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Subject: Releases.........pt2
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Press Information Bureau
Government of India
* * * * * *
Presidents Secretariat
Address by the Hon'ble President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh
Patil, to both Houses of Parliament assembled together
New Delhi: February 22, 2010
"Honourable Members,
1. My greetings to you as you assemble here today for the first
session of both Houses of Parliament in the new decade. I am confident
that all members would dedicate themselves to making this decade a
glorious period in our country's march to prosperity and to its
rightful place in the comity of nations. A heavy legislative agenda
awaits you, which merits your careful attention.
2. I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of those
who have lost their lives in the recent terrorist act in Pune. Left
wing extremists continue to indulge in senseless violence, as in their
recent attacks in West Bengal, where a large number of innocent lives
have been lost. These cowardly acts strengthen our resolve to meet
with added vigour the challenge posed by such violence. My government
has also given a call to left wing extremists to abjure violence and
come for talks. Our plan to strengthen civil administration and bring
the fruits of inclusive development to all would continue with
determination.
3. My government was voted to office with a clear cut mandate to
protect and deepen the values of pluralism and secularism, and to
ensure rapid growth with justice and fairness for all. Since assuming
office in May 2009, my government has worked single-mindedly to build
on the achievements of its earlier term to deliver the promise of
faster and more inclusive growth. The aam aadmi was and is at the core
of this promise; the aam aadmi had to be protected against the ravages
of the worst ever global economic crisis since the Great Depression
and against the failure of the monsoon in large parts of the country
in mid-2009.
4. My government has combined a caring and sensitive approach in
dealing with the immediate economic and social problems, has taken
measures to strengthen the nation's security, has proceeded with a
desire to accommodate disparate political and regional voices, has
sincerely worked towards deepening our federal polity, has vigorously
pursued our enlightened national interests in pro-actively engaging
with the global community, and has introduced sensitivity in the
partnership between the institutions of governance and civil society.
5. The global economic slowdown was met by strong policies of
administering a domestic stimulus to the economy which has yielded
handsome results. Economic growth which had slowed to 6.7% in 2008-09
is likely to improve to around 7.5% in 2009-10. At a time when
industrialised countries have experienced negative growth, India has
continued to grow at an impressive rate.
6. The unexpected and severe drought posed special challenges in
managing the economy in 2009. My government joined hands with the
states to help the farmers in minimizing the impact of this massive
adversity. A sum of more than Rs. 4000 crore has so far been allocated
from the National Calamity Contingency Fund and the Calamity Relief
Fund to the drought affected States. A Diesel Subsidy Scheme was
introduced. Funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as the
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, and the National Food Security Mission
were permitted to be used to create agricultural infrastructure for
facilitating crop specific strategies, to minimize loss in production
due to drought. An amendment in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme was made to allow water conservation works
in the fields of small and marginal farmers as well. It was due to
these efforts that the fall in food production could be contained to a
large extent. Special efforts were made to ensure that rabi production
was not affected.
7. While we were able to avert any threat to our food security, there
has been an unhappy pressure on the prices of food grains and food
products. Higher prices were inevitable given the shortfall in
domestic production and prevailing high prices of rice, cereals and
edible oils globally. They are also to some extent a reflection of the
implementation of our schemes of inclusive growth involving payment of
higher procurement prices to our farmers and the impact of higher
public spending on programmes of rural development, which have
successfully raised incomes in rural areas.
8. My government continues to accord the highest importance to
ensuring relief to the aam aadmi on food prices. Despite a significant
increase in the procurement prices of food grains, central issue
prices for purposes of public distribution have been kept constant
since 2002. The import regime for essential commodities has been
liberalized. Government has decided to release 30 lakh tonnes of wheat
and rice in the open market over the next two months, and release 5
lakh tonnes of wheat and 2 lakh tonnes of rice through the National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation and the National
Cooperative Consumers' Federation and their affiliated cooperatives,
to benefit consumers at the retail level. Government has also released
an additional allocation of 36 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice for
distribution to card holders over the months of January and February,
2010. This will be available to card holders over and above their
normal allocations under the public distribution system. The scheme
for subsidy on edible oils and pulses has been continued. State
governments have been advised to ensure effective action at the state
level through de-hoarding, and appropriate use of state agencies such
as Civil Supplies Corporations for the procurement of non-PDS food
articles in bulk. The imports of wheat and refined sugar have been
further liberalised. Steps have been taken to strictly check the
smuggling of sugar. Government recently convened a meeting of the
Chief Ministers and State Ministers of Food and Civil Supplies to
discuss issues related to the rise in the prices of food articles and
evolve a coordinated strategy. A Core Group consisting of senior
Ministers of the Union Government and some Chief Ministers has been
constituted to examine a wide range of related policy issues.
Honourable Members,
9. In the longer term, our food security can be ensured only through
sustained efforts at increasing agricultural productivity combined
with a comprehensive reform of the public distribution system and open
market intervention. My government is committed to bringing forth a
legislation to ensure food security.
10. We now look forward confidently to further improvement in our
growth performance in 2010-11. My government will aim at a growth rate
above 8% in 2010-11 and seek to achieve 9% growth in 2011-12. We will
concentrate on infrastructure development, agriculture and rural
development, education and health and ensure that the growth process
is adequately sensitive to the concerns and well being of the weaker
sections of society. We will work to create an environment which
encourages investments, including in Micro, Small, and Medium
Enterprises.
11. My government has taken several new measures to strengthen the
security apparatus of the country to equip it to meet the grave
challenge posed by terrorism. These include strengthening of the state
and district police machinery and Central Para-Military Forces,
operationalization of the National Investigation Agency, establishment
of four National Security Guard hubs to ensure quick and effective
response to any possible terror attack, augmentation of the strength
of the Intelligence Bureau, strengthening of the Multi-Agency Centre
in the Intelligence Bureau to enable it to function on a
round-the-clock basis, and strengthening of coastal security.
12. Government remains vigilant against all forms of challenges posed
by terrorism. Zero tolerance of terrorist activities is our principled
policy. We have to keep constant watch and innovate against global
terrorist groups.
13. The overall internal security, law and order, and the communal
situation remained largely under control during 2009. Infiltration of
terrorists from across the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir has
gone up. Even then, the security situation has improved significantly
in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the North East, but left wing
extremism continues to be a significant cause of concern.
14. The Nation is proud of our armed forces. They have distinguished
themselves in preserving the country's unity and territorial integrity
and in defending our borders. Government is fully committed to the
modernization of the armed forces. We will accord the highest priority
to modernisation programmes to equip our armed forces with the
required weaponry, equipment and platforms. The successful launch of
the Agni-III missile is a shining example of the capabilities of our
scientists and engineers who deserve full praise. Efforts to enhance
our technological self-reliance received a new impetus with the
commencement of the handing over of the main battle tank, Arjun, to
the Indian Army.
