(Premium) Gist of Press Information Bureau: October 2012

Contents

• Foreign Tourist Arrivals and Foreign Exchange Earnings in September 2012 (Free Available)
• Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW), August, 2012 (Free Available)
• National Family Benefit Scheme (Free Available)
• Turnaround in Exports by September-October, says Anand Sharma Reviews Export Performance with Industry Chambers and EPCs (Only For Premium Members)
• TRAI Direction for Providing Information to Broadband Consumers (Only For Premium Members)
• Integration of Ayush in Health Care System under National Rural Health Mission (Only For Premium Members)

Foreign Tourist Arrivals and Foreign Exchange Earnings in September 2012

Foreign TouristArrivals (FTAs) during the Month of September, 2012 were 4.15 lakh as compared to FTAs of 4.02 lakh during the month of September 2011 and 3.70 lakh in September 2010. There has been a growth of 3.2 % in September 2012 over September 2011 as compared to a growth of 8.7 % registered in September 2011 over September 2010. FTAs during the period January-September 2012 were 46.33 lakh with a growth of 5.9%, as compared to the FTAs of 43.75 lakh with a growth of 9.9 % during January-September 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) during the month of September 2012 were Rs. 6652 crore as compared to Rs. 5748 crore in September 2011 and Rs 4678 crore in September 2010. The growth rate in FEE in rupee terms in September 2012 over September 2011 was 15.7% as compared to 22.9 % in September 2011 over September 2010. FEEs from tourism in rupee terms during January- September 2012 were Rs. 66061 crore with a growth of 22.9%, as compared to the FEEs ofRs. 53761 crore with a growth of 16.6 % during January- September 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010. FEEs in US$ terms during the month of September 2012 wereUS$ 1219million as compared to FEEs of US$ 1208 million during the month of September 2011 and US$ 1015 milion in September 2010. The growth rate in FEEs in US$ terms in September 2012 over September 2011 was 0.9% as compared to the growth of 19 % in September 2011 over September 2010. FEEs from tourism in terms of US$ during January- September 2012 were US$ 12492millionwith a growth of 5.1%, as compared to US$ 11886 million with a growth of 18.7 % during January- September 2011 over the corresponding period of 2010.

Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW), August, 2012

The All-India CPI-IW rose by 2 points in August, 2012 and pegged at 214 (two hundred and fourteen). On 1-month percentage change, it increased by 0.94 per cent between July and August compared with 0.52 per cent between the same two months a year ago. The largest upward contribution to the change in current index came from food prices which rose by 1.24 per cent, contributing 1.31 percentage points to the total change. At item level, largest upward pressure came from Sugar, Arhar Dal, Wheat & Wheat Atta, Rice, Potato, Mustard&Groundnut Oil,MilkBuffalo, Banana, Goat Meat, Onion, Medicine (Allopathic) and Private Tuition Fee. The largest downward contribution to the change in current index came fromVegetables and Fruits with a decline of 2.72 per cent, contributing (-) 0.42 percentage points to the total change. Themain downward pressure
came from Tomato, Fish Fresh, Chillies Green, Cabbage & Lady’s Finger. The year-on-year inflation measured by monthly CPI-IW stood at 10.31 per cent for August, 2012 (over August, 2011) as compared to 9.84 per cent for the previous month and 8.99 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year. Similarly, the Food inflation stood at 12.20 per cent against 11.27 per cent of the previous month and 7.33 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year. At centre level, largest increase of 9 points has been recorded inGiridih followed by Ludhiana (8 points), Asansol and Rourkela (7 points each) and Bhopal and Chhindwara (6 points each). Among others, 4 centres have recorded rise of 5 points followed by 4 points in 8 centres, 3 points in 13 centres, 2 points in 10 centres and 1 point in 15 centres. Mysore centre reported a decline of 6 points followed byBengluru centrewith 5 points, Guwahati with 2 points and 7 centres registered a fall of 1 point each. Rest of the 12 centre’s indices remained stationary. The indices of 39 centres are aboveAll-India Index and 37 centre’s indices are lower than national average. Two centres viz. Vijaywada and Tiruchirapally are at par with all-India index. The next index of CPIIW for the month of September, 2012 will be released on Wednesday, October 31, 2012.

National Family Benefit Scheme

The Ministry of Rural Development is implementing, through State Governments and UT Administrations, a scheme namely National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS). Under this scheme, earlier a provision of grant of Rs. 5,000/ - was made in case of natural death of BPL primary bread winner. The primary BPL bread winner specified in the scheme, whether male or female, had to be a member of the household whose earning contributed substantially to the total household income. The death of such primary bread winner occurring whilst he/she was in the age group of 18 to 64 years. In the year 1998, the amount of benefit has been raised to Rs. 10,000/
- in case of death due to natural causes as well as accidental causes. The funds are released to State Governments and UTs by Ministry of Finance as Additional Central Assistance. The National Family Benefit Scheme is a sub-scheme of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and details of funds released sub scheme wise to State/UTs are not maintained. These sub-schemes are only for BPL families. This was stated by Smt. Krishna Tirath,Minister for Women and Child Development, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today. Solar CharkhaKhadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI) has introduced solar power operated charkhas in 6 clusters on a trial basis in Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Nagaland. Cotton spinning solar charkhas have been developed by MGIRI by attaching solar panels, battery and motor with the New Model Charkha (NMC) developed by KVIC. This information was given by the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Vayalar Ravi in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

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