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An Introduction to Arunachal Pradesh Economy

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An Introduction to Arunachal Pradesh Economy

Arunachal Pradesh – State profile

  • Covering an area of 83,743 sq km, Arunachal Pradesh is the largest state in the Northeast India.
  • The state is located in the extreme Northeastern corner of the country. It shares its border with the neighbouring countries of Bhutan in the West, China (Tibet) in the North and Northeast, Myanmar in the East and Southeast and the Indian states of Assam and Nagaland in the South.
  • Itanagar is the state capital. Arunachal Pradesh has 16 administrative districts.
  • Naharlagun, Tawang, Tezpur, Bomdila, Ziro, Pasighat and Tezu are the major towns in the state.
  • Brahmaputra is the major river flowing through the state. Other smaller rivers include Kameng, Subansiri, Lohit and Tirap.
  • The most commonly spoken languages are Assamese, Bengali and Hindi. English is the primary medium of education in the schools

Rich and varied agro-climatic conditions

  • Undulating topography and varied agro-climatic conditions offer vast potential for horticulture and growing a variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, aromatic and medicinal plants, flowers and mushroom.

Policy and fiscal incentives

  • The state offers a wide range of fiscal and policy incentives and assistance for businesses under the State Industrial Policy, 2008. Additionally, the state has sectorspecific policies for industries related to power and agriculture.

Facilitating industrial infrastructure

  • The state has 12 industrial estates, established across districts. To support industrial growth, the State Government has also notified integrated infrastructure development centres, industrial growth centres and industrial areas.

International trade opportunities

  • The geographic location of the state provides immense opportunities for international trade with the South Asian countries through its shared borders with Myanmar, Bhutan and China.

Key industries in Arunachal Pradesh

  • The resources, policy incentives and climate in the state support investments in mining and mineral products (including cement), tissue culture and floriculture, plantation crops (tea, rubber, etc.) and agro-based industries.
    • The North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited is engaged in catalysing the industrial growth of the Northeastern region (including Arunachal Pradesh) by providing counselling, timely advice and assistance for building quality enterprises.
    • The Department of Industries, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, is responsible for promoting industrial activities in the state to provide employment opportunities to the rural and urban people.
    • The Department of Industries has set up district industries centres (DICs) and sub-district industries centres (sub-DICs) for the industrial development of small scale, tiny and village industries.
  • Key industries in Arunachal Pradesh
  • Art and crafts
  • Weaving
  • Cane and bamboo
  • Carpet weaving
  • Wood carving
  • Ornaments
  • Tourism
  • Horticulture
  • Saw mills and plywood

Employment profile of Arunachal Pradesh

  • The primary sector employs around 67.4 per cent of the total workforce in Arunachal Pradesh, followed by tertiary sector (23.9 per cent) and secondary sector (8.7 per cent).
  • Around 94 per cent of the state‟s population lives in the rural belt. Thus, agriculture is the main occupation of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Of the total workforce, 60.4 per cent are cultivators with self-owned land and only 5.1 per cent of the workforce falls in the agricultural labourer category.

Cereals, oil seed and sugarcane are the key agricultural products

  • In 2009-2010, total production of cereal crops was 325,000 tonnes, compared to 306,500 tonnes in the previous year.
  • Major cereal crops of the state are rice, maize, millet, wheat and pulses (pea, kidney-bean and black-gram).
  • Non-cereal crops include ginger, oil seed and sugarcane, apart from vegetables.

Road network

  • Arunachal Pradesh has a road density of 17.36 km per 100 sq km.
  • Six National Highways run through Arunachal Pradesh, connecting the state with the rest of India as well as the international borders with China (Tibet), Myanmar and Bhutan.

Airports and railways

  • In December 1995, the State Government introduced passenger flight services by nine-seat Dauphin helicopters to overcome the constraints posed by the hilly terrain.
  • Later a 23-seat MI-172 type helicopter had been added to the fleet, primarily to operate between Guwahati in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • The service also connects 29 major towns including Naharlagun, Tawang, Ziro, Pasighat, Bomdila, Seppa, Daporijo, Along, Yingkiong, Roing and Tezu.
  • A greenfield airport has been proposed near Itanagar, for which environmental clearance has been received in April 2010. Ministry of Civil Aviation has also planned to operationalise airports at Daporijo and Tezu.
  • The nearest railway station is located at Harmoti in Assam, 23 km from Naharlagun and 33 km from Itanagar.

