Monday, August 1, 2016
writingonblog uncensored: TN gets Rs 316 cr from Centre as first installment...
writingonblog uncensored: TN gets Rs 316 cr from Centre as first installment...: C Shivakumar Chennai: Tamil Nadu got the first installment of Central grant of Rs 316 crore under the Atal Mission for rejuvenation and Urb...
TN gets Rs 316 cr from Centre as first installment under Amrut scheme
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Tamil Nadu got the first installment of Central grant of Rs 316 crore
under the Atal Mission for rejuvenation and Urban Transformation
(Amrut) scheme for 39 projects which include drinking water projects,
sewerage network as well as building up of 25 parks.
It is learnt that of the 25 parks, which got sanctioned, Chennai will
have eight parks but details are still being worked out.
This comes after the Centre cleared the state Annual Action Plan for
seven water supplies related project, seven water sewerage project and
25 parks. It is learnt that 20 per cent of approved central assistance
under first instalment, which works out to Rs 316 crore has been
released earlier this week.
Now the state has to release the Central assistance funds to the local
bodies within seven working days or else interest at the rate
specified by finance ministry shall be levied on state for delay and
appropriate deductions made from future instalments.
The overall package for the 39 projects would cost Rs 3,834 crore of
which state would be pooling in Rs 2,251 crore. Centre has also
suggested the state government to explore public private partnership
in water supply and sewerage sector.
It is learnt that while giving clearance the Centre has put forth some
conditions before the states that they shouldn't divert the Central
grants for any other purpose otherwise it would incur penal interest.
It has also stated that the detailed project reports should focus on recycling or re-use of waste water and reduction of
non revenue water
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Russia offers new nuke fuel assembly for Kudankulam nuke plants
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
The nuclear plants in Kudankulam could soon be operating
on a new fuel assembly which could boost the efficiency if the Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board gives its clearance, according to Russian fuel company based in Moscow.Oleg Grigoriev, vice-president of JSC TVEL, a subsidiary of Russian State Energy Nuclear Corporation (ROSATOM) said in an e-mail interview that Russia is willing to offer modern design of nuclear fuel for the Kudankulam atomic plants.
“We are ready to change the Kudankulam nuclear power plant’s fuel as per the requirements of Indian regulator Atomic Energy regulatory Board for substantiation of reliability and security of fuel assemblies,” said Grigoriev.
Russia now supplies almost a fifth of the world’s nuclear fuel. TVEL’s fuel development programmes for Russian-designed VVER light water reactors in Russia and abroad aim to increase the service life, burn-up and cost effectiveness of its fuel assemblies.
Russia feels the only restriction of supplying the advanced nuclear fuel assemblies is the agreement over supply of UTVS fuel, which is currently being supplied to Kudankulam nuclear plant. “The agreement for supply of UTVS fuel is for a period of three to four years by both the parties. Once this agreement phase gets over then the nuclear power plant will be run on TVS-2M, a more modern design of nuclear fuel,” said Grigoriev
If India works out a formula then then the transfer to new nuclear fuel will take place faster, says Grigoriev. “The new nuclear fuel will save 60-70 operational days in around three years,” he said, adding that the plant would not face any difficulties once the new fuel assembly gets clearance.
To a query on localisation of nuclear fuel assemblies in India, Grigoriev said that India is planning to increase the number of Russian reactors to 12. “We are ready to help India in the localisation of the production of nuclear fuel. But it should be understood that the plant should be cost-effective. We have repeatedly carried out economic calculations and estimated the number of blocks into which the plant is to supply fuel to make it profitable. The result together with regional and country specificity ranged from 10 to 12 units,” he said.
He also hoped that in the next 10 years, the first components produced in India will be used in the fuel for Indian nuclear power plants.
1. Pressurised water reactors (PWRs) are the most common type of nuclear reactor accounting for two-thirds of current installed nuclear generating capacity worldwide.
