eSign Word for Procurement Free

Procurement templates are pre-designed documents that streamline the purchasing process for businesses. They include essential elements necessary for procurement agreements, which help in ensuring compliance and efficiency in transactions.

airSlate SignNow offers a user-friendly platform that allows businesses to create, send, and eSign procurement templates effortlessly. This enables teams to manage their procurement processes more efficiently while maintaining a clear audit trail.

Yes, procurement templates can be fully customized using airSlate SignNow's intuitive editor. You can easily add branding elements, modify text, or reconfigure sections to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Using airSlate SignNow for procurement templates offers several benefits, including faster turnaround times, reduced paperwork, and enhanced collaboration among team members. Businesses also enjoy increased security and compliance with electronic signatures.

Yes, airSlate SignNow offers a free trial that allows users to explore the procurement templates feature without any commitment. This trial enables businesses to assess the ease of use and benefits before subscribing to a paid plan.

Pricing for airSlate SignNow is tiered based on the features and number of users. Plans include various features like procurement templates, increased sending limits, and advanced security options, ensuring a solution that fits your business's needs and budget.

Yes, airSlate SignNow offers integrations with a range of software applications, allowing you to utilize procurement templates seamlessly across different platforms. This integration capability enhances workflows and ensures data consistency.

Hi...The Sales Funnel is a customer-focused marketing model which illustrates the theoretical customer journey towards the purchase of a product or service. An example of sales or customer funnelThis staged process is summarized below:Awareness – the customer is aware of the existence of a product or serviceInterest – actively expressing an interest in a product groupDesire – aspiring to a particular brand or productAction – taking the next step towards purchasing the chosen productThe Sales Funnel is also often referred to as the “customer funnel”, “marketing funnel”, “purchase funnel” or ...

Zoho is a web-based online office suite containing word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, note-taking, wikis, web conferencing, customer relationship management (CRM), project management, invoicing, and other applications developed by ZOHO Corporation (formerly AdventNet Inc.), a California-based company. It was launched in 2005 with a web-based word processor. Additional products such as spreadsheets and presentations, were incorporated later into Zoho. Zoho applications are distributed as software as a service (SaaS).Zoho uses an open application programming interface for its Writer, Sheet, Show, Creator, Meeting, and Planner products. It also has plugins into Microsoft Word and Excel, an Apache OpenOffice plugin, and a plugin for Firefox.Zoho Sites is an online, drag and drop website builder. It provides web hosting, unlimited storage, bandwidth and web pages. Features also include an array of website templates and mobile websites. Create, Edit, Share and Collaborate and e-Sign documents online with Zoho Writer.Zoho Creator is a low-code platform to create custom web and mobile apps. It employs a drag-and-drop builder to create forms, reports, dashboards, and workflows—the basics of any app—and can be used to manage data, automate business process, and more.Zoho CRM is a customer relationship management application with features like procurement, inventory, and some accounting functions from the realm of ERP. The free version is limited to 10 users.In October 2009, Zoho integrated some of their applications with the Google Apps online suite. This enabled users to sign into both suites under one login. Zoho and Google still remain separate, competing companies.Source: Zoho Office Suite - Wikipedia

What surprised you about the Indian government's budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman?Completly awestruck by the way, Nirmala Sithraman started by her maiden budget by telling Purananooru.Purananooru is a Tamil work made by Pisiranthayar. She said a verse from it and asked meaning for it from DMK lads. Since they don’t know meaning they smiled and Madam Nirmala Sithraman explains it.Now this is where Anti-DMK kannis get happy. They are so happy that DMK didn’t answer. But wait, what’s the truth? Our Nirmala Mam has practised it 4 times and mugged it up so that she can present it before her budget. Fact is, without memorizing nobody knows the meaning. You go to a random tamil guy ask them the meaning, they will simply look at you like anything because they are Tamils, not Tamil scholars.Fine, second part. 1% cess on fuels. Madam knows where to hit the middle class. In their stomach and day to day usage. Already, the petrol price touched 89–90 last year and this year since BJP is so poor to afford for the poor, they kept their hands in middle class stomach. An average middle class man spends 2–3 k for petrol and now it will hurt him more because the extra 1 cess is per one liter. We are already paying 100% as tax on petrol and now extra 1% cess. BJP fanboy says “I’m ready to pay if it is for the poor”. You pay why should we? We are already paying enough taxes to the government in the name of income tax, professional tax, road tax, entertainment tax. Please introduce tax for pooping more than 3 times a day too because since you hit us in the stomach, this will also help the poor.So these taxes are not enough?I put petrol for rupees 200 and it lasts for 2 days. I use it to go to my office,class and all those stuff. “Please use government buses” - BJP fanboys. Do you know how the buses are here? Do you know how much crowded it gets? Why should I bear more pain? An average middle class man gets hit a lot by these people because of their budget. Already we are paying 100’s of taxes and we don’t know what the government does because the roads are still shit. It is full of potholes and we can’t even drive. We pay road tax when we buy a vechicle and the we pay road tax in petrol and finally the roads are like hell. It is difficult to get a job and we get a job and finally you take professional tax and income tax.It is hard to buy jewels these days for marriage and for a normal middle class to get 20 or 30 soveriegns of gold for their daughter’s marriage will now be a dream because additional tax on Gold too. Already the gold is extremely high and now this. When will the government focus on middle class? So the rich will get richer and the poor will become poorer.Irony is that it was you people who came to power saying that Congress is keeping hands in people’s activites and now you are doing this. Remember how you protested? What is this hypocrisy?.(Image source : Google)Fine, after all we middle class can only talk. You can easily make us anti-national.This is a failed budget and this will create massive impacts and many jobs will be surely lost because of this.I think they will keep hands on RBI and borrow money from them !Edit 1 :Answer to Why did no one talk about the massive layoffs happening in the Indian manufacturing industries during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections? by Navin Niish (நவீன் நீஷ்) Navin Niish (நவீன் நீஷ்)'s answer to Why did no one talk about the massive layoffs happening in the Indian manufacturing industries during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections?Inflation, Cheap internet pricesWait what?Can you eat internet? keep facebook as side dish?Inflation is there and prices are rising - is it under control? NoFor example :loads and loads of stuff are risen including vegetable oils, sunflower oilsIn 2014 - gold winner was 70 rupees now it is 94All the necessary items have risen up.For instance in 2011 and 2012 - 9000 was sufficient to run my family now 80k is not sufficient because of increase of pricesThere is no jobsAuto sector is dead Million Jobs In Danger: Priyanka Gandhi Slams "BJP Government's Silence"These five factors have created painful downturn for India’s automobile industrySlowdown in auto sales: 10-15% people lost jobs in auto component industryAgricultural sector is dyingIndia lost 11 million jobs in 2018, rural areas worst hit: CMIEThey say Jobs are being created but where is the actual data there is nothing happening.Jet airways - deadBSNL - deadHAL - will die soonThe government is not focusing on public sectorsPeople are just happy with a failed budget.NO new IIM’s or IIT’sNo 33% proposed women reservationConstruction sector is already dead and no jobs for civil engineers.Where is this going?People are busy fighting over Jai Shri RamPeople are busy with lynchingPeople are busy with justifyingWe don’t care because we want hindu nationalism and ram rajya than development.I want Hindu nationalism and Ram Rajya too but without development and no improvement they are purely garbageChanging the names of cities can be accepted if they change the way the people’s living standardsManmohan Singh vs Narendra Modi: The real India growth storyIndia clocked 10.08 per cent growth under Manmohan Singh's tenure: ReportNow with the RTI bill we can’t even know what the government is doing.I’m very happy to support one of the finest governments under Narendra Modi but loads of things are there and they are alarming.Edit 2 :I think they will keep hands on RBI and borrow money from them ! - I predicted it !!!!!

