India remains fully committed to deeper and more diversified relationship with Belarus,

says President
In a banquet speech, President Mukherjee said since emergence of Belarus as an independent nation in
1991, India and Belarus have successfully developed their relationship based on friendship and mutual
benefit. The two countries share common approaches to international issues. Cooperation between
India and Belarus in the United Nations and other multilateral fora, including in the Non-Aligned
Movement has been close and fruitful. This should continue. India deeply appreciates Belarus’
unequivocal endorsement of India's rightful claim to permanent membership of the United Nations
Security Council. India is also happy that Belarus supported India’s proposal to declare June 21 as
International Day of Yoga in the United Nations General Assembly.

The President expressed confidence that the discussions and various events being held in conjunction
with his visit, would take India-Belarus relations to even greater heights. He reiterated that India
remains committed to a deeper and more diversified relationship with Belarus.

Ideals of Tagore and Gandhiji provide best way forward for world confronted with
intolerance, bigotry and terrorism, says President
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivered a Public Lecture on ‘Tagore & Gandhi: Do they
have Contemporary Relevance for Global Peace?’ at Uppsala University in Sweden yesterday (June 2,
2015).

In his speech, the President said ideas of truth, openness, dialogue and non-violence espoused by
Tagore and Gandhiji provide the best way forward for a world confronted with intolerance, bigotry and
terrorism. Their values and their vision are more relevant today than any time before in a world
desperately searching for permanent solutions to conflict and tensions. These ideals therefore need to
be propagated far and wide, especially amongst the youth.

The President said India, with its population of 1.25 billion has been home to the harmonious mingling
of ethnicities and religions for centuries. We are clear that lasting peace can be built only on a
foundation of mutual respect which was consistently and eloquently advocated by both Tagore and
Gandhiji. Enduring peace can only be established on the basis of humanity’s moral and intellectual
solidarity. Political and economic agreements will not on their own build a lasting peace. Peace has to be
founded on the belief that there is only one humanity.

India-US Joint Press Release

During an official visit to India, Dr. Ashton Carter, the United States Secretary of Defence, met Raksha
Mantri Shri Manohar Parrikar and called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He also met the External
Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj and the National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval. Before arriving in
Delhi, Secretary Carter also visited the Eastern Naval Command.

Raksha Mantri and Secretary Carter discussed the India-U.S. defence relationship, and the broader India-
US Strategic Partnership, and reaffirmed their commitment to expand and deepen the bilateral defence
relationship. The two also reviewed the existing and emerging regional security dynamics.
Raksha Mantri and Secretary Carter signed the 2015 Framework for the India-US Defence Relationship,
which builds upon the previous framework and successes to guide the bilateral defence and strategic
partnership for the next ten years. The new Framework agreement provides avenues for high level
strategic discussions, continued exchanges between armed forces of both countries, and strengthening
of defence capabilities.

The Framework also recognizes the transformative nature of the Defence Technology and Trade
Initiative (DTTI). Both India and the United States have finalized two project agreements for joint
development of Mobile Electric Hybrid Power Sources and the Next Generation Protective Ensembles.

In addition, building on the areas of agreement during President Obama’s visit to India in January 2015,
Raksha Mantri and Secretary Carter agreed to expedite discussions to take forward cooperation on jet
engines, aircraft carrier design and construction, and other areas. The two also agreed to pursue co-
development and co-production projects that will offer tangible opportunities for American defence
industries to build defence partnership with the Indian industries including in manufacturing under
‘Make in India’.

Raksha Mantri and Secretary Carter agreed to continue their efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation in
areas of mutual interest, such as maritime security and knowledge partnership in the field of Defence.

Secretary Carter thanked Raksha Mantri for the help extended in the search for the US helicopter which
went missing during the relief operations in Nepal.

India joins the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) on Automatic

Exchange of Information (AEOI)
India joined the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on Automatic Exchange of Financial
Account Information on 3rd June, 2015, in Paris, France, alongwith Australia, Canada, Costa Rica,
Indonesia and New Zealand. On our behalf, the Declaration to comply with the provisions of the MCAA
was signed by H.E. Mr. Mohan Kumar, Ambassador of the Republic of India to France, in a signing
ceremony held in Paris.

Earlier, fifty-one countries/jurisdictions had joined the MCAA on 29th October, 2014 in Berlin and
Switzerland became the fifty-second country to join the MCAA on 19th November, 2014. Ghana and
Seychelles joined the MCAA on 14th May, 2015. With six countries joining the MCAA on 3rd June, 2015,
the total number of countries/jurisdictions agreeing to exchange information automatically in
accordance with MCAA has gone to sixty.

Ninety-four countries have committed to exchange information on an automatic basis from 2017
onwards as per the new global standards on automatic exchange of information, known as Common
Reporting Standards (CRS) on Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI).
The new global standards are very wide in scope and oblige the treaty partners to exchange wide range
of financial information after collecting the same from financial institutions in their country/jurisdictions
including information about the ultimate controlling persons and beneficial owners of entities.

For implementation of these standards in India and with a view to provide information to other
countries, necessary legislative changes have been made through Finance (No. 2) Act, 2014, by
amending section 285BA of the Income-tax Act, 1961. Necessary rules and guidelines are being
formulated in consultation with financial institutions.

AEOI based on CRS, when fully implemented, would enable India to receive information from almost
every country in the world including offshore financial centres and would be the key to prevent
international tax evasion and avoidance and would be instrumental in getting information about assets
of Indians held abroad including through entities in which Indians are beneficial owners. This will help
the Government to curb tax evasion and deal with the problem of black money.

Media statement by the President upon the conclusion of his visit to Sweden and Belarus en
route from Minsk to New Delhi
Following is the full text of the statement to media by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee
upon the conclusion of his visit to Sweden and Belarus (from May 31 to June 4, 2015). The statement
was made on board the aircraft during the President’s return to New Delhi from Minsk:

“I have just concluded successful state visits to Sweden from 31 May to 2 June and Belarus from 2-4
June, 2015. I was accompanied by Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Minister of State for Chemicals and
Fertilisers, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Shri Ashwini Kumar,
Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) as well as senior officials. Heads of seven leading academic
institutions in India accompanied me on the two visits. A large business delegation of around 120
persons put together by FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM also visited Stockholm and Minsk during these days
and held discussions with their counterparts as well as concluded many agreements.

My visits to Sweden and Belarus were first visits ever by an Indian President to either country. They
reflect the renewed emphasis that India places on further enhancing our partnership with these two
countries. Both countries have been supportive of India’s claim for permanent membership of the UN
Security Council. I took the opportunity to brief both leaderships on the economic situation in India as
well as about policy initiatives of the government.

Sweden is an important partner with whom we have shared multi-faceted and mutually beneficial
relations over several decades. Combining Swedish resources, technological expertise and innovation
with India’s young and growing market offers synergies that can spur a fresh phase of growth in our
bilateral relationship. Belarus is a key partner in the wider Eurasian region with many strengths. India-
Belarus relations are based on goodwill among our people for each other and a positive legacy of
cooperation in multilateral fora, including at the United Nations.
In Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf and the entire Royal family received me warmly and accompanied me
for the entire duration of my visit. I held wide-ranging discussions on bilateral as well as regional and
multilateral issues with the King and Prime Minister Stefan Lofven. I also met the Speaker of the Riksdag
(Swedish Parliament) Mr. Urban Ahlin, Members of Parliament belonging to different parties and the
Leader of Opposition.

The focus of my visit to Sweden was to strengthen bilateral economic ties and to provide impetus to our
cooperation in specific areas of priority to us in which Sweden has established strengths. Sweden is one
of the top three innovative nations in the world as well as a leader in smart urbanization, transport and
waste management, green technologies, renewable energy, health, education and research. Six
intergovernmental agreements were concluded, covering cooperation in the fields of urban
development, medium and small-scale enterprises, polar research, civil nuclear research and medicine.
Seventeen MoUs were further signed between educational institutions, think tanks and the Chambers of
Commerce of the two countries.

I also announced Government of India’s decision to grant Swedish nationals e-tourist visa. This, along
with signature of an Agreement on Diplomatic visa waiver, will facilitate travel between the two
countries and boost people-to-people ties.

