Ratan Tata gets Lifetime Achievement Award

Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation here for innovation in philanthropy.

The Foundation, celebrating 100 years of global innovation, honoured individuals and institutions with its second annual Innovation Awards in New York.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tata said businesses should be sensitive to the fact that they are making a difference in places where they operate and they have to do things to help the community prosper.

“This is all the more evident in the developing world where disparities are so huge. If the industry is not sensitive to it, they would encourage a backlash to take place and many companies that go overseas are getting to understand the need to do this and those that do not are really hurting the reputation of other industries,” Mr. Tata said.

“When you see in places like Africa and parts of Asia abject poverty, hungry children and malnutrition around you, and you look at yourself as being people who have well being and comforts, I think it takes a very insensitive, tough person not to feel they need to do something,” not just by providing material support but by playing a role in helping give prosperity to the community in which they belong, Mr. Tata added.

He said employees in his organisation have gained a certain spirit of being part of a community in which they operate.

“It has become the DNA of the organisation to play a role in the community,” he added.

Mr. Tata gave the example of a voluntary group in his organisation in which employees get leave from their jobs to help victims of natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes in India.

E-voting made Mandatory by SEBI for Top 500 Listed Companies of BSE & NSE

The capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 26 June 2012 made it mandatory for top 500 listed companies to hold e-voting with an objective to widen shareholder participation in key decisions. SEBI’s decision on e-voting is to be implemented in a phased manner. The implementation will begin by subjecting the top 500 listed companies at the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange based on market capitalization to e-voting. The structural changes like scrutiny of audit reports as well as e-voting are expected to benefit the capital market in the medium term.
SEBI also decided to create a Qualified Audit Report review Committee (QARC) represented by accounting regulator ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India) and stock exchanges. The committee would be responsible for processing qualified annual audit reports filed by the listed entities with stock exchanges. The committee will be expected to study reports where accounting irregularities have been pointed out by Financial Reporting Review Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI-FRRB).
The regulator relaxed norms for Offer For Sale (OFS). OFS is a new route introduced by SEBI in early 2012 to help companies increase their public shareholding. A minimum gap of two weeks between two OFS issuances was permitted by SEBI.
SEBI made it easier for promoters of listed companies to dilute their stake and comply with public holding rules by 2013.As specified by SEBI, private sector companies and also the state-owned corporations is required to have a minimum public holding of 25% by August 2013.
In the SEBI board meeting, the regulator also announced a simpler share auction mechanism that would help listed companies to attract investors. It provided institutional investors with the option of applying for shares either with 100% margin or with a lesser margin to be fixed by stock exchanges. However in case of the lesser margin being fixed by the stock exchange the bids cannot be changed.
With regards to fulfilling public holding norms, the board decided that issuers will be required to disclose the floor price a day before the share auction.  The floor price may or may not be a part of the notice given by companies on the offer. Investors were barred from modifying or cancelling bids during the last 60 minutes from the close of the bidding session in the auction. Exchanges are required to display the indicative price during the last 60 minutes of the close of bidding session irrespective of the book being built.

Global Financial Services Firm Nomura slashed India’s GDP Projection

Nomura, the global financial services firm, on 26 June 2012 slashed the country's growth forecast for the fiscal year 2012-13 to 5.8 per cent, from 6.7 per cent earlier. Nomura also cut down India’s GDP forecast for 2013-14 to 6.6 per cent from the earlier 6.9 per cent.
The government in its budgetary projection of GDP growth, estimated the growth rate to be around 7.6 per cent in the fiscal year 2012-13. India's economic growth rate slipped to 6.5 per cent in 2011-12, while it had registered 8.4 per cent growth in the previous two financial years.
The global financial services firm also hiked fiscal deficit forecast for India to 5.8 per cent of GDP in the current fiscal from 5.2 per cent. Government in its budget projections aimed fiscal deficit to bring down to 5.1 per cent in 2012-13 from 5.76 per cent in the previous fiscal.

Indian Railways and IIT-Kanpur developed the Real-Time Train Running Information System

A joint team of Indian railways and IIT-Kanpur developed the real-time train running information system, a technology which will help a mobile user to get the information about the exact location of a train. Under the new technology the user will have to type the train number and SMS it to 09415139139 or 09664139139 for getting the exact location of a train on real-time basis.
The satelite-based train tracking system was jointly developed by the Centre For Railway Information Systems (CRIS), the IT arm of Indian railways and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur to overcome the limitations of the existing Train Running Information System.

At present the real-time train running information system service covers 36 pairs of premier trains. Some of the trains which have been provided with the new technology include Mumbai Rajdhani, Howrah Rajdhani, Dibrugarh Rajdhani, Sealdah Duronto and Shatabdi trains for Bhopal, Kanpur and Amritsar.
The Indian Railway has allocated 121 crore rupees for the project and the service is likely to be extended to all major trains over the next 18 months. The Indian Railways has received the permission from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to operate the system through its satellite. The railways department, however, sought fresh order from ISRO, to extend the facility to other major trains.

World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand roped as Brand Ambassador of TVH

Real estate developer True Value Homes (TVH) on 26 June 2012 signed World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand as brand ambassador for all its new projects for promoting its project across the World. TVH will be the first South Indian company to be associated with Anand.  Previously, Anand was connected with NIIT from last 13 years.
TVS has number of projects for Chennai and Coimbatore which was expanding Viswanathan presence in the south. The new project of TVH Quadrant was launched on 25 June 2012 by Ravichandran, chairman of TVH. Quadrant is 600 crore rupees super premium 18-storied project at Advar. It consists of 100 units with 2.2 acres. The project would likely to be completed in 3 years.The project has the separate sports facilities for chess and other games. The company is also planning to take chess to schools and organise annual tournaments.
Viswanathan Anand is the current World Chess Champion. He was awarded by Padma Vibhushan in 2007. He also awarded by Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991-92. He was the first player in chess history who won the World Championship in three different formats: knockout, tournament and match.

Rio+20 summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio+20 summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The heads of 172 states and government marked their presence at the conference. The basic theme of the conference was Green economy in the context of sustainable development poverty eradication and institutional framework for sustainable development. The world famous beaches Copacabana and Ipanema lies in this beautiful city of the world.

Russia completes India’s submarine modernisation programme

The INS Sindhurakshak submarine came off the slips at the Zvezdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk on Saturday, marking the completion of a mid-life refit programme for the Indian Navy’s Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines in Russia.

During a two-year in-depth modernisation the torpedo-firing INS Sindhurakshak, built in 1997, has been equipped with the tube-launched Club-S cruise missiles effective against surface vessels and submarines at a range of about 200 km. It has also been provided with some Indian-made systems, including a hydro-acoustic "USHUS" complex, a CCS-MK radio-communication system and Porpoise Electronic Support Measures. After going through sea trials and firing tests the submarine will be handed over to the Indian Navy later this year.

