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Dutch court grants Greenpeace right to stage peaceful protests against Shell

Amsterdam, October 5, 2012 -- Royal Dutch Shell has failed in its bid to win a sweeping injunction against two offices of Greenpeace, a setback to the company’s attempt to end protests by the environmental group over Arctic oil drilling.

In a ruling issued today, Shell’s proposed injunction was rebuffed by the President of the Amsterdam court, Han Jongeneel, who said the protests Greenpeace Netherlands has already taken in the Netherlands at Shell’s headquarters and petrol stations were both proportionate and appropriate in light of Greenpeace’s earlier efforts to end Shell’s Arctic oil drilling through other means.

“A company like Shell, that is taking actions or plans to take actions that are controversial in society and which many people will object to, can and should expect that actions will be taken to try to change its mind. Such actions – in order to be effective – will have to be capable of disadvantaging Shell,” Jongeneel wrote.

“The principle of proportionality entails that actions should not go beyond what is necessary to reach the intended goal. To date, Greenpeace has respected this requirement by not taking action at all Shell fuel stations (about 600), but at approximately 70. Therefore, there is no need to grant an injunction on this point; although Greenpeace will have to continue taking this requirement into account in future,” the judge said.

The ruling, which is in place for the next six months, allows activists to stage protests at Shell properties in the Netherlands for a maximum of two hours and to disrupt fuel sales for up to an hour.

Greenpeace is pursuing a major international campaign against the oil giant over its plans to drill in the melting Arctic, and Greenpeace offices across the globe have staged a series of peaceful direct actions at fuel stations, on icebreaking ships and at company offices over the past year.

Responding to the news, Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo said:

“Shell’s latest attempt to silence its critics has failed. The judge rejected the majority of this injunction and has reminded the company that civil disobedience is a right in democracies, even when its business is impacted. Over two million people have joined our campaign to protect the Arctic and they will not be deterred by unwarranted legal bullying.

“We must ask ourselves which party in this case presents a greater threat to the public interest – a peaceful environmental group or a desperate oil company determined to send rigs into the freezing Arctic ocean. Shell has no credible response plan in the event of an oil spill, which would be a financial and environmental disaster.

“This injunction will not prevent us from opposing Arctic drilling passionately and peacefully both in the Netherlands and across the world. We can’t match Shell’s enormous financial muscle, but we have creativity and millions of people behind us. This is the defining environmental battle of our time and we have only just begun.”

Shell initially demanded an injunction that would have prevented Greenpeace activists or sympathisers anywhere in the world from protesting legally within 500 meters of any Shell property – even on public land at the risk of fines of more than 1 million euros.

The company was forced to narrow its request after the judge cautioned that he could throw the case out if he considered the claim excessive. The judge granted a limited injunction, which left two offices – Greenpeace Netherlands and Greenpeace International – facing penalties of 25,000 euros for every hour that they are in breach of the injunction.

This year Shell has pursued a highly aggressive legal strategy against Greenpeace and a range of other environmental groups:

• In the United States, Greenpeace US is subject to an injunction preventing staff or supporters from coming within 500 metres of any Shell drilling or support vessel.

• Separately, Greenpeace US and 12 other US environmental and Indigenous groups are being sued to preempt challenges to the company’s oil spill response plan.

• In New Zealand, police are pursuing an inflated NZD 725,000 (€467,000) damage claim on behalf of Shell against activists, including actress Lucy Lawless, who occupied one of its two Arctic drilling rigs.

Shell’s final request contained a clause which demands that Greenpeace International “instruct other Greenpeace offices around the world to refrain from any action that would interfere with Shell’s business in the Netherlands”.

The injunction granted today is limited to Greenpeace International and Greenpeace Netherlands. National and regional Greenpeace offices around the world operate independently in contributing to the implementation of global campaign strategies decided by Greenpeace International.

Government of India and World Bank Sign $500 Million Agreement for Secondary Education Project - Nearly 35 million students to benefit annually by 2015

NEW DELHI, October 05, 2012 - The World Bank today signed a $500 million credit agreement with the government of India to support the government’s efforts at making good quality education available, accessible and affordable to all young persons at the secondary level (grades IX and X).

The Secondary Education Project will support all activities as envisioned in the $12.9 billion Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) program, the flagship government of India program for gradual universalization of secondary education.

The government has made great strides in the area of elementary education over the past ten years. Net elementary enrollment rate stands at 96 percent and girls are almost equally represented in elementary education as boys. Attention is now needed for secondary education where the gross enrollment rate stands at about 60 percent and quality of education is very low. Access is also unequal and many poor households cannot afford the costs of secondary education, particularly in rural areas.

This Project is designed to meet critical needs in secondary education. First, to make sure that secondary education expands in such a way that quality and equity are enhanced at the same time; second, to develop and evaluate innovative approaches to secondary education; and, third, to leverage World Bank resources to help the Government address systemic issues in the sector.

“The government of India has been investing in primary education for more than a decade and a half. These investments have resulted in more elementary graduates, which means that the demand for secondary education has gone up tremendously, especially in the last five years. Also, the skills and knowledge requirements of the labor force in a globalized economy requires high quality secondary graduates. This necessitates revamping the secondary education system in India,” said Prabodh Saxena, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance. “It is in response to this surging demand that the government has launched the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan or RMSA – a centrally-sponsored scheme – on the lines of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). This World Bank Project will support the objectives and activities of RMSA.”

