Sikkim's big organic step

IANS
GANGTOK: Greener, bigger, fresher and more wholesome than elsewhere in India — that’s how vegetables appear in the Saramsa Gardens, the venue of the Sikkim International Flower Show, 2013.

Tomatoes, dwarf red peppers, chinese cabbage, Indian cabbage, green lettuce, red lettuce, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, turnips, 60 varieties of locally-grown rice, ginger, cardamom, grains, oranges and bananas all point to a target well within reach — this eastern Himalayan Indian state is set to achieve “complete organic agriculture status” by 2015.

In two years, 64,876 hectares of farmland under the Sikkim Organic Mission, will be farmed without chemical pesticides or fertilisers. The target is being achieved in three phases.

Of the total area, 8,128 hectares have already been brought under organic cultivation, according to figures released by the state government. Another 18,242 hectares of farmland is under conversion to organic cultivation.

“In 2003, we were the first state to start organic farming. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling brought a resolution (to this effect) in the state assembly. Since then, farmers have begun to try their hand at organic cultivation of vegetables, spices and fruits. It began as a mission in 2010,” Tenzing Bhutia, additional executive director of the Sikkim Organic Mission, told IANS.

Bhutia said Sikkim where the average size of land holding worked out to 1.2 hectares, is dependent on rain-fed irrigation which is erratic; there were several reasons to go organic.

“States like Punjab, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have a mandate for National Food Security. While Punjab produces wheat for the country, Andhra grows rice. We have no mandate and can afford to grow high-value low-volume crops organically to make farming economically sustainable and ensure quality produce,” he said.

The crops that are on the state’s organic roster are of the horticultural variety. The state has a mixed-use cropping pattern and usually all the crops grown on one farm are organic.

“We do not select crops for organic cultivation. We even promote farm production of organic inputs like organic manure and bio-pesticides, and provide infrastructure credit for construction of vermi-compost and rural compost pits and farm accessories,” he said.

The state government has been reducing subsidies on chemical fertilisers and pesticides by 10 per cent every year to discourage their use, and has stopped lifting the quota of the government’s chemically-treated fertiliser, the official said.

A ‘carpet’ (intensive) campaign to promote awareness about organic farming is underway with worksh-ops and creation of growers’ group committees at the grassroots to network between organic farm clusters.

Three ‘Livelihood Schools’ have trained 816 educated youth in organic farming; of these, 550 students have been employed as supervisors by farms.

“Sikkim is looking at the affluent urban middle class in the country to buy its organic produce, which costs barely INRs 10 more than inorganically grown products,” the official said.
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Sikkim cashes in on its unique orchids

Pakyang/Gangtok, Mar 1 (IANS): The flowers light up patches of the dense green forests in elegant huddles of yellow, ochre, mauve, powder blue and lemony green on slopes 5,000 feet above sea level. Described as the "natural glory" of the Himalayan state of Sikkim, the Cymbidium orchid is increasingly being projected as the state's flori-sustenance - the heartbeat of its booming flower trade.

The Cymbidium is the most common species of orchids that survive extremes of nature to live longer as cut flowers (with nipped stalks) in the vase in Sikkim and other northeastern states, home to nearly 600 varieties of wild orchids.

The global spotlight turned on the Cymbidium orchid - the theme of the Sikkim International Flower Show 2013 during Feb 23-27 in state capital Sikkim - with colourful showcases by orchid growers and international workshops on the species.

"Our flower power is the Cymbidium orchid. Most of the Cymbidium varieties that you see in the world today are the hybridized varieties of the flowers taken from this region by the British nearly 100 years ago," Sikkim's horticulture secretary Shanta Pradhan told IANS.

Unlike elsewhere in the world, the Cymbidium orchid and the related species in the region grow in natural habitats, the official said.

It took a century for Sikkim and the northeastern region to realize the potential of Cymbidium, together with five other orchids - Dendrobium, Vanda, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis and Oncidium - as revenue earners, he said.

"Flowers became a commercial prospect for us 10 years ago. It is a late start but is turning out to be a promising sector," Pradhan said.

Sikkim annually produces Rs 20 million worth of orchids on an average. A cut stalk (floret) costs between Rs.20 and Rs.150 depending on the quality.

The state government has introduced a special package in 18 clusters under which 50 flori-farmers have been given 500 orchid plantings (saplings) each with necessary support for cultivation, training and marketing.

"We are also assisting 1,000 more farmers for growing orchids outside the scheme. Nearly 50 percent of the orchid farmers are women," the bureaucrat said.

The state has to overcome several challenges to send the produce out to the national market, Pradhan said.

"The first hurdle is transportation to the nearest marketplace. An effective cold chain is another area of concern. We require refrigerated vans to the cold storages and then fly the flowers out. During monsoon, when the roads are blocked by landslides, transporting the flowers to markets in New Delhi and Kolkata becomes difficult," Pradhan said, adding that an "airport by 2014-end in the state will ease the ferry-block".

Orchids and other horticultural products are marketed by SIMFED - the government's national sales network. "The demand is growing. In the last wedding season, we could not meet the demand. We need more marketing support," the official said.

Veteran flower trader Andy Warren, managing director of the New Zealand-based company Bloomz, said that Sikkim and the northeastern states - the country's traditional orchid hothouses - should concentrate on the domestic market and explore its "optimal capacity" for high returns instead of eyeing bigger export share globally.