Industrial infrastructure

  • Arunachal Pradesh has 12 industrial estates located in different districts and spread over total area of 55.6 hectare. These industrial estates have been developed in land-areas ranging from 4,540 to 202,325 square metre, with the primary objective of growth and development of small scale industries.
  • In addition, the State Government has also notified integrated infrastructure development centres, industrial growth centres and industrial areas to support industrial growth.
  • The State Government has set up district industries centres (DICs) in all 16 districts. These DICs play a vital role in the industrial development by providing services to the entrepreneurs viz., identification of suitable schemes, preparation of project report, arrangement for providing required plant, machinery and raw-material, assistance in availing incentives and facilities provided by both central and state governments, liaison with all development departments and financial institutions to provide assistance to the prospective entrepreneurs.
  • Based on availability of resources, the State has identified thrust areas for industrial development:
  • Industries based on agricultural, horticultural and plantation produce.
  • Industries based on non-timber forest produce such as bamboo, cane (rattan), medicinal plants/herbs, aromatic grass, tea and coffee.
  • Industries based on locally available raw-materials except timber.
  • Textiles (handlooms and power-looms), handicrafts and sericulture.
  • Electronics and IT-based enterprises.
  • Mineral-based industries (such as ferro-alloys, cement, etc.)
  • Facilitation and development of industrial infrastructure including power, communications, etc., under public private partnership
  • Food processing industries.
  • Engineering and allied industries (rolling mill, steel mill, etc.).

State Industrial Policy, 2008

  • Aim: To facilitate and promote the growth of industry, employment and investment in the state.

Key initiatives:

  • To create an investment-friendly environment in the state for industrial growth in the private, joint and cooperative sectors for sustainable economic development of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • To generate employment opportunities in the state.
  • To make Arunachal Pradesh a preferred destination for outside investors.
  • To encourage local entrepreneurs to set up enterprises based on locally available raw-materials.
  • To promote export-oriented industrial units.
  • To take steps to promote the handloom and handicrafts industry.
  • To promote local investors through joint ventures with outside investors.
  • To encourage industrial units producing high value products.
  • To ensure fast-track clearance of industrial proposals

Hydro Power Policy – 2008

Objectives:

  • To harness hydropower potential of the state in a manner that is consistent with the provision of the Electricity Act, 2003 and the National Electricity Policy and other policies formulated in the Act.
  • To develop hydropower projects in eco-friendly manner causing minimum distress to the affected people.
  • To accelerate the pace of hydropower development through participation of both the central public sector undertakings and private power developers, as also by formulating public private partnership.
  • To provide for creation of social and development infrastructure through hydropower development.
  • To ensure proper rehabilitation and resettlement of people affected by projects in order to improve their living standards.
  • To create job opportunities for local tribal people specially for those affected by the project

Small Hydro Power (SHP) Policy, 2007

Aim: To facilitate and promote the growth of small hydro power plants and, thereby, increase employment opportunities in the state.

Key initiatives:

  • Private participation in development of SHPs with targeted incentives.
  • Formulation and notification of an action plan for SHP generation. The action plan to provide programmes for capacity addition and determine the extent of involvement of various stakeholders of State Government or agencies in the field.

North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP), 2007

Aim: To promote the Northeast region as an attractive investment region through concessions and incentives.

Key features:

  • Industries covered under this policy are eligible for incentives for a period of 10 years from the date of commencement of commercial production.
  • All new units as well as existing units that undergo substantial expansion (minimum 25 per cent increase in fixed capital) and start production before 2017 would qualify for incentives.
  • Incentives would be available for all existing industrial units and upcoming units anywhere in the Northeast.
  • A high-level monitoring committee or advisory committee would oversee the implementation of the NEIIPP.
  • NEIIPP would not be applicable to peripheral activities such as preservation while in storage, cleaning, packing, re-packing, labelling or re-labelling, sorting, etc.
  • North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NeDFI) to act as the nodal agency for disbursal of subsidies.
  • NEIIPP, 2007, has replaced the North East Industrial Policy, 1997

Agriculture Policy, 2001

Aim: To achieve higher economic growth and create job opportunities for the rural unemployed through agriculture and allied sectors.

