Mumbai, Aug 31 (ANI): A year after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Vidarbha region in Maharashtra and announced a 37.5-billion-rupee relief package, he today reviewed the status of agriculture in the state.

Calling agriculture a “national priority,” Singh emphasised the need to work hard to ensure that this sector grows in tandem with the rest of the economy.

Admitting that the growth rate of agriculture in Maharashtra was unsatisfactory in the 9th Plan and in the first three years of the 10th Plan, Singh, however, said there has been a recovery in the last two years.

“The farm sector is emerging from a long period of stagnation. Production is registering an increase in many crops. Sugarcane has turned in a spectacular performance,” he said.

He said that a number of bold reform initiatives have been taken up to improve agriculture’s status. Pointing out that Maharashtra has many inherent advantages, Singh said it was possible to build on these advantages to take agriculture to the next level of operations.

“This would enhance farmers’ incomes and reduce distress,” he said, adding, “We need to ask as to why, in-spite of these favourable circumstances, agriculture has stagnated for over a decade?”

Underlining the areas of concern, he said that productivity of major crops has stagnated for a decade. He figured irrigation as another area of concern, saying that only 16 percent of the crop area of Maharashtra is irrigated.

“There is a major overhang of incomplete irrigation projects requiring over Rs 40,000 crores to complete them. However, the actual irrigation potential added in the last decade is not large. The state needs to see how it can generate the funds needed to complete these projects,” he said.

He called for differentiated agricultural strategies for each region of the state, and said that focus needed to be on providing “life saving or fallback irrigation and on other income generating activities such as animal husbandry.”

“Improvements in agriculture should be visible across all regions,” Singh stressed. (ANI)

Washim (Maharashtra), Aug 31 (ANI): A year after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a special package for the debt ridden farmers in some parts of the country, the farmers are now planning to go to the court after their compensation cheques bounced.

Cheques were distributed to the farmers under a relief package but have failed to cash, leaving the farmers angry and frustrated.

They complain that the cheques given to them by the Government failed to cash twice or thrice even thrice.

“I lost my crops to floods last year. I received a cheque of rupees 350 rupees as a compensation for it. The cheque bounced twice. I am not going to take the prank they are playing with me lightly. I will go to the court against them,” said Bhaurao Ingole, a farmer.

Singh had announced a package of over 37.50 billion rupees as relief to the debt-driven farmers of Vidarbha region of western Maharasthra.

Since then around 500 farmers in six districts –Amaravati, Akola, Washim, Buldhana, Yavatmal and Wardha-in the region have committed suicide.

However, the officials in the region were not able to give any specific reason for dishonouring the cheques.

“Some farmers deposited the cheque after six months of receipt. That’s why it bounced for the first time. It is our mistake that it bounced for the second time as well. We are investigating why it bounced for the second time. We are trying to provide relief to the farmers as soon as possible,” said Ashok Khandarkar, regional agriculture officer.

006, despite highly publicised efforts by New Delhi to ease their financial burden. (ANI)

New Delhi/Mumbai, Aug 31 (ANI): The pre-release hype and bonhomie over the Bollywood’s most awaited film, ‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’, disappeared in thin air, as the movie considered to be inspired form 1970’s cult classic ‘Sholay’ disappointed the cinegoers.

“It’s really bad, really bad…please don’t watch it,” said Aditya, a viewer, who had booked the ticket in advance for the first show of the movie on Friday.

Audience left theatres cold and disappointed.

Boasting of a big star cast, the movie failed to create the magic that original blockbuster ‘Sholay’ weaved on its audiences and still wields its magic.

“It’s okay, only Amitabh Bachchan’s role is good, otherwise the movie is not worth it,” added Gaurav.

‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’ was in the news from the day it was announced but mostly for the wrong reasons.

After film critics and researchers denounced the attempt at tinkering with classics, the producer got into trouble for trying to use the original title since it was earlier titled as ‘Ram Gopal Verma Ki Sholay’.

