The Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Shri Babu Lal Marandi has stressed the need for encouraging social and farm forestry to meet the increased demand of paper as well as to provide scope for rural development. Speaking at the Valedictory Function of the Fourth International Trade Fair and Conference on Pulp and Paper Industry – Paperex 99, here today, Shri Marandi asked the paper industry to explore the possibilities of their expansion in the agriculturally rich and industrially backward areas as this would help in proper utilisation of paddy husk and straw which otherwise go waste in large quantities.

    Observing that the pulp and paper industry has significant impact on environment due to large amount of waste being generated from their manufacturing processes, the Minister stated that it has therefore been categorised as one of the major polluting industries. He asked the pulp and paper industry to take a cautious approach during its growth and expansion by adopting latest technologies which stress on cleaner production techniques resulting in minimization of wastes.

    "Any development these days should take into consideration all environmental aspects and ensure that their activities do not cause any adverse environmental impact on the natural eco-system. Technologies are available these days for optimum utilisation of resources, resulting in waste minimization. The industry should also use latest treatment methodologies to ensure colour removal, waste recycling and proper sludge disposal", Shri Marandi added. He also hoped that the industry would fulfil both its development and environmental expectations.

    The Government of India has set up a permanent Lok Adalat at Patiala House, New Delhi for its Ministries and Departments for resolving pending cases as well as matters which are at a pre-litigative stage. Such a Lok Adalat will decide all disputes between the Ministries/Departments and members of the public as well as disputes between the Government and its employees. This follows a judgement of the High Court of Delhi in Civil Writ Petititon No. 5177/98 by Shri Abdul Hassan versus Delhi Bidyut Board and Others on January 15,1999.

    The two-member Bench Lok Adalat will be headed by a serving or a retired judge of the High Court and another person of repute. The Lok Adalat will function under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority and its subsidary Delhi Legal Services Authority.

    Shri K.D. Singh, Joint Secretary and Legal Adviser, Department of Legal Affairs, in the Ministry of Law, Justice and Company Affairs has been appointed Chief Nodal Officer. All the Ministries and Departments in the Government of India have been asked to nominate an officer no less than the rank of Deputy Secretary or Joint Director as nodal officer to conduct litigation on behalf of each Ministry/Department before the Lok Adalat.

    To begin with, attached and subordinate offices including field offices of the Government of India have been left out of the perview of the Lok Adalat. Similarly, sensitive departments like Atomic Energy, Defence Research and Development, Defence Production and Supplies, Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet Secretariat, Space, Lok Sabha Secretariat, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Armed Forces and para-Military Forces have been excluded from the jurisdiction of the Lok Adalat. If Lok Adalat at New Delhi succeeds, similar Lok Adalats will be set up for field offices of the Government of India.

    The Lok Adalat will pass an award only on the basis of compromise or settlement between the parties and not otherwise. Award made by the Lok Adalat in terms of the compromise, shall be deemed to be a decree of a Civil Court and shall be final, binding and non-appealable.

    All the cases in which the courts situated in Delhi have jurisdiction , may be referred to the Lok Adalat. The jurisdiction of Lok Adalat will be co-extensive with that of courts located in Delhi.

    The system of Lok Adalats, set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, have come to stay as an innovative form of alternative disputes resolution. It has proved to be a very effective mechansim for resolving disputes in a spirit of conciliation outside the courts. The success of the movement can be seen from the fact that so far 33,394 Lok Adalats have been organised in the country which have settled 87,31,956 cases. . Lok Adalats can handle a variety of cases like civil matters of all types including service matters, revenue matters, motor accident claims, matrimonial disputes and compoundable criminal cases.

    Shri Krishan Kant, Vice President of India, has said that there is a certain distinguishing uniqueness about the Indian Parliament which shapes the role of its leading members, in ways far different from other similar institutions elsewhere in the world. This uniqueness derives from the typical Indian trait of consensus and compromise in the interest of larger causes. Western observers are amazed sometimes even dismayed, that the nation’s highest legislature never felt threatened by the streets. The Left and the Right would argue, differ, threaten and yet, when it came to the nation’s larger interests – shood hands. It is people like Sri Pranab Mukherjee and Sri Jaipal Reddy, who give expression to our core-value of consensus and co-existence in order to attain their compromise for larger objectives, he said.