If you’re looking to boost morale and transaction throughput, then making the team feel like they’re contributing to the company and what they do matters works best. Awards, even if they’re just recognition, are great.Keep track of team statistics so their accomplishments are visible to everyone especially management.If you’re looking for the team to play a bigger part and take on more work, then speaking with department managers about what the team can offer and being part of more meetings about supply chain issues for all departments is key.

I was born in a poor family. My parents grew up having to go to the toilet in the forest as they couldn’t afford one. They ate boiled rice with salt and pickle. Food was cooked in an earthen pot on a fire made out of dried leaves, firewood and dried wood. And everyone would sleep on the ground.Most of the people would walk as they couldn’t afford the luxury of a cycle. Having slippers was a blessing. On an average people would walk 15 kms per day. When a bus carrying local passengers would pass by, it was a celebration, a great achievement to see one. Only the well-to-do middle class could afford to go in a bus.The life was surrounded by forests, trees, ponds, lakes, nature, rain and nature. And when it would rain - the smell of the wet earth would fill up my nostrils.This is what makes me happy about the real India. The simplicity, the honesty, the happiness that come from living a simple life. And if you ask me - the biggest and most beautiful thing that makes me happy is the values that the Indian culture teaches its people.Kissing or touching the parents feet for respect.Treating the mother and father in the same reverence as treating a godThe wife respecting the husband as if he deserved the treatment of a kingThe husband coming home to a family where his children gave him the respect of a true father whom they humbled themselves to.The culture and tradition where nothing would be done without permissionThis is not present in most other modern cultures.Even today when I tell people on Social Media that my wife presses my legs at night and until I sleep she doesn’t or that she doesn’t eat food until I eat or that she takes my permission before doing anything - they get horrified and start screaming that I am a male chauvinistic pig. While what they do not know is that my wife willingly requests me to allow her to do this, that she gains a sense of joy knowing that me - as her husband is in charge of the house or that she has someone to look up to as the man of the house.It is something someone from the West would never understand. No matter how much we would try to explain it to them. They live in a culture where this phenomenon of ‘Women’s Liberation’ or ‘Feminism’ is so ramped up and amped up - this seems to be the call of the day. For most of these individuals - their teenage children going on a date, back answering them, having their own room and privacy and asking for pocket money is considered a norm. And teenage pregnancy is becoming a reality they are prepared to live with.Over the years what has happened is this access to knowledge, wealth and success has made people so confident - the thin line between were being selfless enlightenment ends & righteous arrogance begins has vanished. And that is where people have forgotten their roots - who they truly are.Please do not get me wrong - it is not that I am not aware of the horrific crimes and injustice that women faced in ancient India (Sati System, Injustice on a Girl Child, Deaths due to Dowry or Child Marriage - that is another topic in itself). But there is a certain beauty in the authenticity of being simple and living simple village life. Neither am I trying to imply everyone is the West is bad and everyone is East is good. No.All I am trying to imply is - there is nothing that can compare to a simple village family life in India.Having lived a Dubai, UAE life where I have eaten a meal costing over $4,500 to impress a girl to spending $2,000 every month on just perfumes alone and living the expensive life that would befit a king, I think I am very happy and content with the purity that comes from my Indian values.Even today there is nothing more delicious than eating steaming boiled rice in water, with salt, pickle and dried fish, sitting on the floor and eating food with the family.No Air Conditioner. No Burger King Delivery with Coke & French Fries. No expensive sofa to lie down on and watch TV reruns. Just a family that lives a simple life, in silence and a sense of joy that no amount of money, no amount of education and no amount of modernization can provide.This is what makes me happy about my India - My RootsLoy MachedoUpdates / Edits as of 20th July 2017With the feedback and messages I received, I suppose there was a slight communication gap on my part which I wish to clarify. Here are the answers to the questions you have asked and the comments stated.POINT NUMBER 1: My wife is Thai. She is 25 years old and comes from a Village in Thailand. Her family is exceptionally rich and well off. In the Thai custom, the man gives money to the girl’s family. And if the girl is single, young, without children - the dowry is marked higher. And then if she is attractive, educated and smart, the dowry goes even higher. However, they didn’t ask for a single penny as a dowry. Here is a picture of her and me.POINT NUMBER 2:I am not one of those men who believe that a woman’s place is in the kitchen or she should have restrictions. My wife has been given the liberty and freedom to do whatever she pleases. However, she prefers to be a housewife.POINT NUMBER 3: I enjoying doing housework with my wife. We do it together once a week where I also help her in cooking, cleaning, mopping the house. However, I cannot do this everyday as I deal with over 200,000 connections world wide and my online business format is whereby I deal with premium clients charging them $1,500 per hour for my time. And along with that I also deal with global brands, CEO’s & Directors. So doing house-work is a low value assignment. I would rather employ servants in the house - but my wife is against this. So I respect her views.POINT NUMBER 4: I was a playboy before with over 450 relationships and 3 divorces. (if you factor in being a celebrity, rich and famous and yes a ‘Dubai’ lifestyle - it becomes a normal way of living). However, once I met her, I gave her my word that my playboy days were long gone. To ensure she feels totally safe - I have handed over all my emails, passwords, bank account access - everything in her name and she is free to access, use and do whatever she wishes without my permission. In getting married to her, I ensured I was going to make this relationship work.POINT NUMBER 5:I have absolutely no qualms in pressing my wife’s feet, kissing her feet, respecting her, venerating her or worshipping the ground on which she walks. She dedicated her life to me and I had made up my mind to dedicate my life to her. I am an Atheist and do not care about religious rituals and beliefs. However, what matters to me is that my wife feels cared for and loved. Even today I get women who are very keen and interested to meet me from around the world. I let my wife speak to them and deal with them the way she wishes. I only focus now on building a life for us and taking care of the future.POINT NUMBER 6:I spend the whole day at home with my wife - as I work from home. We both live in a forest in Koh Samui, Thailand. I take her every where I go and dedicate 2 hours everyday only for her where work is switched off (no cell phones, internet, work or study) and once a week is entirely dedicated to taking her out, being with her and doing what she loves.

