LOVE

RESEARCH, REFERENCE AND TRAINING DIVISION
(Ministry of Information and Broadcasting)

The Diary

Vol. XLIV

15-31 January, 2001

(Pausa 27-Magha 11, 1922)

No.20

NATIONAL EVENTS

January 16 Senior Congress leader Jitendra Prasada passes away.

January 17 Agni II is successfully test-fired.

January 22 Indian Navy commissions two destroyers.

January 23 Government extends ceasefire in J&K beyond Republic Day.

January 25 President K.R. Narayanan addresses the nation on Republic Day eve.

Lata Mangeshkar & Ustad Bismillah Khan chosen for Bharat Ratna.

January 26 Independent India's worst earthquake hits Gujarat.

January 29 Prime Minister announces Rs.500 crore relief package for Gujarat earthquake.

January 31 India's unmanned aerial vehicle 'Nishant' is successfully test flown.

INTERNATIONAL

January 20 Bush takes over as 43^rd President of the United States.

This fortnightly service brings to focus the major national and international events for record and reference by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its media units.

NATIONAL

January 16

Senior Congress leader Jitendra Prasada passes away in New Delhi. He was 62.
Attack on Srinagar airport is foiled. Six members of the Lashkar-e-Toiba suicide squad killed in the attack.
Government invites bids for divesting 33.58 per cent of its stake in IBP.
Group of Ministers approves the draft Communications Convergence Bill 2000.

January 17

Agni II is successfully test-fired for the second time from a mobile launcher in Orissa.
BBC Resources, consultant for preparing a feasibility report on Prasar Bharati, recommends DTT and DTH for Doordarshan.

January 18

Task force on human resource development in IT headed by HRD Minister submits its report to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

January 19

India and Pakistan agree in principle to play hockey series in neutral countries.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority revised and fixed prices of 45 formulation packs, including drugs used to treat diabetes, infections and Parkinson's disease from February.
Centre liberalises the existing procedures for sale of morphine tablets.

January 21

Militants blew up bus and target a security vehicle in Kashmir, killing nine people and injuring 41.
India and Pakistan formally agree to continue running the Samjhauta Express for another three years.
Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra sets world record in Luxemburg Open National Championship in Luxemburg.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board rules out negotiations with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on the Ayodhya issue.

January 22

Guided Missile Destroyer INS Mumbai and Guided Missile corvettes INS Kirch are commissioned in the Indian Navy.
Budget session of Parliament to begin from February 19.
India decides to give $100 million loan for Mauritius cybercity project.

January 23

Government extends ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir by another month beyond Republic Day.

January 24

Over two crores take a dip at Sangam at the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati on the occasion of Mauni Amawasya.
Cabinet apaproves Enron's proposal to restructure the equity of the second phase of the Dabhol power project.
Government decides to slash the value of Engineering Procurement and Construction in the Indo-Oman urea venture by $ 19 million.

January 25

Senior Bhartiya Janata Party leader, Vijayaraje Scindia passes away. She was 82.
President K.R. Narayanan addresses the nation on the eve of Republic Day.
Lata Mangeshkar, Ustad Bismillah Khan are chosen for Bharat Ratna award.
Hindi writer Nirmal Verma and Punjabi novelist Gurdial Singh are chosen for Jnanpith award for 1999 for their contribution to literature.
India, Algeria sign three agreements.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India directs cellular operators to refund excess tariffs charged from users since August 1999.
Union Communications Minister announces that basic telecom service providers can now offer 'limited mobile' services to their consumers.
Ministry of Information Technology accepts standard local language support, capable of representing the scripts of all the languages of the world for use in computers.

January 26

Independent India's worst earthquake hits parts of Gujarat killing at least 1,500 people.
India celebrates its 52^nd Republic Day.
One hundred thirty eight militants lay down arms in Guwahati.

January 27

Death toll in Gujarat's earthquake climbs to 15,000.
Government allows international rescue teams to join rescue work in Gujarat.
Government announces full exemption from excise and customs duties to goods donated or purchased out of cash donations for relief and rehabilitation.

January 28

The death toll in Gujarat earthquake crosses 20,000.
Government announces cancellation of "Beating Retreat" ceremony in wake of the earthquake in Gujarat.

January 29

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announces preliminary Rs.500 crore relief package for Gujarat.
Urban Development Ministry finalises comprehensive action plan for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the earthquake-ravaged areas of Gujarat.

January 30

Tenure of N.K.Singh as Officer on Special Duty in the PMO is extended.
Anil Baijal, a 1969 batch IAS officer, takes over as Prasar Bharati CEO.
Asian Development Bank announces $350 million loan for rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the wake of the Gujarat earthquake.
Government clears 13 foreign direct investment proposals to bag investments worth Rs.219 crore.

January 31

India's unmanned aerial vehicle 'Nishant' is successfully test flown in Bangalore.
Karnataka Civil Aviation and Infrastructure Minister T John is sacked for intemperate remarks on Gujarat earthquake.
Centre waives customs duty and counter-veiling duty on all imported materials being rushed to Gujarat.

INTERNATIONAL

January 17

Lankan Army takes two vital LTTE locations in northern Jaffna peninsula, atleast 107 people killed on both sides.