Banker’s Committee submitted its report on Rural Housing to Rural Development Minister

The Banker’s committee Report was submitted to the Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh by the Chairman of the Committee, Sri R.Sridhar, Chairman and MD , Central Bank Of India at Krishi Bhawan on 25th May, 2011. Shri Deshmukh said that the recommendations would be examined by the Ministry towards its commitment of providing affordable housing for the rural people across the country.

Here are some of the recommendations made by the high level committee of bankers:

• A hike in allocation of grants for construction of rural housing units for Below the Poverty Line Households (BPL) from Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 75,000 per dwelling unit.
• It also suggested a loan of 50,000 is in the form of affordable credit at 4% under Differential Rate of Interest (DRI) Scheme of the Government of India.
• It recommended to extend the repayment period to 15 years as the loan is given for housing and the EMI may be limited to 300-350 as then it would be within the repayment capacity of the borrower.
• It also proposed setting up a dedicated “Rural Habitat Development Fund” for the planned development of the rural housing and housing finance landscape.
• The Expert group has recommended setting up of a “Rural Risk Fund” with contributions from all stake holders including beneficiaries and to encourage Insurance Linked Products with housing so as to reduce the cost of housing finance to the various stake holders.

The Committee has proposed the following Schemes for BPL & APL households:

• Bankable Scheme for Below Poverty Line (BPL) Households
• Bankable Scheme for Above Poverty Line (APL) Households
• Bankable Scheme of Productive Housing for BPL/APL Households Loan Amount

The Eight member Committee was headed by Sri R.Sridhar, CMD of Central Bank Of India with Suman Beri of NCAER, Dr. K.G.Karmakar MD of NABARD Renu Sood Karnad, MD of HDFC, V.K.Sharma, ED of RBI , R.V.Verma,ED of NHB , Dr. D.Bhandari a Chartered Accountant and Joint Secretary Rural Housing under the Minstry Of Rural Development as its members.

Read More...

NSI says India is the 5th most powerful nation in the world based up on five criterias

As a part of India's National Security Annual Review 2010, which will be officially released by foreign minister SM Krishna on April 19, the NSI 2010 placed India fifth in the hierarchy of top 50 nations identified on the basis of their GDP. The latest National Security Index (NSI) designed by the country's foremost security and economic experts rated India as the fifth most powerful and strong country in the world.

The Foundation for National Security Research director Satish Kumar, who edited the national security review, says the National Security Index(NSI) is based on an assessment of defence capability, economic strength, effective population, technological capability and energy security of the top 50 countries. The national security annual review governing body comprising a host of experts is headed by former foreign secretary M K Rasgotra. Out of the above five criteria, maximum weightage was given to defence capabilities at 30%. Economic strength, technology and effective population had weightage of 20% each. The remaining 10% weightage is for Energy security.

The US is at the top of the list on the basis of the above criteria followed by China, Japan and Russia. While South Korea emerged as the sixth most powerful nation followed by Norway, Germany, France and UK.

India is ranked third in the case of population and fourth in terms of defence capabilities, it was at the 34th position in technology and 33rd in energy security. US, China and Russia are ranked higher than India in defence capability. Where in economic strength, India ranked seventh.

China ranked first in the assessment of effective population and US is at the second position in effective population category. The calculation of effective population is on the basis of three variables -- size of population between 15 and 64, size of population educated up to secondary level and above and human development index based on UNDP reports. 

Norway's high position was attributed to its number one position in the field of energy security. The NSI said some of the most powerful countries in the world were not necessarily energy self-reliant. The weight given to various indicators in arriving at the above conclusions was based on judgment. According to the annual security review, a group of experts went over the indicators and their opinions were collated to arrive at the relative weightage given to indicators.

Read More...

One-Man committee report on issuance of licenses and allocation of spectrum now made available to all

A One-Man Committee comprising Justice Shivraj V. Patil, retired Judge of the Supreme Court, was set up by the Department of Telecommunications on 13th December, 2010 to examine the appropriateness of procedures followed by the Department of Telecommunications in issuance of licences and allocation of spectrum during the period 2001-2009.

The Committee was required to submit its report within a period of one month. In view of the magnitude of the task and the voluminous nature of records required to be studied by the Committee, the term of the Committee was extended till 31st January, 2011. The Report of the Committee was formally handed over by Justice Shivraj V. Patil to the Minister of Telecommunications, Shri Kapil Sibbal, on 31st January, 2011.

The Report is under examination by the Government. A copy of the report is made available on the website of the Department of Telecommunications (www.dot.gov.in) from 10th February 2011.

Click Here to VIEW FULL REPORT

Read More...