Friday, March 1, 2013

infradebt

Infradebt, India's first infrastructure debt fund (IDF) is set to kick-start its formal operations. Finance minister P Chidambaram handed over the license to the fund's promoters including ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Citibank and Life Insurance Corporate of India.The infra debt fund has equity capital of Rs 300 crore.The non-banking financial company (NBFC) includes independent management with LIC, Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank and Citibank among the major participants. The infra debt fund projects can finance projects up to Rs 200 crore
ICICI Bank (together with a wholly-owned subsidiary) is the largest shareholder in Infradebt with 31 percent stake holding followed by Bank of Barodaat 30 percent, Citibank at 29 percent and LIC at 10 percent.Infradebt would seek to raise debt capital from domestic as well as foreign resources and would invest in infrastructure projects under the Public-Private Partnership model that have completed one year of operations. Infradebt will expand and diversify the domestic and international sources of debt funding to meet the large financing needs of the infrastructure sector.

What is "Infrastructure Debt Fund" ?
Earlier, Pranab Mukherjee, the then finance minister had announced the setting up of IDFs in his budget speech for the year 2011-2012. The objective was to facilitate the flow of long-term debt into infrastructure projects.The IDF will be set up either as a trust or as a company. A trust based IDF would normally be a mutual fund (MF) while a company based IDF would normally be a NBFC. IDF - NBFC would raise resources through issue of either rupee or dollar denominated bonds of minimum 5 year maturity," RBI had said in a notification issued on November 21, 2011.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Trophies & Cups Associated with Sports


Trophies & Cups
Associated with Sports
International
  • American Cup  : Yacht Racing
  • Ashes : Cricket
  • Benson and Hedges : Cricket
  • Canada Cup : Golf
  • Colombo Cup : Football
  • Corbitton Cup : Table Tennis (Women)
  • Davis Cup : Lawn Tennis
  • Derby : Horse Race
  • Grand National : Horse Streple Chase Race
  • Jules Rimet Trophy : World Soccer Cup
  • King's Cup : Air Races
  • Merdeka Cup : Football
  • Rydet Cup : Golf
  • Swaythling Cup : Table Tennis (Men)
  • Thomas Cup : Badminton
  • U. Thant Cup : Tennis
  • Uber Cup : Badminton (Women)
  • Walker Cup : Golf
  • Westchester Cup : Polo
  • Wightman Cup : Lawn Tennis
  • World Cup : Cricket
  • World Cup : Hockey
  • Reliance Cup : Cricket
  • Rothman's Trophy : Cricket
  • William's Cup : Basketball
  • European Champions Cup : Football
  • Eisenhower Cup : Golf
  • Essande Champions Cup : Hockey
  • Rene Frank Trophy : Hockey
  • Grand Prix : Table Tennis
  • Edgbaston Cup : Lawn Tennis
  • Grand Prix : Lawn Tennis
  • World Cup : Weight-lifting
National
  • Agarwal Cup : Badminton
  • Agha Khan Cup : Hockey
  • All-India Women's Guru Nanak
    Championship :
     Hockey
  • Bandodkar Trophy : Football
  • Bangalore Blues Challenge Cup :
    Basketball
  • Barna-Bellack Cup : Table Tennis
  • Beighton Cup : Hockey
  • Bombay Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Burdwan Trophy : Weight-lifting
  • Charminar Trophy : Athletics
  • Chadha Cup : Badminton
  • C. K. Naydu Trophy : Cricket
  • Chakoia Gold Trophy : Football
  • Divan Cup : Badminton
  • Deodhar Trophy : Cricket
  • Duleep Trophy : Cricket
  • D. C. M. Cup : Football
  • Durand Cup : Football
  • Dhyan Chand Trophy : Hockey
  • Dr. B. C. Roy Trophy : Football
    (Junior)
  • Ezra Cup : Polo
  • F. A. Cup : Football
  • G. D. Birla Trophy : Cricket
  • Ghulam Ahmed Trophy : Cricket
  • Gurmeet Trophy : Hockey
  • Gura Nanak Cup : Hockey
  • Gyanuati Devi Trophy : Hockey
  • Holkar Trophy : Bridge
  • lrani Trophy : Cricket
  • I. F. A. Shield : Football
  • lndira Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Jawaharlal Challenge : Air Racing
  • Jaswant Singh Trophy : Best Services Sportsman
  • Kuppuswamy Naidu Trophy :
    Hockey
  • Lady Rattan Tata Trophy : Hockey
  • MCC Trophy : Hockey
  • Moinuddaula Gold Cup : Cricket
  • Murugappa Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Modi Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Narang Cup : Badminton
  • Nehru Trophy : Hockey
  • Nixan Gold Cup : Football
  • Obaid Ullah Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Prithi Singh Cup : Polo
  • Rani Jhansi Trophy : Cricket
  • Ranjit Trophy : Cricket
  • Rangaswami Cup : Hockey
  • Ranjit Singh Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Rajendra Prasad Cup : Tennis
  • Ramanujan Trophy : Table Tennis
  • Rene Frank Trophy : Hockey
  • Radha Mohan Cup : Polo
  • Raghbir Singh Memorial : Football
  • Rohinton Baria Trophy : Cricket
  • Rovers Cup : Football
  • Sanjay Gold Cup : Football
  • Santosh Trophy : Football
  • Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee : Football
  • Subroto Cup : Football
  • Scindia Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Sahni Trophy : Hockey
  • Sheesh Mahal Trophy : Cricket
  • Todd Memorial Trophy : Football
  • Tommy Eman Gold Cup : Hockey
  • Vittal Trophy : Football
  • Vizzy Trophy : Cricket
  • Vijay Merchant Trophy : Cricket
  • Wellington Trophy : Rowing
  • Wills Trophy : Cricket

