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Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan: Gilani

September 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.20 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yosuf Raza Gilani is back to singing his ‘K-tune’ by describing Kashmir as Pakistan’s jugular vein.

Interacting with a group of political leaders during an Iftaar party at the PM House here, Gilani said Islamabad’s policy on Kashmir was based on Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s stance that “Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan.”

Referring to the government’s recent decision to grant internal autonomy to Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilani said Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir would remain unchanged.

“I want to express in clear and unequivocal terms that this decision of the government will not bring any change in Pakistan’s principled stand on Kashmir,” Gilani said.

Gilani blamed India of neglecting the long pending Kashmir issue and said that Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“We want to resolve the Kashmir dispute peacefully and have invited India for negotiations, despite it repeatedly ignoring them,” The Daily times quoted Gilani, as saying.

Gilani said he had categorically told Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during their meeting at the margins of the NAM summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh earlier this year that resolving the issue was very important for establishing peace in the region.

“There could be no peace in the region until the Kashmir dispute was resolved according to the aspirations of its people,” he added. (ANI)

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Musharraf ‘shedding crocodile tears’, says ex- Pak SCBA chief

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.19 (ANI): Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association’s former President Aitzaz Ahsan has said that former President General Pervez Musharraf is ‘shedding crocodile tears’ while admitting that removing Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry from office in 2007 was a mistake.

Referring to Musharraf’s speech at Trinity University in Saint Antonio, Texas, where the former general admitted that he had committed a mistake while sacking the then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) from office, Ahsan said Musharraf had committed not only one but two mistakes by removing the higher judiciary and imposing an emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

Talking to a private television channel, Ahsan said the government and the ‘independent’ judiciary should play their role in trying Musharraf under high treason charges.

He said it was not the right time for lawyers to take their struggle to roads, as they did previously while demanding restoration of the judiciary, The News reports.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has denied that Musharraf had taken the cabinet into his confidence before promulgating the Provisional Constitutional Ordinance (PCO) and imposing the emergency rule in 2007.

Interacting with media persons during an Iftaar party hosted by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, several party leaders rejected the notion regarding Musharraf consulting the cabinet before taking the illegal and extra-judicial actions. (ANI)

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Pak wants relationship with India on ‘equal footing’: Gilani

September 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Karachi, Sep.6 (ANI): Stressing the need for resumption of bilateral talks with India, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said Islamabad wants relations with New Delhi on an equal footing.

“We want relations with India on an equal basis and it is our resolve that we will not allow our soil to be used for terrorism. Therefore, we want a proper dialogue to be resumed as in the present situation, the terrorists are getting benefit of the situation,” Gilani said.

Interacting with media persons at the Governor’s House here, Gilani said tensions between India and Pakistan would benefit the militants, so it was important for both countries to restart the peace process as soon as possible.

“We want relations with India on the basis of equality. If Pakistan and India do not enter into negotiations for the betterment of the region, then someone else would get the benefit. If there will not be bilateral talks, the terrorists will take advantage of it,” The News quoted Gilani, as saying.

Commenting on the massive reshuffle in the bureaucracy, Gilani defended his action saying it was important to ensure efficiency, integrity and quality in the system.

Gilani has revamped the top bureaucratic posts, replacing over a dozen federal secretaries in several ministries with over 50 civil servants.

In what is being touted as the single largest grade-22 promotion in many years, secretaries of interior, information, industries, privatisation commission, labour, and special secretary of finance are among those who have been replaced with the newly promoted officers.

However, the move has being criticized by many civil servants, as they believe the reshuffle reeks of nepotism and favouritism. (ANI)

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Musharraf must be prosecuted to end Army’s interference in country’s politics: Sharif

September 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Lahore, Sep.5 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that prosecuting former President General Pervez Musharraf under high treason charges for taking ‘extrajudicial’ actions on November 3, 2007 would help resolve all crises facing the country currently.

Interacting with party workers at his Raiwind residence, Sharif said trying Musharraf would ensure that the door to military interference in the country’s politics would be closed for good.

“Today’s Constitutional crisis is the result of the military coup on October 12, 1999,” The News quoted Sharif, as saying.

“If common people and former prime ministers can face trials then why a military dictator, who violated the Constitution twice, should not be prosecuted?” the former Prime Minister asked.