The new updated NAFTA agreement clause by clause have being in negociations for over (1) year between USA, Canada & Mexico.Over 90% is done almost finished. There is only Donald Trump to make happy, still pending; Going into the NAFTA negotiations, Canada faces all sorts of troubles. Canadian business seems to see a future abroad. Canadian investment in the United States has grown a remarkable 18% a year during the three years through 2017, the last period for which complete data are available. Such spending flows jumped 19.0% in 2017 alone. Canadian investment dollars have flowed at an even higher rate to other countries. Gross investment outflows from Canada have increased a striking 35% a year during this same three-year period. Meanwhile, U.S. and other foreign investors seem determined to avoid Canada. Foreign direct investment in that country fell 26% in 2017 and stands at less than half the level recorded in 2015.U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said the biggest problem with the North American Free Trade Agreement “comes from the North,” with Canadian dairy producers dumping low-cost products on the market to compete with Wisconsin farms.Ryan said Friday that NAFTA needs to be “updated,” but the U.S. should work within the framework of the deal that took effect in 1994, rather than pulling out. Speaking at an event sponsored by WisPolitics, a Wisconsin outlet for political news, Ryan said ending the free trade agreement would risk higher tariffs for cheese that American producers export to Mexico.U.S.-Canada trade talks are poised to come to a head this week, as negotiators bear down on their next deadline amid President Donald Trump’s threats to cut his largest export market out of the deal.While we are arguing in Washington about the the Canadians being a National Threat to security over NAFTA and other duties for Aluminium and steel. China is promoting many interesting projects something the Americans do not do any longer…High-level negotiations are expected to resume this week in a bid to signNow a deal for Canada to remain in the three-nation North American Free Trade Agreement, a Canadian government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Congress is pressing for Canada to be kept in NAFTA, after the U.S. and Mexico struck their own deal last month.There are still several prickly issues that are unresolved between Canada and the U.S., including a compromise on U.S. access :1-Canadian dairy market,2-cultural exemptions3-Chapter 19 dispute settlement resolution system of the NAFTA deal that allows Canada to challenge U.S. tariffs.STICKING POINTSCanada is offering certain concessions, such as on dairy, in exchange for keeping parts of the current deal it deems essential. Here are the core remaining issues:Cultural products: Canada’s NAFTA exemptions for some cultural industries have been an irritant to the U.S. for decades. Though Lighthizer has recognized the need for some of these policies, others are simply protectionism, he’s said.Other possible flashpointsSteel and aluminum tariffs: When a NAFTA deal is ultimately forged, Ottawa will want Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum lifted. The industries in question have made it clear they want tariff and quota free trade with the U.S. Canada will also want a guarantee that the U.S. won’t slap tariffs on Canadian-made cars.Dispute panels: Anti-dumping panels contained in NAFTA’s Chapter 19. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has long despised them and sees them as an assault on sovereignty and wants to kill them; Canada calls this a red line issue, and sees them as an essential arbiter in a trade pact with a country 10 times its size.“I think Canada still has to fight for some kind of dispute settlement in NAFTA, I’m not sure Chapter 19 is it,” said Lawrence Herman, a former Canadian diplomat who practices international trade law at Herman & Associates.Apart from the softwood lumber dispute, Canada hasn’t used Chapter 19 much over the years, said Herman. And in the years since NAFTA was first negotiated, the World Trade Organization has introduced new ways to appeal unfair duties — though the U.S. has been blocking the appointment of any new judges to the WTO’s appellate body, calling into question the effectiveness of this system.Cultural exemptions: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t want to open the door to U.S. takeovers of Canadian TV networks, or a flood of U.S. content. Cultural products: Canada’s NAFTA exemptions for some cultural industries have been an irritant to the U.S. for decades. Though Lighthizer has recognized the need for some of these policies, others are simply protectionism, he’s said.Dairy: This is probably Canada’s big bargaining chip. It’s not in NAFTA now but the U.S. is seeking more access to Canada’s protected market. Trudeau has said he’ll bargain here.Dairy represents only a small fraction — about US$600 million — of a total $900 billion in cross-border trade. And the U.S. has also been accused of unfairly subsidizing its own dairy producers, not to mention using a system that bears a striking resemblance to supply management to protect its sugar producers. Nevertheless, Trump has latched on to Canada’s dairy protections as “Not fair to our farmers!”“I think Canada still has to fight for some kind of dispute settlement in NAFTA,Donald Trump is responsable for the cross fire China trade war causing loses ..;….( 40 Millions) on dairy products in Wisconsin …China, US Dairy’s Third-Largest Export Market, to Add Big Tariffs on Imports as retaliatory action on Trump tariffUS Dairy’s Top Three Export Markets Increase TariffsJul 11, 2018 Fulfilling their promises to retaliate against tariffs imposed by the U.S. administration, Mexico, Canada and China last week began enforcing increased tariff rates on a wide variety of U.S. dairy products.“These new tariffs will have a signNow impact on IDFA members who export their products to these countries,” said Beth Hughes, IDFA director of international affairs. “We’re taking these new developments very seriously. We’re conducting frequent discussions with administration officials to promote equitable trade and continually communicating IDFA members’ concerns to top trade officials.”Mexico is the largest market for U.S. dairy exports and last year imported nearly $1.31 billion worth of U.S. dairy products, with cheese representing nearly $400 million in sales. Canada, purchased $637 million worth of U.S. dairy products last year ahead of China, dairy’s third-largest market abroad, which purchased more than $576 million.China-U.S. tariffs: Wisconsin cheese industry hopes Trump has strategy in trade disputes JUNE 25, 2018 Cheese makers that rely on foreign sales are suffering as China raise tariffs on U.S. mozzarella and provolone.Take Our Cheese, Please: CANADA ..American Cheese Makers Suffer Under CHINA New Tariffs Cheesemakers hit by China tariff disputeChinese Tariffs Would Make U.S. Dairy Products Uncompetitive Canada has not harmed any dairy farmers in Wisconsin or any other state;Canada has nothing to do with the Trump dairy wars in China now implicating Canada to wide open their borders to Wisconsin dairy products incapable to sell their dairy products to China.The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday released plans to impose tariffs on two lists of Chinese products. One list includes products that will be subject to a 25-percent tariff beginning July 6. It includes dairy machinery and machinery parts, but excludes milking machines and their parts.In retaliation, the Chinese government will impose an additional 25-percent tariff on various imports of milk, cream, yogurt, whey, butter and cheese products beginning July 6. China's tariff rates on dairy products, starting July 1, will range from two to 20 percent.Sunset clause: The original U.S. proposal was to place a five-year “sunset” or expiry date on NAFTA unless all three parties agreed to extend it. Both Canada and Mexico balked, saying such a deal would prevent the type of certainty necessary for long-term business investment. The U.S. has since softened its proposal to a 16-year sunset, with reviews every six years. This will be more considerably more palatable, analysts say.Cross-border shipping: The U.S. wants Canada to raise its so-called de minimis level, under which cross-border shipments are shipped duty-free.Pharmaceuticals: The U.S. and Mexico agreed to 10-year patent protection for biologic drugs, but Canada wants a shorter period. Longer patent protection raises drug costs, and Canada is eyeing expanded public funding for pharmaceuticalsIntellectual Property: Mexico and the U.S. agreed to tougher protections here. It’s a sticking point, but there have been scant signs that Canada sees this as a core issue.The U.S.