Income Tax Department Celebrates 150 years of Income tax in India Tomorrow: FM to Release Revised Citizen Charter of I-T Department on the Occasion

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Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Finance                        

Income Tax Department Celebrates 150 years of Income tax in India Tomorrow: FM to Release Revised Citizen Charter of I-T Department on the Occasion

New Delhi: July 23, 2010.

 

The Income Tax department is celebrating 150 years of income tax in India. The Governor General of India accorded to the bill levying the tax, introduced by James Wilson, the first Finance Member in Council, on 24th July 1860. The 150 years of income tax, spanning 3 centuries, have witnessed tremendous global changes. The Income Tax department has traveled this journey by mobilizing resources, from a meager Rs.1.33 crore in 1860-61 to about Rs.380 thousand crore in 2009-10. These revenues have constituted a vital component in the resources used by the Government of India to lift the people out of abject poverty, disease and misery and propel India into the frontiers of strong and self-reliant nations. In the 150th year, the Income Tax department rededicates itself to the people of India with the avowed objective of mobilizing optimum resources to build a modern, developed, vibrant and prosperous nation.

 

At the close of the first decade of this century, the role of the Income Tax department has radically altered and needs redefining. The department needs to address the rising expectations of taxpayers through innovative use of technology and modern management skills to ensure equity, transparency and efficiency in delivery systems. The Citizen's Charter 2007 has, accordingly, been revised and will be released by the Hon'ble Finance Minister in a function on 24th July 2010 at 3:30 PM, FICCI Auditorium, New Delhi. The Charter reflects the best endeavour of the Department and is expected to meet the aspirations of the people of India.

 

A short documentary film on the journey of 150 years of income tax, anchored by actor Om Puri, will be shown and the third volume of the book "Let Us Share" will be released during the function.

 

The soul of the country speaks through its art. On this historic occasion, an artists' workshop was recently organized in Kolkata to ponder and reflect on creativity in the field of resource mobilization. Several eminent artists, including Dhiraj Chowdhury, Ganesh Haloi, Prakash Karmakar, Jogen Choudhury, Wasim Kapoor and Sunil Das joined artists in the Department, Bratati Mukherjee and Prasanna Kumar Dash, in bringing forth 40 paintings of outstanding quality. An exhibition of these paintings, along with other expressions of creative outpouring by personnel of the department, will be organized at AIFACS, New Delhi from 25th to 30th July 2010. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Smt. Suvra Mukherjee in the company of several other renowned artists of different parts of the country on 24th July at 6:30 PM.

 

dsm/by/kp/gn-234/10/dk/kol/17:33 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Communications & Information Technology                                

Desalination : Cost-Effective Ways to Provide Fresh Water

New Delhi: July 23, 2010.

 

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through its National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has worked extensively in quest for techno-economically viable solutions for desalination.

 

Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) is one process that uses the availability of a temperature gradient between two water bodies or flows to evaporate the Warmer water at low pressure and condense the resultant vapour with the colder water to obtain Freshwater. While ocean, with its temperature variation across its depth, presents one such scenario of two water bodies, a coast based thermal power plant discharging huge amounts of condenser reject water into the nearby ocean represents an alternate scenario. Te simplicity of LTTD process also enables to control the quality of product water in order to provide either good quality drinking water or boiler grade water as the situation warrants.

 

LTTD Process

 

The main components that are required for LTTD plant are the evaporation chamber, the condenser, pumps and pipelines to draw warm and cold water, and a vacuum pump to maintain the plant at sub-atmospheric pressures. One of the advantages of the process is that it can be implemented even with a low temperature gradient of about 8o – 10oC between the two water bodies. Even though flash distillation is a commonly used desalination process worldwide and especially in Middle East, none of the established plants work with the temperature gradient as low as 8o C that exists in the North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS).

 

Other Conventional Desalination Processes

 

Some of the other commonly used desalination processes are Reverse Osmosis, Multi Stage Flash Desalination and Multi Effect Desalination. Reverse Osmosis is the most commonly used membrane process in the industry. Water at high pressure is made to pass through a porous membrane. As the water passes from the high pressure area to the low pressure area through pore of the size of 0.5-1.5 nm, the dissolved solids are left behind. Over the past 20 years, the process has been fine tuned. However, high power consumption and the disposal of the concentrated brine are two of the major drawbacks of the process.