15. My government is committed to the welfare of servicemen and
ex-servicemen. An Armed Forces Tribunal has been established for
adjudication of complaints and disputes regarding service matters and
other appeals. The recommendations regarding substantial improvements
in the pensionary benefits of personnel below officers rank and
commissioned officers have been accepted.
Honourable Members,
16. My government firmly believes that the time has come to focus on
ensuring that the processes of governance are sensitized,
administrative instruments sharpened, and that the benefits of welfare
programmes reach the aam aadmi. This commitment to canons of good
governance must guide the massive slew of rural and urban
reconstruction initiatives under Bharat Nirman, and other schemes for
ensuring inclusive growth and social protection.
17. The pace of implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act has picked up considerably. During 2009-10,
so far, 4.33 crore households have been provided employment and 203
crore person-days were generated. This scheme has benefited the
marginalised sections, with the participation rate of Scheduled Castes
and Tribes being about 52%. Participation of women has also been
encouraging at around 49%. The scheme has also resulted in an upward
revision of rural wages.
18. My government remains committed to completing the remaining tasks
of Bharat Nirman in its second phase.
19. Under the rural housing component, during 2009-10, upto last
December, 14 lakh houses have been constructed. Under the rural roads
component, up to November, 2009, connectivity has been provided to
nearly 34 thousand villages through the construction of 96 thousand
kilometers of roads. Under the rural water supply component, of the
remaining 627 uncovered habitations, 586 have been taken up in
2009-10. Of the 1.79 lakh quality-affected habitations, about 35
thousand have been taken up in 2009-10. Under the irrigation
component, which began in 2005-06, creation of irrigation potential of
one crore hectares is targeted by 2011-12. As on 31.12.2009, coverage
of more than 70 lakh hectares has been achieved.
20. The Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana has resulted in the
electrification of more than 67 thousand villages. Free electricity
connections have been provided to nearly 84 lakh below poverty line
households. Steps have been initiated to achieve rural tele-density of
40% by 2014.
21. The urban sector of our country poses a challenge and presents an
opportunity too. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
was launched in 2005 to address this challenge and harness the
opportunity. Under the mission, projects worth over Rs. one lakh crore
have been approved for urban development and welfare of the urban
poor.
22. Urban housing and slums continue to demand our attention.
Government is working on the ambitious Rajiv Awas Yojana to assist
states that are willing to assign property rights to people living in
slums. This programme will strive to create a formal space for slum
dwellers within our cities and transform and redevelop these cities to
make them slum-free.
23. The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector is vital
for sustained and inclusive growth. Government will take necessary
steps to expeditiously implement the recommendations of the Task Force
on MSMEs. These include improved credit access, development of
infrastructure, strengthening of the District Industries Centres,
improved raw material supply, facilitating of product marketing, and
institutional reforms.
Honourable Members,
24. My government subscribes to the idea of a balanced approach to
national development, with special attention to our border states.
25. The Prime Minister's reconstruction plan for Jammu and Kashmir has
been working well. Roads, colleges, Industrial Training Institutes,
and Anganwadi centres have been taken up on an urgent basis under this
initiative. An additional 500 megawatts of power has been provided to
the state during the winter months.
26. My government remains committed to the rapid development of
infrastructure in the North-Eastern States. The Special Accelerated
Road Development Programme covering almost 10,000 kilometers is in
progress. This project will provide minimum two-lane national highway
link to all the State capitals, and to each district in these States.
This includes over 1600 kilometers long Trans-Arunachal Highway. A
special programme to provide home lighting systems to all the border
villages of Arunachal Pradesh is at an advanced stage of
implementation.
Honourable Members,
27. It is imperative that as our economy grows apace, the
disadvantaged sections of society be made part of the Indian success
story.
28. Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, nearly seven lakh titles have been
distributed so far. Further efforts will be made, in conjunction with
State Governments, to ensure early disposal of the remaining claims.
29. Government has developed a comprehensive roadmap for the
development of minority communities. Credit flows to the minority
communities have risen to Rs. 82000 crore in 2008-09, which exceeds
12% of the total priority sector lending. Recruitment of minorities to
posts under the Central Government has gone up steadily. In fresh
recruitments, minority representation has increased from 7% in 2006-07
to more than 9% in 2008-09.
30. The Multi-sectoral Development Programme for minority
concentration districts has started off well. The three scholarship
schemes started in 2007-08 have received an overwhelming response. The
number of scholarships awarded has gone up to nearly 15 lakh. Girls
constitute a very significant proportion of the awardees.
31. My government will bring a proposal to amend the Waqf Act during
this session of Parliament.
32. Our unity and social harmony is the best answer to the terrorists
and their divisive designs. Hence, government is committed deeply to
protecting our social fabric and to that end, it proposes to move for
the early passage of the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and
Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005, in this Session of Parliament.
33. My government is committed to ensuring early passage of the
Women's Reservation Bill which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in
May 2008. Honourable Members, I would urge you to accord special
attention to this critical proposal.
34. Two bills for constitutional amendment to provide 50% reservation
for women in panchayats and urban local bodies have already been
introduced and it is hoped that these can be passed during this
session.
35. The National Youth Corps Scheme has been introduced to enable
young men and women between the age group of 25 to 35 years, to serve
two years in nation-building activities. In the first phase 20
thousand volunteers would be deployed and they would be utilized in
several creative social activities like cleaning the Dal Lake in Jammu
and Kashmir.
Honourable Members,
36. Investment in education is critical for accelerated inclusive
growth. Government has made substantial investments in primary
education through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the Midday Meal
Programme, and is moving towards universalization of education at the
secondary level with the new Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan. The
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been
notified to be effective from 1st April, 2010. A scheme to assist
State Governments in setting up 373 model colleges in educationally
backward districts has been approved. A National Mission for Education
through Information and Communication Technology has been launched to
provide broadband internet connectivity to around 18,000 colleges and
400 universities in the country. A scheme to provide interest subsidy
on educational loans taken by students from economically weak families
has also been launched. A new campaign called "Sakshar Bharat", with
special focus on female literacy, has been started.
Honourable Members,
37. My government is committed to bringing about a paradigm shift in
our education infrastructure based on the three pillars of expansion,
inclusion and excellence. A National Council for Higher Education and
Research will soon be established as an overarching body to regulate
higher education and research in India. Government is endeavouring to
bring forward an appropriate legislation for facilitating the
participation of globally renowned and quality academic institutions
in our higher education sector, and for bringing in foreign education
providers for vocational training and skill development.
38. For providing the common man an opportunity to share in the growth
of the central public sector enterprises, government has decided to
list profitable companies on the stock exchanges through a public
offer of at least 10% of the equity.
39. My government has taken several steps to meet the challenge of
climate change. The National Action Plan on Climate Change is being
operationalised. The Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission has been
launched with an ambitious target of 20 thousand megawatts of solar
power by 2022.
40. A mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency has been approved, and it
is expected to work towards saving of 10 thousand megawatts of
electricity by the end of the Eleventh Plan.
