Kolkata Airport Bags Service Quality Award

Kolkata Airport has won the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award by Airport Council International (ACI) in the category of the best improved airport in Asia Pacific Region. This category includes airports which have experienced the biggest improvement in ASQ rating between 2012 and 2013 in their region. The ASQ Awards are presented in four categories: best airport by region, best airport by size, best small airport and best improvement.

The award was received by Dr. B.P. Sharma, Airport Director, Kolkata at the 9th ACI Asia Pacific Regional Assembly meeting in Seoul, Korea. He handed over the award to Shri Alok Sinha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI) in the presence of Shri G.K. Chaukiyal, Member (Operations) in New Delhi.

Airport Service Quality survey is conducted at 11 major airports of AAI by Airport Council International including Ahmedabad, Calicut, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Pune, Srinagar, Trivandrum. In respect of customer satisfaction airports managed by AAI scored an average ASQ rating of 4.14 which is above world average of 4.04 between 1st January and 31st March, this year.

Prithviraj Chavan launches Mumbai metro services

Mumbai’s very first metro line was declared open at 10.16 am when Maharashtra Chief Minister took the first ride from Versova station to Ghatkopar.

The inauguration took place with much uncertainty as Mr Chavan had threatened to boycott it the day before, protesting against Reliance Infrastructure’s decision to unilaterally increase fares. However, he ended up taking the very first metro – decorated with flowers – with much fanfare along with Reliance Chairman Anil Ambani and Tina Ambani.

India Signs Credit Agreement Worth US $ 165 Million with World Bank for Maharashtra

An agreement for credit of US $ 165 million (equivalent) from World Bank for Maharashtra Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program was signed here today by Shri Nilaya Mitash, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Micheal Haney, Acting Director, New Delhi Office, World Bank on behalf of World Bank.

Similarly, the Program Agreement was signed by Mr. Kiran Kumar Dinkarrao Gitte, Deputy Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation Department on behalf of Government of Maharashtra. The Objective of the program is to improve the performance of Maharashtra`s sector institutions in planning, implementation and monitoring of its Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program and to improve access to quality and sustainable services in peri-urban villages, and in water-stressed and water quality-affected areas.

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar will be the next Solicitor-General

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar will be the next Solicitor-General as Mohan Parasaran resigned following the change of government at the Centre.

Mr. Kumar had been counsel for the Gujarat government and amicus curiae in several cases in the Supreme Court. He had represented Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case pending in a Bangalore court.

Top contenders for Additional Solicitors-General are the outgoing Additional Solicitor-General L. Nageswara Rao, senior advocates Maninder Singh, P.S. Narasimha, Neeraj Kishan Kaul and P.S. Patwalia, and Additional Advocate-General of Gujarat Tushar Mehta.

IAA Receives International Arch of Europe Award

 

Indian Aviation Academy (IAA) has been selected this year by the Business Initiative Directives Group (BIDG), Madrid (Spain) for the International Arch of Europe Award for quality and technology in Gold Category. The award was received by Mr. Rajiv Goel, Director, IAA from Mr. Jose E. Prieto, President & CEO, BID Group at a function held in Frankfurt, Germany Later, the award was presented to Mr. Alok Sinha, Chairman, Airports Authority of India .

The Academy has been set up for training and development by pooling resources of the three mainstay organizations of civil aviation namely, Airports Authority of India, Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. It conducts training in airport management, maintenance, airport safety and regulations, HR discipline, etc. The Academy has collaboration with several international agencies such as ICAO, IATA, ACI, FAA, European Union and CATC, Thailand.

President Confers Stree Shakti Puruskar on International Women’s Day

• Smt. Manasi Pradhan from Odisha has been honoured with Rani Lakshmibai Award for the year 2013 for her work in the field of women’s empowerment.
• Dr. M. Venkaiah from Andhra Pradesh has been honoured with Rani Rudramma Devi Award for the year 2013 for his contribution in the field of women’s health.
• Mrs. Bina Sheth Lashkari from Maharashtra has been honoured with Mata Jijabai Award for the year 2013 for her achievement in the field of education and training.
• Mrs. T. Radha K. Prashanti from Andhra Pradesh has been honoured with Kannagi Award for the year 2013 for her achievement in the field of providing support to orphans, visually impaired, handicapped and destitute women.
• Dr. Vartika Nanda from Delhi has been honoured with Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang Award for the year 2013 for her creating awareness on women’s issues through media.
• Dr. Seema Sakhare form Maharashtra has been honoured with Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Award for the year 2013 for her contribution in the field of women’s rights, gender issues, legal counselling and institutional support to women and girls.

Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)ICGS ‘Vaibhav’commissioned

Indian Coast Guard Ship Vaibhav, the 3rd in the series of 90 meters class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) was commissioned today at Tuticorin byVice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal, Director General Indian Coast Guard. This 90 metres OPV has been designed and built indigenously by M/s GSL and is fitted with the state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries. Her features include an Integrated Bridge System(IBS), Integrated Machinery Control System (IMCS), Power Management System (PMS), High Power External Fire Fighting System (ABS Fi-Fi Class-1) and one indigenous Close Range Naval Gun (CRN-91) along with an optical fire control system. The ship is designed to carry one Helicopter and five high speed boats for Search and Rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol. The ship is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to combat oil spill at sea. The ship is fitted with advanced Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) making it an apt platform to carryout search and rescue operations in Indian Search and Rescue Region (ISRR).
The ship draws 1940 tons and is propelled by two diesel engines to attain a maximum speed of 26 Knots. At economical speed, it has an endurance of 4500 nautical miles and can stay at sea for 15 days without any replenishment. The sustenance and reach coupled with the latest and modern equipment and systems, provide her with the capability to perform the role of a command platform and accomplish all Coast Guard charter of duties.

The ship on joining Coast Guard Fleet will be deployed extensively for the EEZ surveillance and such other duties as enlisted in Coast Guard Charter. The vessel will be exploited extensively in the Eastern region, more so, in the sensitive Gulf of Mannar and up to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with Sri Lanka, to safeguard the maritime interests of India.

ICGS Vaibhav, will be manned by 10 Officers and 84 men under the command of Deputy Inspector General Sanjiv Trikha and will be based at Tuticorin under the administrative and operational control of the Commander Coast Guard Region (East).