Putting out to sea a new vision
The 13th meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean
Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) was held on November 1 in
Perth, Australia’s Indian Ocean capital. At this meeting, Australia took over
as Chair of the Association from India, which has been Chair since 2011.
Indonesia became the new Vice-Chair. We agreed on a new name for our
Association — the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) — and charted out
directions for the further development of our cooperation.
Strategic
The Indian Ocean covers about 20 per cent of water on the world’s
surface. It is the third largest of the world’s five oceans. The Indian Ocean
Rim countries have a population of approximately 2.6 billion, or 39 per cent of
the world’s people. The Indian Ocean accounts for 50 per cent of the world’s
container traffic and Indian Ocean ports handle about 30 per cent of global
trade. Around 66 per cent of the world’s seaborne trade in oil transits the
Indian Ocean. Roughly 55 per cent of known oil reserves, and around 40 per cent
of gas reserves, are in the Indian Ocean region.
Reflecting diversity
These are important and impressive statistics. They are in part
the reason why the nations of this region are members of IORA. At this meeting,
Australia took over as Chair of the organisation for the first time in its
18-year history, succeeding India. Indonesia became the new Vice-Chair.
IORA consists of 20 member-states. They reflect the remarkable
diversity of our Indian Ocean region. They range from small island-countries,
such as Comoros and Seychelles, to G20 members such as India, Indonesia and
Australia. What unite this remarkable diversity are the common bond of an ocean
and a common commitment to the prosperity and sustainable economic growth of
the region.
As global economic power increasingly shifts to the east,
maintaining prosperity and stability across the Indian Ocean region becomes more
important than ever.
At Bangalore in 2011, the Association agreed on six priority
areas: maritime safety and security; trade and investment facilitation;
fisheries management; disaster preparedness; academic, science and technology
cooperation; tourism and cultural exchange. In Gurgaon in 2012, we set out the
broad contours of our Association’s agenda for the next decade. During our
meeting on November 1, IORA members committed to a range of initiatives to
further develop cooperation in each of our priority areas. Member-states
believe that by focussing on these key areas, IORA can make a genuine
contribution to the peaceful, productive and sustainable development of the
Indian Ocean region.
Mars mission launch cleared for Tuesday
The
country’s highly anticipated Mars Orbiter Mission will take off as planned on
Tuesday, November 5, at 2.38 p.m.
An ISRO
official said the Launch Authorisation Board on Friday cleared the flight from
the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
The
56-hour countdown begins on Sunday at 6.08 a.m.
The green
signal comes a day after ISRO completed a dry run or rehearsal to test the
launch readiness of its mission control staff and centres.
The
1,350-kg spacecraft carrying five experiments is slated to be flown on a PSLV
vehicle from the Sriharikota launchpad. After a 53-minute cruise it will be
ejected into space somewhere over the South Pacific, after which it will follow
a special path or trajectory initially around Earth over the next 25 days.
To
capture details of these critical moments, ISRO has put tracking terminals on
two ships and deployed them to the South Pacific along with its engineers and
navigation scientists.
On
November 30, the spacecraft will be thrust out of the Earth’s pull and on to
its path towards Mars.
That is a
journey of 300 days. The orbiter is slated to reach the Martian sphere of
influence on September 24, 2014, and then go around the Earth’s neighbour for
at least six months
Kannur Declared First Zero Landless District in the Country
Union
Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh on 1 November 2013 declared Kannur
in Kerala as the first zero-landless district in the country.
Kannur District Authorities provided land to as many as 11118 beneficiaries,
including 85 families belonging to the Scheduled Tribes category.
The
Zero Landless programme in Kerala
The prestigious Zero Landless programme of the United Democratic Front was
flagged off by Congress president Sonia Gandhi in October 2013. The Zero
Landless programme envisages distribution of three cents of land each to 243928
families identified across the State.
About
Kannur District
Kannur District is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala, India. The
town of Kannur is the district headquarters. Its total area is 2966 km2.
Kannur district is bound by the Western Ghats in the East (Coorg district of
Karnataka State), Kozhikkode and Wayanad districts, in the South, Lakshadeep
sea in the West and Kasaragod, the northern most district of Kerala, in the
North.
