India Signs Credit Agreement Worth US $ 165 Million with World Bank for Maharashtra Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program

An agreement for credit of US $ 165 million (equivalent) from World Bank for Maharashtra Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program was signed here today by Shri Nilaya Mitash, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Micheal Haney, Acting Director, New Delhi Office, World Bank on behalf of World Bank. 

Similarly, the Program Agreement was signed by Mr. Kiran Kumar Dinkarrao Gitte, Deputy Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Department on behalf of Government of Maharashtra. 

The Objective of the program is to improve the performance of Maharashtra's sector institutions in planning, implementation and monitoring of its Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program and to improve access to quality and sustainable services in peri-urban villages, and in water-stressed and water quality-affected areas. 
The Program will have three main components: (i) Institutional capacity building for planning, implementation and monitoring of the sector across the state, ii) Water Supply and Sanitation Service Improvements in selected districts. 

The closing date for the Project is March 31, 2020. 

Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2014 Declaration of Written Result

 On the basis of the results of the Combined Defence Services Examination (I)-2014 held by the Union Public Service Commission  on February 09, 2014, 9122 candidates with the following Roll Numbers have qualified for being interviewed by the Service Selection Board of the Ministry of Defence, for admission to (i) Indian Military Academy, Dehradun 138^thCourse commencing in January, 2015 (ii) Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Course commencing in January, 2015 (iii) Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Pre-Flying) Training Course for 197^th F(P) Course commencing in January, 2015 (iv) Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai,  101^st  SSC Course (for Men) commencing in April, 2015 and (v) Officers’ Training Academy, Chennai, 15^th  SSC Women (Non-Technical) Course commencing in April, 2015.

            The ratio of candidates shortlisted for the examination per vacancy is  1:17.92.

            The candidature of all the candidates, whose Roll Numbers are shown in the lists below, is provisional.  In accordance with the conditions of the admission to the examination, they are required to submit the original certificates in support of age (date of birth), educational qualifications, NCC (C) (Army Wing/Senior Division Air Wing/Naval Wing) etc. claimed by them, alongwith attested copies of thereof, to Army Headquarters, A.G.’s Branch/Rtg./CDSE Entry, West Block 3, Ground Floor, Wing No. I, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066.  In case of IMA/SSC as their first choice and to Naval Headquarters (R&R Section), Room No. 204, C-Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi-110011 in case of Naval first choice, and to PO3 (A) Air Headquarters, ‘J’ Block, Room No. 17, Opp. Vayu Bhawan, Moti Lal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110011 in case of Air Force first choice. 
    The original Certificates are to be submitted within two weeks of completion of the SSB Interview and not later than   November 13, 2014 (1^st February, 2015 in case of SSC only).  The candidates must not send the original certificates to the Union Public Service Commission.

            In case, there is any change of address, the candidates are advised to promptly intimate directly to the Army Headquarters/Naval Headquarters/Air Headquarters as per their first preference/choice.

            The Union Public Service Commission have a Facilitation Counter near Examination Hall Building in its Campus. Candidates may obtain any information/clarification regarding their examination/recruitment on working days between 10.00 AM to 5.00 PM, in person or over telephone Nos. 011-23385271, 011-23381125 and 011-23098543 from this Facilitation Counter. 

Candidates can also obtain information regarding their result by accessing UPSC website http.//www.upsc.gov.in

The marks-sheet of candidates who have not qualified, will be put on the Commission’s website within 15 days from the date of publication of the final result (after conducting SSB interview) and will remain available on the website for a period of 60 days.

Over 55,000 Lives Saved Last Year In Disaster Management Efforts NDRF Gets Two More Battalions

Secretary (Border Management) in the Ministry of Home Affairs Ms Sneh Lata Kumar inaugurated the Annual Conference of Relief Commissioners/ Secretaries, Department of Disaster Management of States/UTs to review the status of preparedness of dealing with crisis situation resulting from the South West Monsoon-2014, here today. Speaking on the occasion Smt. Kumar said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been raised from 10 to 12 battalions. She said more than 55,000 lives were saved in the wake of Uttarakhand cloudburst and Cyclone Phailin that struck Odisha coast last year as a result of better preparedness and prompt rescue and relief efforts in disaster mitigation. 

