INDIA: BJP Says Not to Alter India's No First Use Nuclear Weapons Policy If It Comes To Power

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made it clear that it will not alter the country's "no first use" nuclear weapons policy if it comes to power after the ongoing general elections.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The no first use policy for nuclear weapons was a well thought out stand. We don't intend to reverse it," BJP chief Rajnath Singh said in an interview to a local newspaper published Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The BJP President's remarks came in the wake of its poll manifesto released on April 7 in which the party said that it would "revise and update" India's nuclear policy.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">India adopted its nuclear policy after conducting a series of nuclear tests in 1998 during the last BJP-led government's rule from 1998 to 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The results of the general elections, which began on April 7, are due on May 16, after the nine-phase polling ends on May 12. And, the BJP is projected to form the next government. –NNN-XINHUA</span></div>

INDIA: BJP Says Not to Alter India's No First Use Nuclear Weapons Policy If It Comes To Power

NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made it clear that it will not alter the country...

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Airasia India's Flying Licence Stuck In Red Tape – Report

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELHI (NNN-Bernama) -- AirAsia India's plan to start operations is now stuck in red tape as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is yet to hand over the flying licence to the airline even after it has completed the final route familiarisation tests in the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A Mail Today report quoted an unnamed top DGCA official as admitting that although AirAsia has got all the mandatory approvals, it has still not been given a flying permit. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">However, he could not provide any specific reason as to why the flying permit was held up, said the report. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The DGCA had last month allowed the yet-to-start carrier to bring in its ferry flight (without passengers) to India to complete the mandatory route familiarisation process to get the flying permit despite stiff opposition from Indian carriers on AirAsia's entry into the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now, with the process completed, the DGCA is yet to take a call on granting flying permit to the carrier. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Domestic carriers had lobbied to scuttle AirAsia's entry. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A political party leader, Subramanian Swamy, had also moved court to challenge the clearance granted to the airline. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">By now, AirAsia India was expected to get the flying permit, a top DGCA official admitted, said the report. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Airasia India's Flying Licence Stuck In Red Tape – Report

NEW DELHI (NNN-Bernama) -- AirAsia India's plan to start operations is now stuck in red tape as the Directorate General of Civil Avia...

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INDIA: Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, to be the New Chief Justice of India

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELHI (PIB News): The President has appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, as the next Chief Justice of India. He will assume office from 27th April, 2014. Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha was born on September 28, 1949 at Jodhpur. His father Justice S.K. Mal Lodha was a Judge of Rajasthan High Court.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>practiced Law in the Rajasthan High Court and dealt with all branches of law; Constitutional, civil, company, Criminal, Taxation, Labour, etc. and he was elevated as a Permanent Judge of Rajasthan High Court on January 31, 1994. He was transferred to Bombay High Court where he assumed office on February 16, 1994. He was re-transferred to Rajasthan High Court where he assumed office on 2nd February, 2007. He had been Administrative Judge of Rajasthan High Court.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Justice Lodha was sworn in as Chief Justice, Patna High Court on 13th May, 2008 and he was elevated as a Judge of Supreme Court of India on 17th December, 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

INDIA: Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, to be the New Chief Justice of India

NEW DELHI (PIB News): The President has appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, as the next Chief Justice of India. He will assume office...

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2014-Parliamentary Elections direct contest between secular, communal forces: Omar