"This region lacks post-harvest facilities like good packaging houses and cold storages. The summer gets too hot and logistics to move the harvested products are inadequate. Flowers like orchids wilt. The region needs to look at expanding markets in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. They fetch good prices. The critical thing is to ensure top quality in the market every day," Warren, who has been trading flowers with India for the last 20 years, told IANS at the Sikkim International Flower Show 2013.

Going to the international market is a "whole new ball game" with its stringent set of standards, Warren said.

"India is a country of small land holdings - orchid growers in the region must recognise the fact and rework their stragtegies for markets close by," said the flower expert, who has been invited to assist the Sikkim government in consolidating floral trade in an
advisory capacity.

The National Research Centre for Orchids - a Sikkim government-aided facility at Pakyong, 12 km from Gangtok - has developed four new hybrid varieties of orchids from the tissues of the 2005-2006 crop to help the state compete with states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Assam and Orissa in the national market, its director, R.P. Medhi, said.

Citing figures, Medhi said the research centre has since 1996 - when it opened - collected and preserved 850 species of the 1,300 orchids in the region. "Our mandate now is to conserve orchids, catalogue their molecular characterisation, enrich cultivation and check bio-piracy," Medhi told IANS.

Research in orchids across the country are being carried out in 12 projects of the National Research Centre for Orchids and five externally-funded projects.

In Look East Policy, FM finally eyes linking Northeast India with Myanmar .

Budget 2013: In Look East Policy, FM finally eyes linking Northeast India with Myanmar
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GUWAHATI: In what is talked as first decisive steps for Look East Policy, Union Finance minister, P Chidambaram in his budget 2013-14 has proposed to link Northeast India to Myanmar.

Security analyst points this move as India's growing influence in Myanmar and countering the influence of China in the country. Finance minister has sought help multilateral development banks.

The minister said, "Multilateral Development Banks are keen to assist in efforts to promote regional connectivity. Combining the 'Look East' policy and the interests of the North Eastern States, I propose to seek the assistance of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to build roads in the North Eastern States and connect them to Myanmar."

North Eastern Region with a population of 45 million and a GDP of $59 billion shares a long land border with Myanmar, making it contiguous with ASEAN.

It is felt that with planned infrastructure projects on both sides of the border, economic cooperation will aid development for both regions.

An excerpt from The 100/0 Principle

by Al Ritter

What is the most effective way to create and sustain great relationships with others? It's The 100/0 Principle: You take full responsibility (the 100) for the relationship, expecting nothing (the 0) in return. Implementing The 100/0 Principle is not natural for most of us. It takes real commitment to the relationship and a good dose of self-discipline to think, act and give 100 percent. The 100/0 Principle applies to those people in your life where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. Each of us must determine the relationships to which this principle should apply. For most of us, it applies to work associates, customers, suppliers, family and friends. STEP 1 - Determine what you can do to make the relationship work...then do it. Demonstrate respect and kindness to the other person, whether he/she deserves it or not. STEP 2 - Do not expect anything in return. Zero, zip, nada. STEP 3 - Do not allow anything the other person says or does (no matter how annoying!) to affect you. In other words, don't take the bait. STEP 4 - Be persistent with your graciousness and kindness. Often we give up too soon, especially when others don't respond in kind. Remember to expect nothing in return. At times (usually few), the relationship can remain challenging, even toxic, despite your 100 percent commitment and self-discipline. When this occurs, you need to avoid being the "Knower" and shift to being the "Learner." Avoid Knower statements/thoughts like "that won't work," "I'm right, you are wrong," "I know it and you don't," "I'll teach you," "that's just the way it is," "I need to tell you what I know," etc. Instead use Learner statements/thoughts like "Let me find out what is going on and try to understand the situation," "I could be wrong," "I wonder if there is anything of value here," "I wonder if..." etc. In other words, as a Learner, be curious! Principle Paradox This may strike you as strange, but here's the paradox: When you take authentic responsibility for a relationship, more often than not the other person quickly chooses to take responsibility as well. Consequently, the 100/0 relationship quickly transforms into something approaching 100/100. When that occurs, true breakthroughs happen for the individuals involved, their teams, their organizations and their families.

Protection was also given to the domestic sericulture industry by increasing duties on raw silk. Budget 2013-14

Data Source: Economic Survey 2012-13

BE Positive on India

 India needs to create jobs for our growing labour force to the extent of about 10 million persons every year. To do that, we need to accelerate the tempo of our growth. We need, as the 12th Five Year Plan has mentioned eloquently, a growth rate of about 8 percent. This is a growth rate which is consistent with our underlying potential. We have to get there. Although this is a difficult journey - it cannot be accomplished in a single year - but the Finance Minister, has taken important steps to reverse the pessimistic view with regard to investment climate, with regard to the growth potential and possibilities of our economy.

 The Finance Minister has laid out a roadmap. There is plenty of food for every Ministry to chew upon. And each one of our Ministries has to ask itself this question: If India needs an 8 percent growth rate, growth which is at the same time inclusive and sustainable,what is it that each Ministry should do ? The Finance Minister has mentioned these challenges. It is up to the collective wisdom of  Council of Ministers to convert these challenges into opportunities to accelerate the tempo of growth, to make it more inclusive, to make it more sustainable.