In all my meetings, I found a significant convergence of mutual interests and a genuine deep-seated
desire for closer cooperation. Sweden expressed its support for our membership of the Missile
Technology Control Regime. They also reiterated their firm support for India’s claim for a permanent
seat in an expanded United Nations Security Council. The Swedish Prime Minister readily agreed to my
suggestion that we seek to enhance our bilateral trade to US $ 5 billion in the next three years. The
Swedish side also expressed their keenness for the conclusion of negotiations on the India-EU Trade and
Investment Agreement.

In Sweden, I had opportunity to interact with the heads of leading Swedish multinationals. They were
uniformly upbeat about their prospects in India and conveyed their intention to further expand
operations and investments. I attended a presentation by Sweden’s leading medical scientists at the
prestigious Karolinska Institute and addressed the business as well as Indian community. I also delivered
a public lecture on the contemporary relevance to global peace of Tagore and Mahatma Gandhiji at
Uppsala University, one of the oldest universities of Europe.

I extended invitations to His Majesty The King and the Prime Minister of Sweden to visit India to provide
continued momentum to the relationship. A formal invitation was also extended to the Swedish Speaker
from our Speaker. In Minsk, I was received warmly by President Alexander Lukashenko. We held wide-
ranging, substantive and forward-looking discussions on bilateral issues as well as regional
developments. President Lukashenko and I agreed that the time had come to elevate India-Belarus
relations to a higher trajectory, building on the enormous potential in trade and investment, defence
cooperation, science and technology as well as educational and academic linkages.
I suggested to President Lukashenko that we engage on a four-fold framework for enhanced
cooperation comprising regular political and institutional dialogue, rapid increase in commercial and
economic interaction, a paradigm shift in defence cooperation towards joint research, design and
manufacturing as well as wide-ranging expansion of our S&T, educational, cultural and people-to-people
exchanges. President Lukashenko responded positively to my proposals and underlined that Belarus
considers India a partner of choice as well as a reliable and loyal friend. Five agreements and MOUs
were signed, covering cooperation in textiles, standardization, capital markets and broadcasting. A
focused and substantive Roadmap for India-Belarus Cooperation was also agreed, which identifies
specific areas for closer interaction in the days ahead.

I conveyed the decision of Government of India to grant Market Economy Status to Belarus, which had
been a long-standing request of the Belarus side. This decision would open up new avenues for bilateral
trade as well as facilitate the integration of Belarus in international trade structures. India will also
extend a new Line of Credit of US$ 100 million to Belarus for implementation of mutually agreed joint
projects, thereby further deepening our economic ties.

Seven MOUs were signed between Indian and Belarusian Universities and Institutes. I was honoured to
unveil a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the prestigious Belarus State University campus. The University
conferred upon me Professor Honoris Causa, which I was pleased to accept as manifestation of the high
regard and affection of the people of Belarus towards India.

I met Prime Minister Andrei V. Kobyakov and the Chairman of the Council and Chairman of the House of
Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus. I extended an invitation to President Lukashenko
to visit India, which he accepted with pleasure. President Lukashenko and I also addressed business
representatives from both countries.

There is increasing awareness on both sides of growing business opportunities, building on the new
focus on manufacturing in India under our ‘Make in India’ initiative as well as the wider market offered
by the Eurasian Economic Union for investors in Belarus. Agricultural machinery, mining equipment,
heavy construction equipment and defence were identified as potential areas for manufacturing
ventures in India. Belarus is keen to see greater Indian investments in manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
Several commercial agreements have also been concluded. We proposed increasing our trade turnover
to US$ 1 billion in the next five years, which should be achievable.

I wish to thank my hosts for the warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation during my visits to
their respective countries. These visits have helped deepen our mutually beneficial relations. I return
with the conviction that the governments of both countries are keen to take their bilateral relationship
with India to much higher levels. India will actively work towards enhancing our partnership with
Sweden and Belarus in the days to come”.

IAF Concludes Operations in Earthquake Hit Nepal

1. A mammoth Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) task was carried out by the IAF from
25 Apr 15 to 04 Jun 15. Within four hours of the earthquake that struck Nepal, IAF swung into action and
routed one C-130J aircraft, two C-17, one IL-76, airlifting 295 NDRF personnel, 46.5 tonnes of load and
five sniffer dogs.

2. Lots of relief material for over a month were airlifted like water, field hospitals, blankets, tents,
Paramedics, stretchers, medicines, prepared food, milk, utensils, vegetables, Meals Ready to Eat (MRE),
RO Plants, Oxygen Regenerators, Air Force Communication Centre Vehicles, Rapid Action Medical Team
(RAMT) with its transportable Operation Theatre, X-ray, Laboratory & patient beds etc.

3. IAF aircraft that took part in the operation included heavy lifters C-130J Super Hercules, C-17
Globemaster III, IL-76 Gajraj and medium lifter An-32. Besides these aircraft, 08 Medium Lift Helicopters
(MLH) which included Mi-17 V5 and Mi-17.

4. Large scale relief & rescue operations were carried out by Mi-17 V5 and Mi-17 helicopters from
detachments at Pokhara and Kathmandu. These operations were carried out to far flung inaccessible
areas at earthquake affected places that included Lukla, Dhading, Millanchi, Gorkha, Chautara, Charikot,
Melum, Aroghat, Dhunche, Trishuli, Ramechhap, Barpak, Narayan Chor, Namchi Bazar, Tatopani,
Lamabagar and other remote villages.

5. During the relief & rescue operations, a total of 1677 sorties (including 1569 by IAF Helicopters) by
various aircraft were carried out carrying 1348.995 tonnes of load and evacuating 5188 persons and 780
casualties.

India Signs Legal Agreement with the World Bank for IBRD Loan of US$ 4oo Million for
Tamilnadu Sustainable Urban Development Project
The Loan and Project Agreements for World Bank (IBRD) assistance of US$ 400 million for Tamil Nadu
Sustainable Urban Development Project were signed between the Government of India/ Government of
Tamil Nadu and World Bank here yesterday.

The Loan Agreement was signed by Shri Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs,
Ministry of Finance on behalf of Government of lndia and Mr. Onno Ruhl, Country Director, World Bank
(lndia) on behalf of the World Bank. The Project Agreements were signed by Shri Praveen P. Nair,
Deputy Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu on
behalf of the State Government and Smt. Anita Praveen, Principal Secretary/ Chairperson and Managing
Director, Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financing Services Ltd. (TNUIFSL) on behalf of TNUIFSL and
Tamil Nadu Urban Development Fund. Mr.Onno Ruhl signed both Project Agreements on behalf of the
World Bank.

The objective of the project is to improve urban services in participating Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in a
financially sustainable manner and to pilot improved urban management practices in selected cities. The
total project size is US$ 600 million, out of which World Bank support is US$ 400 million.
The project consists of following three main components:

• Investment in Urban Services. The project will support improvement in range of urban services,
including water, sewerage, municipal solid waste, urban transportation, sewerage management and
storm water drainage. The project also envisages creation of a reserve fund to provide credit
enhancements for municipal bonds and other market based Loan instruments issued by ULBs.

• Result Based Grants for Urban Governance: The project will provide results-based grants to eligible
ULBs to implement new urban-management models that strengthen governance and financial
sustainability.

• Urban Sector Technical Assistance: The project will support strengthening the capacity of ULBs and
urban sector officials.

Achievements of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga

Rejuvenation
India is endowed with a rich and vast diversity of natural resources, water being one of them. Integrated
Water management is vital for poverty reduction, environmental sustenance and sustainable economic
development. The Ministry is working for sustainable development, maintenance of quality and efficient
use of water resources to match with the growing demands on this precious natural resource of the
country.

WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The Ministry has identified Inter-Linking of Rivers (ILRs) as a priority. National Perspective Plan
envisaging inter-basin transfer of water from surplus basins to deficit basins is being actively pursued.

• Implementation of Ken-Betwa project on fast track.

• Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Damanganga –Pinjal completed. DPR of Par-Tapi-Narmada link
project being finalised.

• Mahanadi-Godavari flood moderation project being pursued.

• Intra-State link Projects: DPR of Burhi Gandak - Noor - Baya - Ganga link Project (Bihar) and Kosi -
Mechi Link Project (Bihar) completed. Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers set up - for time
bound implementation of ILR projects. High level task force constituted for addressing the technical
issues in interlinking of rivers.