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff9l8vtmXP2n-ToKPzo-Y19gQ_WDqB0TkP_Z9YiY2sbF6ZPNoFVLf8UxE38hz4mpJMDkuN1IDZ75fx1c2RTbBoS9KfUyD3kisBi7ls8J2ExP6u8RsBzxlTfJ3UHUESdl_PrdPRclD5Ao/s1600/l2014040953551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhff9l8vtmXP2n-ToKPzo-Y19gQ_WDqB0TkP_Z9YiY2sbF6ZPNoFVLf8UxE38hz4mpJMDkuN1IDZ75fx1c2RTbBoS9KfUyD3kisBi7ls8J2ExP6u8RsBzxlTfJ3UHUESdl_PrdPRclD5Ao/s1600/l2014040953551.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">An old couple showing mark of indelible ink after casting their votes,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">at a polling booth, during the General Elections-2014, in Kiphire District<o:p></o:p></span></i></div> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Eastern part of Nagaland on April 09, 2014. Photo© PIB </span></i><br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Ramsoo (Ramban) (Scoop News)- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who is also the Working President of National Conference, Wednesday said that current Parliamentary elections have placed India on a crucial crossroad where the people of the country have to decide between the two ideologies of communal divide, represented by BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, and the inclusiveness and harmony, symbolized by Rahul Gandhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Addressing a mammoth election rally at Ramsoo and various welcome rallies at Tikri, Udhampur, Chenani, Batote and Chanderkote en-route, the Chief Minister said that every vote in favour of NC-Congress candidates in the State will strengthen the roots of communal amity, brotherhood and ensure equal opportunities of growth and development for all sections of the society, irrespective of any consideration of religion, region, caste or colour.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah said that BJP is polarizing the society to nurture its ideology of dividing the society for vote bank politics. He said Jammu and Kashmir is ‘Miniature India’ where people of different sections of the society and various shades of faith co-exist in an environment of love and brotherhood since centuries. “BJP, like always, is bent upon wedging apart the people and divide them to grab power”, he said and maintained that people of Jammu and Kashmir are wise enough to read between the lines and vote in large numbers in favour of NC-Congress candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“This is all the more necessary for Jammu and Kashmir to preserve its rich pluralistic ethos, communal harmony and ensure equitable and holistic development in an atmosphere of inclusiveness and justice”, Omar Abdullah said asking for wholehearted support in favour of NC-Congress candidate from Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary Constituency, Ghulam Nabi Azad, describing him a real friend of the people and torchbearer of secular democratic credentials of the State and the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah said that a person like Mr. Modi who has not shown a courtesy to apologise or even regret for the killings of innocents in Gujarat and is a culprit in the eyes of public so far as Gujarat riots are concerned cannot suit to be the Prime Minister of a great country like India, which is abode of pluralistic ethos.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“As against this, Rahul Gandhi symbolizes the unity and brotherhood of India and is champion of inclusiveness and communal harmony. He possesses unblemished characteristic and is true friend of the Country and its people. In Rahul Gandhi Jammu and Kashmir has also found its sincere and trusty friend who has always came forward to help the State to come out of difficulties and he is determined to continue this trait”, Omar Abdullah said and added that Rahul Gandhi will be the right choice for Prime Ministership of the Country. He asked the people to vote in favour of Mr. Azad as it will pave the way to make Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister of the Country.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Working President National Conference said that PDP like parties are fighting the Election just to provide tactical support to Narendra Modi and BJP by attempting to divide the voters. He said despite knowing its fate in the Elections, PDP has fielded its candidates for helping Narendra Modi to exhibit its friendship and loyalty with the BJP. He asked the people to understand this nexus and foil the conspiracy hatched by the PDP and BJP to divide the society for political gains.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah said that tactful fielding of candidates in Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary Constituencies by the PDP to attempt at dividing votes and help communal forces unveils the clandestine liaison and friendship between BJP and PDP about which Narendra Modi has openly said that he has found new friends (PDP leadership) in Jammu and Kashmir to help him in his mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Working President National Conference said that Pen-Inkpot Party can stoop low to any extent and trade every interest of the State and its people for being in limelight not to talk of power. He said this was the party which opposed tooth and nail the historic decision of Ghulam Nabi Azad regarding creation of eight new districts in the State. “PDP leadership tried their best to browbeat Mr. Azad on this count and threatened to topple the government”, he said and elaborated that Mr. Azad did not succumbed to their pressure and exhibited his people-friendly and historic gesture.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah said that PDP also could not digest yet another decision taken by NC-Congress coalition government in the State to create more than 650 administrative units and tried its best to mislead people about this extra-ordinary measure. He said fooling people and flaring up emotions on different issues and polarizing situation to get political benefits is the trait of both the BJP and the PDP. He said the fact of the matter is that PDP in the State acts as a State Unit of BJP as is evident by its acts to help Mr. Modi and attempt at dividing voters in the State.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah said that Ghulam Nabi Azad as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and as the Union Minister has shown his capacity and keenness to bring about revolutionary changes in the development scenario and remained always at the beck and call of people in the hour of need. He said Mr. Azad’s victory in the election will be the victory of common masses and that of the State as a whole. “Azad is the right person to highlight the issues of Jammu and Kashmir and help the people particularly living in backward pockets for development and socio-economic welfare”, he said and listed the measures Azad has taken in various capacities to benefit Jammu and Kashmir and its people.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah referred to the all round development that has taken place in the State during last five years and mentioned the unprecedented help provided by Mr. Azad in upgrading the health sector in particular and strengthening other social sectors in general in the State. He said no one can compete with the competence, sincerity, honesty and keenness of Mr. Azad to deliver for the good of the Country and the State.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Omar Abdullah cautioned the people against the elements bent upon to disturb the State’s communal harmony and create divide between various sections of people. He asked them to be united to defeat such attempts by politicians with vested interests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The elections rally was also addressed by NC-Congress joint candidate for Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary Constituency Ghulam Nabi Azad and Provincial President National Conference Jammu, Devender Singh Rana while various leaders of the NC and Congress were present on the occasion.----Ground Report<o:p></o:p></span></div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /></div>

2014-Parliamentary Elections direct contest between secular, communal forces: Omar

An old couple showing mark of indelible ink after casting their votes, at a polling booth, during the General Elections-2014, in Kiphi...