In his address Shri SN Mohanty, Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said due to advances in weather forecasting priorities have changed from post-disaster relief centric to avoiding a calamity. He pointed out six states were yet to formulate State Disaster Management Plans while the rest 22 have put such mechanism in place. Presiding over the inaugural session, Shri GVV Sarma, Joint Secretary (Disaster Management) lauded the minimal loss to human lives during cyclone Phailin due to better and precise weather forecasting and close coordination among various disaster response agencies. 

The Annual Conference was organized at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi to discuss Disaster Management issues ahead of the setting on of the monsoon this year. 

Representatives of different Ministries/Departments/Organizations including the NDMA, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Central Water Commission (CWC), India Meteorological Department (IMD), NDRF, Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Ministry of Defence took part in the daylong deliberations. 

Global crude oil price of Indian Basket increased to US$ 108.03 per bbl on 21.05.2014

The international crude oil price of Indian Basket as computed/published today by Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas went up to US$ 108.03 per barrel (bbl) on 21.05.2014. This was higher than the price of US$ 107.48 per bbl on previous publishing day of 20.05.2014.

In rupee terms, the price of Indian Basket increased marginally to Rs 6348.92 per bbl on 21.05.2014 as compared to Rs 6314.45 per bbl on 20.05.2014.  Rupee closed weaker at Rs 58.77 per US$ on 21.05.2014 as against Rs 58.75 per US$ on 20.05.2014. 

The table below gives details in this regard:

Particulars	Unit	Price on May 21, 2014(Previous trading day i.e. 20.05.2014)	Pricing Fortnight for 16.05.2014 (April 29 to May 13 , 2014)
Crude Oil (Indian Basket)	($/bbl)	108.03              (107.48)	105.80
	(Rs/bbl	6348.92             (6314.45)	6358.58
Exchange Rate	(Rs/$)	58.77               (58.75)	60.10

NewsTrust India,Breaking Latest News.

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), the Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC), being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient so to do, hereby makes the following amendment in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 36/2001-Customs (N.T.), dated the 3rd August, 2001, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section-3, Sub-section (ii), vide number S. O. 748 (E), dated the 3rd August, 2001, namely:-NewsTrust India,Breaking Latest News.

Web-based Public Delivery System for Recognition of Travel Trade Service Providers

Ministry of Tourism has launched a Web-based Public Delivery System for recognition of the Travel Trade Service Providers. The objective of the system is to ease the process of filing applications by the Travel Trade Service Providers seeking recognition from the Ministry of Tourism and also to bring in transparency in granting the approvals. The Ministry of Tourism presently approves the following categories of Travel Trade Service Providers:

i)          Inbound Tour Operators

ii)         Travel Agents

iii)   Domestic Tour Operators

iv)   Adventure Tour Operators

v)   Tourist Transporters Operators

 The new procedure will accept applications online through a website www.etraveltradeapproval.nic.in from service providers thereby make the process paperless.

All the applications will now be examined, processed and approved / rejected within 45 days from the receipt of completed applications. This initiative is part of Ministry’s objective to move towards E-regime for approvals etc.

Facts At A Glance: Maharashtra

Date of Poll: 10^th APRIL, 2014

S. No.	Item	Number of Parliamentary Constituencies going on poll-10 *
1.	Total Electors ( 1ST PHASE)	Male –     62 23,581 Female –  58,52,041 Others -  Nil     Service- Nil  NRI Voters:   Nil     -----------------------------------------  Total  -    121,75,662
2	Number Types of Parliamentary Constituencies	General :     08 SC :   01 ST:    01
3	Total number of Candidates	201
4	Parliamentary Constituencies  having more than 16 candidates	08
5	Parliamentary Constituencies  having more than 32 candidates	01
6	Total Number of Female candidates	15
7	No. and Name of the Parliamentary Constituency with maximum No. of  Candidates	Nagpur ( 33 candidates)
8	No. & Name of the Parliamentary Constituency with  minimum number of Candidates	Akola ( 7 candidates)
9	Party-wise list of candidates:	BJP	06
		BSP	10
		CPI	01
		CPM	-
		INC	07
		NCP	03
		Shiv Sena ( SS)	04
		Registered Political Parties       (other then recognised National and State)	80
		Independents	90
		Total	201
10	Largest Parliamentary constituency Electorate wise	Nagpur ( 16,29,756 voters)
11	Smallest Parliamentary constituency Electorate wise	Bhandara, Gondia( 10,05,780 votes )
12	Number of General, Expenditure, Police & Awareness Observers  deployed ( First Phase )	General Observers -          10 Expenditure Observers  -   10
13	No. of Polling Personnel deployed ( approx)  ( For entire State)	5,22,869
14	No. of  Polling Stations ( For entire State)	89,479
15.	Number of EVMs to be used in the elections	Control Units -  11,853 Ballot Units -    120,801

