DEVELOPMENT DIGEST

VOL.4 1-30 April 2001 NO.1

MODERN TRAFFIC SYSTEM FOR NH-8

The Delhi-Jaipur section of the National Highway 8 will be the first in the country to have the ultra modern Highway Traffic Management system (HTMS). Envisaged to ensure the safety of travelers and improving the management of traffic flow on the NH 8 – which is part of the golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai and Mumbai – HTMS includes emergency communication, TV surveilance, weather monitoring and automatic traffic counting. The other facilities to be introduced on NH 8 in this section include automatic fee collection, pedestrian safety guard rails, toilet facilities and paved parking location for trucks

The 1734 fast track courts set up by the Government to reduce the huge backlog of over 2.35 crore cases pending in various courts comes into existence. The courts would first deal with criminal cases pending for two or more years and those of undertrials in jails, Cases of undertrials were likely to be disposed of into the first year as recommended by the 11^th Finance Commission for creation of the new courts. Under the scheme, a sum of Rs. 502.90 crores was sanctioned as special problems and upgradation grant for judicial administration for five years till 2005. At present , there are 1.8 lakh undertrials in jails on whose maintenance the Government is spending about Rs. 361 crores a year at the rate of Rs. 55 per person, Per day, in prison. About two crore cases were expected to be disposed of by 2005.

HIMACHAL’S GROWTH PLAN FOR BIOTECH INDUSTRIES

(The Economic Times – 6-04-2001

Himachal Pradesh has decided to set up a multi-crore biotechnology park near Solan and has prepared a blueprint for promotion of biotech industries in the state. Land had been earmarked near Solan to set up the park where biotech industries with investments ranging from a few lakh rupees to around Rs. 50 crore could be set up. The idea was to tap the huge potential of bio resources and commercially exploit the state’s rare herbal and microbial wealth. In herbal medicines, annual global trade was $20 billion, and HP could help enhance the country’s share as 3,295 plants species are present in the state. To provide research based support, a database of bio resources had been developed, endangered medicinal plants domesticated and characterised and culture facilities and bioinformatics network established.

The advent of Information Technology (IT) is rapidly catching up the healthcare services as well. Keeping its pace tele-health or e-health can be the buzzword in the near future. One can get his medical report diagnosed, the required prescription and even medical consultancy sitting by a specialist practicing in New York, with the click of a button. Cancer patients would be provided online consultancy and treatment soon, as the IT departments, in association with their affiliated institutes, are making concerted efforts to make the country self-reliant in cancer treatment and development of tele-therapy system. The government has taken initiatives to set up tele-medicine facilitation centers on trial basis with three referral institute including AIIMS.

(Ministry of Information and Broadcasting)

As per the census figures, the literacy rate in Jharkhand State has shot up from 41.39 per cent in 1991 to 54.13 per cent in 2001. Also, the rate of literacy among women has risen from 25.52 per cent in 1991 to 39.38 per cent over a decade. This has primarily happened because of the literacy progrmmes undertaken by the government, NGOs, the Roman Catholic Church, Gossenor, Evengelical and Lutheran Church and the Church of North India which have been running schools in far-flung areas of the state. As per the provisional Census 2001 data released, of the State’s total population of 2,69,09,188, there are 1,38,61,037 men and 1,30,48,151 women in the state. The sex ratio has also increased to 941 women per 1000 men in 2001, because of a low rate of female infanticide cases. In 1991, it was 922 women per 1000 men.

The Government will soon set up an investor education and protection fund to prevent the interests of small shareholder. Believed to have a corpus of up to Rs. 500 crores, the fund will be managed by a committee comprising both government and non-government members and headed by the Secretary in the Department of Company Affairs (DCA). Besides grants from the Government, the money needed for this fund will accrue from the corporate sector by way of unclaimed dividends, share application money, matured deposits and unclaimed debentures, as specified under Sec. 205 ( c ) of the Companies Act. The investor education and protection fund will essentially be used to solve investor grievance and spread investor education across the country.

FIRST INDIAN FIRM TO CROSS RS 1,00,000 CRORE

Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has become the first Indian company to achieve a turnover of more than Rs 1,00,000 crore . This feat was achieved by the oil major in 2000-01 fiscal. Incidentally, IOC is the only Indian company that figures on the Furtune 500 list of global giants. During the last fiscal , the eastern region’s share in IOC’s total turnover was around 18 per cent. During 1999-2000 fiscal, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2,650 crore on a turnover of slightly over Rs 92,000 crore. This year the company expects a net profit of over Rs. 2,700 crore. The company at present has a total refining capacity of 42 million tonnes (ml) which is going to be expanded by another 14 mt in next few years

For those unable to distinguish the colour blue from pink or read the logos on their clothes, noted fashion designer Wendell Rodericks has come up with a unique clothesline designed in Braille for the blind. The collection aptly titled "Visionnaire", which has been inspired by the visually impaired, comprises an interesting range of designer wear highlighting the Braille script. The clothes done in white, black and pink colours have intricate designs in Braille with the help of water beads, French knots or stainless steel tags. The clothes also have the buttons and their respective button holes numbered, to help the visually imparied person. However, the most unique aspect of the clothesline is that they have the colour of the cloth inscribed in braille to enable the blind wearer to be able to identify the colour he or she is wearing.