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Pakistan to Re-Engage With India as Soon as New Govt. Is Formed

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 63.0pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">WASHINGTON (NNN-PTI) -- Pakistan is looking to re-engage with India as soon as the new government is formed in New Delhi post the ongoing general elections and has recommended the non-discriminatory market access (NDMA) to be proactively followed.<br /> <br /> Visiting Pakistan's Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said, "We have again got re-engaged with India in a very proactive manner in the last few month, in order to increase the trade between the two countries".<br /> <br /> "The non-discriminatory market access (NDMA) is a new term we have coined for mutual expansion of the trade. We wish to minimise the negative list of both the countries," Dar said.<br /> <br /> He said a Pakistani government committee headed by him, also reviewed the future road map of trade with India.<br /> <br /> "We have recommended to the Cabinet and to the Prime Minister that this NMDA is to be proactively followed," he said.<br /> <br /> In his address to the US Institute of Peace, a Washington-based think-tank, Dar said, "Whosoever they elect let me assure you, the spade work is there, Indian establishment know the entire detail. So as soon as a new government in India is sworn in, we will be happy to re-engage the Indian government on this subject".<br /> <br /> Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recently deferred a decision on this important issue during the duration of the elections, which started on April 7.<br /> <br /> Dar said the PML-N lead by Sharif, was the one which triggered the process of dialogue with India way back in 1999.<br /> <br /> But the process could not be completed and accomplish its goal as a result of the coup in Islamabad that resulted in an overthrowing of the democratically-elected government.<br /> <br /> "Of course, the dialogue was at a very advance stage, but certainly we believed that it is not the time that we should conclude this deal with the Congress (government), with the sitting government, because we might be seen that we are becoming partisan to the Indian general elections," he said.<br /> <br /> Even a tentative meeting of the cabinet was cancelled, for this very reason, he said. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Pakistan to Re-Engage With India as Soon as New Govt. Is Formed

WASHINGTON (NNN-PTI) -- Pakistan is looking to re-engage with India as soon as the new government is formed in New Delhi post the ongoing...

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India Sells First Aircraft Carrier for US$10 Million

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">NEW DELHI (NNN-Bernama) -- India has sold its first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant to a ship breaker for US$10 million following an auction, China's Xinhua news agency reported.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">INS Vikrant, purchased as HMS Hercules from Britain in 1957, had played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade on East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Indian Navy vessel was sold to a company named I.B. Commercial Pvt Ltd. and has 30 days to settle the payment and tow the ship away.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The ship was commissioned as the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy in 1961.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After a distinguished service, it was decommissioned in January 1997 and preserved as a museum ship in Cuffe Parade in Mumbai until it was closed in 2012 due to safety concerns. --NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

India Sells First Aircraft Carrier for US$10 Million

NEW DELHI (NNN-Bernama) -- India has sold its first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant to a ship breaker for US$10 million following an auctio...

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Report On Indian N-Plants Presented At Nuclear Global Convention

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">CHENNAI (NNN-PTI) --India has submitted its latest national report on safety status of its atomic power plants and its nuclear safety review and regulatory system at the Convention of Nuclear Safety at Vienna. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A 14-member Indian team led by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) chairman S S Bajaj presented the report at the sixth review meeting of the Convention of Nuclear Safety held between March 24 and April 4, AERB Secretary R Bhattacharya said in a statement. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The recent safety enhancements in Indian nuclear plants following the Fukushima accident in Japan and the Indian system of licensing of power plants based on periodic safety reviews were also highlighted in the report, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A total of 74 countries, including India, are signatories to the Convention of Nuclear Safety as on March this year and all of them have to submit a national report on safety of their nuclear power plants every three years. These reports are also peer reviewed and presented in the CNS review meeting. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Report On Indian N-Plants Presented At Nuclear Global Convention

CHENNAI (NNN-PTI) --India has submitted its latest national report on safety status of its atomic power plants and its nuclear safety rev...

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Villagers Get Eyeball Scans For Unique Identification in India

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3SKl4LzEHO-9zLUAg03Zzxvr0ftD75o7pr7AgepmMLQfyBAeRkNrRs7IadIMGvkAZ-QRIhkLDnLOZvXlM5teNvh1uTuUY932YtVDnFwcGelz3RSoytkVcAkoDunxBoe1IqZbQrJQJ5c/s1600/2013030114253022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3SKl4LzEHO-9zLUAg03Zzxvr0ftD75o7pr7AgepmMLQfyBAeRkNrRs7IadIMGvkAZ-QRIhkLDnLOZvXlM5teNvh1uTuUY932YtVDnFwcGelz3RSoytkVcAkoDunxBoe1IqZbQrJQJ5c/s1600/2013030114253022.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NNN---Village women stand in a queue to get themselves enrolled for the Unique Identification (UID) database system at Merta district in the desert Indian state of Rajasthan on 28 February 2013. In a more ambitious version of programmes that have slashed poverty in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the Indian government has begun to use the UID database, known as Aadhaar, to make direct cash transfers to the poor, in an attempt to cut out frauds who siphon billions of dollars from welfare schemes. Photo courtesy Mansi Thapliyal---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> </div>

Villagers Get Eyeball Scans For Unique Identification in India

NNN---Village women stand in a queue to get themselves enrolled for the Unique Identification (UID) database system at Merta distri...