 

Multi Stage Flash Desalination (MSF) is a flash distillation process that is similar to LTTD process, but works on a higher temperature difference. The flashing is done in multiple stages. Most MSF plants use inlet feed water in the temperature range of 60o-80oC.

 

In Multi Effect Desalination (MED), the energy available from the steam in the power plants is used to distill the sea water in multiple stages in this method. The use of steam as the primary source makes the process expensive in the Indian context.

 

NIOT started working with the LTTD applications in 2004 and established various plants, namely Laboratory scale model with a capacity of 5 m3/day (2004),100 m3/day capacity land based plant in the Kavaratti Island of UT Lakshadweep (2005) and 1000 m3/day capacity Barge Mounted Experimental Plant off Chennai coast (2007) – ilot/ experimental plant.

 

NIOT set up a land based demonstration plant in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep Islands with a capacity of producing one lakh litres per day of freshwater in May 2005. The sea bed bathymetric (depth) near the island was such that350m water depth was abailable at about 600m from the shore. Temperature gradient of 15oc was utilised (temperature at surface water at 28oc, water at 350 m depth at 12oC). High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipes of 630mm diameter and 600m long were deployed to draw cold water from a depth of about 350m. The sea water umps inside the partitioned sump supply, warm and cold water to the plant on the land. The plant has been running continuously ever since, fulfilling the needs of the 10000 strong local community for over three years. The salinity of the freshwater produced was reduced from 35000 ppm of the seawater to 280 ppm whereas the permissible limit for drinking water is 2000 ppm.

 

Subsequent to the commencement of the plant water supply for drinking water needs, there have been significant drop in the incidence of water-borne diseases. NIOT is also the process of establishing similar plants in three more island in Lakshadweep, namely Agati, Minicoy and Androth.

 

For an LTTD plant meant for the mainland needs, NIOT has demonstrated an experimental 1000 m3/day (one million litres per day) barge mounted desalination plant 40 km off Chennai coast meant for mainland usage. Temperature gradient of about 18oC was utilised with surface water at 28oC and the water at 550m depth at 10oC. The plant was commissioned in April 2007 and the sea trials were successfully conducted for a few weeks. Thereafter, the plant was dismantled.

 

LTTD has been applied in Power Plants also. An efficient way to utilise the heat available in the condenser reject water of a power plant would reduce the load on the cooling towers and in turn the resultant thermal pollution. One of the aspects of LTTD is that it transfers the available heat from warmer water to the colder water while generating freshwater from the warm water. This aspect could therefore be aptly used in thermal power plants resulting in the double benefits of cooling the condenser reject water and generating the freshwater. A small temperature gradient of about 8o-10oC, as is the case with most power plants, would be sufficient to utilise the concept.

 

With the idea of demonstrating the concept in a coast based thermal power plant, where the co-existence of warm power plant condenser reject water and the nearby surface sea water with a gradient of about 8o-10oC presents an ideal case for an LTTD application. NIOT took up the task of setting up the LTTD plant in Northern Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS). The 600 MW NCTPS plant discharges about 100,000 m3/hr of condenser reject water at about 37oC. In order to reduce the thermal pollution issues arising out of mixing this water with the nearby seawater at 29oC, NCTPS lets the water run through a long open channel where the water is brought to about 33oC.