The agreement for the Secondary Education Project was signed by Prabodh Saxena on behalf of the Government of India and Onno RËhl, World Bank Country Director for India on behalf of the World Bank.

“The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) program has a major focus on the quality of education, in addition to access. Recent international research confirms that improved quality – measured by cognitive skills – is important in determining future income and contribution to economic growth. Hence the country needs its entire young people to get good quality secondary education,” said Onno Rûhl, World Bank Country Director for India. “RMSA is a young program which is expected to grow rapidly and the World Bank is proud to have the opportunity to support the government of India in building effective systems as the Program expands while improving quality.”

This World Bank Project will support the objectives and activities of RMSA. It will facilitate a whole set of mechanisms built around identifying what is needed to improve the quality of secondary education. The RMSA Program has also established a monitoring system, which will be further enhanced through this Project, including a forthcoming new grade ten national assessment. Teachers will be appointed and trained using new pedagogical techniques in line with the National Curriculum Framework 2005. Provisions will be made for setting up libraries, science and computer laboratories.

Today, most of the economic and employment growth in India is taking place in skilled services like information technology, financial services, telecommunications and skill-intensive manufacturing, all of which require, at a minimum, a secondary education degree. Surveys show that someone who completes secondary education can expect to earn 36 percent more than someone completing primary education, which indicates companies are looking for the types of knowledge and skills gained.

The Project also recognizes that teachers are vital to the success of the RMSA Program. “Efforts to improve quality will not succeed unless there are sufficient and capable teachers in all classrooms supported by the Program. The Program will also encourage and provide resources for innovations, which will spark new solutions for quality, equity and access, and promote public-private partnerships", said Toby Linden, the Project’s Task Team Leader and Lead Education Specialist, World Bank.

In addition, expansion, repair and renovation will take place in some 60,000 existing government secondary schools; some 44,000 upper primary schools will be upgraded into secondary schools; and about 11,000 new secondary and senior secondary schools will come up mainly in underserved areas. Efforts will also be made to strengthen the role of local bodies in school management, which can, over time, lead to greater accountability and improved outcomes.

The Project will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm – which provides interest-free loans with 25 years to maturity and a grace period of five years.

GreenDust gets honoured at the 6^th ELSC Awards 2012Wins award for 'Best Practices for Sustainable Supply Chain'

New Delhi, October 5, 2012: GreenDust, the comprehensive reverse logistics solution provider, has been awarded the ‘Best Practices for Sustainable Supply Chain’ at the 6^th Express, Logistics & Supply Chain (ELSC) Awards 2012. This highly prestigious award was conferred on GreenDust at the sixth edition of the Express, Logistics & Supply Chain Conclave held on 27^th September 2012 at Taj Land’s End, Mumbai. The ELSC Awards is considered Asia’s most important gathering of Logistics & Supply Chain Professionals.
A visibly proud Hitendra Chaturvedi, Founder & MD, GreenDust said, “We are pleased with the recognition GreenDust has received by way of the ‘Best Practices for Sustainable Supply Chain’ award. This award is a testament to our market leadership and best practices that we have brought in building a green and sustainable reverse supply chain.”

As an organized, trustworthy, national partner providing full spectrum of services across the reverse supply chain, GreenDust combines proprietary technology, services and domain experience allowing companies to beat global supply chain benchmarks of efficiency and productivity. It is committed towards reducing the impact of e-waste on the environment by meticulously designing advanced reverse supply chain solutions, while helping companies to comply by the e-waste regulations.

It is taking concrete steps to urge companies to go green by being environmentally responsible while saving money at the same time. These companies are given assurance that the alternate organized sales of factory seconds products will not affect their new product sales. Using GreenDust’s 4Rs mantra- Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle, Indian consumers and manufacturers are increasingly trying to do their bit to preserve the environment and enhance individual sustainability in the long run.

About GreenDust: GreenDust is a brand of RLC that provides a one stop, technology enabled, comprehensive reversesupply chain solution by utilizing its pan-India hub and spoke modeland specialized work force that is enabled through its proprietarytechnology platform. GreenDust allows online and offlinedisposition of such returned items to end customers. GreenDust’s singulargoal is to help companies make their reverse logistics process a competitive advantage allowing them to focus on their core competencyof delighting customers through world class products. 

Pilgrim Centres are the early adopters of Solar Energy

Holy shrines are now radiating solar energy along with spiritual energy by marrying spirituality with sustainability

Pilgrimage is experiencing resurgence around the country. These are visited by a large number of people daily and so there is a ballooning demand of energy sources. The energy demands are largely met by fossil fuels. But to fuel the growth it is important to look out for the alternative sources of energy. Pilgrim centres have taken the first step in this direction by adopting solar cooking.

India is blessed with abundant sunshine which gives ample opportunity to tap solar energy to meet the country’s growing energy needs. Thousands of people visit holy shrines daily and the ‘prasadum’ offered at these places is of utmost importance. Indian pilgrimages attract visitors from all parts of the globes throughout the year. They cater these people with a variety of food cooked in their kitchen. They have now gone green by using solar energy in various applications rather than using non renewable sources of energy. The solar energy in pilgrimages is used to cook food and to provide electricity.