Key initiatives:

  • Top priority to be accorded on increasing farmers‟ income.
  • Addressing problems related to shifting (jhum) cultivation.
  • Location-specific strategy development – area specific and differentiated strategy.
  • Convergence of allied activities by making a shift from a commodity approach to a system approach in agriculture.
  • Technology transfer.
  • Supply of inputs such as seed, fertiliser, pesticides, agri-tools and implements and credit to farmers at reasonable rates.
  • Facilitating private investment in agriculture, especially for establishing agro-based industries.
  • People‟s participation through formation of “self-help groups” and village committees at several levels.
  • Research and technology package for location-specific agricultural research based on identified agro-climatic zone.
  • Marketing infrastructure and techniques, especially for preservation, storage and transportation.
  • Priority on setting up agro-processing units in key production areas.
  • Market intervention scheme involving procurement by a notified agency to assure remunerative prices to farmers

Mineral-based industry

  • Arunachal Pradesh has considerable mineral reserves, which offers immense potential.
  • The state has reserves of coal at Bhalukpong; graphite at Tahila, Bopi and Khetabari; limestone at Hunli, Tidding, Menga and Pagin; marble at Hunli, Tezu, Pyuli and Dora; dolomite at Kaspi and Rupa; and lead and zinc at Shergaon.
  • These minerals are useful in the gasified form or in cooking, fertiliser plants, refractory units and calcium carbide manufacturing units.
  • The state‟s mining activities are managed by the Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Limited (APMDTCL ).
  • Parsuram Cements, a subsidiary of APMDTCL, is one of the oldest resource-based companies, based out of Lohit.

Agriculture and forest-based industries

  • Major agro- and forest-based industries in the state relate to tea, fruit, timber and plywood industries.
  • Non-timber based industries include bamboo, cane and medicinal plants.
  • The industry is characterised by many regional players; several units have been set up by Arunachal Pradesh Forest Corporation (APFC), a government organisation.
  • APFC has taken up a project on capacity building for production of bamboo-based industrial intermediates at Poma village near Itanagar.
  • The State Industrial Policy, 2008 of Arunachal Pradesh lists agriculture and non-timber forest produce-based industries as thrust sectors.

Textile

  • Textile is a grass-roots industry in Arunachal Pradesh and provides employment to mainly, women. Most of the units are home-based and have small scale of operations.
  • Carpet making is one of the important occupations in the districts of Tawang, West Kameng, Changlang and Upper Siang. The state‟s carpets have received national and international repute owing to their quality.
  • The carpet weaving industry is promoted through the Government Craft Centre.
  • The state has unique and appealing handloom designs from each of its tribes. The products include skirt (gale), shirt (galuk), cotton shawl, side bag and curtain cloth.

Key nodal agencies in Arunachal Pradesh

Department of Industries

  • The Department of Industries is the main executive and regulatory agency, functioning under the State Government. It oversees and monitors the over all industrial development activities in the state.
  • The department is engaged in various activities such as:
  • Registration of industries regulation and development of industries.
  • Providing finance to small scale and other industries.
  • Distribution of scarce and indigenous raw-materials to different industrial units.
  • Other industrial development related activities.

Arunachal Pradesh Industrial Development and Financial CoAn Introduction to Arunachal Pradesh Economyrporation Limited (APIDFC)

  • APIDFC was incorporated under the Companies Act,1956, in August 1978, to promote and finance industries in Arunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency (APEDA)

  • APEDA is the state designated agency (SDA) for implementation and enforcement of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, in coordination with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India.
  • APEDA is also the state nodal agency for projects connected with clean development mechanism (CDM)

Arunachal Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board (APKVIB)

  • APKVIB was constituted by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh in 1989, with the mission to create employment opportunities in the non-farm sector in the rural areas, to promote saleable articles and support rural development to improve quality of life.
  • The industries under its purview include khadi (silk, cotton, woollen), minerals, forest- and agro-based industries, polymer and chemical, engineering and non-conventional energy, textile industry and service sectors.

North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NeDFI)

  • NeDFI was promoted by Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), Industrial Credit and Infrastructure Corporation of India (ICICI), Unit Trust of India (UTI), Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) and its subsidiaries and State Bank of India (SBI).
  • Incorporated in August 1995, NeDFI has its headquarter in Guwahati, Assam.
  • NeDFI provides facilities such as project and equipment finance, working capital finance, schemes for development of entrepreneurial skill and market development for products from the Northeast.

