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Arunachal Pradesh Trade and Commerce

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Arunachal Pradesh Trade and Commerce

  • Arunachal Pradesh is situated in the north eastern most part of India and is nearly 84,000 Sq. Km in area. It has a long international boundary with Bhutan to the west (160 Km), China to the North East (1080 Km) and Myanmar to the East (440 Km) stretching 1,680 Kms of international border.
  • The Department of Trade & Commerce was created and caArunachal Pradesh Trade and Commerceme into being in the state of Arunachal Pradesh during 1998.The main functions of the Department as per the Business of Allocation notified by the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh are as under:
  1. Issue of Trade License.
  2. Facilities to Border Trade & Foreign Trade.
  3. Development and expansion of export production particular in plantation of crops, orchids, flowers and Handlooms and Handicrafts.
  4. Creation of Export commodities including Export Processing Zones etc

Activities of the Department by Department of Trade and Commerce Arunachal Pradesh

  • The Department of Trade & Commerce is the Nodal Department for issue of Trade Licences.
  • All the respective Deputy Commissioners/ ADCs of the Districts have been empowered to issue Trade Licences up to Rs. 10 lakhs.
  • Trade Licences involving more than Rs. 10 lakhs are also issued by the respective DCs after thorough examination by the Department of Trade & Commerce and subsequent approval of the Government.
  • Normally, Trade Licences are issued to Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe (APST) entrepreneurs only.
  • However, in exceptional cases where there is no APST entrepreneurs forth coming, Non-Tribals are also issued Trading licences with the approval of the Government subject to dully recommended by the respective DCs as a special case.
  • Moreover, trade licences can also be issued to industrial unit established by other than APST as per Arunachal Pradesh State Industrial Policy 2008

Facilities to Border Trade and Foreign Trade

  • By the advent of globalization and economic liberalization, The Government of India has given more emphasis on the development of Border Trade & Foreign Trade with the neighbouring countries for the overall economic development of the state in particular and country in general.
  • As a consequence, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has taken up some ambitious proposals for re-opening of border trade with the neighbouring countries i.e. Bhutan, Myanmar & China.
  • In the past, the people of the state residing in the border areas had been maintaining trade relations with the neighboring countries though in traditional and unregulated manner.
  • People inhabiting in the border areas with Bhutan and Myanmar have been maintaining unregulated trade relation till today though trade relation with China was discontinued after Sino-Indian conflict in 1962.
  • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has identified the following border trade points and further development of infrastructure is under active process in Indo-Myanmar and Indo-Bhutan sector.

BORDER TRADE

  • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh is presently planning to open a new horizon by opening Border Trade with our neighbouring countries, viz., China, Bhutan and Myanmar.
  • In most of the places, traditional way of trade is existing but Government is preparing proposals to create proper infrastructure for formal trade.
  • Border Trade in following sectors is being proposed:

Indo-China Sector

  1. Kenzamane (Zemithang) in Tawang District
  2. Bumla in Tawang District .
  3. Gelling (Kepangla Pass) in Upper Siang District
  4. Kibithoo in Anjaw District
  5. Mechuka (Lolla Pass) in West Siang District.
  6. Monigong (Dumla Pass) in West Siang District
  7. Taksing in Upper Subansiri District.

Indo-Myanmar Sector

  1. Pangsu Pass (Nampong) in Changlang District

Indo-Bhutan Sector

  1. Bleting (Namtsering) in Tawang District
  2. Dongshengmang and Bongkhar in Tawang District

Various scheme for Trade Development

Export Development Fund (EDF)

  • Following the announcement of the Prime Minister on June, 21-22, 2000 at Shillong, an Export Development of Fund (EDF) has been set up for promotion of the export development in the North Eastern Region including Sikkim.
  • The fund was set up initially with a corpus of Rs 5 crores and thereafter further contribution to the fund is to be provided by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry from any other budgetary or non budgetary sources of the government which is to be managed by the Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the instruction of the Department of Commerce.

Central Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Other Allied Activities (ASIDE)

  • The Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India is implementing a central scheme, ‘Central Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Other Allied Activities’ (ASIDE) for promotion and facilitation of export commodities and creation of necessary infrastructure in the state in order to maintain lower cost of production so as to make our exports internationally competitive.
  • The objective of the scheme is to involve the state in the export effort by providing assistance to the state government for creating appropriate infrastructure for the development and growth of exports as the states do not often have adequate resources to participate in funding of infrastructure for exports.

Setting up of World Trade Centre (WTC) in Itanagar

  • The World Trade Centre, Mumbai (WTCM) which is the lone Centre in entire Country is very much interested to set up one more such centre in the state of Arunachal Pradesh at Itanagar in view of the high potentiality of Border Trade scope in the region in tune with “Look East Policy” of the Central Government.
  • The W.T.C can facilitate in numerous ways, such as, holding of business exhibitions, Business centre with rooms for holding meetings, conferences, workshops, video conferencing, W.T.C club, undertaking research studies and dissemination of information through on-line, periodicals, training in foreign languages and taking and receiving trade missions.
  • Moreover the WTC can be a catalyst for all round development of the region, such as, renewal of urban areas, attraction of new business in the region, boosting of airport and air traffic and enhancing the trade capabilities of the trading community of the region

 

Foreign travelers

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Foreign travelers

India has always been the dream destination for people who want to explore one of the earliest civilizations in the world. Since time immemorial, India has received a number of keen travelers who came here and fell in love with its traditions and colors.