41. To ensure expeditious and effective disposal of civil cases
relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests, a
National Green Tribunal Bill, 2009 has been introduced.
42. The economy remains critically dependent on oil and gas. After the
near stagnation in production for about a decade, the year 2009-10 is
set to register a major increase, with 20 new oil discoveries.
43. My government is committed to give the aam aadmi maximum access to
gas and petroleum products. A new scheme of rural LPG distribution
namely, 'Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitarak Yojana' has been launched.
44. With a view to meeting the objective of 'Power to All' by 2012, as
stated in the National Electricity Policy, a special effort has been
made to encourage expansion in electricity generation capacity. As a
result, during the Eleventh Five Year Plan we expect to add more than
three times the capacity that was added in the Tenth Plan.
45. My government has announced a quantum jump in the pace of
developing National Highways to reach 20 kilometers a day. Several
policy initiatives have been taken to create an enabling environment.
There is a fresh momentum in the development of National Highways.
46. The Civil Aviation sector could not remain unaffected by the
global slowdown. Our national carrier, Air India, was particularly
badly hit. Steps are being taken for its early rehabilitation under
the careful guidance of a Group of Ministers.
47. The expansion and modernization of airports, especially the four
metro airports, are progressing well. The Delhi airport project would
be fully operational by July, 2010, well in time for the Commonwealth
Games. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority has been established
to discharge regulatory functions in the airport sector.
48. My government has been implementing the National Maritime
Development Programme which envisages an investment of over Rupees one
lakh crore, including private investment, on identified projects in
the port and shipping sectors. The Indian Maritime University has now
become fully functional with campuses in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Visakhapatnam and Kochi.
49. The Indian Railways knit this vast country together. My government
is committed to fulfilling a substantial expansion in capacity and
modernisation of railway technology and to increasing the speed of
both passenger and freight trains, while improving safety.
50. Train services have commenced in the entire Kashmir Valley, from
Qazigund to Baramulla, demonstrating the commitment of my government
to the development of all corners of our country. A special North East
Rail Development Fund has been created, to provide assured financing
for nine major national projects in the North Eastern region.
51. The Indian Railways have also commenced work on the ambitious
Dedicated Freight Corridors on the Eastern and Western trunk routes.
This project would help drive India's growth.
52. Government, in partnership with the Government of Japan, has moved
ahead on implementing the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
project. This challenging initiative, embracing six States, will
provide impetus to industrial development in an environmentally
sustainable manner, by providing quality infrastructure, efficient
transportation, reliable energy supplies and efficient logistics.
53. My government is committed to the goal of extending the benefits
of modern communication facilities to rural areas. Financial support
is provided from Universal Service Obligation Fund to provide
infrastructure for rural connectivity. My government has already
initiated action to set up 10 thousand towers in 2010-11 for
connecting remote areas across the country. As against the target of
60 crore telephone connections by 2012, the achievement already
exceeds 57 crore, with an unprecedented addition of nearly 2 crore
connections in the month of December 2009 itself.
54. Mission Clean Ganga, under the aegis of the National Ganga River
Basin Authority is expected to ensure that by the year 2020, no
untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents flow into the
Ganga. This task, to ensure both nirmal dhara and aviral dhara, would
involve collective and coordinated efforts of the Centre and the
States concerned.
Honourable Members,
55. In the inclusive society that we aspire for, people must have
confidence and access to a fair system of justice. Government has
decided to set up a National Mission for the Delivery of Justice and
Legal Reforms aimed at transforming the government into a responsible
and cautious litigant, introducing judicial management, leveraging
information and communication technology to improve court
administration and case management and reducing pendency of arrears.
56. Our quest for good health for all remains a national challenge.
The National Rural Health Mission has stimulated creation of public
healthcare infrastructure. To correspondingly augment the availability
of human resources, many measures like establishment of more medical,
nursing and para-medical institutions in under-served areas, creation
of additional seats for specialists and super-specialists, and
incentivising service by doctors in rural areas, have been initiated.
Early indications reflect the positive impact of this mission.
57. My government responded with alacrity to the Influenza A H1N1
pandemic. More than one crore inbound passengers were screened at
international airports. New H1N1 testing laboratories were set-up, two
crore doses of drugs were distributed to States free of cost, and 15
lakh doses of vaccines have been imported for health workers. For the
first time in our country an indigenous Influenza A H1N1 vaccine is
being developed which will be available this year.
58. My government has undertaken a number of steps to unearth
unaccounted money parked outside India. These include amendment of the
Income-tax Act, 1961 to enable the Central Government to enter into
tax agreements with non-sovereign jurisdictions. Steps have already
been initiated for negotiations for entering into Agreements for the
Exchange of Information with major jurisdictions. Renegotiation of the
Tax Treaty with Switzerland is in process. India is an active part of
the global efforts to facilitate exchange of tax information, and to
take action against tax evasion.
59. Access to news and entertainment must be made affordable and
universal. To this end, in addition to notifying guidelines for
providing Headend in the Sky services, the digitalization of both All
India Radio and Doordarshan is on the anvil. The Commonwealth Games
2010 will be covered in High Definition format by Doordarshan for the
first time. We also take pride that Indian films and music
compositions have got international acclaim and recognition for our
artists.
60. The Unique Identification Authority of India has been established
with a mandate to issue unique identity numbers based on biometrics to
all residents of India. This mammoth and unprecedented exercise will
serve as a great enabler to improve targeting and delivery of major
government welfare programmes and public services, especially to those
who are poor and marginalized. The first set of unique identity
numbers is expected to be issued in the early part of 2011.
61. A Delivery Monitoring Unit (DMU) has been established in the Prime
Minister's Office to review a select number of flagship programmes and
other initiatives. The nodal ministries concerned have begun
publishing DMU reports on their websites on a quarterly basis, to keep
the nation informed of their progress.
62. Government is committed to creating an innovation strategy for
government, industry, entrepreneurs, technologists and academicians
with a focus on inclusive growth and appropriate eco-system necessary
to bring about generational change in our approach to development.
63. The country is hosting the prestigious 19th Commonwealth Games in
October, 2010. Preparations for the event are at an advanced stage.
Every effort will be made to ensure a befitting and successful conduct
of the Games.
Honourable Members,
64. We have played our role in global affairs with responsibility and
in the pursuit of peace, stability and progress in our region and
beyond. Government will continue its active engagement with the world
based upon the principles laid down by our founding fathers, and with
the objective of furthering our goals of rapid and inclusive economic
development and poverty alleviation in an increasingly interdependent
world.
65. The visits to India by the King of Bhutan and the Prime Minister
of Bhutan, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the President of
Maldives, and the President and the Prime Minister of Nepal have given
new content to our traditional ties of friendship with neighbouring
countries. Following the elections in Sri Lanka, we will continue to
work with the Government to enhance our partnership. India will
contribute to the humanitarian and rehabilitation efforts for the
Tamil minority and long term re-construction in conflict-affected
areas. India's assistance to the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan
witnessed important milestones and we will continue to partner
Afghanistan in its development efforts. India is ready to explore a
meaningful relationship with Pakistan if Pakistan seriously addresses
the threat of terrorism and takes effective steps to prevent terrorist
activities against India.