Solar panels are installed at the pilgrimages to make them reliant majorly on sustainable source of energy. Dedicated buildings are now built at the holy places to cook meal for the visitors using solar energy. This has dramatically cut down the costs for LPG, diesel fuel and electricity. The solar cooking is clean, hygienic and efficient especially when cooked in large amounts. Besides cutting costs the major drive behind this is to ensure clean environment.

Various companies have come forward to provide solar solutions and have helped to install solar panels in many holy places. Golden Temple at Amritsar uses solar energy to cook ‘langar’ for the devotees. ISKCON temple at Ujjain and Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri are making use of solar energy to generate electricity. This besides providing uninterrupted power supply has also cut down the cost of electricity bills and conserves energy.

One such company supporting this green initiative in the country is Falreum Technologies which has installed solar cooking panels to cook food in holy shrines like Shirdi Temple of Maharashtra and also at world’s largest religious pilgrimage Tirumala Tirupati Temple at Andhra Pradesh. These solar panels to cook meals have helped the pilgrimages to reduce their carbon emission rates down by 1.2 tonnes per day.

Solar energy panels are positive financial investments with negative environmental costs. Use of solar cooking in pilgrims has a special significance and can provide a guide to others to adopt this technology. 

RFEL stretches the Dynamic Range of ADCs to provide 'Best in Class' Product Performance

Newport, Isle of Wight, UK - 5 October 2012 - RFEL, who specialize in high performance electronic signal processing solutions, has produced a solution to overcome the common performance bottleneck of the dynamic range of high speed ADCs that can prevent innovative projects in wireless communications and instrumentation from getting off the ground. RFEL has successfully extended the dynamic range of an 8bit 800MSPS ADC from 52dB up to 74dB (see figure) in order to meet specific customer requirements for an industrial test product design. Dr. Alex Kuhrt, RFEL's CEO, explained, "Our many man-years of leading-edge, signal processing design knowledge enabled us to really push the envelope of the ADCs' dynamic range so that the customer could get a new product on the market that has 'best in class' performance. Breaking through the dynamic range limit of the ADCs was just one of the design challenges for this project, which is one of the growing number of complete box solutions that we are providing as part of our Design Services operation. RFEL was responsible for the entire design flow from initial concepts and algorithms through to PCB layout, design of firmware, software, mechanical housing, and final environmental and EMC testing." The ADCs were supplied by e2V and Francis Jones, e2V's Business Development Manager, commented, "We are delighted to see our devices being used in such an innovative way to extend their dynamic range. It is impressive to see just how much additional performance can be achieved by using our device." The multi-channel analogue and digital design uses six, quad speed, EV8AQ160 ADCs, two 1.6GHz PLLs, four high speed FPGAs and a processor. The complexity of integrating multiple large BGA devices and associated high speed I/O into a small area required a 14-layer PCB design. The added signal sensitivity requirement necessitated linear power supply regulators, low noise analogue components and careful layout of power planes. Analogue simulation was used to prove the stability and frequency response of the input chain whilst the RTL design was checked against a bit true Matlab model. The dynamic range of the ADC was extended by employing a stacked ADC architecture. This approach provides large gains in dynamic range by use of parallel data capture paths with staggered attenuation settings. Matching the frequency, phase and amplitude characteristics on these parallel paths is critical to a successful implementation. Therefore special attention was focused on the architecture of the analogue design to mitigate potential mismatch of device characteristics. After the received signal has been converted to the digital domain, the input data rate for each channel is 29Gb/s. Initial signal processing reduces the rate whilst maintaining full timing precision. Further time and frequency domain measurements are applied before passing results on to the processor. Software handles final adjustments to the data and manages the user interface. A network connection allows control, data transfer and updates to be carried out via remote access. RFEL RFEL is a UK-based electronic systems designer, providing high specification signal, image and video processing IP solutions that run on FPGAs, as well as supplying digital receiver and complete product solutions for the defense, communications, homeland security and instrumentation markets. Applications include communications base stations, satellite communications systems, test and measurement instrumentation, and bespoke wideband receivers/transceivers.

Visit of 100- Member Bangladeshi Youth Delegation to India from 6 -13 October, 2012

A 100 Member Bangladeshi Youth Delegation is visiting India from October 6-13, 2012 on the invitation of Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. The itinerary involves interaction with local youth, visits to academic, tourist, industrial and cultural sites. It also has elements of educational values and interactive session in different areas ranging from infrastructure development, eco-tourism to information technology. This group of youth from Bangladesh comprises youth (Male- 57 & Female-39) from diverse background including students young journalist, entrepreneurs, social workers, representatives from voluntary organizations etc. During their stay in India, the Youth delegation will visit historical sites in Delhi and Agra before departing for Kolkata. In Kolkata, they will be visiting the important tourist and popular sites like Victoria Memorial, Asiatic Society, Botanical Garden and Science City. The youth Delegation will also have an opportunity to see the footprints of great poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore and his beloved creation in Shanti Niketan. This visit of 100 youth from Bangladesh will further strengthen the bonds of friendship and mutual understanding between the two great neighbouring countries. It will also facilitate exchange of ideas, cultural, political and economic relations between the two countries and enhance regional co-operation and world peace.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals and Foreign Exchange Earnings in September 2012

