The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, has directed the State Legal Services Authorities all over the country to hold the court by the Metropolitan Magistrate or Chief Judicial Magistrate in the respective District Jails, once or twice in a month. The State Legal Services Authorities have been further asked to take up the cases of those undertrial prisoners, who were involved in petty offences and are keen to confess their guilt. This, the NALSA opines, will provide speedy justice to the undertrials on the one hand and reduce the jail population, which is becoming a cause of concern, on the other hand.

    This follows the appointment of Legal Aid Counsel in all the Courts of Magistrates in the country to give timely and free legal assistance to persons in custody who cannot engage an advocate. This will serve the objectives of the provisions of legal aid and advice to prisoners in jails.

    The NALSA has been set up under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, at the apex. As a sequel to this, State Legal Services Authorities have been set up. District level Legal Aid Services Authorities have been set up at the District Level. Now, the Taluka level Legal Aid Services Authorities are being set up all over the country. The Chief Justice of India is the Pattern-in-Chief and the next senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court of India is the Executive President of NALSA which is known as the Central Authority.

    "The role of Geoscientists in the industrial and economic development of the country in providing vast and varied raw materials to industry, in setting up of large geo-technical projects and in management of groundwater resources of the country is simply indispensable." These views were expressed by Professor Rita Verma, Minister of State for Mines and Minerals while giving away National Mineral Awards 1998 to distinguished Geoscientists here today.

    National Minerals Awards Function is an annual feature of the Department of Mines in which outstanding Geoscientists in identified fields get national recognition. Each award carries an award money of Rs. 50,000 with certificate, trophy and citation. Besides there is an award for Excellence which carries an award money of Rs. One lakh with trophy, certificate and citation given to one eminent Geoscientist of the country for his life time achievement.

    This year the award has been given to nine Geoscientists of the country who have been selected from out of the 12 identified fields for National Mineral Award 1998. One of the awardee Geoscientist is Shri Rabindra Nath Patra, Senior Geologist in Geological Survey of India. Shri Patra has made significant contribution towards system exploration of Platinum Group of Elements in Baula- Naushi pocket of Orissa. Shri C.P. Sisodia, Director, Geology, Geological Survey of India received award in association with Shri A.K. Chattopadhyaya also Director in Geological Survey of India. The two jointly have made valuable contribution in identifying the second largest Lead-Zinc deposits in Kayar Block in Ajmer District. Dr. D.C. Panigrahi, Professor Indian School of Mines has been conferred this honour for his significant contribution towards underground mines. ventilation engineering and design of work place environment in underground mines including tackling heat and humidity problem. This has helped promote safety in the mines in India. Dr.C.Srikantappa, Professor University of Mysore received this award for making a major contribution in identification of high pressure Nilgiri Granulites of late archacan age. Another awardee of the year was Shri Mohd. J.Ahmed, Senior Geologist of Geological Survey of India. Shri Ahmed has made valuable contribution in the field of Geology during the construction of Narmada Sagar Mega Project. Yet another awardee was Shri C.V.R. Sarma, Scientific Officer in Atomic Mineral Division. He received this award in association with Shri R.Sreehari also Scientific Officer in Atomic Minerals Division. Two jointly have contributed significantly in designing a compact high sensitivity Note Book Personal Computer based Airborne Gamma Ray Spectrometric Survey System. Shri Amit Bhusan Dutt, Dy. Director General, Geological Survey of India received this distinguished award for his significant contribution in developing exploration models for coal and lignite deposits and has successfully tested them in the Southern part of Godavari Valley Coal basins and T hanjavur Lignite basin.

    Speaking on the occasion, Professor Rita Verma said that National Mineral Policy is aimed at attracting much needed capital and state-of-art technology for mineral prospecting and extraction. Accordingly guidelines have been issued to undertake aerial surveys over large areas. Professor Verma informed that so far Central Government has accorded approval for 65 prospecting licences covering an area of more than 90,000 sq. km. in the States of Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar and Maharashtra. The Minister also informed that the 1996 guidelines have been codified vide the 1999 MMRD Amendment Act which has already been notified in the Gazzette of India in the third week of December 1999. Professor Verma also said that India will not be solely dependent on foreign technology and priorities will have to be re-drawn to accord high place to indigenous research and development. She was of the view that Geoscientific Information Data - Base need to be given greater attention. Shri Dipak Chatterji, Secretary, Department of Mines also spoke on the occasion.. Welcoming the awardees and the audience he said that India has witnessed considerable expansion in the field of education and research in Geosciences. The Geoscientific community in India should keep pace with the technological advances in exploration techniques and towards maintaining international standards.

    353 Geoscientists had been presented National Mineral Awards till last year. The National Mineral Award for Excellence was started in 1996 and has been conferred on two outstanding scientists so far.

    The institutional training of the latest batch (52^nd) of officers of Indian Customs and Central Excise service began at the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN) in Faridabad yesterday. Inaugurating the programme, Union Minister of State for Finance, Shri V. Dhananjaya Kumar urged the young probationers to follow the principles of integrity, judiciousness, courtesy, objectivity, transparency, promptness & efficiency during their long years of service. He also advised them to develop newer skills and perspective towards tax administration in view of the globalisation.

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    The Finance Ministry has stated that the proposed ombudsman for the export sector will function independent of the Department of Customs and the DGFT and it will not be an appendage of the Department of Revenue. The Ministry in a statement said that the ombudsman will not exercise any statutory powers under the Customs Act but will help reduce delay in granting benefits due for exporters as per law It will also facilitate in redressel of their grievances. As a result of this, in line with the Government's declared policy, transaction cost of Indian export will come down.