The Sippy family, who made the classic ‘Sholay’ took Verma to court, where the former won the case, prohibiting the latter to use the title Sholay in the film.

Verma then had to change the title to ‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’.

Varma, who made his directorial debut in 1989 and has 27 films to his credit, denied the allegation of plagiarism, saying ‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’ is not a take-off on the original blockbuster but, admits to it being loosely ‘inspired’ from it.

“Theme of ‘Aag’ is the same as ‘Sholay’. In terms of revenge-drama of a cop wanting to take revenge against a dacoit or a gangster. But, my intention is not to do one-upmanship on it when I can do something better,” he says in his defence.

ory,” he adds.

Such was the success of ‘Sholay’, a film about two reformed crooks who saved a village from a neurotic, foul-mouthed bandit, that it ran in theatres for years and arguably became the greatest Bollywood film ever made.

‘Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’ is also about two crooks, just out of jail who come to Mumbai with big dreams but end up working for a gangster, and how they help the police to round off a dreaded criminal ‘Babban’.

The film sees some of the seasoned actors of Indian film industry playing key roles along with some new comers.

Ram Gopal Varma, who reversed roles of some of the characters in his remake and added his own to the story, stunned Bollywood by casting Amitabh Bachchan in the iconoclastic role of Gabbar Singh, the merciless villain, while in the original version he was one of the two heroes.

The legendary actor, who plays the role of ‘Babban’- the dreaded criminal in the film, seemed really upbeat about the role reversal.

“It’s been a great pleasure to be in this film. Having worked in the original in an entirely different role and now to be challenged to do perhaps one of the most different experiences that I have had,” said Amitabh Bachchan.

The film is also being dubbed in Tamil language, to cater to the regional audience.

After Varma’s disastrous attempt at a remake of the classic, next in line is a 100-million-dollar project to make four versions of ‘Sholay’- a remake, a prequel, a sequel and an animated version, by Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) an upcoming Bollywood studio.

The deal signed between PNC and Sippy family is one of the biggest in the industry, which operates on low profit margins and spends an average of 1-2 million dollars on a film. (ANI)

Dhaka, Aug 31 (ANI): The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has identified former Bangladesh premier Khaled Zia having bank accounts on various names – Begum Khaleda Zia, Mrs Khaleda Zia, Khaleda Zia and Mrs Khaleda Rahman – using the same address House-6, Shaheed Moinul Road, Dhaka Cantonment.

The NBR has asked all banks to freeze the accounts of Khaleda Zia, her son Arafat Rahman Koko and nine others of her family.

Sources in the law enforcement agencies said the government is ready to file at least three graft cases against Khaleda and her family members.

Besides, the government is preparing a case over Khaleda’s wealth statement, as it submitted to the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has some gross anomalies, the sources added.

Under the Income Tax Ordinance, 1984, the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the NBR had earlier asked the banks to provide it with banking information about Khaleda and 10 of her family members.

Early this month, the NBR had frozen bank accounts of former premier Sheikh Hasina and her relatives. She was arrested in mid-June.

While the order to freeze Khaleda’s account was delayed, she and her sons Tarique Rahman and Koko in July-August applied to the NBR to let them legalise their undisclosed money.

The nine other family members are Koko’s wife Syeda Shamila Rahman and their daughters Zafira Rahman and Zahiya Rahman; Khaleda’s nephew Saiful Islam and relatives Md Mozaffar Hossain, Rashida Begum, Rupa Shikdar, Md Abul Khaer and Faridun Fatema.

The notice asked all banks to freeze and provide information on individual or joint current or savings accounts, term deposits, loan accounts, foreign currency accounts, credit card, vault, locker and various types of savings instruments. The banks will also provide the NBR with transaction records.

In a similar fashion on August 2, the NBR had directed all commercial banks to freeze the accounts of Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, her husband Dr M Wazed Miah, sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and Rehana’s husband Dr Shafiq Siddique.

But within a week, Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam told The Daily Star that if the family members badly needed money, the government may relax the NBR order.