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during the Month of September, 2012 were 4.15 lakh as compared to FTAs of 4.02 lakh during the month of September 2011 and 3.70 lakh in September 2010. There has been a growth of 3.2 % in September 2012 over September 2011 as compared to a growth of 8.7 % registered in September 2011 over September 2010. FTAs during the period January-September 2012 were 46.33 lakh with a growth of 5.9%, as compared to the FTAs of 43.75 lakh with a growth of 9.9 % during January-September 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) during the month of September 2012 were Rs. 6652 crore as compared to Rs. 5748 crore in September 2011 and Rs 4678 crore in September 2010. The growth rate in FEE in rupee terms in September 2012 over September 2011 was 15.7% as compared to 22.9 % in September 2011 over September 2010. FEEs from tourism in rupee terms during January- September 2012 were Rs. 66061 crore with a growth of 22.9%, as compared to the FEEs of Rs. 53761 crore with a growth of 16.6 % during January- September 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010. FEEs in US$ terms during the month of September 2012 were US$ 1219 million as compared to FEEs of US$ 1208 million during the month of September 2011 and US$ 1015 milion in September 2010. The growth rate in FEEs in US$ terms in September 2012 over September 2011 was 0.9% as compared to the growth of 19 % in September 2011 over September 2010. FEEs from tourism in terms of US$ during January- September 2012 were US$ 12492 million with a growth of 5.1%, as compared to US$ 11886 million with a growth of 18.7 % during January- September 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010.

India and Netherlands Agree to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

On the invitation of Ms Edith Schippers, Minister of Health, Sports and Welfare, Government of Netherlands, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare visited Netherlands on 3rd and 4th October, 2012. During his two day visit, Shri Azad attended the Ministerial Meeting on the Responsible Use of Medicines and Anti-Microbial Resistance at Amsterdam on 3rd October and held a bilateral meeting with Ms Schippers at The Hague on 4th October. Addressing the Ministerial Conference on 3rd October, Shri Azad said responsible and rational use of medicines is an important part of the national health policy in India. He said that due to high out of pocket expenditure on health, of which a larger part is on medicines, it is vitally important that drugs are prescribed rationally. He highlighted the need to look at adherence to Standard Treatment Guidelines, curbing unethical promotion of medicines by the drug manufacturers, better regulatory control over prescriptions and dispensing of medicines and to make the consumer aware the hazards of self medication. He said several steps have been taken by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare towards universalization of health care in its endeavour to make health care services accessible, affordable and equitable, such as Free Maternal Health Services, Free Child Health Services, Free Immunization, Adolescent Health Services, Family Planning Services, NCDS and JSSK. Shri Azad said the Government of India proposes to further expand the Initiative for Universal Health Coverage by taking up Free Supply of Essential Medicines in Public Health Facilities in the country. This step, he said, is aimed at providing affordable health care to the people by reducing out of pocket expenses on medicines. Besides, Universal Health Coverage will also promote rational use of medicines and reduce the consumption of inessential medicines. During the discussions on the issue of anti-microbial resistance, Shri Azad pointed out that this is an area of serious concern the world over. He stated that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has developed the National Policy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance to tackle the issue of antimicrobial resistance and promote rational and responsible use of antibiotics in India. He highlighted certain salient features of the the National Policy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance India, such as curbing antibiotic use in animals, conducting infection surveillance in hospitals, improving hospital surveillance for monitoring antibiotic resistance, promoting rational drug use through education, monitoring, and supervision, developing and implementing a standard and more restrictive antibiotic policy, educating health professionals in good prescribing practices and using prescription guidelines, promoting improvements in personal and hospital hygiene and hospital infection control programmes, establishing a multidisciplinary national body to coordinate policies on antibiotic use and monitor their impact, promoting systems of supervision, prescription audit and feedback in institutional settings to ensure rational use of antibiotics. Following the Ministerial Meeting on 3rd October, a bilateral meeting was held between Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ms Edith Schippers on 4th October, 2012 in the Ministry of Health, Sports and \Welfare at The Hague, Netherlands. During the bilateral meeting several matters of mutual interest and benefit were discussed. Shri Azad and Ms Schippers agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation through signing of a broad based MoU between the two governments in the field of health & medicine for mutual benefit as well as a sectoral MoU between the respective food regulatory authorities to formalize cooperation in the important area of food safety.