The INS Sindhurakshak is the seventh and the last of the 10 Kilo-class submarines that India bought from Russia between 1986 and 2000 to have undergone mid-term repairs and modernisation in Russia. Of the remaining three submarines one was repaired in India and the two others are currently under repair in India.

Even as Russia prepares to deliver the last retrofitted submarine to India, Russia’s top shipbuilding official has come up with the idea of a second mid-life repair of the Indian Navy’s Kilo-class submarines.

“A second repair will add another 5 to 7 or even 10 years to the submarines’ scheduled 20-year service life,” said Andrei Dyachkov, Director General of Sevmash shipyard, who is expected to take over as the head of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, which controls 70 per cent of Russia’s s shipbuilding assets, next month. “This will help the Indian Navy maintain its submarine strength in view of delays in the induction of French-built Scorpene subs and in floating a tender for six more diesel-electric submarines,” he said.

The Indian Navy issued Request For Information (RFIs) under the P-75 (I) project way back in 2008. However, it is yet to open a global tender for the submarines. Russia is expected to take part in the tender with its new Amur-1650 submarines, along with France’s Scorpio, Germany’s Type-214 and Spain’s S-80 submarines.

Mr. Dyachkov, who also heads the Rubin Naval Design Bureau, which designed the Amur-1650, thinks the Russian submarine stands a good chance of winning the Indian tender. 

The Amur-1650 makes far less noise than the Kilo-class submarines, which the NATO nicknamed “Black Holes” for their stealth qualities.

The shipbuilder denied media reports that said Russia was trying to have the demand for the submarines to have onboard Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system removed from the tender requirements.

Raja Pervez is PPP’s candidate for the Pakistan’s PM

Former IT Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf has been nominated as the candidate for the post of Prime Minister by the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Earlier, Pakistan’s court had issued an arrest warrant for PPP’s first choice for the post of PM, Makhdoom Shahabuddin over a drugs scandal. Raja Parvez Ashraf served as the information technology minister of Pakistan until the Supreme Court dismissed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. The Lower House of the Pakistani Parliament has been summoned to vote for the new PM.

Indian cities to house nearly 85 crore people by 2050: Study

With growing urbanisation in India, nearly 85 crore people are estimated to live in cities across the country by 2050, a latest report by industry chamber CII and realty consultant Jones Lang LaSalle said.

According to the report, urbanisation in India is growing at the fastest rate among the BRIC nations, putting a pressure on the cities.

"India is witnessing urbanisation on an unprecedented scale with the share of the urban population increasing from 28 per cent in 2001 to 31 per cent in 2011," said the report, Indian Realty -- Through the Looking Glass.

The study said that as per United Nations estimates, India has the highest urban population rate of change among the BRIC nations.

"At this rate, an estimated 843 million people will live in Indian cities by 2050, a figure which is the combined population of present day USA, Brazil, Russia, Japan and Germany," it added.

Due to the extreme rate of urbanisation, the country's face is changing with the fast evolving skylines, mainly in the cities, filling with skyscrapers and different types of architectures.

"Meanwhile, the smaller towns and cities are witnessing a metamorphosis through the expansion of roads and flyovers, real estate development and open areas," the report said.

The report, prepared by JLL for CII, also said the rapid urbanisation is expected to offer large-scale opportunities for real estate and infrastructure development in the cities as well as access to a large skilled workforce.

In this light of rapid urbanisation, the report also highlighted another fact of gradually decreasing the average age of Indian population.

"It is estimated that in 2020, the average age in India will be only 29 years compared with 37 in China and the United States, 45 in Western Europe and 48 in Japan, providing immense opportunities for growth and development across industries wanting to reap this demographic dividend," it added.

Currently, nearly 64 per cent of the Indian population is in the 15-64 working age-group and 35 per cent is in the 15-34 years age-group.

The growth in opportunities due to this rising young population will increase employment, leading to a rise in disposable incomes and consumption expenditure.

"Increases in consumption will further drive the growth of the manufacturing, retail, residential and commercial sectors," it added.

Study finds permafrost thaw, glacier melt releasing methane

Methane from underground reservoirs is streaming from thawing permafrost and receding glaciers, contributing to the greenhouse gas load in the atmosphere, a study led by scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has found.

The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, is the first to document leakage of deep geologic methane from warming permafrost and receding glaciers.

Release of methane into the atmosphere from any source is troubling because methane has far more potent greenhouse powers than carbon dioxide, climate scientists say. Methane has more than 20 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide.

Scientists have speculated about such methane releases and modelling has predicted that it would happen as the cryosphere—the earth’s layer of ice and frozen ground— softens and melts.

The leaking geologic methane comes from such sources as underground coal beds and conventional natural gas reservoirs. Those are fossil fuels that energy companies target in drilling operations.It, however, differs from the methane streaming from decaying plant and animal matter at the bottom of warming Alaska lakes.

ITBP team scales Mount Everest

On May 19, 2012, a six-member team of the Indo-Tibetan border Police (ITBP) scaled Mount Everest. The attempt was part of the golden jubilee celebration of the ITBP.

The ITBP had scaled the Everest three times earlier but this was the first time they plan to ski down from the Chinese side to create a world record. More than 15 attempts to ski down the Everest from the Chinese side have failed in the past owing to various reasons and in order to keep a record of this expedition, the ITBP team would be wearing camera-mounted helmets specially procured from Japan.

The world’s tallest tower

The world’s tallest tower and Tokyo’s biggest new landmark is the Tokyo Sky Tree, which opened to the public on May 22, 2012.It is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest tower (634 metres), beating out the Canton Tower in China (600 meters). The world’s tallest structure is Dubai’s Burj Khalifa (828 meters). The Sky Tree will serve as a broadcast tower for television and radio, along with being a tourist attraction.

NSSO households Survey

According to the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) study, just 3.5 households per 1,000 families had access to Internet services at home in rural areas in 2009-10.However, in urban areas, Internet connectivity was much better at 59.5 families out of every 1,000 households.Maharashtra was on top with 104 out of 1,000 families having Internet in cities, followed by Kerala and Himachal Pradesh at 95 each and Haryana at 81.5.The penetration of digital services was highest in rural areas in Goa with 50 out of 1,000 households having Internet connection. Kerala came next with 34 families having such a facility at home.

G-8 Summit

The G-8 Summit was held on May 18-19, 2012, at Camp David, USA. This is the first G8 summit which the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin did not attend. Dmitry Medvedev, the Prime Minister of Russia attended instead.

The summit was intended as a venue for resolving differences among its members. As a practical matter, the summit was also conceived as an opportunity for its members to give each other mutual encouragement.
Traditionally, the host country of the G8 summit sets the agenda for negotiations, which take place primarily amongst multi-national civil servants known informally as “sherpas”.

The agenda for the 38th G-8 summit included some issues which remain unresolved from previous summits. For example, leaders at the G8 Summit in L’Aquila supported post-2012 plans for accelerating emissions reductions in aviation. Other issues were the effort to tackle a global hunger crisis and the European sovereign debt crisis, particularly following the fall of talks to form a Greek government following an election.

