP and Kushwaha who had been eager to ally with the Congress, forced political realignments in Bihar with the JDU and Lalu Prasad’s RJD coming together to face the BJP’s new political challenge.
UP, Bihar and Gujarat put together, Shah’s stamp was visible in half of the total number of seats the BJP won in the 16th Lok Sabha elections, driving the party to its best ever performance under the Modi-Shah combine.
Political acumen apart, Shah’s controversial past has continued to haunt him until lately. Accused of fake encounters involving Sohrabuddin Sheikh, Tulsi Prajapati among others, Shah spent three months in the Sabarmati jail before he secured bail in 2010.
The bail cleared the hurdles in
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Categories : Media, Politics
WEC India Energy News
9072014
WEC India members Energy News-9th July 2014
To WEC India Energy News – India GroupWEC India Energy News – NTPC Group
Today at 12:45 PM
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For more information Contact – WEC India Secretariat, C/o NTPC Limited, 7th Floor, Core-6, SCOPE Complex, New Delhi-110 003, India
Email: info@wecindia.in, Phone: 011-2436 3719, Fax: 011-2436 9530, Website: http://www.wecindia.in |
Power minister says 26 out of 100 coal-based plants have enough to meet requirements for less than four days
Overseas purchases are estimated to increase to about 145 million MT this year from 135 million tonnes in 2013
The proceeds will be used for equity contribution in existing as well as new power transmission projects, says company
India’s import of coal and coke rose 12% to 18.5 million tonnes in June from a year earlier, says mjunction data
Plans of harnessing the sun by installing solar panels on telecom towers is being hampered by dust and urban sprawl
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Categories : Energy
News around the globe
9072014Russia accepts John Tefft as new US ambassador to Moscow
Russia has accepted veteran US diplomat John Tefft as Washington’s next ambassador to Moscow, presidential aid Yury Ushakov confirmed. He declined to comment on whether the Russian government was concerned with Tefft’s reputation of a hawk and allegations that he was the mastermind behind ‘color revolutions’ in Georgia and Ukraine, where he served as ambassador previously. Tefft is to replace Michael McFaul, who resigned in February.
Jakarta Governor Jokowi leading Indonesia elections
Jakarta Governor Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo from Indonesian Democratic party is leading the country’s elections, according to an exit poll conducted by the Indonesian Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). After the polls closed at 1pm local time (06:00 GMT), Jokowi took the lead with 45.1 percent of votes. His main rival, former General Prabowo Subianto from the Great Indonesia Movement Party, had garnered 42.2 percent.
Japan’s super typhoon heads to Russia’s Far East
A super typhoon Neoguri which has already struck Japan, killing at least two people and injuring dozens more, is heading to Russia’s Far-Eastern island of Sakhalin. The island borders on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Sakhalin authorities say Typhoon Neoguri will bring heavy rains to the region. A high alert warning was declared on the Island.
Four dead after homes collapse in central NY state
A powerful storm – and possible tornado – in New York on Tuesday has reportedly knocked down several homes in the central part of the state, killing at least four people. According to the Los Angeles Times, the severe storm caused the collapse of several structures in Smithfield, located in New York’s Madison County, resulting in “immense” damage and forcing local authorities to dispatch a number of ambulances. The Smithfield Fire Department confirmed to the Times that four people died as a result of the weather-inflicted destruction.
North Korea launches possible Scud missiles
The reclusive and bristly nation of North Korea appears to have launched two projectiles off its eastern coast in a continuation of recent missile and artillery test launches, according to a South Korean defense official cited by AP. Analysts believe the large number of test-firings of missiles and rockets are partly in protest against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent trip to South Korea, which was the first time a Chinese leader had ventured to Seoul prior to visiting Pyongyang. North Korea is also angry over US-South Korean military drills in the region. Regular short-range missile launches are interpreted by Washington and nearby countries as a warning by the DPRK not to interfere with its nuclear weapons program.
Al-Shabab militants attack Somali presidential palace
Armed Islamist al-Shabab militants attacked Somalia’s presidential palace in the country’s capital of Mogadishu and gained access to the building, an al-Shabab spokesman said. All the militants were killed, the government official reported, and the fighting is now over. The president of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, was not in the residence at the time of the attack. The Al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab controlled Mogadishu till 2011, but they still regularly attack the city.