2. Most of PWRs use the uranium fuel, which is in the form of uranium dioxide.
3. Uranium dioxide (UO2) is a black semiconducting solid with very low thermal conductivity.
4. The UO2 is pressed into pellets, these pellets are then sintered into the solid.
5. These pellets are then loaded and encapsulated within a fuel rod (or fuel pin), which is made of zirkonium alloys due to its very low absorbtion
6. The collection of fuel rods or elements is called the fuel assembly.
7. The fuel assembly constitute the base element of the nuclear reactor core.
8. The reactor core (PWR type) contains about 157 fuel assemblies (depending on a reactor type)
writingonblog uncensored: Confusion prevails over whether Aadhaar is mandato...
writingonblog uncensored: Confusion prevails over whether Aadhaar is mandato...: Chennai: Confusion is prevailing over whether the Aadhaar Card is mandatory to avail Liquefied and Petroleum Gas subsidies or not? On one ...
Confusion prevails over whether Aadhaar is mandatory to get LPG subsidy
Chennai:
Confusion is prevailing over whether the Aadhaar Card is mandatory to avail Liquefied and Petroleum Gas subsidies or not?
On one side, there is a directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, that LPG consumers should provide Aadhaar details before September 30 for subsidy to be credited, on the other hand Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah naidu announced in Parliament that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for getting Central benefits and they are following the Supreme court ruling.
Interestingly, nearly 87.64 per cent of population in the state has been screened for Aadhaar card. However, in Chennai, it is only 79 per cent, as per Census data. This means 6.32 crore people in the state have Aadhaar cards while 36.65 lakh people in Chennai have access to Aadhaar cards. However, many who have been screened for Aadhaar cards say they have not got it yet.
V Sridharan, who stays in Panruti Kandigai, says that he was getting Indane cooking gas from an agency at Sriperumbudur. “Normally I get subsidy within a few days.but this month I have not received subsidy though gas was delivered on July 14. On enquiry, they told me that if Aadhar card is not registered, the subsidy will be pending. I have enrolled for Aadhar but have not received it.
Is it the policy of authorities to stop subsidy in the absence of Aadhar card?
“This is unfair to many who have not received it. Until all have got the cards, such decision should not be taken,” he says.
But officials in Census department say the issue is that people in a city like Chennai migrate continuously. They live in rented apartments as such many don’t get. Besides there is also a issue over it being delivered through ordinary post.
But consumers like Swetha argue that it is government’s responsibility to ensure everyone gets his Aadhaar card as it is a social welfare scheme. If poor are left out, then what is the use of providing subsidies. The census department has the address of the person who was screened for Aadhaar. The goernment has to ensure he has his Aadhaar card,” she argues.
Officials say due to linking of Aadhaar card with Direct Benefit Transfer, the misuse of people having more than two to three gas connections has reduced. Meanwhile, the census department has also covered 6.88 crore people for biometrics which is essential for smart cards to be prepared by state government by linking it with Aadhaar cards.
“On one hand, the government says it is not mandatory but on the other hand, it is slyly forcing people to go in for Aadhar cards to enjoy welfare schemes,” says Subbu, whose friend has been forced to apply for Aadhaar card to avail LPG subsidies.
Earlier, LPG Subsidy was provided by directly linking bank account numbers to gas agencies. Now there is a need for such customers to submit their Aadhar card photocopy to the bank as well as the gas agency. The consumers are currently getting 12 cylinders at a subsidized rate in a year.
Confusion is prevailing over whether the Aadhaar Card is mandatory to avail Liquefied and Petroleum Gas subsidies or not?
On one side, there is a directive from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, that LPG consumers should provide Aadhaar details before September 30 for subsidy to be credited, on the other hand Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah naidu announced in Parliament that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for getting Central benefits and they are following the Supreme court ruling.
Interestingly, nearly 87.64 per cent of population in the state has been screened for Aadhaar card. However, in Chennai, it is only 79 per cent, as per Census data. This means 6.32 crore people in the state have Aadhaar cards while 36.65 lakh people in Chennai have access to Aadhaar cards. However, many who have been screened for Aadhaar cards say they have not got it yet.