MoEF Reviews Phase-IV Monitoring in Tiger Reserves Jayanthi Natarajan Addresses Commemorative Meeting to Mark Wildlife Week

A Commemorative meeting to mark the Wildlife Week and review the Phase-IV Monitoring in Tiger Reserves was held here today. It was addressed by the Minister for Environment & Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan and attended by Field Directors of Tiger Reserves, officials from NTCA and others. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister pledged that she would stop at nothing to protect and preserve the wildlife of the country. “We will take all necessary steps to ensure that the animal corridors are made legal entities and are legally enforceable”. The Minister also said that the Ministry of Environment & Forests would ensure that habitat of wildlife are protected and the local and indigenous people around the habitat are made part of the conservation effort. India has a good track record of both ‘in-situ’ as well as ‘ex-situ’ wildlife conservation. With 668 protected areas spread throughout the country, almost 5% of the country’s geographical area is earmarked for conservation. Wildlife conservation is a collective responsibility between the Centre, States and Civil Society. The Ministry of Environment & Forests is assisting the States through various Centrally Sponsored Schemes for conserving wildlife. This includes the ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Tiger’ and ‘Project Elephant’. There is also a Central Sector Scheme to support the Wildlife Division of the Ministry and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The Scheme of ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’ also supports protection of wildlife outside protected areas, besides recovery programmes for critically endangered species. The Project Tiger coverage has increased since its launch in 1973. From the initial 9 reserves, now there are 41 tiger reserves spread out in 17 of the States. This amounts to 2% of the country’s geographical area. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger was revised in August 2011. Its allotment was stepped up for the XI Plan to Rs. 1216.86 crore, especially to support the States for securing inviolate space for tigers. A number of additional components have also been included: (i) Change in the funding pattern in respect of North Eastern States (90:10), (ii) raising compensation for man-animal conflict to Rs. 2 lakh, (iii) acquisition of private land for making the core/critical tiger habitat inviolate, (iv) establishment of Tiger Safari, interpretation/awareness centres under the existing component of ‘co-existence agenda in buffer/fringe areas’, and management of such centres through the respective Panchayati Raj Institutions, (v) re-introduction of Cheetah. Other initiatives include: (i) creation of the Kawal Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, (ii) giving in-principle to five new tiger reserve, viz. Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh), Sunabeda (Orissa), Mukundara Hills (including Darrah, Jawahar Sagar and Chambal Wildlife Sanctuaries) (Rajasthan) and Sathyamangalam (Tamil Nadu), (iii) in-principle approval for use of CAMPA funds towards village relocation from core areas, (iv) completion of e-surveillance project in Corbett, and (v) launching ‘M-STrIPES’ monitoring protocol. The Government has been following an aggressive ‘tiger agenda’ in the core areas of the tiger reserves. The strategy now is to ensure any equally aggressive ‘inclusive’ agenda in the peripheral/buffer areas to benefit people who live in such areas. Under Project Tiger, funding support is provided for such activities in the buffer. The status of tiger and many wild animals continue to remain endangered. The Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) has been raised and deployed in three tiger reserves, viz. Bandipur (Karnataka), Tadoba-Andhari (Maharashtra) and Pench (Maharashtra). The Government has provided central assistance (100%) to Odisha for raising this force in Similipal. Action is awaited in this regard from Corbett (Uttarakhand), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) and Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh). Tiger and other wildlife cannot be protected by excluding local people. The Government’s endeavour all along has been to deploy local workforce in protection. In all, approximately 24 lakh mandays are generated annually with 50% central assistance amounting to around Rs. 24 crore (excluding matching 50% share given by States) under Project Tiger. Many local tribes constitute such local workforce (besides non-tribals), e.g. Baigas, Gonds in Madhya Pradesh, Gonds in Maharashtra, Chenchus in Andhra Pradesh, Sholigas in Karnataka, Gujjars in Uttarakhand and Irulas in Tamil Nadu to name a few. The deployment of such local tribals has been fostered/encouraged in the last two years. On the international front, the Government has strengthened its bilaterals with the neighbouring and other countries. A bilateral arrangement has been recently formalized with Bangladesh on tiger conservation. Delegations are interacting with Nepal and China within the framework of existing bilateral arrangements. A sub-group on tiger/leopard conservation has been constituted for cooperation with the Russian Federation, which has met recently. The Government has provided enabling provisions in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to strengthen the implementation of the CITES and towards enhancement of penalties for contravention of provisions of the Act. A big progress has been made towards tiger reserves specific Phase-IV monitoring. Building up the capacity of the field officers and staff to use the state-of-the-art protocol and field methods is important and will be encouraged. The challenge is to ensure conservation of the endangered wildlife, besides fostering development. The Government’s efforts in this direction has been to have ‘better growth’ giving due importance to conservation rather than ‘more growth’ at the cost of the wildlife and their habitat.

MoEF Reviews Phase-IV Monitoring in Tiger Reserves Jayanthi Natarajan Addresses Commemorative Meeting to Mark Wildlife Week