Meanwhile, senior PML-N leader Ghous Ali Shah has rebutted reports regarding Sharif being involved in the ‘secret’ deal which saw Musharraf stepping down from the Presidency.

Shah said if Musharraf is not prosecuted under Article Six of the Constitution, then it will have a serious effect on the country’s democratic set-up.

“A military dictator contested elections in uniform with the permission of the courts and abrogated the constitution twice but if he was pardoned, then democracy would never consolidate,” Shah said.

He said the current infighting between the PML-N and MQM was temporary and situation would normalize soon.

“Nothing is final in politics and doors are not closed. Situation and time compel parties to talk to each other,” Shah added. (ANI)

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Zardari’s China connection sees him receiving ‘unprecedented’ protocol

September 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep.5 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari seems to share a special relationship with China, as he receives an extra ordinary welcome in Beijing that no other leader of any state enjoys during his visit to the communist country.

During his recent China visit, Zardari received an unprecedented protocol and Beijing also acknowledged that no head of state is ever given such a protocol if he is on a working visit to cities other than Beijing.

“This is rare. When dignitaries from other countries are there in Chinese provinces, they are received by an official of the Chinese foreign ministry. No one outside Beijing gets protocol which President Zardari receives during his working visits,” Chinese ambassador to Islamabad Lou Zhaohui said.

Interacting with media person at the Chinese embassy here, Zhaohui said Zardari, during his first official visit to China last October, had committed to come there every three months and visit a new province each time.

He praised Zardari for keeping his promise for visiting China thrice in the recent past to take note of the Chinese model of development, which he (Zardari) wants to implement in Pakistan.

Zhaohui also informed that Chinese President Hu Jintao would meet his Pakistani counterpart in New York later this month on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.

He said the meeting will focus on strengthening bilateral ties of the two nations.

“The focus would be on a wide range of regional and international issues, but of course the emphasis would be on bilateral relations. The interaction will further deepen friendship with China,” Zhaohui said.

“It is important for the leaderships to establish personal friendship,” he added. (ANI)

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Anita Dongre shoots for her upcoming collection in Mumbai

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug 29(ANI): Fashion Designer Anita Dongre shot for her upcoming collection of Indo-western apparel personifying the best of both in Mumbai on Saturday.

The collection impeccably blends, cuts, colors, embellishments and the vibrancy of the Indian fabrics and consists of funky T-shirts with Indian motifs, block printed kurtas to colourful bags and jewellery.

Interacting with the media Dongre, said: “Every season we come out with a new collection so this is my collection for the coming season but the collections first rule is that it’s full of colour, it’s young and it’s fun.”

“We have prints from Jaipur, we have prints which graphic designers from Bombay have designed, we have got very India centric motifs, we have got peacocks, elephants and we have got everything India is all about,” she added.

Dongre has used fabrics like cottons, georgettes and crushed cotton silk in her collection. (ANI)

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US to ensure ‘highest standards of accountability’ for Pak aid : US official

August 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug.29 (ANI): The United States would like to ensure the ‘highest standards of accountability’ in utilization of aid being provided to Pakistan by the Obama administration in order to make sure that the funds are being utilized exactly for the purpose it is allotted for, a top US official has said.

Interacting with media persons at the US embassy here, the US Coordinator for Economic Development and Assistance to Pakistan, Robin Raphael, said ensuring transparency in the utilization of assistance would be a key benchmark.

“We want to ensure highest standards of accountability. We want to be clear where the money is going and how it is going,” The Daily Times quoted Raphael, as saying.

Commenting on the huge amount of administrative costs which is likely to be incurred, Raphael said every effort would be made to minimize the high intermediation charges.

She, however, highlighted that Washington would need foreign technical expertise in certain areas while working to lower the administrative costs.

According to an estimate, Pakistan would receive only the half of the actual monetary assistance promised by the United States, as a huge amount of money is likely to be deducted for administrative costs.

Commenting on the increasing energy needs of Pakistan, Raphael said US is considering investing hugely in the energy sector, including hydel power generation, to help the county overcome its energy crisis.