 There have been problems with regard to clearances, with regard to environmental clearances, with regard to forest clearances, land acquisition problems, many of these areas are the responsibility of the state government. Whatever is within the realm of possibilities of the central government’s action points, we have committed ourselves that we will use the mechanism of the Cabinet Committee on Investment to grapple with these tensions which exist in our system, and to ensure that roadblocks, whether they are environmental clearance roadblocks, or forest clearances, or other roadblocks, they are dealt with, so that they can be cleared and removed.

 This country must not lose any time. It must get its act together to accelerate the tempo of economic growth, sustainable growth, equitable growth, and if the general mood of the country is right, it will infect the bureaucracy, it will infect the Opposition, and in this task, there are no winners or no losers. If India succeeds in sticking to a growth path of 8 percent or more, the winners will be the people of India; winners will be our young men and young women, who desperately need new productive job opportunities.

 There are today, three types of barriers, which can affect the realization of the growth potential. One is the fiscal deficit. The Finance Minister has charted a path to bring the fiscal deficit under control, and if we succeed in that quest,  we would have created a better climate for investment; we would have created a better climate also for more moderate levels of inflation than we have had in the last two years.

The second problem is that inflation has gone out of hand. Therefore, if the fiscal deficit is brought under control, it will also enable us to moderate the pace of inflation.

The third is, the Current Account Deficit. We cannot reduce the current account deficit in one go. As the Finance Minister mentioned, we have a Current Account Deficit of about 75 billion dollars. In the short run, it has to be financed. In the medium run, it must be reduced. We must reduce our dependence on imports of oil, of coal, of gold, of petroleum products. This is a medium term objective, and it can be achieved, partly by reducing unwanted imports, partly by boosting the country’s export effort.

So a multi-pronged strategy has to be in place to achieve credible answers to all these three problems – tackling the fiscal deficit, tackling the inflation problem, tackling the Current Account Deficit.

 2.5 to 3 percent of GDP is a safe level of Current Account Deficit.

 The Finance Minister has mentioned, and yesterday’s Economic Survey also hints, that it is realistic to assume a growth rate of about 6.2 to 6.7%, and that in three years time, if we work hard, if the world economy also improves, we should get back to the 8 percent growth path – in two to three years time.

Seven New Cities Planned on Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor(DMIC) A Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor Being Planned

The Finance Minister, Shri P Chidambaram in his Budget speech in Lok Sabha today said that the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project has made rapid progress. Plans for seven new cities have been finalized and work on two new smart industrial cities at Dholera, Gujarat and Shendra Bidkin, Maharashtra will start during 2013-14. We acknowledge the support of the Government of Japan. In order to dispel any doubt about funding, The Government will provide, if required, additional funds during 2013-14 within the share of the Government of India in the overall outlay for the project. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are currently preparing a comprehensive plan for the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor. The corridor will be developed in collaboration with the Governments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The next corridor will be the Bengaluru Mumbai Industrial Corridor on which preparatory work has stared. DSM/UM/R/70 (Release ID :92770)

Sikkim's Buddha Park

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BUDDHA PARK

Nature, faith prop up tourism in sylvan Sikkim

The Buddha Park in Sikkim is the latest tourist destination for international visitors. Picture by Joseph Lepcha

Sikkim is pushing its tourism envelope with a combination of nature and spirituality to preserve the essence of its Himalayan heritage and make a statement of sustainable growth in this age of manic concretisation of the fragile hill environment.

Sample this: Laid out across 23 acres of lush slopes against a startling backdrop of the icy Kanchenjunga and the Maenam hills range in southern Sikkim's Rabongla district shines the state's newest tourism address - the Tathagata Tsal or the Buddha Park, nearly 65 km from Gangtok.

At the center of the park perches a shrine with a towering 140 ft statue of Lord Buddha with its face coated in 3.5 kg of pure gold in the Dharma Chakra Mantra tradition. The icon and the park built at a cost of almost Rs.400 million ($7 million) over the last seven years is expected to boost the state's economic fortunes on the strength of the Buddha relics from nine countries. These were installed at the sanctum by Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling in a grand ceremony in Rabongla on Tuesday to commemorate Lord Buddha's 2,550th birth anniversary.

Hope for tourism, one of Sikkim's economic lifelines, piggy-backs on Buddhist trails, nature tourism and village tourism.

Major Buddhist centers like the old Rumtek Monastery, Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre, Pal Zurmang Kagyud monastery, the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, a giant statue of guru Padmasambhava and one of Tathagata, together with a handful of holy lakes, including Changu at 12,400 ft above sea level, keep the state's Buddhist circuit busy.

The countryside is dotted with smaller monasteries like the Phadong monastery, Phensang monastery, Tholung monastery and the Doling monastery that one stumbles along the way.

However, Sikkim's approach to spiritual tourism is secular, Chamling said. "Buddha may be of primary importance, but the government has built a replica of the Hindu Char Dham - four temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu - at Shri Siddhesvara Dhama at Namchi in southern Sikkim", Chamling said.

A gurudwara in Gangtok and churches across the state add to the holistic colour.

"We have been pushing tourism as a new profession and major economic activity. We want our children to work in the tourism service sector. We are training youngsters and building capacities," Chamling said, adding that the "state is exploring new frontiers in eco-tourism to add variety".