G. K. Pillai appointed as the Chairman of MCX-SX
G.K. Pillai, the former Union Home Secretary on 1 November
2013 was appointed as the Chairman of the MCX-SX. Thomas Mathew T, the former
acting chairman of the Life Insurance Corporation has also been appointed as
the Vice President of the bourse.
The appointments were cleared by the board of directors on 24 October 2013 and have been also cleared by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In October 2013, SEBI had also renewed the license of the exchange after extensively exam the same.
About MCX-SX
MCX-SX (MCX Stock Exchange Limited) is a new stock exchange of India. It is recognized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India under Section 4 of Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956. MCX-SX became the recognized stock exchange by the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs on 21 December 2012, under Section 2(39) of the Companies Act, 1956
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Established on 12 April 1992, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was established as per the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. To protect the interests of the inventors in securities and to promote the development of the securities market and to regulate the securities it describes the basic functions of the SEBI.
The appointments were cleared by the board of directors on 24 October 2013 and have been also cleared by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In October 2013, SEBI had also renewed the license of the exchange after extensively exam the same.
About MCX-SX
MCX-SX (MCX Stock Exchange Limited) is a new stock exchange of India. It is recognized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India under Section 4 of Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956. MCX-SX became the recognized stock exchange by the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs on 21 December 2012, under Section 2(39) of the Companies Act, 1956
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Established on 12 April 1992, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was established as per the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992. To protect the interests of the inventors in securities and to promote the development of the securities market and to regulate the securities it describes the basic functions of the SEBI.
Jignesh Shah resigned from MCX Board
Jignesh Shah, founder, vice-chairman and a Director of Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX),
resigned from the board on 31 October 2013.
The commodity exchange regulator, Forward Markets Commission (FMC), had issued show-cause notices to Jignesh Shah; former Managing Director and CEO of MCX Shreekant Javalgekar; and another board member Joseph Massey on 4 October 2013 questioning their fit and proper status to operate MCX. Shreekant Javalgekar and Massey have already resigned from the MCX board.
The MCX was promoted by Jignesh Shah-led Financial Technologies India Ltd (FTIL), which is also promoted the now-defunct National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL). (MCX is 26 percent owned by Financial Technologies, of which Jignesh Shah is founder, chairman and CEO).
The commodity exchange regulator, Forward Markets Commission (FMC), had issued show-cause notices to Jignesh Shah; former Managing Director and CEO of MCX Shreekant Javalgekar; and another board member Joseph Massey on 4 October 2013 questioning their fit and proper status to operate MCX. Shreekant Javalgekar and Massey have already resigned from the MCX board.
The MCX was promoted by Jignesh Shah-led Financial Technologies India Ltd (FTIL), which is also promoted the now-defunct National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL). (MCX is 26 percent owned by Financial Technologies, of which Jignesh Shah is founder, chairman and CEO).
IRCON won Two Awards at Dun & Bradstreet Infra Awards 2013
IRCON
International Limited on 1 November 2013, was selected as the Top
Infrastructure Company under the category Construction Infrastructure Development
– Mid at the third edition of Dun and Bradstreet Infra Awards 2013. The company
was given award for delivering exemplary performance by Dun & Bradstreet
(D&B). The award ceremony was held at the ITC Maratha Mumbai on 29 October
2013. Dun & Bradstreet also released the sixth edition of its premier
publication India’s Leading Infrastructure Companies 2013 at the award
ceremony. IRCON International Limited is a Public Sector Undertaking in
construction sector under the Ministry of Railways.
During
the last five years, IRCON has achieved spectacular and enviable growth.
Turnover of the Company has increased at a CAGR of about 17 per cent. Profit
(PBT) of the company has reached to a record level of 1014 crore rupees in
2012-13 with a CAGR of 44.61 per cent. Growth of the company in terms of Profit
is unmatched by any Public Sector or Private construction company.
In
addition, Quazigund–Banihal section of J&K Rail link project executed by
Ircon International Limited was selected as the best project under the category
Railways at the Dun and Bradstreet Infra Awards 2013. IRCON completed the
Banihal- Quazigund section of 18 km length involving 11.2 km long
transportation tunnel with modern Ventilation & SCADA system, thus
fulfilling the dream of connecting Jammu area to Valley across Pir Panjal range
with all-weather transportation system.
India won election to United Nations Board of Auditors
India on
1 November 2013 won a crucial election to the UN Board of Auditors with its
nominee Shashi Kant Sharma, the Comptroller and Auditor General- by 124
votes out of the total 186.