66. Our relations with the major powers have been further
consolidated. The Prime Minister's visit to the USA laid the framework
for the further expansion of the India-US partnership at the
bilateral, regional and global level. My visit to Russia and the visit
by the Prime Minister have renewed our time-tested friendship and
opened new areas of cooperation. The 10th India - European Union
Summit held in New Delhi was a milestone in our widening partnership
with Europe. Our Strategic and Cooperative Partnership with China
progressively acquired greater regional and global content. The visit
of the Prime Minister of Japan underlined our mutual desire to
accelerate our cooperation in all areas. The Prime Minister attended
the first ever stand-alone summit of the BRIC countries.
67. My government pursued its 'Look East' policy with vigour. The
President of the Republic of Korea was our honoured Chief Guest at the
Republic Day celebrations. Government hosted the President of
Mongolia, and the Prime Ministers of Australia and Malaysia. The
signing of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and the launching of
several new initiatives within the India-ASEAN framework and the East
Asia Summit process will further integrate India into the Asia-Pacific
region.
68. My visit to Tajikistan, and the Prime Minister's presence for the
first time at the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation were
a reflection of government's policy to strengthen the bridges of
friendship and understanding with Central Asia. Relations with Turkey
were strengthened following the visit of the President of Turkey.
69. The Prime Minister's participation in the Non-aligned Summit in
Egypt further consolidated our relations with the developing world. We
will continue to accord special attention to the countries of the Gulf
and West Asia. India's steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was
reiterated during the visit of the President of the Palestinian
National Authority. The visit of the President of Namibia, and the
visit by our Vice President to Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia carried
forward our deepening engagement with the continent of Africa. We will
build upon our steadily expanding cooperation with Latin America.
70. India's views on global challenges such as terrorism, energy and
food security, climate change and the international financial and
economic crisis were unambiguously articulated at the appropriate
fora. The issue of reform of institutions of global governance was
brought to the fore of the international agenda. India's voice was
heard with respect in the G-20 process, the G-8 plus G-5 Summit, and
the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
71. We can take justifiable pride in the contributions made by the
overseas Indian community in all walks of life across the globe which
have earned them high respect. The first meeting of the Prime
Minister's Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians was held this
year. Government will work towards giving Indian citizens living
abroad the opportunity to vote by the time of the next regular general
elections. We are committed to the security and welfare of the Indian
diaspora. An Indian Community Welfare Fund has been established.
72. As part of the ambitious expansion of the country's nuclear energy
programme, approval was accorded for the construction of additional
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors and sites for setting up Light Water
Reactors. Following the availability of imported fuel as a result of
the opening of international civil nuclear cooperation, commercial
production has commenced in two units of the Rajasthan Atomic Power
Project, and one more unit is expected to begin commercial production
soon. New agreements for cooperation in the field of civil nuclear
energy were concluded with Russia, Mongolia, Namibia, Argentina and
the United Kingdom, while others are under negotiation.
73. The space programme continued to provide societal services to the
Nation in the areas of tele-medicine, tele-education and village
resource centres. The Oceansat-2 satellite was successfully launched
onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The flight test of the
GSLV-D3 launch vehicle with indigenous cryogenic stage, and the launch
of the Cartosat-2B, INSAT-3D and Resourcesat-2 satellites are planned
in the near future. The GSLV-Mark III launch vehicle will be further
developed and activities towards the Chandrayaan-2 Mission will be
initiated.
Honourable Members,
74. Our country stands at a historic turning point. Never before were
we so close as we are today to realizing our national aspirations as
envisioned by our founding fathers and spelt out by Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru in this very hall on the midnight of 14th August 1947:
"The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It
means ending poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of
opportunity."
We have taken decisive strides towards reaching these goals. Still,
much remains to be done. The road is long, but our journey is in
progress. Let us march together with confidence to a new, bright
future.
Jai Hind."
sh/lv/dk/kol/13:36 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
* * * * * *
Ministry of Civil Aviation
IGRUA gets ISO 9001 : 2008 Certification for Ground Training
New Delhi: February 22, 2010
As a first step with effect from 5 January 2010 the Ground Training
Department of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy (IGRUA) has become
the first Ground Training School in India to be ISO 9001 : 2008
certified. IGRUA is in the process of having its excellence in
imparting flying training certified by the International Standards
Organization and this is the first step in that direction.
Set up in 1985 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil
Aviation, IGRUA commenced operations in 1986 with the primary
objective to meticulously train pilots for entry into the airlines.
The institute carries out Line Oriented Flying Training (LOFT) to
contemporary international standards, mainly conducting courses for
ab-initio undergraduate candidates to Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
standards with Instrument Rating (IR) and Multi-engine Endorsement.
Ministry of Civil Aviation has invested capital in modernizing and
augmenting the ageing fleet and infrastructure of IGRUA and
formalizing a management contract with the global aviation giant CAE
to bring international standardized modern methodology of aviation
training, thereby upgrading the quality of training imparted to
pilots and making it an integral part of CAE Global Academy.
IGRUA has now increased its yearly intake from 45 to 100 students
within a period of 2 years and has reduced its training period from
more than 24 months to 18 months with an aim to further reduce it to
15 months without compromising its quality and standards.
Today IGRUA is an accepted centre of excellence and is India's largest
fully integrated aviation training academy with:-
* Largest training fleet in India comprising 27 aircraft. Of these, 11
are high performance modern avionics equipped single engine aircraft
and 2 are turboprop C 90-A King Air aircraft. 14 DA – 40 aircraft with
the state of the art Garmin 1000 Glass cockpits have also been
operationalised in December 09. Two Diamond DA – 42 aircraft are in
the pipeline further augmenting the multiengine fleet.
* An IGRUA owned airfield with modern navigational aids, three
hangars, fully equipped engineering section, well equipped fire
fighting section and dedicated refueling section.
* Four cockpit procedure trainers, two having Garmin 1000 Glass
cockpit with a panoramic 180 degree projection. One, six axis motion,
C- 90 simulator. One Hawker Sydney Glass cockpit generic trainer
modeled for seven different types of aircraft from single engine to
advance jet airliners.
* A mix of highly experienced flying and ground instructors, with
years of instructional experience.
* An optimum student /instructor/aircraft ratio, maintained with the
strictest adherence to safety on ground and in the air.
* A well equipped modern gym, and area for outdoor games.
* New hostel commissioned in 2009 increasing the capacity to
accommodate 248 boys and 40 girls.
* A self contained residential campus for both students and employees
spread over 167 acres of land.
mc/mk/dk/kol/13:37 hrs.