The focus on eco-tourism has become more creative and infrastructure-oriented since Sikkim was declared "an eco tourism destination in 2009", Tourism Minister Bhim Dhungel said. He said Sikkim was one of the pioneering states to promote nature tourism with "forest and flower trails" involving individual stakeholders and non-profit groups.

Citing examples, Dhungel said nature getaways like the Singlila trek, the Dzongri trek, the Rhododrendon Valley trek and the Jongu camp trail were popular for their diversity of natural splendour both among foreigners and domestic tourists.

"Sikkim became a tourist state after 1975. Before that, under the rule of the Chogyal (kings), Sikkim was not exposed to the world. Now tourism is virtually our bread and butter and contributes nearly 6 percent to the state's GDP," Tourism and IPR Secretary K.S. Topgay said.

"One may wonder why six per cent... It is a small figure," the official added.

Tourism revenue in Sikkim is split - that from the hotels goes to the power department and that from the tourist taxi trade goes to the transport department. As a result, the base tourism revenue is almost a pittance.

"The economic determinants for tourism are skewed under the current government policy. Even as a couple of travel components do not benefit tourism directly, the nature of tourism is still centred around urban destinations like Lachen, Rabongla, Pelling and Namchi. The state government has realized that the economic benefits from tourism were not reaching the common man because of its urban drift," the tourism secretary said.

As a pro-people alternative, the government is encouraging home stay in villages, Topgay said. At least 720 new village homestays are going to open their doors to tourists this year. The homestay owners have been trained in hospitality and quality control at the Institute of Hotel Management and State Institute of Capacity building in Gangtok. (IANS)

Sikkim needs rail connectivity: MP

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS): The railways should create a mountain unit within the ministry to plan connectivity in the Himalayan region, lone Sikkim Democratic Front member in the Lok Sabha, P D Rai, said Wednesday while noting that his state, which borders China, remains cut off from the national network till date. "Till date there is no rail link to Sikkim. There is no strategic thinking. Why can't we have railway when China has built rail connectivity till Lhasa in Tibet," Rai told IANS. "I will write to Railway Minister P K Bansal to create a mountain railway division. Railway can be a clean form of transport in the Himalayan region," he said. Rai said the need for connecting Sikkim with rail network was being felt more as it has become the fastest growing state, especially in tourism. "We get around 7 lakh (700,000) tourists per year," said Rai. According to Rai, the foundation stone of the 52 km Sevok-Rangpo rail link in the northeastern state was laid in 2009 but there has been no progress since then. "The rail link will help as the highway connecting Sikkim (with North Bengal) has become overloaded," he said.

Sikkim Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill

Gangtok: A new bill for providing funds towards restoration and repair of the damage caused by the September 11, 2011 devastating earthquake was introduced in the two-day session of the Sikkim Assembly on Wednesday.

Also introduced was the Sikkim Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill. Both bills were introduced by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling who is also the Minister-in-Charge of Finance, Revenue and Expenditure Department.

The Sikkim Earthquake Rehabilitation Management Fund Bill is to provide funds for immediate relief, restoration and reconstruction.

A cess is proposed to be collected for the Sikkim Earthquake Rehabilitation and Management Fund, at such rate not exceeding two per cent, but not less then one per cent of the cost of contract work.

Similarly, the government deemed it necessary to amend the Sikkim Value Added Tax, 2005 to increase VAT on sale of tobacco and its products including cigarettes and chewing tobacco, other then beedis and raw tobacco leaves.

Areas Needing Special Permission for Entry by Indians and Foreigners

Areas Needing Special Permission for Entry by Indians and Foreigners

Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the ‘Inner line’ and the “International Border of the State” have been declared as Protected Area. Currently, Protected Areas are located in the following States:- (i) Whole of Arunachal Pradesh (ii) Parts of Himachal Pradesh (iii) Parts of Jammu & Kashmir (iv) Parts of Rajasthan (v) Whole of Sikkim(partly in Protected Area and partly in Restricted Area) Further, under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963, the following areas have been declared as ‘Restricted Areas’:- (i) Andaman & Nicobar Islands – Entire Union Territory (ii) Sikkim - Part of the State A foreigner is not normally allowed to visit a Protected/Restricted Area unless it is established to the satisfaction of the Government, that there are extraordinary reasons to justify such a visit. Every foreigner, except a citizen of Bhutan, who desires to enter and stay in a Protected or Restricted Area, is required to obtain a special permit from a competent authority delegated with powers to issue such a special permit to a foreigner. In cases where the powers have not been delegated to any subordinate authority by the Government of India, the application for special permit should be referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs for prior approval. Special Permission for entry by Indians (i) Inner Line Permit (ILP) regulates visit of Indians to States where ILP regime is prevalent under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873. In terms of of Section 2 of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations, 1873, the Inner Line Permit system is prevalent in the three North Eastern States, namely, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. Citizens of other States require ILP for visiting these three States. (ii) According to Section 3(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1961, the Central Government may by notification in the Official Gazette, declare any area adjoining the frontiers of India to be a notified area and thereupon on and after such day as may be specified in, and subject to any exemptions for which provision may be made in the said notification, no person who was not immediately before the said day a resident in the area declared to be a notified area by the notification, shall enter or attempt to enter that area or be therein, except in accordance with the terms of a permit in writing granted to him by a person, not below the rank of a Magistrate of the First Class, specified in the said notification The main aim of ILP system is to prevent settlement of other Indian nationals in the States where ILP regime is prevalent, in order to protect the indigenous/tribal population. Notification under Section 3(1) of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1961 is issued in the interest of the safety or security of India or in the public interest. With a view to promote tourism, some protected/restricted areas, notified by the Government of India from time to time, can be visited by foreign tourists, either in groups, or as a couple in the case of a husband and wife, or by individuals, after obtaining the necessary permit from the competent authority. Powers have been delegated to various authorities to issue the special permit, without the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs, to facilitate foreign tourists subject to the following exceptions: (i) Special instructions applicable to foreign diplomats and members of the United Nations and International Organisations holding Diplomatic/Official Passport are issued by the Ministry of External Affairs. (ii) Citizens of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan and foreign nationals of Pakistani origin shall not be issued a special permit without the prior approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs. This was stated by Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri R.P.N.Singh in Rajya Sabha today. **** KSD/SAMIR /SK /ASY (Release ID :92687)