2 people dead in Washington State medical center shooting – police
Two people died in a shooting in a medical center in Spokane, Washington, local police said. Apparently, a man came into the institution, where his wife worked, killed her and subsequently shot himself, AP reported. Local media say the incident happened in the Deaconess Medical Center complex. There are no reports of other victims.
Marijuana shops open in Washington State
The first legal marijuana shops, where pot can be bought for recreational use without a doctor’s prescription, opened in Washington State on Tuesday. Currently, only 25 proprietors have a license to sell marijuana, Reuters reported. Washington became the second state after Colorado to give out retail marijuana licenses – the regulators have already accepted 334 applications.
15:35
Two British men arrested on attempted terrorism charges
Two British men, Mohammed Nahin Ahmed and Yusuf Zubair, are currently on trial for attempting to engage in acts of terrorism. The childhood friends set off to Syria to assist rebel forces last year, and subsequently spent eight months in the crisis-ridden state. Prior to their departure, they had been in contact with Islamic extremists based in the UK. The young men, both aged 22, were arrested by a UK counter-terrorism unit upon their return to Britain in January. Both admitted to a single count of preparing to engage in terrorism acts at London’s Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.
25 recent Ebola deaths in West Africa – WHO
Fifty new cases of Ebola have been diagnosed and 25 people have died of the virus in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea since July 3, the World Health Organization reported on Tuesday. All the cases except two were registered outside Guinea, where there has been a reduction of the disease, the United Nations agency said. The epidemic broke out in Guinea in February, and since that time throughout the three countries there have been 844 cases recorded, with the death toll reaching 518.
3 injured during Spain’s San Fermin bull runs
Three people were injured in the second running of the bulls at the San Fermin festival in Spain on Tuesday. One of the injured, a 23-year-old man from England, is in a critical condition after sustaining severe chest trauma and rib fractures, the Navarra regional government reported. The other two injured men were from Japan and Spain. Another man was hurt on Monday. San Fermin, which attracts thousands of tourists, is an outdoor festival in Pamplona, whose main feature is the running of the bulls, which results in dozens of injuries every year.
Japan outraged at Chinese map showing Hiroshima, Nagasaki nuked
Tokyo said it will make a stern protest to China after a regional newspaper Chongqing Youth News printed a map of the country showing mushroom clouds hovering over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which suffered from US nuclear bombings during World War II. The controversial picture, accompanied by the words “Japan wants a war again,” came with an article decrying Japan’s turn away from post-war pacifist policies to what the author characterized as warmongering. It was later removed from the paper’s website.
Iraq’s parliament reschedules next session to July 13
Iraq’s new parliament rescheduled its next session to July 13, the day after proclaiming a five-week delay. On Monday, parliament put off its next meeting because they had not reached an agreement on new government nominations – a decision that has drawn intense criticism. Parliamentary representative, Mahdi al-Hafidh, claimed the delay is a threat to the security of the country currently being torn apart by Sunni Islamist insurgency.
20 rockets fired into southern Israel, Hamas claims responsibility
At least 20 rockets have been fired on Israel according to the Israeli Defense Forces’ Twitter page. Four of them were intercepted and 16 of them landed on open ground near Be’er Sheva. Hamas has taken the responsibility for the attack, Al Arabiya reported. Hamas has vowed revenge on Israel after seven of its members were killed in an airstrike on Monday over a tunnel used by the armed group. Israel has also said it will escalate air strikes on Gaza, after experiencing daily rocket fire in the past few days.
Two cylinders seized by Syrian troops contained sarin – UN
Deadly chemical sarin was discovered in two cylinders reportedly seized by Syrian government troops in August 2013 in an area claimed to be controlled by armed opposition groups, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a letter to the UN Security Council published Monday, Reuters reported. The cylinders were declared “abandoned chemical weapons” by the government. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) monitoring the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile analyzed the contents of the cylinders on June 14 and “confirmed that these contained sarin,” Ban Ki-moon’s letter said. Syrian government pledged in September to destroy its entire chemical stockpile under a US-Russia brokered deal following a deadly sarin gas attack on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus on August 21, 2013.
Prominent Kuwaiti opposition figure freed on bail
Musallam al-Barrak, who had been detained for questioning after allegedly insulting Kuwait’s judiciary, was freed on bail of around $18,000 on Monday and his case was delayed until September, his lawyer said. The former lawmaker, who draws support from some of Kuwait’s powerful tribes, was sentenced to jail for insulting the ruling emir in 2013. He and other opposition politicians then said that changes earlier made to an election law in Kuwait were intended to prevent them from taking power. Barrak’s arrest and conviction triggered a series of street protests and he was later acquitted.