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Nepal Tells India to Shut Down Its Field-Office

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">KATHMANDU, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>   (NNN-Xinhua) -- The government of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> has asked the reluctant <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> to immediately close its field-office, which was basically opened to assist the flood victims in Biratnagar, a town in eastern Terai plains in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We have asked the Indian government through diplomatic cables to shut down the field-office, as it is no more relevant," <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Kaji Shrestha was quoted as saying by Republica daily on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region>'s several requests, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, reportedly, has not shown interest to close the office, which facilitated vehicular movements in the past following the aftermath of Koshi river floods in the eastern Terai.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Earlier in January 2011, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote a letter to the Indian Embassy about the necessity to close the office. With no response in hand, Nepali side had to remind the Indian side for the closure of the office again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"In spite of several directives from the Nepali side, it is surprising that the Indian side has been dilly-dallying to shut down the office," said a Foreign Ministry official.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Initially, the field-office was based near Koshi Barrage on Nepal-India border, before it was relocated to Biratnagar. While transferring the office, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> did not seek the consent of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>," the official added.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India</span></span></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has been a key development partner of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nepal</st1:place></st1:country-region>. However, its non-compliance with Nepali legal system often creates rift between the two countries. While <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nepal</st1:country-region> shares the northern border with <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>, it shares the southern border with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> </div>

Nepal Tells India to Shut Down Its Field-Office

KATHMANDU, Nepal   (NNN-Xinhua) -- The government of Nepal has asked the reluctant India to immediately close its field-office, whic...

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Iran, India Relations Historical

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI</span></span></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (NNN-IRNA) – <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> relations is historical and cultural and the two countries share similar languages, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said on Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian students residing in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Many countries in the world are keen to expand relations with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city> because of its resistance toward world powers</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> illegal demands and the progress it has made in various fields; Islamic Revolution of Iran during the past three decades has passed several</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> difficult days and it will pass these days too."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Larijani noted that the western states</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> approach in talks with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> has always been deceptive but <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city> is committed to progress forward, based on international rules and regulations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In the meantime, speaking in a press conference in <st1:city w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:city>, the Speaker added that emerging powers like <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> should be vigilant towards dominant powers</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> greed for oil.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Some countries are seeking to dominate the world oil throats; dominant powers do not allow emerging powers to secure their energy security gorge by diversifying their sources," Larijani said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Pointing to the outside pressures upon <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> to break ties with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city>, he added that there would be no deadlock in bilateral relations between the two nations which are committed to broadening their mutual cooperation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There were constructive discussions between Iranian delegation and Indian officials on methods of payment of in lieu of the volume of crude oil <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> has already exported to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>," Larijani said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Speaker underlined the two countries</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> historical ties, adding that <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> have a common stance on regional and international issues.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The EU enforced a set of oil embargos against <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> on Jul 1. The 27-nation bloc, which accounted for around 18 percent of Iran</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s oil exports, said that all contracts for importing Iranian oil should be terminated from that date. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Economic and oil experts had earlier warned that the oil ban against Tehran would inflict huge losses on the entire world energy market, specially in Europe, where several EU members are going bankrupt and should soon announce economic bankruptcy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Iran</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is the second largest OPEC oil producer, producing about 4 million barrels of oil per day. The country</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s recoverable oil reserves are est</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">imated at more than 137 billion barrels, or 12 percent of the world</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s overall reserves. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Washington and its Western allies accuse <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear programme, while they have never presented any corroborative evidence to substantiate their allegations. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Iran</st1:place></st1:country-region> denies the charges and insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tehran</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> stresses that the country has always pursued a civilian path to provide power to the growing number of Iranian population, whose fossil fuel would eventually run dry. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite the rules enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entitling every member state, including <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region>, to the right of uranium enrichment, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tehran</st1:place></st1:city> is now under four rounds of UN Security Council sanctions and the west embargos for turning down their calls to give up its right of uranium enrichment. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tehran</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has dismissed the West</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s demands as politically tainted and illogical, stressing that sanction and pressures merely co</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">nsolidate Iranians</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> national resolve to continue the path. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Iran</span></span></st1:country-region></st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has repeatedly said that it considers its nuclear case closed as it has come clean of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Arial;">ˈ</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">s) questions and suspicions about its past nuclear activities. -- NNN-IRN</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> </div>

Iran, India Relations Historical

NEW DELHI (NNN-IRNA) – Iran and India relations is historical and cultural and the two countries share similar languages, Iranian Pa...

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INDIA: Nursery Admission Ranges from US$5,563 TO US$15,000 per Child

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By M.Saraswathi <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI, India  (NNN-Bernama) -- After undergoing a rigorous selection procedure, parents of tiny tots aiming for seats in nursery schools in Delhi-National Capital Region say they are now facing the biggest hurdle in the form of 'donation fees’, which ranged from Rs3 lakh (US$5,563) to Rs8 lakh (US$15,000) per child, a survey revealed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The fees structure for nursery and pre-school is costlier than that of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Delhi</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>, which really provide qualitative education, industry body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham)’s secretary general, DS Rawat said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Parents’ applying for primary schools have increased their budget to Rs3 lakhs in 2013 from Rs 1 Lakh (US$1,854) in 2010 on items and activities integral to the school curriculum, such as fees, transports, building fund and extracurricular, reveals the survey conducted by Assocham Social Development Foundation (ASDF). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The survey showed that parents invest an average 75 per cent of their income in their children’s education. The cost of education is increasing every year, much ahead of inflation,” he said in a statement. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">About 2,000 parents, with a minimum salary bracket of Rs3 lakh to Rs8 lakh annually, were interviewed in Delhi-NCR for the survey, which indicated that parents find it difficult in meeting their ward’s education cost and plan to break their funds for admission process this year. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The parents' annual income, on an average, has just risen up to 30 per cent in the past five years but on the other hand education cost has increased by over 300 per cent in the last five years, the survey said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Majority of parents believe it is difficult for a single parent to fund a child's education in this current scenario, it said. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span class="apple-style-span"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">”Over 92 per cent parents in one-member-earning families often find it impossible to pay even for one child’s education and 85 per cent of parents spend more than half of their take-home pay on their children's education, extra coaching and extra-curricular activities, placing significant burden on their family budget,” it said.  -- NNN-BERNAMA <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> </div>