Development of North Eastern Region

Development of North Eastern Region

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that Government of India has sanctioned, funded and implemented various schemes/projects in transport, road & bridges, power, agriculture, education, health sectors etc. from time to time in North Eastern Region (NER). The primary objective of development plans for NER has been faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth for balanced development. Special needs of NER and requirement for significant levels of investment is well recognized and Government is focusing on development of physical and social infrastructure to ensure holistic development of North-Eastern Region. During 11th Five Year Plan period flow of funds from Government of India to NER was Rs. 1.84 lakh crores. Details of flow of Plan Funds to NER during 11th Plan Period is given below: (Rs. In Crores) Source of funding 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 Total From Planning Commission (State Sector approved outlays of North Eastern States including Special Plan Assistance/Additional Central Assistance) 11275.45 14738.51 17701.27 21010.00 24997.00 89722.23 (48.76%) From Ministry Of Development Of North Eastern Region (Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources Scheme & North Eastern Council Scheme) 1200 1274 1323 1500 1500 6797 (3.69%) Other Central Ministries / Departments 12932.38 14847.36 16229.46 21772.22 21721.55 87502.97 (47.55%) Total 25407.83 30859.87 35253.73 44282.22 48218.55 184022.20 In a written reply in Lok Sabha today Shri Ghatowar said, Government has taken various measures to bridge development gaps and ensure overall growth of these States through following policy decisions:- (i)                Fifty-three non-exempted Central Ministries earmark 10% of their Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) for NER. Unspent balance of 10% GBS accrues in Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR), which is utilized for various developmental projects in NER. (ii)             Ministry of DoNER sanctions infrastructure projects for North Eastern States out of NLCPR as per priority of State Governments and keeping in mind backwardness quotient of the State. (iii)           Per Capita Central Assistance for North Eastern States is more than four times than that for other States. (iv)            North Eastern States are categorized as Special Category States and are provided assistance in more liberal terms in Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes and funding of these Schemes in NER is in ration of 90:10 between Centre and State. (v)               Development packages such as Bodoland Package, Special Economic Package for Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council, Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council etc. have been announced by union Government of India to address special needs of backward areas within NER. (vi)            Special programmes in specific sectors, such as Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East and North East Region Rail Development Fund for National Projects in North Eastern Region have been taken up for implementation. (vii)          Special needs for NER and requirement for significant levels of investment are well recognized and accordingly efforts have been made to address problems in critical areas of development with special programmes and funding arrangements. The central Government is also supplementing development efforts of NER by providing Special Central Assistance (SCA) and Special Plan Assistance (SPA) under the State plan. (viii)       Critical areas have been identified for intervention in 12th Plan to bridge gap in infrastructure and social sectors including road, rail, air, power, agriculture / horticulture, health and education sector etc.  *** NSK/DB (Release ID :92626)

Economic Survey of India- Highlights

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• Plan Outlay for Health up by 13.9 Per Cent; Allocation on Gender Budgeting Gone up to 5.96 of Total Budget
• India’s Social Safety Nets Successfully Weather Global Economic and Financial Crisis; Social Sector Spending on Continuous Increase; Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme Successfully Implemented in States of Jharkhand, Tripura and Maharashtra
• Economic Survey Acknowledges Benefits of Market Diversification
• RS. 12,517 Crore Capital to be Infused in PSB’st to Augment their Tier-1 Capital
• Government Takes Several Initiatives to Achieve Greater Financial Inclusion
• Headline WPI Inflation May Decline Between 6.2 to 6.6. Per Cent in March 2013
• SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC SURVEY
• Robust Inflow of FDI in the Services Sector
• Chandigarh Tops with Highest Share of Services in GSDP with 85%
• India Has Highest Increase in Share of Services in GDP at 8.1%
• Upward Trend in Employment Maintained; Overall Employment Increased by 6.94 Lakh in June 2012 Over June 2011
• Industrial Relations Climate Generally Remained Peaceful and Cordial; Number of Strikes and Mandays Lost Show Declining Trend
• Seizing the Demographic Dividend - Grabbing Opportunities for the Indian Work Force
• Spurt in Refining Capacity and Pipeline Network
• More than 3.7 Lakh Villages Provided Electricity Through Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana
• Energy Production and Consumption: A Snap Shot
• Legal Services Show a Steady Annual Growth of 8.2%
• 3 Per Cent Growth in Traffic Handled by Ports During 2011-12
• Tourism, Railways and Telecom Continue to Lead Other Sectors
• Agriculture Does Well in Output Growth
• India Calls for Additional Finance and Technology for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
• More than 900 Infra Projects Under PPP Mode
• JNNURM: Fueling Urban Renewal
• Government to Expedite Projects Under NHDP
• Railway Freight Grows by 5.1 PER CENT
• Fiscal Outcome Indicates Significant Improvement in 2012-13
• Controlling Expenditure on Subsidies Crucial; Need to Raise Diesel and LPG Prices in Line with Global Markets
• Reprioritisation of Expenditure from Non-Plan to Plan Critical to Meet 12th Plan Outlay
• Foreign Exchange Reserves Remain Steady
• Gross Tax Revenue in April-December 2012 Grows by 15% Over Corresponding of Previous Fiscal
• Focus On Curbing Imports Of Gold And Making Oil Prices More Market Determined To Contain CAD
• Measures Taken by Government to Protect Consumers from Price Rise
• Visible Moderation in WPI Inflation while Food Inflation Remains High
• Government Initiatives Generate Optimism
• Industrial Growth Expected to Improve
• Government’s Key Initiatives to Boost Manufacturing
• Government to Raise Rs 40,000 Crore Through Disinvestment