When asked about the reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs) programme, she said America was also working to expand the area for ROZs, which were previously planned only for the war ravaged Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). (ANI)

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Karsaz bombing perpetrators may be behind Benazir’s assassination: Khosa

August 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug.28 (ANI): Pakistan Attorney General Latif Khosa has said that the masterminds of the October, 2007 Karsaz bombing in Karachi may also have been involved in former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.

Interacting with media persons after meeting the two members of the UN commission probing Bhutto’s assassination, Khosa said the commission was doing a ‘wonderful job’ and it has a mandate to complete the probe within six months.

“The commission has been given a ‘free hand’ to interrogate anyone,” The Daily Times quoted Khosa, as saying.

When asked that whether the government has asked the commission to quiz former President General Pervez Musharraf, Khosa said : ” don’t know whether Musharraf is a suspect in Benazir’s murder or not.”

He, however, refused to divulge details of the meeting. (ANI)

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Musharraf’s trial, NRO should not be interlinked: Gilani

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug.25 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and the trial of former president General Pervez Musharraf under the Article Six of the Constitution are two separate issues and should not be interlinked.

“These are two separate issues,” Gilani said when asked whether the NRO was preventing the government from initiating a high treason case against Musharraf.

Interacting with media persons at Chaudhry Nisar Ali’s residence, Gilani said Pakistan wanted to maintain good relations with all its neighbours including India, The Daily Times reports.

Gilani said his government wanted ‘forward movement’ in the composite dialogue process with India for the resolution of all outstanding issues, but without compromising Pakistan’s sovereignty, dignity and honour.

Gilani said the PPP led government is in constant touch with the PML-N over all important issues concerning the nation including relations with India.

Referring to his meeting with Dr.Manmohan Singh in Sharm-El-Sheikh on the sidelines of the NAM summit, Gilani said he had contacted PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and taken him into confidence before the meeting.

When asked about the differences between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz (PML-N) over the trial Musharraf, he said both parties have their own manifestos and programmes and were working according to it. (ANI)

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No personal grudge against Musharraf but trial a ‘must’: Sharif

August 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug. 22 (ANI): Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had no personal grudge against former President General Pervez Musharraf, but that it was a unanimous call of the country to try the former general under Article 6 for disregarding the Constitution.

Interacting with media persons at Punjab House here, Sharif said Musharraf’s trial is ‘must’ to ensure supremacy of law.

“It is a golden opportunity to block the path of military interventions and if the government does not move against the dictator, it would be a great disappointment for the nation,” Sharif said.

He said with the Supreme Court declaring Musharraf’s November 3, 2007 acts as ‘illegal’ and ‘extrajudicial’, the Government had no option but to try the former military ruler.

Sharif also threatened that the PML-N would come out of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms if the PPP government fails to revoke the 17th Constitutional Amendment as soon as possible.

He also regretted the delay in implementation of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) in true letter and spirit.

Earlier, in a meeting with his close associates and party workers, Sharif expressed disappointment at Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s decision not to try Musharraf for high treason.

Referring to Gilani’s statement in the National Assembly where he asked the opposition to come up with a unanimous resolution for Musharraf’s trial, Sharif said he never expected this from Gilani.

“I was not expecting this kind of statement from Gilani. He broke my heart,” The News quoted Sharif, as saying.

He said Gilani’s statement suggests that he supports Musharraf’s illegal acts.

During the meeting, Sharif also clarified that he was never approached by any foreign diplomat asking him to ‘forgive’ Musharraf.

Responding to a question, Sharif said British diplomat Mark Lyall Grant had never discussed any deal with him before the resignation of Musharraf.

“Grant never asked anything more and informed him that he is going to the United Nations as the new British envoy,” he said. (ANI)

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Book on Nehru would have gone ‘unnoticed’ in Pak: PML-N

August 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug.21 (ANI): Expressing solidarity with expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has criticized the BJP for throwing Singh out of the party for writing a book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, saying if anybody would have written a book on Jawaharlal Nehru in Pakistan, it would have not created such a furor.

Interacting with media persons here, PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said Singh’s expulsion has exposed the ‘narrow-mindedness’ of BJP towards Muslim leaders.

“I don’t understand why there is so much resentment among the BJP over Jaswant Singh’s book. If anybody in Pakistan had written a praiseworthy book on Nehru, nobody in Pakistan would have noticed it,” he said.