    The Union Home Minister, Shri L.K. Advani, while inaugurating the annual Conference of DGPs/IGPs at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, today (December 17, 1999), lauded the Police forces for their role in countering terrorism, particularly in J&K, Punjab and the North-Eastern region. He also hailed efforts to tackle left wing extremism, maintain law and order particularly on the communal front and the peaceful conduct of Lok Sabha elections. Shri Advani conferred the Indian Police Medal for meritorious service to officers of the Intelligence Bureau.

    Sharing his concerns pertaining to National Security, the Home Minister described 1999 as a watershed year, which would be remembered as the year of '‘Kargil'’and would assume the same importance in the country’s history as 1962, 1965 and 1971. Dwelling on the involvement of Pakistan in instigating and controlling terrorist violence in the Country, the Home Minister mentioned that terrorism in India actually had its genesis in our victory in the 1971 war. Commenting on the recent developments in Pakistan he stated that those who manipulated from behind the scene, had now come to the fore and were calling the shots and urged the participants to remain alive to the threat. Describing the resilience of the democratic structure of the country, the Home Minister stated that despite threats from various quarters people turned out in large numbers to participate in the electoral process.

    The Home Minister recounted the achievements of the security forces in Punjab and averred that Punjab Police was the pivot of anti-militancy operations. He hoped for similar action in the North-East. Commenting on the issue of Naxalite violence, the Home Minister complimented the Andhra Pradesh police, for successfully neutralising some important Naxalite leaders, following a resolve taken at the conference organised on the issue in 1998.

    The Home Minister regretted that despite having attained self-governance (Swarajya), the fulcrum of good governance and that true development could be achieved only in an environment of security. Commenting on the distortions that had crept into the system of VIP security, he remarked that it had become a kind of status symbol and called for necessary corrective measures.

    Observing that J&K remained the focus of media and public attention, the Union Home Minister called upon the participants to view the security scenario in the North-Eastern States with due concern. The Home Minister dwelt at length on the recommendations of National Police Commission, which are yet to be implemented. He mentioned that the Rebeiro Committee had submitted its report and called upon the conference to reconcile the recommendations of the two reports and come up with practical suggestions for early implementation. Elaborating on the manner in which the overall security environment in the country had deteriorated, particularly in the last 20 years, the Home Minister felt that adequate provisions need to be made to provide for the emerging situation and highlighted the need to increase the infrastructure of the Police agencies.

    The Home Minister drew the attention of the participants to the respect that the Army had successfully evoked in the post-Kargil phase and called upon the delegates to devise strategies which could effectively generate similar feelings for the police.

    Earlier, welcoming the delegates, DIB emphasised the pivotal role this conference has acquired over the years, especially as it provides an opportunity to introspect and deliberate on the challenges and responsibilities ahead. DIB described the Kargil aggression as a manifestation of larger disorders that have afflicted different parts of the world. The trans border terrorism that India has been subjected to is nothing but an unrivalled form of religious extremism to subserve politico-religious interest of a religion transcending the national ideological interest and geographical boundaries. The need is for speedy implementation of the recommendations of the National Police Commission and a strong legal regime. Referring to the challenges in next millennium, he emphasised that the nation would need police force more intellectual and sophisticated in nature and global in vision.

    The Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has reaffirmed his Government's firm commitment to improving the lot of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Though Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes constitute around a quarter of India's population, their development index leaves much to be desired despite vast allocations over several plan periods, he said.

    Inaugurating the convention of Members of Parliament belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes - Paradigms for Change - organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment here today, the Prime Minister stressed the need for attitudinal changes in society to effectively fight social ostracism and untouchability which many of those belonging to Scheduled Castes continued to be victims of and to collectively work towards a new social order based on Samajik Samata (Social equality) and Samajik Samrasata (social harmony) in the new century.

    Referring to his assurance in Parliament, he said steps had already been taken for reviewing the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Personnel regarding reservation in Government jobs. Also, proposals for constitutional amendments, with regard to relaxing the existing requirements by prescribing lower qualifying marks and standards for promotion in respect of SC and ST employees and for clearing the backlog of jobs through special recruitment in respect of SCs and STs quota, were at the final stage of consideration.