Karnataka plan to set up special economic zone (SEZ) with an area of 2,000 acres at Hassan. As per the plan, the state government is to provide infrastructure and the union government would take care of excise, customs and taxation. This would be the fourth SEZ to be set up in the county.

The Haryana Government has decided to launch a two-pronged strategy to check illegal practice of conducting pre-natal sex determination test by private clinics to put an end to female foetus. This has led to an alarming fall in the male-female ratio to 1000-861 in the State. Civil surgeons all over Haryana had been directed to keep a vigil on private clinics in their respective areas to ensure that no pre natal sex determination tests are carried out. The department on its own would be launching a mass awareness campaign to seek cooperation of the people to check discriminatory attitude towards girl child. The civil surgeons have been empowered to launch legal proceedings against defaulting private clinics. He said that 3,567 Mahila Swasthaya Sangh would organise meetings every month and discuss issues related to sex determination, decreasing sex ratio, women empowerment and women’s rights. The health department has constituted an advisory committee at district levels to create awareness among the people against the social evil of female foeticide.

To provide useful information for passengers and rail-users, Northern Railway launched its website, "Uttarrailway.com". The website in association with the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), incorporates information regarding train fares, time-table, trains between two identified stations and their fare and availability of accommodation in various classes of travel. The website also makes its possible for any user to know the reservation status of computerised journey tickets and arrival/departure timings for train on line in real time. By visiting the website, information on the history of Railways in

India and about the organisational set-up of Northern Railways can also be gathered. Other useful information on the website include details about the working of various departments of Northern Railway, the procedure to apply for claims, rules and regulations governing refund, tourist spots and various tourist options.

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) board has recommended a quick modification of software to enable smoother billing of telephone rentals. This has become necessary following its decision to change the pattern of billing, which will make cycles more frequent, albeit for certain categories of users. It is imperative that the software be modified to automatically pick up all callers making 25,000 calls and above in a fortnight for scrutiny and further action. New subscribers will be issued bimonthly bills as is the practice now. This will continue till the six-month review is completed. However, it has been decided that the subscriber making 25,000 calls and above in any fortnight be intimated and billed immediately.

A Highly focussed state of the art centre for research and transplantation of various human organs, including the liver and kidney will become functional in Hyderabad very soon. The upcoming centre will be the first of its kind in the country. It will focus on research, treatment and disease management in the areas of livery, kidney, pancreas, organ transplantation and para-medical staff. The centre, being set up at a cost of Rs 24 crore, will also provide training to surgeons, gastro-enterologist and intensive care professionals across the country, and conduct education programs, both for specialists and the general public. The department of science has provided a fund of Rs. 9.5 crore for the project. It has already tied up with Kings College of the UK and South Caroline University of the USA.

The state of the art facilities at the centre would also include a tele-conference facility to link doctors there with specialists anywhere in the world and a virology lab.

A computer controlled traffic responsive system is being installed on Delhi roads which will operate according to the traffic density at different times. The Area Traffic Control (ATC) system is being installed for the first time in the country. This state-of-art technology will not only reduce the number of stops, but also will reduce stoppage time and delays at red lights – as compared to a ‘fixed time signal plan’. It will also minimise the wastage of signal time and deployment of traffic police by around 40 per cent . This will be done through split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique (SCOOT). The SCOOT system incorporates three optmisers for splits, cycle time and offsets. Through split (green duration) optimisers the system tries to keep a balance among the signals. The traffic lights are regulated according to the flow of traffic at a given intersection. The cycle time optimiser calculates the optimum time cycle in which all the signals of an intersection work for one full circle. It also acts on the basis of traffic load at a particular time. The offset optimiser co-ordinates and establishes the synchronisation between adjacent signals. It sends details of delays, stops and congestion on a link road of any intersection. The three optimisers together record the pattern of traffic entering each link of an intersection. It also detects ‘queue length’ of vehicles at each link and the degree of saturation of traffic. On the basis of this information, SCOOT co-ordinates the traffic lights. The system also helps in free movement of traffic as, the information recorded at a point is sent to the next signal, the responds accordingly. The sensors are fixed just below the road surface and experts claim that the signals can be picked up even during a power failure. The sensor records number of vehicles passing over it along with other necessary information. The signal is fed to a computer through 12 dedicated telephone lines provided by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited.

