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Paris Champs-Elysees turned green field by farmers

May 24, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

French farmers transformed the most famous avenue of Paris, the Champs-Elysees, into a giant strip of farmland on Sunday in a bid to generate public enthusiasm about a sector they say faces an uncertain future.

The two-day event, timed to coincide with a holiday weekend, attracted huge crowds for its first day amid summer-style temperatures in the capital city.

The Jeunes Agriculteurs (Young Farmers) union, representing some 55,000 farmers under the age of 35, installed mini-fields along a km (half mile) stretch of the avenue — whose name means “Elysian Fields” — to present an array of farm production from lavender plants to livestock.

The event harks back to a display organised 20 years ago in which combine harvesters cut a field of grain on the same avenue in Paris, and farmers hope it will garner support as they seek to reverse a decline in farm revenues.

Farmers have used Paris as a stage for protests in recent months, including a tractor-led demonstration and an unauthorised protest in front of the presidential palace.

“It’s an opportunity to talk about agriculture in a very positive way,” Jean-Michel Lemetayer, president of France’s main farm union, the FNSEA, told Reuters.

“We’re lucky to have great weather — nature expresses itself even better when the weather is good.”

Lemetayer and other union officials accompanied Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire and Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo as they visited the rural displays.

The presence of the ministers offered a way for the authorities to ease tensions in farming over environmental legislation they say has penalised their competitiveness.

“It’s not about them and us, one side against another,” Jean-Louis Borloo said.

“There are parts of the (farming) profession that are in a fragile state, we have to be very attentive to that.”

The effort by French farmers comes as they call for the European Union to maintain a strong regulatory framework for farming as the bloc debates the future of its Common Agricultural Policy, under which France currently receives the most subsidies out of the 27 EU countries.

“It’s about re-establishing contact with the public about what our profession is and what they want from it,” William Villeneuve, president of the Jeunes Agriculteurs, told Reuters prior to the event.

“Do they want the cheapest products in the world or do they want products that pay producers?”

(Editing by Michael Roddy)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Agriculture Minister, Bruno Le Maire, Elysian Fields, environment minister, Farm Revenues, Farmers Union, Fnsea, Fragile State, French Farmers, Jean-Louis Borloo, Lavender Plants, mile stretch, Paris Champs Elysees, President Of France, Public Enthusiasm, regulatory framework, reuters, Summer Style, Weather Nature, Young Farmers

Centre, States must work together for providing affordable and quality power: Shinde

April 28, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 28 (ANI): Union Minister for Power Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday said both the Central and State governments must work together for providing adequate, affordable and quality power to all consumers.

Calling for renewed endeavour and commitment, Shinde said: “Our ability to deal with the most critical issues depends on how closely we work together”

Listing out the recent efforts by his ministry in this direction, Shinde said: “We have already added 22,302 megawatts new capacity in the first three years of the 11th Plan, which is more than entire capacity addition during the five years of the 10th Plan.”

“State Government”s support is crucial for addressing issues like, law and order, land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, and Forest and Environment clearances. These clearances need to be expedited and given in a time bound manner to achieve the capacity addition targets,” he added.

Speaking at the Power Ministers Conference, Shinde expressed confidence that with the close cooperation and active support of State Governments, “We will definitely add the balance 40,000 megawatts capacity in the remaining period of two years. Although the capacity addition target for the 12th Plan is still to be finalized, Power Ministry is tentatively planning 1,00,000 megawatts.”

“Work on projects of about 58,000 megawatts capacity, which are likely to give benefits in the 12th Plan has already begun. During 2009-10, 9,585 megawatts of capacity has been added. This is the highest capacity addition achieved in a single year during the last six decades, the second highest being 9,263 MW during 2007-08,” he added.

Calling for Public Private Partnership model for resource mobilization and efficiency gains in the distribution sector, Shinde urged the State Governments to provide necessary legal and regulatory framework for smooth implementation of these partnerships.

Shinde informed the gathering that his ministry has recently launched a scheme for electrification of villages within 5 km periphery of generation plants of CPSUs for providing reliable and quality power to the project affected people and electricity connections to BPL households will be provided free

The minister also called for the need to maintain grid discipline.