*PC No. 5 Buldhana, PC No. 6 Akola, PC No. 7 Amravati, PC No.8 Wardha, PC No. 9 Ramtek, PC No. Nagpur, PC No. 11 Bhandara-Gondiya, PC No.12 Gadchiroli-Chimur, PC No. 13, Chandrapur, PC No. 14 Yavatmal-Washim

Fact Sheet on Maharashtra

General Elections 2014 Fact sheet - 31

The 16^th Lok Sabha elections would be held in the 48 Parliamentary Constituencies of Maharashtra on 3 poll days, namely April 10, 17 and 24, 2014. Polling will be held at 89,479 polling stations spread across  56,142 polling station locations. Out of the state’s total of 7,89,66,642 electors as on 26^th March 2014, women constitute 46.9%. The poll expenditure limit per candidate for all constituencies in the state is Rs.70 lakhs.

LS polls: Sushil Kumar Shinde files nomination for Solarpur seat

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Tuesday filed his nomination papers for the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency.
Shinde filed his nomination papers at the collectorate in Solarpur in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and NCP president Sharad Pawar.
As Pawar is not contesting the Lok Sabha election from Madha (since he is elected to Rajya Sabha), former Deputy Chief Minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil has thrown his hat in the ring.

Mohite-Patil also filed his nomination papers for the Madha constituency in Solapur. The leaders later addressed a rally in Solapur.

PM’s statement on his departure to Nay Pyi Taw for the BIMSTEC summit

I am proceeding today on a two-day tour of Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, to take part in the third Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

BIMSTEC lies at the crossroads between SAARC and ASEAN, drawing its energy from the natural convergence of the countries around the Bay of Bengal. Connectivity and sub-regional cooperation in trade and investment, energy, climate, tourism, agriculture and other areas provide the spark for the growth engine in our region.

 Security challenges, both natural and man-made, require our collective vision and determination to be overcome. Peace, stability and development in BIMSTEC countries, with over 20% of the world’s population and over US$ 2.5 trillion worth of GDP, is indispensible for the forward march of Asia as a whole.

BIMSTEC has evolved and matured further as a group since the last Summit in New Delhi in 2008. With the impending establishment of a Permanent Secretariat in Dhaka and appointment of a Secretary General, it is poised to play a more active role in regional integration and cooperation. 

Several BIMSTEC Centres are being launched throughout the region, including three in India, to foster greater technical exchanges between Member Countries. In the security sphere, we have steadily put in place enabling legal instruments for regional approaches to international terrorism.

 Transnational crime, drug trafficking and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, the need for which is more salient in today’s integrated world than ever before. We set great store by BIMSTEC cooperation in the years ahead, for which this Summit should play a critical role.

Our bilateral relations with BIMSTEC countries are among our most important in the world. On the sidelines of the Summit, I hope to exchange notes with leaders from other Member States, all close and friendly neighbours of India, on our bilateral relations.

I look forward to a productive visit. 

Task Force on Yoga and Naturopathy

The Task Force on Naturopathy has submitted its report. The details of the report along with major recommendations are given below:

Task Force on Naturopathy
The Task Force on Naturopathy was constituted in August 2009.  The Task Force submitted its report in March, 2010.  The recommendations of the Task Force cover Propagation, Clinical Services, Education and Training, Administrative Frame-work at both Central and State levels, Measures for involving NGOs/Institutes/Agencies, Measures to strengthen research in Naturopathy and development of Regulation of Prevailing Human Resources.  