16:11
Israel denies killing six Hamas militants
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner, a senior Israeli military officer, denied Monday that his forces had killed six Hamas militants in an air strike, claiming the men had died when explosives went off in a tunnel they had dug. Lieutenant Lerner also told reporters Israel was preparing for a possible escalation of hostilities along the Gaza frontier and had called up several hundred reservists, after experiencing daily rocket fire from Gaza militants in the past few days. Hamas has vowed revenge on Israel after seven of its members were killed in an airstrike on Monday morning over a tunnel used by the militant group. Hamas said “the enemy will pay a tremendous price” for the attack.
16:10
London 7/7 memorial defaced with graffiti hours before 9th memorial service
The Hyde Park monument to the victims of the 7/7 terror attack in London in 2005, which consists of 52 stainless steel columns, one for each of the 52 people killed, was defaced with slogans written in red and black. The columns were vandalized with messages that said “4 innocent Muslims,” “Blair Lied Thousands Died” and “J7 truth.” Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, vowed Monday that the city will “never give in” to terrorists. The memorial was defaced just hours before Monday’s ninth memorial service to the terrorist attacks, which was held at the monument in Hyde Park.
15:34
Afghanistan’s Ghani wins presidential election – preliminary results
Former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani has emerged as the winner of the second round of the Afghan presidential race, gaining 56.4 percent of the vote, the election commission chief said Monday. His rival, Abdullah Abdullah, picked up 43.4 percent, but according to local TV he is not accepting his loss. Ghani’s campaign said earlier in the day they were going to audit 7,100 polling stations to make sure the vote was clean. Both rounds of the vote to replace President Hamid Karzai have been plagued by accusations of fraud and other violations. The US has also been watching the process, as outgoing President Hamid Karzai refused to sign a military cooperation pact with Washington, leaving this decision to the country’s next leader.
Italian navy saves over 2,600 migrants in the Mediterranean
Italian rescue vessels and helicopters have saved more than 2,600 migrants from boats in the Mediterranean over the weekend, Reuters reports, citing the Italian navy. The search and rescue mission picked up predominantly male migrants, along with some minors and a pregnant woman in the Strait of Sicily. The number of migrants reaching Italy from Africa this year has surged to a record with calm weather in recent months encouraging more people, many fleeing war, forced conscription and poverty at home, to make the crossing. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, had counted 63,600 arrivals on July 4, before this weekend’s influx, surpassing the previous record of around 62,000 set in the whole of 2011.
3 suspects confess to killing of Palestinian teenager – official
Three suspects in the killing of a Palestinian teenager have confessed to the crime, an Israeli official said. He added that the three were re-enacting the killing of Mohammed Abu Khdeir for authorities on Monday. The confession comes the day after six Jewish male suspects were arrested in connection with Abu Khdeir’s death. The identities of the suspects have not been released.
Passengers evacuated from Channel Tunnel as train failure results in long delays
Hundreds of passengers were evacuated from the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France on Monday after a train failure. The train got stuck at about 0630 GMT due to a problem with the overhead power line, a spokesman for operator Eurotunnel said. Customers were transferred through the service tunnel and onto an empty train. The failure in the 50 kilometer (30 mile) tunnel resulted in long delays on the crossing between Britain and France, with several Eurostar train services canceled.
Hamas pledges revenge on Israel after 7 members die in airstrike
Hamas has vowed revenge on Israel after seven of its members were killed in an airstrike on Monday morning over a tunnel used by the militant group. Hamas said “the enemy will pay a tremendous price” for the attack. Two militants from a different group, who had been firing rockets at southern Israeli communities, were also killed in a separate airstrike. The Israeli military has said it carried out airstrikes on at least “14 terror sites” in Gaza overnight in retaliation for a recent increase in rocket attacks from Gaza. About a dozen rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza last night injuring a soldier and another 25 during the day on Sunday.
Afghanistan presidential hopefuls fail to agree on election outcome
Rival Afghan presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah, a former anti-Taliban fighter, and Ashraf Ghani, an ex-World Bank official, held a meeting on Monday, but failed to resolve differences over the outcome of the election, Reuters reports. The announcement of preliminary results of the election’s second round has once again been postponed. Abdullah and Ghani could reportedly be discussing additional checks at polling stations that would establish if the vote was fair. Both rounds of the presidential election were marked by accusations of mass fraud.