INDIA: Nursery Admission Ranges from US$5,563 TO US$15,000 per Child

By M.Saraswathi NEW DELHI, India  (NNN-Bernama) -- After undergoing a rigorous selection procedure, parents of tiny tots aiming for...

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INDIA: PM’s Post-Budget Interaction with Doordarshan News

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div align="left" class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div align="left" class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. Mr. Prime Minister, what are your first thoughts on the budget?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: Given the challenges facing our economy, the Finance Minister has done a commendable job. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> needs to create jobs for our growing labour force to the extent of about 10 million persons every year. To do that, we need to accelerate the tempo of our growth. We need, as the 12th Five Year Plan has mentioned eloquently, a growth rate of about 8 percent. This is a growth rate which is consistent with our underlying potential. We have to get there. Although this is a difficult journey - it cannot be accomplished in a single year - but the Finance Minister, has taken important steps to reverse the pessimistic view with regard to investment climate, with regard to the growth potential and possibilities of our economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. What reforms are you looking at in the six months ahead?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: Well. The Finance Minister has laid out a roadmap. There is plenty of food for every Ministry to chew upon. And each one of our Ministries has to ask itself this question: If <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> needs an 8 percent growth rate, growth which is at the same time inclusive and sustainable, what is it that each Ministry should do? The Finance Minister has, I think, mentioned these challenges. It is up to the collective wisdom of my Council of Ministers to convert these challenges into opportunities to accelerate the tempo of growth, to make it more inclusive, to make it more sustainable.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. Will your Government get adequate support in Parliament? There seems to be a perceptible change in the attitude of the Opposition. But is the bureaucracy on board? Are projects being cleared?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: There have been problems with regard to clearances, with regard to environmental clearances, with regard to forest clearances, land acquisition problems, many of these areas are the responsibility of the state government. Whatever is within the realm of possibilities of the central government’s action points, we have committed ourselves that we will use the mechanism of the Cabinet Committee on Investment to grapple with these tensions which exist in our system, and to ensure that roadblocks, whether they are environmental clearance roadblocks, or forest clearances, or other roadblocks, they are dealt with, so that they can be cleared and removed.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. You are confident that a positive climate is there for projects to be cleared?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: Well. I think he is speaking on behalf of the Cabinet. And I am pretty certain that the mood of the country is: this country must not lose any time. It must get its act together to accelerate the tempo of economic growth, sustainable growth, equitable growth, and I do believe that if the general mood of the country is right, it will infect the bureaucracy, it will infect the Opposition, and in this task, there are no winners or no losers. If <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> succeeds in sticking to a growth path of 8 percent or more, I think the winners will be the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>; winners will be our young men and young women, who desperately need new productive job opportunities.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. How worried are you about structural deficiencies that have crept into the economy?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: There are today, three types of barriers, which can affect the realization of the growth potential. One is the fiscal deficit. The Finance Minister has charted a path to bring the fiscal deficit under control, and if we succeed in that quest, I think we would have created a better climate for investment; we would have created a better climate also for more moderate levels of inflation than we have had in the last two years.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The second problem is that inflation has gone out of hand. Therefore, if the fiscal deficit is brought under control, it will also enable us to moderate the pace of inflation.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The third is, the Current Account Deficit. We cannot reduce the current account deficit in one go. As the Finance Minister mentioned, we have a Current Account Deficit of about 75 billion dollars. In the short run, it has to be financed. In the medium run, it must be reduced. We must reduce our dependence on imports of oil, of coal, of gold, of petroleum products. This is a medium term objective, and it can be achieved, partly by reducing unwanted imports, partly by boosting the country’s export effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">So a multi-pronged strategy has to be in place to achieve credible answers to all these three problems – tackling the fiscal deficit, tackling the inflation problem, tackling the Current Account Deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. What is a safe Current Account Deficit for us?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: In my view – 2.5 to 3 percent of GDP is a safe level of Current Account Deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Q. What do you see as the GDP growth in the coming fiscal?<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PM: The Finance Minister has mentioned, and yesterday’s Economic Survey also hints, that it is realistic to assume a growth rate of about 6.2 to 6.7%, and that in three years time, if we work hard, if the world economy also improves, we should get back to the 8 percent growth path – in two to three years time.--PIB<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"></span></div> <div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">(Interviewer M.K.Venu)  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; line-height: normal;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div> <br /> </div>

INDIA: PM’s Post-Budget Interaction with Doordarshan News

Q. Mr. Prime Minister, what are your first thoughts on the budget? PM: Given the challenges facing our economy, the Finance Minis...