Power

  • Arunachal Pradesh had a total installed power capacity of 201.9 MW, under the state and central sector. While 83.3 MW of installed capacity was under state sector, 118.6 MW was under central sector.
    • Hydro power is the major source of electricity generation in the state, contributing around 97.6 MW, followed by 67.4 MW of renewable energy resources and 36.9 MW of thermal power.
    • Arunachal Pradesh has been focusing on developing its huge hydro power potential. The state has set up the Department of Hydro Power Development to oversee, coordinate and monitor hydro power development.
    • The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with central sector power generators and integrated power developers (IPD) for the development of 135 hydroelectric power plants, with an aggregate capacity of 25,722 MW

 

Planning commission and national development council

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Planning commission and national development council

Planning commission

The Planning Commission was an institution in the Government of India, which formulated India’s Five-Year Plans, among other functions.

Background

Rudimentary economic planning, deriving from the sovereign authority of the state, was first initiated in India in 1938 by Congress President and Indian National Army supreme leader Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who had been persuaded by Meghnad Saha to set up a National Planning Committee. M. Visvesvaraya had been elected head of the Planning Committee. Meghnad Saha approached the great engineer and requested him to step down. He argued that planning needed a reciprocity between science and politics. M. Visvesvaraya generously agreed and Jawaharlal Nehru was made head of the National Planning Committee.The so-called “British Raj” also formally established a planning board that functioned from 1944 to 1946. Industrialists and economists independently formulated at least three development plans in 2012. Some scholars have argued that the introduction of planning as an instrument was intended to transcend the ideological divisions between Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru. Other scholars have argued that the Planning Commission, as a central agency in the context of plural democracy in India, needs to carry out more functions than rudimentary economic planning.

After India achieved Independence, a formal model of planning was adopted, and accordingly the Planning Commission, reporting directly to the Prime Minister of India, was established on 15 March 1950, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the Chairman. Authority for creation of the Planning Commission was not derived from the Constitution of India or statute; it is an arm of the Central Government of India.

Composition of commission

The composition of the Commission underwent considerable changes since its initiation. With the Prime Minister as the ex officio Chairman, the committee had a nominated Deputy Chairman, with the rank of a full Cabinet Minister. Cabinet Ministers with certain important portfolios acted as ex officio members of the Commission, while the full-time members were experts in various fields like economics, industry, science and general administration.  Ex officio members of the Commission included the Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, Home Minister, Health Minister, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister, Information Technology Minister, Law Minister, Human Resource Development Minister and Minister of State for Planning.

The Commission worked through its various divisions, of which there were two kinds:

  • General Planning Divisions
  • Programme Administration Divisions

Functions

  • To make an assessment of the material, capital and human resources of the country, including technical personal, and investigate the possibilities of augmenting those are related resources which are found to be deficient in relation to the nation’s requirement.
  • To formulate a plan for the most effective and balanced utilisation of country’s resources.
  • To define the stages, on the basis of priority, in which the plan should be carried out and propose the allocation of resources for the due completion of each stage.
  • To indicate the factors that tend to retard economic development.
  • To determine the conditions which need to be established for the successful execution of the plan within the incumbent socio-political situation of the country.
  • To determine the nature of the machinery required for securing the successful implementation of each stage of the plan in all its aspects.
  • To appraise from time to time the progress achieved in the execution of each stage of the plan and also recommend the adjustments of policy and measures which are deemed important vis-a-vis a successful implementation of the plan.
  • To make necessary recommendations from time to time regarding those things which are deemed necessary for facilitating the execution of these functions. Such recommendations can be related to the prevailing economic conditions, current policies, measures or development programmes. They can even be given out in response to some specific problems referred to the commission by the central or the state governments.

In his first Independence Day speech in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intention to dissolve the Planning Commission. It has since been replaced by a new institution named NITI Aayog.

National development council

The National Development Council (NDC) or the Rashtriya Vikas Parishad is the apex body for decision making and deliberations on development matters in India, presided over by the Prime Minister. It was set up on 6 August 1952 to strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation in support of the Plan, to promote common economic policies in all vital spheres, and to ensure the balanced and rapid development of all parts of the country. The Council comprises the Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of all States or their substitutes, representatives of the Union Territories and the members of the NITI Aayog.  It is an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body.