Greenpeace anti-fracking protesters block access to Chevron shale gas exploration
Greenpeace activists have chained themselves to the gates of a Chevron shale gas exploration well in eastern Romania to protest fracking there. Activists from Romania, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Germany came to the Pungesti site, wearing bright yellow jackets and holding banners reading“Pungesti-anti-Chevron quarantine area” and “Stop fracking.” US energy major Chevron began work on the exploration well in the village of Pungesti in eastern Romania in December. Exploration start was postponed several times because of protests.
Moscow concerned about Kiev troops shelling civilian territories
Moscow is concerned with reports of eastern Ukrainian towns abandoned by self-defense forces, including Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, still being shelled by Ukrainian troops, according to a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry’s commissioner for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov. He described the shelling as a way for the Ukrainian government “to exert pressure” on those who are “dissatisfied, and do not want to reconcile themselves with the plans the authorities in Kiev are imposing on them.” Dolgov has called for an immediate termination of the military operation by Kiev.
Afghan rocket attack kills at least 5 children
A grenade attack in northern Afghanistan has left at leave five children dead and a further six injured, officials have said. Taliban militants reportedly launched the grenade that struck a house in the Kunduz province. The six injured were all from the same family and included the parents of the deceased
Vietnam helicopter crash kills 16
A Russian-made, Vietnamese military helicopter has crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 16 people and injuring five, officials told AP. The helicopter was on a parachute mission and crashed close to the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. Doctors said the injured are now being treated for burns in a Hanoi hospital.
Israeli fighter jets strike targets in Gaza
The Israeli Air Force has launched a series of airstrikes on Palestinian territory in response to Hamas firing 25 rockets at southern Israel on Sunday. Altogether nine targets in Gaza sustained direct hits as a result. Hamas has acknowledged seven of its fighters were killed and four wounded, thus making it the worst day in casualties for the armed wing of the organization since its cross-border war with the Israeli Defense Forces in 2012.
US spying allegations are serious – Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said allegations of a German working as a double agent for the US intelligence are “serious” and if proven correct contradict the spirit of bilateral cooperation, Reuters reports. The German government demanded an explanation from Washington over the US’ apparent contact with a German man arrested last week, the interior minister said. Washington has yet to comment on the arrest of a 31-year-old employee of Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency.
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Categories : Business, Education, Politics, Trade, world News
Kanpur Central will not look like this–or would it?
9072014
Indian Rail Budget 2014:
So hopefully, the platform at Kanpur Central will not look like this–or would it?
So hopefully, the platform at Kanpur Central will not look like this–or would it?
Economic Survey envisaged rational expectations
9072014
Economic Survey envisaged rational expectations
India’s GDP to grow between 5.4% -5.9% in FY2015
Economic Survey of India 2013-14 focuses on reforms for long term-growth prospects on three frontsnamely low and stable inflation regime, tax and expenditure reform and regulatory framework. Further survey suggests removal of restriction on farmers to buy, sell and store their produce to customers across the country and the world. Rationalisation of subsidies on inputs such as fertilizer and food is essential and the Government needs to eventually move towards income support for farmers and poor households.
Highlights of Economic Survey 2013-14
STATE OF THE ECONOMY AND PROSPECTS
- Economy to grow in the range of 5.4 – 5.9 per cent in 2014-15 overcoming sub-5 percent growth.
- Growth slowdown was broad based, affecting in particular the industry sector.
- Aided by favourable monsoons, agricultural and allied sector registered a growth of 4.7 per cent in 2013-14.
- Industry and Service sectors also witnessed slowdown.
PUBLIC FINANCE
- The fiscal policy for 2013-14 was calibrated with two-fold objectives; first, to aid growth revival; and second, to reach the FD level targeted for 2013-14.
- The Budget for 2013-14 followed the policy of revenue augmentation and expenditure rationalization to contain government spending within sustainable limits.
- The fiscal outcome of the central government in 2013-14 was achieved despite the macroeconomic challenges of growth slowdown, elevated levels of global crude oil prices, and slow growth of investment.
PRICES AND MONETARY MANAGEMENT
- High inflation, particularly food inflation, was the result of structural as well as seasonal factors.
- IMF projects most global commodity prices are expected to remain flat during 2014-15.