Promoting Organic Farming through NPOF, NHM and RKVY

The Government of India is promoting organic farming in various parts of the country including Bihar through various schemes like National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF), National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). It is already supporting financial assistance under National Horticulture Mission (NHM) for setting up of vermi-compost units @ 50% of the cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 30,000/- per beneficiary. Funds are also provided @ 50% of the cost subject to maximum of Rs. 10,000/- per hectare for a maximum area of 4 hectare per beneficiary for adoption of organic farming. Similar norms of assistance are applicable for assistance given under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). Under NPOF scheme, financial assistance is provided for setting up of organic inputs production units as credit linked back-ended subsidy to the tune of 33% restricted to Rs. 60.00 lakh for setting up of Fruit/Vegetable market Waste / Agro-waste compost units and 25% restricted to Rs 40.00 lakh for setting up of Bio-fertilisers production units / Bio-pesticides production units. Beside this, a farmers’ group centric low-cost certification system, ‘‘Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India)’’ an alternative of 3rd party certification system has been launched during 2011-12 to increase the area under organic farming. This information was given by MOS for Agriculture, Shri Tariq Anwar in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. MP:DS:CP: organic farming (26.2.2013) (Release ID :92563)

Construction of Border Roads

Government has approved construction of 27 strategic border roads along the Indo-China border at an estimated cost of Rs.1937 crore for the effective movement and operational requirement of Indo Tibetan Border Police. These roads are being constructed by Border Roads Organization (15 roads), Central Public Works Department (8 roads), National Project Construction Corporation (2 roads) and Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (2 roads) in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttrakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Out of these 27 roads, construction of 1 road has been completed. The construction of 25 roads is in progress and the construction work of 1 road will start in 2013. This was stated by Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Mullapally Ramachandran in Lok Sabha today. **** KSD/ SAMIR /ASY/PKM (Release ID :92546)

Delhi needs to up its game with smaller neighbours



By Harsh V Pant | Agency: DNA


The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, was the chief guest at this year’s Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi eight years after his father graced the occasion. As it turned out, however, he was not the first choice of the Indian government. New Delhi wanted the Sultan of Oman to be the chief guest but such are the mysterious ways of the great Indian bureaucracy that even a routine invitation to the head of a state was goofed up. A nation that wants to play in the big league could not even get its foreign policy machinery to follow some standard protocols of high summitry and the result was an ignominious rebuff from Muscat.

Even though this was clearly a major debacle, New Delhi quickly tried to salvage this situation by turning to its old friend in Bhutan for damage control who agreed to act as a replacement. Rest assured India’s faux pas will end up costing the nation some crucially needed goodwill both in Muscat and Thimpu. Though the Bhutanese King was received with due pomp and ceremony in New Delhi, the cavalier attitude of India towards its smaller neighbours will not go unnoticed.

Bhutan remains the only resolutely pro-India country in South Asia today. At a time when India is rapidly ceding strategic space to China in its vicinity, it should be cultivating its immediate neighbours with greater sensitivity. As it is Bhutan has signalled that it does not want to remain the only country in India’s neighbourhood without official ties with Beijing.

The Bhutanese prime minister met his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development at Rio de Janeiro last year in an attempt to lobby for Bhutan’s candidacy for the non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. He also reportedly raised the issue of establishing diplomatic ties between the two nations though this was later denied by Thimpu. China’s economic engagement with Bhutan is also likely to grow in the future especially as China’s infrastructure development leads to greater connectivities between the two states.

What might be most troubling for India is a boundary settlement between China and Bhutan. Besides India, Bhutan is the only county with a land border dispute with China today as the 470-km long border between the two nations remains contentious.

China’s slow encroachment into Bhutanese territory is also making Bhutan eager for an early boundary settlement. And if such a settlement allows China access to disputed areas in the Chumbi Valley, a tri-junction abutting Bhutan, Tibet and Sikkim, Indian security interests will suffer significantly as the Siliguri corridor connecting India to its northeast will come under direct Chinese threat.

