Youth affairs & sports

• 
  The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods Act, 1992 and its Amendment Act, 2003 protected against the repeal by the forthcoming Food Safety and Standards Bill 2005 through concerted efforts of the Department.
  
• 
  The intersectoral coordination with sky partners and nutrition namely health and family welfare, food and public distribution, elementary education and literacy upscaled.
  

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  Instructions issued to all State governments to include iodized salt under the public distribution system and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research requested to expedite launching of the double fortified salt in the country with a view to address the widespread problem of nutritional anaemia.
  
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  National guidelines on Infant and Young Child Feeding developed, printed in Hindi and English languages and released.
  
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  Expert Consultations on important nutritional issues like infant and young child feeding, micronutrient malnutrition held and decisions communicated to the state Secretaries for Implementation.
  
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  Regional Consultation Meet on Nutrition organized for North Eastern States in February 2005 to facilitate greater focus on malnutrition reduction in these States.
  
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  Review of National Nutrition Policy (1993) undertaken by the Working Group in 2004.
  
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  Meeting of Executive Committee of National Nutrition Mission held.
  
• 
  Nutrition Education and Awareness Generation intensified.
  
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  Twenty-seven video films on nutrition under the title ‘Poshan aur Rashtra Nirman’ produced in Hindi, English, Bangla and Assamese languages by Food and Nutrition Board.
  
• 
  A 30-episode radio sponsored programme on ‘Poshan aur Swasthya’ in 12 regional languages and 8 North Eastern languages broadcast through AIR.
  
• 
  A Wall Calendar (Poster Calendar) on Nutrition for 2005 was printed in Hindi and English and widely disseminated in the country.
  

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URBAN EMPLOYMENT & POVERTY ALLEVIATION

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  National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) to provide basic services to the urban poor for fulfillment of their basic needs, including security of tenure, housing, water supply, sanitation, education, health care and social security cover in 60 cities.
  

• 
  Other cities to be covered by Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme by combining the VAMBAY and NSDP Schemes.
  

• 
  HUDCO declared a Mini Ratna in August, 2004.
  

• 
  HUDCO floated a subsidized loan scheme at 6.5% for repairs, retrofitting and reconstruction of new houses for economically weaker sections in Tsunami affected areas against 7.5% presently applicable for EWS schemes.
  

• 
  Guidelines on the Foreign Direct Investment in Townships revised
  

• 
  Allocation for National Slum Development Programme enhanced from Rs.363.94 crore to Rs.700 crore.
  

• 
  During 2004-05, 68636 micro enterprises set up to assist the urban poor in self employment and 106394 urban poor given skill up gradation training under Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojna.
  

• 
  A Task Force under the Chairmanship of Secretary set up in the Ministry with the objective to evolve a viable micro-credit mechanism for the urban poor/informal sector.
  

• 
  During 2004-2005, Central subsidy of Rs. 269.41 crore was released for the construction of 1,13,004 dwelling units and 35,086 toilet seats under Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY).
  

• 
  Rs. 82 crore released to various agencies for the execution of 18 projects in the North eastern region.Also sanctions issued for setting up 0ne Bamboo Mat Production Centre in Assam,Tripura,Meghalaya and Mizoram.
  

• 
  Housing project comprising 218 dwelling units for Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) & 74 dwelling units for Central Government Employees completed at Ahmedabad. Also the housing project comprising 720 dwelling units was completed at Noida, U.P at a total cost of Rs.85 crores.
  

• 
  The First Model Demonstration Houses of 252 dwelling units under VAMBAY scheme executed in 9 months by the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council to promote proven innovative, eco-friendly and cost-effective building materials and construction technologies.
  

• 
  Propagation of cost-effective and Environment Friendly Technology being undertaken.
  

• 
  Construction of demonstration houses under VAMBAY Scheme in 11 States, model toilets in Delhi and demonstration structures using bamboo based building components in Mizoram and Tripura initiated
  

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• 
  A focused and business like Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas-2005 organised at Mumbai.
  

• 
  Simplification of the application forms and procedures for grant of Overseas Indian citizenship (OIC) to Indian community in 16 specified countries underway.
  

• 
  Extension of the facility of OIC to all those PIOs, who migrated from India after 26 January, 1950 to countries that permit dual citizenship announced
  

• 
  Codification and Publication of a compendium of facilities available to the Overseas Indians under different schemes of the various Ministries.
  

• 
  Guidelines for inter-country adoption of children being revised with a proposal for NRIs/PIOs to be deemed on parity with resident Indians.
  

• 
  Protection of interests of the migrant Indian workers abroad and their welfare to be streamlined and strengthened.
  

• 
  Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana to have streamlined claim settlement procedures and additional benefits to the emigrant workers. Possibility of providing legal assistance to migrant workers in distress as part of insurance package being examined.
  

• 
  Working of the offices of the Protectors of Emigrants to be computerized and Smart cards issued to workers, going abroad, with a view to ensure protection from exploitation of vulnerable categories of workers.
  

• 
  A two-pronged strategy being proposed to safeguard the interests of Indian women proposing to marry or already married to NRIs.
  

• 
  Pilot projects being launched to help PIOs tracing their roots.
  

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