-Canada deal won’t substantially change any of the autos agreement already struck by the U.S. and Mexico, officials familiar with talks have said. Autos had been the biggest sticking point in earlier talks. In other words, two of the subjects Trump talks about most — cars and dairy — are resolved or within grasp.“What has surprised me is looking at the conciliatory position of the U.S. on a lot of issues,” said Laura Dawson, Director of the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute in Washington. The U.S. has dropped some of its most high-profile demands, but she stopped short of making any bets. “They’re closer now than they have been; that’s all I’ve got.”CONGRESS VIEWLast week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said "we need to keep the Chapter 19 dispute resolution because that ensures that the rules are actually followed.""And we know we have a president who doesn't always follow the rules as they're laid out," Trudeau said.Negotiators from the United States, Canada and Mexico began work on a new version of NAFTA last year and concluded their last round of closed sessions. The task of signNowing agreement seems daunting, with an official U.S. position entering the talks that included a terse list of more than 100 changes required to “revise” and “renegotiate” the agreement. The messaging from Canadian and Mexican leaders was less specific and couched in language about the need to “modernize” and “reform” the agreement.The distinctions were apparent at the formal event last Wednesday, when the senior U.S. official, Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, included some tough words for the 23-year-old trade pact. NAFTA has “failed many, many Americans,” he said. President Trump, he said, “is not interested in a mere tweaking of provisions and a couple of updated chapters.—Dispute settlement: NAFTA is enforced by three main systems for settling disputes: Chapter 11 lets companies sue governments for unfair treatment, Chapter 19 lets industries fight punitive duties, and Chapter 20 lets countries sue countries.The U.S. wants to weaken two of the three, and entirely end Chapter 19. It's a historically emotional issue for Canada, as Chapter 19 was the original make-or-break condition for free trade with the U.S.; it's also been used to fight softwood lumber duties. However, some observers question the relevance of Chapter 19 today, as other forums exist for fighting duties.Take the spat against Bombardier, in which duties were overturned in the U.S. court system. As for Chapter 11, Canada has less of a historical attachment, although it's extremely popular with those business allies in the U.S. fighting to preserve NAFTA.The Trump administration's trade czar dislikes all these systems — Lighthizer sees them not only as a violation of national sovereignty: he argues that Chapter 11 helps companies do the dirty deed of outsourcing jobs. He argues that if companies want to shift plants elsewhere, the U.S. government should not be in the business of protecting their legal rights in, for instance, Mexico.When it comes to giving, though, there is one thing Canada is highly unlikely to offer: NAFTA’s system of settling disputes over trade and investment. These panels and tribunals put such arguments in the hands of acknowledged experts who determine whether actions by a corporation or a government (such as alleged dumping, unfair subsidies or other trade barriers) contravene the overall agreement.The Canadian perspective on the need for good referees has not budged since the Mulroney government established similar panels as part of the 1987 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement that set the table for NAFTA. That requirement was firm enough that the FTA talks nearly broke down over it.“The idea that there is a mechanism to resolve trade irritants and disputes is a fundamental building block of a trade agreement,” says Scotiabank’s Perrault, noting that a more evolved dispute settlement system is built into the new Canada-European Union trade agreement.The U.S. administration seems to disagree. When Trade Representative Lighthizer released the formal Summary of Objectives for the NAFTA Renegotiationon July 17, one point puts it bluntly: Eliminate the Chapter 19 dispute settlement mechanism.“The fact that the Americans have put this on the table is a serious concern to the Canadian government -- and to the Mexican government,” says Perrault.“The idea behind these things is that, if you are signing international trade agreements, you need some kind of a supranational legal mechanism to ensure that country lives up to their commitments, so you’re not beholden to the findings of the Canadian trade remedy system or the American trade remedy system or the Mexican trade remedy system. There is a kind of a third party adult in the room that rules on the basis of the agreement that was signed.There is little indication that the U.S. business community sees the tribunals as an issue.“I think the business community in the U.S. values that aspect of the deal because it provides them protection against actions we have taken -- and they have won most of the cases they have brought forward,” he says. “So the Americans have benefited from this more than we have.”But the NAFTA negotiations are overseen by political leaders with their own agendas. And their own timetables: a summer 2018 general election in Mexico and fall 2018 U.S. Congressional elections have injected an atmosphere of urgency into the talks. If pressure mounts to make the deal on a deadline, what might Canada give up in order to preserve the dispute-settlement system?—Intellectual property:Disrupting retail and driving up drug costs could have serious implications.The U.S. complains about Canada's border controls on counterfeit goods. It says it's concerned that Canada doesn't provide customs officials with the ability to inspect, seize, and destroy pirated goods moving through Canada to the United States. It complains that there were no known criminal prosecutions for counterfeiting in Canada in 2017, calling Canada an outlier among developed countries. It also bemoans what it calls excessive use of education-related exceptions to copyright laws, which it says have damaged the market for educational publishers and authors.Intellectual property rules cut to the heart of another perennial concern for Canadians: health care costs. Intellectual property includes drug patents, for which Canada’s rules are very different from those in the Unites States.“We have much less protection for patents for medications and patents in general than the U.S., and therefore have a much more dynamic generic drug industry,” says Perrault. “The Americans want to change that. So there is a potential there that leads to higher drug prices.Canada is particularly concerned with how Chapter 19 of the original NAFTA — the dispute settlement mechanism that can be used to challenge anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases, like what has been used by Canada in past on the softwood lumber file — has been renegotiated by the U.S. and Mexico.Chapter 19 has been a do-or-die issue for Canada as it is often relied on to fight punitive duties. Lighthizer has long opposed this chapter as he believes it's in violation of U.S. sovereignty. Chapter 19 remains a sticking point, among other things," said a senior source with direct knowledge of the situation, Chapter 19 has been a do-or-die issue for Canada as it is often relied on to fight punitive duties. Lighthizer has long opposed this chapter as he believes it's in violation of U.S. sovereignty.Canada and U.S. negotiators discussed Chapter 19 before moving on to Canada's concerns with what Mexico agreed to on intellectual property rights. The U.S. — under pressure from the big pharmaceutical lobby — has persistently pushed for longer drug patentsProcurement: Canada's aim is to increase companies' access to public-works contracts abroad, expanding that access from federal contracts to state/provincial and local ones. Currently, subnational procurement rights are negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The U.S. has the opposite goal: It wants to limit the access Canadian and Mexican companies already enjoy at the federal level, restricted to whatever amount of contracts American companies win in the other countries. Government procurement was absent from the fact sheets on the U.S. – Mexico deal, and there’s been little noise about the issue from the parties in Washington.