• Agreement with Nepal for speedy implementation of Pancheshwar Multi-purpose project proposal on
river Sarda. Pancheshwar Development Authority set up for expeditious implementation of the project.
• Polavaram project being implemented asa National Projection river Godavari, to create an annual
irrigation potential of 4.36 lakh hect. in East Godavari, Vishakhapatnam, West Godavari and Krishna
districts in Andhra Pradesh.

• Work initiated on 9600 MW Middle Siang Project for flood moderation in Arunachal Pradesh and
Assam.

• Dam safety Project taken up with World Bank assistance at an estimated cost of Rs. 2100 crore, 233
dams in four States identified for rehabilitation.

• Brahmaputra Board being restructured for focussed attention on North-Western Region of Ganga
Basin.

• Flood protection - Flood forecasting network strengthened - 4772 flood/inflow forecast were issued
during the flood season 2014.

• Regional office of Ganga Flood Control Commission opened at Lucknow in March, 2015, for greater
focus on North Western Region of the Ganga Basin.

• New flood forecasting website launched as part of the E-governance initiative, for timely
dissemination of flood warnings.

• During 2014-15 a total of 47 (20 major and 27 medium) projects under general monitoring and 143 (77
major, 49 Medium and 17 ERM) on-going projects under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme
(AIBP) were taken up for monitoring.

WATER CONSERVATION

PER DROP MORE CROP

• "Hamara Jal – Hamara Jeevan" organised in 485 districts to engage scientists, engineers, water
communities, Panchayati Raj Institutions, NGO's and other stake holders to address issues of water
resources planning at village level to generate awareness for water conservation.

• National Aquifer Management project undertaken for optimal utilisation of groundwater with
community participation. 5.89 lakh sq. km area mapped - partly through innovative heliborne surveys.

• Web based application system for issuing NOC for ground water extraction launched.

• Master Plan on Water harvesting and conservation prepared and circulated to all States.
Simplification of guidelines for centrally sponsored schemes, viz. AIBP and Flood Management
Programme (FMP) on the basis of consultations in 'Jal Manthan' - resulting in faster release of funds –
from Rs. 800 crore. in the first six months of the year to Rs. 4800 crore in the next six months.

National Hydrology Project launched at a cost of Rs. 3600 crore. This project will establish and upgrade
Hydro-met network in all the river basins and bring the entire hydro-meteorological data on a
standardized central database for easy storage, validation and dissemination for development of
Decision Support Systems for flood forecasting, reservoir operations, water resources planning and
management, conjunctive use, etc. following a river basin approach. The project will also enhance the
capacity of the States in these issues.

WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT

Namami Gange • "Namami Gange" - Integrated Ganga Conservation Programme approved at the cost of
Rs. 20000 crore to be implemented by year 2020.

• Two meetings of National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) held - one under the chairmanship of
Hon'ble Prime Minister.

• 76 Projects approved at the cost of Rs. 4974.79 crore for creating treatment capacity of 678.23 MLD
and Sewer network of 2546 KMs.

• Clean Ganga Fund established - contribution of around Rs. 51 crore received.

• Programme to conserve aqua life and bio-diversity in collaboration with Forest Research Institute,
Dehradun.

Moving Forward with New Initiatives

• Special Purpose Vehicle to be set up for implementation of priority ILR projects.

• Strengthening of Participatory Irrigation Management and involving public participation in Ground

Water management and rain water harvesting

• Rejuvenation of Yamuna River.

• Expeditious implementation of Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project and middle Siang project.

• Launching of 'JAL KRANTI ABHIYAAN'

• National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency is proposed to be set up to control and regulate efficient use
of water.
• All efforts for timely completion of Polavaram Project

• Efforts are underway to upgrade all the three Research Stations namely Central Soil and Material
Research Station, Central Water and Power Research Station and National Institute of Hydrology into
“Centers of Excellence”.

• National Water Informatics Center to be set up for institutionalizing India Water Resources
Information System.

• Modernization and expansion of Flood Forecasting Network of Central Water Commission.

• Development of inundation based flood forecast system.

• Installation of telemetry system for dissemination of hydro-meteorological data on real time basis.

• Setting up of North East Brahmaputra River Rejuvenation Authority by restructuring Brahmaputra

Board.

President Mukherjee calls upon companies of Belarus and India to increase their
engagement
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee addressed a Belarus - India Business Forum organized by
the Belarus Chamber of Commerce and Industry and FICCI-CII in Minsk yesterday (June 4, 2015).

Addressing the gathering of eminent business representatives from India and Belarus, the President said
trade, investment and economic cooperation form one of the most important facets of contemporary
India-Belarus relations. As we seek to elevate our bilateral relationship, it is our business communities
that possess the maximum potential to transform and energize these ties.

The President said with a view to further energizing bilateral co-operation, a very substantive and
focussed Roadmap on the India-Belarus partnership had been issued. The Roadmap identifies the key
sectors for our future cooperation. These include conventional and small-scale power generation, new
and renewable energy, metallurgy and mining, defence, automotive and agricultural engineering,
pharmaceuticals, textiles, agriculture and food processing. All these sectors offer promising
opportunities for investment. This is not an exhaustive list but an indicative one, where there are
immediate and promising prospects for synergy. He also informed that India would be extending a new
line of credit of US$ 100 million to Belarus to encourage joint projects in mutually identified sectors.

The President called upon companies from India and Belarus to increase their engagement in trade fairs
as well as national, international and regional exhibitions held in both countries respectively. He said
companies should also seek to participate more actively in international tenders of both governments,
even as governmental agencies on both sides enhance information sharing to ensure that this is
realised.

Meeting taken by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh to review
preparedness in case of a deficient monsoon.

Last year also the prediction of IMD was made in the month of June for this region had
indicated that the rainfall will be 85% and in 12 divisions there will be an expected deficiency of
12%. However the preparation of Government was such that sowing was affected only in 2% and
the production was affected by 3% only. The slightly deficient prediction for this region will not
have an adverse impact as the area under irrigation in this area is very high. The status of
reservoirs in this area is also very encouraging. While the storage capacity in the North West
region last year was only 38%, this year it is 42%. It may be mentioned that the average storage
capacity for this region for last 10 years has been 28% only. Therefore there is no reason for any
worry. Water harvesting as also drought related works already undertaken under MNREGA is
around 116000. Ministry for Power has also prepared a contingency plan for supply of adequate
electricity. Ministry of Fertilizer has already released 90 lakh tone fertilizers till May, 2015 to
the States as against 60 lakh tones demanded by the States. This is part of the advance
preparedness for the kharif crop.

All the Ministries are well prepared to handle drought and have nominated a nodal officer for the
same. Ministry of Agriculture has nominated Jt. Secretary level officer as nodal officer for each
State. Department of Animal Husbandry has also nominated a nodal officer for 8 regions.
Officers of the Seed Corporation also informed that sufficient quantity of seeds that can be
effective in deficient rainfall are available. Similarly officers of the Deptt. Of Animal Husbandry
informed fodder seeds are also available in sufficient quantity.

It is a matter of satisfaction for the farmers that the North West are in which there is a probability
of deficient rainfall, has sufficient irrigation avenues available.

The preparation for Kharif Started with convening of ‘National Kharif Conference’ on 7th
and 8th April, 2015, by inviting all the state governments and other Departments/Ministries. The
Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture inaugurated the conference and participated in the
deliberations. He emphasized the need for a coherent and comprehensive production plan for
Kharif 2015. He also highlighted the need to be prepared with contingency plans for Kharif, in
the event of below normal monsoons. The criticality of preparation against the backdrop of
drought situation of 2014 and damages during Rabi 2015 arising from natural calamities was also
emphasized.
2. The Ministry of Agriculture with support from ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dry
land Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad has prepared detailed crop contingency plans for 580
districts spread over 25 States. As seen from the experience of last year, these are highly useful
in case of a deviant monsoon. As regards North Eastern States, contingency plans for 30 districts
are under preparation, and will be ready by the end of this month.

Secretary DAC and Secretary DARE jointly organized a one day workshop at CRIDA,
Hyderabad on 24.04.2015 with ICAR Institutes, SAUs and State Governments. We reviewed the
operationalization of these contingency plans prepared for the previous monsoon season and
advised, that these be revised and further fine-tuned based on the learnings of the last year. The
current year’s contingency plans have incorporated the required changes.