Hiuen Tsang from China (629-645)

One of the earliest and the most celebrated travelers to India, Hiuen Tsang came from China to India in search of Buddhist belief and practice. He has been described as the “prince of pilgrims” and his accounts carry a lot of information on the political, social and religious set up of India. Hiuen Tsang visited Kashmir, Punjab and proceeded to Kapilavastu, Bodh-Gaya, Sarnath, and Kusinagara. He studied in the University of Nalanda and travelled through the Deccan, Orissa and Bengal. Since he stayed in India for 14 long years, his accounts reflect what ancient India must have been once.

Megasthenes

Megasthenes was a famous Foreign Envoy and ambassador of Seleucus Nikator of Syria . He visited the Chandragupta Maurya (Sandrokottos) court. He wrote the great book Indica which explains the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. He explained Social and administrative status at the time of Mauryas. Megasthenes was the first foreign envoy who visited India.

Fa-Hien

Fa-Hien is a Foreign Envoy  who visited India at the time of Chandragupta II, known as Vikramaditya. He was a Chinese pilgrim. Fa-Hien was the first Chinese pilgrim to visit India. Fa-Hien came to India to collect Buddhist texts and relics. Fa-Hien visited Lumbini, the Buddha’s birth place. He compiled his experiences in a travelogue “Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms”.

 

Al Beruni from Persia (1000-1025)

Al Beruni was an Islamic scholar who was “commissioned” by Mahmud of Ghazni to write his monumental commentary on Indian philosophy and culture Kitab fi tahqiq ma li’l-hind. In the words of the historians today, “His observations on Indian conditions, systems of knowledge, social norms, religion … are probably the most incisive made by any visitor to India.” Born in Uzbekistan, this traveler remained in India for thirteen long years to understand its culture and literature.

Ibn Battuta from Morocco (1333)

Its unbelievable that a person could have traveled so much in times where no travelling paraphernalia was available. Meet Ibn Battuta who had a passion for travel unparalleled in history, inimitable by any individual. It is hard to believe that Ibn Battuta  journeyed more than 75,000 miles (121,000 km), a figure unsurpassed by any individual explorer until the coming of the Steam Age some 450 years later. He was the only medieval traveller who is known to have visited the lands of every Muslim ruler of his time. His journeys include trips to North Africa, West Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Europe in the West, Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and China in the East, a distance surpassing threefold his near-contemporary Marco Polo.

Marco Polo

Marco Polo from Italy (b.1254-d.1324) Marco Polo, the Venetian traveler, is perhaps the most celebrated traveler even till today. He is said to have visited South India twice, in 1288 and 1292, where he saw a tomb of St. Thomas “at a certain little town” which he does not name. Many historians accept these dates and visits without question, and identify the little town that he speaks of with Mylapore.

Abdul Razzak from Persia (1442-1445)

One of the earliest mention of Vijaynagar empire in India comes through Abdul Razzak, the Persian traveler who visited it around 1440. His accounts of the Hampi marketplace, its architecture and grandeur have left a lot of corpus of history for later historians to work on. Abdul Razzak was the ambassador of Shahrukh of Timurid Dynasty.

Nicolo Conti from Italy (1420-1421)

Nicolo De Conti’ (fl. 1419-1444) was a Venetian explorer and writer who visited the west coast of India to Ely, and struck inland to Vijayanagar, the capital of the principal Hindu state of the Deccan. Of this city Conti gives an elaborate description and one of the most interesting portions of his narrative. From Vijayanagar and the Tungabudhra he travelled to Maliapur near Madras, present day Chennai.

Afanasy Nikitin from Russia (1469-1472)

Nikitin, the Russian merchant, spent more than two years in India traveling to different cities, getting acquainted with local residents and carefully describing everything he saw. The notes of the merchant were compiled in the form of a so-called “Journey,” that is more like a traveler’s log. This work accurately described the nature and political organization of India as well as its traditions, lifestyle and customs.

Domingo Paes from Portugal (1520-1522)

After the conquest of Goa in 1510 and its rise as capital of the Portuguese Estado da India, several Portuguese travellers and traders visited Vijayanagara and wrote detailed reports about the glory of Bisnaga or Vijayanagara. Most valuable are that of Domingos Paes written in c. 1520-22. The report of Paes, who visited Vijayanagara during Krishnadeva’s reign, is based primarily on careful observation as he describes in detail the so-called feudal nayankara system of Vijayanagara’s military organisation and the annual royal Durga festival.

 

Sustainable and Inclusive Growth

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The term Sustainable growth became prominent after the World Conservation Strategy Presented in 1980 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Brundland Report(1987) define sustainable development as the a process which seek to meet the needs and aspirations of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own demands.

Natural resources are limited and thus sustainable development promotes their judicious use and put emphasis on conservation and protection of environment.Global warming and Climate change has brought the issue of Sustainable development in prominence.

Inclusive Growth is economic growth that creates opportunity for all segments of the population and distributes the dividends of increased prosperity, both in monetary and non-monetary terms, fairly across society.Indian Plans after the independence were based on the downward infiltration theory, which failed to bring equitable growth to all the sections of the Indian society.

Approach paper of 11th five year plan talked about “Inclusive and more faster growth” through bridging divides by including those in growth process who were excluded. Divide between above and Below Poverty Line, between those with productive jobs and those who are unemployed or grossly unemployed is at alarming stage.

Liberalization and Privatization after 1990’s have brought the nation out of the hindu growth rate syndrome but the share of growth has not been equitably distributed amongst different sections of Indian Society.