Haq said the incident has proved that discrimination still prevailed in India despite its claims of being a democratic country.

“Whether it is Congress or the BJP, the thinking and approach of Indian political parties is the same towards Pakistan and Muslims,” The Daily Times quoted Haq, as saying.

He added that BJP’s ‘shameful’ act has exposed secularism in the Indian society.

Singh was expelled from the BJP on Wednesday for writing a book-Jinnah-India, Partition, Independence- which, according to the party, was against the basic ideology of the party. (ANI)

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Jaswant Singh rules out walking away from politics

August 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug 20 (ANI): Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh on Thursday ruled out walking away from active politics, saying he will continue to remain in public life.

He also said that he would continue with his literary and creative pursuits while being in politics.

Interacting with media persons after his arrival from Shimla, Singh said he will make the letter written to key members of the party on the reasons of party’s debacle in the 2009 elections public on Saturday (August 22).

In a meeting held immediately after the debacle of the party in the elections to the Lok Sabha in May, Singh is said to have written a note titled Inaam (Award) and Parinaam (Result).

Singh said he has never associated himself with the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS), nor violated any ideological stand of the party.

“I have not violated the ideology of the party, I don’t know which core ideology of the party they are speaking about. I don’t want to explain any conduct,” he said.

Singh also criticised the BJP’s comparison of vote and vichar (thinking).

Commenting on the banning of the his controversial book “Jinnah, India- Independence, Partition” by the Gujarat State Government, Singh asked “Where I made derogatory remarks about Sardar Patel in that book? Whether they read the book before banning ?.

On Wednesday, a spokesperson of the Gujarat Government announced that the state is banning the publication of the book because of derogatory remarks made about India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

“Banning the book means shutting the door for thought” Singh said.

“If any individual or organisation stops reading, writing, debating, thinking, and reflecting then it is heading towards darkness,” Singh added.(ANI)

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Jaswant Singh says he sent an advance copy of his book to Advani

August 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Shimla, Aug. 19 (ANI): In a startling revelation, expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh said on Wednesday that he had sent an advance copy of his latest book ” Jinnah – India-Partition-Independence” to senior party leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani, and therefore, this made his removal from the party after 30 years of association even more painful and shocking.

Interacting with journalists here on the sidelines of a three-day party Chintan Baithak, which he is not attending in the wake of his sudden expulsion, Jaswant Singh said that at the time of his sending the book over to Advani, there was no reaction or hint of things to come, and this made his expulsion from the party one of the saddest episodes of his adult life.

He said he never could have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would be expelled from the BJP just for “writing a book”. The book, he said, was a personal viewpoint, and had nothing to do with the policies or stances of the BJP.

Singh’s revelation came hours after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh announced that Singh was being expelled from the BJP.

Singh, who arrived here last evening for the Chintan Baithak of the party, kept away from the meeting by changing his hotel.

According to sources Singh kept away citing bad health. He also skipped a dinner hosted by Advani.

The BJP has distanced itself from the book and Singh’s views on Jinnah.

BJP is meeting here to discuss the causes for the party”s defeat in 2009 general elections and its strategy for the future.

The meeting is also likely to take up the issue of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who has refused to quit as Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly.

Over 25 senior party leaders, including members of the party’s parliamentary board and chief ministers Narendra Modi of Gujarat, Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh, Ramesh Pokhriyal of Uttarakhand and B.S. Yeddyurappa of Karnataka, will participate in the three-day meeting. (ANI)

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Maharashtra Govt may allow private hospitals to treat Swine Flu patients

August 9, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug.9 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Sunday said that his Government was considering a proposal to allow private hospitals fulfilling Government guidelines to treat swine flu cases.

Chavan on Sunday convened a five-hour-long high-level meeting on the Swine Flu situation in the State, which has seen three of the four H1N1 deaths recorded in the country.

Interacting with the mediamen, Chavan said: “A decision on the issue would be taken in two days after a meeting with private hospital managements.”

“Those private hospitals who are willing to set up isolated wards and follow Government of India’s guidelines would be considered,” he added.

There are, however, no restrictions on private doctors examining suspected cases, Chavan said.

Chavan said people should wear masks in public place.

A doctor should send suspected cases to screening centres, which would take throat swab to get it tested for swine flu, the CM added.