From: Press Information Bureau Ministry of I&B <pib.kolkata@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 22, 2010 at 1:46 PM
Subject: Releases.........pt2
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Press Information Bureau
Government of India
* * * * * *
Presidents Secretariat
Address by the Hon'ble President of India, Shrimati Pratibha Devisingh
Patil, to both Houses of Parliament assembled together
New Delhi: February 22, 2010
"Honourable Members,
1. My greetings to you as you assemble here today for the first
session of both Houses of Parliament in the new decade. I am confident
that all members would dedicate themselves to making this decade a
glorious period in our country's march to prosperity and to its
rightful place in the comity of nations. A heavy legislative agenda
awaits you, which merits your careful attention.
2. I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of those
who have lost their lives in the recent terrorist act in Pune. Left
wing extremists continue to indulge in senseless violence, as in their
recent attacks in West Bengal, where a large number of innocent lives
have been lost. These cowardly acts strengthen our resolve to meet
with added vigour the challenge posed by such violence. My government
has also given a call to left wing extremists to abjure violence and
come for talks. Our plan to strengthen civil administration and bring
the fruits of inclusive development to all would continue with
determination.
3. My government was voted to office with a clear cut mandate to
protect and deepen the values of pluralism and secularism, and to
ensure rapid growth with justice and fairness for all. Since assuming
office in May 2009, my government has worked single-mindedly to build
on the achievements of its earlier term to deliver the promise of
faster and more inclusive growth. The aam aadmi was and is at the core
of this promise; the aam aadmi had to be protected against the ravages
of the worst ever global economic crisis since the Great Depression
and against the failure of the monsoon in large parts of the country
in mid-2009.
4. My government has combined a caring and sensitive approach in
dealing with the immediate economic and social problems, has taken
measures to strengthen the nation's security, has proceeded with a
desire to accommodate disparate political and regional voices, has
sincerely worked towards deepening our federal polity, has vigorously
pursued our enlightened national interests in pro-actively engaging
with the global community, and has introduced sensitivity in the
partnership between the institutions of governance and civil society.
5. The global economic slowdown was met by strong policies of
administering a domestic stimulus to the economy which has yielded
handsome results. Economic growth which had slowed to 6.7% in 2008-09
is likely to improve to around 7.5% in 2009-10. At a time when
industrialised countries have experienced negative growth, India has
continued to grow at an impressive rate.
6. The unexpected and severe drought posed special challenges in
managing the economy in 2009. My government joined hands with the
states to help the farmers in minimizing the impact of this massive
adversity. A sum of more than Rs. 4000 crore has so far been allocated
from the National Calamity Contingency Fund and the Calamity Relief
Fund to the drought affected States. A Diesel Subsidy Scheme was
introduced. Funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes such as the
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, and the National Food Security Mission
were permitted to be used to create agricultural infrastructure for
facilitating crop specific strategies, to minimize loss in production
due to drought. An amendment in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme was made to allow water conservation works
in the fields of small and marginal farmers as well. It was due to
these efforts that the fall in food production could be contained to a
large extent. Special efforts were made to ensure that rabi production
was not affected.
7. While we were able to avert any threat to our food security, there
has been an unhappy pressure on the prices of food grains and food
products. Higher prices were inevitable given the shortfall in
domestic production and prevailing high prices of rice, cereals and
edible oils globally. They are also to some extent a reflection of the
implementation of our schemes of inclusive growth involving payment of
higher procurement prices to our farmers and the impact of higher
public spending on programmes of rural development, which have
successfully raised incomes in rural areas.
8. My government continues to accord the highest importance to
ensuring relief to the aam aadmi on food prices. Despite a significant
increase in the procurement prices of food grains, central issue
prices for purposes of public distribution have been kept constant
since 2002. The import regime for essential commodities has been
liberalized. Government has decided to release 30 lakh tonnes of wheat
and rice in the open market over the next two months, and release 5
lakh tonnes of wheat and 2 lakh tonnes of rice through the National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation and the National
Cooperative Consumers' Federation and their affiliated cooperatives,
to benefit consumers at the retail level. Government has also released
an additional allocation of 36 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice for
distribution to card holders over the months of January and February,
2010. This will be available to card holders over and above their
normal allocations under the public distribution system. The scheme
for subsidy on edible oils and pulses has been continued. State
governments have been advised to ensure effective action at the state
level through de-hoarding, and appropriate use of state agencies such
as Civil Supplies Corporations for the procurement of non-PDS food
articles in bulk. The imports of wheat and refined sugar have been
further liberalised. Steps have been taken to strictly check the
smuggling of sugar. Government recently convened a meeting of the
Chief Ministers and State Ministers of Food and Civil Supplies to
discuss issues related to the rise in the prices of food articles and
evolve a coordinated strategy. A Core Group consisting of senior
Ministers of the Union Government and some Chief Ministers has been
constituted to examine a wide range of related policy issues.
Honourable Members,
9. In the longer term, our food security can be ensured only through
sustained efforts at increasing agricultural productivity combined
with a comprehensive reform of the public distribution system and open
market intervention. My government is committed to bringing forth a
legislation to ensure food security.
10. We now look forward confidently to further improvement in our
growth performance in 2010-11. My government will aim at a growth rate
above 8% in 2010-11 and seek to achieve 9% growth in 2011-12. We will
concentrate on infrastructure development, agriculture and rural
development, education and health and ensure that the growth process
is adequately sensitive to the concerns and well being of the weaker
sections of society. We will work to create an environment which
encourages investments, including in Micro, Small, and Medium
Enterprises.
11. My government has taken several new measures to strengthen the
security apparatus of the country to equip it to meet the grave
challenge posed by terrorism. These include strengthening of the state
and district police machinery and Central Para-Military Forces,
operationalization of the National Investigation Agency, establishment
of four National Security Guard hubs to ensure quick and effective
response to any possible terror attack, augmentation of the strength
of the Intelligence Bureau, strengthening of the Multi-Agency Centre
in the Intelligence Bureau to enable it to function on a
round-the-clock basis, and strengthening of coastal security.
12. Government remains vigilant against all forms of challenges posed
by terrorism. Zero tolerance of terrorist activities is our principled
policy. We have to keep constant watch and innovate against global
terrorist groups.
13. The overall internal security, law and order, and the communal
situation remained largely under control during 2009. Infiltration of
terrorists from across the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir has
gone up. Even then, the security situation has improved significantly
in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the North East, but left wing
extremism continues to be a significant cause of concern.
14. The Nation is proud of our armed forces. They have distinguished
themselves in preserving the country's unity and territorial integrity
and in defending our borders. Government is fully committed to the
modernization of the armed forces. We will accord the highest priority
to modernisation programmes to equip our armed forces with the
required weaponry, equipment and platforms. The successful launch of
the Agni-III missile is a shining example of the capabilities of our
scientists and engineers who deserve full praise. Efforts to enhance
our technological self-reliance received a new impetus with the
commencement of the handing over of the main battle tank, Arjun, to
the Indian Army.