Various dimensions of Inclusive growth are:-

  1. economic
  2. social
  3. financial
  4. environmental

Important issues that are needed to be addressed to achieve the inclusive growth are:-

  1. Poverty
  2. Unemployment
  3. Rural Infrastructure
  4. Financial Inclusion
  5. Balanced regional development
  6. Gender equality
  7. Human Resource Development (Health, Education, Skill Development)
  8. Basic Human Resources like sanitation, drinking water, housing etc.

Government has launched several programs and policies for Inclusive growth such as:-

  1. MNREGA
  2. Jan Dhan Yojna
  3. Atal Pension Yojna
  4. Skill India Mission
  5. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
  6. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
  7. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
  8. Sukanya Samridhi Yojana
  9. Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Yojana
  10. Jan Aushadhi Yojana (JAY)
  11. Nai Manzil Scheme for minority students
  12. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) or Housing for all by 2022

inclusive groth

 

 

Arunachal Pradesh Schemes

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Arunachal Pradesh Schemes

Chief Minister’s Youth Development Scheme

Its main aim is to channelize the unlimited energy and talents of our youth for constructive work. This will be implemented through the Deputy Commissioners. It includes Fostering healthy habits including daily exercise and games.

Nodal ministry is Youth and Sports Development ministry.

Navjyoti

I t aims at Universal access to basic health facilities consisting of health card, medical examination.

To ensure health care services to all people of Arunachal Pradesh. It will be implemented by Health & Family Welfare department.

IMR Mission

I t aims at Universal access to basic health facilities consisting of health card, medical examination. To reduce maternal, infant and neo-natal mortality rates. It will be implemented by Health & Family Welfare department.

Relief & Rehabilitation of Persons With Disabilities

I t aims to provide welfare and rehabilitation to the persons with disabilities of the State under the PWD Act 1995. Strong focus on the special needs of Persons with Disability (PWD), especially children and women. It will be implemented through Social Welfare & Child Development Dept.

Assistance to Arunachal Pradesh State Social Welfare Board

Arunachal Pradesh State Social Welfare Board (APSSWB) was set up in 1963 which, besides, advising the State Government in respect of implementation of the various schemes, also looks after Ten Project Implementation Centres (PICs) located in Ten Districts in the State viz., Tawang, Bomdila, Ziro, Daporijo, Along, Pasighat, Roing, Tezu, Changlang & Khonsa. It is meant for educational training for adult girls and women. The State Social Welfare Board also runs and manages working women hostels.

It will be implemented through Social Welfare & Child Development Dept.

Children in Need of Care and Protection

To provide the formal education, free boarding, lodging, vocational training, rehabilitation with the help of non-governmental organisations, voluntary agencies for running institution, etc. It will be implemented through Social Welfare & Child Development Dept.

Construction / Maintenance of Working Women Hostels

Under this scheme, the construction of the working women hostel has been almost completed in some districts of the State of Arunachal Pradesh. It will be implemented through Social Welfare & Child Development Dept.

Chief Minister’s Talent Award Scheme

The toppers (amongst both boys and girls in class 10th and in class 12th Board examinations) of all schools were provided a Laptop and ₹ 10,00Arunachal Pradesh Schemes0 as scholarship to encourage them for pursuing their future studies.  Conversion of schools into ‘smart schools’.  Smart schools will have IT enabled classrooms, e-libraries; web based teaching and will make all students e-literate required for providing quality education. It will be implemented through state education department.

Horticulture Garden Scheme

  • Assistance for development of horticulture garden and horticulture plant cultivation.
  • Promoting diversified agricultural and allied livelihoods, including livestock and horticulture
  • Will be implemented through Horticulture department.

Rural Building Center

The objective of the scheme is to set up Rural Building Centres for (a) technology transfer (b) skill Upgradation of rural artisans (c ) production of cost effective and environment friendly materials for housing construction. This scheme will be implemented on pilot basis in two districts in collaboration with HUDCO and involving NGOs. It will be implemented through Rural Development Department.

Chief Minister’s Transport Subsidy Scheme

  • Subsidy for educated unemployed youth to purchase Tourist Taxis in certain routes.
  • Skill Development of all eligible youth for self-employment and placement
  • It will be implemented through Industries Department.

Living Heritage

  • To encourage the local artists, artisans and exponents of traditional art forms and establishing of a Culture Village and Tourism Haat.
  • Village Tourism including eco-tourism.
  • It will be implemented through tourism Department.

Hydro Power Development from Prime Minister’s Package

In the package announced by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, ` 550.00 crore has been earmarked for Power Sector which is to be spent to achieve the ultimate goal of electrification of all households in the State. This ` 550.00 crore has been distributed. Electricity connection to all households and street-lights including from alternative sources of energy, especially solar. It will be implemented by department of Hydro power development.

Old Age Pension

  • To provide social security through financial assistance to old who have no means of subsistence and have none to support them during their entire life cycles.
  • Pensions for all eligible families- old age, disability and widow
  • It will be implemented through Social Justice dept.

 

 

 

 

 

Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture part -2

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Arunachal Pradesh has rural base of economy as over seventy percent of population still live in about 3863 villages. Statistical Abstract of Arunachal Pradesh, 2008, shows that about 58.44 percent of population belongs to the category of cultivators, 3.85 percent agricultural labourers, 0.86 percent workers in household industries, and 36.85 percent other types of workers. Their main occupations are agriculture and animal husbandry. Tribal communities of the state follow both the shifting cultivation and sedentary agriculture.