A Commemorative meeting to mark the Wildlife Week and review the Phase-IV Monitoring in Tiger Reserves was held here today. It was addressed by the Minister for Environment & Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan and attended by Field Directors of Tiger Reserves, officials from NTCA and others. Speaking on the occasion, the Minister pledged that she would stop at nothing to protect and preserve the wildlife of the country. “We will take all necessary steps to ensure that the animal corridors are made legal entities and are legally enforceable”. The Minister also said that the Ministry of Environment & Forests would ensure that habitat of wildlife are protected and the local and indigenous people around the habitat are made part of the conservation effort. India has a good track record of both ‘in-situ’ as well as ‘ex-situ’ wildlife conservation. With 668 protected areas spread throughout the country, almost 5% of the country’s geographical area is earmarked for conservation. Wildlife conservation is a collective responsibility between the Centre, States and Civil Society. The Ministry of Environment & Forests is assisting the States through various Centrally Sponsored Schemes for conserving wildlife. This includes the ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’, ‘Project Tiger’ and ‘Project Elephant’. There is also a Central Sector Scheme to support the Wildlife Division of the Ministry and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The Scheme of ‘Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats’ also supports protection of wildlife outside protected areas, besides recovery programmes for critically endangered species. The Project Tiger coverage has increased since its launch in 1973. From the initial 9 reserves, now there are 41 tiger reserves spread out in 17 of the States. This amounts to 2% of the country’s geographical area. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Tiger was revised in August 2011. Its allotment was stepped up for the XI Plan to Rs. 1216.86 crore, especially to support the States for securing inviolate space for tigers. A number of additional components have also been included: (i) Change in the funding pattern in respect of North Eastern States (90:10), (ii) raising compensation for man-animal conflict to Rs. 2 lakh, (iii) acquisition of private land for making the core/critical tiger habitat inviolate, (iv) establishment of Tiger Safari, interpretation/awareness centres under the existing component of ‘co-existence agenda in buffer/fringe areas’, and management of such centres through the respective Panchayati Raj Institutions, (v) re-introduction of Cheetah. Other initiatives include: (i) creation of the Kawal Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, (ii) giving in-principle to five new tiger reserve, viz. Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh), Sunabeda (Orissa), Mukundara Hills (including Darrah, Jawahar Sagar and Chambal Wildlife Sanctuaries) (Rajasthan) and Sathyamangalam (Tamil Nadu), (iii) in-principle approval for use of CAMPA funds towards village relocation from core areas, (iv) completion of e-surveillance project in Corbett, and (v) launching ‘M-STrIPES’ monitoring protocol. The Government has been following an aggressive ‘tiger agenda’ in the core areas of the tiger reserves. The strategy now is to ensure any equally aggressive ‘inclusive’ agenda in the peripheral/buffer areas to benefit people who live in such areas. Under Project Tiger, funding support is provided for such activities in the buffer. The status of tiger and many wild animals continue to remain endangered. The Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) has been raised and deployed in three tiger reserves, viz. Bandipur (Karnataka), Tadoba-Andhari (Maharashtra) and Pench (Maharashtra). The Government has provided central assistance (100%) to Odisha for raising this force in Similipal. Action is awaited in this regard from Corbett (Uttarakhand), Ranthambhore (Rajasthan) and Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh). Tiger and other wildlife cannot be protected by excluding local people. The Government’s endeavour all along has been to deploy local workforce in protection. In all, approximately 24 lakh mandays are generated annually with 50% central assistance amounting to around Rs. 24 crore (excluding matching 50% share given by States) under Project Tiger. Many local tribes constitute such local workforce (besides non-tribals), e.g. Baigas, Gonds in Madhya Pradesh, Gonds in Maharashtra, Chenchus in Andhra Pradesh, Sholigas in Karnataka, Gujjars in Uttarakhand and Irulas in Tamil Nadu to name a few. The deployment of such local tribals has been fostered/encouraged in the last two years. On the international front, the Government has strengthened its bilaterals with the neighbouring and other countries. A bilateral arrangement has been recently formalized with Bangladesh on tiger conservation. Delegations are interacting with Nepal and China within the framework of existing bilateral arrangements. A sub-group on tiger/leopard conservation has been constituted for cooperation with the Russian Federation, which has met recently. The Government has provided enabling provisions in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to strengthen the implementation of the CITES and towards enhancement of penalties for contravention of provisions of the Act. A big progress has been made towards tiger reserves specific Phase-IV monitoring. Building up the capacity of the field officers and staff to use the state-of-the-art protocol and field methods is important and will be encouraged. The challenge is to ensure conservation of the endangered wildlife, besides fostering development. The Government’s efforts in this direction has been to have ‘better growth’ giving due importance to conservation rather than ‘more growth’ at the cost of the wildlife and their habitat.

Dr.M.Veerappa Moily Expresses Happyness on the Declaring Mangalore Air Port as International Airport Alongwith other Three Airports of the Country.

Union Corporate Affairs & Power Minister Dr. M. Veerappa Moily has expressed happiness on the Cabinet decision approving the proposal of declaring Mangalore Air Port as international airport alongwith other three airports of the country. In a massage Dr. Moily said Mangalore is the gate way of Karnataka and it has the potential to develop as an important commercial centre next to Mumbai on the Western Coast. It has an excellent hinterland and with the advantage modern harbor a number of industries have been situated in this region. Manipal and other educational institutions have already attracted attention of the entire world. The region has already been boomed itself as a prominent hub of excellence. Every house of the region has atleast one person as NRI. Mangalore Airport is functioning since 1951 and most deserved to be declared as international airport. Presently it has the facilities of handling 400 passengers in the Domestic arrival Hall and 150 international passengers in international hall. The Minster said he has been keenly pursuing the matter for a couple of years for its declaration as International Airport keeping in view of the benefit of the international commuters and also the benefit of the region. For this Dr. Moily while expressing gratitude towards the Prime Minster and the Minister of Civil Aviation have thanked them for considering his request.