CRIDA has begun organizing state-level workshops for all agriculturally important
States, where senior officers and scientists from this Ministry, ICAR Institutes, CRIDA, Krishi
Vigyan Kendra (KVKS), etc. interact with officials of State Government to facilitate fine-tuning
and operationalization of contingency plans. Such meetings have already been organized in
several states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, UP, Karnataka & Chhattisgarh etc.
In the remaining states, meetings are scheduled to be conducted in the month of June.

3. The State Governments have already been advised, vide own letter dated 07th May, 2015,
to initiate advance remedial measures encompassing various engineering and agronomic
practices for moisture conservation and more efficient use of available water. The advice
includes using MGNERGA funds for WHS, desilting of canals, energizing tube-wells,
replacing/repairing faulty pumps etc. The Chief Secretaries of States have also been requested to
advise the APCs/Principal Secretary (Agriculture) to conduct periodic reviews on preparation for
kharif season, with emphasis on contingency crop plans and investments made in water
conservation structures under various schemes like ‘Integrated Watershed Management
Programme’ (IWWP) etc.

4. The States have been advised to keep aside about 5 to 10% of the fund allocated under
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to make emergent interventions. In addition, the states
are also allowed to use 10% of the allocations under Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) as flexi-
fund. This reserve will enable the State Governments to make meaningful intervention
immediately, if needed.

5. Review meetings with 18 agriculturally important states were held by the DAC on June
2nd and 3rd of 2015. An assessment of inputs and seeds primarily for a rain-deficient eventuality
has been made. The Department has adequate quantities of short and medium duration varieties
of different crops. The quantity available for Kharif 2015, for various crops is 109.45 lakh
quintals.

Further, the department has been operating ‘National Seed Reserve (NSR)’ scheme with
participation of 22 agencies including National Seed Corporation (NSC), State Seed
Corporations (SSCs) and a few state departments of Agriculture. Under NSR, the quantity of
short and medium duration varieties for crops available is 1,78,892 quintals and for North
Eastern states, it is 30,350 quintals.

6. Frequent reviews and monitoring:

6.1. This Ministry has four standing interventions for 2015 Kharif season to monitor status of
monsoon, crop production and inputs with particular reference to seeds. These are:

i. Weekly review of Kharif production programme as part of Senior Officers

Meeting (SOM) held every Monday by the Secretary, DAC.

ii. Weekly Crop Weather Watch Group (CWWG) meeting held every Friday by the
Economic & Statistical Advisor (ESA).

iii. Weekly video-conference with the states every Tuesday to review the input
status including seeds and fertilizer.

iv. Senior Officers of the department at the level of Joint Secretary have been
nominated as nodal officers, with responsibility for 2-3 states each. They keep in
touch with the states on a regular basis.
6.2. The DAC has nominated an Additional Secretary (Mr. Raghvendra Singh) as ‘Central
Drought Relief Commissioner’.

7. A meeting with all concerned departments was chaired by Secretary DAC on May 21,
2015. The representatives of the Ministries/Departments of Water Resources, Land Resources,
Power, Drinking Water, Food as also IMD, CWC etc. participated. They were all requested to
update contingency plans to meet shortfall in monsoon. They were also requested to issue
instructions to all states for advance preparations.

8. A Committee of Secretaries (CoS) meeting was organised under the chairmanship of the
Cabinet Secretary on June 2, 2015 with all concerned Ministries / Departments participating in
it. The Cabinet Secretary reviewed the arrangements and status of contingency plans made by
concerned Ministries including Water Resources, Power, Land Resources, Rural Development,
Animal Husbandry, etc. He has advised all concerned to be in a state of readiness to meet a
contingent situation effectively, if it arises, as a result of lower than normal rainfall. The status
of readiness is as follows:-

8.1 India Meteorological Department, M/o Earth Sciences- The Agricultural

Meteorological Division, Pune, in coordination with the respective state agriculture
departments, has been issuing weekly ‘Agro-met Advisory Bulletins’ from 17 agro-
meteorological advisory services units located at Meteorological Centres / Regional
Meteorological Centres in the states.

8.2 M/o Water Resources and CWC – CWC shall ensure that water is made available to
crops in rain-fed areas, in time, from the reservoirs depending upon availability.
MOWR is preparing contingency plans, so that, water for irrigation can be made
available for protective irrigation in case of shortfall in rainfall during critical period of
crop growth. MOWR has been requested to direct states to make contingency plans for
each of the reservoir/river basin and monitor its implementation. Special attention will
be given to states with reservoir levels below normal.

8.3 M/o Power- The Ministry shall ensure uninterrupted/adequate power supply across the
country and meet demand for additional power in case of shortage arising from
 monsoon failure in the catchment areas of the reservoirs. The Ministry will also put in
place contingency plans. The Ministry will supply extra power to States with
deficient/scanty rainfall, so that protective irrigation through electric pump sets can be
ensured. Inter-regional transfer of power will also be considered in case of any
contingency.

8.4 D/o Rural Development- Works under MGNREGA will be intensified in drought
affected areas giving preference to water conservation/ harvesting related projects.

8.5 D/o Land Resources- has identified sites for check dams and water harvesting
structures (WHSs) to be built and existing ones that need desilting. DOLR through
IWMP has been implementing many schemes / projects that will aid drought proofing.

8.6 Ministry of Fertilizer- M/o Fertilizer will ensure adequate and timely availability of
fertilizers, as per demand assessed, by DAC.

8.7 D/o Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries – The department will ensure
arrangement for fodder supply and fodder seeds to meet contingency situation.

8.8 D/O DARE/ICAR- ICAR has been helping the states in preparation of district
contingency plans. It is helping in promotion of drought resistant varieties, and water
conservation practices, which are region-specific through KVKs. Further, ICAR will
be uploading state level advisory on different aspects of crop production, horticulture,
livestock, fisheries etc. This will be hosted on the ICAR website by June 10, 2015.

9. Review of crisis management plan (CMP) for drought for the year 2015

A Crisis Management Plan (CMP) for drought 2015 has been in place and is available at
the website of Dept. of Agriculture & Cooperation, Min. of Agriculture. The ‘Plan’ has been
updated recently in consultation with stakeholder Ministries/Departments. The Hon’ble Minister
for Agriculture has also requested all Chief Ministers, vide his letter dated 12.05.2015, to direct
the officers concerned to expedite preparation of state level ‘Management Plan on Drought’.
10. Around first week of July, based on review of actual rainfall status and if situation warrants,
DAC will request CCEA to approve special measures such as diesel subsidy scheme, enhancing
ceiling on seed subsidy under various schemes, additional fodder production program and special
interventions for saving horticulture crops.

11. A review meeting to take stock of preparedness for a contingent situation was organized
at the level of the Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture with all the departments of this Ministry as
also other stakeholder-Ministries/Departments on June 5, 2015. Officials of Ministry of
Agriculture, Agriculture Research and Education, Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries, Rural
Development, Land Resources, Power, Fertilizers, Indian Metrological Department apart from
National Disaster management Authority participated in the meeting and apprised the
Agriculture Minister about the Action Plan being prepared by them to tackle any contingency
arising out of deficient monsoon.

12. As per IMD forecast, the most critical region in terms of deficiency in rainfall at 85% of
LPA is going to be North West region, but it was noted with satisfaction that that this region is
largely irrigated having least impact of rainfall deficiency. In addition a weather Company has
forecasted a normal rainfall. Even then, I would like to assure you, that this Ministry is
completely geared up to meet any likelihood of drought, in case of a deficit rainfall, as per
forecast by the IMD on June 2, 2015.

World Environment Day – 2015

The Indian Navy adopted several Green Initiatives on 05 Jun 14 i.e. the World Environment Day, under
the guidance of Admiral RK Dhowan, Chief of the Naval Staff. While the existing military, diplomatic,
constabulary and benign roles envisioned in the Indian Navy’s Maritime Doctrine define the objectives
of its operations, the Green Initiatives Programme of the Indian Navy has added a new dimension i.e.
social responsibility to it.

Embracing energy efficiency and environment consciousness assumes greater significance in today’s era
when the country is undergoing transformation on economic, cultural and social fronts. While
transformation is a sign of progress and desirable, it may have detrimental impact on the environment,
which is undesirable. The Indian Navy is an energy intensive force with considerable energy and
environment footprint and is alive to this aspect, as it grows. Accordingly, it has synergised its efforts
towards achieving a green footprint along with its blue water capability, through a comprehensive
“Indian Navy Environment Conservation Roadmap” promulgated earlier.