Monday, December 26, 2011

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has approved 10 "Mega Food Parks".


       The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has approved 10 Mega Food Parks in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, JharkhandAssam, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar and Tripura. In-principle approval has been accorded to 5 projects and Expression of Interest (EoI) issued for another 15 projects.
The Mega Food Parks Scheme (MFPS), a flagship programme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI) aims at accelerating the growth of food processing industry in the country through facilitating establishment of strong food processing infrastructure backed by an efficient supply chain.  The scheme provides for a capital grant of 50 percent of the project cost in difficult and ITDP notified areas(with a ceiling of Rs 50 crores). The grant is utilized towards creation of common infrastructure in the park. A Mega Food Park takes about 30-36 months to be completed.
Scheme for Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure
Eight out of ten cold chain projects approved by MFPI have started commercial operation. Substantive value addition, reduction in wastage and enhancement in farmers’ income is evident from concurrent evaluation of these projects. 39 projects have been approved in 2011. The approved projects envisage a total investment of about Rs. 850 crore. 
These 49 projects would create cold chain capacity of over 2.30 lakh MT. 
            The cold chain scheme was approved in 2008 with an objective to provide integrated and complete cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure facilities without any break, for perishables from the farm gate to the consumer. The assistance under the scheme includes financial assistance (grant-in-aid) of 50%  of the total cost of plant and machinery and technical civil works in general areas and 75% for NE region and difficult areas subject to a maximum of Rs 10 crore.
Taking note of the high demand and the gap in the requirement of cold storage, processing, preservation and cold logistics facilities in Indiacreation & management of cold chain infrastructure for agriculture” has been recently identified as a thrust area by the Prime Minister.
Modernization of abattoirs
In the year 2011, two projects at Ahmednagar in Maharashtra and Dimapurin Nagaland have been completed. Ten projects for modernization of abattoirs are at various stages of progress.   A proposal for up-scaling the scheme is under consideration.
Technology Upgradation/Establishment/ Modernization of Food Processing Industries
            A sum of Rs. 488 crore is likely to be spent by March 2012 on the scheme for technology upgradation and modernization of food processing industries. This scheme is adding huge processing capacity to the food processing industry which in turn has resulted in significant reduction of wastages.
New ‘Mission on Food Processing’ on the anvil
            The Working Group on Food Processing for the XII Plan has recommended a new centrally sponsored scheme in the form of National Mission on Food Processing proposed with seven components. Four components, namely, (i) Technology up-gradation / setting up / modernization of food processing industries, (ii) HRD, (iii) Modernization of Abattoirs and (iv) Promotional Activities are being implemented in 11th Plan as Central Sector Schemes which will form part of the National Mission on Food Processing. Three new activities, namely, (i) Modernization of Meat Shops, (ii) Cold Chain, Value Addition & Preservation Infrastructure for non-horticulture produce, and (iii) Creation of on-farm PPC/CCs are proposed as new components. Planning Commission has given in-principle approval. 
Launching of National Mission on Food Processing is likely to have greater involvement of State Governments and all stakeholders resulting fast growth of the food processing sector.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Bird species reported from India which are listed as Critically Endangered in IUCN Red List version