Shri Ghatowar Addresses Two Days India-Bangladesh Dialogue

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar has addressed the two-days India-Bangladesh Dialogue organized by Asian Institute of Transport Development here yesterday. The topic of the address was on connectivity in North Eastern States. Shri Ghatowar said that the North Eastern Region (NER), comprising the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim – is a critical geographical region of India. The Region accounts for 8 % of country’s area, has combined population of 45 million and GDP of around $38 billion and has 96 per cent of the boundary forming international border. The region is India’s gateway to North and Southeast Asia on account of its borders with China and Myanmar. The region also has borders with India’s South Asian neighbours – Bhutan and Bangladesh. The Minister stated that Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has been constructing roads under National Highway Development Project Phase II (East West Corridor-670 km) and SARDP-NE (10141 km; phase A- 4099 km, Phase B- 3723 km and Arunachal Package- 2319 km). Under the flagship Prime Ministers Gram Swarojgar Yojana (PMGSY) programme of Ministry of Rural Development, road construction is being undertaken in rural areas. Investments in road sector have been from multiple sources like, Ministry of road Transport and Highways, Ministry of DoNER, Planning Commission, External funding, BADP, PMGSY, MNREGA BRO etc. In SARDP-NE alone, about Rs 5500 crore has been spent for construction of 892 km road during 11th plan. Road connectivity in district towns as well as remote areas will continue in 12th Five Year Plan too. He added that Ministry of Railways has taken up various Railway projects like (a) new lines connecting to State capitals and others places (These are 13 in no. and 965 km in length; of which 8 are National Projects), (b) gauge conversion (4 in no. and 1510 km in length; of which 2 are National Projects) and (c) doubling of Railway lines (1 in no. and about 45 km in length). Railway electrification of 836 km stretch is also under progress. During 11th Five Year Plan, a sum of Rs. 7881.80 crore has been invested in Railway sector in NER. Ministry of Railways has indicated a throw forward of Rs.16153 crore (as on 1.4.2012) for ongoing projects. Most of the projects are likely to be completed by 2015-16. On the air connectivity, the Minister stated that Ministry of Civil Aviation has been operating flights from 11 operational airports. Simultaneously, efforts are being also made to operationalise 12 non-operational airports. Shri Ghatowar informed that Airport Authority of India (AAI) has spent Rs 601 crore in 11th plan for development of airport infrastructure in NER and for 12th plan their budgetary requirement has been projected as Rs. 1833 crore. Proposals for development of Guwahati as hub and improvement of other airports are also being considered. The DoNER Minister observed that the NER being riverine, offers immense scope for development of Inland Water Transport. Ministry of Shipping is working on maximizing the transport facilities on National Waterways-2 and presently, they have taken initiative to notify National Waterways-6 on River Barak in Assam. The Minister said that there are also several international connectivity projects in the pipeline which have the potential to transform the region economically. These include the multi-modal transport project for linking Mizoram by road and an inland waterway to the Bay of Bengal through the Sittwe Port in Myanmar, road links for connecting the NER to Thailand and a rail connection from Delhi to Hanoi in Vietnam through the NER. Similarly, there is a proposal of rail link between North East India- Bangladesh and West Bengal, the Minister added.

Beam Declares Regular Dividend

Deerfield, Illinois, October 4, 2012 - Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM), a leading global premium spirits company, today declared a regular dividend of 20.5 cents per share on the Common Stock, payable in cash on December 3, 2012, to stockholders of record at the close of business November 7, 2012. The December dividend payment will bring the total Common Stock dividends paid in 2012, Beam's first full year as a publicly traded pure-play spirits company, to $0.82 per share.

About Beam Inc.

As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, EFFEN Vodka, Pucker Flavored Vodka, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC, DeKuyper Cordials, and Skinnygirl Cocktails. Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,200 passionate associates worldwide generated 2011 sales of $2.8 billion, volume of 34 million 9-liter cases and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations.

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com

SHRM Report: October 2012 Hiring Expected to Rise Slightly

Alexandria, Va. – Oct. 4, 2012 – Roughly three in 10 manufacturing and service-sector companies plan to hire workers in October 2012 according to a report from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

The SHRM LINE Report—Leading Indicators of National Employment®--provides a snapshot of month-ahead hiring expectations. (The Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report analyzes past-month hiring trends.)

The report also shows that service-sector hiring will rise by a net of 4.9 points and manufacturing-sector hiring will rise by a net of 4.2 points on annual basis (comparing October 2012 with October 2011).

Respondents include HR professionals from 500 service-sector companies and 500 manufacturing companies.

A closer look shows:

• In the manufacturing sector, 49.8 percent of HR professionals said their company plans to hire workers while 15.2 percent will cut jobs, leaving a positive net of 34.6 percent. The remaining 35 percent are expected to hold steady with no hiring or layoffs in October 2012; and

• In the service sector, 40.4 percent of companies will hire while 6.5 percent will trim payrolls, leaving a hiring net of 33.9 percent. The remaining 53.1 percent report no staffing changes are expected during October 2012.

"Though more than one in three manufacturers and service-sector companies say they will add jobs in October, the pace of hiring in recent months has not been enough to make much of a dent in the unemployment rate," said Jennifer Schramm, GPHR, and manager of workplace trends and forecasting at SHRM.

