New ambassador to the United States- Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will be India's next ambassador to the United States.She is expected to take up the assignment shortly, replacing Meera Shankar.
Indian military's biggest ever tender is on the way.
- Four European nations — the U.K, Germany, Spain and Italy — bidding jointly for 126 fighter planes,mostly Eurofighter Typhoon. It has superior turnaround time, bombing capabilities and the four-nation consortium has offered open door technology transfer.
Country needs a second green revolution : PM
- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday the priority of the 12th Five-Year Plan would be to accelerate agricultural growth rate by at least two per cent to ensure food and nutritional security and eliminate hunger.
- Farm production grew by just 1 per cent each year over the 10-year period from 1997 to 2007. Though it regained momentum in the 11th Plan period, registering a 3 per cent growth, it was below the targeted 4 per cent.
- Total foodgrains production during 2010-11 was a record 241 million tonnes.
- We need a consistent growth rate of two per cent per annum in food production through the current decade to meet the projected need of 280 million tonnes by 2020-21 and ensure food security.
- We need climate-resilient crop varieties, cropping patterns and management practices to meet the challenges of climate change that led to aberrations such as intra-seasonal variability of rainfall, extreme events and unseasonal rainfalls.
Japan suspending civil nuclear talks with India
- The Japanese government is reported to have decided to suspend civil nuclear cooperation talks with India and four other countries — Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.This decision is on behalf of Japans plan to move away from nuclear energy path.
Lumbini to become a tourism spot
- A foundation supported by the Chinese government on Friday unveiled details of a $3 billion plan to build a “special development zone” in Nepal, which will transform the town of Lumbini, regarded as the Buddha's birthplace, into a sprawling tourism, pilgrimage and education centre modelled on Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
Lokpal cannot be above Parliament : Sudhakar Reddy,CPI
- A strong Lokpal Bill is necessary to fight corruption, but it cannot become a “supreme body” above Parliament with control over the legislature, executive and judiciary.
Statehood demand remains: Gorkha Janamukti Morcha
- Waves are not settling even after the tripartite agreement for formation of the Gorkhaland Administrative Tribunal in Darjeeling.
- GJM chief strategist HB Chetri affirmed : "We are happy with the agreement. But we consider this as a major step towards our ultimate goal of getting a separate state. And by the way, it is clearly written in the agreement that we are not giving up our separate statehood demand."
- Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee contradicted this with her statement: "Darjeeling is my heart and will always remain in Bengal,"
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