“If the U.S. is willing to move away from this dollar-for-dollar position I think something could get sorted out here,” Herman said, noting that WTO rules, countries must provide non-discriminatory access to government procurement. “We at least want the same access as Germany or the U.K.”The two sides also discussed de minimis levels. The U.S. has insisted Canada must raise its duty-free limits on imported goods. The current threshold that allows the duty free import of purchases under $20 is said to be far too low in an era of robust e-commerce. The U.S., meanwhile, allows its citizens to import $800 from abroad, penalty free.Freeland said she is encouraged by the progress made in talks between the U.S. and Mexico, particularly on the autos front where the countries agreed to a wage provision that 40 to 45 per cent of auto content would be made by workers earning at least $16 US an hour."Mexico has made some signNow concessions which will be really good for Canadian workers. On that basis, we are optimistic about having some very good, productive conversations this week."—Dairy: The U.S. has two problems with Canadian dairy policy. First, Canada limits imports and sets fixed prices under a supply-management system, and does the same for poultry and eggs. Second, Canadian producers who are protected from competition are at the same time selling surplus ingredients onto the world market for cheese-making, contributing to a global glut.The U.S. has demanded an end to these surplus sales, and also an end to supply management within 10 years. Canada's counterpoint is that the U.S. engages in its own protections, supporting farmers during boom-bust cycles; it argues that Canada's system at least has the benefit of being stable, and not requiring periodic bailouts. If past history is any guide, a middle-ground compromise might be possible: in agreements with Europe and the TPP countries, Canada opened up its dairy market by several percentage points.Sunset clause: One of the most controversial ideas of this negotiation. The U.S. has pushed for a clause in the deal that would cancel NAFTA after five years, unless every country agrees to keep it. Critics say this is a recipe for permanent uncertainty. They ask how a car company, for instance, is supposed to invest in all the assembly-line changes demanded in this deal, when the whole deal could be over in five years. They also point out that NAFTA already has a termination clause, which countries can invoke if they're unhappy.The U.S. has since softened its proposal to a 16-year sunset, with reviews every six years. This will be more considerably more palatable, analysts say.Professional visas: Canada wants to modernize the list of professions eligible for a NAFTA work visa under Chapter 16. The current list of jobs eligible for these visas is decades old, and features almost nothing for the tech industry. Companies complain this makes it hard to send their own employees to branches across the border. The U.S. has put up some resistance, as any expansion of work-related migration risks being wrapped into the heated U.S. immigration debate.Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, a known free trader, said Congress will retain the right to approve any trade deal despite some of the assertive rhetoric coming from Trump's White House. "NAFTA was enacted with legislation. … Similarly, a change to NAFTA requires legislation."U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said he was confident Canada would ultimately join the deal because its economy "can't survive very well" without the United States."The key thing is the Canadian economy can't survive very well without a deal with the U.S. They're too dependent on us and particularly too dependent on the automotive sector. Since we've already resolved the automotive issues with Mexico, those are now issues that are particularly adverse to Canada," Ross said.Disrupting retail and driving up costs could have serious implications. More serious, though, are the likely results of a failed NAFTA negotiation. Failure to resolve the three nations’ differences could have grave consequences, destabilizing a continental economic zone of 470-million people who generate one-quarter of the world’s GDP.1-This is a must-win issue for Canada at the NAFTA talks2-Canada, U.S. planning all-night NAFTA negotiations as optimism for a deal grows | CBC News3- http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/201...4-US, Canada will meet Tuesday, earlier than expected on NAFTA5-U.S.-Canada NAFTA talks are poised to come to a head this week6-What to watch as Canada looks for a breakthrough in NAFTA talks7-Going Into The NAFTA Negotiations, Canada Has Trouble

I rate him 95+ out of 100.INITIATIVES FOR PASSENGERSPassenger Helpline No. 138 and security helpline 182 Indian Railways provided the All India Helpline Number ‘138’ for passengers, as an interface for queries/complaints related to medical emergency, cleanliness, food & catering, coach maintenance, linen etc. A security helpline ‘182’has also been launched to report any unsavory incidents. This service is very important public service and may play an important role in emergencies like crime against women, onboard unlawful activity, train accidents, medical attention required and fire etc. These helpline numbers viz.138&182 and existing 139 are now to be printed on the tickets for the convenience of passengers. Launching of e-catering service in trainsThe Ministry of Railways is providing e-catering service in trains through its PSU, Indian Railways Catering &Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). This is a service where a passenger is able to place an order for a meal, to be served at his seat in the train enroute, through a phone call or an SMS. Presently this service is available in 120 pairs of trains. Go-India Smart cardGo-India’ smart card scheme has been launched on pilot basis on two sectors i.e. New Delhi-Mumbai and New Delhi-Howrah. At present, the Go-India smart card enables passengers to pay for reserved and unreserved tickets. The scheme is intended to reduce the transaction time at the booking counters for the convenience of passengers as it facilitates cashless transaction.Introduction of Next Generation e-ticketing systemNext generation E-ticketing system introduced, which can book 7200 online tickets instead of 2000 tickets per minute and to attend 2,00,000 enquiries instead of 50000 per minute. SMS Alerts to passengersIndian Railways added another milestone by launching yet another innovative scheme called the ‘SMS Gateway’, which will enable passengers to get SMS alerts on the status of reserved tickets. Moreover SMS alerts giving wakeup calls has also been introduced. Mobile security App.for womenMobile app for security of women has been launched in Mumbai suburban trains.This is the first phase and it will be extended in other areas in a phased manner. Yatri Ticket Sewa Kendra schemeA new scheme called the Yatri Ticket Sewa Kendra (YTSK) Scheme has been launched. Under this scheme, agents of Indian Railways can operate ticketing terminals at various locations in the cities and towns for issuing reserved tickets and unreserved tickets. This will offer greater convenience to passengers in getting rail tickets. Adarsh StationThe scheme of Adarsh stations for better amennities has been introduced in the year 2009. Under this scheme, 1052 stations have been selected for development as Adarsh Station upto 2013-14. 