“Observing that time and again some states are playing a dangerous game of overdrawing from the grid when frequencies are low,” said Shinde asserting that with the integrated grid for almost the entire country, such heavy overdrawal could lead to a disastrous situation.

Minister of State for Power Bharatsinh Solanki called upon the State Governments to consider providing incentives to Municipalities /Local Bodies for up – gradation of energy efficiency of Water Pumping and Sewage Treatment Plants as well as Municipal lighting.

“Energy efficiency measures in Water Pumping and Sewage Treatment Plants could help in solving the problem of payment of electricity dues to Utilities. Use of incandescent bulb should be banned in all public lighting and government buildings,” said and suggested energy efficiency measures for agricultural DSM for rural areas.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission B. K. Chaturvedi, and Power Ministers as well as Power Secretaries from various states and Union Territories attended the Power Ministers” Conference.

Shinde released a booklet on a new scheme for supply of electricity within 5 km. area around central generating power plants on the occasion.

The agenda of the conference is to discuss various issues related to power sector including generation capacity addition, open access and unbundling of State Electricity Boards, Rural Electrification through Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) and strengthening of sub-transmission and distribution system through Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP). (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: capacity addition, Critical Issues, Distribution Sector, Efficiency Gains, land acquisition, law and order, megawatts, ministers conference, partnership model, power ministry, public private partnership, quality power, regulatory framework, resettlement, Resource Mobilization, Smooth Implementation, state governments, sushil kumar, target, Union Minister

Bundesbank warns of dwindling commitment to reform

April 26, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

FRANKFURT, April 25 (Reuters) – Axel Weber, president of the German Bundesbank on Sunday urged policymakers to maintain momentum for financial reforms to prevent major issues from falling prey, “to dwindling commitment and political interests.”

Financials

In prepared remarks given to the Washington-based banking lobby group the Institute of International Finance, Weber said recent complaints about regulatory uncertainty “are being taken seriously” adding that “accuracy is more important than speed.”

“It is essential that the process of reform remains an international endeavour and is not hampered by unilateralist leanings,” Weber said according to a transcript of his speech.

The package of international reforms, being put together by the Group of 20 leading nations, aims to strengthen the regulatory framework to ensure financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

As part of this, banks are being asked to raise the quality of their capital base, to cut their debt, and to ensure they have adequate funding in place as a buffer against market shocks.

Weber said aside from government efforts to coordinate international standards, a reformed system must ensure that for systemically important financial institutions, “accountability is brought back into the game.”

Market participants should seize the opportunity provided by “the current favourable times to strengthen their risk-bearing capacities and to build up adequate buffers.”

Necessary proposals that go beyond the reformed capital and liquidity framework include capital surcharges for systemically important institutions, better resolution regimes and a strengthening of the financial infrastructure, Weber said.

Some thorny issues waiting to be resolved include “the calibration of measures to assess systemic relevance.”

A new regulatory regime should include “macroprudential supervision that takes due account of systemic risk and the overall stability of the financial system,” the speech said.

Weber said efforts were being made to prevent a fragmented and piecemeal approach to global financial reforms, adding that policy development is proceeding to “agreed and very ambitious timelines.” (Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Louise Heavens)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Axel Weber, Financial Infrastructure, financial institutions, Financial Reforms, Game Market, German Bundesbank, government efforts, Institute Of International Finance, International Reforms, lobby group, market participants, Market Shocks, Political Interests, regulatory framework, regulatory regime, Regulatory Uncertainty, reuters, Sustainable Economic Growth, Systemic Risk, thorny issues

Government approves share market competition

April 1, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

The Federal Government has given in-principle approval for competition between markets for trading in Australian-listed shares.

Financial Services Minister Chris Bowen says the Government supports an Australian market licence application by Chi-X.

Chi-X is an Australian subsidiary of Chi-X Global, which operates markets throughout Europe and Canada.

Mr Bowen says local investors will benefit from a more competitive environment in financial markets.

