Districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Sr. No.	District	=>	Population	Growth Rate	Sex Ratio	Literacy	Density/km
1	South Andaman	=>	237,586	13.97	874	88.49	80
2	North And Middle Andaman	=>	105,539	-0.07	925	84.25	32
3	Nicobars	=>	36,819	-12.48	778	77.50	20

Third Phase of Small Development Projects (SDP-III) in Afghanistan

New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-The Union Cabinet today approved the third phase of the Small Development Projects in Afghanistan. The outlay on the third phase of the Small Development Projects in US$ 100 million. 
The outlay for the third Phase of the Small Developmental Projects is US$ 100 Million (approximately Rs.500 crore). 
The Small Development Projects directly impact local communities and support social-economic development, provide livelihood, help conserve environmental and cultural heritage, empower women, promote child welfare and facilitate community life through creation of infrastructure in the education, health, agriculture and agro-industry, renewable energy, trade, transport and communication, recreation and community development sectors. 
Local communities of Afghanistan would directly benefit from the Small Development Projects. Exact number of beneficiaries cannot be verified. This will cover all 34 provinces of Afghanistan. 
The Small Development Projects were earlier implemented in two phases: the first in July 2006 comprising 50 projects worth US$ 11,216,179; and the second in June 2008 comprising 51 projects worth US$ 8,579,537. Most of the projects in the two phases have been completed
Background: 
The projects will be implemented over a period of four years through local Afghan Government Bodies, Community Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Charitable Trusts and Education and Vocational Institutions. The expenditure on the projects will be met from the Non-Plan head of 'Aid to Afghanistan’ budget of the Ministry of External Affairs. 

Size and Diversity of the Indian Landscape Adds to the Difficulty of Finding Solutions - Vice President

New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the size and diversity of the Indian landscape adds to the difficulty of finding solutions. A population of 1.25 billion dispersed over 4,635 communities 78 percent of whom are not only linguistic and cultural but social categories. The human diversities are both hierarchical and spatial.‘The de jure WE, the sovereign people is in reality a fragmented ‘we’, divided by yawning gaps that remain to be bridged.’ Around 30 per cent of our people live below the official poverty line and the health and education indicators, for the population as a whole, despite recent correctives, leave much to be desired. Delivering the Annual Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on ‘Physical Integration and Emotional Inconsonance’ organized by All India Radio (AIR) here yesterday, he said that there are, in addition, problems arising out of Naxalism and insurgency in some areas where the writ of the State runs in name only, demands for a better deal for the States of the Union, as also for tribes, dalits and most of the minorities within them. Each of these also relates to the requirements of fraternity and the achievement of national integration. 
He said that hard issues agitating the public mind in different regions have come to the fore and seek acceptable solutions. B.G.Verghese has rightly observed that ‘as India’s multitudinous but hitherto dormant diversities come to life, identities are asserted and jostle for a place in the sun.’ He lists among these issues of majority and minority, centre and periphery, great and little traditions, rural and urban values, tradition and modernity and concludes that ‘this management of diversity within multiple transitions is a delicate and complex process aggravated by inexorable population growth.’ 
The Vice President opined that one obvious reason for this is the ripening and deepening of the democratic process in the country, the awareness generated by it, and the terms and shape of the dialogue propelled by it. Another is the failure of the State to comprehend the dimensions of change and the resultant failure to respond appropriately, without undue procrastination, and adapt existing mechanisms to newer requirements. As a result, the immediate has taken precedence over the remote; the obvious over the less obvious. There has been a shift of focus, perhaps a narrowing of the vision, with the national receding behind the regional or local. This is also evident in the domain of foreign policy where complex questions of national interest are involved and should not be impinged upon by transitory considerations. 
He suggested that a beginning can, and must, be made with the loadstar of our national destiny, the Constitution. Experience shows that its provisions have been used creatively to expand the area of rights, to redress grievances, to allow greater space for federal units in specific areas. The need of the hour is to reinvigorate this process, to explore and make better use of existing constitutional provisions; above all, to ensure better delivery. Prescriptions of despair, unwise or impracticable, do not help the process. 
Shri Ansari said that a conceptual framework of the degree of sophistication would obviously require a comprehensive endeavour by the State and the society to ensure its implementation on an ongoing basis. It has to become part of the social discourse and of the educational curricula aimed at making the citizens imbibe the virtues of integration and eschew the vices emanating from its absence. Such an effort has to be to move beyond the presumed Indian-ness in cultural terms or its spirited display on special occasions on which national integration and national solidarity are most obvious – in the face of an external enemy (1961, 1965, 1971 and 1998), a celebratory occasion like success in an international sporting event, an achievement of note by an Indian citizen or person of Indian origin, or a social or religious festival; above all, and on a fairly continuous basis, success stories in the film industry. 
He emphasized that it is therefore essential to have a re-look at the basics of our methodology and of the contours within which it has worked. Our ground reality is a plural society; our operating radius is a democratic polity and a secular state structure, both based on a Constitution aimed at seeking justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all citizens within a single political and juridical entity whose federal structure provides for separate legislative and executive powers for states but stipulates uniformity in civil and criminal jurisprudence, a single judiciary, a common All India Civil Service, a common armed forces, a common market, and a constitutional provision on sharing of financial resources between the centre and the states. The assumption was that political and administrative integration of the state would lead to an integration of hearts and minds of those who may speak a different language or follow a different faith or come from a different region, but would subscribe to and believe in a common Indian identity in which all other identities would be subsumed and also flourish at the same time. 
The Vice President said that the conclusion is unavoidable that the process of emotional integration has faltered and is in dire need of reinvigoration. A corrective is imperative and would lie in reaffirmation of the democratic process bequeathed to us by the founding fathers, adherence to the letter and spirit of the Constitution, rejuvenation of the institutions beginning with the Parliament and State legislatures, and reaffirmation of the sanctity of dialogue. These principles need to be imbibed and implemented at all levels of the polity and particularly in educational policy, in the workshops of the mind that mould the thought process of the citizens of tomorrow. 
He said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s contributions were manifold; above all, history and generations of Indians will remember him as the man who presided over the process that resulted in the integration of the Indian States following the end of British rule and the termination of the “vague and undefined” relationship that princely States (together constituting 40 percent of the Indian land mass) had with the United Kingdom as the paramount power. The process of integrating 554 large and miniscule States was complex. It involved intricate negotiations on political, administrative and financial matters as also those relating to the armed forces of these units. It was almost completed by the time the Constitution of India came into force on January 26, 1950. 