Over the course of the last year, numerous policies aimed at reduction of energy consumption and
environment sustenance have been formulated and disseminated to all ships, as well as shore
establishments. With the Energy and Environment policy firmly in place, the Navy has now set itself
targets to minimise consumption of various commodities it utilises. These targets are planned to be
achieved without any compromise to the primary operational role of defending our sea-board frontiers.
The philosophy of energy and environment sustainability is becoming a way of life in Naval Operations,
Maintenance and Community Living. A Green Energy Cell has been constituted at NHQ to oversee and
co-ordinate pan Navy implementation of these initiatives.

Guidelines for energy efficient operations at sea, compliance to MARPOL guidelines for emission control,
waste disposal, discharge of onboard fluids ,use of environment friendly Sewage Treatment Plants,
toilets etc have been adopted to reduce the environment footprint of naval platforms. Wide spread
afforestation drives, increasing use of renewable energy, adoption of the 4R(Reduce, Replace, Reuse
and Recycle) concept, commissioning of Effluent Treatment Plants and biogas plants in shore
establishments have also been initiated. Regular cleanship drives are also undertaken as part of the
“Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan” and all Naval personnel, including the civilian work force have administered
the “Swachhta Shapath”.

Leveraging technology for automation in office work, one naval establishment has achieved a 30 per
cent reduction in the use of paper. The Navy has now set upon itself a goal of 10 per cent reduction of
paper consumption in all its establishments this year. Similarly, with the use of energy efficient electrical
appliances, increased usage of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and sensitisation of its
large workforce, 10 per cent reduction in daily power consumption was achieved, which is now planned
to be translated to a 3-5 per cent reduction in overall annual power consumption. Afforestation is also
actively being pursued at various places. The effort at Vishakhapatnam at the Eastern Naval Command,
which endured the cyclone Hudhud is particularly laudable, with over 40000 saplings having been
planted. Resurrection of close to150 full grown trees which had fallen, including six Banyan trees with
trunk diameters of over one metre each, has also been successfully executed. Being a maritime force,
the Navy is at home in water. It is thus not surprising that Marine Renewable Energy sources like Ocean
Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) and Tidal energy are being examined for electric power generation.
Their application is expected to augment, or even replace the present energy sources in certain coastal
areas. Trials of fuels based on bio-extracts are also underway.

Although a lot has been achieved in the past one year, the Navy is relentlessly pursuing the energy and
environment goals planned by the Government to ensure a greener and cleaner tomorrow. The Green
Initiatives Programme would aid in boosting the national interests of environment sustainability and self
reliance in energy.

‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with care.’

 Emphasising the need to alter consumption patterns in a manner that more and better
can be done with less resources, Minister of State of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (Independent Charge), Shri Prakash Javadekar has exhorted people to make at least
one change in their lives towards a more responsible resource consumption behaviour, or
practice. In a message on the occasion of World Environment Day here today, Shri
Javadekar said that business, as usual, was no longer an option. The Minister emphasised
that every individual has a responsibility in contributing to protect the environment and
reduce the rate of depletion of natural resources. He added that people could become agents
of change, by being more conscious of the environmental consequences of their personal
choices. He pointed out that by the year 2050, with an expected population of 9.6 billion, it
is estimated that three planets would be needed to sustain the ways of living and
consumption. The theme of this year’s World Environment Day is “Seven Billion Dreams.
One Planet. Consume with care.”

Shri Javadekar also urged the industries and the society to adopt environmentally
responsible practices such as the approach of three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. He
said that while less than 3% of the water in the world is drinkable, one out of seven persons
in the world do not have access to drinkable water. Pointing out that dietary choices and
habits affect environment, he said that 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year, while
almost 1 billion people go undernourished and another 1 billion go hungry. Food sector
accounts for around 30% of the world’s total energy consumption and around 22% of total
greenhouse gas emissions, the Minister added.

Following is the text of the message on the occasion of World Environment Day:

“Today we celebrate the World Environment Day, to raise awareness about the
importance of a clean, green and healthy environment for human well-being and to
encourage everyone for taking positive action in addressing challenging environmental
issues. Celebrated each year on 5th June, the Day marks the opening of the United Nations
Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972.
 The theme this year, ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’ is
very topical and relevant, as it reminds us of the enormous impact that our personal choices
and decisions in day-to-day lives as consumers, have on environment. It also emphasises the
responsibility each one of us has, in contributing to protecting the environment and reducing
the rate of depletion of natural resources.

Changes in natural resource base due to human activities have taken place more
rapidly in the past 50 years than at any time in human history, causing continued
deterioration of environment. As a result, many of the Earth’s ecosystems are nearing
critical tipping points of depletion, or irreversible change. By 2050, with the current
consumption and production patterns and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6
billion, it is estimated that we would need three planets to sustain our ways of living and
consumption.

We simply cannot afford this, as we have but ‘Only one Earth.’ Ironically, this was
the theme for the first World Environment Day 42 years ago in 1973. We still have some
time to transform the challenges of limited and fast depleting resources into opportunities
that will enhance the quality of life for all, without increasing environmental degradation
and without compromising the resource needs of future generations.

This, however, calls for altering our consumption patterns in a manner that we do
more and better with less; less of water, less of energy, and less of all other resources.
‘Business as usual’ is no longer an option for us. By becoming more conscious of the
ecological impact of our actions and environmental consequences of the personal choices
we make, we can become agents of change.

Unsustainable patterns of consumption are one of the major causes of increasing

environmental deterioration. That we can make a difference through our choices and
decisions can be gauged from these facts relating to water, energy and food:

 Less than 3% of the world’s water is drinkable, of which 2.5% is frozen.

Water is being polluted faster than nature can recycle and purify. More than 1
 billion people do not have access to fresh water. Excessive use/wastage of water is
leading to global water stress.
 Energy consumption has grown most rapidly in transport sector, followed
by commercial and residential use. The cost of renewable energy is becoming
increasingly competitive, with that being derived from fossil fuels. We can
therefore, shift our consumption patterns with lower energy and material intensity,
without compromising on the quality of life.
 Food sector, due to environmental impact in its production phase, accounts
for around 30% of the world’s total energy consumption and around 22% of total
greenhouse gas emissions. 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year, while
almost 1 billion people go undernourished and another 1 billion, hungry. Over-
consumption of food is detrimental to our health, as well as to the environment.
Dietary choices and habits, therefore, affect environment.

India has had a long cultural tradition of frugality and simple living in harmony with
nature. As a result, conservation ethos is deeply ingrained in our people. However,
unfortunately, the symbiotic relationship of man with nature gets debilitated as societies
develop, risking the well-being of future generations.

In today’s times, when we look closely at the relationship between people and
environment, though hard to see at first, we would be able to recognise unsustainable
behaviours amongst most of us. Let us try asking ourselves some difficult questions.

- Do I need everything I own?

- What if I did not own this?
- What are my real needs?
- Am I aware of what I eat, how it is produced and how far it has travelled?
- Is my house energy efficient?
- How do I commute daily?
- Do I know how to save on water, electricity, fuel etc.?
- What are the social and environmental impacts of my lifestyle?
 - What can I do to be more sustainable?

Going by the likely answers that we may get to these questions, we would realise
that we need to be much more frugal in the way we use natural resources, while also
recognising that for us, inclusive growth and a rapid increase in per capita income levels are
development imperatives. In this context, the Government’s policy on ‘Zero defect, Zero
Effect’; the programme on ‘100 Smart cities’; the campaign on ‘Swachh Bharat’; and the
mission on ‘Namami Gange’ are very apt and relevant.

The challenge of production and consumption of environment friendly goods in

India is huge. This would entail use of raw materials which are organic, locally produced or
environment-friendly; and green-energy based technology. Though there are indications that
impressive changes are taking place, the outlined factors are yet to be embedded fully with
the production processes in India. These create two main challenges: firstly, the problem of
availability and acquisition of green raw material and technology, which is a critical
challenge for the producers in developing countries such as India, given the lower level of
research and development (R&D) and issues arising from transfer of technology from other
nations. Second, and a more important challenge is the high cost of production of green
goods, since the inputs (raw material and technology) invariably cost higher than the ones
used for non-green variants.