“There are six million direct shareholders in Australia and of course, almost every working Australian owns shares indirectly through their superannuation funds,” he said.

“This development means that we know that Australian investors – consumers of stockbroking services – will be getting the best possible value for money.”

He also says the establishment of a competitor to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) will boost the country’s status in the financial services industry.

“This announcement is important for Australia’s ambition to be a financial services centre,” he said.

“One of the recommendations of the Johnson report into Australia as a financial services hub was that the Government embrace competition as soon as practical.

“So this announcement today represents the implementation of another of the recommendations.”

The Minister says a final decision on Chi-X’s licence application will be made after the necessary regulatory framework was in place and other requirements had been met.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: ambition, asx, Australia, Australian Investors, Australian Securities, Australian Subsidiary, business-economics-and-finance, Chris Bowen, competitive environment, competitor, economic-trends, final decision, Finance Markets, financial markets, Financial Services Centre, Financial Services Industry, market competition, Mr Bowen, regulatory framework, Securities Exchange, Share Market, shareholders, Stockbroking Services, Superannuation Funds

Over 100,000 NGOs operational in Pakistan

June 30, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, June 30 (ANI): Over 100,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are currently operational in Pakistan, the country’s National Assembly has been informed.

Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education Samina Khalid Ghurki informed the NA in a written statement: “It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 NGOs working in the country. However, due to fragmented legal and regulatory framework, exact number of NGOs is not known.”

She said the ministry has developed a national NGO database to address the issue.

The new database contains details of 45,000 NGOs, which have been registered under different laws.

There is more than one law under which an NGO could be registered at federal, provincial and district level governments.

She clarified that her ministry was neither the registration nor the monitoring authority under any of the existing laws, which govern NGOs in the country.

However, Ghurki said, the ministry had taken a number of steps to facilitate strengthening of monitoring mechanism to be adopted by regulatory authorities.

They are also developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the NGOs containing internationally accepted best practices in the areas of internal governance, financial transparency and program delivery, she added.

The registration and monitoring of the NGOs has long been an issue in Pakistan.

Right wing political parties have termed them as representatives of the west, and wanted a strict government control on their operations. (ANI)

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Nuclear industry taking shape in the Gulf

April 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Oil and Gas rich Arab and Gulf nations have started thinking about life, once the petroleum boom is over.

Leading world oil producers like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and even gas rich Qatar are firming up proposals to set up nuclear power plants to meet future energy needs.

They are queuing up behind UAE, which took the lead by pledging USD 10 million towards an International Atomic Energy Authority administered low-enriched uranium fuel bank to ensure a nuclear fuel supply.

A new industry is swiftly taking shape around what is expected to be the Arab world’s first independent civil nuclear power programme, an engineering, safety and risk management consultancy has said.

“Several Gulf Cooperation Council countries have shown interest in nuclear energy including Kuwait and Qatar but it is in the United Arab Emirates where moves to establish a legal and regulatory framework for the new industry are at an advanced stage with firm decisions expected any time now,” said Pat Lawless, CEO of ESR Technology, a company with operational bases in the UK and the Middle East.

“The oil and gas industry is vital to the economies of the Arabian Gulf but we are now beginning to see a new high technology industry quickly growing in the region as the UAE presses on with its nuclear power plans,” he added.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Arab world, arabian gulf, atomic energy authority, Civil Nuclear Power, fuel supply, future energy, gulf cooperation council, gulf oil, international atomic energy, nuclear fuel, nuclear industry, nuclear power plants, Oil And Gas Industry, regulatory framework, Rich Arab, risk management consultancy, Saudi Arabia, Taking Shape, United Arab Emirates, Uranium Fuel, world oil producers

Brass industry in Moradabad hit after European Chemicals Agency sets regulations

March 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Moradabad, Mar 29 (ANI): Chemical substances used in making brass items in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh for exports have now come under the scanner of the European Union’s new regulatory framework on safe management of chemicals.

The brass industry of Moradabad, which is already handicapped with business, going down by almost 60 per cent due to ongoing global recessionary trends, has to cope with new regulations.