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India Growth Plan: Trim Fiscal Deficit, Woo Foreign Investors

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Anjana Pasricha<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India’s finance minister is pledging to revive economic growth by trimming the country’s fiscal deficit. He also says India is in critical need of foreign investment to reverse the worst slowdown in a decade for Asia’s third largest economy.  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking to parliament during the presentation of the country's annual budget, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram vowed to cut India’s fiscal deficit to 4.8 per cent in the next fiscal year.  He said the country needs to make tough spending decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I have no choice but to rationalize expenditure. We took a dose of bitter medicine. It seems to be working," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">India’s fiscal and current deficits have raised concern of a downgrade by rating agencies.   <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However, government spending will rise by about 16 per cent in the next year. To meet those expenses, the Finance Minister announced a temporary tax on the super rich - those with an annual income of about $200,000 - and on local companies with an income of over $2 million.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Minister Chidambaram acknowledged that the Indian economy, which has slowed to a decade-low of about five percent, is in a trough. He says restoring high growth is a challenge, but that he is optimistic about the future.  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"There is no reason for gloom or pessimism," he said. "Even now, of the large countries of the world, only China and Indonesia are growing faster than India in 2012-13. And in 2013-14, if we grow at the rate projected by many forecasters, only China will grow faster than India.”<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The government estimates that India’s economy will grow by over six percent in the next fiscal year, after slipping to five percent in the last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chidambaram focused on winning back foreign investors assuring them that India will be business friendly.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He pointed out that India needs $75 billion to finance its current account deficit, or trade imbalance, which has grown rapidly due to massive imports of oil, gold and coal.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I have been at pains to state over and over again that India does not have the choice between welcoming and spurning foreign investment. Foreign investment is an imperative," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Foreign investment fell last year as investors were alienated by a series of unexpected tax proposals, by corruption scandals and India’s tough regulatory regime. Opposition parties have also opposed the government’s decision to open the retail sector to foreign supermarkets.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed hope that the measures announced will revive the economy and that India will return to growth levels of about eight percent in two to three years.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Forecasters say returning India to those levels of growth will depend on the government’s willingness to reduce spending, initiate reforms and control inflation. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Mali Conflict Disrupts Schooling for 700,000 Children<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By Kim Lewis<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On-going fighting has disrupted education for hundreds of thousands of school children in both the north and south of Mali. UNICEF as well as educational authorities there report that some 700,000 children are affected, with 200,000 of those left with no access to school at all. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">UNICEF says schools in the north have been closed and looted, and many teachers have failed to return.  In the south, schools have become so overcrowded teachers are not able to handle the influx of displaced students from the north. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“At this point there have been more than 115 schools that have been closed or destroyed or looted.  One of the other problems that we are facing is that many teachers are still scared to go back to the northern part of the country.  And in the southern part, we have already overcrowded schools that have to cope with the influx of displaced students from the north,” explained Laurent Duvillier, UNICEF spokesperson for west and central Africa.  He added this is an extra burden on the teachers and infrastructure.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He explained that in the north only one out of three schools is functioning, and in Kidal, all schools are closed.  “That means that a child in Kidal at this stage has no opportunity to get access to education. So that’s extremely concerning, “ said Duvillier.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">He said his organization is working to provide educational materials to school children and teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“UNICEF is moving forward first with the distribution of school kits and teaching materials to the teachers and the schools in the southern part of the country, closer to the northern part of the country,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Duvillier also said they have access to Mopti in the central part of the country.  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“So the teachers and the school kids have arrived in Mopti, and we’ll soon be distributing in the northern part of the country, together with our partners and local NGO’s,” explained Duvillier.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">For those schools that have been destroyed or looted, central learning spaces are being set up under tents where children can learn and play in a safe environment. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> </div>

India Growth Plan: Trim Fiscal Deficit, Woo Foreign Investors

By Anjana Pasricha India’s finance minister is pledging to revive economic growth by trimming the country’s fiscal deficit. He also...