India, like other developing and emerging economies, has a tremendous advantage
of knowledge about the adverse impact of earlier development paradigms and a vast array of
new technologies. Significant reductions in environmental pressures can be achieved by
appropriate private and public consumption patterns, to supplement gains achieved through
better technology and improved production processes.

The 3Rs approach of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle should be the core of
environmentally responsible practices that the industries and society at large should imbibe.

As we celebrate the 2015 World Environment Day, let us pledge to make at least one
change in our lives towards a more responsible resource consumption behaviour or practice.
 How apt was Mahatma Gandhi, when he said, ‘Earth provides enough to satisfy
every man’s needs, but not for every man’s greed.’

Let us re-establish the link with nature, as did the ancients in India centuries ago, and
take from Earth and the environment only so much, as one puts back into them. The sages
of Atharva Veda chanted in their hymn to Earth, I quote:

“What of thee I dig out, let that quickly grow over;

Let me not hit thy vitals, or thy heart”.”

Public Campaign to Promote Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Begins

On the occasion of World Environment day a Rally of electric and hybrid vehicles of all categories like
2W/3W/4W etc was today flagged off jointly by the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public
Enterprises Shri Anant Geete and Minister Environment & Forests Shri Prakash Javdekar from the India
Gate lawns in New Delhi.

This event was organized by Department of Heavy Industry with sole objective to inform public at large
that Government has initiated the scheme Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric
Vehicles (FAME India) in order to protect the environment and this scheme will help reduction in the use
of fossil fuel, which is one of the main sources of GHG emission from road transport sector. SIAM and
SMEV will be helping the Department for smooth conduct of this programme.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Anant Geete said the move to promote use of electric and hybrid vehicles
is part of Prime Ministers Make in India Initiative. He said initially a subsidy of 30% will be given to
buyers of such vehicles. The minister said the phased replacement of fossil fuel based vehicles by the
new generation vehicles based on the latest technologies will result in a net saving of Rs. 14,000 crore
which could have gone for a purchase of petro products. He appealed to the Automobile manufacturers
in the country to chip in this mega project for the success of indigenous efforts under the Make in India
concept. Shri Geete said the future belongs to electric vehicles and we must welcome it.

The guest of occasion Union Environment & Forest Minister Shri Prakash Javdekar said this project is in
tune with the country’s resolve of reducing the carbon emission to protect the environment of this
universe as a whole. The minister said the launch of this campaign will definitely strengthen Indian stand
on this issue on the international platforms. For years he himself is using electric scooter for his personal
local trips, Shri Javdekar added.

Mr Sohinder Gill, Director- Corporate Affairs, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), said
on the occasion that “The rally is aimed at creating awareness and buzz among citizens about the
benefits and utility of electric vehicles as well as showcasing the state-of-the-art vehicles from
manufacturers around the world including our own. World around, people are fast switching over to e-
vehicles as health, environmental and long term monetary benefits far outweigh all other considerations
but in India, we had lagged behind due to various reasons. Now that a conducive environment is being
created, we can expect faster adoption,”

In his welcome address Shri Ambuj Sharma, Additional Secretary in the M/o Heavy Industries & Public
Enterprises said the overall scheme is proposed to be implemented over a period of six years, till 2020,
and it aims to encourage sales of electric and hybrid vehicles up to 60-70 lakh units per year. The Phase-
1 of the scheme will be implemented over a two-year period in FY15-16 and FY16-17. Out of the Rs 795
crore budget allocated for the scheme in the first two fiscals, the government has already approved an
initial outlay of Rs 75 crore in this year’s budget.

About 25 owners of electric vehicles mainly of Mahindra Rewa took part in the rally. About 50, two
wheelers were brought by various electric scooter manufacturers. Provision of test drive at India Gate
for attracting people to use these vehicles was also made. At India Gate, A lucky draw for all participants
was also held and winner of the contest Shri Arun Sharma from Karol Bagh, New Delhi was gifted with a
electric Two-wheeler to be sponsored by Hero electric.

The rally culminated at T3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi where the speakers
including Mr. Marshal from the Delhi International Airport (P) Limited, Delhi also highlighted the
importance of Eco-friendly hybrid vehicles. Shri Ambuj Sharma, Addtitional Secretary, DHI while giving a
brief of the Ministry Initiatives emphasized there should also be facilities for the charging of Electric
Vehicles at the Airport Parking area too as this will encourage more and more persons to go for such
new generation vehicles. Like in the India Gate Lawns, a lucky draw was also held for the arrived today
morning through T3 terminal in which One Mr. Rahul, a resident of Saket area in South Delhi was the
lucky winner to get a free electric two-wheeler from M/S Lohia, manufacturer of electric vehicles.

Major attraction of rally was soft launch by Mahindra and Mahindra its Sedan category vehicle (E-
verito), which is first four-door pure electric model in the country.

It is pertinent to mention here that, the government has recently launched the Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme in the country.. Under this scheme, the
centre will offer incentives on electric and hybrid vehicles to promote to boost the sales of electric and
hybrid vehicles in the country.

The scheme will focus on four key areas namely, technology development, demand creation, pilot
projects and charging infrastructure. Based on the results and experience achieved in the first phase, the
scheme will be reviewed for implementation after March 31, 2017, with appropriate fund allocation in
future.
Government has the target of penetration of 6-7 million of electric and hybrid vehicles per year by 2020
resulting into saving of fossil fuel worth Rs. 60000 crore which in turn result into reduction of 2 million
MT of C02 per year. This scheme is aligned with Make in India campaign and expected to create
additional 3 lakh employment.

Dr Harsh Vardhan Calls For “Responsible Consumerism” Csir-Neeri’s Mobile Air

Pollution Monitoring Van To Be Deployed Nationwide

The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences Dr
Harsh Vardhan, has called for a culture of responsible consumerism on the
occasion of World Environment Day today.

Speaking to newsmen after attending a series of events at the National

Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI: a wing of the
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) in Nagpur today, the Minister said
that air pollution in India’s metropolitan cities is recognized as a major threat to the
future generations. Keeping in mind the need for effective monitoring and
corrective measures, he asked CSIR-NEERI to deploy its mobile units on a
nationwide scale over the next year.

A Mobile Emission Monitoring and Control Laboratory (MEMCL), which the

Minister flagged off for the benefit of Nagpur today, will subsequently be taken to
all the major cities of the country. After year-long surveys and observations, CSIR-
NEERI would be in a position to propose effective solutions for adoption on a war
footing.

Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged citizens to transform themselves as responsible

consumers. Instead of chasing ‘instant’ and junk foods, they should bear in mind
their real needs. There should also be consciousness of public transportation and
ethical purchases.

“We must join the growing world community of safety and environment conscious
consumers who are aware of the cradle to grave implications of the production of
whatever they buy. We must also conserve with a view to tomorrow –spare enough
for the coming generations,” he said.
Dr Harsh Vardhan went around the facilities of CSIR-NEERI, an institution he
dubbed as the “gold standard” among comparable foundations all over the world.
He inaugurated a “Harit Sanghralaya”, flagged off the MEMCL and laid the
foundation of a Biotechnology Park which is to come up with the objective of
developing a state-of-art technology development laboratory for transformation of
lab-scale processes to demonstrable technologies.

The achievements of CSIR-NEERI have been displayed under 12 themes:

“Glorious past”, “Air environment”, “Water environment”, “Wastewater
technology”, “Eco-restoration”, “Environment and health”, “Solid and hazardous
waste management”, “Waste to wealth”, “Renewable energy”, “Climate change”,
“Analytical instruments” and “Environmental modelling”.

The objective is to promote green solutions in the air, water, energy and other
environmental sectors at local, regional, and international levels. The Harit
Sangrahalaya proposes to open its doors to individuals, industries and
organisations to adopt best eco-friendly practices, to raise their contribution to
sustainable development. Its theme is: “Join us and be part of a sustainable future”.

