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1. Bengal was one of the leaders of our freedom movement, it must lead the effort for a better India by 2022, says President at the civic reception hosted in his honour in Kolkata

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that there are few people anywhere in our country who have not been touched by Bengal or by some creation of Bengal. Somehow, in some manner, this state has touched every Indian and enriched the life of every Indian. Every Indian child has grown up on stories about Bengal or written in Bengal. Bengal has a great history – but it is for each one of us to ensure that Bengal also has a great future. This state was an early industrial and manufacturing centre in our country. Its economy must sing again in this age of digital and robotic technologies. Its green fields and hard-working farmers must be equipped with the latest agricultural knowledge to allow them to realise their potential.

The President said that in 2022, India will be celebrating 75 years as a free country. This will be an occasion to reach certain developmental milestones for our people, and to create a better India. For this, we need to invoke the same idealism and fervour that contributed to our freedom movement. Bengal was one of the leaders of our freedom movement. It must lead this effort for a better India by 2022.

The President said that the Government of India has embarked on an ambitious Act East Policy. This involves building connectivity projects and taking economic initiatives. These will be of mutual benefit to our eastern and Northeastern states as well as to neighbouring countries. The people of Bengal are crucial to this programme.

2. Article by the Union Finance Minister on ‘The Fiction of Loan Waiver to Capitalists’

“Over the last few days, a rumour is being propagated regarding waiver of loans of capitalists by banks. Time has come for the nation to be apprised of facts in this regard.

Between the years 2008 to 2014, Public Sector Banks disbursed disproportionate sums of loans to several industries. The public needs to ask the rumour mongers at whose behest or under whose pressure were such loans disbursed. They should also be asked that when these debtors delayed in repayment of their loans and interest thereon to Public Sector Banks, what decision was taken by the then Government.

Rather than take firm decision with regard to such debtors, the then Government, through relaxation by banks in loan classification kept these defaulters as non-NPA accountholders. These loans were restructured through this, the loss to banks was kept hidden. The banks kept giving loans repeatedly to these debtors and kept ever-greening the loans.

The current Government recognised this nexus and took firm decisions with regard to the defaulters. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code was enacted, and by amending it, in respect of companies whose money was not returned to the banks, decision was taken that the debtors concerned would not be allowed to participate in the business of such companies.

3. India and UK to sign an MoU in the Urban Transport Sector

The draft MoU seeks to facilitate cooperation in the transport sector and enable the sharing of expertize and latest technology to promote efficient mobility solutions. It is also expected to usher in policy reforms that can transform the transport sector through improved customer service/data analysis and better use of IT systems. The MOU will also help in promoting digital transactions and induction of high capacity diesel/electric vehicles in India. This MOU will also establish the terms on which such assistance can be provided.

The decision to sign the MoU follows from Shri Gadkari’s last visit to London in May this year, during which he finalized bilateral cooperation arrangements between Transport for London(TFL) and Indian Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to cover a wide range of transport mobility solutions and associated activities in urban environment.

4. Significant improvement in wellbeing in many Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) villages

Every Hon’ble Member of Parliament is expected to develop 3 (three) Gram Panchayats by March 2019. Presently, work is going on in 1235 Gram Panchayats. There was no timeline decided regarding selection of third Gram Panchayat. An analysis of performance of 35 development indicators in these villages shows that there has been a significant increase in provision of houses, internal village roads, household electrification, household latrines and piped water supply in many of the villages selected under SAGY. Of the data analyzed for 649 SAGY Gram Panchayats, it was found that 330 of them have reported 100% immunization in 0 to 6 age group, 300 have reported that every child has received ICDS services, 128 Gram Panchayats have become Open Defecation Free, 284 Gram Panchayats have reported no malnutrition in Grade-III or Grade-IV category and 445 Gram Panchayats have reported 100% coverage in provision of mid-day meals. Many social events like health camps, youth mobilization camps, yoga camps, plantation drives, women self-help groups, camps for support for differently abled persons etc. were organized by the initiatives of Hon’ble Members of Parliament.

Every SAGY Gram Panchayat has drawn up a Village Development Plan which is under implementation through convergence and additional prioritization by Central and State Governments. As many as 21 central schemes have already amended their guidelines or enabled priority for the SAGY Gram Panchayats. Most SAGY villages now have been taken up by State Governments as a part of Mission Antyodaya for significant improvement in sustainable livelihoods of poor households in these Gram Panchayats. All these Panchayats have been ranked for intervention to remove development gaps through a partnership of Central, State and Local Governments. It is envisaged that all these selected SAGY Gram Panchayats will have much better indicators on parameters ranging from physical infrastructure to human development and economic activities by March, 2019.

5. Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot leads Indian Delegation to Beijing for The Cause of Divyangjan

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment will be leading the Indian delegation to attend the High Level Inter-Governmental Mid-Point review meeting of Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 in Beijing from 29th November to 3rd December, 2017. The delegation includes Secretary of the Department and other senior officers.

This meeting is being organised by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in cooperation with Government of China.

The main objective of the meeting is to review the progress made by the member States during the Decade at the mid-point in 2017 with regard to Incheon Strategy 'to make the right real' for persons with disabilities in Asia and Pacific. Incheon Strategy has been adopted to achieve the goals mentioned in UN Convention for Rights or Persons with Disabilities. Another objective of the meeting is to discuss the future policy action for building disabilities-inclusive societies in the region, bearing in mind the synergies between the Incheon Strategy and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.