In its declaration the G-8 agreed “that all of our governments need to take actions to boost confidence and nurture recovery including reforms to raise productivity, growth and demand within a sustainable, credible and non-inflationary macroeconomic framework. We commit to fiscal responsibility and, in this context, we support sound and sustainable fiscal consolidation policies that take into account countries' evolving economic conditions and underpin confidence and economic recovery.”

The G-8 leaders also stated in the declaration that they agreed on the importance of a strong and cohesive euro-zone for global stability and recovery, and affirmed their interest in Greece remaining in the euro-zone while respecting its commitments. However, disagreement over economic growth favoured by France’s President François Hollande and fiscal responsibility favoured by Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel also reflected in the G-8 summit declaration where the G-8 members stated, “The global economic recovery shows signs of promise, but significant headwinds persist. Against this background, we commit to take all necessary steps to strengthen and reinvigorate our economies and combat financial stresses, recognizing that the right measures are not the same for each of us.”

The G-8 leaders also discussed the nuclear program of Iran, North Korea's nuclear ambitions and the violent internal conflict in Syria. They agreed that Iran must prove that its nuclear programme is peaceful and that North Korea will be further isolated if it “continues down the path of provocation”. There was consensus among the G-8 that the Kofi Annan peace plan for Syria must be fully implemented.

The G8 also discussed the political transition in Burma. In this context President Obama said: “On a brighter note, we had the opportunity to discuss Burma, and all of us are hopeful that the political process and transition and transformation that is beginning to take place there takes root.”

The G-8 States also committed themselves to a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition with African leaders and the private sector whose target it is to lift 50 million people from poverty within 10 years.

NATO Summit 2012

Leaders from around the world gathered in Chicago on May 20-21, 2012, for the NATO  summit, hosted by President Barack Obama.  This was the first time ever that a NATO summit was held in the United States outside of the nation's capital, Washington.

As NATO countries and those providing transit facilities to supplies for coalition forces in Afghanistan charted the post-2014 course in Chicago, they acknowledged that lasting peace in the strife-torn country would not be possible without the positive engagement of Pakistan.
The summit declaration at the Chicago Conference said: “The countries in the region, particularly Pakistan, have important roles in ensuring enduring peace, stability and security in Afghanistan and in facilitating the completion of the transition process.”

The summit declaration itself reflected the continuing deadlock between NATO and Pakistan over the reopening of the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC/NATO supply lines).

The failure to arrive at an agreement on the conditions for the transit facility—particularly the cost of moving the shipment from Karachi to Afghanistan through Pakistan—spawned reports in the American media that U.S. President Barack Obama had refused to meet his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari for a bilateral engagement at Chicago.

The NATO countries also reiterated their resolve to remain engaged with Afghanistan after 2014 when the country enters what Mr. Karzai described as the transformational decade. Stating that NATO would continue to provide strong and long-term political and practical support through “our Enduring Partnership with Afghanistan”, the declaration articulates member countries’ willingness to work toward establishing “at the request” of Afghanistan a new “post-2014 mission of a different nature” to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces, including the Afghan Special Operations Forces.

G-20 Summit 2012 Declaration

The seventh meeting of the G-20 heads of government known as Mexico Summit was held in Los Cabos. The ongoing difficulties posed by the eurozone crisis took centre stage in the G-20 leaders. While other subjects, such as food security and green growth - were also addressed in the final leaders’ declaration. The summit has ended with a declaration against protectionism and for growth. During the summit the Euro Area members of the G20 pledged to take all necessary policy measures to safeguard the integrity and stability of the area, improve the functioning of financial markets and break the feedback loop between sovereigns and banks. Further Euro Area members committed to foster intra Euro Area adjustment through structural reforms to strengthen competitiveness in deficit countries and to promote demand and growth in surplus countries. The European Union members of the G20 are determined to move forward expeditiously on measures to support growth including through completing the European Single Market and making better use of European financial means, such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), pilot project bonds, and structural and cohesion funds, for more targeted investment, employment, growth and competitiveness, while maintaining the firm commitment to implement fiscal consolidation to be assessed on a structural basis. All G20 members pledged to take the necessary actions to strengthen global growth and restore confidence as strong, sustainable and balanced growth leads to higher job creation and increment in the welfare of people across. All G20 members have put forward structural reform commitments to strengthen and sustain global demand, foster job creation, contribute to global rebalancing and increase growth potential. These include product market reforms to increase competition, measures to stabilize the housing sector, labour market reforms to boost competitiveness and employment, as well as steps to strengthen social safety nets in a way that is fiscally responsible, advance tax reform to raise productivity, increase investment in infrastructure, and promote inclusive green growth and sustainable development as appropriate to country circumstances. The members reaffirmed their commitments for appropriate changes in labor market measures to create jobs with labor rights, social security coverage and decent income to enhance social inclusion and reduce poverty. Further the members also committed to intensify efforts to strengthen cooperation in education, skills development and training policies, including internship and on-the-job training, which support a successful school-to-work transition. Recognizing the importance of trade to boost up the economy of the nations, the members firmly committed to open trade and investment, expanding markets and resisting protectionism in all its forms, which are necessary conditions for sustained global economic recovery, jobs and development. Thus pledged to support strengthening process of the WTO by improving the way it conducts its regular business, and its dispute settlement system. The members committed to increase the resources of IMF which will enhance the IMF’s role in crisis prevention and resolution. These resources will be available for the whole membership of the IMF, and not earmarked for any particular region. These resources, which qualify as reserve assets, would be channeled through bilateral loans and investments such as note purchase agreements to the IMF’s General Resources Account under the modalities which have been approved by the IMF Executive Board. The Action Plan on Food Price Volatility and Agriculture adopted by the Ministers of Agriculture in 2011 underlined that to feed a world population expected to exceed 9.3 billion by 2050; agricultural production will have to increase between 50 and 70 percent, and by almost 100 percent in developing countries. Thus to fight hunger, members committed to continue r initiatives such as the Tropical Agriculture Platform, the Platform for Agricultural Risk Management, the GEO Global Agriculture Monitoring, research initiatives for wheat, rice and corn, the Rapid Response Forum, regional emergency food reserves, the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program and support for the Principles of Responsible Agriculture Investment. Further they committed to remove export restrictions and extraordinary taxes on food purchased for non-commercial humanitarian purposes by the World Food Programme (WFP). The members also committed to take steps to deal with the growing problem of corruption and money laundering.

Second Geoscience Advisory Council (GAC) meeting

The second meeting of the Geoscience Advisory Council (GAC) held under the chairmanship of  Dinsha J.Patel, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Mines here today. While addressing the meeting the Minister stressed the importance of mineral resources that play a key role for economic development. The Minister expressed his concern about the scarcity of water which is vital for the well being of the society. He said that Geoscience community should address to the additional availability of water resource.

The Minister also urged scientific community for exploring deep-seated mineral deposits. He desired the members of the council to deliberate on the terms of references of the council and come up with innovative suggestions to guide the Geosciences activities of the country.

