Release of additional instalment of Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to Pensioners due from 1.1.2016

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved release of an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to Pensioners w.e.f. 01.01.2016. This represents an increase of 6 percent over the existing rate of 119 percent of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate for price rise. 

This will benefit about 50 lakh Government employees and 58 lakh pensioners. 

The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 6th Central Pay Commission (CPC). The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would be of Rs. 6796.50 crore per annum and Rs.7929.24 crore respectively, in the financial year 2016-17 (for a period of 14 months from January, 2016 to February, 2017). 

Self regulatory code for industry to protect consumers against misleading advertisements and counterfeit products

In order to protect the rights of consumers against misleading advertisements, fake and counterfeit products, and for effective redressal of consumer complaints, the Department of Consumer Affairs has entered into partnership with the Industry Association to implement six points’ agenda. MOUs in this regard will be signed tomorrow in the presence of Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan. 

The MoU will broadly cover the collaborative programmes on developing and implementing a self-regulated code of fair business practices, establishing a Consumer Affairs division/vertical within the Industry Body, initiating advocacy action against unfair trade practices and preventing fake, counterfeit and sub-standard products and services and adoption of voluntary standards by Industry members. Earmarking of CSR funds for consumer awareness and protection activities, partnering with the National Consumer Helpline and State Consumer Helplines for grievance redressal; launching joint consumer awareness, education and training programmes under the “Jago Grahak Jago” will also be part of the agenda. A Joint Working Group will monitor the implementation of agenda. 

Promoting and protecting the rights of consumers, requires active partnerships among all the stakeholders. The Department of Consumer Affairs and the Industry Associations – ASSOCHAM, CII, DICCI, FICCI and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry –have entered into partnership on consumer advocacy with a six point partnership agenda, covering three priority areas, namely, redressal of consumer grievances, enhancement of consumer awareness and protection and action against misleading advertisements, fake and counterfeit products. 

A self-regulation Code of ethical business conduct and video spots on consumer advocacy by the Industry Bodies will also be released during the event.The joint initiatives of the Government and the Industry Bodies will surely go a long way in protecting the interests of the consumers and will be a win-win situation for all the stakeholders. 

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India is celebrating the World Consumer Rights Day 2016 tomorrow. This is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the International Consumer movement. The World Consumer Rights Day is an opportunity to promote and protect the basic rights of consumers. 

Celebrating Earth Hour

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet, and is organised by WWF. Engaging a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues, Earth Hour was famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then it has grown to engage more than 7000 cities and towns worldwide, and the one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the now larger movement.

When does Earth Hour take place?

Earth Hour 2016 will be held on Saturday 19 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone. The event is held worldwide towards the end of March annually, encouraging individuals, communities households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet.

Is Earth Hour an annual event?

Earth Hour is more than an annual event – it is a movement that culminates in an hour of inspiration across the world held towards the end of March each year. 

What does the Earth Hour logo mean?

The standard Earth Hour '60' logo represents the 60 minutes of Earth Hour where we focus on the impact we are having on our planet and take positive action to address the environmental issues we face. For Earth Hour 2011 the ‘60+’ logo was introduced representing a commitment to add to Earth Hour a positive act for the planet that goes beyond the hour. Take up the ‘plus’ and get involved with Earth Hour Blue.

What has Earth Hour achieved since the movement began?

• WWF Uganda started the world’s first Earth Hour Forest
• More than 250,000 Russians voiced support for better protection of their country’s seas and forests
• Argentina used its 2013 Earth Hour campaign to help pass a Senate bill for a 3.4 million hectare Marine Protected Area in the country
• Thousands of wood-saving stoves were distributed to families in Madagascar
• Solar-powered lights were installed in three villages without electricity in India
• In Paraguay, WWF used the Earth Hour platform to build public support to gain an extension of the logging moratorium, helping to reduce deforestation
• Education programs for schools were launched in Thailand and Taiwan
• Hundreds of thousands of LED lights were installed by girl scouts in the USA
• More than 2123 mitigation actions submitted by Earth Hour City Challenge 2014 participating cities

But this is just the start, there are so many more Earth Hour stories out there we’re still discovering, and of course much more to do.