Still, 39 percent of HR professionals are “optimistic” and six percent are “very optimistic” about job growth during the fourth quarter of 2012 according to the SHRM Jobs Outlook Survey, or JOS, released earlier this week. Twenty-seven percent are neither optimistic nor pessimistic as they go about business during the current economy. To view the JOS report, click link: SHRM Jobs Outlook Survey (JOS)

LINE features the only national monthly employment indices capturing HR professionals’ month-ahead hiring expectations and past-month recruiting difficulty. The report also includes a new-hire compensation index and an index of exempt and non-exempt job vacancies.

According to LINE, recruiting difficulty rose 6.4 points in the manufacturing sector and fell 3.8 points in the service sector on an annual basis, comparing September 2012 to September 2011.

A closer look at the recruiting-difficulty index shows:

• In the manufacturing sector, 17.7 percent of HR professionals reported increased difficulty in finding workers while 1.6 percent found recruiting talent to be less difficult (comparing September 2012 to September 2011). The remaining 80.7 percent reported no change in manufacturing-sector recruiting difficulty; and

• In the service sector, 19.5 percent of HR professionals said their company found it more difficult to recruit workers while 11.7 percent found it less difficult (comparing September 2012 to September 2011). The remaining 68.8 percent reported no change in service-sector recruiting difficulty.

“Following the pattern of previous months—and unsurprising given the still slow job market—new-hire compensation didn’t budge much in September in either sector,” said Schramm.

The number of companies increasing new-hire compensation rose by 1.3 points in the manufacturing and fell 2.8 points in the service sector on an annual basis (comparing September 2012 to September 2011).

Highlights of SHRM LINE year-over-year findings:

Employment Expectations	Manufacturing	Service
In October, the hiring rate will rise in both sectors compared with a year ago.	+4.2. points	+4.9 points
Recruiting Difficulty
In September, recruiting difficulty increased in manufacturing and fell in services compared with a year ago.	+6.4 points	-3.8 points
New-Hire Compensation
In September, the rate of increase for new-hire compensation rose minimally in manufacturing and fell slightly in services compared with a year ago.	+1.3 points	-2.8 points

Source: SHRM Leading Indicators of National Employment

To read the full SHRM LINE Report, visit: http://www.shrm.org/line and click the “Latest LINE Report” button. Follow SHRM Research on Twitter @SHRM_Research.

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About the Society for Human Resource Management

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. Visit SHRM Online at www.shrm.org and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SHRMPress.

FINANCIAL FINESSE RELEASES ITS SECOND ANNUAL STATE OF U.S. EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PREPAREDNESS REPORT

Study finds that employees are making some positive changes to their retirement planning but poor money management skills and long-term economic challenges present major obstacles.

El Segundo, Calif.—Financial Finesse, the nation’s leading provider of workplace financial wellness programs, has announced the release of its second annual research report on the state of U.S. employee retirement preparedness.

The report found that employees are increasing their focus on retirement planning. Thirty-two percent of questions received by the company’s on-staff CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals in Q2 2012 were on retirement planning issues versus 25% in Q2 2011, and a greater percentage of employees reported running retirement plan projections at 39% in the first half of 2012 versus 33% in the first half of 2011.

All that said, the report concludes that employees are still behind where they need to be in order to retire comfortably at their desired retirement age. According to Liz Davidson, founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, “It’s good to see focus from employees, and they are taking small steps in the right direction, but in and of itself, focus doesn’t increase your retirement nest egg—action does. The needle is moving, but not fast enough to counter long-term economic challenges that are requiring employees to save significantly more than in previous decades to retire comfortably.” Davidson also notes that employees’ financial wellness is far from optimal, with most employees not in a position to be able to save sufficiently for retirement unless they change their day-to-day spending habits.

As of June 30, 2012, 51% of employees said they did not have an emergency fund in place, and 33% report not having a handle on their cash flow. The firm’s Think Tank believes this may be why employees are not making more dramatic improvements to their preparedness despite short-term economic improvements. According to the firm’s Think Tank Director, Greg Ward, “It is also the reason that we are seeing an increase in the percentage of employees reporting that they have taken a retirement plan loan or hardship withdrawal, at 34% in the first half of 2012 versus 27% in the first half of 2011.”

These poor money management skills, coupled with long-term economic factors, pose a serious risk to employees’ long-term retirement security. According to Trisha Brambley, founder of Retirement Playbook, Inc., a firm that provides unbiased retirement plan consulting to employers, it is the combination of low financial wellness and expected economic challenges that put employees at risk of having to delay retirement, or worse, being forced to retire with insufficient savings.

According to Brambley, “Economists overwhelmingly expect increases in health care expenses, taxes, inflation and life expectancy, coupled with decreases in government and corporate retirement benefits which will be most stark for Gen X and Millennial employees. When you consider that over a third of the employees are taking out retirement plan loans and hardship withdrawals, and that most employees do not even have an emergency savings to rely on in times of trouble, employees are caught between a rock and a hard place. They need to save more, sure, but until they change their financial habits, they will be unable to.”

Bob Benish, president of Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA), echoes Brambley’s sentiments, noting that the issue is so significant that PSCA is in the process of reestablishing its foundation to include a focus on providing tools, resources, and best practices to help both employers and employees tackle this issue head on. Benish notes that 401(k) plans, along with recent plan design improvements like auto-enrollment and auto-escalation, provide an excellent foundation, but in this economy, more needs to be done to help employees prepare for the challenges ahead.