In response India has indeed stepped up its own economic profile in Bhutan. India views Bhutan as a major source of hydropower in the coming years and is seeking greater access for its energy companies. India is hoping to import 10,000 MW hydropower from Bhutan by 2020 and is ramping up its economic aid to Thimpu. But the issue is larger than economic assistance and military security.

If New Delhi continues to treat its smaller neighbours as second class states who are only to be courted if the Chinese end up expanding their footprints, then sooner or later these smaller states will start treating India as a second rate power, lagging much behind China in their foreign policy priorities.

The ‘special’ relationship that New Delhi and Thimpu share will only hold water if both sides are equally interested in sustaining the relationship. Much like other smaller states in India’s neighbourhood, Bhutan would also like greater autonomy in its foreign and security policies. And with democracy taking roots in the country, India will be soon seen as a nosy external party interfering in Bhutan’s internal affairs. China will then emerge as an effective balancer against India’s overweening presence.

India cannot and should not hinder the enhancement of Sino-Bhutanese ties. Bhutan, the hermit kingdom of South Asia, is opening up to the world. Not only China but other powers too are seeking to engage Thimpu. A fully integrated Bhutan into the world community can only be a good thing for India. China’s quiet assertion in South Asia has allowed various smaller countries of South Asia to play China off against India. Most states in the region now use the China card to balance against the predominance of India.

It would indeed be a huge failure of Indian diplomacy ifBhutan too decides to follow the same path.

The writer teaches at King’s College, London

DARBANGHA-MAZZAFARPUR HIGHWAY.

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Organic is the way to till in green Sikkim

Gangtok, Feb 25 — Greener, bigger, fresher and more wholesome than elsewhere in the country - that's how vegetables appear here, in the manicured Saramsa Gardens, the venue of the Sikkim International Flower Show, 2013.
Rows upon rows of potted vegetables flourish in what is described as the state's organic stomach.
Tomatoes, dwarf red peppers (jolokia), chinese cabbage, Indian cabbage, green lettuce, red lettuce, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, turnips, 60 varieties of locally-grown rice, ginger, cardamom, grains, oranges and bananas all point to a target well within reach - this eastern Himalayan state is set to achieve "complete organic agriculture status" by 2015.
In two years, 64,876 hectares of farmland under the Sikkim Organic Mission, will be farmed without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The target is being achieved in three phases.
Of the total area, 8,128 hectares have already been brought under organic cultivation, according to figures released by the state government. Another 18,242 hectares of farmland is under conversion to organic cultivation.
"In 2003, we were the first state to start organic farming. Chief Minister Pawan Chamling brought a resolution (to this effect) in the state assembly. Since then, farmers have begun to try their hand at organic cultivation of vegetables, spices and fruits. It began as a mission in 2010," Tenzing Bhutia, additional executive director of the Sikkim Organic Mission, told IANS at the International Flower Show 2013 here.
Bhutia said Sikkim, a small hilly state where the average size of land holding worked out to 1.2 hectares, is dependent on rain-fed irrigation which is erratic; there were several reasons to go organic.
"States like Punjab, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have a mandate for National Food Security. While Punjab produces wheat for the country, Andhra grows rice. We have no mandate and can afford to grow high-value low-volume crops organically to make farming economically sustainable and ensure quality produce," Bhutia said.
The crops that are on the state's organic roster are of the horticultural variety. The state has a mixed-use cropping pattern and usually all the crops grown on one farm are organic.
"We do not select crops for organic cultivation. We even promote farm production of organic inputs like organic manure and bio-pesticides, and provide infrastructure credit for construction of vermi-compost and rural compost pits and farm accessories," he said.
The state government has been reducing subsidies on chemical fertilizers and pesticides by 10 percent every year to discourage their use, and has stopped lifting the quota of the government's chemically-treated fertiliser, the official said.
A "carpet" (intensive) campaign to promote awareness about organic farming is underway in the state, with workshops and creation of growers' group committees at the grassroots to network between organic farm clusters.
Three "Livelihood Schools" have trained 816 educated youths in organic farming; of these, 550 students have been employed as supervisors by farms, earning around Rs.6,500 per month.
"Sikkim is looking at the affluent urban middle class in the country to buy its organic produce, which costs barely Rs.10 more than inorganically grown products," the official said.
Speaking of the growing interest in organic produce, K.R. Dhaiman, vice-chancellor of the Y.S. Parmar University of Horiculture and Forestry (in Solan, Himachal Pradesh) said: "Nearly 50 percent to 60 percent of our agricultural land is rain-fed and uses non-intensive production methods. The application of chemical pesticides in these farms is bare minimum and the bulk of them are still non-commercial in their production goals. To make agriculture profitable here, government has to convince farmers to switch to organic farming."
Dhaiman, who is attending the Sikkim International Flower Show as a special delegate, told IANS: "Human beings have grown up with nature. But the slow weaning away from nature with progress have disrupted natural balance."
Dhaiman stressed the need to revive organic cultivation in non-Green Revolution areas in the country, a large portion of which lies in the hills.
A policy statement for organic farming released here this week states that nearly near 600,000 farmers in India produce more than 1.8 million tonnes of organic commodities, valued at nearly Rs.5,600 crore (nearly a billion dollars) annually.
(Madhusree Chatterjee can be contacted at madhu.c@ians.in)