    The Prime Minister said that considering that many of the problems faced by these sections of our society could be solved through education, several initiatives had been taken towards universalising primary education. Pointing to the need for ways and means to make tribal land inalienable he said a distinction had to be drawn as to the forest policy in tribal areas and the forest policy in non-tribal areas. He said he would personally monitor the programme for providing clean drinking water in some tribal areas where there was scarcity of it.

    Regretting that past efforts to help the most vulnerable among the Scheduled Castes who were engaged in scavenging had failed, he underlined the need for a mission mode approach to abolish the inhuman practice of carrying night-soil as head-load. He urged Members of Parliament to adopt one village or town and join the Government in that national task.

    Leter, replying to a point raised by a delegate, the Prime Minister said that the Conference this time would be different from those in the past inasmuch as the emphasis wouid be on implementation and assured members that Government would seriously consider the recommendations of the Conference.

    The following is the text of the Prime Minister's speech on this occasion: -

    "It is both a pleasure and a privilege to inaugurate this three-day convention of parliamentarians belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

    Last month marked the 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of India. Next month we will be celebrating 50 years of our Republic that was founded on the noble principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity that form the soul of the Constitution.

    Standing at this milestone of our post-Independence history, it would be worthwhile to take stock of how far we have been able to realise the goals of social equality and social harmony. And, to chart the course for the new century that dawns upon us in another three weeks so that we can create a truly egalitarian society.

    One of the instruments provided in the Constitution to ensure equality for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, who suffered denial and marginalisation for centuries, was political reservation. It was supposed to help remove discrimination and deprivation through political empowerment.

    To a great extent, this instrument has served its purpose and my Government, therefore, has extended political reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for another ten years.

    I am aware that the operational guidelines issued by the Ministry of Personnel regarding reservation in Government jobs have created some discontent among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. These guidelines were issued by the then Government after certain pronouncements of the Supreme Court.

    I would like to inform you all that, in pursuance of my assurance to Parliament, this Government has already taken steps for reviewing the guidelines.

    In respect of the following two aspects, the proposals for constitutional amendments are at the final stage of consideration:

• Relaxing the existing requirements by prescribing lower qualifying marks and standards for promotion in respect of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees; and,

    The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been consulted on these two aspects. The Commission has expressed its appreciation of the proposed amendments.

    The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, in a recent judgement, has reiterated earlier judgements regarding the principal of fixation of seniority on promotion of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees. My Government proposes to bring about a Constitutional amendment to restore the seniority principle that was prevalent prior to these judgements.

    I would like to reiterate that we are committed to protecting the interests of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees. Operational guidelines will not be allowed to stand in the way.

    Apart from political and job reservations, a lot still remains to be done for improving the lot of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for which we should all make a concerted effort. This convention, I am sure, will identify issues as well as generate ideas on how to make rapid progress towards equitable development and a society free of social discrimination.

    As you are aware, though scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes constitute around a quarter of India's population; their development index leaves much to be desired. This despite vast allocations over several Plan periods. Obviously, something was lacking in the policies and programmes of the last 50 years.

    A quick survey of the present scenario will tell us that in spite of 50 years of development effort, most of our Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe brothers and sisters continue to remain landless agricultural labourers and marginal farmers.

    Equally painful is the fact that there is high incidence of child labour among Scheduled Castes and that untouchability is still practised against them in rural areas. Both are an assault on human dignity and a negation of the very principle of equality.

    There are other problems, too, that confronts the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in their day to day life.

    Women still don't get paid stipulated minimum wages in some parts of the country. Due to illiteracy, awareness of Government programmes is still very poor. Some of them don't get ration cards because they migrate from one place to another in search of livelihood. Those given vocational training don't have access to markets.

    Many of these problems can be solved through education. Literacy is a powerful instrument of reform and development. The first step towards this is universalising primary education. We have already taken several initiatives in this regard.

    For tribals, land, forest and water are intimately linked with their lives. I am aware that in spite of laws designed to protect their land, alienation is still a problem, as is restoration of land. We have to consider ways and means to make tribal land inalienable.

    Similarly, we need to conserve our forests as they sustain tribals. The time has come to review the National Forest Policy and study the implications of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. However, our approach cannot be uniform for the entire country. Forest policy in tribal areas has to be distinct from forest policy in non-tribal areas.

    My Government is seized of the fact that there is scarcity of drinking water in some tribal areas. One of our priorities is to provide clean drinking water and we will soon formulate a strategy and implement it in a time-bound manner. I will myself monitor this programme.