Shifting Cultivation

In this form of agriculture practice first a forest land is selected. Then it is cleared and dried twigs are burnt on spot and thus land is prepared for sowing. After doing cultivation on such a plot for a few years it is left to regain fertility and the community moves to another plot. They return to the old plot after three years. In this way they shift from one plot to another. In the olden days when land was sufficiently available and there was no population pressure this system was practical to the tribal communities considering their life patterns and little advancement of modern scientific method of farming. At that time the cycle of one shifting was also between 10 and 20 years so there was no adverse effect of this practice on environment. The left over areas regained fertility and there was sufficient growth of vegetation on them in the meantime. So, ecological balance was maintained. Main crops cultivated in jhum lands include food grains, vegetables, root crops and fruit species.

Major Crops are

Rice

Rice is staple food of the people of this region as a whole. In Arunachal Pradesh production of rice is highest among all food crops. Five major districts in relation to rice production are Changlang , West Siang , East Siang , Lohit  and Papum Pare . Whereas in terms of production of all food crops during the same period five major districts were Changlang, West Siang, East Siang, Lohit, and Lower Dibang Valley.

Commercial Crops

Among the commercial crops oil seeds, potato, ginger and chilies are produced in all the districts of state in varying quantities.

Oilseeds

Lohit district produced the highest quantity of oil seeds  followed by Lower Dibang Valley , East Siang , Changlang  and West Siang .

Potato

During the same period the production of potato was highest in Lohit  followed by East Siang , Lower Subansiri , Tawang , and Lower Dibang Valley .

Ginger

Production of ginger was highest in Lower Dibang Valley , followed by Lohit , East Siang , Changlang  and Upper Subansiri .

Chilli

Production of chili was highest in Changlang , followed by Upper Subansiri , Lower Subansiri , Anjaw , and West Siang .

Among other commercial crops sugarcane was produced highest in East Siang (7280MT), followed by Changlang (4899MT), Papum Pare (2888MT), West Siang (2663MT), and Lower Subansiri (1450MT).

Turmeric was produced in highest quantity in Lower Dibang Valley (616MT), Lohit (387MT), East Siang (369MT), West Siang (234MT) and Papum Pare (116MT).

Horticulture Crops

Apart from food and commercial crops, horticultural crops are equally important. They are the backbone of rural economy of Arunachal Pradesh, as pointed out by the Federation of Industry and Commerce of North East Region (FINER). A good agro-climatic condition and topography of the state is most suitable for cultivation of various tropical, sub-tropical and temperate fruits like apple, orange, pineapple, vegetables, mushrooms, spices, aromatic and medicinal plants.

Apple

Arunachal Pradesh is emerging as a major apple-growing state in the north-east. It grows apple in 8,400 ha and produces 9,500 tonnes apples. Its productivity is 1.1 tonnes/ha, which is extremely low, and the major constraints are low-density plantation of inferior varieties, lack of pollination management, inadequate and imbalanced use of plant protection, irrigation and nutrient management practices and poor canopy.

Mandarin
It is a leading state for production of mandarin, but plantations continue to suffer due to die-back and low productivity. Low productivity is due to old orchards seedling stock, poor management of nutrients and water coupled with incidences of insect pests and diseases. Low pH of soil also attributes to low productivity.

Department of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh is initiating to step up production and productivity of crops with the following schemes under State Plan Program under 3 (Three) major Heads of development:

  1. Crop Husbandry
    ii. Agriculture Research & Education
    iii. Agriculture Marketing & Quality Control

Crops Husbandry
Following programmes are covered under Crop Husbandry to enhance the food production and cash crops in the State:-

  1. State Food Security Programme
    II. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)
    III. Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
    IV. Seed Production Programme through Govt. Agriculture Farms
    V. Chief Minister’s Agricultural Mechanization Programme
    VI. Strengthening of HRD Institution & Agriculture Programme
    VII. Cash Crops Development Programme
    VIII. Major repairs and renovation of assets (Buildings)
    IX. Promotion of Agriculture
    X. Agriculture Employment Generation Programme
    XI. Up gradation of10 (Ten) Nos. Laboratories
    XII. Organizing Sustainable Mountain Development Summit- IV

Agricultural Research & Education
The Department seeks to provide adequate stress on research by reorganizing the existing structure and pooling the existing manpower to deal effectively aiming at generating research output for the extension functionaries. Efforts are also intended to take up Research Programme on improving the productivity and generating data that suggest steps required to minimize the ill effect of Jhumming. A documentary film on Paddy-cum-Fish-Culture is also proposed for wide publicity and brings awareness to the farmers in other Districts.

Education is also an Integral part of developing the human resources in the field of Agriculture. In this Programme in which students are proposed to be sent for higher studies leading to B. Sc. (Agri.) etc. The expenditure on their stipend/Book grants etc. are to be borne by the Department.

Agriculture Marketing & Quality Control
Over the years there has been a significant increase in the production of crops like Potato, Ginger, Mustard, Vegetable, Sugarcane, Chilly & Maize in the State. The farmers are now facing the new challenge for disposal of these commodities and are deprived of the remunerative prices. All these commodities are considered as surplus and providing appropriate market avenues to the farmers is the real challenge at present to the Department.

 

Banking- Role of Commercial Banks, Issue of NPA, Financial Inclusion:-

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Table of Content:-

  1. Role of Commercial Banks
  2. Issue of NPA
  3. Financial Inclusion


Role of Commercial Banks

A Commercial bank is a type of financial institution that provides services such as accepting deposits, making business loans, and offering basic investment products

There is acute shortage of capital. People lack initiative and enterprise. Means of transport are undeveloped. Industry is depressed. The commercial banks help in overcoming these obstacles and promoting economic development. The role of a commercial bank in a developing country is discussed as under.

