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Govt working on transparent system that reduces need to file RTI: Amit Shah

Amit Shah
Home Minister Amit Shah while addressing 14th Annual convention of the Central Information Commission as Chief Guest

New Delhi: The government is creating a system so transparent that the need to file RTI applications itself is reduced, said Home Minister Amit Shah on October 12.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is committed to creating a system where there is enough suo moto declaration of information that the need to file RTI applications itself is reduced,” said Shah while presiding over the 14th Annual convention of the Central Information Commission as the Chief Guest.

He added, “PM Modi is determined to create a system where information was given freely, so that people would not need to resort to RTI. The government would further ease the process of RTI to take justice and accountability to the last mile.”

Dubbing transparency and accountability as the twin pillars of Good Governance, Shah said, “Awareness regarding transparency should not be limited to quasi-judicial proceedings and disposal of cases but govt servants should instead actively reach out to people to make them aware of the proactive steps taken by government to increase transparency, accountability and efficiency in the government.”

He added, “The success of a transparent government lies not in an increase in the number of RTI applications but in the fact that RTI applications reduce in spite of the RTI process being completely accessible to people.”

“RTI would go a long way in the creation of a welfare state envisaged by the makers of our Constitution, and New India as envisioned by PM Modi,” Shah said and advised the officers to increase the sense of responsibility in people, along with awareness about RTI, stating, “It should not be misused or used for personal enmity or vendetta.”

Noting that there has been very little misuse of RTI, Shah said, “This shows the maturity of our democracy.” He presented the example of Kedarnath all weather road as a successful attempt to harness technology to increase transparency in government projects.

Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, MoS PMO Jitendra Singh said, “Under PM Modi, the government had further strengthened the cause of transparency and accountability by creating an online portal for RTI, which did not previously exist.”

He added, “Proactive increase in transparency in the last five years has led to a reduction in the need for RTI. In 2019 alone, 12 lakh RTI related grievances had been redressed successfully and the government had taken several steps to increase awareness about RTI but cautioned that the law should not be misused.”

Chief Information Commissioner Sudhir Bhargava remarked the annual convention as an opportunity to reflect and introspect on the implementation of RTI Act and the success achieved in furthering our shared democratic values.

ITBP expedition team hit by avalanche in Uttarakhand, one dead

Nurbu Wangdus

Uttarkashi: One Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) mountaineer was killed and another rescued after the climbing team was hit by a massive avalanche near Gangotri in Uttarakhand on October 12.

According to an ITBP statement, Head Constable Nurbu Wangdus, aged 38, died in the the tragic incident which took place near Gangotri I peak (21,890 Ft).

As many as two mountaineers from the team were trapped in the avalanche, while the ITBP team, braving the furious conditions, could rescue one of the mountaineers, Nurbu Wangdus though rescued was declared dead.

Nurbu Wangdus was a renowned climber of the force, the statement said.

The body of the jawan was taken to lower altitude from where it would be airlifted to Dehradun on Saturday and then be sent to his native place on Sunday.

Hailing from Leh, Laddakh, Nurbu was one among the best climbers of ITBP.

The 25 member ITBP Mount Gangotri Expedition was launched on 21 September, from Dehradun under the leadership of 2nd In Command Ratan Singh Sonal.

The team was preparing the route for summit ahead of advance base camp on 11 October, 2019 early morning at around 20,000 feet when the avalanche struck, the statement said.

“ParyatanParv 2019” proves a big draw 

ParyatanParv 2019
“ParyatanParv 2019” witnessed colourful array of activities in its first week

New Delhi: The flagship programme of the Ministry of Tourism, the nationwide ParyatanParv 2019 is proving to be a big draw as it unfolds a colourful array of activities across the country. 

The event was launched to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi from October 2. The programme which will conclude on October 13 aims at promoting cultural diversity of the country and benefits of the tourism.

“The Delhi edition of the event was concluded from October 2 to 6 at Rajpath lawns. The five-day festival has witnessed a colourful array of Dance, Music and cultural performances from the various parts of the country,” said an official statement. ParyatanParv 2019

It further added, “The programme has been organised with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism by providing a platform for the artists, master craftsmen, chefs from all over India to showcase their talent, both by displaying and selling. In that sense it is a great economic engine, apart from being a social and cultural promotion vehicle.

ParyatanParv 2019

This event has also highlighted Armed Forces bands and cultural performances including handicrafts, handlooms, food, dance, Yoga demonstrations and performances by Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of AYUSH.

Based on themes– “DekhoApnaDesh”, “Tourism for All” and “Tourism and Governance”, ParyatanParv has encouraged Indians to visit their own country by organising various activities like Interactive Sessions, workshops with stakeholders, Tourism exhibitions, Dance, Theatre, tourism related quiz, debate competition and others.

J&K fast gearing up for BDC polls

Poonch/Kargi: Jammu & Kashmir is fast gearing up for its first date with any democratic process since the abrogation of special status granted to the state under article 370 in August as it goes for Block Development Council polls on October 24.