Earth Hour 2016: UN goes dark to spotlight climate change

Lights dimmed at UN Headquarters to observe Earth Hour in 2016. Photo: Kensuke Matsueda

19 March 2016 – The United Nations this evening dimmed the lights at its iconic Headquarters complex in New York and other facilities around the world in observance of 'Earth Hour,' an annual global event to put the spotlight on the issues facing the planet and to inspire millions across the world to live more sustainably.

In a video message, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said: “This year's Earth Hour comes at a pivotal moment. Last December, all the world's Governments came together to adopt the Paris Agreement on climate change. This is a historic achievement for people and the planet – but only if we follow through on the promises made.”

Organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Earth Hour encourages individuals, companies, organizations and Governments to switch off their lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m., local time worldwide, to focus attention on people-driven solutions to protecting the planet and building a bright, sustainable future.

Mr. Ban notes that the world is now entering a new era of opportunity. “Together, we can create the low-emissions future the world needs for sustainable development and a life of dignity and stability for all. Earth Hour reminds us that we all have a role to play.”

First launched in 2007, Earth Hour has become an annual event, mobilizing hundreds of millions of individuals to participate and growing to become the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment.

According to the WWF, the UN family will join the thousands of homes, offices, skylines and monuments that will go dark to put the spotlight on the issues facing the planet, and to inspire millions across the world to live more sustainably. At least 178 countries and territories are expected to take part in this year's celebrations.

So far over 366 landmarks are confirmed and will be turning off on the night of Earth Hour including iconic sites such as the Brandenburg Gate, Empire State Building, Sydney Opera House, the Roman Colosseum and Marina Bay Sands.

Amongst participating countries this year 90 are taking actions to achieve impact during Earth Hour through digital interactions, engaging local communities and raising awareness, adds the WWF.

India signs energy deals with Russia's Rosneft

The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge), Shri Dharmendra Pradhan witnessing the signing ceremony of the agreements and MoUs between Rosneft and Indian consortium of Oil India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Bharat PetroResources and between Rosneft and ONGC Videsh Ltd., in New Delhi on March 16, 2016. The Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri K.D. Tripathi and other dignitaries are also seen.

NEW DELHI/MOSCOW: Indian state companies signed energy deals worth billions of dollars with Russia's Rosneft on Wednesday to buy into its most promising assets in Siberia, stepping up a drive to cut New Delhi's dependence on imports.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wants to cut India's oil imports by 10 percent in six years, is steering efforts to buy foreign energy assets, taking advantage of low global oil prices and a slowdown in China's overseas acquisitions.
Under the deals signed with Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, the Indian companies will raise their stake in the Vankor oil field to almost 50 percent and buy about 30 percent of the Taas-Yuriakh field.
The deals will help Rosneft, the world's biggested listed oil producer by output, to pay off debts incurred in its $55 billion acquisition of TNK-BP in 2013.
Russia is keen to develop and deepen its Soviet-era economic ties with India and sell oil to one of the world's fastest-growing economies at a time when its own economy is stagnant, hit by Western sanctions and a plunge in global oil prices.
Modi had pitched to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the granting of stakes to Indian oil firms during his visit to Moscow in December.
The deals will help India to secure Russian oil output, while Rosneft will gain access to the Indian market, Sechin told reporters in New Delhi.
Sechin met Essar Oil officials during his visit and said that Rosneft hopes to conclude a deal to buy a 49 percent stake in the 400,000 barrel-per-day Vadinar refinery in western India by the end of June.

The proposed deal would give Rosneft an additional outlet for its oil as it grapples with a global crude supply glut.

ENERGY BRIDGE
"We are establishing a reliable energy bridge between our countries, which will be developing the interests of both Russia and India," Sechin said.

A consortium of Oil India, Indian Oil Corp and Bharat PetroResources (BPRL), a unit of Bharat Petroleum Corp, has bought 29.9 percent stake in Rosneft's Taas-Yuriakh field.
The companies will together pay $1.121 billion for their share in the operation and $180 million each for future capital expenditure, a source with knowledge of the deal said.
Meanwhile, India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp signed an initial deal to raise its stake in the Vankor project to 26 percent from 15 percent, while the other three companies could together pick up 23.9 percent.