  1. Mobilising Saving for Capital Formation:

The commercial banks help in mobilising savings through network of branch banking. People in developing countries have low incomes but the banks induce them to save by introducing variety of deposit schemes to suit the needs of individual depositors. They also mobilise idle savings of the few rich. By mobilising savings, the banks channelize them into productive investments. Thus they help in the capital formation of a developing country.

  1. Financing Industry:

The commercial banks finance the industrial sector in a number of ways. They provide short-term, medium-term and long-term loans to industry.

  1. Financing Trade:

The commercial banks help in financing both internal and external trade. The banks provide loans to retailers and wholesalers to stock goods in which they deal. They also help in the movement of goods from one place to another by providing all types of facilities such as discounting and accepting bills of exchange, providing overdraft facilities, issuing drafts, etc. Moreover, they finance both exports and imports of developing countries by providing foreign exchange facilities to importers and exporters of goods.

  1. Financing Agriculture:

The commercial banks help the large agricultural sector in developing countries in a number of ways. They provide loans to traders in agricultural commodities. They open a network of branches in rural areas to provide agricultural credit. They provide finance directly to agriculturists for the marketing of their produce, for the modernisation and mechanisation of their farms, for providing irrigation facilities, for developing land, etc.

They also provide financial assistance for animal husbandry, dairy farming, sheep breeding, poultry farming, pisciculture and horticulture. The small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural workers, artisans and petty shopkeepers in rural areas are provided financial assistance through the regional rural banks in India. These regional rural banks operate under a commercial bank. Thus the commercial banks meet the credit requirements of all types of rural people. In India agricultural loans are kept in priority sector landing.

  1. Financing Consumer Activities:

People in underdeveloped countries being poor and having low incomes do not possess sufficient financial resources to buy durable consumer goods. The commercial banks advance loans to consumers for the purchase of such items as houses, scooters, fans, refrigerators, etc. In this way, they also help in raising the standard of living of the people in developing countries by providing loans for consumptive activities and also increase the demand in the economy.

  1. Financing Employment Generating Activities:

The commercial banks finance employment generating activities in developing countries. They provide loans for the education of young person’s studying in engineering, medical and other vocational institutes of higher learning. They advance loans to young entrepreneurs, medical and engineering graduates, and other technically trained persons in establishing their own business. Such loan facilities are being provided by a number of commercial banks in India. Thus the banks not only help inhuman capital formation but also in increasing entrepreneurial activities in developing countries.

  1. Help in Monetary Policy:

The commercial banks help the economic development of a country by faithfully following the monetary policy of the central bank. In fact, the central bank depends upon the commercial banks for the success of its policy of monetary management in keeping with requirements of a developing economy.

 

 


Issue of NPA

A non performing asset (NPA) is a loan or advance for which the principal or interest payment remained overdue for a period of 90 days.According to RBI, terms loans on which interest or installment of principal remain overdue for a period of more than 90 days from the end of a particular quarter is called a Non-performing Asset.

However, in terms of Agriculture / Farm Loans; the NPA is defined as under:

  • For short duration crop agriculture loans such as paddy, Jowar, Bajra etc. if the loan (installment / interest) is not paid for 2 crop seasons , it would be termed as a NPA.
  • For Long Duration Crops, the above would be 1 Crop season from the due date.

The Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act has provisions for the banks to take legal recourse to recover their dues. When a borrower makes any default in repayment and his account is classified as NPA; the secured creditor has to issue notice to the borrower giving him 60 days to pay his dues. If the dues are not paid, the bank can take possession of the assets and can also give it on lease or sell it; as per provisions of the SAFAESI Act.

Reselling of NPAs :- If a bad loan remains NPA for at least two years, the bank can also resale the same to the Asset Reconstruction Companies such as Asset Reconstruction Company (India) (ARCIL).  These sales are only on Cash Basis and the purchasing bank/ company would have to keep the accounts for at least 15 months before it sells to other bank. They purchase such loans on low amounts and try to recover as much as possible from the defaulters. Their revenue is difference between the purchased amount and recovered amount.

 


Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion or inclusive financing is the delivery of financial services at affordable costs to sections of disadvantaged and low-income segments of society, in contrast to financial exclusion where those services are not available or affordable.Financial-inclusion

Government of India has launched an innovative scheme of Jan Dhan Yojna for Financial Inclusion to provide the financial services to millions out of the regulated banking sector.

 

 

 

 

Various program’s for financial inclusion are:-

  • Swabhimaan Scheme: under the Swabhimaan campaign, the Banks were advised to provide appropriate banking facilities to habitations having a population in excess of 2000 (as per 2001 census) by March 2012.
  • Extention of  the banking network in unbanked areas,
  • Expansion of Business Correspondent Agent (BCA) Network
  • Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG (DBTL)
  • RuPay, a new card payment scheme has been conceived by NPCI to offer a domestic, open-loop, multilateral card payment system which will allow all Indian banks and financial Institutions in India to participate in electronic payments.
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was formally launched on 28th August, 2014. The Yojana envisages universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic banking account for every household, financial literacy, access to credit, insurance and pension. The beneficiaries would get a RuPay Debit Card having inbuilt accident insurance cover of Rs.1.00 lakh. In addition there is a life insurance cover of Rs.30000/- to those people who opened their bank accounts for the first time between 15.08.2014 to 26.01.2015 and meet other eligibility conditions of the Yojana.