India conducted a test launch of its biggest satellite rocket. The launch paved the way for India to join an elite banD of nationals able to fire big satellites deep into space and could also give the nuclear-capable country the ability to test a wide range of military technologies. The rocket is seen as a major step forward for India because it could help the country fire its own communications satellites and eventually enter the lucrative launch market itself. The rocket like much of India’s homegrown space programme, could also serve as a platform to test a wide range of military technologies, including missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The Department of Post joined hands with Western Union Financial Services Inc,. the largest money transfer services firm in the world, to launch the service through the extensive reach of its post offices. With an annual remittance of nearly $14 billion from the non-resident Indians, the service would allow transfer of money through proper channel from anywhere in the world to any place in India. The agreement has a great synergy and potential as its bring together two large networks, Western Union and worldwide network and the India Postal network. The sender has to simply approach any Western Union agent to fill up a form. Thereafter, the recipient in India is to be informed who in turn has to visit the post office, establish his identity and receive the money in minutes.

In an attempt to revolutionise the working of religious institutions, a web-enabled IT project has been undertaken by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (SDGMC) that will result in complete automatation and online integration of four

gurdwaras – Bangla Sahib, Rakab Ganj, Nanak Piao and Sis Ganj. the main purpose of the project is to make the functioning of the gurdwaras transparent. Now every penny donated to the gurdwara will be accounted for. Worshippers can even find out how and where their money is being used. A coustomised ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software called the Integrated Gurdwara Management System (IGMS) has been created by a Delhi-based software consultant for this project. The ERP software has 14 different modules including Prasa Slips System. Langar Donation Management System, Golak Accounting System and Volunteer Coordination Module.

The sign the Paradeep Port has successfully overcome the ravages of the last super cyclone is that its cargo handling capacity is all set to reach a record 40 million tonnes with the completion of capacity-yielding projects like Coast Handing Plants and second multi-purpose cargo berth. Together these projects, to be commissioned would increase the capacity of the port form 12 million tonnes to 34 million tonnes while on a oil jetty, waiting in the wings, would add another six million tonnes to the capacity before the end of the financial year. The Rs 702 crore Asian-Development Bank-financed mechanised coal handling plant was already going through trial operation and would be formally commissioned by the end of June on a full scale. The plant, the first of its kind in Asia, was sanctioned in 1992 and work on it started soon thereafter.

The Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO), an NGO working for HIV/AIDS prevention among commercial sex workers and men having sex with men, have come up with a novel idea to promote condom use in the country. Taking cue form the edge that laughter is the best medicine, they have organised a Condom Joke Contest to make condoms socially acceptable. Condoms play a very important role in preventing the spread of sexually-transmitted disease and HIV. Despite its wide availability.

and the publicity given by the government, condoms have not become very popular due to the stigma attached to the product. This is an innovative venture to break the stigma and make condoms more popular in the community

A total of 3,94,000 Village Public Telephones (VPTs) have been provided till January 31, 2001,covering about 65 per cent of a total of 6,07,000 village in the country. At the same time, the teledensity has also shown marked improvement, and has increased to 2.86% by 1999-2000. This is expected to further go up to about 3.5 by the end of financial year 2000-2001. A notable feature of the expansion of telecom network in India has been the rapid increase in the cellular mobile subscriber base. The total number of cellular mobile susbcriber which was 1.19 million at the end of 1998-99 increased to a level of 1.88 million in 1999-2000, thus showing an increase of 58%.

Simputer, a sleek hand held computing device that could help bridge the digital divide released for the Indian market. Developed by a group of scientists of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Simputer, expected to cost less than Rs. 9,000 has a unique feature of offering text to speech capability in local languages that will enable its usage even by illiterates. The facility is now available for Hindi, Kannada,Tamil and other languages. The rich connectivity provided by the machine sets it apart from other commuting devices. The device could send and receive voice mails and e-mails. It uses a Linux operating system. The device would be sturdy and long lasting and available like transistors.

Darshak, an indigenously built hydrographic survey ship, commissioned into the Indian Navy. This is the eighth of the Navy’s survey vessels, used for preparing electronic navigational aids for warships. The latest surveying and communication systems have been incorporated into the Darshak. The vessel is used for surveying the coast’s ports and seas to prepare gird maps showing depths, and to indicate the soil types and water salinity levels. Built by the Goa Shipyard, the Darshak has been described as a multi-role ship capable of carrying a helicopter, and other features, which can also lend themselves for patrolling purposes. It’s basic feature include the latest differential global positioning systems, echo sounding systems, sonars and sensors. They conform the stringent international ISO 9002 digital survey accuracy standards.

India is now the world’s fourth largest economy

after the US, China and Japan in purchasing Power Parity (PPP) measured in US prices, according to the latest world development indicators. India’s PPP gross national income in 1999 was $2.23 trillion against &8.88 trillion of the US, &4.45 trillion of China and $ 3.29 trillion of Japan, the indicators issued by the World Bank said. India’s per capita in PPP increased form $2.06 in 1998 to $2.23 in 1999 and PPP gross national income from $2.02 trillion to $2.23 trillion in 1999.