- The RBI with a view to restoring stability to the foreign exchange market, hiked short term interest rate in July and compressed domestic money market liquidity.
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION
- RBI has indentified five sectors — infrastructure, iron and steel, textiles, aviation and mining as the stressed sectors.
- Public sector banks (PSBs) have high exposures to the ‘industry’ sector in general and to such ‘stressed’ sectors in particular.
- The New Pension System (NPS), now National Pension System, introduced for the new recruits who join government service on or after January 2004, represents a major reform of Indian pension arrangements.
- The next wave of infrastructure financing will require a capable bond market.
BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
- The India ’s balance-of-payments position improved dramatically in 2013-14 with current account deficit at US $ 32.4 billion as against US$ 88.2 billion in 2012-13.
- India’s foreign exchange reserves increased from US$ 292.0 billion at end March 2013 to US$ 304.2 billion at end march 2014.
- India’s external debt has remained within manageable limits due to the external debt management policy with prudential restrictions on debt varieties of capital inflows.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
World trade
- World trade volume which decelerated to 2.8 per cent in 2012 has shown signs of recovery in 2013, albeit slow with a 3.0 per cent growth.
- The sharp fall in imports and moderate export growth in 2013-14 resulted in a sharp fall in India ‘s trade deficit by 27.8 per cent.
- In April-May 2014, trade deficit declined by 42.4 per cent.
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD MANAGEMENT
- Record food grains and oilseeds production of 264.4 million tonnes (mt) and 32.4 mt is estimated in 2013-14.
- Horticulture production estimated at 265 mt in 2012-13 has exceeded the production of foodgrains and oilseeds for the first time.
- Due to higher procurement, stocks of foodgrains in the Central Pool have increased to 69.84 million tonnes as on June 1, 2014.
- The net availability of foodgrains increased to 229.1 million tonnes and that of edible oils to 12.7 kg per year in 2013.
INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE
The latest gross domestic product (GDP) estimates show that industry grew by just 1.0 per cent in 2012-13 and slowed further in 2013-14, posting a modest increase of 0.4 per cent.
SERVICES SECTOR
- India ranked 12th in terms of services GDP in 2012 among the world’s top 15 countries in terms of GDP (at current prices).
- India has the second fastest growing services sector with its CAGR at 9.0 per cent, just below China ’s 10.9 per cent, during 2001 to 2012.
- In 2013-14, FDI inflows to the services sector (top five sectors including construction) declined sharply by 37.6 per cent to US$ 6.4 billion compared to an overall growth in FDI inflows at 6.1 per cent resulting in the share of the top five services in total FDI falling to nearly one-sixth.
ENERGY, INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNICATIONS
- Major sector-wise performance of core industries and infrastructure services during 2013-14 shows a mixed trend. While the growth in production of power and fertilizers was comparatively higher than in 2012-13, coal, steel, cement, and refinery production posted comparatively lower growth. Crude oil and natural gas production declined during 2013-14.
- The performance of the coal sector in the first two years of the Twelfth Plan has been subdued with domestic production at 556 MT in 2012-13 and 566 MT in 2013-14.
- A total length of 21,787 km of national highways has been completed till March 2014 under various phases of the NHDP. In spite of several constraints due to the economic downturn, the NHAI constructed 2844 km length in 2012-13, its highest ever annual achievement. During 2013-14 a total of 1901 km of road construction was completed.
- From the infrastructure development perspective, while important issues like delays in regulatory approvals, problems in land acquisition & rehabilitation, environmental clearances, etc. need immediate attention, time overruns in the implementation of projects continue to be one of the main reasons for underachievement in many of the infrastructure sectors.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE
- Human- induced Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are growing and are chiefly responsible for climate change.
- The world is not on track for limiting increase in global average temperature to below 2◦C, above pre-industrial levels. GHG emissions grew on average 2.2 per cent per year between 2000 and 2010, compared to 1.3 per cent per year between 1970 and 2000.
- There is immense pressure on governments to act through two new agreements on climate change and sustainable development, both of which will be global frameworks for action to be finalized next year.
- The cumulative costs of India ’s low carbon strategies have been estimated at around USD 834 billion at 2011 prices, between 2010 and 2030.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
India’s Human Development Rank and performance
- According to HDR 2013, India has slipped down in HDI with its overall global ranking at 136 (out of the 186 countries) as against 134 (out of 187 countries) as per HDR 2012. It is still in the medium human development category.
