10/09/2014 …. The process of receipts of nominations for the Padma Awards, 2015 is presently open. Nominations may be sent at the address mentioned below in the prescribed proforma alongwith a brief narrative citation (maximum in two pages containing not more than 800 words):

                   Home Minister/Home Secretary

                   Government of India

                   Ministry of Home Affairs

                   North Block

                   New Delhi-110001

The last date for receipt of the nominations for the Padma Awards is September 15, 2014. Nominations received without the prescribed proforma and citation will not be considered.

For further details click ‘Award and Medals’ on the Union Home Ministry’s website: www.mha.nic.in

The proforma for application is available on the Union Home Ministry’s website with the link:

http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/Proforma-EnglishRevised-050514.pdf

10/09/2014 … Asking for an immediate resumption of legal mining activities in goa members of the goa people’s mining front on Tuesday carry out a symbolic dharna in the capital city on Panjim

Hundreds of workers from the mining sector took part in the dharna which started at kranti circle opposite ktc bus stand from 10 am in the morning thus highlighting the needs of asking the state and central government to take immediate necessary steps to start mining operations in goa protecting and safeguarding the environmental concerns

Addressing media persons in Panjim convener of goa mining people’s front advocate suhas naik said that they had come out to inform government that people are in problems due to a halt in mining activities and therefore please start legal mining immediately

Atul jadhav president of goa barge owners association said that there was a need to make certain changes in the mining policy made by the state government

10/09/2014 …. Goa Tourism Development Corporation has recorded a healthy financial growth for the financial year 2013-14. GTDC achieved an all time high turnover of Rs. 26.88 crores, thereby showing an increase of 12% over the previous year. Due to its proactive and professional management of assets, GTDC has turned around the situation this year by reporting a net profit of Rs. 53.92 lakhs for the year 2013-14.

Mr. Nilesh Cabral, Chairman, GTDC said, “This was possible only due to the professional management efforts of GTDC. I would like to thank each and every member of the Corporation who has contributed to its success. We have laid stress on utilizing idle assets and we plan on further utilizing GTDC’s properties to increase our revenues” 

The increase in revenue is due to increased accommodation and utilization of GTDC properties such as Vagator, Anjuna, Baga which have been put to use within the purview of non-development zone and the increase in revenue from cruise operations through its single window system. GTDC owned-properties at Palolem, Benaulim which also falls under non- development zone are in the process of development and is expected to generate revenue for the corporation.

Buoyed by this jump in profits, GTDC is geared up to initiate and launch a host of products and services which will enhance tourist experience and comfort in Goa. Two of the foremost things that GTDC has proposed to do is the development of Mayem lake in Bicholim and accommodation facilities for boosting hinterland tourism in Goa.

10/09/2014 ….. Goa Tourism is organizing a FAM trip for travel agents from Russia and other CIS countries. This FAM trip is in association with Air Arabia wherein the airline has sponsored the return air tickets to eminent travel agents from Russia. The trip is organized to showcase Goa’s architectural heritage and aspects related to tourism with prime focus on hinterland and Goa’s cultural diversity.

The first arrivals of the FAM trip were a batch of 15 Russian travel agents who arrived on 7th September and are being hosted till 10th September. These will be followed by 15 Kazakhstani travel agents who will be hosted from 11th to 16th September, 10 Armenian travel agents who will be hosted from 12th to 19th September and 10 Ukrainian travel agents who will be hosted from 20th to 24th September 2014.

Mr. Gavin Dias, Dy. General Manager (Hotels & Mktg), GTDC said, “We are organizing these FAM trips in order to promote Goa and create awareness of the State as a tourist destination especially during the monsoon season. We have found that these FAM trips will eventually increase the flow of tourists from Russia, Kazahkstan, Armenia and Ukraine as these travel agents will promote Goa amongst their respective clients.“

The agents will meet and interact with the stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector and with media. The agents are being hosted at a hotel in the capital city, Panjim and their itinerary includes presentations on Goa, business sessions with hoteliers, a cruise trip along the river Mandovi, a visit to Basilica de Bom Jesus, Se Cathedra, Christian art museum, Aguada fort, Reis Magos fort, Tiracol fort, Cabo Da Rama fort, Baga beach, Vagator beach, Morgim beach, Mandrem beach, Arambol beach, Tiracol beach, Benaulim beach, Agonda beach, Palolem beach, Varca beach, Mobor beach, Arosil beach, Shree Manguesh temple (Priol, Ponda), Shree Mahalsa temple (Mardol), tropical spice plantation, Sahakari plantation, Big Foot (Ancestral Goan Locations), Goa Chitra Museum Benaulim, etc.

The Crown Goa, Panjim; Hotel Novotel Goa Shrem Resort, Calangute and Deltin Group are the hospitality partners for these trip.

