DEVELOPMENT DIGEST

VOL.3 1-30 APRIL 2000 NO.1

Concerned Indian scientists have framed a code of conduct not only for scientists but also scientific agencies. This is the first time in India that this kind of charter has been put together.

Among other things, the 15-point code of conduct calls on scientists, never to "cook" results and not to claim authorship in papers unless the scientist had made "substantial contribution". It also advises scientists "never to yield to political or social pressures or be swayed by considerations of caste, creed, regionalism".

Over 450 scientists from various disciplines ranging from molecular biology to space sciences participated in a National Symposium on Ethics in Administration of Science organised by the Society for Scientific Values (SSV) at Hyderabad, where this code of conduct was developed.

The code also exhorts that "unethical acts such as plagiarism, dishonesty in reporting results, misuse of data must elicit severe punishment".

It was unanimously accepted at the meeting that an independent Office of Research Integrity be created in the Central Vigilance Commission, New Delhi which can investigate all cases relating to scientific misconduct and fraud.

P.M. Bhargava, President of SSV says, the code already has the tacit "support" of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, the

Department of Space and the Department of Science and Technology.

The Union Government has merged the department of industrial development with the department of industrial policy and promotion within the commerce and industry ministry.

In a bid to restructure the existing set-up to make it more efficient and responsive in a scenario of deregulation, delicensing and reform the Commerce and Industry Minister Mr. Murasoli Maran had proposed merger of the two departments.

The Chief of Army Staff, General Ved Prakash Malik for the first time used the Army's new VSAT-based communication link to talk to the Brigade Commander at Kargil.

This was the first call from LICO-VSAT (Low Intensity Conflict Operations-Very Small Aperture Terminal) - Army's satellite communication network - which was lunched on 19 April 2000, ensures complete secrecy and voice clarity.

Developed by state-owned Indian Telephone Industry (ITI) Ltd., the LICO-VSAT system offers direct voice and data connectivity to 20 centres, including Kargil, Partapur (Siachen Base Camp) and Bhuj in Gujarat, all of

(Ministry of Information and Broadcasting)

which have witnessed intense action in recent times.

The fully indigenous system has a "crack resistance" of one year, making it virtually impossible for the signals to be intercepted and the system itself can be easily moved around, making it flexible and user-friendly.

This is the first network of its kind in the armed forces and not many armies in the world possess matching systems.

The Army would soon add 12 more units to the existing network of 20 centres linked by the new equipment. The new system is also linked with the existing 52 Army Static Communication Network (ASCON) centres.

There has been a record hydropower generating capacity addition of 1371.5 MW during the year 1999-2000.

Incidentally, 250 MW size unit of Koyna State-IV is the biggest hydro generating set commissioned in the country.

Out of 1371.5 MW, hydro capacity addition, 1311.5 MW came up in the State Sector and 60 MW in the Central Sector.

A total of 2398 MW thermal generating capacity was also added during the year 1999-2000, out of which 1115.4 MW came up in the Central Sector, 767.6 MW in the State Sector and 515 MW in the private sector. The biggest thermal generating set commissioned was the 550 MW unit-8 of Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station of NTPC.

The Department of Posts (DoP) is taking various steps to improve mail and delivery services both in urban and rural areas. Front office operations of Post Offices are being increasingly computerized. According to the

Annual Report of DoP for the year 1999-2000 released in Delhi on 7 April 2000, India has the largest number of post offices in the world, which has now grown to 1,54,149 post offices as on 31 March 1999. This includes 1,37,847 post offices in rural areas. With a view to strengthening and bolstering the network further special emphasis is being laid on opening of post offices in hilly and tribal areas. Opening of Extra Departmental Branch Offices (EDBOs) in villages, preferably in Gram Panchayat Headquarter villages, where no post office exists at present and where such a post office is justified on the basis of the prescribed norms. To ensure even greater reach, the network is being supplemented and reinforced with a scheme called "Panchayat Sanchar Sewa Yojna (PSSY)"

The Government has permitted the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to enter deep water for exploration, along with a joint venture partner.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave "an in-principle clearance" to ONGC for finding a strategic partner to undertake deep water exploration activities. According to the decision, ONGC will not float any global tenders for finding a private partner. Instead, it will choose from carefully selected firms.

The companies will be selected from parameters laid down by the high-powered committee of secretaries (CoS) and the nodal petroleum ministry. The CCEA has also allowed ONGC to undertake deep water exploration under terms and conditions formulated under the New Exploration and Production Licencing Policy (NELP) of the petroleum ministry.