 

 

Lok Adalats and Legal Awareness Campaign

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LOK ADALATS

Lok stands for People and the word Adalat means Court. Lok Adalat is a special kind of people’s court in which disputes solved by direct talks between the litigants. The members of legal profession, college students, social organisations, charitable and philanthropic institutions and other similar organisations may be associated with Lok Adalat. Salient features of this dispute resolutions are participation,accomadation,fairness,expectations,voluntariness,neighbourliness,transparency and lack of animosity.Lok Adalat after studying the case, try to solve the simple differences which otherwise are likely to leave for reaching consequences through mutual understanding and compromise. The concept of Lok Adalat is an innovative Indian contribution to the world jurisprudence.

Ancient concept of settlement of dispute through mediation, negotiation or through arbitral process known as ‘People’s court verdict’ or decision of ‘Nyaya-Panch’ is conceptualised instutionalised in the philosophy of Lok Adalat. The concept of Lok Adalat was pushed back into oblivion in last few centuries before independence and particularly during British regime.  Now this concept has been rejuvenated and became more popular amongst litigants. Camps of Lok Adalat were initially started in Gujarat in March 1982, and now it has been extended throughout the country. The evolution of this movement was a part of the strategy to relieve heavy burden on the Courts with pending cases and to give relief to the litigants who were in the queue to get justice. And the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 gave a statutory status to Lok Adalats pursuant to the Constitutional mandate in Art. 39-A of the Constitution of India, contains various provisions for settlements of dispute through Lok Adalat.

Levels of lok adalats

State Authority Level –  The Member Secretary of the State Legal Services Authority organizing the Lok Adalat would constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judge of the High Court or a sitting or retired judicial officer and any one or both of- a member from the legal profession; a social worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections and interested in the implementation of legal services schemes or programmes.

High Court Level: The Secretary of the High Court Legal Services Committee would constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judge of the High Court and any one or both of- a member from the legal profession; a social worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections and interested in the implementation of legal services schemes or programmes.

District Level: The Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority organizing the Lok Adalat would constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judicial officer and any one or both of either a member from the legal profession; and/or a social worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections and interested in the implementation of legal services schemes or programmes or a person engaged in para-legal activities of the area, preferably a woman.

Taluk Level: The Secretary of the Taluk Legal Services Committee organizing the Lok Adalat would constitute benches of the Lok Adalat, each bench comprising of a sitting or retired judicial officer and any one or both of either a member from the legal profession; and/or a social worker engaged in the upliftment of the weaker sections and interested in the implementation of legal services schemes or programmes or a person engaged in para-legal activities of the area, preferably a woman.

National Lok Adalat:  National Level Lok Adalats are held for at regular intervals where on a single day Lok Adalats are held throughout the country, in all the courts right from the Supreme Court till the Taluk Levels wherein cases are disposed off in huge numbers. From February 2015, National Lok Adalats are being held on a specific subject matter every month.

Permanent Lok Adalat: The other type of Lok Adalat is the Permanent Lok Adalat, organized under Section 22-B of The Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Permanent Lok Adalats have been set up as permanent bodies with a Chairman and two members for providing compulsory pre-litigative mechanism for conciliation and settlement of cases relating to Public Utility Services like transport, postal, telegraph etc. Here, even if the parties fail to reach to a settlement, the Permanent Lok Adalat gets jurisdiction to decide the dispute, provided, the dispute does not relate to any offence. Further, the Award of the Permanent Lok Adalat is final and binding on all the parties. The jurisdiction of the Permanent Lok Adalats is upto Rs. Ten Lakhs. Here if the parties fail to reach to a settlement, the Permanent Lok Adalat has the jurisdiction to decide the case. The award of the Permanent Lok Adalat is final and binding upon the parties. The Lok Adalat may conduct the proceedings in such a manner as it considers appropriate, taking into account the circumstances of the case, wishes of the parties like requests to hear oral statements, speedy settlement of dispute etc.

Mobile lok adalat: Mobile lok adalat is new concept in which justice is delivered through van. The van consists of facilities like court compartments with basic amenities as well as microphone, computer, printer, seating arrangement for lawyers and the team, cabinet for the presiding officer, projector, internal and external address system, and generator among others.

Benefits of lok adalats

  • There is no court fee and even if the case is already filed in the regular court, the fee paid will be refunded if the dispute is settled at the Lok Adalat.
  • There is no strict application of the procedural laws and the Evidence Act while assessing the merits of the claim by the Lok Adalat. The parties to the disputes though represented by their Advocate can interact with the Lok Adalat judge directly and explain their stands in the dispute and the reasons therefore, which is not possible in a regular court of law.
  • Disputes can be brought before the Lok Adalat directly instead of going to a regular court first and then to the Lok Adalat.
  • The decision of Lok Adalat is binding on the parties to the dispute and its order is capable of execution through legal process. No appeal lies against the order of the Lok Adalat whereas in regular courts of law there is always a scope to appeal to the higher forum on the decision of the trial court, which cause delay in the settlement of dispute finally. The reason being that in a regular court, decision is that of the court but in Lok Adalat it is mutual settlement and hence no case for appeal will arise. In every respect the scheme of Lok Adalat is a boon to the litigant public, where they can get their disputes settled fast and free of cost.