Elections for chairpersons of BDC would be held for 310 blocks. For the upcoming BDC elections, the Chief Electoral Officer of J&K has appointed 79 observers for Jammu division, 63 for Kashmir and 16 for Ladakh division. The process of the elections for the second tier of the Panchayati Raj system will be completed by November 5.

Meanwhile, Poonch district of Jammu region will see 61 candidates contesting for the BDC polls. District Election Officer (DEO) Rahul Yadav said, “61 candidates will contest the upcoming BDC elections”.

A total of 92 candidates had filed nominations out of which 32 withdrew from the fray. Yadav appealed the candidates to observe and follow the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in letter and spirit.

In the Jammu region, the Jammu district will have 2,703 voters while in Rajouri there will 2,687, in Poonch 2,069,  Samba will have 893, total number of voters in Kathua is 2,186, Udhampur is  2,072 , in Reasi  1,339 voters, 1,150 in Ramban, 1,900 in Doda and 1,016 in Kishtwar.

Besides, in the Kashmir region, 2,783 voters will exercise their franchise in Kupwara, 1,450 in Baramulla, 584 in Bandipora, 374 in Ganderbal, 43 in Srinagar, 650 in Budgam, 132 in Pulwama, 82 in Shopian, 168 in Kulgam and 763 in Anantnag.

India, Japan to hold military exercise

New Delhi: Taking their defence co-operation to a new level,  India and Japan will be holding Joint Military Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN-2019, from 19th October to 2nd November 2019 at counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte in Mizoram.

This Exercise with Japan is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both the nations in the backdrop of global terrorism. The scope of this exercise covers platoon level joint training on counter terrorism operations in jungle and urban scenario.

25 soldiers from each of Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) will participate in the exercise with an aim to share experience gained during various Counter Terrorism Operations in respective Countries.

Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN is an annual training event which is being conducted in India since 2018. Notably, in the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries.

The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between the armies which in turn will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.

Lt Gen Harsha Gupta takes command of White Knight Corps

Jammu: Lt General Harsha Gupta on October 12 took over the command of the elite White Knight Corps from Lt General Paramjit Singh Sangha.

On assuming command, the General Officer exhorted all ranks to continue working with the same zeal and enthusiasm and always be combat ready to thwart the nefarious designs of enemy and inimical forces with excellent synergy between the Army, civil administration and paramilitary forces, a Defence Ministry statement said.

White Night Corps is the 16 Corps of the Army based in Nagrota in Jammu. It looks after security in Jammu region and its border.

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Paramjit Singh Sangha before relinquishing the command laid wreath at Ashwamedh Shaurya Sthal at Nagrota Military Station in the honour of the soldiers who have made supreme sacrifice for the nation.

Addressing the troops, Lt Gen Sangha, conveyed his deep appreciation and compliments to all ranks of the White Knight Corps for their professionalism and steadfast dedication to duty in the service of the nation.

He further called upon all ranks to rededicate themselves to strive for excellence. He thanked the civil administration for the excellent synergy with the armed forces. He showered praises on the AWAAM for displaying absolute faith in the policies of the government and maintaining peace and harmony in the region.

India, China agree to be sensitive to each other’s concerns

New Delhi/Mamallapuram: India and China have decided to manage their differences prudently and be sensitive to each other’s concerns while striving towards world peace and stability as the second informal Indo-China summit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded at Mamallapuram on October 12.

“We have decided that we would prudently manage our differences without letting them turn into disputes, that we would be sensitive to each other’s’ concerns and that our relations strive towards World Peace and stability,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Mamallapuram on October 12. He was making his inaugural statement at beginning of the delegation level talks being chaired by him and Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the second day of the informal Indo-China summit which concluded on October 12.

On the outstanding issues, including on the boundary question, they have welcomed the work of the Special Representatives and urged them to continue their efforts to arrive at a mutually-agreed framework for a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement based on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles that were agreed by the two sides in 2005. They reiterated their understanding that efforts will continue to be made to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas, and that both sides will continue to work on additional Confidence Building Measures in pursuit of this objective.

The two leaders recognized that India and China have a common interest in preserving and advancing a rules-based and inclusive international order, including through reforms that reflect the new realities of the 21st Century. Both agreed that it is important to support and strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system at a time when globally agreed trade practices and norms are being selectively questioned. India and China will continue to work together for open and inclusive trade arrangements that will benefit all countries.

Prime Minister Modi termed that 2nd Informal Summit at Mamallapuram has begun a “New Era of Cooperation” between India and China.

Referring to the first informal summit between the two countries at Wuhan last year, Prime Minister Modi said it has brought in an “increased stability and fresh momentum in our relations.”

He said the “strategic communication has increased between the two countries”.

Referring to the 2nd Informal Summit at Mamallapuram, the Prime Minister said “In the Chennai Summit we have so far had great exchange on bilateral and global issues. The Wuhan Summit has given a new momentum to our bilateral relations. Today with our Chennai Connect a new era of cooperation has begun in the relations of our two countries.”