Dr Harsh Vardhan described the museum as a “gift to the people of Nagpur” who
are already famous for their high degree of cultural awareness. It includes a “Kids
Section” under which the virtue of Biodiversity has been showcased with beautiful
illustrations. Some working models have been prepared based on the CSIR-NEERI
technologies and placed in the Sangrahalaya to highlight the Electrolytic
defluoridation process used to remove fluoride from water, phytorid technology for
sewage treatment, “NEERI-ZAR” portable instant water filter, solid waste to
biogas plant, decolourisation of effluent of textile industry, and common effluent
treatment plant for industrial wastewater treatment.
“I hope that through this museum the people of Nagpur, who are dwelling at the
hub of Maharasthra and India’s industrial growth, would see for themselves how
they can themselves play a role in striking a balance between the demands and
responsibilities of modern living. I congratulate the scientists and technologists of
CSIR-NEERI for coming up with this wonderful idea,” he said.

The MEMCL is capable of real time sampling, analysis and control of air pollution
from sources through flue gas treatability studies. It is equipped with a number of
innovative technologies that enhances the CSIR-NEERI’s air monitoring
capabilities.

“I have suggested to the Director, CSIR-NEERI and his able team that instead of
keeping MEMCL confined to just Nagpur they should send it to all the major cities
because every one of them is suffering under the burden of air pollution. CSIR-
NEERI’s good name will be leveraged on a nationwide scale and resultantly all the
state governments will adopt its air cleansing proposals on a war footing by the
time of next year’s World Environment Day,” he said.

The proposed Biotechnology Park Project envisages the utilisation of municipal

solid waste (MSW) and organic biomass as raw material for bio-fuels to address
the waste management issues at reduced cost. The project would deploy biological
and thermal processing options to propose the most economic and strategic option.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that waste management is one of the key priorities of the
Narendra Modi government’s environment policy. The long-term goal for the
development is to become a recycling society that uses waste as a resource.
Multitudes of the processes are available for utilization of waste for bio-fuels, he
added.

Achievements of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs

 The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is committed to overall development (including health and
education) of the people belonging to Scheduled Tribes and to protect the rights of such people and
preserve and promote tribal culture and heritage.

The Ministry takes a gap filling role in the activities of various line ministries insofar as the
welfare of the tribal population is concerned and implements a number of schemes through the State
Governments/Union Territory Administrations or organizations recommended by the Multi-Disciplinary
State Level Committee of the concerned State Government/UT Administration.

The capacity of tribal people to harness the fruits of development and to access various schemes
for delivery of public goods and services has remained limited. The Integrated Tribal Development
Agencies were the institutions assigned with the role to facilitate such access. But over the years, several
scheme-specific bodies at District level became stronger whereas ITDAs/ITDPs have become weak or
non-existent in most of the states. Similarly, Tribal Research Institutes have become weak in many
states. This has reduced knowledge support to persons in charge of tribal development. Urban areas
have seen increasing number of tribal people but there is no agency to look after their special problems.
During the current year, the Ministry has taken up the strengthening of these institutions on priority and
also to create new ones so that they can deliver goods and services more effectively. Under the existing
scheme of SCA to TSP, Grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution and the scheme of ‘Grant-in-Aid
to Tribal Research Institutes’, the guidelines have been revised so that these institutions may be
equipped with proper infrastructure, manpower and flexibility.

RECENT INITIATIVES TAKEN BY THE MINISTRY:

HEALTH & NUTRITION

Sickle Cell Anemia: A protocol for identification of Sickle Cell Hemoglobin in tribal students through a
low cost “Turbidity Test” has been developed by ICMR.Training workshops organized by the Ministry to
carry out these tests within this financial year. A card is being issued to each child on sickle cell status
which would be used to counsel parents of sickle cell carriers not to marry other sickle cell carrier. The
State of Gujarat has already completed more than 80% screening. Training workshops have been held in
the states of Odisha, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and
Arunachal Pradesh.

MALARIA: To reduce the incidences of Malaria amongst the tribal population, composite fish cultures in
the ponds has been advocated. Using space technology mapping of existing ponds and potential ponds
has been started and training workshops been held in all States/UTs with ST population. This prevents
the breeding of mosquitoes.
 Other initiatives include:

 Bring all pregnant mothers under immunization programme.

 A protocol for including Folic Acid, every Monday immediately after the afternoon meal has been
put in place.

 To ensure regular intake of green leafy vegetables, kitchen gardens are encouraged. Traditional
foods like minor millets, etc. are encouraged for cultivation and included as a part of the school
meals.

 Habit of hygiene and sanitation, use of recyclable material amongst school children, reduction in
generation of garbage.

 Circulars regarding hygiene and cleanliness were issued to the Tribal Welfare Departments of all
states and union territories.

 Engagement of trained lady health workers as Warden/Asstt. Wardens in girls’ hostels.

 Suggestions obtained from citizens through MyGov.in platform on Low Literacy and High
Dropout rates. Existing and potential dropouts are being targeted for suitable skill training with a
livelihood focus.

 Involvement of Parents and community in the education of the ST children and in the school
management.

 Role of Teachers expanded to include mentoring of students and counselling of students and
parents.

 Utilising long summer vacation for Remedial coaching and vocational/skill development classes.

 Special coaching for English and Mathematics after class V and Mathematics and Science after
class VII to overcome barriers in curriculum.

 Schools being positioned as nursery grounds for spotting and nurturing of natural talents of ST
students for Academics, Sports, Traditional and Modern Skills etc.

 Expansion of Scope of Education for Tribal children to include sports, physical education, work
education, vocational education, Tribal Art, painting, crafts, kitchen gardening, health, hygiene
and nutrition, etc to make the school education useful and relevant for the children and tribal
communities.

 Development of Bilingual Primers containing text both in regional and tribal languages but in
local official script through Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) and Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA)
 School curriculum for ST children in the age group of 5-16 years is improved to make it
contextually relevant and culturally appropriate for the local tribal culture.

 Long school vacation being synchronised with local tribal festival and harvest season.

 Construction of functional girl’s toilets to address hygiene, sanitation and dropout of girl’s
students.

 Co-education Residential schools (200-300 student’s capacity) in block headquarters for quality
education and physical safety.

 Promotion of traditional food (minor millet and greens) in school meals.

 School managements are empowered to engage teachers per class basis to overcome acute
shortage.

 100% screening of children for Sickle Cell Anemia Trait and counselling of parents.

 Engagement of trained lady health workers as Warden/Assistant Wardens in girls hostels

 Promotion of Education, in celebration and campaign mode. In collaboration with the states/UTs,
local bodies and also with the All India Radio, Ministry is planning for wide publicity for
admission, enrolment and education of Tribal children. Awareness drive in campaign and
celebration mode is being designed targeting the Tribal children, parents, communities, teachers
and school administration and will continue throughout the year.

VANBANDHU KALYAN YOJANA, a strategic process to converge resources to achieve desired outcomes
through appropriate institutional mechanism, was launched on 28th October, 2014. This approach
envisages comprehensive development of tribals by shifting the working character into a holistic
approach rather than focusing on physical and financial achievements. This approach commensurate to
the Gujarat Model for over all development of the tribal people with sustainability.

CULTURE

National Tribal Festival – Vanaj

The Ministry is providing a national platform for conservation and promotion of cultural heritage of the
tribals. A national festival was organized from 13 – 18 February, 2015 in Delhi to showcase tribal art,
craft, food, literature, medicines and also display and sale of tribal art and crafts. This would be an
annual event to be held between second Friday and third Wednesday of February.

e-GOVERNANCE

Ministry’s website www.tribal.nic.in has been awarded “Web Ratna Gold Icon 2014 Awards” for
outstanding Content.
 In addition to the tech enabled trade information and information of the Ministry including its
financials being kept in public domain through the Ministry’s website, continuous updation of
website and use of social media through twitter (@tribalaffairsin) and facebook (Ministry of
Tribal Affairs) have been undertaken.

 Launching of MFP net – for real time prices across various mandees (www.trifed.in).

 Linking Kisan Call Centre (1800-180-1551) with MFP Net to provide trade info of not only
Minor Forest Produce, but also about agricultural products.

 Launching of e-commerce portal for sale of tribal crafts and produce collaboration with
www.snapdeal.com for online sale of tribal products by TRIFED.

 e-File Tracking System (for tracking files and correspondences), e-Samiksha (Real time Online
Monitoring), PRAGATI (Public Grievances), AEBAS (Bio-metric Attendance System) my GOV
(for seeking public views on various topics related to the Ministry), VLMS (VVIP Letter
Monitoring System) are extensively used.

 All payments in the Ministry are made through electronic transfer.

 All procurements are made through tenders which are uploaded on the relevant portals.