The Secretary Shri Vishwapati Trivedi in his address stressed on the relevance of a common forum to bring together the scientific institutions engaged in varied geoscientific activities for the advancement of geosciences for the benefit of humankind. He said that one of the foremost objectives of the GAC is to explore opportunities for long term strategic partnerships or cooperative arrangements with Central and State Ministries, Institutions, Universities and Private sector. In his address, the Secretary also emphasized the issues of exploring new areas of R&D, data management and sharing, environment, augmentation of natural resources and popularizing geosciences among the masses.

The Geoscience Advisory Council (GAC) is the highest policy planning forum to advise the Ministry of Mines and the Geological Survey of India in the matters of Earth Sciences. The Council comprises of Secretary level officials of the Govt. of India and Head of Departments of Governmental organizations and nominated experts who have long standing experience in various disciplines of Earth Sciences. The Council is expected to provide direction for framing concrete policies and appropriate road map for implementing the same.

Various GAC members like Dr.A.K.Singhvi, Prof.Mihir Deb, Prof. S.K.Tandon, Dr.Anupendu Gupta and representatives from different Ministries and Departments expressed their expert opinion on the lines of the Terms of References of the GAC for taking further crystallizing the mandate of GAC.

2012-13 is year of youth & tribal festivals

Nagaland governor Nikhil Kumar announced that the state government has decided to declare the year 2012-2013 as 'Year of Youth-cum-Tribal Festivals'. During the R-Day celebrations at the Civil Secretariat Plaza, Kohima on Thursday, he said, "Road shows hosted by the tribal hohos and the district's planning and development in PPP mode assisted by relevant government departments will be a part of the youth-cum-tribal festivals. This string of district festivals will culminate in the State Youth-cum-Tribal Festival in Dimapur."

The Nuclear Threat Initiative

THE Economist Intelligence Unit, our sister organisation, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative, an NGO, have produced an index that ranks countries by the security of their nuclear materials. The chart below shows the 32 countries that possess over one kilogram of nuclear material suitable for use in weapons by their ability to keep the stuff safely locked up. (The index does not assess low-enriched uranium or materials for making "dirty bombs".) Britain is ranked best out of countries with nuclear weapons; nuclear-armed nations tend to have lower scores mainly because they have big stocks of nuclear materials held in many locations. So far 19 countries, plus Taiwan, have given up weapons-grade materials.

The NTI Nuclear Materials Security Index is meant to be a measure of how vulnerable those stocks are to theft by terrorists or criminal groups. It is also intended to provide a baseline for assessing progress in locking those stockpiles up, ahead of the next Nuclear Security Summit, due in Seoul at the end of March.
The authors insist this is about establishing an objective view of the work still to be done to meet Barack Obama's ambitious goal to secure the global stockpiles by 2014. This is not about "naming and shaming" they insist. But if you publish a list comparisons are going to be made.

The project ranks the 32 states which possess more than a kilogram of highly enriched uranium (HEU) or plutonium, according to some weighed criteria: how much stuff they have and in how many places; the security and control measures in place; to what extent they stick to global norms and agreements on nuclear security; the domestic political will and capacity to enforce those norms, and the fragility of their societies including the level of corruption.

No surprises about the bottom three when it comes to the overall score. North Korea is worse, then Pakistan and Iran (which has about 7 kg of spent HEU fuel stored at the Tehran Research Reactor). Vietnam, which also has research reactor fuel and a shaky infrastructure to protect it, is next.
The next group from the bottom is more noteworthy. India is 28th out of the 32 nuclear material states, China is 27th and Israel is 25th, below Russia and other former Soviet republics previously thought to be the worst threats in terms of nuclear security.

It seems that while Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine have taken significant steps in improving security at their nuclear sites, India, China and Israel have all been marked down for their lack of transparency when it comes to their nuclear holdings (which in Israel's case, reflects the official policy of ambiguity) and their failure to sign up to international agreements governing nuclear security.
On the top end of the scale, Australia is the winner for having very little material and for running a tight ship. The UK scores top for 'global norms' and ranks highly for general stewardship, but is ranked bottom for 'quantities and sites' because it not only has an arsenal but is also in the fuel reprocessing business, which is boosting the country's plutonium stocks. Overall Britain comes tenth, tied with Germany and Canada.

India ranks 55th on foreign money in Swiss banks

Indians' money in Swiss banks may have risen for the first time in five years, but they account for a meagre 0.14 percent of total foreign wealth deposited there -- putting India at 55th place globally for such funds.

The total overseas funds in Switzerland's banking system stood at 1.53 trillion Swiss francs (about Rs 90 trillion) at the end of 2011, which included 2.18 billion Swiss francs (Rs 12,700 crore) belonging to Indian individuals and entities.

While India accounted for only 0.14 percent of total foreign money in Swiss banks, the UK accounted for the largest share of little over 20 percent, followed closely by the US with about 18 percent.

As per the latest data disclosed by Swiss National Bank (SNB), Switzerland's central bank, India is now ranked 55th in terms of funds belonging to overseas clients in Swiss banks.

Among the top-ranked jurisdictions, the UK and the US were followed by West Indies, Jersey, Germany, Bahamas, Guernsey, Luxembourg, Panama and France, Hong Kong, Cayman Islands, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Saudi Arabia and United Arab of Emirates.

The SNB data shows that the quantum of money held by Indians in the Swiss banking system rose for the first time in five years during 2011.

These official figures, described by SNB as 'liabilities' of Swiss banks towards their clients from various countries, do not indicate towards the quantum of the much-debated alleged black money held by Indians or other nationals in the safe havens of Switzerland.

Also, SNB's figures do not include the money that Indians or other nationals might have in Swiss banks in others' names.

The total funds held by Indian individuals and entities include 2.025 billion Swiss francs held directly by them and 158 million held through 'fiduciaries' or wealth managers.

Fiduciaries are essentially wealth fund managers who hold the money of Indian private holders and families in the so-called numbered accounts.

The Swiss banks' direct liabilities towards clients from India include funds held in savings and deposit accounts by Indian individuals, financial institutions and corporates.

India is ranked 55th in terms of only direct deposits as well, while it is placed much lower at 76th rank for fiduciary funds, where the top-ranked jurisdictions include West Indies, Panama, UK, Saudi Arabia, Bahamas, Liberia, Cayman Islands, UAE, Turkey, Russia, Germany and the US.

Pakistan is ranked higher than India at 52nd place in terms of fiduciary funds (355 million (rpt) million Swiss francs), but lower at 60th for total money (2.12 billion Swiss francs).

While the funds belonging to Indians rose by about Rs 3,500 crore last year, the total foreign money there rose by about Rs two lakh crore (more than 36 billion Swiss francs).

The quantum of funds held by Indians in Swiss banks had last increased in 2006 by about one billion Swiss francs to 6.5 billion Swiss francs (over Rs 40,000 crore), but fell to less than one-third by the end of 2010.

In a White Paper on black money tabled in Parliament last month, the government had also said that Swiss banks' total liabilities towards Indians have been coming down and fell by more than Rs 14,000 crore between 2006 and 2010.

