The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas R.P.N. Singh held that the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas had advocated that the government may consider doing away with furnishing subsidized domestic LPG cylinders to those people having an income of more than Rs 6 lakh per annum. The panel had also proposed not to supply subsidized cylinders to those persons who are holding constitutional posts and public representatives like MPs, MLAs and MLCs.

But, the government has not yet taken any verdict on the suggestions of the panel to do away with furnishing subsided LPG cylinders to rich and well-off section of population.

Under the Centre’s Integrated Action Plan (IAP), the Union Rural Development Ministry has deputed a team of fresh IIM and IIT graduates in Jharkhand to support the senior Bureaucrats in implementation of development plans across 11 naxal-hit districts. The IAP operates in 17 districts of Jharkhand.

As per the fellowship programme worked out by PM Manmohan Singh and Union minister Jairam Ramesh, each IAP runs districts will get two fellows to assist respective Deputy Commissioners.

The posts of fellows were advertised by the Union Rural Development Ministry a few months ago. Over 8,000 Engineering, Management and other degree holders responded and from amongst them 800 were shortlisted. To begin with 156 were selected for 78 left wing extremism-hit districts across 9 states including Jharkhand. In Jharkhand, 34 fellows were appointed and of them from the first batch 22 have joined recently. The fellows were appointed with a beginning honorarium of Rs 50,000 a month that will be raised to Rs 75,000 after 2 months.

A package of around Rs 14,000 Crore approved by the Govt in order to revamp the cooperative credit structure in India.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar held that the government has also enacted a law to ascertain democratic, autonomous and professional function of the cooperatives. Govt has sanctioned the National Policy on cooperative aimed at providing essential support and fillip.

Former President, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam held that cooperative should work for inclusive growth in India and with more than 6 lakh cooperative societies and 250 million members, the Indian cooperative sector is one of the largest cooperative movements in the world and it can play a big role in India's development.

Government will write to all states seeking them to have zero tolerance towards crime against people from North East. Referring to the recent death of Dana Sangma in Gurgaon near Delhi and of Richard Loitum in Bengaluru besides allegations of racial profiling against Tibetans during the recent BRICS summit, the Home minister P. Chidambaram held that the students from the NE-region have right to security and peace and they are free to travel and reside in any part of India.

2011 saw a 20% rise in the number of schools entering students for Cambridge qualifications in India. In India, Schools made over 27,000 entries for Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International ‘A’ Level.

Regions with highest growth of take up of Cambridge IGCSE:

• Madhya Pradesh (247%)
• Rajasthan (145%)
• Punjab (112%)

Regions with highest growth of take up of Cambridge International ‘A’ Level:

• Gujarat (50%)
• Kerala (30%)
• Karnataka (24%)

There are now more than 290 Cambridge schools in India and more than 9,000 schools in 160 countries make up the Cambridge learning community worldwide. The core subjects which remain most popular among Indian students at Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International ‘A’ Level are Maths, Physics and Chemistry.

Cambridge IGCSE: One of the world’s most popular international qualifications for students b/w the age of 14-16 years.

Cambridge International ‘A’ Level: Typically for learners aged b/w 16-19 years who need advanced study to prepare for university and higher education.

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