 

The power plant consists of three units each with a capacity of 200 MW. For each unit, the condenser coolant water is supplied through a 2.7m diameter concrete pipe. The reject water from the condenser is led back to the open channel through the 2.7m diameter concrete pipes were provided with a manhole for servicing. These manholes were modified to accommodate the inlet and discharge piping required for the LTTD plants. A structure was designed to accommodate the plant components of flash chamber, condenser and the vacuum system. Being a demonstration plant, it was decided to utilise the existing components from the decommissioned barge-mounted desalination plant. A pump situated in a sump is used to provide water to the flash chamber while the available head in the cold water is used to pass the cold water through the condenser. The final piping connections between the LTTD plant and the main power plant were completed during their annual maintenance schedules. After letting the water through the LTTD plant, the vacuum system was operated to bring the system vacuum to the design pressure. The warm water was flash evaporated at about 33oC and freshwater was obtained. The cold water exit temperature was measured at about 31oC. A fraction of the cold water flow intended for the main power plant condenser is bypassed to the LTTD plant, thereby removing the necessity of a separate cold water pump for the LTTD plant. Thus, the warm water pump and the vacuum system are the main power consumption devices for the LTTD plant, with a power consumption of about 45 kW for the designed capacity of about 2.5 lakh litres per day. The salinity of the freshwater was reduced from 35000 ppm of the seawater to about 24 ppm, the quality well suited for drinking water as well as for use in the boilers. Water Quality Analysis for LTTD Plant at Kavaratti and NCTPS, Chennai .

 

The successful demonstration of an LTTD plant with the existing temperature gradient of mere 8oC at the NCTPS provides another new area for its application. Since most power plants discharge the condenser reject water at 8o-10oC above the ambient sea water temperature, any increase in the available temperature difference or the provision of additional process steam from power plant will increase the efficiency of the LTTD process, resulting in the generation of huge quantity of freshwater. If implemented in the design stages, further optimisation of the power consumption is also possible. Newer power plant projects are also coming up all over the country, most along the coast. Thus, the LTTD technology, if applied to power plants, world be useful in providing high quality freshwater for boilers, while reducing the thermal pollution.

 

kp/dk/kol/17:33 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare                   

FSSAI Starts Training of food Safety Personnel across India

New Delhi: July 23, 2010.

 

Safety and Standards Authority of India has been formed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 as the apex food regulator in the Country by bringing in various Acts and Orders related to food safety that were hitherto administered by different Departments and Ministries of Government of India.

 

The Govt. has already notified 43 sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act and the remaining sections will also be shortly notified and will replace the various food related orders, including PFA Act & other food safety related Rules in the country. Draft Rules and regulations for transition from PFA to FSSA have already been approved by the Food Authority and are in the process of being notified in accordance with the laid down procedures.

 

Most of the provisions of FSS Act are to be implemented by States/U.T.s through statutory functionaries already notified like State Food Safety Commissioners, Designated Officers, Adjudicating Officers and Food Safety Officers. In each State/ U.T. there will also be Food Safety Tribunals which will hear appeal against the decisions of Adjudicating Officers.

 

As a prelude to the rolling out the implementation of the FSS Act, an ambitious capacity building has been undertaken by FSSAI by organizing 'Orientation Programme' & 'Training of Trainers Programme' for all the regions of the country. The first such Orientation programme for Food Safety Commissioners of the Sates/ U.T.s was conducted by FSSAI at it's headquarter at New Delhi during 7-9th June, 2010. It was participated by the Food Safety Commissioners from Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The next orientation programme is scheduled in September, 2010 wherein the remaining Food Safety Commissioners are expected to be trained.

 

Further, to train the large number of personnel at the level of Designated Officers & Food Safety Officers, FSSAI has devised a Training of Trainer (ToT) programme. The first such ToT programme covering officers from Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi was held at FSSAI headquarter at New Delhi during 21-25th June, 2010. Other ToT programmes were held at Lucknow, Mumbai and Kolkata. The last programme for FSO training is scheduled at Chennai from 26-30th July, 2010.

 

Those who have been trained in these programmes will start training the Food Safety officers and others in their respective States. The State Governments have been requested to initiate this phase-II training programmes and thus FSSAI expects that the modern methods of food safety regulation would percolate to the grass root level enabling thousands of officials involved in the food safety work to upgrade their skills in tune with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Eventually the target is to train about 1800 Food Inspectors (prospective FSOs), 700 Designated Officers and 700 Adjudicating Officers with a period of about 3 - 4 months.

 

ds/gk/dk/kol/17:34 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment                          

Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojna launched in Sriganganagar (Rajasthan)

New Delhi: July 23, 2010.