The Task Force has not identified category of major recommendations.  However, following may be treated as major recommendations of the task force:

(i)        Propagation initiatives in electronic media:

The following specific initiatives are recommended

·                     Adding Naturopathy and Yoga as a proven promotive, preventive and lifestyle intervention along with other AYUSH promotional advertisements currently aired in T.V. channels.

·                     Specific sponsored programs on topic of the National campaign-perfect health, specific health days, natural remedies, healthy lifestyle, natural foods and recipes etc.

·                     Specific advertisements and programs promoting professional education in Naturopathy and Yoga, as a successful career option.

·                     Featured programs on Naturopathy and yoga based school health and geriatric health.

(ii)       Naturopathy and Yoga based lifestyle medicine: Promotional schemes be evolved to promote, support and fund Yoga and Naturopathy based lifestyle medicine/intervention integrated with conventional medicine.

 (iii)    Establishing specialty clinics at teaching hospitals: A scheme to fund  establishment of  specialty clinics viz., cardiology; neurology; women’s health; psychiatry; endocrinology; urology; gastroenterology; rheumatology; geriatrics and oncology in deserving teaching hospitals be evolved on a priority basis.           

(iv)      Re-orientation Program [ROP] for Naturopathy and Yoga physicians: More number of ROPs be conducted jointly by NIN and deserving institutes/hospitals in all regions of the country.

 (v)      Specific workshops on ‘Research and grant proposals’ be conducted by NIN and CCRYN to train professionals and empower hospitals and institutes to avail Research grants.

The Task Force on Yoga has not submitted its formal report.  However, the Task Force on Yoga had held two meetings. The minutes of the meetings contain certain recommendations.  The details of the meetings along with recommendations are given below:

Task Force on YOGA

The Task Force on Yoga was constituted in March 2009, mainly with the objective to look into the various aspects of Promotion of Yoga and further expansion.  The committee met twice on 22.4.2009 and 13.8.2009. The Task Force did not submit formal report.  The minutes of the meetings contained some recommendations. The task force has not identified category of major recommendations.  However, following may be treated as major recommendations of the task force:

·                    Teacher Training programme with leading yoga institutions

·                    Yoga training for allopathic doctors

·                    Space in Hospitals, schools and public places to conduct yoga classes

·                    Information, Education and Communication

·                    Research programme in Yoga by Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy  and Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga in collaboration with allopathic Institution

Action taken on the recommendations of the Task Forces on Yoga and Naturopathy

·        The Department of AYUSH promotes and propagates Yoga and Naturopathy along with other systems of AYUSH under its Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) through print and electronic media and organization of AROGYA Melas/ Fairs and Exhibitions.   The Department also participates in Fairs/ Exhibitions organized by State Governments and other reputed organizations through its Research Councils/ National Institutes.

·        National Institute in Naturopathy (NIN) has organised health awareness programme on specific health days, viz. Heart day, World Aids day etc. and also conducts natural health food fairs, seminars, competitions, rallies etc. 

·        Programmes by NIN have been shown on electronic media.  Articles have been published in magazines by NIN.

·        Re-orientation programmes for practitioners of AYUSH including Yoga & Naturopathy are organized.

·        The department has established a research portal in which naturopathy and Yoga have been duly covered.

·        Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) and NIN have conducted workshops on Research Methodology for Practitioners of Yoga & Naturopathy/ AYUSH/ Modern Medicine.

·        The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) has launched a programme-Introduction of Yoga in School Health.  Under this programme the Institute has trained 438 school teachers for a period of one month on the basis of one district one school, one teacher.  Further, a Teacher’s manual on Yoga has been published by the Institute.

·        A scheme namely Swami Vivekananda District Yoga Wellness Centre has been launched by MDNIY under PPP mode.  Under this scheme’ so far total 128 centres have been established one in each district.

·        The MDNIY had established 05 (five) Advanced Centre for Yoga Therapy and Research at premier medical Institutes of the country namely NIMHANS, Bangalore; JIPMER, Puducherry; DIPAS, Delhi; GAU, Jamnagar and Govt. Medical College, Jammu.

·        MDNIY has developed a capsule course “Foundation Course in Yoga Science for Medical graduates/ professionals”.

This was stated by Smt. Santosh Chowdhary, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.