ONGC will explore six major deep-water blocks in the country, one at Kutch in Gujarat, two in Konkan of Kerala and three in Krishna-Godavari basin in The Cabinet also cleared a proposal for construction of a new airport in Hyderabad. Once it is commissioned, the status of Andhra Pradesh.

the previous year.

Apart from the robust growth, Indian cut and polished diamonds have captured 55 per cent of global market share due to the buying spree that was experienced in the build-up for millennium celebrations. Indian export of gems, jewellery and gold items flooded the US market virtually eliminating other major players from the American bazaar.

The gems, jewellery and gold industry is now bracing up to sustain this growth in the current fiscal and post a modest growth of 8 per cent in exports.

This was divulged by Sanjay Kothari, chairman of Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council. Gems and jewellery exports are expected to grow by 5 per cent while 3 per cent growth in export of gold and gold items is being projected.

The industry contributes to 20 per cent of total exports being made by India annually. After having consolidated its position with 55 per cent share in cut and polished diamonds, even in terms of carats and pieces, India continues to be ahead with 80 and 90 per cent, respectively.

Mr. Kothari pointed out that the Centre's policy to set up special economic zones would further boost export performance of gems and jewellery exports.

The Indian corporate sector has fared exceedingly well during the last quarter of 1999-2000, judged by the results of first 125 companies. The aggregate net profit of the 125 companies has increased by a whopping 80 per cent to Rs.1, 144 crore from Rs.637 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. Their combined sales increased by 39 per cent to Rs. 10,443 crore from Rs. 7,537 crore.

The jump in earnings is partly on account of

the mind-boggling growth in the earnings of 30 information technology companies included in the study. Their combined net profit shot to Rs. 488 crore, up 131 per cent from Rs. 211 crore.

The sharp increase in earnings in the fourth quarter has brightened the overall performance of the 79 companies, which have declared performance results for the full financial year 1999-2000. The 79 companies notched up aggregate net profit of Rs. 1,947 crore for the year 1999-2000 against Rs. 1,375 crore for the previous year, an increase of 41.6 per cent.

The combined sales of these companies increased by 25.5 per cent to Rs. 22,475crore in 1999-2000 from Rs. 17,902 crore in the previous year.

The list of 125 companies include IT majors like Infosys Technologies, Satyam Computers, Hughes Software, HCL Technologies, NIIT, Pentamedia, Aftek Infosys, Aptech, DSQ Software and Polaris, all of which have fared exceedingly well.

Output of the small scale industries (SSIs) has been valued at Rs. 5,80,000 crore for 1999-2000 higher by almost 36.5 per cent from the intended target of Rs. 4,24,000 crore, according to the SSI ministry's performance budget for 2000-01.

Value of production in the small scale units in 1998-99 aggregated to Rs. 5,27,000 crore and the upward trend continued over the next fiscal indicating that the sector was robust and set for a good performance in the current fiscal.

The Global Environment Leadership Award

for the year 2000 has been won by Anil Agarwal, Director, Centre for Science and Environment in India. The Announcement was made by Chairman of Global Environment Facility, Mohamed T. El-Ashry. Agarwal shares the award for this year with Denis Hayes who initiated Earth Day in 1970.

The annual award recognizes an individual group, organisation in the Government or NGO, for leadership of significant national and/or international actions over a sustained period to protect the global environment.

While announcing the recipients of the award, Dr El-Ashry said that for the last three decade, "the contributions made by both Anil Agarwal and Denis Hayes to environmental education and awareness at the international, national and local levels have been truly outstanding".

Power generation in the country received a

boost in 1999-2000, as a result of BHEL- built thermal sets, which registered the highest ever, plant load factor (PLF) of 68 per cent, higher than the national average.

According to a company release, consistently registering a high PLF and operating availability (OA), these thermal sets generated over 257 billion units during the year, up by 8 per cent over the previous year. This constituted about 78 per cent of the total thermal power generation. Similarly, in hydropower generation, BHEL, sets recorded the highest ever unit availability of 98.15 per cent during the year. BHEL built nuclear sets also achieved the highest ever PLF and OA of 78.2 per cent and 85.9 per cent, respectively, during the year.

In India, nearly 65 per cent of the total installed power generating capacity of over 97,000 MW is contributed by BHEL thermal sets, which form the backbone of the country's power generation, operated at an all-time high PLF of 74.3 per cent with an OA of 84.7 per cent in the same period during the year.