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India Unveils Annual Budget

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WJsfMm3O7RT4whSGbVUoPaTwUox_NbI0QOcZDHp-RNo9qe71yqj-xBs_AVEvGHoYtm2-z9tvAeGXS7BLu3_el8DCPkNJkxuHbczCaHXzn7qT2DH1l5CoOfdfwUvI2f9Suv_GrPE0SwE/s1600/l2013022845731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WJsfMm3O7RT4whSGbVUoPaTwUox_NbI0QOcZDHp-RNo9qe71yqj-xBs_AVEvGHoYtm2-z9tvAeGXS7BLu3_el8DCPkNJkxuHbczCaHXzn7qT2DH1l5CoOfdfwUvI2f9Suv_GrPE0SwE/s400/l2013022845731.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram arrives at<br /> Parliament House along with the Ministers of State for Finance, <br />Namo Narain Meena and S.S. Palanimanickam to present the <br />General Budget 2013-14, in <st1:place w:st="on">New Delhi</st1:place> on <br />February 28, 2013. Photo © PIB</i></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>  <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NEW DELHI, India   (NNN-Xinhua) -- India's ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government Thursday unveiled its budget for the fiscal 2013 to 2014, outlining the spending for one of the fastest growing economies in the world.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented in Parliament the annual budget, saying that the country has been facing a number of challenges to return to its potential growth rate of 8 percent at a time when "there is a slow growth rate worldwide".<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Though the finance minister did not tinker with the income tax slabs for the middle-class, he outlined plans to tax the "super- rich" and the corporate sector in his budget amid rising pressure to reduce the fiscal deficit.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Chidambaram also focused on rural <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> while presenting his budget by hiking outlays for health, water and sanitation, tribals and rural development, keeping in view the general elections slated for next year. He also announced a new bank only for women, the first of its kind in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The finance minister announced a 16 percent rise in public spending, saying he has "retrieved some economic space" thanks to recent austerity measures, including slashing subsidies. He also said that the government intended to cut <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s public deficit to 4.6 percent of the GDP.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Restoring <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s potential growth remains a challenge but there is no room for gloom and pessimism. Only <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:country-region> are growing faster than <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region> and achieving high growth is not beyond <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s capacity. We have done it and we will do it again," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The minister added: "<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> at the present juncture does not have the choice of welcoming and spurning foreign investment. We need to welcome foreign investment."<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Experts say that this is the UPA's last budget before the general elections and the government tried to balance it by making it a "populist" as well as a "pragmatic" one. --NNN-XINHUA</span><o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

India Unveils Annual Budget

The Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram arrives at  Parliament House along with the Ministers of State for Finance, Namo Narain Meen...

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Indian Railway Police Throw Old Couple Off Moving Train, Woman Dead

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NEW DELHI, India   (NNN-Bernama) -- In a shocking incident, an elderly woman was killed and her husband wounded when the couple was thrown out of a moving train by government railway police (GRP) personnel for boarding the wrong train, said a report. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The incident occurred on Feb 27, around 10 am at Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh state when the elderly couple, Rajeshwar Tyagi and his wife Santosh, both above 70 years old, by mistake, boarded the Shatabdi Express, Indo-Asian News Service reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According to the report, Sub-inspector Ram Chandar and constable Subhash of the GRP asked the couple where they were headed. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The couple responded that they were on their way to <st1:city w:st="on">Saharanpur</st1:city>, which is 58 km from Muzaffarnagar, only to be told that they were on the Shatabdi Express, which does not halt at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Saharanpur</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The railway police asked the elderly couple to deboard, something, they pleaded; they could not do as the train had gathered speed by then. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Incensed, the policemen opened the door of the compartment and pushed the old couple out said the report. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The woman was hit by a train moving on a parallel track and died instantly, while the man received minor injuries on the fall. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A case against the two GRP policemen was registered at the Muzaffarnagar railway station. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We have sent the body of the deceased woman for autopsy. Based on the statement of Rajeshwar Tyagi, we have lodged a case against the two policemen," a GRP official told the news agency. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Indian Railway Police Throw Old Couple Off Moving Train, Woman Dead

NEW DELHI, India   (NNN-Bernama) -- In a shocking incident, an elderly woman was killed and her husband wounded when the couple was t...

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e-Toilets from Kerala in Jammu and Kashmir