Amid allegations of Indians stashing huge amounts of illicit wealth abroad, including in Swiss banks, the government says it is making various efforts to bring back the unaccounted money.

As per SNB data, funds held by Indians directly in the Swiss banks increased by about 370 million Swiss francs to 2.025 billion Swiss francs (Rs 11,800 crore) in 2011.

On the other hand, the funds held through 'fiduciaries' nearly halved to 158 million Swiss francs (about Rs 900 crore) in 2011 -- marking the fifth straight year of decline.

The experts have been saying that there has been a "perceptible flight of funds" of Indian holders from Swiss banks to other places in the recent years.

The foreign capital-friendly regulations in places like Mauritius and Dubai were possibly being exploited by those seeking to move their funds away from Swiss banks, which have come under strict scrutiny of late.

At the same time, the global pressure has been rising on Switzerland to ask its banks to share information about their clients with foreign governments.

It is suspected that Indians having illicit wealth in Swiss banks may be moving their funds in fear of being exposed due to growing scrutiny. At the same time, even those having legitimate funds in Swiss banks may be moving away, due to a growing level of negativity attached to them.

The countries placed above India in terms of total funds in Swiss banks also include Ireland, Spain, Israel, Canada, Brazil, Greece, China, Egypt, Thailand, Philippines, South Korea and New Zealand. Those ranked below India include Qatar, South Africa, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kenya, Nigeria and Iran.

India is world's sixth most innovative country: Survey

India has been ranked the sixth most "innovative" country in the world in multinational conglomerate GE's Annual Global Innovation Barometer, driven by financial support from public authorities and long-term support from investors.

The report, based on a survey of 2,800 senior business executives in 22 countries, including 200 respondents in India, identifies the top enablers for innovation in the country as talent ('creative' talent and people with technical expertise), financial support from public authorities and long-term support from investors.

When asked to identify the three countries they consider "innovation champions", 65 percent of the global respondents identified the US, followed by Germany (48 percent), Japan (45 percent), China (38 percent), Korea (13 percent) and India (12 percent).

"Creating conditions for meaningful innovation requires the right blend of internal and external factors that can readily be adapted to meet individual market and customer needs," GE Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer Beth Comstock said.

Only 12 percent of the global respondents identified India as one of the top three innovation champions, compared to 23 percent of Indian respondents.

The report indicates a 'balanced' perception of the environment for innovation in the country, with respondents more satisfied with private investment and government support for innovation.

However, intellectual property protection and research and development partnerships with academic universities were cited as the key challenges to creating an innovation-friendly environment in the country.

The report said that 36 percent of the Indian respondents in the survey expected 'large business' to drive most of the innovation over the next decade -- compared to 27 percent in an earlier survey -- while 35 percent believed small and medium enterprises would be the most innovative.

In terms of sectors, energy, followed by healthcare, telecommunication and FMCG, were the areas with the most innovation-driven growth potential, according to the survey.

A resounding 83 percent of the Indian respondents believed that innovation must meet local market requirements.

While India respondents to the survey shared their global peers' view that "great" innovation would address human needs -- rather than reaping profits -- only 78 percent of them said that great innovation brings value to society as a whole, compared to 84 percent globally.

Furthermore, only 17 percent of the Indian respondents agreed that a combination of players partnering together would drive innovation in the next decade, against the global average of 38 percent.

India ranks 125th in Environment Performance Index

India ranks a low 125 in the Environment Performance report of the prestigious Yale University, which should be a wake-up call to Indian political leaders at all level, its officials said.
"India's low rank on the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) should be a wake-up call to Indian political leaders at all levels," said Daniel C Esty, Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy.

Green Economy

Celebrated annually on 5 June, World Environment Day aims at creating worldwide awareness and encourages political attention and action on environmental issues. World Environment Day thematic celebrations have in the past included caring for the earth and water,  ozone layer, climate change, desertification and sustainable development, etc.

World Environment Day was founded by the UN in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme and also of World Environment Day (WED), and 20 years since the first UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Earth Summit) in Brazil.

Why Celebrate World Environment Day?

When we see or experience the negative effects of climate change and environmental degradation, it is easy to blame others - for not prioritizing environmental policy; corporate organizations for raising issues like greenhouse gas emissions; NGOs for not lobbying strongly enough for the environment; and individuals for not taking action. World Environment Day however is a day we put aside our differences and instead celebrate the achievements we've made towards protecting the environment.

By celebrating World Environment Day, we remind ourselves and others of the importance of caring for our environment. World Environment Day is celebrated around the world in many ways, including street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, recycling efforts, clean-up campaigns and much more. The 2012 theme for World Environment Day is Green Economy: Does it include you?

In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.  Practically speaking, a Green Economy is one whose growth in income and employment is driven by public and private investments that reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems. If the Green Economy is about social equity and inclusiveness, then, technically it is all about us.

The Green Economy touches almost every aspect of our lives and concerns our development. It is about sustainable energy, green jobs, low carbon economies, green policies, green buildings, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, industry, energy efficiency, sustainable tourism, sustainable transport, waste management, water efficiency and all other resource efficiency. These are all elements involved in the successful implementation of a green economy.

The world today is facing a mounting crisis and in recent years we have experienced a combination of a global financial crisis, a food crisis, volatile oil prices, degradation of ecosystem and an unprecedented  climate changes. These inter-related crises challenge the ability of  human population to live peacefully and sustainably on this planet, and demand  urgent attention of governments and citizens around the world. More importantly, as countries across the globe emerge from deep economic recession, it emphasizes the need for a Green Economy that addresses social equity. 

What can be done?

Buildings

Construction and buildings take a large toll on resources and climate. Energy audit can reduce your building's climate footprint and lead to significant savings in energy costs.

Fisheries

Overfishing in many parts of the world threatens to deplete future fish stocks. We can avoid this by working to promote sustainable fishing practices.  Choose sustainably harvested seafood.

Forestry

Deforestation accounts for close to 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainably managed forests can continue to support communities and ecosystems without damaging environment and climate. Use electronic files to reduce your demand for paper products. When you support certified sustainable forest products, you support a healthy environment and sustainable livelihoods.

Transport

Riding alone in your car isn't just environmentally and economically inefficient, it's lonely! Car-pooling or taking public transport reduces environmental impacts and economic costs while strengthening community. Walking or riding a bike for short trips is good for your health - and the environment's, too! When you choose alternative transportation methods, you support a Green Economy in the transport sector.

Water

Billions of people worldwide lack access to clean drinking water or improved sanitation services - and population growth will worsen the problem. Taking small steps towards wise water use can help conserve this precious resource. Turn off the tap when you're not using it, wait until you have a full load to run your washing machine, limit shower time, and don't water your lawn right after a rain. Resource efficiency is key to a Green Economy and water is one of our most important resources.