A final deal for Vankor will be signed in June, sources told Reuters last week.
If the deals go through, Rosneft will retain 50.1 percent of Vankor, which produced 22 million tonnes of oil in 2014, representing about a tenth of the company's total output.
Vankor's oil is shipped to Asia, mostly to China.
Indian companies could pay close to $3 billion for boosting their Vankor stake, based on the price ONGC paid for its 15 percent stake in the project, an ONGC source told Reuters.
IOC-Oil India-BPRL also signed a preliminary deal to buy a stake in Rosneft's Vankor cluster - a separate group of small oil fields.

Impact of ‘make In India’ Programme

New Delhi : The Prime Minister of India launched the “Make in India” global initiative on 25th September 2014.

‘Make in India’ initiative aims at promoting India as an important investment destination and a global hub for manufacturing design and innovation, to invite both domestic and foreign investors to invest in India. The initiative is aimed at creating a conducive environment for investment, development of modern and efficient infrastructure, opening up new sectors for foreign investments and forging a partnership between government and industry through a positive mindset. The “Make in India" initiative is based on four pillars, which have been identified to give boost to entrepreneurship in India, not only in manufacturing but also other sectors. The four pillars are (i) New Processes, (ii) New Infrastructure, (iii) New Sectors and (iv) New Mindset.

25 sectors have been identified under ‘Make in India’ initiative, viz., (i) Auto Components, (ii) Automobiles, (iii) Aviation, (iv) Biotechnology, (v) Chemicals, (vi) Construction, (vii) Defence Manufacturing, (viii) Electrical Machinery, (ix) Electronic System Design and Manufacturing, (x) Food Processing, (xi) IT and BPM, (xii) Leather, (xiii) Media and Entertainment, (xiv) Mining, (xv) Oil and Gas, (xvi) Pharmaceuticals, (xvii) Ports, (xviii) Railways, (xix) Roads and Highways, (xx) Renewable Energy, (xxi) Space, (xxii) Textiles, (xxiii) Thermal Power, (xxiv) Tourism and Hospitality and (xxv) Wellness. A National Workshop was held on ‘Make in India’ initiative on 29th December 2014 in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi to prepare Action Plans for one year and three years for the identified sectors. Ministries/Departments concerned have updated their action plans to identify quantifiable and measurable milestones in respect of each activity of their Action Plan. The progress on ‘Make in India’ Action Plans is being monitored.

The ‘Make in India’ programme has received a very positive response. FDI inflow has increased 29% during the period October 2014 to December 2015 (15 months after ‘Make in India’) compared to the 15 months period prior to the launch of ‘Make in India’. FDI equity inflow has increased 36%. There is an improvement in business environment with the initiatives taken to improve Ease of Doing Business under the ‘Make in India’ programme. This has resulted in the UNCTAD World Investment Report (WIR) 2015, in its analysis of the global trends in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows, ranking India as the third top prospective host economies for 2015-2017. Frost & Sullivan has ranked India as number 1 amongst 100 countries on the growth, innovation and leadership index. In November 2015, a global consultancy firm namely Ernst & Young (EY) India conducted the India Attractiveness Survey 2015, where they had taken responses of 505 investors on three most attractive markets for investment. On the basis of response received from these investors and data provided by FDI Markets (a service of The Financial Times Limited), India ranked number one FDI destination in the world during the 1st half of 2015.

This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today. 

Indian firms invest $1.7 billion for stake in Russian Taas-Yuriakh oilfield

New Delhi : Three Indian oil firms plan to invest $1.7 billion to pick up a stake in the Russian oil field Taas-Yuriakh, said a source close to the matter.
ONGC Videsh Ltd [ONGCVD.UL], the overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Oil India Ltd and Bharat Petro Resources Ltd, the upstream arm of state-owned refiner Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, will also invest $180 million each as part of future capital expenditures, the source said.
The Taas-Yuriakh field is currently producing 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and is expected to go up to 100,000 bpd in the next two years.