Speech of the President of India at the launch of PSLV - C20 SARAL Mission

1. I was delighted to witness the remarkable launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C20 SARAL Mission, along with six more satellites today. It is a pleasure to be in the midst of distinguished scientists and technologists who have gathered here to celebrate the culmination of the meticulously executed chain of events and rigourous pre-launch preparations for the Mission. 2. I congratulate the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for successfully executing this Mission. I am confident that the SARAL spacecraft launched today would function as planned and perform as designed and serve the intended applications in Ocean Topography, Coastal Altimetry, Ocean currents monitoring and Animal migration studies worldwide. The PSLV has become a household name in our country and this mission would only reaffirm this position through its efficacy, accuracy and reliability of this launch vehicle. 3. An important manifestation of India’s bilateral cooperation with foreign countries is in the field of Space technology. I congratulate the French space agency, Centre National d’études Spatiales (CNES), for whole-heartedly participating in this collaborative mission. This mission epitomizes the spirit of the Indo-French partnership, which the two nations have shared for decades. 4. Ladies and Gentlemen, curiosity is mankind’s second nature and human beings have always sought to unearth the mysteries that lie beyond our Mother Earth. The desire to know the unknown has driven us to inculcate a scientific temper for inquiry. 5. India’s space programme is about half a century old though our rich legacy of astronomy dates back to Aryabhatta and Bhaskara. Due to the genius of our space scientists led by stalwarts such as Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Satish Dhawan, Prof. U.R. Rao, Prof. Kasturirangan and others, our space programme has over the years become successful in delivering to our country indigenous capability in design and development of satellites, launch vehicles and space applications. 6. It is heartening to note that in the road towards self-reliance, ISRO has played a vital role in the enhancement of technology levels and indigenization of strategic materials. The Indian National Satellite System is today a proud repository of the largest group of communication satellites in the Asia Pacific region. Our launch capabilities have been duly acknowledged the world over, with ISRO increasingly launching satellites of other countries. 7. Ladies and Gentlemen, challenges to our country’s progress are many and they cannot be successfully countered without technology playing a pivotal role in the effort. This is true whether it is for ushering in a sustainable development paradigm, establish a strong agricultural sector, respond to climate change, building the rural sector amongst others. Our space programme has all along been an application-oriented initiative, and hence, been an able partner in our development process. 8. Our first Prime Minister, Late Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had once said and I quote: “It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of insanitation and illiteracy, of superstition and deadening custom and tradition, of vast resources running to waste, of a rich country inhabited by starving people... Who indeed could afford to ignore science today? At every turn we have to seek its aid... the future belongs to science and those who make friends with science.” (unquote). 9. Our scientific progress has been built on this philosophy. We have used space applications to bring government closer to people, particularly those who are far removed from urban centers and reside in remote areas of the country. Space-based applications like tele-education and tele-medicine have enabled greater access to our rural population to these basic needs. 10. The telemedicine project has made it possible for health care centres in remote locations to connect with super specialty hospitals in towns and cities through INSAT satellites for provision of health care facility to the needy and under-served population. I am told that 1.5 lakh people are availing of the telemedicine facility annually. 11. The EDUSAT satellite has brought about a change in the way education is delivered in our schools, colleges and universities, including the non-formal education system. Interactive education has made it possible to bring education closer to our students, particularly those located in under-served areas. 12. The Village Resource Centre initiative, which connects resource centres like Agricultural Universities, Skill Development Institutes and Hospitals for training of people in diverse fields such as agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, livestock, water resources, computer literacy, micro finance and vocational training, is commendable. Over five lakh people have availed of this facility and I am sure many more will do so in the future. 13. Our farmers have hugely benefitted from weather forecasting as also tele-agriculture initiatives that educate them about different methods and techniques of farming. Management of our natural resources has greatly relied on our remote sensing capabilities. 14. Such socially relevant uses of technology that meet our country’s development goals are imperative to address the demands of our population. Our endeavour must be to lower the cost of access to space through greater innovation and drive towards technology refinement. 15. Ladies and Gentlemen, ISRO enjoys tremendous trust amongst our countrymen. This faith and confidence puts the onus back on the organization to raise the bar of its performance, scale greater heights and explore newer frontiers. 16. Over the past three years, ISRO has successfully accomplished an impressive array of 15 missions including CARTOSAT - 2B, MEGHATROPIQUES, RISAT-1 and a number of PSLV launches. 17. The entire nation is eagerly looking forward for the successful flight of the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), with the Indigenous Cryogenic Stage. The planned experimental mission of GSLV Mark 3 is a huge step forward in the development of heavy-lift space transportation system in the country. 18. Our Chandrayaan-1 mission made the country proud. I am also confident of the first Indian inter-planetary venture, The Mars Orbiter Mission, targeted for this year, to be successful and to place India into the ranks of the few Nations that have attempted such a feat. 19. Ladies and Gentlemen, for India to occupy its rightful place in the comity of nation, we must promote innovation and technological advancement. ISRO should be in the forefront of such a movement. 20. I am certain that ISRO, with its team of able, energetic and committed professionals, will meet the future scientific and technological challenges and continue to be a nerve centre of innovation and creativity. I wish ISRO every success in the missions to come. Let me conclude by saying that India’s tryst with space will continue to evoke awe amongst many. *** SH/SKS (Release ID :92488)