 

The "Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana" (PMAGY) was launched at Village 18 BB, Block Padampur, District Sriganganagar, Rajasthan today. With this, the state of Rajasthan becomes the first state of the country to launch this scheme.

 

Launching the scheme, the Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Mukul Wasnik called upon the functionaries of the state Government and Panchayati Raj institutions to work in a coordinated manner to realize the vision of an "Adarsh Gram" in all the selected villages of the state.

 

The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gahlot presided over the function. Dr. C.P. Joshi, Union Minister for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj also attended the function.

 

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Wasnik commended the preliminary work done by the state Government to ensure that the PMAGY takes off successfully in Rajasthan. He said that the successful implementation of the Pilot Phase of the scheme in Rajasthan would pave the way for its successful execution in all the 44,000 Scheduled Caste majority villages of the country.

 

225 Villages in two districts (Sri Ganganagar & Hanumangarh) of Rajasthan have been selected for implementation of the PMAGY in the state. PMAGY, in its pilot phase, is to be taken up for implementation in five States, viz. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu (225 villages in each state) and Assam (100 villages).

 

It may be recalled that the Centre has released a sum of Rs. 55.54 crore to the States of Assam, Bihar and Rajasthan under the the pilot phase of the centrally sponsored "Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana" (PMAGY). The implementation of the Pilot Scheme was approved in March this year for integrated development of 1,000 villages in the country, each with more than 50% Scheduled Castes (SC) population.

 

PMAGY aims to achieve all-round, integrated development of selected villages primarily, through convergent implementation of all relevant Central and State schemes in them, and by meeting needs through provision of "gap-filling" funds for which central assistance will be provided @ Rs. 10 lakh per village, with State Government also expected to make a suitable, preferably matching, contribution.

 

Based on the complete proposals received from Bihar, Rajasthan and Assam, admissible Central assistance to these States has been released. Whereas Bihar and Rajasthan have been allocated a sum of Rs. 22.72 crore each for implementing the scheme in selected 225 villages in each State, Assam has been allocated Rs. 10.10 crore for 100 villages.

 

vba/rs/dk/kol/17:34 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Women and Child Development                       

Awareness Camp on Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women Launched

New Delhi: July 23, 2010.

 

One day Awareness Camp on Socio Economic Empowerment of Women was inaugurated at Dilli Haat, Pitam Pura, today by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Women and Child Development, Smt. Krishna Tirath. She emphasized that the Ministry of Women and Child Development is committed to the all round social development of women and children in order to ensure their growth into able citizens and their participation in the progress of the nation. In order to achieve this overarching objective, the Ministry in partnership with its constituent organizations regularly organizes activities to raise the awareness of the public and especially women from the needier sections of society about the programmes and activities that are available for women's empowerment under the Ministry.

 

As a part of this effort, the Ministry organized this one day awareness camp in collaboration with the Central Social Welfare Board, Rashtriya Mahile Kosh and Food and Nutrition Board at Dilli Haat, Pitampura, New Delhi on 23rd July 2010. The camp included several stalls which disseminated information about the programmes of the CSWB, loan schemes of RMK and demonstration and display by Food and Nutrition Board on low cost nutritive recipes. The CSWB had organized a free health check ups for the women participants, blood donation camp, Family Counseling Centre and Women Helpline booth. The Rashtriya Mahila Kosh had put up stalls for display of material produced by Self Help Groups. Apart from this, NGOs shared their experiences about their work for women's development.

 

The Central Social Welfare Board has developed a statewise NGO directory for its programme of Short Stay Homes and a list of NGOs for Family Counseling Centre programme. The directories were released by the Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Krishna Tirath. The RMK has also developed a state-wise NGO list which was also released by the Minister, Smt. Tirath on the occasion.

 

This initiative of the MWCD seeks to help women of the lower socio-economic strata participate in a public event to gain knowledge and information about activities that can help them to enhance their social capital and build economic strength and self reliance. The aim is to engage women in an informal environment and give them an opportunity to share the experiences of other women who have benefitted from developmental programmes of the Government of India and particularly the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

 

ysk/pm/dk/kol/17:34 hrs.

 

--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/