This consideration came because Wazed Miah was critically ill and under treatment. Besides, Hasina’s lawyers had expressed concern about continuing the operations of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, Bangabandhu Memorial Trust and Welfare Trust for Grenade Attack Victims since the accounts of those non-profit organisations were also frozen. (ANI)

Gorakhpur, Aug 31 (ANI): Japanese Encephalitis has once again surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, claiming over 80 lives following heavy flooding after monsoon rains in recent months.... Read more.

Srinagar, Aug 31 (ANI): Sores of people took to the streets here on Friday to express their angst over alleged negligence of doctors resulting in untimely death of a pregnant woman.

An angry mob stormed into a local hospital smashing windows and breaking furniture, to register their protest against the doctors.

The victim’s brother Sajad Ahmed blamed the doctors for negligence, leading to his sister’s death.

The pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital on Thursday night for a regular delivery of her child, but died early on Friday morning following heavy loss of blood.

“We had to force them to give us a car and give us some attendants. Otherwise, we would have had to hire another car. Later on, there was traffic jam and we reached very late. This happened because the doctors on duty are always drunk,” said Ahmed.

A few doctors were also beaten up by the mob when they showed up for work. Security was reinforced in the hospital to calm down the irate mob.

The protestors have demanded the hospital authorities sack the doctors responsible for the incident. (ANI)

By Suhail Ahmed

Srinagar, Aug.31 (ANI): Apple lovers, who have been eager to taste the delicious Kashmiri varieties, need not wait for long. The apples have ripened and will be available in plenty in the shops across the country and abroad.

Kashmiri apples will be more juicy and appealing in colour this time. Favourable climatic conditions caused by recent rainfall that lashed valley in the beginning of August proved a blessing for apple orchards.

Known for their special taste Kashmir apples are high in demand in markets across the country.

Apple orchards in Sopore, Pattan, Baramulla and Pulwama areas of Kashmir are abuzz with apple harvesting activities.

Hazratbali, the earliest found variety of apple from the Kashmir Valley, generally reaches the markets by mid-August and is followed by other varieties like Royal delicious, American apple, Maharaja, Delicious and others.

Apples are harvested and graded as per their size and quality. Later, these segregated apples are duly packed in boxes at the orchards.

Hafeez Ullha Dandroo, a fruit grower and dealer, said: “Kashmiri apples naturally taste sweeter than apples from Shimla (Himachal Pradesh). They are deeper in colour and more flavoured in comparison to other apples.”

Around 2.5 million people are directly associated with the apple industry of Kashmir.

According to Manzoor Ahmed, a Horticulture Development Officer, roughly 15 per cent population of Kashmir depends on apple cultivation and trade.

According to the State’s agriculture department 1.2 million tonnes of apples are produced annually, out of which 800,000 tonnes are exported to European countries and to Nepal and Bangladesh.

The annual apple production in Kashmir is worth 275 million dollars. (ANI)

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): The term of the Liberhan Commission, inquiring into the destruction of the Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, was today extended by another two months, up to October 31.

Interestingly, Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal had said on Wednesday that the Commission was expected to submit its report before the government by August 31.

The Centre has extended the tenure of the Commission on 41 occasions since its appointment. An Expenditure of Rs.717.66 lakh has been incurred on the Commission till July 31, 2007, Jaiswal said.

The Commission was constituted during the regime of late Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, by an order of the Home Ministry following the demolition of the Babri mosque on December 6 and the riots in Ayodhya.

In the last 14 years of hearing, the Commission has held over 325 sittings and examined over 100 witnesses, including 14 defence witnesses, 53 Central Government witnesses and 32 Commission witnesses.

The commission had recorded statements of several politicians, bureaucrats and police officials, including former Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Cabinet Ministers Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bajrang Dal leader Vinay Katiyar.