Legal awareness campaign

The growing number of issues, problems, unabated corruption and indecisiveness prevailed in our society that has given rise to demand support from the people of the country. Be it the legal, poverty, literacy, health, environment and many other issues – each cause is clamoring for public attention. Effort to get such attention, the governments and organizations has come together to devote to a particular cause so that awareness may be raised for the welfare of the society.

Understanding of the legal literacy and legal awareness is the need of the hour to deal with these uncertain problems existing and rising in the society. What it is, why it is important, and how we can promote it. Majority people of India are legal illiterate and not aware of the basic rights conferred upon them by law. Substantial population of the country living in the cities, towns and villages do not know what are their rights and entitlements under the law. Even the literate people are helpless and confused when there is a violation or infringement of a right enforceable in law.

Lack of knowledge about the basic legal and civil liberties, human rights, constitutional directives, and principles and other guidelines that protect the people’s dignity, liberty and freedom manifests itself in the society in the form of problems such as child labour, human trafficking, domestic violence, child marriage, dowry etc. that threatens the safety of all.   Therefore, the absence of the legal awareness in the society is mainly responsible for the deception, exploitation and deprivation of rights and benefits, from which the people suffer in the hands of state apparatus. The miserable condition in which the people find themselves can be alleviated to some extent by creating legal literate and legal awareness amongst the people. At this backdrop, legal literacy and legal awareness assume critical significance.

 

Constitutional and legal provisions for legal awareness

In 1987, the Legal Services Authorities Act (LSAA) was enacted by the Parliament which came into force on 9th November, 1995 with an object to establish a nationwide uniform network for providing free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the LSAA, 1987 to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal services available under the Act.   This Act was passed with the affirmed objective of fulfilling one of the Directive Principles of State Policy enunciated in Article 39A of the Constitution of India. Under it, the Constitution of India provides for equal justice and free legal aid – The State shall secure that the operation of the legal system promotes justice, on a basis of equal opportunity, and shall, in particular, provide free legal aid, by suitable legislation or schemes or in any other way, to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.

Under the Articles 14 and 22(1) also provide that it’s the obligatory for the State to ensure equality before law and a legal system which promotes justice on the basis of equal opportunity to all. Legal aid strives to ensure that constitutional pledge is fulfilled in its letter and spirit and equal justice is made available to the poor, downtrodden and weaker sections of the society.   In every State, State Legal Services Authority has been constituted to give effect to the policies and directions of the NALSA and to give free legal services to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the State. The State Legal Services Authority is headed by Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the respective High Court who is the Patron-in-Chief of the State Legal Services Authority. And in every District, District Legal Services Authority has been constituted to implement Legal Services Programmes in the District.

 

Role of NALSA in legal awareness and legal aid

  • Legal Aid Counsel Scheme to provide meaningful legal assistance to under trial prisoners, who feel handicapped in their defense on account of lack of resources or other disabilities and cannot engage a counsel to defend them.
  • Counseling and Conciliation Scheme to encourage the settlement of disputes by way of negotiations and conciliation.
  • Supreme Court Middle Income Group Scheme to provide legal services to the middle income class citizens, i.e., citizens whose annual income does not exceed Rs. 2 lakh.
  • The NALSA organizes Judicial colloquium to create a forum for ongoing regional cooperation among Judges focusing on Human Rights and Access to Justice.
  • Victims Assistance Program (VAP) has been prepared by the NALSA target the most disadvantaged, distraught vulnerable and victimized population.

WET LAND ECOSYSTEM

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Areas of marsh, fen, peatland/water, whether natural (or) artificial, permanent (or) temporary with water that is static (or) flowing, fresh, brackish (or) salt, including areas of marine

water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed 6 mtrs.

Wetlands Classification-

  1. Inland wetland-

a)Natural- Lakes / Ponds, Ox-bow Lakes, Waterlogged, Swamp/marsh

  1. b) Manmade- Reservoirs Tank, Ash pond
  2. Costal Wetland-
  3. A) Natural- Coral reef, Tidal flat, Mangroves, Salt marsh, Estuary, Lagoon, Creek,

Backwater, Bay

b)-manmade -• Salt pans, Aquculture

Functions of Wetlands-

  • Habitat to aquatic flora and fauna, birds
  • Filtration of sediments and nutrients from surface water,
  • Nutrients recycling, Water purification Floods mitigation,
  • Ground water recharging, Buffer shorelines against erosion,
  • Genetic reservoir for various species of plants(rice)
  • the National Lake Conservation Programme (NLCP) considers lakes as standing water
  • bodies which have a minimum water depth of 3 m, generally cover a water spread of more than ten hectares, and have no or very little aquatic vegetation.
  • Wetlands (generally less than 3 m deep over most of their area) are usually rich in nutrients (derived from surroundings and their sediments) and have .abundant growth of aquatic macrophytes

India’s Wetland

Wetlands occupy 18.4% of the country’s area of which 70% are under paddy cultivation.

Inland wetlands >Costal Wetlands

 

National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP)

  • NWCP was implemented in the year 1985-86.
  • Under the programme, 115 wetlands have been identified by the Ministry which require urgent conservation and management interventions.

Aim

  • Conservation of wetlands to prevent their further degradation and ensuring their wise
  • use for the benefit of local communities and overall conservation of biodiversity.