Agriculture

The world’s population stands at 7 billion and may rise to more than 9 billion by 2050.  This means greater pressure on already crowded cities – where more than half of all people now live – and on natural resources, as demand for food, water and energy rises. It's time to support sustainable agriculture to ensure our ability to feed everyone. Grow your own vegetables, and shop at local farmers' markets. When you buy local, organic, and sustainable food products, you send a message to producers that you support a Green Economy for agriculture.

Energy

The current mainstream energy sources - oil, coal, gas, etc. - are not only harmful to health and environment, they're not sustainable in a world of growing energy needs. You can support the development of clean, renewable energy by choosing businesses and products that invest in them - or by investing in them yourself. While we work towards a transition to renewable energy, consider ways to improve your personal energy efficiency. Turn off lights and unplug appliances when you are not using them.                                        

Waste

Recycling appropriate materials and composting food waste reduces the demand on our natural resources.

In this significant year for the environment and sustainable development, the world leaders will once again meet at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development twenty years after the historic Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992.

Sustainability entails providing opportunity for all by balancing the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development.  We have to rebut the myth that there is conflict between economic health and environment.  With right policies and the right investments, we can protect our environment, grow our economy, generate employment and accelerate social progress.

Moving towards a green economy has the potential to achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty on an unprecedented scale, with speed and effectiveness. It requires world leaders, civil society and industry to collaboratively work towards this transition. It will also need a sustained effort on the part of policy makers and citizens to rethink and redefine traditional measures of wealth, prosperity and well-being.

Major Incentives in Scholarship Schemes for Minorities

The Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities is an initiative of the Government to bring the people of minority classes in the mainstream of development.

 This Programme for the Welfare of Minorities was announced in June, 2006 under the Ministry of Minority Affairs to ensure a more focused approach towards issues relating to the minorities. The purpose was to facilitate the formulation of overall policy and planning, coordination, evaluation and review of the regulatory framework and development programmes for the benefit of the minority communities.

An important aim of the new programme is to ensure that the benefits of various government schemes for the underprivileged reach the disadvantaged sections of the minority communities. In order to ensure that the benefits of these schemes flow equitably to the minorities, the new programme envisages location of a certain proportion of development projects in minority concentration areas. It also provides that, wherever possible, 15 percent of targets and outlays under various schemes should be earmarked for the minorities.

The objectives of the programme are: Enhancing opportunities for education; Ensuring an equitable share for minorities in economic activities and employment, through existing and new schemes; enhanced credit support for self-employment and recruitment to State and Central Government jobs; Improving the living conditions of minorities by ensuring an appropriate share for them in infrastructure development schemes; and Prevention and control of communal disharmony and violence.

Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

Scholarship Schemes for Students of Minority Communities

Three scholarship schemes for minority communities namely, pre-matric scholarship from class-I to X, post-matric scholarship from class XI to PhD and merit-cum-means scholarship for technical and professional courses at under-graduate and post-graduate levels have been launched. It is felt that the scholarship will encourage parents from minority communities for educating their children. The scheme will form the foundation for their educational attainment and provide a level playing field in the competitive employment arena. Empowerment through education, which is one of the objectives of this scheme, has the potential to lead to upliftment of the socio economic conditions of the minority communities.

Scholarships are awarded to the students who have secured not less than 50 percent marks in the previous final examination and annual income of their parents/guardian from all sources does not exceed Rs 1 lakh and 2 lakh for school and higher education respectively. 30 percent of scholarships are earmarked for girl students. In case sufficient number of eligible girl students is not available, then the balance earmarked scholarships may be awarded to eligible boy students. As the number of scholarships for minorities available in a year is fixed and limited it is necessary to lay down preference for selection giving weightage to poverty rather than marks.

Another scheme of merit-cum-means based scholarship to students belonging to minority communities is to enable them to pursue professional and technical courses. Every year 20000 scholarships are distributed among the students of minority communities throughout the country.

Online Scholarship Management System (OSMS)

An Online Scholarship Management System (OSMS) for merit-cum-means based

scholarship scheme has been introduced as a pilot project from the current financial year i.e. 2011-12 through the website of the Ministry of Minority Affairs www.minorityaffairs.gov.in. Students may apply online. For this they should visit the website through URL www.momascholarship.gov.in. The OSMS has proved to be useful, both from the user and the stakeholder point of view. This is the first time that in a Government Scholarship Scheme such a system has been introduced.

Significant Achievements in Minority Affairs

In pursuance with the recommendations of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM), the Government have carved out a sub-quota of 4.5 percent effective from 1st January, 2012 for backward classes of minorities from out of 27 percent quota of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This reservation is available to those minority communities who are included in the Central list of OBC published by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment from time to time. The reservation will be for the Central Government jobs and services and also admissions to Central Government educational institutions.

For educationally empowering minority communities, the Ministry of Minority Affairs within a short span of four years in the 11th Plan, have awarded more than One crore scholarships to minorities, out of which 50.34 percent has been awarded to girls students. Among other achievements during the year 2011-12, 29.23 lakh pre-matric scholarships were awarded of which 53.80 percent went to girl students; 4.38 lakh post-matric scholarships were awarded of which 55.65 percent went to girl students ; and 29579 Merit-cum- Means scholarships were awarded of which 38.06 percent went to girl students.

 Increased Budget

Union Budget 2012-13 has provided major incentives for the uplift of students of minority communities. The outlay for scholarship schemes for the students belonging to the Minorities has been increased significantly. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has got an outlay of Rs. 3,135 crore as Central Plan Outlay in the Union General Budget 2012-13. This is an increase of Rs. 385 crore over the Revised Budget Estimates for the FY 2011-12 (which stands at Rs. 2,750 crore).

Provision for Pre-Matric Scholarship has been increased from Rs. 540 crore to Rs. 810 crore;  Post-Matric Scholarship gets Rs. 450 crore – up from Rs. 405 crore; Merit-cum-means Scholarship scheme gets Rs. 198 crore - as against Rs. 126 crore in the Revised Budget Estimates for the 2011-12. Provision for Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority students has been enhanced from Rs. 47 crore to Rs. 63 crore.

New Initiatives

The Budget 2012-13 also provides Rs. 4.50 crore for a new scheme to provide free cycles to girl students of class IX with the objective of retention of minority girl students from class IX onwards.

Another new scheme of Skill Development Initiatives has been provided Rs. 18 crore in the Budget to allow urban and rural livelihoods to improve for inclusive growth by providing skill to the Minority communities who do not posses any, to allow them to gain employment.

Rs. 45 crore each have been provided for Scheme for promotion of education in 100 Minority Concentration towns/cities; and Village Development Programme for 1,000 villages not covered under Minority Concentration Blocks/ Minority Concentration Districts.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs also gets Rs. 19.70 crore as Non-Plan provision so that the total finances available with the Ministry for the FY 2012-13 are Rs. 3,154.70 crore.

Enhancing Milk Production Through National Dairy Plan

Dairy sector in India has acquired substantial growth momentum from 9th Plan onwards, producing 121.8 million tonne milk during 2010-11.  Per capita availability of milk reached 269 grams per day in 2010-11. This has not only placed the country on top of milk producing countries in the world, but also demonstrated sustained growth in the availability of milk and milk products for the burgeoning population.