US state of Indiana seeks Indian investments

Eric J Holcomb, Governor of the State Indiana, USA at 'Indiana - India Business Meet'

New Delhi: US State of Indiana has invited Indian companies to explore business opportunities by investing in the state.

Speaking at the ‘Indiana – India Business Meet’ organized by FICCI recently, Eric J Holcomb, Governor of the State said “We are working to strengthen our Government to Government relationships, Business to Business relationships and most importantly, our People to People relationships. The only and most effective way we can do that is to be present here on the ground.”

Holcomb was also conferred with the ‘2019 Gandhi Global Leadership Award’ during the event. 

“We are here to seek new friendships, relationships and partnerships,” he added.

Highlighting the potential areas for investment, Eric said that Indiana government’s priority area is infrastructure development and cited 6 R’s (Roads, Railway, Runways, Rural Hi-speed internet connectivity, Rivers) as potential sectors for investment. “Our infrastructure program is built to connect the business globally and we want to build infrastructure of the best standards,” he added.

Commemorating 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Eric reiterated that it was Gandhi who said, “the future depends on what you do today.” He further added that “And really, that’s why we are here today, with an eye on our future, both for India and Indiana.”

T S Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India said that there is a new energy in India-US relations. “The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to US in many ways is a culmination of hard work everyone has done to make this relationship very vibrant,” he said.

Jim Schellinger, Commerce Secretary, State of Indiana, USA highlighted the business opportunities for Indian companies in Indiana. “If you invest in Indiana, we will offer you mountain of savings and ocean of opportunities,” he added.

Dr Ashwath Narayan C N, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka said that the government of Karnataka is unwavering in its commitment to further improve ease of doing business by ensuring an environment that fosters industry, investment and opportunities. He further added, “We will also renew the sister state agreement we have with the State of Indiana, USA for cooperation in economic, educational, sports and cultural fields.”

Govt launches “mHariyali” mobile app to promote green drive

mHariyali app
Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launched “mHariyali” mobile app

New Delhi: If you want to partake in green India drive by planting trees but are worried as to how to sustain the saplings in future, the Government has come up with a solution. It has launched a mobile app “mHariyali”, which aims at encouraging people to plant trees which after that will be monitored by nodal officers.

“The app is user-friendly and works on any android mobile phone. It provides automatic geotagging of plants. People can now upload information and photos of any plantation done by them, which is linked to app and will be displayed on the website www.epgc.gov.in.  The App provides for automatic geotagging of plants. This app will also enable nodal officers to periodically monitor the plantation,” said Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri while launching the app on October 11.

“Our government in June 2019 directed all ministries and departments to take up and implement on the ground within the next 100 days of various public welfare activities. We are strongly committed to improve the quality of life of citizens,” Puri added.

Earlier in October, to promote ease of living, the Directorate of Estates, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs carried out the following activities at around 103 selected government colonies (76 in Delhi and 29 in other States) through public and stakeholders participation.

The activities include the cleaning and greening of open space through a plantation, Rain Water Harvesting and Sensitization on Source Segregation of Household waste and Orientation and Capacity building on Home composting, said an official statement.

“For each colony, the above activities were taken up in a campaign mode over 100 days from 15.7.2019 to 15.10.2019 and will continue, Nodal Officers were appointed from the Directorate, CPWD and ULBs to liaison with Resident Welfare Association to ensure maximum public participation,” it further added.

Kashmir does not figure in Modi-Xi talks

Modi-Xi Jinping
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Mamallapuram (Chennai)/New Delhi:  In a letdown for Pakistan, Chinese President Xi Jinping did not raise the Kashmir issue during his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here today, even as both leaders agreed on the need to deal with challenges of terrorism and radicalisation.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, while briefing the media on the discussions between Modi and Xi since last evening, said the two leaders talked about a host of issues aimed at taking the bilateral relations forward.

Xi, who arrived here yesterday afternoon, had about 6 hours of one-on-one conversation with Modi and delegation level talks during the ‘Informal Summit’.

The nagging issue of trade, investment and services was also discussed and the two sides decided to set up a new mechanism at an elevated level to resolve these.

From the Indian side, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will lead the mechanism while from the Chinese side, it will be headed by Vice Premier, Hu Chunhua, Gokhale said.

While replying to questions, the Foreign Secretary said, “Kashmir issue was not raised or even discussed. Our stand is otherwise publicly stated that it is our internal matter.”

This would certainly be a letdown for Pakistan which has been urging China to play a role on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly ever since the special status of the state was revoked.

At the same time, Gokhale said the two leaders agreed that it was important to deal with the challenges of terrorism and radicalisation in an increasingly complex world.

On border question, the two leaders directed the Special Representatives to continue discussions, Gokhale said.

The Foreign Secretary said there was new focus on people-to-people relations and it was decided that public of both countries must be brought in the relationship.

The Chinese President spoke of greater facilitation for ‘yatri’s going to the Mansarovar Yatra and Prime Minister suggested a number of ideas on the connection between state of Tamil Nadu and the Fujian province of China.

Xi invited Modi to China for the next informal summit and the Prime Minister accepted the invitation. Dates will be worked out later, he said.

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