Objectives

  • To secure cooperation of the states in the execution of the plan.
  • To strengthen and mobilize the effort and resources of the nation in support of the Plan.
  • To promote common economic policies in all vital spheres.
  • To ensure the balanced and rapid development of all parts of the country.

Functions

  • To prescribe guidelines for the formulation of the National Plan, including the assessment of resources for the Plan.
  • To consider the National Plan as formulated by the NITI Aayog.
  • To make an assessment of the resources that are required for implementing the Plan and to suggest measures for augmenting them.
  • To consider important questions of social and economic policy affecting national development; and to review the working of the Plan from time to time.
  • To recommend such measures as are necessary for achieving the aims and targets set out in the National Plan.
  • To recommend measures for achievement of the aims and targets set out in the national Plan.

Railway,Roades And Ports of India

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Railway,Roades And Ports of India

Impact on The Indian economy

The Indian Railways contributes to India’s economic development, accounting for about one per cent of the GNP and the backbone of freight needs of the core sector. It accounts for six per cent of the total employment in the organised sector directly and an additional 2.5 per cent indirectly through its dependent organisations.

Road transport is the second important mode of transport in India. It covers every corner of the country which the railway transport even could not cover. Road transport provides the basic infrastructural facilities to both the agricultural and industrial sector of the country.

Some of the important socio- economic benefits of ports are:

 

  • Fuels economic development – They are important links of hinterlands to points overseas. They facilitate movement of goods to and from hinterland. They increase international trade ( both exports and import).

 

  • Development of cities – Most of the world’s major cities are port cities. Ports spur the economic activities around them like banking, finance, Insurance, logistic etc.

 

  • Increase in Employment  –Ports increase employment both directly and indirectly. Direct employment refers to employment in port related activities. Indirect employment increases due to increased industrialization and increase in other services like banking and insurance.

 

  • Relatively Environment friendly –When compared to other transportation systems, railway transportation requires twice as much energy consumption, while road transportation requires ten times as much as sea conveyance.

 

  • Increase world Economic Integration –Globalization has been partially successful due to cheap transportation facilitated by ports.

 

  • Development of Infrastructure – Increase the economic activity between hinterland and ports lead to development of infrastructure including railways, roads & inland waterways.

 

Indian Railway

Introduction

Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest railway network consists of freight, passengers, tourist, Suburban rail systems, toy train and luxury trains. IR has 4,337 operating railway stations,operates on a multi-gauge network of broad, metre and narrow gauges. Indian Railways is divided into 16 zones and Locomotives are consist of electric and diesel locomotives.

  1. Project Planning and Implementation
  2. Indian Railways entered the Billion Club in freight loading in 2012-13 by achieving 1,008 million tonnes of originating loading. The loading target fixed for 2014-15 is 1,105 million tonnes which is 4.9% higher than the achievement of 2013-14. The XIIth Plan projections of freight loading in the terminal year of the Plan (2016-17) are 1,405 million tonnes.
  3. Indian Railways carried 8,425.6 million passengers in 2013-14 which is about 1,430 million higher than the population of the world put together. The annual target for passenger traffic in 2014-15 is 8,645 million, which is 2.6% higher than in 2013-14. The XIIth Plan target is 11,710 million passengers in the terminal year of the Plan.

The Challenges

  1. As the growth in the economy picks up in the years to come, IR will have a challenging task ahead because of line and terminal capacity constraints in transporting the incremental traffic. Therefore, there is need for significant investment in the network, especially the HDN routes and its feeder and other important routes

 

2.There is a large shelf of pending projects which is estimated at Rs. 4,91,510 crore on the basis of originally estimated costs Of these, fund requirement for the prioritized works such as doubling, new lines, gauge conversion, traffic facilities, signal & telecom works, workshops and electrification is estimated at Rs 2,08,054 crore

Budget 2017

  1. A Rail safety fund with a corpus of Rs 100,000 crore will be created over a period of 5 years

    2. The service charge on rail tickets booked through IRCTC will be withdrawn.

    3. As many as 500 rail stations will be made differently abled-friendly by providing lifts and escalators.

    4. Steps will be taken to launch dedicated trains for pilgrimage and tourism

    5. A new metro rail policy will be announced+. This is expected to open up new jobs for the youth

    6. At least 25 train stations are expected to be awarded during 2017-18

    7. By 2019, all coaches of the Indian railwayswill be fitted with bio-toilets

 