Agriculture Minister of Bangladesh Calls on President

New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-Begum Matia Chowdhury, Agriculture Minister of Bangladesh called on the President Shri Pranab Mukherjee on November 7, 2012. 
Begum Matia Chowdhury is in India to explore cooperation in the field of agriculture between India and Bangladesh. 
The President said India and Bangladesh enjoy close and friendly relations. Multifaceted cooperation between the two countries has further strengthened through a number of initiatives taken by both sides over the recent past. The President conveyed to the Agriculture Minister that India would be happy to extend every assistance possible to Bangladesh in the field of agriculture. He expressed satisfaction over progress in India and Bangladesh relations in recent times and expressed warm appreciation for the Government of Bangladesh’s efforts in this regard. The President told the Agriculture Minister that India is a natural and primary development partner of Bangladesh. India is happy to contribute and participate in Bangladesh’s development. He added that he was glad to meet her at this important period when the bilateral relationship is at an all time high. He asked Begum Chowdhury to convey his greetings to President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

President to Confer National Awards, Shilp Guru Awards and Sant Kabir Awards

New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will be conferring 20 Shilp Guru Awards, 18 Sant Kabir Awards along with 74 National Awards to master craftspersons and master weavers at a function in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi tomorrow (November 9, 2012). 
Shilp Guru awards are conferred to legendary master craftspersons of Handicrafts whose work and dedication have contributed not only to the preservation of rich and diverse craft heritage of the country, but also to the resurgence of handicrafts sector as a whole. Each Award consists of one mounted gold coin, one shawl, Certificate and a Tamrapatra. In addition, financial assistance to the extent of Rs. 6 lakh is also given to each selected Awardee to innovate and create five new products of high level of excellence, high aesthetic value and high quality befitting the stature of the Guru. 
Sant Kabir Award is conferred on such outstanding weaver who has made valuable contribution in keeping alive the handloom heritage and also for his dedication in building up the linkages between the past, present and future through dissemination of knowledge on traditional skills and designs. Each Sant Kabir Award consists of one mounted gold coin, one shawl, certificate and a Tamrapatra. In addition, financial assistance to the extent of Rs. 6 lakh is also given to each selected awardee to innovate and create ten new products of high level of excellence, high aesthetic value and high quality. 
National Awards to Master Craftspersons and master weavers were introduced in 1965 and the award comprises of a cash prize of Rs.1 lakh, a certificate, Tamrapatra and an Angavastram. 

Yeddyurappa to launch own party called K’taka Janatha Party on Dec 9th

Bangalore:(Page3 News Network)- Former Karnataka Chief Minister , B S Yeddyurappa has said that he will launch his own party called the Karnataka Janatha Party on December 9th. He was speaking to media persons in Bangalore today. Saying that he cannot disclose the number of  BJP leaders who will join the new party floated by him, Yeddyurappa said once launched, his party will extend outside support to the BJP government in the state. He added that Jagadish Shetter became Chief Minister with the help of his support and hence he would not like to pull his government down.

Andhra HC strikes down life-ban imposed against Indian cricketer Azharuddin

New Delhi:(Page3 News Network)-Andhra Pradesh High Court today struck down the life-ban imposed against Indian cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin. The Divisional Bench comprising Justice Asuthosh Mohantha and Justice Krishna Mohan Reddy has asked the BCCI to lift the ban against the former cricket captain. The BCCI had imposed life ban against the cricketer after a thorough inquiry in connection with match fixing allegations. Azharuddin had filed a petition in the High Court challenging the lower court’s order that upheld the ban.
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi today, Azharuddin said he was happy that the life ban imposed on him was set aside by the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He however refused to take legal action against the BCCI. Azharuddin said he would not want to blame anybody for the pain he suffered in the past 12 years. The former captain had ended his Test career at 99 matches because of the ban.