09/09/2014 ….. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries is concerned with formulation and implementation of the policies & plans for the food processing industries within the overall national priorities and objectives. A strong and dynamic food processing sector plays a vital role in reduction in the wastage of perishable agricultural produce, enhancing shelf life of food products, ensuring value addition to agricultural produce, diversification &commercialization of agriculture, generation of employment, enhancing income of farmers and creating surplus for the export of agro & processed foods. In the era of economic liberalization, all segments including private, public and co-operative sectors have defined roles to play and the Ministry promotes their active participation.

            During the first 100 days of the new government, some of the key initiatives/ achievements/ developments in the Ministry of Food Processing are listed below:-

1.      Guidelines being formulated for setting up of a Special fund of Rs.2,000 crore in NABARD to make available affordable  credit to Agro-processing units being setup in designated Food Parks.

2.      Excise duty on machinery for the preparation of meat, poultry, fruits, nuts or vegetables and on presses, crushers and similar machinery used in the manufacture of wine, cider, fruit juices or similar beverages and on packing machinery has been reduced from 10% to 6%.

3.      MOFPI has set up Invest India and part of this initiative and Investors’ guidance Help Desk has become fully operational.  This Help Desk identified food companies in countries such as Japan, Thailand and France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and Poland.

4.      Approval to 3 (three) Mega Food Park Projects (M/s Pristine Mega Food Part, Khagaria, Bihar; M/s Satara Mega Food Park, Satara, Maharashtra and M/s Poliyan Mega Food Park, Una, Himachal Pradesh) sanctioned in the States of Bihar, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.

5.      83 proposals received in response to the invitation of Expression of Interest (EOI) for setting up of 5 Mega Food Park Projects in the country.

6.      3 (three) approved Cold Chain Projects have become operational which were sanctioned by the Ministry under the scheme of Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure Scheme.  These were (i) Shimla Horticulture, Kolkata, (ii) Sharda Agri Foods Pvt. Ltd., Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, and (iii) Cold Star Logistic Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, Maharashtra.

7.      153 proposals have been received for setting up Cold Chain Projects.  IMAC meeting has been held.  It is expected that 18 projects will be approved shortly.

8.      One abattoir project has become operational at Municipal Corporation, Shimla, under the scheme for Setting up/Modernization of Abattoirs of the Ministry.

9.      Management Information System (MIS) for National Mission on Food Processing (NMFP) – Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 12^th Plan was launched, which enables online submission of physical and financial progress reports of various schemes of the mission, by all the State/UT Governments.

10.  Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), an autonomous institution, under the Ministry has obtained approval of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), for its B.Tech Programme.

11.  Skill Development Initiative of the Ministry:  Ministry does not have any specific scheme for Skill Development in the food processing sector.  Accordingly Secretary, Food Processing Industries chaired a meeting on skill development in Food Processing Industries sector and following sub-sectors were identified for mapping of the job roles with an industry partner to lead the process of developing National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the identified job roles as under:

i)          Bakery                       -ITC

ii)         Dairy                          -Nestle India Ltd.

iii)       Grain Processing      -Cargill India Private Ltd.

iv)       Poultry                       -Industry partner to be identified by the Sector Skill Council

v)        Refrigeration               -Amalgam Frozen Food Private Ltd.

vi)       Packaging       -ITC and Indian Instt. Of Packaging, Mumbai

vii)     Quality Control – Shriram Institute of Industrial Research Food Testing

12.  It was decided to target 10,000 persons for training in the next 12 months and the first batch of training to commence in the last week of March, 2015.  NIFTEM in consultation with industry, other technical institutions and NSDC will develop high quality course content in English, Hindi and Regional languages both in print and multi-media for the job roles for each identified sub-sector.  The Ministry has made a provision of Rs.6.00 crore in the BE 2014-15 for this initiative.

13.  A study for Mega Food Park Scheme evaluation was awarded, in pursuance to the directions of Committee on Agriculture on Demand for Grant (2013-14) to “Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations” (ICIER), New Delhi.

14.  Ministry has awarded a study on feasibility for setting up of Solar Driers in Leh and Kargil of Ladakh region of J&K State has been awarded to National Institute of Solar Energy, New Delhi (Autonomous Institute of Ministry of Non Renewable Energy)

15.  “National Cold Chain Summit 2014” was organised at Guwahati.  Hon’ble MOS, DONER, General (Dr.) V.K.Singh was the Chief Guest.  All concerned Principal Secretaries / Secretaries of Food Processing of North Eastern States and promoters of Cold Chain Projects and various Stake holders have participated in the summit,  which was also attended by Secretary, MOFPI, Chairman WDRA, Additional Secretary, MOFPI, CGM, NABARD,  Secretary, APEDA etc.

16.  A seminar for Creating Awareness on Food Processing and about the Ministry’s schemes was held at Srinagar on 10.6.2014.  This was attended by seminar experts of Food Processing for addressing the Stake holders.  The seminar was also attended by Secretary MOFPI and JS MOFPI and other senior officials of the State Govt.

17.  A Special Drive for weeding out of the old files in the Ministry is continuing and so far 2986 files have been identified for destruction.

            The Ministry is committed to facilitate and act as a catalyst to attract quality investments from within India and abroad into the Food Processing sector with the aim of making this sector a national initiative.