  1. Railways will integrate end to end transport solutions for selected commodities through partnerships

 

  1. Unmanned railway level crossings to be eliminated by 2020

 

  1. A 22% rise in the Railway Budget was announced

 

Structure of IR’s finances:

 

The structure of IR’s finances is such that they are divided into revenue and capital expenditures.While revenue expenditure takes care of the day to day and operational working expenses, inclusive of debt servicing and dividend payment, capital expenditures take care of IR’s investments inclusive of repair and renewals. There are three streams that comprise capital expenditure; these are Gross Budgetary Support from the Ministry of Finance, internal generation of resources and leasing from IRFC.

Indian Roads

Introduction

 

India has the second largest road network across the world at 4.7 million km. This road network transports more than 60 per cent of all goods in the country and 85 per cent of India’s total passenger traffic. Road transportation has gradually increased over the years with the improvement in connectivity between cities, towns and villages in the country.

 

Key Investments/Developments

1.The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) has been           awarded a contract to build five all-weather access tunnels worth Rs 23,000 crore (US$ 3.57 billion) in Jammu and Kashmir by 2024.

2.Abertis Infraestructuras SA, a Spanish infrastructure firm, has agreed to buy two toll road assets in operation in South India from Macquarie Group for Rs 1,000 crore(US$ 150 million) to scale up its presence in India

Ports of India

 

Introduction

 

The nine coastal Indian states Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and  West Bengal are home to all major and minor ports of India. The long coastline of India forms one of the biggest piece of land into a body of water,These twelve major Indian Ports are handle a large volume of cargo traffic and container traffic. There are total 13 major sea ports of India,out of 12 are government and one, Ennore port of Chennai is the corporate one. Ennore Port is one of the major port of India located at Coromandel Coast of Tamil Nadu state along with Kakinada Port and private Krishnapatnam Port and Mundra Port

 

 

 

Key Policy Development

 

1:No approval required for foreign equity up to 51 per cent in projects providing supporting

services to water transport

 

2:Automatic approval of foreign equity up to 100 per cent in construction and maintenance of ports and harbours. However, the proposal needs to be referred to FIPB for investments exceeding Rs 15 billion.

 

3: Open tenders to be invited for private sector participation on build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis

 

4: Permission granted for formation of joint ventures between Major Ports and foreign ports, Major Ports and Non-Major Ports, and Major Ports and companies

 

Challenges:

  1. Geograhical: Heavy silting as seen in riverine ports like Haldia.
  2. Technological: Inadequate dredging capacities. Poor mechanization and manual handling of critical processes Eg in Paradip port
  3. Infrastructural: Congestion of roads connecting the port leading to time delays as seen in JLN port Underutilization of physical infrastructure of the ports Eg in Cochin port.
  4. Policy and regulatory issues: Currently the ports operate on “Trust Model” where government is the owner and operator of the port. Non-uniform tariff structure (TAMP) which makes some ports uncompetitive High turnaround time is as much as 3-4 days compared to average time of 6-7hrs in other developed ports because of cumbersome documentation and clearance.

 

 

26.01.18 Arunachal Pradesh(APPSC) Current Affairs

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NORTH-EASTERN STATES

  • Manipur wants fishermen to stop using LED bulbs

 

  • The state forest and environment ministry has warned that stern action will be taken against fishermen who used light emitting diode (LED) bulbs at Loktak Lake by night. While the government has conceded that fishing is the prime livelihood for people living around the lake and the activity cannot be stopped, it has said the use of these bulbs disturbs the habitat of the several migratory birds who flock there.
  • Thousands of migratory birds, mostly water fowls belonging to around sixty different species, are currently staying at the 237 sq km lake, the largest freshwater lake in the northeast. 

    INTERNATIONAL

     

    • WEF launches Global Centre for Cybersecurity
    • In a bid to safeguard the world from hackers and growing data breaches — especially from nation-states — the World Economic Forum (WEF) announced a new Global Centre for Cybersecurity.
    • Headquartered in Geneva, the centre will become operational from March.

     

    • Cyber breaches recorded by businesses are on the rise. In the last five years, these have almost doubled to an average of 130 breaches per business in 2017.

     

    • As a borderless problem, urgent action is needed to create a safe operating environment for new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, robotics, drones, self-driving cars and the Internet of Things (IoT).