Details of bird species reported from India which are listed as Critically Endangered in IUCN Red List version 
S. No.
Common Name
Scientific Name
Family
Status
1
White-rumped Vulture
Gyps bengalensis
Accipitridae
CR
2
Indian Vulture
Gyps indicus
Accipitridae
CR
3
Slender-billed Vulture
Gyps tenuirostris
Accipitridae
CR
4
Red-headed Vulture
Sarcogyps calvus
Accipitridae
CR
5
Pink-headed Duck
Rhodonessa caryophyllacea
Anatidae
CR
6
White-bellied Heron
Ardea insignis
Ardeidae
CR
7
Sociable Lapwing
Vanellus gregarius
Charadriidae
CR
8
Christmas Frigatebird
Fregata andrewsi
Fregatidae
CR
9
Jerdon's Courser
Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
Glareolidae
CR
10
Siberian Crane
Grus leucogeranus
Gruidae
CR
11
Bengal Florican
Houbaropsis bengalensis
Otididae
CR
12
Himalayan Quail
Ophrysia superciliosa
Phasianidae
CR
13
Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Eurynorhynchus pygmeus
Scolopacidae
CR
14
Forest Owlet
Heteroglaux blewitti
Strigidae
CR

CR: Critically Endangered.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

UN Women Report


UN Women Report
The report titled, “Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice 2011-12” was launched by UN Women on 7 July 2011. The Report offers a comprehensive global review of women’s rights around the world. By focusing on the issue of women’s access to justice, or lack thereof, it highlights the many ways in which injustice against women still continues- in a home or the work place, in politics and in justice systems. The Report has both positive examples from across the world of progress in women’s access to justice as well as areas where more action is needed. The Report does not mention about “Khap” Panchayats. The Minister of Women & Child Development Smt. Krishna Tirath revealed this in Rajya Sabha recently in written reply to a question. 

The Minister further stated that as Khap Panchayat is a gathering of the members of particular caste or clan of the village or from a group of neighbouring villages and are informal bodies, they don’t have legal status. 

As per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects and, as such, the primary responsibility of prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of crime, lies with the respective State Government/Union Territory Administration. Existing provisions of the IPC cover crimes such as murder and, therefore, provisions for punishment to people who abet crime. Further, MHA has sent detailed advisory to all State Governments/Union Territory Administrations advising them to take appropriate measures in cases of crimes against women including the violation of women’s rights by so-called ‘Honour Killings’. 

National Mineral Policy


National Mineral Policy



The National Mineral Policy, 2008, seeks to address areas of serious concern in mining sector relating inter-alia to:
(i)                 making the regulatory mechanism more conducive to technology and investment flows by ensuring greater transparency in allocation of mineral concessions, seamlessness and security of tenure in the concession processes,
(ii)               strengthening the role of Geological Survey of India, Indian Bureau of Mines, and State Directorates of Mining and Geology,
(iii)             developing and enforcing a Sustainable Development Framework ensuring stakeholder rights to the indigenous population and that the mining activity takes place along with suitable measures for restoration of the ecological balance,
(iv)             discourage and prevent sub-optimal and unscientific mining by promoting zero-waste mining,
(v)               developing new concession instruments to attract high technology for incentivizing exploration of large areas, and
(vi)             developing a cluster approach to mining of small deposits in a scientific and efficient manner.

OVL showed keen interest in participating in the Sakhalin-3

OVL showed keen interest in participating in the Sakhalin-3 and other fields. It was pointed out that the Company is in close talks with Gazprom to jointly develop projects to produce LNG, gas pipelines, its transportation and marketing. Indian side suggested swapping LNG imports of Japan from Qatar with the LNG that could be available from Russian sources like Sakhalin. Indian side also proposed participation of PLL in the projects along with OVL. 

PLL informed that they would be soon finalizing the agreement for sourcing LNG from Russia under the pact arrived at with Gazprom. The Heads of Agreement for supply of about 2.5 million tones of LNG were signed recently at Singapore. The LNG is proposed to be sourced from Shtokman field. PLL further showed interest in importing more LNG as the demand in India was growing rapidly