15. My government is committed to the welfare of servicemen and
ex-servicemen. An Armed Forces Tribunal has been established for
adjudication of complaints and disputes regarding service matters and
other appeals. The recommendations regarding substantial improvements
in the pensionary benefits of personnel below officers rank and
commissioned officers have been accepted.
Honourable Members,
16. My government firmly believes that the time has come to focus on
ensuring that the processes of governance are sensitized,
administrative instruments sharpened, and that the benefits of welfare
programmes reach the aam aadmi. This commitment to canons of good
governance must guide the massive slew of rural and urban
reconstruction initiatives under Bharat Nirman, and other schemes for
ensuring inclusive growth and social protection.
17. The pace of implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act has picked up considerably. During 2009-10,
so far, 4.33 crore households have been provided employment and 203
crore person-days were generated. This scheme has benefited the
marginalised sections, with the participation rate of Scheduled Castes
and Tribes being about 52%. Participation of women has also been
encouraging at around 49%. The scheme has also resulted in an upward
revision of rural wages.
18. My government remains committed to completing the remaining tasks
of Bharat Nirman in its second phase.
19. Under the rural housing component, during 2009-10, upto last
December, 14 lakh houses have been constructed. Under the rural roads
component, up to November, 2009, connectivity has been provided to
nearly 34 thousand villages through the construction of 96 thousand
kilometers of roads. Under the rural water supply component, of the
remaining 627 uncovered habitations, 586 have been taken up in
2009-10. Of the 1.79 lakh quality-affected habitations, about 35
thousand have been taken up in 2009-10. Under the irrigation
component, which began in 2005-06, creation of irrigation potential of
one crore hectares is targeted by 2011-12. As on 31.12.2009, coverage
of more than 70 lakh hectares has been achieved.
20. The Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana has resulted in the
electrification of more than 67 thousand villages. Free electricity
connections have been provided to nearly 84 lakh below poverty line
households. Steps have been initiated to achieve rural tele-density of
40% by 2014.
21. The urban sector of our country poses a challenge and presents an
opportunity too. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
was launched in 2005 to address this challenge and harness the
opportunity. Under the mission, projects worth over Rs. one lakh crore
have been approved for urban development and welfare of the urban
poor.
22. Urban housing and slums continue to demand our attention.
Government is working on the ambitious Rajiv Awas Yojana to assist
states that are willing to assign property rights to people living in
slums. This programme will strive to create a formal space for slum
dwellers within our cities and transform and redevelop these cities to
make them slum-free.
23. The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector is vital
for sustained and inclusive growth. Government will take necessary
steps to expeditiously implement the recommendations of the Task Force
on MSMEs. These include improved credit access, development of
infrastructure, strengthening of the District Industries Centres,
improved raw material supply, facilitating of product marketing, and
institutional reforms.
Honourable Members,
24. My government subscribes to the idea of a balanced approach to
national development, with special attention to our border states.
25. The Prime Minister's reconstruction plan for Jammu and Kashmir has
been working well. Roads, colleges, Industrial Training Institutes,
and Anganwadi centres have been taken up on an urgent basis under this
initiative. An additional 500 megawatts of power has been provided to
the state during the winter months.
26. My government remains committed to the rapid development of
infrastructure in the North-Eastern States. The Special Accelerated
Road Development Programme covering almost 10,000 kilometers is in
progress. This project will provide minimum two-lane national highway
link to all the State capitals, and to each district in these States.
This includes over 1600 kilometers long Trans-Arunachal Highway. A
special programme to provide home lighting systems to all the border
villages of Arunachal Pradesh is at an advanced stage of
implementation.
Honourable Members,
27. It is imperative that as our economy grows apace, the
disadvantaged sections of society be made part of the Indian success
story.
28. Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, nearly seven lakh titles have been
distributed so far. Further efforts will be made, in conjunction with
State Governments, to ensure early disposal of the remaining claims.
29. Government has developed a comprehensive roadmap for the
development of minority communities. Credit flows to the minority
communities have risen to Rs. 82000 crore in 2008-09, which exceeds
12% of the total priority sector lending. Recruitment of minorities to
posts under the Central Government has gone up steadily. In fresh
recruitments, minority representation has increased from 7% in 2006-07
to more than 9% in 2008-09.
30. The Multi-sectoral Development Programme for minority
concentration districts has started off well. The three scholarship
schemes started in 2007-08 have received an overwhelming response. The
number of scholarships awarded has gone up to nearly 15 lakh. Girls
constitute a very significant proportion of the awardees.
31. My government will bring a proposal to amend the Waqf Act during
this session of Parliament.
32. Our unity and social harmony is the best answer to the terrorists
and their divisive designs. Hence, government is committed deeply to
protecting our social fabric and to that end, it proposes to move for
the early passage of the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and
Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005, in this Session of Parliament.
33. My government is committed to ensuring early passage of the
Women's Reservation Bill which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in
May 2008. Honourable Members, I would urge you to accord special
attention to this critical proposal.
34. Two bills for constitutional amendment to provide 50% reservation
for women in panchayats and urban local bodies have already been
introduced and it is hoped that these can be passed during this
session.
35. The National Youth Corps Scheme has been introduced to enable
young men and women between the age group of 25 to 35 years, to serve
two years in nation-building activities. In the first phase 20
thousand volunteers would be deployed and they would be utilized in
several creative social activities like cleaning the Dal Lake in Jammu
and Kashmir.
Honourable Members,
36. Investment in education is critical for accelerated inclusive
growth. Government has made substantial investments in primary
education through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the Midday Meal
Programme, and is moving towards universalization of education at the
secondary level with the new Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan. The
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been
notified to be effective from 1st April, 2010. A scheme to assist
State Governments in setting up 373 model colleges in educationally
backward districts has been approved. A National Mission for Education
through Information and Communication Technology has been launched to
provide broadband internet connectivity to around 18,000 colleges and
400 universities in the country. A scheme to provide interest subsidy
on educational loans taken by students from economically weak families
has also been launched. A new campaign called "Sakshar Bharat", with
special focus on female literacy, has been started.
Honourable Members,
37. My government is committed to bringing about a paradigm shift in
our education infrastructure based on the three pillars of expansion,
inclusion and excellence. A National Council for Higher Education and
Research will soon be established as an overarching body to regulate
higher education and research in India. Government is endeavouring to
bring forward an appropriate legislation for facilitating the
participation of globally renowned and quality academic institutions
in our higher education sector, and for bringing in foreign education
providers for vocational training and skill development.
38. For providing the common man an opportunity to share in the growth
of the central public sector enterprises, government has decided to
list profitable companies on the stock exchanges through a public
offer of at least 10% of the equity.
39. My government has taken several steps to meet the challenge of
climate change. The National Action Plan on Climate Change is being
operationalised. The Jawahar Lal Nehru National Solar Mission has been
launched with an ambitious target of 20 thousand megawatts of solar
power by 2022.
40. A mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency has been approved, and it
is expected to work towards saving of 10 thousand megawatts of
electricity by the end of the Eleventh Plan.