     

    • The global centre will be an excellent opportunity to safeguard verticals like automotive and health care where wireless connectivity is the key.

     

    ·        First India-designed vaccine passes WHO test

     

    • For the first time, a vaccine conceived and developed from scratch in India has been “pre-qualified” by the World Health Organisation.
    • The Rotavac vaccine, developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Limited last year, was included in India’s national immunisation programme. To be “pre-qualified” means that the vaccine can be sold internationally to several countries in Africa and South America.
    • While several vaccines from India have been pre-qualified, this is the first that was entirely developed locally and, according to experts, is a sign that there is a credible industrial, scientific and regulatory process in place to develop vaccines in India.
    • The Rotavac vaccine protects against childhood diarrhoea caused by the rotavirus and was built on strain of the virus isolated at the the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here over 30 years ago.
    • India included the Rotavac in its national immunisation in 2016, with about 35 million doses delivered till date. A dose costs between ₹55-60, according to the company.
    • Rotavirus is responsible for an estimated 36% of hospitalisations for childhood diarrhoea around the world and for an estimated 200,000 deaths in low- and middle-income countries.

     

    NATIONAL

     

    • AICTE releases new model curriculum
    • The All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) formally released its new model curriculum for engineering and technical courses reducing the credits to be earned for an undergraduate degree from 220 to 160.
    • The time freed would be utilised for practical and creative activities, including hackathons.
    • The top technical education regulator had also decided to make internships mandatory for the award of degrees, as part of the exercise.
    • The internship would have a minimum of 14 credits. Each credit means 40-45 hours of work.

     

    • Multiple chief guests, a first for Republic Day
    • From a single leader gracing Republic Day, India has pulled off a diplomatic coup of sorts by having as many as 10 leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for January 26 this year.
    • Just as the presence of U.S. President Barack Obama as the chief guest at Republic Day in 2015 sent a signal to the rest of the world, the ASEAN leaders’ participation has a resonance of its own.
    • An important aspect of the R-Day parade this year is the focus on showcasing indigenously developed military platforms for the visiting heads of state. This is significant as India is now trying to significantly beef up its military sales as part of its defence diplomacy and wants to showcase these platforms to ASEAN countries.
    • List of Padma awardees 2018
    • This year 85 recipients have been selected for the prestigious awards including two duo cases. This includes 3 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 73 Padma Shri awards. Fourteen of the awardees are women, while 16 persons are foreigners and three are being awarded posthumous.

    Padma Vibhushan –

     

    Illaiyaraja

    Ghulam Mustafa Khan

    1. Parameswaran

     

    Padma Bhushan –

     

    Pankaj Advani

    Philipose Mar Chrysostom

    Mahendra Singh Dhoni

    Alexander Kadakin (Foreigner/Posthumous)

    1. Nagaswamy

    Ved Prakash Nanda (Overseas Citizen of India)

    Laxman Pai

    Arvind Parikh

    Sharda Sinha

     

    Padma Shri –

     

    Abhay and Rani Bang

    Damodar Ganesh Bapat

    Prafulla Govinda Baruah

    Mohan Swaroop Bhatia

    Sudhanshu Biswas

    Saikhom Mirabai Chanu

    Pandit Shyamlal Chaturvedi

    Jose Ma Joey Concepcion III (Foreigner) & 65 others.

     

     Gk bit– Padma Awards

     

    • Padma Awards were instituted in the year 1954. Except for brief interruptions during the years 1977 to 1980 and 1993 to 1997, these awards have been announced every year on Republic Day. The award is given in three categories, viz. Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, in the decreasing order of importance.

     

    • Padma Vibhushan for “exceptional and distinguished service”. Padma Vibhushan is second highest civilian award in India.

     

    • Padma Bhushan for “distinguished service of a high order”. Padma Bhushan is third highest civilian award in India .

     

    • Padma Shri is awarded for “distinguished service”. Padma Shri is last and fourth highest civilian award in India.

     

    • The Padma award is just an honour. No cash allowance or any facility/benefit in terms of concession etc.

     

    • The Padma Awards are given on the recommendations done by the Padma Awards Committee, which is created by the Prime Minister Annually.

     

    • The award Committee is supervised by the Cabinet Secretary and comprises of Secretary to the President, Home Secretary, and 4-6 distinguished individuals as members.

     

    • The awardees are given a medallion and a Sanad signed by the President of India.

