8th Indo German Energy Forum (IGEF) 2019 meets in Delhi : discuss areas to enhance cooperation in Energy sector
Eight Agreements/MoUs inked
The 8th meeting of the Indo – German Energy Forum concluded was co-chaired by Mr. Sanjiv Nandan Sahai, Secretary. (Power) from the Indian side and Mr. Christian Hirte, Secretary of State, Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany.
The Forum took note of the ongoing cooperation under the following four sub-groups:
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- Sub Group-I : Flexibilization in Thermal Power Plants.
- Sub Group-II : Renewable Energies
- Sub Group-III : Demand side energy efficiency and low carbon growth strategies
- Sub Group-IV : Green Energy Corridors
The Forum also finalized the roadmap for future collaboration between the two countries which, inter-alia, include Flexibilisation of existing coal fired power plants, promoting niche markets for Solar Energy, promotion of energy efficiency in buildingsthrough ECBC, building materials and credit lines for financing corresponding measures and RE evacuation through state-of-the-art intra-state and inter-state transmission grid infrastructure.
Ministry of Power and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy signed 8 Implementation Agreements/ MoUs with the German counterparts.
Maps of newly formed Union Territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh, with the map of India
On the recommendation of Parliament, the President effectively dismantled Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and gave assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and supervision of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, the former state of Jammu & Kashmir has been reorganized as the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the new Union Territory of Ladakh on 31st October 2019.
The new Union Territory of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and Leh. The rest of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir is in the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In 1947, the former State of Jammu and Kashmir had the following 14 districts – Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Leh and Ladakh, Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory.
By 2019, the state government of former Jammu and Kashmir had reorganized the areas of these 14 districts into 28 districts. The names of the new districts are as follows – Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shupian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtivar, Samba and Kargil.
Out of these, Kargil district was carved out from the area of Leh and Ladakh district.
The Leh district of the new Union Territory of Ladakh has been defined in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Removal of Difficulties) Second Order, 2019, issued by the President of India, to include the areas of the districts of Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory of 1947, in addition to the remaining areas of Leh and Ladakh districts of 1947, after carving out the Kargil District.
On this basis, the maps prepared by Survey General of India depicting the new Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, as created on 31 October 2019, along with the map of India, are attached below.
Government of India to Set Up & Strengthen AHTUs & WHDs in States Across the Country
On October 22nd 2019,the Empowered Committee (EC) under Nirbhaya Framework, chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, favourably appraised two proposals to develop systems for operationalization of Women Help Desks (WHDs) in police stations, for expansion of Anti-Human-Trafficking-Units (AHTUs) to all districts, and for identified officers for dealing with crime and policing matters pertaining to women and children at district and States/ UT levels across the country. The Ministry of Women and Child Development pursued the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which submitted proposals for WHDs in ten thousand police stations and for AHTUs in the remaining districts of India, for funding out of Nirbhaya Fund, at costs of Rs. 100 crores each.
- Setting up and strengthening Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in all districts of States & UTs:
The EC considered and recommended the proposal for setting up AHTUs at cost of Rs. 100 crores for safety and security of women and girl victims of trafficking, with the condition that a proper monitoring and reporting mechanism should also be put in place. 100% cost of setting up of these AHTUs has been recommended to be borne by the Central Government under Nirbhaya Fund as per the MHA proposal. The EC has also suggested that psycho-social counselling and legal counselling and aid should also be made available through these AHTUs to the beneficiaries. The MHA has also been requested to ensure nomination of State level nodal officers for coordinating and monitoring the functioning of AHTUs and sharing their data with the EC and the Ministry of WCD.
- Setting up/ strengthening Women Help Desks (WHDs)in Police Stations in all States & UTs:
The EC considered favourably and recommended the proposal for setting up Women Help Desks in Police Stations in all States and UTs at cost of Rs. 100 crores to be funded 100% by the Central Government under Nirbhaya Fund. WHDs would be gender sensitive desks for grievance redressal of women through the policing system, as well as catalysts for improved community interaction of the police with focus on crime against women and children. They would also help create a conducive atmosphere for distressed women and girls to approach the police stations without any hesitation and fear. The EC has suggested that these Women Help Desks should preferably be headed by women police officer not below the rank of Head Constables, and preferably by women officers not below the ranks of JSI or ASI. Further, training, orientation and sensitization of both men and women police officials working at or in relation to WHDs at police stations, should also be taken up. Presently, as per the proposal of MHA, WHDs have been approved for ten thousand police stations. However, the EC has suggested that the facility may be expanded to all the police stations in the country may be over a period of time or in phases. MHA has also been requested to ask the States and UTs to notify Nodal Officers at District and State levels as early as possible to coordinate the functioning of the Women Help Desks and share the data with EC.