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">By M. Jacob Abraham*<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Kerala's own electronic toilets (e-toilets), one of the prominent innovations of the state in public health, hygiene and sanitation sector, would now be seen featured at the scenic an snow covered valleys of Jammu and Kashmir also.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Developed by Eram Scientific Solutions, the Thiruvananthapuram based scientific R&D firm, the e-toilets for Jammu & Kashmir region has been customized as per the region's own geographical and sub-zero climatic conditions in response to J&Ks tourism departments request for setting up e-Toilets in the State. The e-Toilets would be set up at Affarwat and Gulmarg.  Affarwat is one of the world's highest locations which uses cable car using gondolas at a height of over 4000 ft above sea level and the only one location in the world that takes skiers to a height of 4,390 metres.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In addition to the e-toilets, specifically designed STPs (Sewage Treatment Plants) would also be set up at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Dal</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Lake</st1:placetype></st1:place> to address its waste treatment woes. A 2.5 ton container loaded with the e-toilet and STP components would be leaving from Thiruvananthapuram to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jammu and Kashmir</st1:place></st1:state>. Eram Scientific has designed customized e-toilets which can function in sub-zero temperatures, even at -55o. In order to function at this sort of extreme cold temperatures, military grade equipments have been used in the customized e-toilet model. Eram Scientific has successfully implemented over 400 e-toilets in various parts of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The e-toilets are designed on the lines of the Australian National Public Toilet Map.  The user, could view the toilet map via the Internet or the cell phone, select the nearest toilet station, set a parking space, make payment, view the timings and get other details on allied facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The company has entered into an association with the Indian Institute of Science, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Bangalore</st1:place></st1:city> for further research and development of e-toilets.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The collaborative work will focus on structural analysis and design verification of these toilets.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Need for a Sustainable Intervention in Sanitation sector<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Urban and Semi Urban areas -These areas face severe problems with respect to standard public toilets, cleanliness and better sanitation amenities in particular. The cities and towns being overpopulated pose severe health hazards arising due to unhygienic conventional sanitation methods being followed in these areas. The introduction of the proposed sanitation system would radically change the plight of the existing toilets and public sanitation system in place.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Social Relevance - Unhygienic sanitation cause infection and related diseases especially in women and children. The level of privacy, dignity and safety for women can be rendered in the best possible manner by installing Electronic Public Toilets in all possible public locations.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Unhygienic Tourist Spots - Tourism is also facing the ill-effects of the deplorable sanitation conditions in the country. Several tourist spots and connecting roads are a pity to the country and are causing discomfort for the tourists. Chances of getting infected with severe communicable diseases in the Indian streets do create doubts for the tourists in choosing it as their destination.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">eToilet, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s First Electronic Public Toilet<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Through this unique product, the company has attempted to address the inherent challenges of public sanitation. In a perfect situation, a public toilet should have the capabilities to address waste management, effective water usage and sustainability as core challenges among various other issues. eToilet is positioned as the perfect solution which addresses all these effectively; it is cost effective, appropriate and suitable for the geographic and demographic patterns of any location. It is working on a mission to have all Indian Cities with modern sterilized public sanitation system. To further improve Urban Sanitation Infrastructure, such projects with huge social relevance are inevitable.  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Innovation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The idea was to develop an eco-friendly public sanitation system for the Indian sub-continent based on a novel convergence of electronic, mobile, web and bio technologies, for serving as an affordable, sustainable and effective public toilet service in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.  eToilet is positioned as the ultimate solution to ensure public toilets across the country are maintained hygienically, with the minimum of manual intervention, and substantial energy and water savings as well. The e-Toilet works on total auto mode: The insertion of a coin opens the door for the user, switches on the light - thus saving energy - and even directs the user with audio commands. The toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 liters of water if the user takes up to 3 minutes, and 4.5 liters of water if the usage is longer. They can also be programmed to clean the platform after every 5 or 10 persons use the toilet. The e-Toilet is the result of a convergence of electronics, web and mobile technologies, featuring automated door opening, power flushing, automatic closet washing and sterilization, and automatic platform cleaning mechanism, all backed by SMS alerts to inform the control room about the status of water tank and bio gas plant in the event of any errors or failures through which the downtime can be minimized. The solid and liquid wastes are treated scientifically. A bio-membrane reactor is used to treat solid wastes and the water used is purified for reuse. The uniqueness of the solution lies in the built-in electronic innovations that will facilitate self cleaning of the toilets with minimum water usage, and treatment of solid waste and water with an environment friendly sewage treatment solution. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">eToilet covers all the three aspects of quality of life, efficiency and environment protection. eToilet is aimed at improving the quality of life of the public; i.e. the wellness of the people by providing clean, hygienic state-of-the-art sanitation facilities which overrides the traditional public toilets. Though the unit is fully automated, it does not create any kind of usage barrier to the normal user. Efficiency is brought into practice through its unique futuristic approach woven with an intention to preserve our precious resources such as water, electricity and managing waste through effective and efficient sewage treatment techniques. It is also a cost-effective mechanism to ensure proper public sanitation facility in highly populated regions. The average life of a unit is estimated to be around 7-10 years and thus it offers durability. Also the deployment of such units will provide employment opportunities for many. This will help many people to earn their livelihood. Environment is protected through eToilet’s Green technology focus and is all set to emerge with a matchless ‘green model’ through a linkage with Indian Institute of Science.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">400+ units of eToilet are installed in various locations of our country. The commercial production of the same started during the first quarter of 2010 to provide world class sanitation facility for tourists.  Eram has installed e-toilets in various parts of Kerala and Greater Noida.  Another 300 is under implementation and will be operational within next two months.  Each system is used by an average of 130 peoples per day.  The company has now entered into technology transfer agreement with <st1:country-region w:st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region> and marketing arrangement with <st1:country-region w:st="on">Nigeria</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Botswana</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">High Impact Projects<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">eToilet is now evolving as a sustainable project for providing clean and hygienic urban infrastructure. Various Government Departments in Kerala have been implementing large scale projects for providing sustainable technology based urban sanitation projects.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Connected e-Toilets would communicate over a GPRS system and they are accessible over a mobile or internet for locating them.  The e-Toilets can provide information about its working status, whether for male or female, whether changing stations for babies are available and other facilities and the distance from the location specified can be provided.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The company has recently won a whopping grant of over $ 4,50,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to set up eco friendly and hygienic e-Toilets making public conveniences more accessible to the urban poor.  The prototyped e-toilet was developed under Technopreneur promotion programme (Tepp) of Department of Scientific and Industrial Research of Government of India by Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram promoted by Government of Kerala. The innovation got grant in aid from Government of India for the prototype development and after completing the working models, this technology has been transferred to Eram Scientific Solutions for comercialising the technology. (PIB Features.)<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> <span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">*Deputy Director, PIB, Thiruvananthapuram.<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

e-Toilets from Kerala in Jammu and Kashmir

By M. Jacob Abraham* Kerala's own electronic toilets (e-toilets), one of the prominent innovations of the state in public hea...

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