            Demand for milk is increasing rapidly in the country. This is primarily due to increasing population and growing incomes accruing from the multitude of central schemes launched for livelihood and employment generation. If we go by the emerging trend, the demand for milk is likely to be about 155 million tonnes by the end of 12^th Five year Plan (2016-17) and in the range of 200-210 million tonnes in 2021-22. Annual average increase in the production of milk over the last 10 years has been around 3.5 million tonnes per annum whereas there is a need to reach an average of 6 million tonnes per year over the next 12 years to meet the ever increasing demand. 

            Dairying has become an important secondary source of income for millions of rural families and has assumed a very important role in providing employment and income generating opportunities. Milk production and marketing system in India is unique. Most of the milk is produced by small, marginal farmers and landless labourers. About 7 crore rural households are engaged in milk production, the majority being small and marginal farmers and landless. About 1.45 crore farmers have been brought under the ambit of 1.45 lakh village level dairy corporative societies. As dairy cooperatives ensure inclusiveness for small holders, especially women, it is desirable that they retain the present 50% share of the marketable surplus handled by the organised sector.

National Dairy Plan-I

The Government has launched an ambitious programme for increasing the productivity of milch animals and thereby increasing the availability of milk in the country. The National Dairy Plan is a Central Sector Scheme.  The outlay of the first phase of the project, for 2012-17, is estimated to be about Rs 2,242 crore. Out of total project outlay,  Rs. 1584 crore will come from International Development Agency (IDA) as credit, Rs. 176 crore as Central Government’s share, Rs. 282 crore as share of implementing agencies and   Rs. 200 crore from NDDB and its subsidiaries for providing technical and implementation support to the project.

            Rs. 715 crore of the National Dairy Plan funds will be spent on breed improvement and Rs. 425 crore on animal nutrition. Rs. 488 crore will go for strengthening of village based milk procurement system and Rs. 132 crore for project management and learning.

Objectives

            This scheme is aimed at meeting the projected demand of 150 million tonne in next five years by productivity enhancement, strengthening and expanding village level infrastructure for milk procurement and provide producers with greater access to markets. The objective of the NDP is to help increase productivity of milch animals and thereby milk production to meet the rapidly growing demand for milk in the country and provide rural milk producers with greater access to organised milk-processing sector through a scientifically planned multi-state initiative.

            It is a six-year plan to be largely financed through the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, and implemented by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) through End Implementing Agencies (EIAs) located in states. Funding will be through a line of credit from IDA which along with share of Government will flow from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries to NDDB and in turn to eligible EIAs. 

            EIAs comprise State Government, State Livestock Boards, State Cooperative Dairy Federations, District Cooperative Milk Producers Unions, subsidiaries of statutory bodies, ICAR institutes, and veterinary/dairy institutes and universities and any other entity decided by the National Steering Committee to be set up under the National Dairy Plan. The EIAs will be eligible for funding under various components based on eligibility criteria which will comprise geographical, technical, and financial and governance parameters. Pattern of funding under the scheme will be 100% grant-in-aid for nutrition and breeding activities. 

Focus States

            The NDP-I is to be implemented in States where the respective Governments commit to undertake the necessary regulatory, policy support to prepare an environment for successful implementation of the scheme. The focus of the scheme will be on the areas with higher potential in  14 major milk producing states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. These states contribute to 90% of milk production in the country. However, in terms of benefits the coverage of the scheme will be countrywide.

Strengthening Village-Based Milk Procurement Systems

            Village-based procurement system will be expanded by strengthening existing co-operatives and facilitating the setting up of producer companies or new-generation co-operatives. About 13 lakh milk producers in 23,800 additional villages are expected to be covered. Alongside, capacity building, training and education programmes will get due prominence to promote technologies and improved practices at the village level.

Benefits

            In terms of overall benefits, the NDP will put in place a scientific and systematic process which is expected to take the country on the path to improving the breed of milk producing animals in a consistent and continuous manner. It will make prudent use of country’s resources, lead to reduction in methane emissions, improve the quality of milk being marketed, help strengthen regulatory and policy measures to provide an enabling environment for future growth of dairy sector and contribute to improving the livelihoods of small milk producers who form the backbone of India’s milk production system.

Sampath appointed as new CEC

Senior-most Election Commissioner Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath was on June 06 appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by President Pratibha Patil. He replaces S.Y. Quraishi, who demits office on June 10.

Mr. Sampath, a 1973 batch IAS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, took charge as Election Commissioner on April 21, 2009. A native of Vellore in Tamil Nadu, he was born on January 16, 1950. He will carry out his term till January 16, 2015 — either for six years in the Commission or till the age of 65, whichever comes earlier. H.S. Brahma is the other Election Commissioner.

SUMMITS HELD ON 2012

1. 20th ASEAN Summit - Phnom Penh (Cambodia)
2. 4th BRICS summit - New Delhi
3. 10th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change - New Delhi
4. Arab summit 2012 - Baghdad (Iraq)
5. Nuclear security summit 2012 – Seoul (South Korea)
6. 12th Annual summit of European Union and India - New Delhi
7. G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting - Mexico City
8. Friends of Syria Meeting – Istanbul (Turkey)
9. 5th Ministerial level India-UK Economic Financial Dialogue – New Delhi
10. United Nation Conference on Sustainable Development 2012 – Rio de janeiro (Brazil)
11. 17th National youth Festival – Mangalore (Karnataka)
12. World Economic Forum – Davos (Switzerland)
13. World Polio Summit 2012 - New Delhi

SAARC Countries Reaffirm Commitment to end Violence Against Children

The SAARC countries reaffirmed their determination and renewed their commitment to end violence against children in all forms and all settings at the meet of the member countries at Colombo. They countries unanimously adopted the South Asia Call for Action on Ending Violence against Children. Representatives from SAARC countries were meeting as follow up on regional consultation on the UN study on violence against children, which was held at Colombo between 26-31 May, 2012.

The Colombo declaration signed by the member countries take stock of progress made since the Regional Consultation on Violence Against Children in South Asia, Islamabad, Pakistan, 19-21 May 2005 and the endorsement of the UN Study on Violence against Children by the General Assembly in 2006, in order to strengthen measures and processes aimed at ending violence against all children in all settings. Held under the aegis of SAIEVAC, the South Asian Initiative to End Violence Against Children, an apex body of SAARC, the regional follow up reaffirmed their commitment made by Governments to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the SAARC Social Charter, the SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare, the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, the SAARC Framework for the Protection, Care and Support of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS, the SAARC Development Goals (SDGs) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They also renewed the commitment made by the Ministers in the Rawalpindi Resolution on Children of South Asia (1996) and the Colombo Statement on Children of South Asia (2009), and the recommendations endorsed at the Ministerial Meeting of SAIEVAC in June 2010 in Kathmandu.