Chavan asked people to restrict movement at public places. He, however, announced that it would be up to school managements to decide on closing the school in view of the swine flu.

Meanwhile, a meeting of all Ganesh mandals and Dahihandi mandals would be convened on Monday to discuss ways of minimising spread of swine flu. It is because hundreds of thousands of people throng the streets during Ganeshotsav and Dahihandi celebrations. (ANI)

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Congress hints at a soft corner for Mayawati

May 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 13 (ANI): Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has indicated the possibility of joining hands with BSP supremo Mayawati as part of UPA’s post poll alliance.

On a question as to whether the Congress sees Mayawati as its potential post-poll ally, a smiling Digvijay said, “Politics is the art of the possible.”

Offering another hint of Congress’ soft corner for the BSP, Singh nullified Mulayam Singh’s Yadav’s remark against Mayawati Government in Uttar Pradesh.

Reacting on Yadav’s remark that his party would support any government that would dismiss Mayawati government, Singh said that there was “no question of dismissing a duly elected overnment”

On a question as to whether the BSP was communal, he said, “We only consider the BJP and Shiv Sena as communal.”

Interacting with the media here, Digvijay said it was meaningless to talk about allies and alliances before May 16, when the Lok Sabha Election results will be declared.

“Today, we are with our allies. Talking about alliances now is like flying kites in the air. Let the mandate come, we will see,” he said.

On former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumarswamy’s meeting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi last night, he said, “It is an indication of the direction in which the political wind is blowing.”

The senior Congress leader expressed full confidence about Congress’ chances of forming the next government.

“We are certainly emerging as the single largest party. We’ll certainly improve our 2004 tally. Even the UPA will improve on its 2004 numbers,” he said. (ANI)

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Decision to attack Advani was a conscious choice: Manmohan Singh

April 15, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 15 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that his decision to counter attack Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani was a conscious one.

Commenting on Advani’s repeated charge that he was “weak Prime Minister”, Dr. Singh said: “Any serious political observer knows my remarks on Advani are true. I owe it to myself and the people of India to show where the shoe pinches. Enough is enough.”

Interacting with members of the Editors Guild of India, the Prime Minister targeted the BJP for its “personal remarks” against him, and said distribution of roles between him and Congress president Sonia Gandhi were conducive for greater efficiency in the functioning of the government.

Dr. Singh added that such an arrangement has worked well for the country.

Asked why he kept quiet for so long despite repeated personal attacks by Advani, Dr Singh said he did not respond earlier because he had not been named the Congress prime ministerial candidate.

Talking about his career, Dr Singh said he has been a politician since 1991 when he was the Finance Minister.

When asked about alliances, Dr. Singh said that future of Congress and Left parties coming together would depend on circumstances.

Remembering his experiences as a politician, Singh said he has dealt with the Left, RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav, SP’s Mulayam Singh Yadav, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, the PDP, and had managed them all well. (ANI)

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Scientists achieve breakthrough in global warming plant production

April 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 31 (ANI): Researchers at the universities of Leicester and Oxford in the UK have identified a single gene responsible for controlling plant growth responses to elevated temperature, a breakthrough that could potentially have an enormous impact on crop production as global warming increases.

“Exposure of plants to high temperature results in the rapid elongation of stems and a dramatic upwards elevation of leaves,” said Dr Kerry Franklin, from the University of Leicester Department of Biology, who led the study.

“These responses are accompanied by a significant reduction in plant biomass, thereby severely reducing harvest yield. Our study has revealed that a single gene product regulates all these architectural adaptations in the model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana,” he added.

“This study provides the first major advance in understanding how plants regulate growth responses to elevated temperature at the molecular level,” he further added.

This discovery will prove fundamental in understanding the effects of global climate change on crop productivity.

“Identification of the mechanisms by which plants sense changes in ambient temperature remains a Holy Grail in plant biology research. Although the identity of such ‘temperature sensors’ remains elusive, the discovery of a key downstream regulator brings us closer to addressing this important question,” said Dr Franklin.

The study has shown that mutant plants, deficient in the regulatory protein Phytochrome Interacting Factor 4 (PIF4) do not display the dramatic stem elongation and leaf elevation responses observed in wild type plants upon exposure to elevated temperature.

