Leading industrialists in the US have attended a ‘Make in India Week’ seminar in Chicago, during which several American companies showed interest in reaping benefits of the opportunity to invest in India.
‘Make in India’ is one of the flagship schemes of the Indian government which is aimed at transforming Indian economy from services driven growth model to intensive manufacturing-driven growth not only to increase productivity but also to promote India as an international manufacturing hub, Consul General of Indian Consulate in Chicago Ausaf Sayeed said yesterday.
There are at least 30 key economic sectors which international companies can consider for setting up manufacturing bases in India, Sayeed said, adding that the manufacturing sector in India offers investments worth Rs. 67 lakh crore (USD1 trillion).
“There is considerable synergy between states in India and those in the US Midwest and this could be effectively utilized to boost the manufacturing sectors in both countries,” he said.
The Illinois Chief Information Officer Hardik Bhatt has termed Illinois as one of the most important business partners of India as he expressed desire to collaborate with India in developing smart cities.
Mr Bhatt recently held interactions with the visiting high-level trade missions from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
“Prime Minister Modi’s government has made steady progress to deliver on its promise of economic reforms,” Director and Legal Policy Counsel of US-India Business Council (USIBC) Amy Hariani said.
“Efforts such as lifting of FDI caps in several sectors, reducing red tape, implementing a transparent tax environment, improving the country’s intellectual property regime have sent a crystal clear message to the global investment community that India is ready and open for serious business,” she said.
Ms Hariani further added that the results of these efforts are also visible in India’s rise in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index.
The Indian Consulate in Chicago has mobilised four major business delegations, one each from the states of Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri to participate in the ‘Make in India Week’, to be held Mumbai from February 13th to 18th.pti
The mosquito-borne Zika virus sweeping through Latin America has claimed three lives in Colombia, as the United Nations urged increased access to abortion because of fears of severe birth defects. In the first direct statements from government health officials blaming Zika for causing deaths, Colombia’s National Health Institute (INS) said on Friday that the patients died after contracting the virus and developing a rare neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Cases of the syndrome — in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, causing weakness and sometimes paralysis — have increased in tandem with the Zika outbreak, fueling suspicions that it is a complication of the otherwise mild tropical fever, which is also blamed for causing brain damage in babies born to infected mothers. “Other cases (of deaths linked to Zika) are going to emerge,” said epidemiologist Martha Lucia Ospina, director of the INS.
“The world is realizing that Zika can be deadly. The mortality rate is not very high, but it can be deadly.” Most Guillain-Barre patients recover, but the syndrome sometimes causes paralysis or even death. Citing the rise in babies born with microcephaly, or abnormally small heads and brains, the UN human rights office urged countries hit by Zika to give women access to contraception and abortion. Women’s reproductive rights are a touchy subject in largely Catholic Latin America, but the UN human rights office said countries urging women to avoid pregnancy — a list that comprises Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica and Panama — had to give them ways to control their fertility.
“How can they ask these women not to become pregnant, but not offer… the possibility to stop their pregnancies?” spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly told reporters.
Many Latin American countries outlaw abortion or allow it only if the mother’s life is in danger. In El Salvador, one of those warning against pregnancy, abortion is punishable by up to 40 years in prison. Honduras, which earlier this week declared a state of emergency after tallying some 3,700 cases of Zika since mid-December, said it is planning a full day dedicated to eradicating the mosquitoes that carry the virus. President Juan Orlando Hernandez has allocated an initial tranche of USD 10 million in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus.
President Pranab Mukherjee reviewed the Naval fleet off Visakhapatnam coast here on Saturday morning as a part of the International Fleet Review (IFR) being conducted here.
It is the the second time the IFR is being conducted in the country, the first being off Mumbai coast in 2001.
The President conducted the fleet review aboard INS Sumitra, the Presidential yacht. Six rows of warships of the Indian Navy and the navies of 50 other countries participated in the review, with the sailors saluting the President.
INS Vikramaditya, INS Viraat, and other ships of the Navy participated in it. The naval helicopters and submarines were also on display during the review. The IFR was witnessed by thousands of spectators from the shore.
Along with the President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R.K Dhowan, were on board INS Sumitra to witness the event.
President Pranab Mukherjee said it was a memorable event off Visakhapatnam coast bringing together naval personnel of various nations, binding them together through the oceans.
Welcoming the foreign delegates, he said: “It is our belief that the present day maritime domain requires navies across the world to refocus their efforts to counter the rising tide of non-traditional maritime challenges in the brown, green and blue waters across all oceans.”
He said: “Accordingly, the Indian Navy has realigned its maritime strategy to reflect the changes in the global environment. It has established a credible record of co-operative initiatives to promote stability of oceans and played a central role in ensuring safety of the vital sea lines of communication across the Indian Ocean.”
The President complimented the Indian Navy, especially the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), for the flawless conduct of the prestigious event. He also congratulated the Andhra Pradesh Government and the public of Visakhapatnam for their co-operation.
At the end of the ceremony, the President was given a guard of honour by the Naval personnel. After his departure, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries disembarked from INS Sumitra and left the venue.
by: pti
The magisterial probe into the death of Ryan School student Devansh Kakora indicates towards a “heinous crime” and the investigations so far have “ignored” the observations of the child’s parents, Delhi Government said.
“The observation of the parents are being ignored that the private parts of the child had cotton on them. The report is indicating towards a heinous crime. And saying that he hada disorder amounts to running away from responsibilities,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.
Sisodia termed as “conspiratorial” the alleged attempts on the part of the school management to betray an impression that the six-year-old, who was found dead in a water tank inside its campus, was a “special child”.
The “deliberate” inaction of Ryan International School authorities that amounts to “gross criminal negligence” led to the death of the child, the report produced by SDM Sonal Swaroop has said. It slammed the authorities for “insinuating” him to be special kid.
Sisodia said the foundings of the report raises a “lot of questions” as to how the school could be so “careless”. The government is studying its contents and would take appropriate action, he said.
“The time that elapsed due to deliberate inaction by the school staff in rescuing Devansh amounts to gross criminal negligence. Had the time essentially wasted in discussion, calling for a particular person and denial, been utilised in rescuing the drowned child it would have been pivotal in saving his life,” the report has observed.
Devansh was found dead last Saturday, in the reservoir under the amphitheatre of the school located in South Delhi. The initial postmortem report of Devansh suggested he died of drowning and no external injuries were found, police had said.
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Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar will feature in a video campaign by the World Health Organisation to raise awareness about diabetes in India.
It is part of the World Health Organisations mission to prevent diabetes whenever possible, encourage prevention and to raise awareness.
According to a press release here, the Maharashtra Government approached the 48-year-old actor to appear in the video, which will be directed by Rajkumar Hirani and released on World Health Day on April 7.
The “Airlift” star and Hirani have been discussing ideas for the video, which is expected to be shot this week in Mumbai.
The video will be released online on the YouTube channel, Being Indian. Sanjay Deshmukh, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs), will also be a part of the video.
Previously, Akshay supported the UNs Global Goals campaign advocating the importance of Global Goal No 3 “Good Health and Well-Being”.
He also recently extended his support for Max Bupa Walk for Health, which aims to inspire thousands of families to walk more to enhance their overall health and well-being. pti
In a relief to vintage cars connoisseurs, the National Green Tribunal today agreed to make a one-time exception to its order which had banned all vehicles older than 15 years from plying on Delhi roads.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar granted its nod for the 6th edition of 21 Gun Salute International Vintage car rally in the national capital on February 6 and 7.
The green panel, however, made it clear that this rally was being permitted as a one-time ..
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Four more persons have been arrested and two police officials suspended in connection with the alleged assault and stripping of a Tanzanian student here that has triggered a nationwide outrage.
With this, nine persons have been arrested so far since the incident happened on Sunday night when the 21-year old student went through the ordeal in a vigilante justice by an angry mob in a case of “mistaken identity” after a woman was mowed down by a car driven by a Sudanese here.
Inspector Pravin Babu and Constable Manjunath have been suspended, Bengaluru Police Commissioner N S Megharikh said.
“Babu has been suspended for dereliction of duty and Manjunath for not taking action even though he was present at the spot,” he added.
The four accused were arrested last night, Megharkh said and added that they have been booked for assault, unlawful assembly, arson, rioting and outraging a woman’s modesty.
Megharikh said police have been interrogating the suspects and there are chances of arresting some more people.
Asked whether one of the arrested is a member of BJP, Megharikh said, “He is a panchayat member.”
A team from Delhi comprising the Tanzanian High Commissioner John W H Kijazi and External Affairs Ministry officials will meet the students here and get the assessment of the state government on the incident.
The Tanzanian woman was reportedly dragged out of the car in which she was seated along with her three friends when she reached the accident spot with the miscreants mistaking them to have caused the fatal accident though a Sudanese was involved in it, police said.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has denied that the Tanzanian woman was stripped and paraded naked, claiming that it was not a racial attack.
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today defended the Governor’s sanction for prosecuting Congress leader Ashok Chavan in Adarsh scam case, stating the step was taken as per the advice of the state’s top law officer and rejected the “vendetta” charge.
Governor C Vidyasagar Rao today gave sanction to CBI to prosecute former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan in the case, days after the BJP-led state government recommended action against the leader, who is also a Lok Sabha MP.
Fadnavis said the opinion of Advocate General was sought on the sanction and the law officer clearly said “such permission should be and could be granted.”
“CBI said after the last Governor rejected permission to prosecute Ashok Chavan, a new set of facts was discovered which clearly proved quid pro quo, that is, he gave permissions (for construction of ‘Adarsh’ building) and his close relatives got flats (in the housing society).
“Thus, CBI once again asked the Governor to permit it to prosecute Chavan,” Fadnavis told PTI.
He said the Governor had forwarded the CBI’s request to the Council of Ministers for aid and advice, which was in turn sent to the Advocate General.
“The Council of Ministers, thus, decided to recommend the Governor to act in accordance with the opinion of AG and the Governor in turn gave his consent to CBI to prosecute (Chavan). Hence, there is no question of political vendetta (as alleged by Chavan),” he said.
Fadnavis sought to know why would the Governor or the government refuse sanction to proceed against the Lok Sabha MP from Nanded (who is also President of Congress in Maharashtra), when the central agency has stated that it had evidence of his involvement in the case.
“Even when the earlier Governor rejected permission and CBI went to the High Court, stating they don’t want to file a chargesheet since Governor had denied sanction, the Court did not accept its plea and directed it to file a chargesheet,” Fadnavis said.
The erstwhile Congress-NCP government had also accepted the Adarsh Commission report which “clearly stated that Ashok Chavan is guilty”. They only protected him in ATR (action taken report), saying CBI is already investigating so government does not need to take action, he added:pti
Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar met Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi and briefed him on the law and order situation in the state.
“We discussed the law and order situation. The discussion was fruitful,” Parsekar told PTI over phone from Delhi.
The chief minister’s meeting with Singh yesterday attains significance against the backdrop of the recent threat received by State Secretariat on January 13 through a postcard purportedly signed by terror outfit ISIS.
Parsekar, however, refused to divulge whether the discussions were surrounding the threat.
Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg termed the letter threatening to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as a “hoax”.
“We have investigated the letter which was written in broken English. It seems to be a prank,” Garg said even as the state Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) continued to interrogate a Dehradun-based youth at Vasco who was found “suspiciously loitering” at the Vasco railway station, yesterday.
The youth identified as Sameer Sardana was arrested under section 41 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The ATS is still interrogating Sardana who was found with a laptop at the railway station where he was seen since January 22.
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