41. To ensure expeditious and effective disposal of civil cases
relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests, a
National Green Tribunal Bill, 2009 has been introduced.
42. The economy remains critically dependent on oil and gas. After the
near stagnation in production for about a decade, the year 2009-10 is
set to register a major increase, with 20 new oil discoveries.
43. My government is committed to give the aam aadmi maximum access to
gas and petroleum products. A new scheme of rural LPG distribution
namely, 'Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitarak Yojana' has been launched.
44. With a view to meeting the objective of 'Power to All' by 2012, as
stated in the National Electricity Policy, a special effort has been
made to encourage expansion in electricity generation capacity. As a
result, during the Eleventh Five Year Plan we expect to add more than
three times the capacity that was added in the Tenth Plan.
45. My government has announced a quantum jump in the pace of
developing National Highways to reach 20 kilometers a day. Several
policy initiatives have been taken to create an enabling environment.
There is a fresh momentum in the development of National Highways.
46. The Civil Aviation sector could not remain unaffected by the
global slowdown. Our national carrier, Air India, was particularly
badly hit. Steps are being taken for its early rehabilitation under
the careful guidance of a Group of Ministers.
47. The expansion and modernization of airports, especially the four
metro airports, are progressing well. The Delhi airport project would
be fully operational by July, 2010, well in time for the Commonwealth
Games. The Airports Economic Regulatory Authority has been established
to discharge regulatory functions in the airport sector.
48. My government has been implementing the National Maritime
Development Programme which envisages an investment of over Rupees one
lakh crore, including private investment, on identified projects in
the port and shipping sectors. The Indian Maritime University has now
become fully functional with campuses in Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Visakhapatnam and Kochi.
49. The Indian Railways knit this vast country together. My government
is committed to fulfilling a substantial expansion in capacity and
modernisation of railway technology and to increasing the speed of
both passenger and freight trains, while improving safety.
50. Train services have commenced in the entire Kashmir Valley, from
Qazigund to Baramulla, demonstrating the commitment of my government
to the development of all corners of our country. A special North East
Rail Development Fund has been created, to provide assured financing
for nine major national projects in the North Eastern region.
51. The Indian Railways have also commenced work on the ambitious
Dedicated Freight Corridors on the Eastern and Western trunk routes.
This project would help drive India's growth.
52. Government, in partnership with the Government of Japan, has moved
ahead on implementing the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
project. This challenging initiative, embracing six States, will
provide impetus to industrial development in an environmentally
sustainable manner, by providing quality infrastructure, efficient
transportation, reliable energy supplies and efficient logistics.
53. My government is committed to the goal of extending the benefits
of modern communication facilities to rural areas. Financial support
is provided from Universal Service Obligation Fund to provide
infrastructure for rural connectivity. My government has already
initiated action to set up 10 thousand towers in 2010-11 for
connecting remote areas across the country. As against the target of
60 crore telephone connections by 2012, the achievement already
exceeds 57 crore, with an unprecedented addition of nearly 2 crore
connections in the month of December 2009 itself.
54. Mission Clean Ganga, under the aegis of the National Ganga River
Basin Authority is expected to ensure that by the year 2020, no
untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents flow into the
Ganga. This task, to ensure both nirmal dhara and aviral dhara, would
involve collective and coordinated efforts of the Centre and the
States concerned.
Honourable Members,
55. In the inclusive society that we aspire for, people must have
confidence and access to a fair system of justice. Government has
decided to set up a National Mission for the Delivery of Justice and
Legal Reforms aimed at transforming the government into a responsible
and cautious litigant, introducing judicial management, leveraging
information and communication technology to improve court
administration and case management and reducing pendency of arrears.
56. Our quest for good health for all remains a national challenge.
The National Rural Health Mission has stimulated creation of public
healthcare infrastructure. To correspondingly augment the availability
of human resources, many measures like establishment of more medical,
nursing and para-medical institutions in under-served areas, creation
of additional seats for specialists and super-specialists, and
incentivising service by doctors in rural areas, have been initiated.
Early indications reflect the positive impact of this mission.
57. My government responded with alacrity to the Influenza A H1N1
pandemic. More than one crore inbound passengers were screened at
international airports. New H1N1 testing laboratories were set-up, two
crore doses of drugs were distributed to States free of cost, and 15
lakh doses of vaccines have been imported for health workers. For the
first time in our country an indigenous Influenza A H1N1 vaccine is
being developed which will be available this year.
58. My government has undertaken a number of steps to unearth
unaccounted money parked outside India. These include amendment of the
Income-tax Act, 1961 to enable the Central Government to enter into
tax agreements with non-sovereign jurisdictions. Steps have already
been initiated for negotiations for entering into Agreements for the
Exchange of Information with major jurisdictions. Renegotiation of the
Tax Treaty with Switzerland is in process. India is an active part of
the global efforts to facilitate exchange of tax information, and to
take action against tax evasion.
59. Access to news and entertainment must be made affordable and
universal. To this end, in addition to notifying guidelines for
providing Headend in the Sky services, the digitalization of both All
India Radio and Doordarshan is on the anvil. The Commonwealth Games
2010 will be covered in High Definition format by Doordarshan for the
first time. We also take pride that Indian films and music
compositions have got international acclaim and recognition for our
artists.
60. The Unique Identification Authority of India has been established
with a mandate to issue unique identity numbers based on biometrics to
all residents of India. This mammoth and unprecedented exercise will
serve as a great enabler to improve targeting and delivery of major
government welfare programmes and public services, especially to those
who are poor and marginalized. The first set of unique identity
numbers is expected to be issued in the early part of 2011.
61. A Delivery Monitoring Unit (DMU) has been established in the Prime
Minister's Office to review a select number of flagship programmes and
other initiatives. The nodal ministries concerned have begun
publishing DMU reports on their websites on a quarterly basis, to keep
the nation informed of their progress.
62. Government is committed to creating an innovation strategy for
government, industry, entrepreneurs, technologists and academicians
with a focus on inclusive growth and appropriate eco-system necessary
to bring about generational change in our approach to development.
63. The country is hosting the prestigious 19th Commonwealth Games in
October, 2010. Preparations for the event are at an advanced stage.
Every effort will be made to ensure a befitting and successful conduct
of the Games.
Honourable Members,
64. We have played our role in global affairs with responsibility and
in the pursuit of peace, stability and progress in our region and
beyond. Government will continue its active engagement with the world
based upon the principles laid down by our founding fathers, and with
the objective of furthering our goals of rapid and inclusive economic
development and poverty alleviation in an increasingly interdependent
world.
65. The visits to India by the King of Bhutan and the Prime Minister
of Bhutan, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the President of
Maldives, and the President and the Prime Minister of Nepal have given
new content to our traditional ties of friendship with neighbouring
countries. Following the elections in Sri Lanka, we will continue to
work with the Government to enhance our partnership. India will
contribute to the humanitarian and rehabilitation efforts for the
Tamil minority and long term re-construction in conflict-affected
areas. India's assistance to the reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan
witnessed important milestones and we will continue to partner
Afghanistan in its development efforts. India is ready to explore a
meaningful relationship with Pakistan if Pakistan seriously addresses
the threat of terrorism and takes effective steps to prevent terrorist
activities against India.