The study has further shown PIF4 to regulate a pathway involving the plant hormone auxin.

The PIF4 gene product was previously identified as a co-regulator of light-mediated elongation growth, suggesting plants integrate light and temperature signalling pathways through converged regulation of the same target proteins. (ANI)

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President Michelle promises to strengthen Chile, India partnership

March 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Chennai, Mar 20 (ANI): Chilean President Michelle Bachelet today said both India and Chile are commemorating 60 years of friendship and now there is a need to strengthen and deepen the partnership.

Interacting with leaders of the I.T industry at a breakfast meeting organised by NASSCOM here, Michelle said Chile is an open economy with a great investment potential.

She also invited corporate leaders from the Indian Information technology and Bio-Tech Industry to take advantage of the friendly investment environment and invest in the country.

Lauding the gigantic steps made by India in the IT Sector in the last two decades, Bachelet said her government will study the Indian business model and steps will be taken to improve the linkages between university and industry.

Earlier, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to encourage contribution towards mutual collaboration for growth and development of IT sectors in both the countries was signed between the NASSCOM and the Association of Information Technology companies, chile.

Later, Bachelet met scientists of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation. She also inaugurated Chile-India cultural exhibition.

She will be conferred with an honorary doctorate at a Madras University function later this evening.

Bachelet, who is on a five-day official visit to the country, had met President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

India and Chile also signed four agreements in the areas of space, renewable energy, education and mineral resources to strengthen their bilateral ties further.

The agreement on space is for exploration and utilization of outer-space for peaceful purposes.

An agreement on gender equality between both countries is also at an advance stage of negotiation. Both sides agreed to pursue cooperation in the Antarctica as well. Both countries also expressed an interest in strengthening cooperation in the areas of IT and biotechnology.

She is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Minister of Agriculture and Women Empowerment and a business delegation. She will also visit Agra. (ANI)

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Kamal Nath wants women reach highest levels

February 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Feb 12 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath today said that there is a need to take affirmative action to ensure that women of India are encouraged to come to the fore in greater numbers in all walks of life including to the highest levels in the Public Sector Undertakings.

Speaking at the National Meet of the Forum of Women in Public Sector (WIPS): “Evolving the Blue Print of Change”, here, Nath said that the core of women empowerment lies in societal change.

“We need to speed up societal change whereby boys and girls are given equal opportunity to go to school, not only in the urban centres but also in the vast rural population of our country,” he added.

Interacting during the occasion, the Commerce Minister said that empowerment of women isn’t just taking place at the top of the economic pyramid, it is evolving at the bottom as well and added that women in rural India are now more empowered and independent to take decisions.

He further highlighted that India has created a decentralised administration system at the grassroot level for India’s 650,000 villages-known as the Panchayati Raj.

“There are now have over 2.2 million elected representatives in the Panchayats, and of them, a third are women-our Panchayats combine political empowerment with social empowerment-the bedrock of a successful democracy,” he added.

“We need to understand that countries that do not capitalise on the full potential of one half of their societies are misallocating their human resources and undermining their competitive potential,” he said.

The Minister further added that it is important that the Indian PSUs take more affirmative action and seek out deserving women with entrepreneurial and leadership qualities and develop them as ‘future business leaders’ of the public sector.” (ANI)

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India, Finland agree to explore new areas of trade cooperation

February 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Feb 6 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath and Finland Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Dr. Paavo Vayrynen today agreed to encourage businesses to explore new areas and sectors to widen and deepen the trade basket between the two nation.

Both sides felt that mutual trade and investment between Finland and India is growing and there is lot of potential for developing these economic relations further.

Interacting with the Finnish Minister, Nath said that India has a vibrant SME sector and engagement by SMEs on both sides would strengthen the foundations of trade relationship.

Both the Ministers agreed on a need for fast results in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha Round, especially in the current international economic situation.

Nath emphasised that India would remain committed to engage constructively to reach a fair and balanced outcome of the Doha WTO negotiations.

India-Finland bilateral trade has more than doubled from 533 million dollars in 2004-05 to 1165 million dollars during 2007.08.

Major exports to Finland are – RMG cotton, manufactures of metals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, coffee, transport equipments while major imports from Finland are electronic goods, computer software, iron and steel, paper board. (ANI)

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