According to the European Chemicals Agency based in Finland, 14 substances have been termed harmful for import by European countries.

Most of the exporters of brass industry and the artisans involved in it are not aware of the substances which are used in making such items.

“We feel that through these regulations, the industry will face a lot of problems and especially for the illiterate persons involved in this business. It will be tough for them to manage, understand and test the substances,” said Nadeem, an exporter.

Anthracene, sodium dichromate, 5 tertbutyl-2 are among the 14 substances which have been listed by the European Chemicals Agency as hazardous for human health and environment.

Babbu Bhai, an exporter said that the government should take initiative to open such testing labs which can help the exporters to differentiate the substances and chemicals that can be used to make brass items.

“We hope that the government opens labs like the MHS, technical support by sending experts to teach not only the artisans, but also the exporters. This will make them to take control during the preparation of the items to avoid use of such substances,” said Babbu Bhai.

Around seventy per cent of Moradabad’s population works in the metalwork industry, producing a variety of craft items and kitchen implements.

It is known for its brassware around the world and exports attractive artifacts to USA, Britain, Canada, Germany and Middle East countries.

It fetches around 22 billion rupees every year. By Vibhav Porov (ANI)

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2010 to be declared “Year for Affordable Housing”

January 21, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Jan.21 (ANI): The National Conference of Ministers of Housing, Urban Development and Municipal Administration has recommended that 2010 be declared as the “Year for Affordable Housing”.

The other eleven recommendations of the conference, which met on Tuesday are:

1.State specific policy focusing on Affordable Housing with supporting action plans for augmenting supply of land at affordable prices should be developed.

2.States to draw up the road map and a vision for ‘Slum Free City’.

3.Banks to make reservation of at least 1% of their priority sector lending funds for EWS housing

4.Review of existing legal and regulatory framework for acquiring/bringing-in additional lands into the market. Secure land tenure may be extended to families living in slums. Further, Vertical/multi-storeyed construction for in-situ slum re-developments be adopted by persuading the community to avoid long distance relocation

5.Modify state enactments and city level master plans for upward revision of FAR/FSI to accommodate land allocation for EWS and LIG. The investment in infrastructure should be commensurate with the revision of FAR and FSI.

6.Land at institutional rates to be made available for low income housing to cooperative housing societies and employee Welfare organizations to those with a good track record.

7.Private developers ready to undertake construction of affordable housing in partnership or in a JV with the state may be involved.

8.Institutional mechanisms to compile regularly data on housing starts and completions be established.

9.Steps may be taken to create a healthy rental market

10.Easy availability of housing finance at concessional rates

11.Strengthen and enlarge Housing Micro-finance

Kumari Selja, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation inaugurated the conference.

She highlighted that growth of large cities is accompanied by an upsurge in urban poverty where in absence of basic services, secure tenure and formal employment opportunities, settlements of the poor become slums with health and environmental concerns.

Referring to the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), she said it is addressing the issue of facilitation of basic services for such settlement along with housing.

The Interest Subsidy Scheme for Housing the Urban Poor (ISHUP) is also likely to address the issue of availability of institutional finance to these people,she added.

She requested the State Governments to supplement the efforts of Union Government in creation of additional housing stock by increasing supply of serviced land and new houses by direct intervention through State Housing Boards, Development Authorities, Cooperative Sector etc.

State Government should also provide a one time incentive in the form of relaxation of Floor Area Ratio (FAR) /Floor Space Index (FSI) norms through appropriate spatial (regulatory) incentives. This would lead to softening of land prices and induce downward trend in house prices, Selja opined.

The National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy, 2007 (NUHHP) adopts the goal of affordable housing for all, and seeks to promote multiple schemes and private-public partnerships in order to achieve it.

It is estimated that 26.53 million houses would be required by the end of the 11th Plan. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: completions, cooperative housing societies, employee welfare, housing starts, housing urban development, institutional mechanisms, institutional rates, kumari, land allocation, land tenure, low income housing, micro finance, municipal administration, poverty alleviation, priority sector, private developers, regulatory framework, upward revision, urban poverty, welfare organizations