The countries also recalled recommendations from the Regional Consultation on Violence Against Children in South Asia (2005) and the subsequent Recommendations from the UN Study on Violence against Children; the South Asia Forum (SAF) Regional Preparatory Consultation for the World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents (2008), the Kathmandu Commitment to Action for Ending Violence against Children (2010); the Technical Consultations on Legal Reform and Corporal Punishment (2010) and Child-friendly Services and Care Standards (2011) including those made by children; the Beijing Declaration on South-South Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia Pacific Region (2010) and the Assessment of Progress in the SAARC Decade of the Rights of the Child (2001-2010) presented at the 17th SAARC Summit in Addu City (2011).

There was unanimous recognition of the fact that despite the progress made across South Asia to address violence against children, children continue to experience serious forms of violence and child protection challenges, including child labour, corporal punishment, sexual abuse and exploitation, child trafficking, migration and displacement, imprisonment, discrimination related to HIV/AIDS, disability, minorities, orphans, street children and children in need of care and protection, as well as various forms of harmful practices such as child marriage.

Working towards a vision of a region free from all violence against children in all forms, the representatives from SAARC countries therefore collectively deliberated, along with civil society organizations, experts on child rights and violence against children, professionals, and academicians, and called for the following actions-

1. Develop and strengthen equitable national and local child protection systems including laws, policies and standards; that prevent, mitigate and respond timely and appropriately to all forms of violence and to ensure that mechanisms and services are accessible to all children.

2. Develop and implement laws and policies that focus on safeguarding children from potential harm and that ban all forms of violence against children in all settings, including home and family, schools and educational settings, care and justice systems, work settings and the community;

3. Address social norms and practices that are harmful to children by promoting social change to end violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect of children;

4. Consolidate and validate a national system for disaggregated data collection, analysis , dissemination, and a systematic research agenda to inform policy development and resource mobilisation to protect children from violence;

5. Review/adopt and implement a national plan of action to integrate the recommendations of the UN Study on Violence against Children and SAIEVAC work plan and develop a baseline to be able to measure progress;

6. Invest in and evolve policies and processes to strengthen the participation of children in decisions, through supporting and strengthening child-led organizations/forums;

7. Cooperate through structure, processes and resources in the best interest of children to address cross-border issues, such as trafficking, missing children, HIV and AIDS and drug abuse and repatriation;

8. Develop mechanisms to address the safety of children with reference to the use and engagement with digital technologies;

9. Share lessons and good practices and explore new opportunities for Cooperation to advance the protection of children through establishing a SAIEVAC centre of excellence on violence against children;

10. Strengthen regional and country-level cooperation and coordination between governments, NGOs, CSOs, children and young people, academia, independent human/child rights institutions, Parliamentarians, religious leaders, media, private sector as well as bilateral and multilateral agencies including UN agencies/INGOs;

11. Expedite the establishment of National SAIEVAC Chapters to accelerate existing efforts to end violence against children; and

12. Contribute to the establishment and implementation of an operational framework/ mechanism for monitoring and accountability at all levels to stimulate and accelerate effective realisation of the above mentioned actions.

Dr. Vivek Joshi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, head of the delegation made presentation on the legislative steps taken by the Government of India to eliminate violence against children, the programs and schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development towards this aim. He also made a special presentation on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Bill, 2012.

Bob Dylan awarded highest US civilian honour

 
Legendary singer Bob Dylan was conferred with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour given in the US. 
 

The 71-year-old vocalist was among the 13 recipients of America's highest civilian honour at the White House and President Barack Obama, who presented the award, said he is a big fan of the musician.

"By the time he was 23, Bob's voice, with its weight, its unique, gravelly power was redefining not just what music sounded like, but the message it carried and how it made people feel. Today, everybody from Bruce Springsteen to U2 owes Bob a debt of gratitude. There is not a bigger giant in the history of American music. "I have to say that I am a really big fan. I remember, you know, in college listening to Bob Dylan and my world opening up because he captured something about this country that was so vital," Obama said.

The president chooses the recipients of the medal, which is awarded to people who have made major contributions to the security of the United States, world peace or culture, or have undertaken other significant public or private endeavours.

Anand's reign as world champion continues

World champion Viswanathan Anand prevailed in a series of rapid chess games against challenger Boris Gelfand to retain his world title at Moscow.

After three weeks of regular play ended with the score tied at 6-6, Anand and Gelfand faced off in a series of tie-breakers on Wednesday, with the title of world champion and $1.53 million going to the winner.

Showing the speed and coolness under pressure which has characterised his career, the Chennai-based Grandmaster stayed ahead of Gelfand on the clock at the key moments in the 25 minutes per player tiebreakers and, despite plenty of chances, Gelfand was unable to break through Anand's defences in any of the four games.

Anand, who won the four game series 2.5-1.5 (with a win and three draws), will keep the FIDE world title he has held since 2007 for another two years.

Anand's earlier world titles:

2000-2001: New Delhi-Iran: Won for the first time winning in knockout format. Starting with 128 players, Anand marched his way ahead in New Delhi to set up the finale with Alexey Shirov of Spain. It was a six-games final that lasted only till the fourth. Anand won three and drew one at Tehran in Iran to be crowned the world champion.

2007 Mexico City (Mexico): Pitted against the best in the world in a match tournament spread over 14-games between eight players, Anand was in his element and won this event in style.

This also gave him the right to play the next world championship in a match format against the seemingly invincible Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.

2008 Bonn (Germany): The World championship was back to a match format, something which the chess world had been craving for a long time. Anand started as the underdog against Kramnik but the entire world saw a grand transformation in the Indian.

It was a 12-games match that ended after 11. Anand won three, lost one and drew the remaining seven to reach 6.5 points.

The transformation was in preparation. Kramnik was simply outdone thanks to some extremely well done homework. Anand became the first player in the history to win world championship in three different formats: Knock out, match tournament and match.

2010 Sofia (Bulgaria): It was eruption of an Icelandic volcano that disrupted all flights across Europe. Anand had to undertake a 30-hours journey by road to reach Sofia. He asked for three days extension but was granted only one day.

He was playing against all odds against the lion — Veselin Topalov — in his own den. Anand started with a first round loss but won the title winning the last game with black pieces. The loss was shattering for Topalov. He slipped from being the top player then to number 12 now.

How is President of India elected?

The Electoral College that votes for the President comprises the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the State Assemblies.

To ensure uniformity in representation of each State according to its population and the total number of elected MLAs from each, a certain value is attached to the vote of an MLA of each State, and a value is also attached to each MP's vote.

The value of an MLA’s vote is calculated by dividing the total population of his State by the total seats in the Vidhan Sabha of that State, and then again dividing it by 1,000.

The value of an MP’s vote is worked out by adding the total value of votes assigned to all MLAs of the country, and then dividing it by the number of elected members of Parliament (both Houses).

For the election, members of the Electoral College mark their order of preference for each candidate on the ballot. A candidate in order to be elected must secure his quota of votes (values added up), which is 50 per cent of valid votes plus 1. Second preference is considered when no candidate wins more than half the total votes.