Measures were taken to achieve the targets fixed by the Department of Official Language to promote official work in Hindi, in the Department during 1994-95. The meetings of Official Language Implementation Committee were regularly organised. The tenth and eleventh meetings of the Joint Advisory Hindi Committee were held on 25 April 1994 and 30 November 1994, respectively.

The Department was awarded the Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha shield for the year 1991-92. President of India presented the shield to Secretary, DOD on 7 November 1994.

All correspondence under Section 3(3) of Official Language Act were issued bilingually. The Annual Report, Performance Budget, Demands for Grants, all Cabinet papers and documents presented to the Standing Committee and Consultative Committee of Parliament, Monthly Summary for the Cabinet etc. were prepared bilingually.

The Deputy Secretary of the Department of Official language conducted inspection regarding use of Hindi in the Department and found the work was upto the mark.

The Department organised a Hindi seminar at the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Bombay on 22 November 1994. The topic of the seminar was "living marine resources and aquaculture". Eminent fishery scientists participated in it. Twenty-three scientists from various institutes presented their papers in the seminar.

The proceedings of the Hindi seminar organised in Bhavnagar, Gujarat last year was brought out in a book form. Minister of State for Science & Technology released the book on 30 November at the Joint Hindi Consultative Committee Meeting. The book contains useful information about sea resources.

Hindi pakhwara was celebrated in the Department from 14 to 28 September 1994. During this 'pakhwara', Hindi essay writing, typing, noting and drafting competitions were organised. Non-Hindi speaking personnel, were also encouraged to participate in this.

A five day Hindi workshop was organised in the Department in which 14 officers/staff were trained. Cash prizes and certificates to the winners were presented.

Ten officials were given awards under the Incentive Scheme of the Ministry of Home Affairs for doing their original official work in Hindi. Two officials were awarded prizes during the year for their original writings on the subjects related to the Department. Dr. Pratima Jauhari from NIO Goa secured the second prize of Rs. 10,000/- while Shri Rajiv Garg, Scientist the third prize of Rs. 5000/-.

Separate arrangements for training in Hindi shorthand and typwriting were made. Four stenographers and LDCs were given training.

During the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Sessions of the Tenth Lok Sabhha, one Starred Question and twenty-two Unstarred Questions were admitted and answered. Similarly, during the 170th, 171st and 172nd Sessions of the Rajya Sabha, two Starred Questions and 11 Unstarred Questions were admitted and answered. One Rajya Sabha Assurance was fulfilled during the aforesaid period.

Consultative Committee of Parliament

The Consultative Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Science & Technology, Departments of Ocean Development, Electronics, Atomic Energy and Space reviewed the programmes of 'S&T Initiatives for Sustainable Development of Coastal Seas' on 26 August 1994.

Parliamentary Standing Committee

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests met on 8 April 1994 and considered the Demands for Grants and Performance Budget for 1994-95.

The Committee in its meeting held on 21 July 1994 considered the Remote Sensing Application projects of the Department of Space, which include MARSIS programme of the Department.

The Committee also reviewed the implementation of the following programmes viz. (i) Marine Satellite Information Service, (ii) Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System, and (iii) Potential Drugs from Ocean at its meeting held on 23-24 January 1995.

A presentation was made before the Sub-Committee (of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce) on Marine Products and Rubber on 24 November 1994 by the Department on aspects related to potential, exploration of marine resources in the exclusive economic zone of the country and the technology utilised for identification of potential fishing zones (PFZ), including network of information and communication system. The details regarding remote sensing for location of potential fishing zones, mode, format and number of locations in different States to which PFZ information gets transmitted were explained. The work done by FORV Sagar Sampada in survey and location of fishing grounds and variety of fish was also brought to the notice of the Sub-Committee.