108 stations have been developed under the scheme during 2014-15, as such a total of 934 stations have been developed as ‘Adarsh’ station so far. Pilgrim special tourist trainsWith a view to promote rail tourism in the country and to provide reasonably priced tourism package to tourists, especially the pilgrims in the country, India Railways through its PSU IRCTC has launched six pilgrim special tourist train packages in the first phase. The tourist packages are;  Sukhamngalam Yatra,  Dham special with Dakshin Darshan via Lucknow, Dham special with Dakshin Darshan via Jaipur, Shikharji Circuit Yatra, Jyotirling Yatra, and Takht Parikrama. Braille Signages on coachesFor the help of visually impaired passengers, Indian Railways has taken  the initiative of providing Braille signages on coaches. CCTV on coaches In order to improve security measures on trains and especially for women passengers, it has been decided to provide CCTV cameras on coaches especially in ladies compartments in doorway and aisle area without infringing on the privacy. Waiting chairs/benches etc. under MPLAD Scheme Guidelines issue for installations of chairs/benches/overhead sheds at stations under Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme(MPLAD).Comprehensive guidelines have been issued for improvement of passenger amenities at stations through NGOs, Trusts, Corporate etc. R.O. drinking water at stations Provision of Reverse Osmosis (R.O.) drinking water units at selection stations on experimental basis has been planned. To begin with, eight stations namely, Madurai, Gadag, Tirupati, Guwahati Dwarka, H.Nizammudin, Patna  & Bhopal were identified for provision of R.O. drinking water units. While R.O. drinking water units have already been commissioned at Dwarka, Gadag, H.Nizammudin, Katihar (in lieu of Guwahati), Madurai and Tirupati stations R.O. units at Patna & Bhopal are planned to be commissioned shortly.This will help provide safe drinking water to passengers. Seperate Food safety officer in every division With a view to ensure better quality check on the food installations in Railway, it has been decided to appoint one Food Safety Officer in every Division of the Railways. Earlier a Food Safety Officer was entrusted with more than one Division which was causing difficulty in ensuring proper supervision.DIGITAL INDIA INITIATIVE Launching of a ‘Customer Complaint Web Portal’ A ‘Customer Complaint Web Portal and Mobile Application’ (android/windows based mobile App), was launched. One can track the status of the complaints which he or she registered on this portal with the help of mobile App. Feedback can also be given on this portal.  This will help in faster redressal of passenger grievances. ‘Operation Five Minutes’ –Paperless Unreserved TicketingFulfilling yet another commitment of the Railway Budget 2015-16, the Minister of Railways launched Mobile Application for Paperless Unreserved Ticketing on pilot basis on  Egmore –Tambaram Suburban Section of Chennai. This initiative is part of Indian Railways effort to help passengers purchase the unreserved tickets within five minutes under its ‘Operation five minutes programme’. This will allow the passenger to buy a ticket on the move and allow him or her to board the train with the ticket secured on his or her mobile phone, without any need for printing the ticket.‘E-Samiksha’ for Implementation  MonitoringIn yet another milestone initiative for ensuring timely implementation of budget proposals, a special portal called ‘E-Samiksha’, has been launched for monitoring the implementation of budget announcements/commitments .This portal would help to keep an eye on the implementation of budget process. Facility of ‘Wi-Fi’ services on Railway stations Indian Railways is providing the Wi-Fi Broadband Services at several stations which include Bangaluru, Secunderabad, Mumbai CST, Agra, Varanasi, Hawrah, Chennai, Ahmdabad. The Wi-Fi project on Indian Railways is being executed by RailTel, a Public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways. Wi-Fi facility is available to the users free of cost initially for a period of 30 minutes by registering on the Wi-Fi network through their mobile phones. The facility of Wi-Fi will be extended to other stations in a phased manner. Introduction of e-demand system With the release of this module, customers can sit in the convenience of their homes or offices and register their freight demands. Railways’  Social Media platform To keep pace with the modern means of internet media, Indian Railways launched its three social media platforms namely Facebook, Twitter and You Tube with the URL @railminindia. Railway Budget was for the first time live streamed on social media platforms. Online suggestions and feedback can also be made on these social media platforms. SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT MoU signed for highest ever funding for Railways In a landmark achievement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Railways and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) for highest ever funding of Rs. 1.5 lakh crore for Railways. This move will ultimately help railways growth through augmentation of its financial resources. Interim Report of HLRRC submitted to Railway Board Interim Report of High Level Railway Restructuring Committee (HLRCC) headed by Dr. Bibek Debroy has been submitted to the Railway Board.The report has also been put on the Ministry’s website for inviting suggestions and comments. This committee was constituted with an aim to find out ways to mobilise resources for major railway projects and restructuring of railways. Delegating more power to Zonal Railways With an aim to fast track decision making and bring in transparency full powers have been delegated to General Manages and Director Generals as tender authority . All the cases for acceptance of Works and Stores tenders, will now be dealt with and finalized by Zonal Railways and Production Units.Scope of e-tendering is being expanded for increased transparency and procurement. Saving of energy To reduce cost of Electrical energy being used for traction, procurement through open market is being done.Power Purchase Agreement between DVC and North Central railway for supply of 50MW power has already been signed.Saving for the month of March 2015 alone is Rs 10 Crore approx.A web based electrical energy management system called RailSaver has been launched which will help save upto 15% energy by 2020. Logistic Hubs on National Waterways A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWA) and the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) for creation of logistic hubs with rail connectivity at Varanasi and other places on National Waterways. Alternative  Energy Resources Solar Plants of 2 MW at RCF, Raebareli and 1 MW at Katra Railway station have been commissioned.Target of commissioning 6.5 MW Solar Power plants in year 2015-16. A 30 KW Solar Plant has been commissioned at roof top Rail Bhawan at New Delhi. Solar plants at other Railway buildings are proposed to be installed in future. Target for commissioning of 25 MW Wind Energy Plant at Jaisalmer in 2015-16. Ratan Tata as Head of ‘Kayakalp’ Council Taking immediate follow up action in implementing the Budget announcement, Railways constituted the ‘Kayakalp’ Council and appointed Shri Ratan Tata to head this Council. The purpose of the Council is to recommend innovative methods and processes for the improvement, betterment and transformation of the Indian Railways. MOU with National Institute of Design Adding yet another milestone by fulfilling another commitment announced in the Railway Budget 2015-16, the Indian Railway signed an MoU to set up its own Railway Design Centre in the campus of National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmadabad. This will help improve customer’s happiness by way of better designed coaches and providing cost effective solutions to problems faced by passengers during train travel. White paper and vision 2030 documentMinister of Railways released White Paper on Railways in the parliament with a view to understand the challenges that the organization is presently facing. Ministry of Railways is now working on the vision 2030 document on Railways which will contain a blueprint for the future development of the Indian Railways. Task forces and Experts’ committeesSeveral task forces and committees of experts constituted for focussed attention on areas like revenue mobilization through advertising, improving financial health of railways, restructuring delegation of powers, productivity enhancement, etc. The various committees have roped in experts like E Shreedhran, former CAG Vinod Rai, economist Bibek Debroy and noted industrialist Ratan Tata to improve the Railways and bring in innovative ideas and solutions.Better training of Railway PersonnelAcademic Services Agreement has been signed with Beijing Jiao Tong University, China for training of 100 