Shashi
Kant Sharma won 124 votes out of the total 186 cast in the General Assembly's
Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary questions. India won by a
comfortable margin against its closest contender the Philippines, which got 62
votes. Having obtained the required majority and the largest number of votes,
Shashi Kant Sharma will be appointed to the UN Board of Auditors for a six year
term beginning on 1 July 2014.
About UN Board of Auditors
The General Assembly in 1946 established the UN Board of Auditors to audit of the accounts of the United Nations organisation and its funds and programmes and to report its findings and recommendations to the Assembly through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
The Auditors-Generals of UN member states are elected to the Board. India had last sat on the board in 1993 for six years.
About UN Board of Auditors
The General Assembly in 1946 established the UN Board of Auditors to audit of the accounts of the United Nations organisation and its funds and programmes and to report its findings and recommendations to the Assembly through the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
The Auditors-Generals of UN member states are elected to the Board. India had last sat on the board in 1993 for six years.
The
United Nations Board of Auditors comprised of the heads of the Supreme Audit
Institutions from three Member States, has for more than 60 years provided
independent external audit services to the General Assembly. Board has involved
certifying the accounts of the UN and its funds and programmes, and providing
reports covering a wide array of managerial and value for money issues.
The overarching goal of the Board is to use the unique perspective of public external audit to both help the General Assembly to hold UN entities to account for the use of public resources, and add value by identifying ways to improve the delivery of international public services.
The chairmanship of the Board is rotated every two years, and is currently held by Amyas Morse for the period 2013-2014. Amyas Morse is Comptroller and Auditor General, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The overarching goal of the Board is to use the unique perspective of public external audit to both help the General Assembly to hold UN entities to account for the use of public resources, and add value by identifying ways to improve the delivery of international public services.
The chairmanship of the Board is rotated every two years, and is currently held by Amyas Morse for the period 2013-2014. Amyas Morse is Comptroller and Auditor General, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
India and Vietnam signed Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners
India and Vietnam on 1 November 2013 signed a treaty on
transfer of sentenced prisoners in the jails in the two countries. The treaty
would allow prisoners of the two countries to be near their families and they
will have to serve the remaining part of their sentences. This process will
help to facilitate the process of their social rehabilitation. The treaty was
signed from Sushilkumar Shinde, the Union Home Minister and Tran Dai Quang, the
Minister of Public Security of Vietnam.
The two sides also held bilateral talks on security matters, issues of training, capacity building, cyber security, cyber crime, trans-national crime, terrorism and disaster management.
List of other countries with which the Government of India has signed such agreements are
• UK
• Mauritius
• Bulgaria
• Cambodia
• Egypt
• France
• Bangladesh
• Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• Iran
• Sri Lanka
• UAE
• Maldives
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Italy
• Bosnia
• Herzegovina
• Israel
• Russia
The negotiations on the same line have been concluded with countries like Canada, Hong Kong, Brazil and Spain.
Framework for Transfer of Sentenced Persons
The seventh United Nations Congress in 1985 adopted the Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign Prisoners on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. Since the adaptation in 1985, many countries have arrived at bilateral and multilateral treaties. In 2003, the Repatriation of Prisoners Act was enacted to achieve the above purpose. A treaty between the countries should be signed with a mutual interest on the matter, to achieve the main objective of the Act.
The two sides also held bilateral talks on security matters, issues of training, capacity building, cyber security, cyber crime, trans-national crime, terrorism and disaster management.
List of other countries with which the Government of India has signed such agreements are
• UK
• Mauritius
• Bulgaria
• Cambodia
• Egypt
• France
• Bangladesh
• Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• Iran
• Sri Lanka
• UAE
• Maldives
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Italy
• Bosnia
• Herzegovina
• Israel
• Russia
The negotiations on the same line have been concluded with countries like Canada, Hong Kong, Brazil and Spain.
Framework for Transfer of Sentenced Persons
The seventh United Nations Congress in 1985 adopted the Model Agreement on the Transfer of Foreign Prisoners on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders. Since the adaptation in 1985, many countries have arrived at bilateral and multilateral treaties. In 2003, the Repatriation of Prisoners Act was enacted to achieve the above purpose. A treaty between the countries should be signed with a mutual interest on the matter, to achieve the main objective of the Act.