Objectives

  • to lay down policy guidelines for conservation and management of wetlands in the country.
  • to provide financial assistance for undertaking intensive conservation measures in the identified wetlands
  • The Central Government is responsible for overall coordination of wetland
  • conservation programmes and initiatives at the international and national levels. It also provides guidelines, financial & technical assistance to state govt.
  • State Governments/UT Administration are responsible for management of wetlands and implementation of the NWCP for ensuring their wise-use

 

Criteria for Identification of Wetlands of National Importance

Criteria for identification of wetlands of national importance under NWCP are same as those prescribed under the ‘Ramsar Convention on Wetlands’ and are as given below:

  1. Sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types

example of a natural or near-natural wetland type’ found within the appropriate biogeographic region.

  1. Criteria based on species and ecological communities
  • If it supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species; or
  • threatened ecological communities.
  • If it supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
  • If it supports plant and/or animal species at a critical stage in their life cycles, or provides refuge during adverse conditions.

 

  1. Specific criteria based on water birds
  • If it regularly supports 20,000 or more water birds.
  • If it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterbirds.

 

  1. Specific criteria based on fish
  • If it supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages,  species  interactions  and/or  populations  that  are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.
  • If it is an important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
  1. Specific criteria based on water/life and culture
  • If it is an important source of food and water resource, increased possibilities for recreation  and eco-tourism, improved scenic values, educational opportunities, conservation of cultural heritage (historic or religious sites)

Political Parties and Pressure Groups

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Political Parties and Elections Political parties are an established part of modern mass democracy, and the conduct of elections in India is largely dependent on the behaviour of political parties. Although many candidates for Indian elections are independent, the winning candidates for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections usually stand as members of political parties, and opinion polls suggest that people tend to vote for a party rather than a particular candidate.

Political parties are an established part of modern mass democracy, and the conduct of elections in India is largely dependent on the behaviour of political parties. Although many candidates for Indian elections are independent, the winning candidates for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections usually stand as members of political parties, and opinion polls suggest that people tend to vote for a party rather than a particular candidate. Parties offer candidates organisational support, and by offering a broader election campaign, looking at the record of government and putting forward alternative proposals for government, help voters make a choice about how the government is run.

Political parties have to be registered with the Election Commission. The Commission determines whether the party is structured and committed to principles of democracy, secularism and socialism in accordance with the Indian Constitution and would uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. Parties are expected to hold organisational elections and have a written constitution.

According to certain criteria, set by the Election Commission regarding the length of political activity and success in elections, parties are categorised by the Commission as National or State parties, or simply declared registered-unrecognised parties. How a party is classified determines a party’s right to certain privileges, such as access to electoral rolls and provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television and radio stations – All India Radio and Doordarshan – and also the important question of the allocation of the party symbol. Party symbols enable illiterate voters to identify the candidate of the party they wish to vote for. National parties are given a symbol that is for their use only, throughout the country. State parties have the sole use of a symbol in the state in which they are recognised as such Registered-unrecognised parties can choose a symbol from a selection of ‘free’ symbols.

Pressure groups are those informal organisations that come into existence for the protection of special interests and influence the activities of the government by different methods.

Pressure groups are not primarily political in nature. For example, although Rashtriya Swayamak Sangh (RSS) supports the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is, by and large, a cultural organization. The political parties are basically political. Pressure groups do not seek direct power; they only influence those who are in power for moulding decisions in their favour. The political parties seek power to form the government. Pressure groups do not contest elections; they only support political parties of their choice. Political parties nominate candidates, contest elections, and participate in election campaigns.  Pressure groups do not necessarily have political ideologies. Political parties are always wedded to their ideologies. For example, the Congress party is wedded to the ideologies of socialism, secularism and democracy; the Communists advocate the interests of workers, peasants and other weaker sections. The interests of the pressure groups are usually specific and particular, whereas the political parties have policies and programmes with national and international ramifications.

Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909 and Growth of Communalism

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Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909

  • Increased the number of elected members in the Imperial Legislative Council and the provincial council
  • However, most of the elected members were elected indirectly
  • The reformed councils still enjoyed no real power, being merely advisory bodies.
  • Introduced separate electorates under which all Muslims were grouped in separate constituencies from which Muslims alone could be elected. This was aimed at dividing the Hindus and Muslims. It was based on the notion that the political and economic interests of Hindus and Muslims were separate.
    • This later became a potent factor in the growth of communalism
    • It isolated the Muslims from the Nationalist Movement and encouraged separatist tendencies
  • The real purpose of the reforms was to confuse the moderate nationalists, to divide nationalist ranks and to check the growth of unity among Indians
  • Response of Moderates
    • They realized that the reforms had not granted much
    • However, they decided to cooperate with the government in working the reforms
    • This led to their loss of respect among the nationalists and masses

Growth of Communalism

  • Definition
    • Communalism is the belief that because a group of people follow a particular religion they have, as a result, common secular, that is, social, political and economic interests.
    • Second stage: Secular interests of followers of one religion are dissimilar and divergent from the interests of the followers of another religion
    • Third stage: The interests of the followers of different religions or of different religious communities are seen to be mutually incompatible, antagonistic and hostile.
  • Communalism is not a remnant of the medieval period. It has its roots in the modern colonial socio-economic political structure.
  • Divide and Rule
    • After 1857, British initially suppressed Indian muslims. However, after the publishing of Hunter’s book ‘The Indian Mussalman’ they actively followed the policy of divide and rule and hence started supporting the Muslims.
    • They promoted provincialism by talking of Bengal domination
    • Tired to use the caste structure to turn the non-brahmins against Brahmins and the lower caste against the higher castes.
    • It readily accepted communal leaders as authentic representatives of all their co-religionists.
  • Reasons for growth of communal tendencies in Muslims
    • Relative backwardness: educationally and economically

 

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