officers of various departments in Heavy Haul Technology. ‘Indian Railways Chair for Sustainable Mobility’ has been set up at TERI University, New Delhi. Modules on gender sensitization of Railway personnel have been introduced in centralized training institutes.Centre for Railway Research set up at Mumbai UniversityRailway Ministry and Mumbai University signed an MoU to set up a Centre for Railway Research (CRR) at University of Mumbai in order to develop a long-term frame work for research collaboration. Leveraging of space for advertisingWith a view to generate additional revenue, RITES,a public sector undertaking of Ministry of Railways prepared a Concept Note, indicating ways and means for leveraging of space in coaches, wagons, trains, railway stations etc. for advertisements, publicity and other purposes. Now, six-member task force headed by Member Traffic Railway Board has been set up to examine and implement this project.INFRASTRUCTURECritical coal connectivity projects fasttracked Transportation of coal is an important activity of Indian Railways and is very crucial for the country’s power supply system. Critical Coal connectivity projects in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa are being fast tracked. MOU has been signed with Ministry of Coal and Government of Odisha. Another MOU with Government of Jharkhand is in the offing. Redevelopment of Railway Stations Railway Ministry has now decided to offer Railway Stations for redevelopment on ‘as is where is’ basis, by inviting open bids from interested parties with their designs and business ideas duly providing for amenities and other requirements of the Railways. The Process for redevelopment of stations, already indentified viz. Anand Vihar, Bijwasan, Chandigarh, Shivaji Nagar & Habibganj by Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd. (IRSDC) is continuing. Progress On Dedicated Freight Corridor Project Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight corridors are being developed for smooth and fast transportation of freight. Loan for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (Phase 2) for US $ 1100 million approved  by the World Bank on 22.04.14, has been signed on 11th November 2014. Electrification contract for 945 km of Western DFC has been awarded on 18.11.2014. FDI and PPP in RailwaysCabinet approved 100% FDI in identified areas of Railway sector.Ministry of Railways has formulated sectoral guidelines on FDI.Investor’s meet was held to explain FDI to investors.More meets planned in future. High level committee set up to discuss FDI and PPP issues. Ministry of Railways has also issued Model Concession Agreement for Non Governmental Railway model, joint venture model and Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model. During the period , approvals were also given for port connectivity PPP projects viz. Roha-Dighi newline and Digni-Jaigarh port newline. In addition in principle approval for two more port connectivity projects viz. Chhara port and Nargol port has been given.New Rail Neer Plant in Mumbai inaugurated A new Rail Neer plant has been set up at Ambernath (Mumbai) by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Public Sector Undertaking of Ministry of Railways, the production capacity of this plant will be 2 lakh liters per day, This will improve availability of safe Packaged Drinking Water (PDW).  Laying of Opticle Fibre Cable on Railway Network A total number of 1,329 route kilometres OFC has been laid. Cumulatively, 48,179 route kilometers (approx.) OFC has been commissioned over Indian .It will enable high speed internet connectivity and video conferencing facility. New lines and electrificationIn 2014-15, 1983 km of railway lines have been commissioned. This is the highest ever. In 2014-15, 1375 km of railway electrification completed. This is the highest ever. SAFETY Geo-spatial technologies for unmanned level crossings In a signNow move to make Unmanned Level Crossings (UMLCs) safer for road users thereby avoiding accidents thereat, Geo-spatial technologies are proposed to be used with the help of ISRO. Under such technologies which combine Global Positioning System(GPS), Geographic Information System(GIS) and Remote Sensing, an alert message will be flashed automatically in the mobile phones of all the road users carrying GPS enabled mobile phones in the vicinity of an Unmanned Level Crossing, about the approaching train. This will save many lives as many fatal accidents occur at unmanned level crossing. Quick evacuation of injured persons from tracks Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are being put in place regarding quick evacuation of the injured persons from the railway track so that human lives are saved. MoU on construction of ROBs/RUBs In a move to further enhance safety of road users, Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on policy related to constructions of Road Over Bridges and Road Under Bridges on National Highway corridors.  MAKE IN INDIA Expansion project of DLW factory The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the commencement of Expansion Project of Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), a production unit of Indian Railways at Varanasi on some of the features of  the expansion plan are; a new block shop, loco frame shop and loco assembly shop, new plant shop having advanced paint booths, induction of high productivity machines and generation of 250 kw Green Power by roof mounted grid connected solar power plant. The project will herald the ‘Make in India’ campaign in the holy city, Varanasi.Ministry of Railway also successfully floated RFP for state of the Art Electro Loco Factory at Madhepura and Diesel Loco Factory at Marhowra. Again RFP were issued for manufacturing 9000 HP electric locos for western DFC. Locos will be manufactured at Dankuni and Technology will be transferred to CLW, Chittanranjan. New production unitsRail Wheel Plan, Bela commissioned and regular production started.2nd unit for manufacture of LHB coaches fit to run at 160kmph made functional at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.DEMU factory Haldia commissioned.Mid-life Rehabilitation Workshop for coaches at Jhansi completed.New Loco and New Green Train5500 HP Diesel Locomotive introduced in Indian Railway System which is the highest horse power Diesel Engine.First “Green” DEMU rail introduced on Northern Railway to run between Rewari-Rohtak Section. HIGH SPEED PROJECTS Status of Railways Semi High Speed Projects Indian Railways is working on increasing speed of trains raising it to 160kmph/200 kmph referred as Semi-High speed. It has identified nine corridors for this purpose. Trial run in Delhi-Agra corridor successfully completed for running trains at semi-high speed of 160 km. per hour. The commercial services will be started after obtaining the CRS sanction. The feasibility study for semi high speed on Chennai-Bangaluru-Mysore Corridor is being taken up by Chinese Railways. Feasibility study for New Delhi-Chandigarh Corridor to be undertaken with French Railway. Discussions are on with Germany for undertaking feasibility study of Nagpur-Secunderabad Corridor. 5 other identified corridors under examination for semi high speed trains. Mumbai-Ahemdabad High Speed Bullet train project Ministry of Railways took steps for introduction of High Speed Bullet Trains(300+kmph) in the country on Mumbai-Ahmadabad corridor.  It is part of the Ministry’s ambitious plan to have Diamond Quadrilateral network of High Speed Rail connecting major metros and growth centers of the country. French Railway submitted business model study of this corridor. The interim report of feasibility study being undertaken by Japan has been received and final report is expected in June, 2015. One new route between New Delhi and Chennai has been identified for introducing bullet train and China has been entrusted with the task of undertaking feasibility study of this line. JAMMU & KASHMIR AND NORTH EASTOpening of Lumding-Silchar broad gauge section The much awaited Lumding-Silchar Broad Gauge section (Assam) inaugurated with the running of goods trains. The passenger train services will be started soon on this section. This line will provide seamless BG connectivity to Barak Valley of Assam with the rest of the Country.it Musica Country,Free Country Music WebRadio Online! is a very crucial rail link for the N.E region. First train to Meghalaya In an important event in the history of Railways, one more north-eastern state namely Meghalaya was brought on country’s railway map. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the first ever train from Guwahati to Medipathar in Meghalaya to mark this feat. Foundation stone for rail link to Mizoram’s capital To further boost the development of rail link in North Eastern region, the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation for a new rail route from Bhairabi to Sairang in Mizoram. It will take rail connectivity to Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram Katra comes on country’s railway map In another landmark engineering marvel, Indian Railways completed Udhampur-Katra Broad gauge line in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.  Prime Minister dedicated this line to the nation at a programme held at Katra.This line has brought Katra on country’s railway map consequently bringing Jammu & Kashmir Valley nearer to the rest of the nation . Railways help during J&K floodsIndian Railways geared up its machinery to provide all possible help to the travelling public in the wake of unprecedented flood in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Railways arranged transport of relief material free of charge by coaching trains to Jammu Tawi and Udhampur from any station of India. Railways made about 4 lakh Rail Neer drinking water bottles available for flood affected people of J&K.North-eastern tour package for college students An education train ‘Gyanodaya Express’ – a tour package for the students of Delhi University to visit North east states, was flagged off from Delhi . It will help the students to connect with NE region . SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAANNation wide Action PlanIndian Railways is implementing PMs nationwide campaign of Swachch Bharat Abhiyan in true letter and spirit.Separate Directorate for Environment and Housekeeping created. This Directorate will address all environment and housekeeping related issues over Railways.Detailed action plan on cleanliness prepared has been prepared and an Integrated Policy of cleanliness in Stations, Platforms and Coaches is under formulation.50 major stations outsourced for international level cleanliness. Setting up of mechanised laundries Mechanised laundries at 6 new locations have been set up to improve the quality of linen being supplied to AC class passengers. With this Indian Railway now have 33 such mechanized laundries. Dustbins on all the coaches: Dustbins on trains were hitherto being provided mainly on AC coaches. Now dustbins will be provided in all the coaches including non AC coaches. On Board Housekeeping services scheme: An additional 83 no. of trains have been covered under OBHS scheme taking total coverage to around 500 trains. Under this scheme ,cleanliness is maintained during run of the train. Installation of more Bio-Toilets in coachesMore than 10159 Bio-toilets have been fitted till March, 2015 and target set for 2015-16 is fitment of 17,000 bio-toilets. These toilets use bacterial action to convert human waste into water and gas. HELPING FARMERS AND RURAL PEOPLE First ever Perishable Cargo Centre set up The first ever Perishable Cargo Centre of Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) (a Railway PSU) at Adarsh Nagar station near Azadpur Sabzi Mandi, Delhi, was inaugurated. This perishable cargo centre will help farmers and consumers in a big way and the ripening of fruits and cold storage facilities at this cargo centre will help the farmers get a good price and good market for their product. Skill development activities in railway premises Indian Railways has around 8000 stations and premises of some of the railway stations with very few trains and scanty footfall would be used for skill development activities. It will help rural people substantially.The skill development programme has been emphasized by the Hon’ble Prime Minister for the benefit of the people. Promoting Rural Products Railways will also help in marketing rural products made by self help groups and other such agencies so as to help common rural people. The Konkani-cuisine restaurant “Konkan Swaad Katta’ recently set up at Ratnagiri station in Konkan Railway is a step in this  direction to encourage traditional businesses and local talent as well as  help the financial empowerment of  local people and at the same time passengers getting taste traditional dishes. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION MoU with China in technical cooperation  in RailwaysA Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and an Action Plan were signed between the Government of India and People’s Republic of China in enhancing Technical Cooperation in Railway Sector, at delegation level talks between the two countries on 18th September 2014. The potential cooperation areas mentioned in the MoU are; i) Training in heavy haul freight transportation, ii) Raising of speed of trains on existing routes, iii) Station redevelopment, iv) High speed rail and v) Setting up of Railway University. MoU on cooperation with Republic of Korea Indian Railways and Republic of Korea signed a MoU on Technical Cooperation In the Rail Sector. The MoU would enable technical assistance and cooperation between the Railways of the two countries on areas such as High Speed Rail, Modernisation of Rolling Stock, Railway Operations, Modernisation of Signalling, Construction & Maintenance technologies and in development of Logistics Parks/Terminals. Cooperation with Czech Republic MoU has also been signed with Czech Republic for technical assistance in Railway sector. The potential cooperation areas mentioned in the MoU are Freight operations- Logistics of automotive transport, Passenger operations – raising of speeds upto 200 kmph; Infrastructure building and management – station development and workshop modernization; Information & communication technologies especially for passenger amenities ; Modernisation of rolling stock; Modernisation of signalling & telecom etc. Cooperation with Austria  The 2nd Indo-Austrian Joint Working Group meeting on the Technology  Specific Cooperation  in the field of Railways was organized on 9.9.2014. Cooperation among SAARC nations Ministry of Railways hosted the 5th meeting of the SAARC Inter governmental Group on Transport on 30thSeptember,2014 at Vigyan Bhawan ,New Delhi,The meeting was attended by all the SAARC member countries. Relief during Nepal earthquake During the Nepal earthquake crisis, Railways made available to Nepal about 4 lakh Rail Neer drinking water bottles. Railways also made available to earthquake victims the facility of the Railways hospitals situated in the border towns. Railways also facilitated travel of earthquake victims. IMPROVED PERFORMANCE Increase in Railways’ revenue earnings The total approximate earnings of Indian Railways on originating basis during the financial year 2014-15 (1st April 2014 to 31st March 2015) were Rs. 157880.50 crore compared to Rs. 140761.27 crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 12.16 per cent. Improved Freight loading Indian Railways carried 1097.57 million tonnes of revenue earning freight traffic during the financial year 2014-15 i.e. from 1st April 2014 to 31st March 2015. The freight carried shows an increase of 44.02 million tonnes over the freight traffic of 1053.55 million tonnes actually carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 4.18 per cent.MISCELLANEOUS Pathbreaking Railway Budget Railway Budget 2015-16 was completely depoliticized making it a long term perspective document.The thrust areas identified in the budget include Quality of life in journeys, station redevelopment, capacity augmentation, safety, technology upgradation, partnerships for development, improvements to management processes and systems, resource mobilization, human resources, energy and sustainability, transparency and governance initiatives.28 announcements made in the Budget speech already implemented. Railways players bring laurel to the nation Railway sportspersons as a part of Indian contingent at recently concluded Commonwealth Games-2014, (CWG) at Glasgow, Scotland, again brought glory to the nation by bagging 9 medals out of total 64 medals won by India. Renovation of National Rail Museum A big renovation exercise was undertaken in National Railways Museum, Delhi.  Musical Fountain, Toy Train and Renovated Exhibits have been added at the Museum.