V Sridharan, who stays in Panruti Kandigai, says that he was getting Indane cooking gas from an agency at Sriperumbudur. “Normally I get subsidy within a few days.but this month I have not received subsidy though gas was delivered on July 14. On enquiry, they told me that if Aadhar card is not registered, the subsidy will be pending. I have enrolled for Aadhar but have not received it.
Is it the policy of authorities to stop subsidy in the absence of Aadhar card?
“This is unfair to many who have not received it. Until all have got the cards, such decision should not be taken,” he says.
But officials in Census department say the issue is that people in a city like Chennai migrate continuously. They live in rented apartments as such many don’t get. Besides there is also a issue over it being delivered through ordinary post.
But consumers like Swetha argue that it is government’s responsibility to ensure everyone gets his Aadhaar card as it is a social welfare scheme. If poor are left out, then what is the use of providing subsidies. The census department has the address of the person who was screened for Aadhaar. The goernment has to ensure he has his Aadhaar card,” she argues.
Officials say due to linking of Aadhaar card with Direct Benefit Transfer, the misuse of people having more than two to three gas connections has reduced. Meanwhile, the census department has also covered 6.88 crore people for biometrics which is essential for smart cards to be prepared by state government by linking it with Aadhaar cards.
“On one hand, the government says it is not mandatory but on the other hand, it is slyly forcing people to go in for Aadhar cards to enjoy welfare schemes,” says Subbu, whose friend has been forced to apply for Aadhaar card to avail LPG subsidies.
Earlier, LPG Subsidy was provided by directly linking bank account numbers to gas agencies. Now there is a need for such customers to submit their Aadhar card photocopy to the bank as well as the gas agency. The consumers are currently getting 12 cylinders at a subsidized rate in a year.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
writingonblog uncensored: Village land records a click away
writingonblog uncensored: Village land records a click away: C Shivakumar Chennai: Now the village land records will just be a click away as Directorate of Town and Country Planning is making arrang...
Village land records a click away
C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Now the village land records will just be a click away as Directorate of Town and Country Planning is making arrangements to view it online.
In a bid to simplify planning process, the Commissioner of Town and Country Planning has asked its officials to obtain the soft copy of village accounts from district collectors and district information officers from National Informatics Centre.
The officials have also been asked to get log in and password from the National Informatics Centre.
It is learnt that once the data is online, it will simplify the planning process. Usually, a developer has to approach tahsildar specifying that the lands involved in the projects or layouts or change of land use proposal are not poromboke lands besides they are not involved in land acquisition and not covered under the Land ceiling Act of 1978.
They also have to get NOC that the land is not covered under Land Reforms Act of 1961 and it is not affected by floods.
Now DTCP is doing away with the tedious process. The land records will be viewed by DTCP officials online who will certify whether it is poromboke or a waterbody.
Meanwhile, DTCP is making the developer liable if the land comes under the Land Ceiling Act 1978 or Land Reform Act 1961.
Instructions have been passed that the applicant should state in a Rs 20 stamp paper that he is liable if the land falls under the Land ceiling Act or Land reforms act
Chennai:
Now the village land records will just be a click away as Directorate of Town and Country Planning is making arrangements to view it online.
In a bid to simplify planning process, the Commissioner of Town and Country Planning has asked its officials to obtain the soft copy of village accounts from district collectors and district information officers from National Informatics Centre.
The officials have also been asked to get log in and password from the National Informatics Centre.
It is learnt that once the data is online, it will simplify the planning process. Usually, a developer has to approach tahsildar specifying that the lands involved in the projects or layouts or change of land use proposal are not poromboke lands besides they are not involved in land acquisition and not covered under the Land ceiling Act of 1978.
They also have to get NOC that the land is not covered under Land Reforms Act of 1961 and it is not affected by floods.
Now DTCP is doing away with the tedious process. The land records will be viewed by DTCP officials online who will certify whether it is poromboke or a waterbody.
Meanwhile, DTCP is making the developer liable if the land comes under the Land Ceiling Act 1978 or Land Reform Act 1961.
Instructions have been passed that the applicant should state in a Rs 20 stamp paper that he is liable if the land falls under the Land ceiling Act or Land reforms act
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