Livelihood-

 Livelihood activities which can provide regular, sustainable incomes have been supported and
advocated e.g. promotion of Dairy Development through co-operatives and linking with Milk
Federations would provide a range of veterinary services and regular income that has women
participation. Similarly, backyard poultry can reach large number of households and help in
providing protein and additional income.

 Composite fish culture is for both containing mosquito population, providing protein supplement
and income to the family. Usage of Space Technology for mapping existing water bodies and
developing potential through MGNREGS has been promoted. In addition, Horticulture,
Floriculture, improved varieties of traditional minor millets advocated and supported. Minor
millets are more nutritious than polished rice or maize and hence recommended for menu in
schools also.

PM's Address at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today said that even as his 2-day visit to Bangladesh was
ending, he felt the real journey begins now. He said the welcome accorded to him, was in effect, a
welcome to 125 crore Indians.

He was addressing a gathering comprising members of the Indian community, eminent Bangladeshis
including political personalities, cultural personalities, business persons, academicians and Dhaka
University students. He said that while people thought we were just near (paas-paas) to each other, now
the world would have to acknowledge that we are not just paas-paas but also saath-saath (together).

He said he was especially happy that a Mukti Jodha President, in the presence of the Bangabandhu's
daughter, had presented the Bangladesh Liberation War honour to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which Shri
Modi had the honour to receive. He said that as a young man, his first exposure to politics was in the
form of a Satyagrahi in support of the liberation struggle in Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said the world rarely notices developing countries. He said Bangladesh has had to
often face natural disasters. But nevertheless, he said, Bangladesh has done unparalleled work in many
fields. He said the work done by Bangladesh in the garment sector is well appreciated. He said that he
was happy to hear this on a recent visit to China, for the fact that a developing country had achieved
such a feat. He said that if Bangladesh prospers, India too would benefit.

The Prime Minister said many states in India could learn from Bangladesh on several social indicators,
such as infant mortality rate. He said when Bangladesh progresses, India feels proud, because Indian
soldiers too have shed blood for the birth of this country.

The Prime Minister congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her single-minded focus on
economic development. He said a firm foundation is being laid for Bangladesh's economic progress.

The Prime Minister said India and Bangladesh are both blessed to be young nations, with young dreams.
He said a nation with such leadership and such strength, like Bangladesh, would progress inexorably.

The Prime Minister said the era of expansionism in geopolitics has ended. He said the world now needs
vikaswaad (development), not vistaarwaad (expansionism).

Referring to the Land Boundary Agreement between the two countries, he described it as one which
bonded hearts together. The Prime Minister said both India and Bangladesh wanted to establish the
Buddhist circuit - and where there was Buddha, there could be no Yuddha. He quoted a newspaper
editorial that said that the Land Boundary Agreement was equivalent to the fall of the Berlin Wall. He
said the world would have to acknowledge that we are people who find ways to move ahead.

The Prime Minister said the younger generation deserves the chance to achieve its aspirations. He
appreciated the contribution of the Dhaka University to Bangladesh. He said that India would work with
Dhaka University on oceanography, to build the Ocean Economy.

The Prime Minister said SAARC countries were keen to establish connectivity at the last SAARC summit -
but then - not every country is Bangladesh. He said India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan had now
decided to move ahead in this direction. He said the European Union had developed a lot because of
better connectivity. He said today no country could work alone, as the whole world has become
interdependent. He said India and Bangladesh had recognized this fact, and this was reflected in the 22
agreements that had been signed during this visit. He congratulated the farsighted leadership of
Bangladesh for accomplishing this.

The Prime Minister said a satellite photo would reveal that the SAARC countries were still dark - had no
access to electricity. He said if India Nepal Bhutan and Bangladesh worked together, this darkness would
be dispelled. He said recently Bangladesh helped India transport equipment for a power plant in Tripura,
and now Bangladesh was receiving 100 MW of power from that power plant.

The Prime Minister spoke of shared potential in sectors such as solar energy and space.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh had done a lot for women empowerment. He said this is a matter of
pride. He recalled billboards in Dhaka featuring the woman cricket player, Salma Khatun. He added that
the rise of the Bangladesh cricket team reflects the potential of Bangladesh. He said that he is proud
that he has come to walk together with this Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that some tasks were still to be accomplished. He said he believed
and panchhi (birds), pawan (wind), and paani (water) needed no visa - and therefore - the Teesta issue
had to be solved with a human approach. Referring to unfortunate incidents on the border, he said it
was the responsibility of both sides to ensure that a solution is found. He said illegal human trafficking
and fake currency were issues which Bangladesh had expressed an intention to resolve.

The Prime Minister called for reform of the United Nations. He said India still had not got a permanent
seat in the UN Security Council. He said this was a country which never fought to gain land. He said
75,000 Indian soldiers had sacrificed their lives for others in the First World War, and 90,000 in the
Second World War. He referred to India's role in peacekeeping operations across the world. He said
Indian soldiers had fought alongside Mukti Jodhas as well, for Bangladesh. Yet India had still not got a
permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Referring to the Pakistani prisoners of war after the 1971
war, he said India released 90,000 soldiers, because it was only interested in the welfare and progress of
Bangladesh. He said this incident, in itself should have been enough to convince the world that India
should get a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

The Prime Minister said that on the first day itself, his Government had invited SAARC leaders, indicating
its intention to progress together with SAARC.

He said he was happy that the Prime Minister of Bangladesh had declared zero tolerance for terrorism.
He said terrorism is an enemy of humanity, and therefore all humanitarian forces had to unite to fight it.

The Prime Minister said his vision and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision matched
perfectly - that of development.
 India and Netherlands Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Development
of Vaccines during the Visit of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Shri Mark Rutte to
New Delhi

A Memorandum of Understanding was arrived at between India and Netherlands for

development of vaccines. The MoU signed under ‘Make in India’ initiative of Government of
India will enable the Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Ltd (BIBCOL), a
Central PSU under Department of Biotechnology, to develop Measles – Rubella vaccine at its
plant at Chola, Bulandshahr, U.P. Translational Vaccinology (INTRAVACC) a government-
based institute of the Netherlands will extend technical support for the development of vaccine.
The MoU was signed in the august presence of the Prime Minister of The Netherlands Shri Mark
Rutte during his visit to New Delhi.

Under the MoU cooperation in development of other vaccines and biologicals with DBT
Research Institutes shall be explored.

INTRAVACC, an institute which is part of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport of the
Netherlands, is internationally renowned for vaccine development and has a long history in
technology transfer.

Bharat Immunologicals and Biological Corporation Limited (BIBCOL), Bulandshahar, UP is a

Central Public Sector Unit, under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science &
Technology, Government of India. BIBCOL was established as a PSU in 1989, with the aim to
achieve self-sufficiency for the nation with respect to production and supply of high quality polio
vaccine and other biologicals. It has supplied billions of doses of oral polio vaccine to India’s
immunisation programme and has played a major role in making India ‘polio free’. Under the
‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government, BIBCOL has embarked on journey to acquire
technology and production capabilities for production of Measles-Rubella vaccine with the
support of Department of Biotechnology.

Dr. Harshvardhan, Hon’ble Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences explained
that the cooperation will result in large scale production Measles-Rubella and other needed
vaccine of high quality in Bulandshahr, U.P. and save hundreds of thousands of children from
the dreaded disease in the country. In the post polio eradication era, the focus shall be on
elimination / control of other vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and rubella, he added.
Sh. Y.S. Chowdhary, Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences lauded this
as an example of how international collaboration and quality science can lead to
entrepreneurship for public good.

Prof . K. VijayRaghavan, Secretary Biotechnology said that getting science and entrepreneurship
to bear on the speediest production and deployment of vaccines is an important agenda of the
Department.

Mr. Oudendijk, General Director of Intravacc, welcomed the broader collaboration as agreed
upon in the MoU, since it is expected to provide innovative vaccine technology for the benefit of
the people of India.

Dr M.K. Bhan, Chairman, BIBCOL commented that this important collaboration between
BIBCOL and INTRAVACC will pave the way for manufacture of high quality affordable
vaccines, beginning with Measles and Rubella vaccine, and then take on the production of the
other needed vaccines for the Immunization Programmes of India and other developing countries
in the world. The ‘Make in India’ is a critical initiative for promoting access to health
technology beyond the borders of India.