Releases...........pt1

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Defence  

Antony's three-day visit to Maldives begins tomorrow

 

 

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony embarks on a three day official visit to Maldives beginning tomorrow. He will be leading a high level delegation comprising the Defence Secretary Shri Pradeep Kumar, DG Armed Forces Medical Services Lt Gen NK Parmar, DG Coast Guard Vice Admiral Anil Chopra and Deputy Chief of Navy Staff Vice Admiral DK Joshi.

 

Shortly after his arrival at the Maldivian capital, Male', Shri Antony will call on President Mohammed Nasheed. He will hold talks with the top leadership of the government and the Maldives National Defence Force. Shri Antony will also have bilateral discussions with his counterpart Mr Ameen Faisal on ways of expanding defence cooperation between the two countries. Shri Antony will also attend the closing session of the India- Maldives Friendship function besides paying a visit to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, the most visible symbol of Indo-Maldives cooperation and friendship. The 200-bed general and speciality hospital has over the years provided Maldives greater self-reliance in the field of medical care.\

 

India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity and enjoy close, cordial and multi-dimensional relations. India was among the first to recognize Maldives after Independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country. India's prompt assistance during the 1988 coup attempt, which diffused the crisis, represents a watershed in India-Maldives relations. India's quick response and prompt assistance in their hour of need and immediate withdrawal of the troops when they were no longer required assuaged fears of any Indian dominance. More recently, when the tsunami waves hit Maldives on the morning of 26 December 2004, India was the first country to rush relief and aid to Maldives. In April 2006, India gifted a fast attack craft, INS Tillanchang, to Maldives.

 

Shri Antony returns home on 22 August .

 

sitanshu kar/dk/kol/15:34 hrs. 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Tourism

Meghalaya Governor calls on Union Tourism Minister

New Delhi: August 19, 2009

 

Meghalaya governor Shri Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary called on the Union tourism minister Kumari Selja here today. During their meeting both the sides discussed tourism related issues. Shri Mooshahary said Megahalaya has vast tourism potential both for domestic as well as foreign tourists. He said, leave travel concession to the central government employee to visit the north-east has made Meghalaya quite popular among tourists. The governor said that tourism is one of the most important aspects in achieving the national integration. Welcoming the proposed Heli-tourism announced by the union ministry of tourism, he urged that travel by helicopter to Meghalaya may be made affordable to attract more visitors to the area. He requested to see if a subsidy can be considered in this regard.

 

Kumari Selja said the union government is committed to promote tourism in the north-east and the region is on the priority agenda for development of tourism related infrastructure. She said, tourism and people to people contact has provided an excellent opportunity to have better understanding among the people to know each other.

 

ad/db/dk/kol/15:34 hrs. 

 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Tourism  

Selja assures promotion of Buddhist Circuit in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar

New Delhi: August 19, 2009

 

The Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja has said that her Ministry will take along Uttar Pradesh and Bihar while promoting Buddhist Circuit for tourists. She said that Buddhist Circuit is popular both among foreign and domestic tourists and all efforts will be made to make it star attraction. The issue came up during the meeting of Uttar Pradesh tourism minister with Kumari Selja here today when the former called on her. During the meeting, Uttar Pradesh submitted a project on the Buddhist Circuit to the Union Ministry for consideration.

 

Both the leaders discussed tourism related issues and Kumari Selja stressed the need to provide cleanliness and hygienic atmosphere at tourist spots in the state as the feel good factor among tourists will provide the state a chance to have more repeat visitors. She said Public Awareness Campaign about cleanliness must be started in places like Agra where tourists come in large numbers. She suggested that the help of corporate sector may also be taken in creating such awareness. Kumari Selja also suggested to provide skill upgradation training to waiters, cooks, taxi drivers and other stakeholders to provide better experiences for tourists during their stay in the state. She said her Ministry is willing to provide training to instructors of the state in this regard, if such a request is put forward. She also urged the state to work towards Seamless travel for the comfort of the tourists as Uttar Pradesh is one of the key state in the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur), which attracts most of the foreign tourists visiting India.

 

The Uttar Pradesh tourism minister Shri Vinod Singh enlisted the efforts of the state government in providing training to waiters, cooks etc. and requested the Union Ministry to sanction a scheme of the state government under which stipend for such training will be given to the beneficiaries. He also sought help to have international airports at Agra and Kushinagar.

 

ad/db/dk/kol/15:35 hrs. 

 

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Rural Development  

Central Employment Guarantee Council Discusses NREGA Works

New Delhi: August 19, 2009

 

The Newly constituted Central Employment Guarantee Council held its first meeting under the Chairmanship of Union Rural Development Minister Dr. C.P. Joshi on Tuesday, the 18th August. The members discussed at length the issues related to the administrative and technical capacity building under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Another important issue deliberated upon during the meeting was the inclusion of new works under NREGA.

 

In his welcome address the Minister of Rural Development Dr. C.P Joshi called upon the members of the council to undertake field visits in different states to review the performance of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and other implementation issues. He emphasized that it is important to evolve the Act's processes and procedures and progress towards sustainable development. He apprised members of the fact that NREGA will continue to augment the economic security of the rural poor thereby enabling them to graduate from wage earning to more sustainable forms of employment and livelihood security and this indeed would be a significant step towards their empowerment.

 

It was the ninth meeting of the Central Employment Guarantee Council. The Council Members include the Minister himself along with Shri Sandeep Dixit, Shri Nana Alias Ramesh Pandurang Gawande, Shri Madhu Sudan Mistri, Shri Narayan Singh Amlabe, Shri Bhakta Charn Das, Shri Jean Dreze, Shri M. I. Shanavas, Prof. Ashwani Kumar, Shri Sanjay Dixit, Ms. Aruna Roy, Shri Rangu Rao and Shri K.S. Gopal.

 

The members of this council include representatives from the Central Government , the State Governments, Panchayati Raj Institutions , organizations of workers and disadvantaged groups with the representatives from women and members of Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the Other Backward Castes and Minorities. The Central Employment Guarantee Council is mandated to perform the following functions and duties (a) establish a central evaluation and monitoring system; (b) advise the Central Government on all matters concerning the implementation of this Act; (c) review the monitoring and redressal mechanism from time to time and recommend improvements required; (d) promote the widest possible dissemination of information about the Schemes made under this Act; (e) monitoring the implementation of this Act; (f) preparation of annual reports to be laid before Parliament by the Central Government on the implementation of this Act; (g) any other duty or function as may be assigned to it by the Central Government. In addition it is authorized to have the power to undertake evaluation of the various Schemes made under this Act and for that purpose collect or cause to be collected statistics pertaining to the rural economy and the implementation of the Schemes.

 

akt/st/sak/dk/kol/15:35 hrs.