66. Our relations with the major powers have been further
consolidated. The Prime Minister's visit to the USA laid the framework
for the further expansion of the India-US partnership at the
bilateral, regional and global level. My visit to Russia and the visit
by the Prime Minister have renewed our time-tested friendship and
opened new areas of cooperation. The 10th India - European Union
Summit held in New Delhi was a milestone in our widening partnership
with Europe. Our Strategic and Cooperative Partnership with China
progressively acquired greater regional and global content. The visit
of the Prime Minister of Japan underlined our mutual desire to
accelerate our cooperation in all areas. The Prime Minister attended
the first ever stand-alone summit of the BRIC countries.
67. My government pursued its 'Look East' policy with vigour. The
President of the Republic of Korea was our honoured Chief Guest at the
Republic Day celebrations. Government hosted the President of
Mongolia, and the Prime Ministers of Australia and Malaysia. The
signing of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and the launching of
several new initiatives within the India-ASEAN framework and the East
Asia Summit process will further integrate India into the Asia-Pacific
region.
68. My visit to Tajikistan, and the Prime Minister's presence for the
first time at the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation were
a reflection of government's policy to strengthen the bridges of
friendship and understanding with Central Asia. Relations with Turkey
were strengthened following the visit of the President of Turkey.
69. The Prime Minister's participation in the Non-aligned Summit in
Egypt further consolidated our relations with the developing world. We
will continue to accord special attention to the countries of the Gulf
and West Asia. India's steadfast support to the Palestinian cause was
reiterated during the visit of the President of the Palestinian
National Authority. The visit of the President of Namibia, and the
visit by our Vice President to Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia carried
forward our deepening engagement with the continent of Africa. We will
build upon our steadily expanding cooperation with Latin America.
70. India's views on global challenges such as terrorism, energy and
food security, climate change and the international financial and
economic crisis were unambiguously articulated at the appropriate
fora. The issue of reform of institutions of global governance was
brought to the fore of the international agenda. India's voice was
heard with respect in the G-20 process, the G-8 plus G-5 Summit, and
the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
71. We can take justifiable pride in the contributions made by the
overseas Indian community in all walks of life across the globe which
have earned them high respect. The first meeting of the Prime
Minister's Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians was held this
year. Government will work towards giving Indian citizens living
abroad the opportunity to vote by the time of the next regular general
elections. We are committed to the security and welfare of the Indian
diaspora. An Indian Community Welfare Fund has been established.
72. As part of the ambitious expansion of the country's nuclear energy
programme, approval was accorded for the construction of additional
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors and sites for setting up Light Water
Reactors. Following the availability of imported fuel as a result of
the opening of international civil nuclear cooperation, commercial
production has commenced in two units of the Rajasthan Atomic Power
Project, and one more unit is expected to begin commercial production
soon. New agreements for cooperation in the field of civil nuclear
energy were concluded with Russia, Mongolia, Namibia, Argentina and
the United Kingdom, while others are under negotiation.
73. The space programme continued to provide societal services to the
Nation in the areas of tele-medicine, tele-education and village
resource centres. The Oceansat-2 satellite was successfully launched
onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The flight test of the
GSLV-D3 launch vehicle with indigenous cryogenic stage, and the launch
of the Cartosat-2B, INSAT-3D and Resourcesat-2 satellites are planned
in the near future. The GSLV-Mark III launch vehicle will be further
developed and activities towards the Chandrayaan-2 Mission will be
initiated.
Honourable Members,
74. Our country stands at a historic turning point. Never before were
we so close as we are today to realizing our national aspirations as
envisioned by our founding fathers and spelt out by Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru in this very hall on the midnight of 14th August 1947:
"The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It
means ending poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of
opportunity."
We have taken decisive strides towards reaching these goals. Still,
much remains to be done. The road is long, but our journey is in
progress. Let us march together with confidence to a new, bright
future.
Jai Hind."
sh/lv/dk/kol/13:36 hrs.
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
* * * * * *
Ministry of Civil Aviation
IGRUA gets ISO 9001 : 2008 Certification for Ground Training
New Delhi: February 22, 2010
As a first step with effect from 5 January 2010 the Ground Training
Department of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy (IGRUA) has become
the first Ground Training School in India to be ISO 9001 : 2008
certified. IGRUA is in the process of having its excellence in
imparting flying training certified by the International Standards
Organization and this is the first step in that direction.
Set up in 1985 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil
Aviation, IGRUA commenced operations in 1986 with the primary
objective to meticulously train pilots for entry into the airlines.
The institute carries out Line Oriented Flying Training (LOFT) to
contemporary international standards, mainly conducting courses for
ab-initio undergraduate candidates to Commercial Pilot License (CPL)
standards with Instrument Rating (IR) and Multi-engine Endorsement.
Ministry of Civil Aviation has invested capital in modernizing and
augmenting the ageing fleet and infrastructure of IGRUA and
formalizing a management contract with the global aviation giant CAE
to bring international standardized modern methodology of aviation
training, thereby upgrading the quality of training imparted to
pilots and making it an integral part of CAE Global Academy.
IGRUA has now increased its yearly intake from 45 to 100 students
within a period of 2 years and has reduced its training period from
more than 24 months to 18 months with an aim to further reduce it to
15 months without compromising its quality and standards.
Today IGRUA is an accepted centre of excellence and is India's largest
fully integrated aviation training academy with:-
* Largest training fleet in India comprising 27 aircraft. Of these, 11
are high performance modern avionics equipped single engine aircraft
and 2 are turboprop C 90-A King Air aircraft. 14 DA – 40 aircraft with
the state of the art Garmin 1000 Glass cockpits have also been
operationalised in December 09. Two Diamond DA – 42 aircraft are in
the pipeline further augmenting the multiengine fleet.
* An IGRUA owned airfield with modern navigational aids, three
hangars, fully equipped engineering section, well equipped fire
fighting section and dedicated refueling section.
* Four cockpit procedure trainers, two having Garmin 1000 Glass
cockpit with a panoramic 180 degree projection. One, six axis motion,
C- 90 simulator. One Hawker Sydney Glass cockpit generic trainer
modeled for seven different types of aircraft from single engine to
advance jet airliners.
* A mix of highly experienced flying and ground instructors, with
years of instructional experience.
* An optimum student /instructor/aircraft ratio, maintained with the
strictest adherence to safety on ground and in the air.
* A well equipped modern gym, and area for outdoor games.
* New hostel commissioned in 2009 increasing the capacity to
accommodate 248 boys and 40 girls.
* A self contained residential campus for both students and employees
spread over 167 acres of land.
mc/mk/dk/kol/13:37 hrs.
--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/
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