- The poverty ratio (based on the MPCE of Rs.816 for rural areas and Rs.1000 for urban areas in 2011-12 at all India level), has declined from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12.
- In absolute terms, the number of poor declined from 407.1 million in 2004-05 to 269.3 million in 2011-12 with an average annual decline of 2.2 percentage points during 2004-05 to 2011-12.
- During 2004-05 to 2011-12, employment growth [CAGR] was only 0.5 per cent, compared to 2.8 per cent during 1999-2000 to 2004-05 as per usual status.
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Categories : Business, Finnance, Funds, Politics
Sam Pitroda, is on World Wide Web Foundation Board of Directors
9072014
Today, we are pleased to announce that the World Wide Web Foundation has elected two world-leading innovators to serve on its Board of Directors. Sam Pitroda, an internationally respected development thinker, policy maker, telecom inventor and entrepreneur, and Alex Johnston, a leading communications expert, will join other board directors in shaping the strategic direction of the World Wide Web Foundation as it seeks to achieve its mission: establishing the open Web as a global public good and a basic right.
Established by the inventor of the Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the World Wide Web Foundation pursues its mission based upon three key pillars: affordable access to the Web, online rights and participation. In each of these areas, the Foundation combines robust original research with powerful advocacy and coalition building initiatives to deliver sustainable change. Pitroda and Johnston join a diverse international board, which works under the Chairmanship of Rick Haythornthwaite, and includes prominent individuals from the technology, philanthropy, academic and business sectors. All members of the Web Foundation’s Board of Directors serve on a pro bono basis and do not accept remuneration for their services.
Welcoming the election of the two new board members, Anne Jellema, Chief Executive Officer of the World Wide Web Foundation said:
‘We are delighted that Sam and Alex have been elected to join our Board of Directors.Their broad international experience and deep sector expertise will prove invaluable as we pursue our mission of building an open, free and universal Web to enhance the human rights of all.”
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Categories : CSR, culture, Education
State Government of Chhattisgarh must act to protect constitutional rights
9072014
The State Government of Chhattisgarh must act to protect constitutional rights
The Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India has conveyed to the Union government and the Government of the State of Chhattisgarh its deep apprehension that the decisions of a number of village Panchayats in the Bastar region banning the entry of Christian workers could lead to the large scale persecution of the minority community by aggressive groups.
The Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India has conveyed to the Union government and the Government of the State of Chhattisgarh its deep apprehension that the decisions of a number of village Panchayats in the Bastar region banning the entry of Christian workers could lead to the large scale persecution of the minority community by aggressive groups.
The government must reverse the decisions of these Panchayats immediately to restore the confidence of the Christian community in Chhattisgarh, which is under considerable stress in recent days. There seems to be well thought out pattern and sinister design behind these actions.
Mr. Suresh Yadav, Bastar district president of the VHP, has said over 50 Gram Panchayats in Bastar have passed orders under Section 129 (G) of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Act banning all “non-Hindu religious propaganda, prayers and speeches in the villages.” Some of these include the Sirisguda Gram Sabha, Belar in Lohandiguda and others. The District Collector has admitted that such orders have been passed by three Gram Panchayats. In addition to this, there seems to be a social boycott of Christian villagers, some of whom have also been denied basic amenities including rations.
Such actions are entirely ultra vires of the Constitution of India. They militate against guarantees to all citizens of Freedom of Faith, Freedom of Express and free movement, which are basic human rights. They discriminate against religious minorities, and specially the Christian community.
The delayed action of the district authorities, and the fact that the State government has not acted so far, encourage hostile political elements and their supporters into taking the law into their own hands. The Christian community finds itself extremely vulnerable in these circumstances. There are also accusations that vested commercial interests are encouraging such divisive action by the village Panchayats.
We appeal to the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, and the Chief Minister, Dr. Raman Singh, to take urgent action to reverse these motivated decisions of the village Panchayats, and to order the district authorities to ensure their safety and security of the Christian community, their properties and their places of worship. The government must also ensure the local Christians are given their requirements of essential commodities.
Rev. Dr. Richard Howell,
General Secretary,
Evangelical Fellowship of India,
New Delhi, India
General Secretary,
Evangelical Fellowship of India,
New Delhi, India
Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
Rev. Vijayesh Lal
National Director
Religious Liberty Commission
Evangelical Fellowship of India
805/92, Deepali Building,
Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110019
email: vijayesh@efirlc.org
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