    Women play a significant role in tribal society; let us empower them with skills and assets and they will then become engines of development within their respective communities.

    To look into these issues and further focus attention on development of tribals, my Government has set up a separate Ministry for Tribal Affairs.

    I am aware that malnutrition, diarrhoea among children in rural areas, lack of immunisation and prevalence of infant and child mortality are common among Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Lack of maternal care, poor intake of nutrients and under-nourishment are due to poverty, ignorance and lack of hygiene. Both the Central and State Governments can play a proactive role to combat these problems.

    The Central Government, on its part, needs to review the impact of various schemes and bring about necessary changes so that they are more effective.

    It is extremely painful that many of those belonging to Scheduled Castes continue to be victims of social ostracism and untouchability. To effectively fight this crime, we need to encourage attitudinal changes. One way of doing this would be to identify and reward villages and panchayats that are free from the evil of untouchability. Dr. Ambedkar Foundation could take a lead in this direction.

    Among Scheduled Castes, the most vulnerable people are those who are engaged in scavenging. Our past efforts to help them have failed. Now we need to have a Mission Mode approach with the aim of abolishing the inhuman practice of carrying night-soil as headload. Simultaneously, we need to identify alternative occupation for them. I would urge each Hon'ble MPs to adopt one village or town and join us in this national task.

    Most of our Parliamentarians present here have long experience and have been in the service of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for considerable time. I am sure you will give constructive suggestions so that we can collectively work towards a new social order in the new century. A social order that is based on samajik samata (social equality) and samajik samrasata (social harmony).

    It has been a privilege sharing some of my thoughts with you. I am sure this convention will make a substantive contribution to the cause of empowering Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Thank you."

    The Central Government has allocated Rs.1735 crore during current financial year mainly for payment of salary and wages to the employees of sick public sector undertakings. This is Rs.253 crore more than the allocation made in 1998-99 for the purpose.

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    Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri N.T.Shanmugam has informed Rajya Sabha today in a written reply that there is a decline in kala-azar cases, whereas increased incidence of Japanese Encephalitis, has been recorded from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Manipur, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.

    Similarly, rising trend of malaria has been reported from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, West Bengal and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

    As per reports received from the State Health Authorities, the number of deaths recorded during the current year due to brain fever is 528, malaria 478 and kala-azar-244.

    Adequate medical facilities for treatment of cases due to these diseases are available all over the country through PHCs. The drugs are available to the patients free of cost.

    Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri N.T.Shanmugam informed Rajya Sabha today in a written reply that the target fixed for eradication of leprosy which is less than one case per 10 thousand population, is by the end of the year 2003.

    All the 490 districts of the country have been brought under free multiple drug therapy services through District Leprosy Societies, under the 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme of National Leprosy Eradication Programme. Special vertical infrastructure has been developed for leprosy work in all the highly endemic districts.

    During the year 1998-99, 7.8 lakh leprosy patients have been detected which is 83.6 per cent of the total patients detected in the world. During first round of modified leprosy elimination campaign held for six days in the last financial year, 4.6 lakh new, hidden cases were detected.

    The number of patients cured is also equally high in the country i.e. a total of 7.73 lakh cases were cured. Till March, 1999, a cumulative total of the 83 lakh cases were cured in India alone against the global figure of 98 lakh cases; i.e. 84.7 per cent of cured cases of the world are from India.

    The first phase of World Bank project will be over by 31^st March, 2000. The second phase proposal is being prepared for a period of three years for reaching the target elimination level and consolidating the achievements made so far.

    Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd., continued its impressive performance during the month of November, 1999 by achieving a production of 2,46,062 tons of Hot Metal, 2,18, 365 tons of Liquid Steel and 2,00,187 tons of Saleable Steel. With this VSP has achieved a total production of 16,77,254 tons of Liquid Steel, 14,71,778 tons of Saleable Steel in the first eight months of the current financial year. The Plant has thus registered a growth of 8% in Liquid Steel and 15% in Saleable Steel when compared to corresponding period of the last financial year.

    On the marketing front, (VSP) registered a sales of Rs. 245 crores in the month of November 1999 as compared to Rs. 220 crores achieved in October 1999. In the domestic market, VSP sold 1,60,000 tons of Steel in November 1999 compared to 1,46,000 tones in the previous month. VSP also registered a sale of 35,000 tons of Pig Iron in the export market during the month of November 1999.