Safety Standards for Cars

The Government has formulated safety standards for car manufacturers to make safe cars. These are contained in the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) under the Central Motors Vehicles Regulations, 1989 (CMVR). There is provision under rule 126 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 (CMVR) that every manufacturer of motor vehicles other than trailers and semi-trailers requires to submit the prototype of the vehicle to be manufactured by him for test by any of the agencies specified therein for granting a certificate to the compliance of provisions of Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. Rules 126A of CMVR requires the test agencies, referred to in Rule 126, to also conduct test on vehicles drawn from the production line of the manufacturer to verify whether these vehicles conform to the provisions of Rules under Section 110 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. Enforcement of provision of CMV Act and CMV Rules come under the purview of the State Governments/UTs.

Further, India is taking steps towards harmonization of national regulations of safety standards for passenger cars with UN-ECE regulations. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has formed a dedicated panel for introducing safety features in new vehicles under ‘Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme’ which will be voluntary from October, 2017 and mandatory by October, 2020.

However, if a safety defect which poses risk of accident or harm to the vehicle occupant is recognized in vehicles, the manufacturers conduct a voluntary recall and offer to rectify the vehicles free of charge.

All safety norms prescribed under the CMVR 1989 are based on the UN/European Regulations which are internationally accepted. Some of the regulations like Frontal Crash Test which requires mandatory fitment of airbags, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has already notified crash regulations for new vehicles from 1st April, 2017.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Shri G.M. Siddeshwara in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

India's FM Shri Arun Jaitley expects progress on landmark tax bill in April-May

The Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information & Broadcasting, Shri Arun Jaitley and the Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms. Christine Lagarde exchanging the signed documents in the presence of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, at the MOF-IMF Conference on “Advancing Asia: Investing for the Future”, in New Delhi on March 12, 2016.
New Delhi : India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Sunday he expects lawmakers to make progress on a goods and services tax bill and a bankruptcy law in the second part of parliament's budget session that runs from April 25 to May 13.
Jaitley said the government was also working towards bringing the tax regime at par with global levels.
"What is work in progress still is that we are trying to easen the environment for people doing business in India," Jaitley said, addressing the final leg of an International Monetary Fund event in New Delhi.
The proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill would pave the way for a single market for goods in India for the first time.
The bankruptcy law is aimed at unifying and overhauling rules governing the liquidation or revival of ailing companies into a single code and for the first time imposing deadlines.

FSSAI connects with Corporates, Media Specialists and Food Experts to promote food safety

In somewhat different and highly creative initiative, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) arranged a brainstorming session with the corporates, media specialists and food experts, here today. This session aimed to develop strategies and action plan to ensure food safety and promote wholesome food in the country. For this, FSSAI plans to reach out to about 130 crore citizens/consumers and over 3 crore food businesses in the country across the entire food value chain.

Co-organized with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, this session was attended by about 70 experts from a diverse fields including branding experts, theatre, print media, food and nutrition experts, consumer organizations, Indian Dietetic Association, officers of Food Safety Commissioner and FSSAI. Amongst the corporates, Nestle, Dabur, GSK, Cargill, HUL and Pepsi were the key participants.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI stated that India faces a huge burden of food-borne diseases and ensuring food safety is shared responsibility of all. There is no way to ensure food safety for all unless each citizen and all food businesses are involved in the process. He stated that capacity building of food businesses and advocacy with citizens is central to the working of FSSAI. Shri K.L. Sharma, Joint Secretary (Food & Drugs), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pointed out that this is a paradigm shift that was brought about in the umbrella food law in 2006. He noted that after the initial years of its formation, actual work on guidance and compliance FSSAI on this key aspect has now begun.

Deliberations were held in five groups covering five themes, namely - safe food for all, promotion of wholesome food, bringing food businesses under FSSAI fold, capacity building of food handlers and leveraging technology. Many out of the box ideas came up during the deliberations. Five electronic groups amongst the participants have been formed to carry forward these ideas to the next stage of implementation.

On this occasion, FSSAI also announced the launch of Project Clean Strategy Food. Under the Delhi initiative of this Project, FSSAI with Skill India and many other partners would train about 20,000 street food vendors in Delhi over the next four weeks. It was announced that launch function for this Project would be held at New Motibagh on 13 March. These initiatives places the Food Authority at the centre of food ecosystem in the country.