     

    • The total number of awards to be given in a year should not be more than 120 (not including posthumous awards and to foreigners/ NRI/OCIs).

     

    • No Padma awards were given in the year of 1978, 1979, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 due to the change of government.

     

     

    • Microsoft AI to enhance translations of Indian languages
    • Microsoft will use Deep Neural Networks to enable high-quality Indian language translations.
    • It recognizes speech to convert into text, eliminates errors in the data, translates it to the target language, and synthesizes the text-based translation into speech.
    • It also puts every word within the context of other words in the sentence to better the translation.

     

    • UDAN Phase-II: 325 routes awarded; 40% for North East hills
    • The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation awarded 325 air routes under the second phase of government’s flagship UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik) regional.
    • Around 40% or 129 of 325 air routes were awarded to the newly created category of ‘priority areas’ that include Jammu and Kashmir, Northeastern and hill states.
    • The routes under phase-II were awarded to 15 airlines and helicopter operators after bidding process.
    • The airports to be connected under phase-II: Total 78 airports i.e. 36 served airports, 13 underserved airports and 29 unserved airports.

National and state SC/ST commission

by

National and state SC/ST commission

National SC commission

National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is an Indian constitutional body established with a view to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution.

 

Functions

  • To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution or under any other law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government and to evaluate the working of such safeguards.
  • To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes.
  • To participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State.
  • To present to the President, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguards.
  • To make in such reports recommendations as to the measures that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of those safeguards and other measures for the protection, welfare and socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes.
  • To discharge such other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development and advancement of the Scheduled Castes as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify.

 

 

National ST commission

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003. By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions namely-

  • the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC),
  • (ii) the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) w.e.f. 19 February, 2004.

Powers of the Commission

For Investigation and Inquiry, the Commission is vested with powers of a civil court having authority to:

  • Summon and enforce attendance of any person and examine on oath.
  • Discovery & production of any documents.
  • Receive evidence on affidavits.
  • Requisition any public record or copy thereof from any court or office.
  • Issue Commissions for examination of witnesses and documents.
  • And Any matter which President, by rule, may determine.

Functions of the Commission

  • To investigate & Monitor matters relating to Safeguards provided for STs under the Constitution or under other laws or under Govt. Order, to evaluate the working of such Safeguards.
  • To inquire into specific complaints relating to Rights & Safeguards of STs.
  • To participate and advise in the Planning Process relating to Socio-economic development of STs, and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State.
  • To submit report to the President annually and at such other times as the Commission may  deem  fit, upon/ working of Safeguards, Measures required for effective implementation of Programmers/ Schemes relating to Welfare and Socio-economic development of STs.
  • To discharge such other functions in relation to STs as the President may, subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament, by rule specify.
  • The Commission would also discharge the following other functions in relation to the protection, welfare and development & advancement of the Scheduled Tribes, namely:
  • Measures that need to be taken over conferring ownership rights in respect of minor forest produce to the Scheduled Tribes living in forest areas.
  • Measures to be taken to safeguard rights to the Tribal Communities over mineral resources, water resources etc. as per law.
  • Measures to be taken for the development of tribals and to work for move viable livelihood strategies.
  • Measures to be taken to improve the efficacy of relief and rehabilitation measures for tribal groups displaced by development projects.
  • Measures to be taken to prevent alienation of tribal people from land and to effectively rehabilitate such people in whose case alienation has already taken place.
  • Measures to be taken to elicit maximum cooperation and involvement of Tribal Communities for protecting forests and undertaking social afforestation.

State level SC/ST commission

Different states has founded SC/ST commissions to address the issues related to both the casts.

Role of State level commission:

  • The study the existing state of various provisions in the Constitutions and by the State Government for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and suggest measures to fulfill the same.
  • To investigate various grievances raised by members from Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
  • To participate in the process of creation of schemes related to the economic upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Tribes and provide advice to the State Government regarding the same.
  • To take a review of matters registered under the Scheduled Castes / Tribes Atrocities Act 1989 and Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955.
  • To take review of the financial assistance to be given to the affected persons under the above mentioned acts. To accept and investigate grievances of SC/ST employees related to service.
  • To take a review of policies related to Scheduled Castes / Tribes. To provide advice to the State Government for rolling out beneficial schemes for Scheduled Castes and Tribes.