    It may also be recalled that (VSP) was awarded the ISO 9002 certificate on 28^th November 1999 for its phase - IIIA units.

    Recently the Geological experts have discovered Lignite Reserves in Gujarat State. The details of the location, quality and estimated quantity of Lignite Reserves are given below.

    M=Moisture, A=Ash, VM=Volatile Matter, FC=Fixed Carbon, CV=Calorific Value

    Mining activities are likely to be taken up as soon as the desposits are found to be economically viable for exploitation, its end use firmed up, bankable project reports are prepared and necessary investment tied up.

    This information was given by Smt. Rita Verma, Ministers of State for Mines & Minerals in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

    Value Education will receive added emphasis in school education and shall be interwowen into the entire curriculum. The Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Shri Jaysingrao Gaikwad Patil told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that Added emphasis on value education is due to the growing concern to check the erosion of essential values, and increasing cynicism, obscurantism, religious fanaticism, violence, superstition and fatalism. Apart from this combative role, value education has a profound positive content, based on our heritage, national goals, and universal perceptions.

    He said, greater focus on value education will come forth when the new curriculum framework is finalised.

    No separate curriculum for value inculcation is being visualised. However, the focus of the new curriculum envisaged by National Council of Educational Research and Training will be on attainment of constitutional goals and enhancement of the desirable core of universal values such as social equality and democratic participation in decision making, understanding and tolerance of cultural differences and pluralism, spirit of caring, cooperation, enterprise, creativity, sensitivity to gender equality, openmindedness, and sense of obligation to environmental protection and sustainable development.

    The Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Shri Jaysingrao Gaikwad Patil today told the Rajya Sabha that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Board has changed the syllabus of Mathematics for Senior secondary classes and the revised syllabus will be applicable for the students appearing in class XII Examination of the Board to be conducted in March, 2000. In a written reply, he said the entire syllabus has been divided into three parts. Part A which is of 70 marks is compulsory for all students. Part B and Part C each carrying 30 marks can be chosen by Science or Commerce or Arts students depending upon the needs of different categories of students.

    As per provisions contained in the Examination Bye-laws of the CBSE, a candidate who has failed in Class XII Examination of the Board held in 1999 will be eligible to re-appear in the Examination conducted by the Board in the year, 2000 as a private candidate as per the applicable syllabus for the academic year 1999-2000.

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released the first tranche of US $ 100 million to the Government of India for the Madhya Pradesh Public Resource Management Programme Loan. A loan of US $ 250 million was approved by the ADB Board on 14^th December, 1999. The loan is meant to address resource and implementation constraints and to improve resource management for sustainable social and economic development. The programme will assist in implementing public sector reforms, including capacity building and institutional strengthening for improved fiscal management; strengthening revenue mobilization, curtailing nonproductive expenditure and reallocating resources to social services, particularly health and education improving allocative efficiency through reform of PSUs and establishing transparent organizational and incentive structures for enhanced private sector participation. The programme supports the Government of Madhya Pradesh's efforts to foster social development and sustainable economic growth by addressing prevailing resource and implementation constraints in Madhya Pradesh. The programme is aimed at assisting the strengthening of environmental management, and mitigating the social impact of economic development.

    Madhya Pradesh is the second state to receive a public resource management loan from ADB, which had earlier approved a similar loan to Gujarat in 1996. It may be mentioned that more than one third of the Madhya Pradesh's 66 million people belong to socially and economically disadvantaged groups consisting of scheduled tribes and scheduled castes, the highest proportion in India. Madhya Pradesh is still a predominantly agricultural state and with a per capita annual income of Rs. 7,500 ($ 176), one of the poorest states in India. In view of the State's high population growth, per capita income (in constant prices) has increased by only 1.8 per cent per annum, about 30 percent below national average, and more than 40 per cent of the population lives below poverty line.

    The Union Public Service Commission have extended the last dates for receipt of completed applications for the Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2000 and the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I), 2000. The revised dates are as under:

    In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and (3) of Section 5D of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 (37 of 1952) read with rule 43 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 1983 and in continuation of Government of India notification No.816/2/90-F (C) dated 14.12.1999, the Central Government hereby appoints Shri Justice Jaspal Singh, retired Judge of the Delhi High Court, as Chairman of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal for a period of three years from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette.