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New Delhi: Handicrafts exports has recorded a growth of 18% and reached Rs.8614 crore till January 2011, in comparison to the same period in the fiscal year 2009-10. Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, Textiles Minister, said this while inaugurating International Jewellery Summit “Abhushan – Design Dialogues in Jewellery” organized by World Craft Council here today. Thiru Maran said “The export of Indian handicrafts was Rs.11,224 crore (US $2.5 Billion approx) in last fiscal year 2009-10. This year till January, 2011 export has been Rs. 8,614 crore (US $1.8 billion approx.) recording a growth of 18% in comparison to the same period in the fiscal year 2009-10”.

New Delhi: Shri Nandan Nilekani, Chairman, UIDAI and Technology Advisory Group for Unique Projects (TAGUP) handed over the TAGUP Report to the Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, here today. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Mukherjee said that this report has been submitted at a right time and would help in various IT projects like Tax Information Network (TIN), New Pension Scheme (NPS), National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), Expenditure Information Network (EIN), Goods and Service Tax (GST). He said that an effective tax administration and financial governance system calls for creation of IT projects which are reliable, secure and efficient. Shri Mukherjee said that this report is a result of a good teamwork.

New Delhi: Shri Ajay Maken , Union Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs & Sports today out lined his ministry’s vision and objective with respect to the North Eastern States of the Country. Delivering the keynote address at the workshop on “ Youth and sports development in the North Eastern Region”, Shri Maken underlined that, Skill development among youth aimed at facilitating employment; evolving Sports as a source of employment and prestige and Preservation as well propagation of the rich cultural heritage of the region will be the primary aim and functional area of his Ministry in the North Eastern States.

New Delhi: The Central Government, in consultation with the Election Commission, prepared and published the Registration of Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2011 on 3rd February,2011 so as to enable the Registration Officers to enrol the eligible overseas electors in the electoral rolls. The Government has also published a new Form 6A for enabling the overseas electors to make the application for inclusion of their names in the electoral rolls.

New Delhi: In a bid to improve the image of the UPA led government at the Centre, which is presently neck deep in corruption, the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh has laid stress on tackling corruption frontally, boldly & quickly, the things that lacks in his government.

New Delhi: The National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), an autonomous body with the Ministry of Home Affairs, organized an Inter-faith Harmony Dialogue here last evening. NFCH is striving hard to promote peace and harmony by undertaking various activities. Encouraging inter-faith dialogue for shared security, peace and prosperity is part of the mission of NFCH. The event was organized as a follow up to the United Nations appeal to observe the first week of the month of February every year as the World Inter-faith Harmony Week.

New Delhi: The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that the centrality of Geoscience is underappreciated in India among policy makers and educators.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Asian Development Bank will be providing a loan to help fund the first privately owned and financed wind farm in Pakistan. The output from the plant will provide much-needed additional power for Pakistan, improve the country’s energy security, and lower reliance on fossil fuels.

Not long ago, when the chief commissioner of income-tax (zone I) of Kolkata gave some brief details about a series of tax raids the department made at the premises of over a dozen high-earning medical doctors and surgeons and sealed their 79 bank lockers at a hurriedly-called press briefing programme, a few reporters wanted to know the final outcome of a similar tax raid on city physicians that was announced in a similar fashion two years ago. The chief commissioner fumbled and looked uneasily at his colleagues sitting by the both sides of his chair for answer. Since no one answered, the chief taxman forced a pleasant grin before media persons and said: “Very good question! We will collect the information and let you know soon.” The press meet was over faster than the department officials and reporters had probably expected.

BHOPAL: The issue of suicides by farmers in Madhya Pradesh has been completely politicized - both by the ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress. The Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has announced that he would be undertaking a fast-unto-death from Feb 13 to protest against the Central government’s “indifference” to the state’s demand for a financial package to aid the farmers. This, obviously, is an attempt to put the blame at the Centre’s door and there is nothing surprising about it.