Top bureaucrats and police officials of UP, former District Magistrate R.N. Srivastava and Senior Superintendent of Police D.B. Roy of Ayodhya had also recorded their statements on the demolition.

of the mosque was followed by communal riots across the country, in which there was a huge loss of life and property. (ANI)

Jammu, Aug 31 (ANI): The arrest of a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant in Kathua, who belongs to Manipur suggests that banned militant outfit has spread its tentacles in the country’s north-east region.

According to the sources, Mohammed Sadeeq is the first Bangladesh-trained militant from the northeast to be arrested in the State. The arrest of the Manipuri youth shows how deep terrorist organisations have penetrated inside the country.

It is yet another example of infiltration and the first direct instance of north-east youths working for the al Qaeda, the Daily Excelsior, a local Jammu and Kashmir daily reported.

” Sadeeq, a resident of Foibal in Manipur, was arrested in Dudu-Basantgarh belt of Kathua district last week,” Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khuda said.

Sadeeq, who was initially assumed to be a Pakistani militant, was also suspected of operating in upper reaches of Kathua, Udhampur and Doda, Khuda said.

tant,” he said.

As reported, the militant was nabbed along with an AK Rifle and grenades.

Sadeeq, who had been given the code name of Abu Waqar by LeT top brass, and had crossed over to Bangladesh from Silchar, Assam early last year after being lured into militancy by local agents.

He was given arms training at Chittagong in Bangaladesh where, according to him, officials of ISI and Bangladesh Intelligence agencies used to come jointly to monitor training and pick up hardcore militants for al Qaeda.

Sadeeq was initially picked-up for al Qaeda but was later told that he had to be pushed to Jammu and Kashmir immediately along with a group of 10 to 15 militants, as the LeT was facing shortage of cadre.

He disclosed that he along with 10 to 15 other militants was shifted from Chittagong to Karachi through sea route.

From Karachi, he was shifted to Muzafarrabad from where he infiltrated into Kupwara district of Kashmir valley along with his group.

He operated in Kupwara district and was instrumental in attacks on security Forces and planting IEDs.

About three months back, he shifted to upper reaches of Udhampur as a part of three to four militants of LeT outfit and was operating there since then.

Mohd Sadeeq has also disclosed that a number of youths from Manipur have been inducted in militancy by local agents of the ISI by exploiting their poor economic condition.

According to him, a number of youths from North East were undergoing training in militancy in training camps of Bangadesh with full backing of Pakistan and Bangladesh intelligence agencies.

The arrest has reaffirmed the suspicion of presence of militant training camps in Bangladesh, and al-Qaeda operatives receiving training there.

Meanwhile, intelligence sources said Sadeeq was initially picked up for al-Qaeda outfit, but was later told to go to Jammu and Kashmir along with a group of 10 to 15 militants, as the LeT was facing a shortage of cadre there.

However the State Government is yet to receive an official report about the arrest from the Jammu police.

Significantly two LeT operatives, from Manipur were among three cadres of the terrorist outfit arrested at Delhi some time back. (ANI)

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): India and Australia have agreed to undertake a joint feasibility study into the benefits of a free trade agreement (FTA) between both countries.

The study is expected to provide a timely opportunity to examine the potential for benefits, which might flow from a bilateral FTA.

The joint study will examine the potential benefits of FTA for both countries. In particular, the study will focus on the impact a FTA could have on promoting economic growth in both countries, bilateral trade in good and services, as well as investment and other commercial linkages, said a Commerce Ministry release issued here today.

The governments will initially hold bilateral meetings to discuss the terms of reference for the FTA feasibility study, which will commence in late 2007 and is expected to be completed in 2009.

Early this month, the Australian Cabinet endorsed a plan to negotiate the FTA with New Delhi.

The FTA is likely to provide enormous opportunities for Australian companies in the services sector, apart from the obvious synergy in energy trade, the familiar common-law system, and India’s success in IT sector.

The Australian Cabinet submission, which recognises India’s growing importance to Australia, contains a series of specific proposals to enhance relations.

Apart from allowing the export of uranium, which was approved earlier by Prime Minister John Howard, these include formal and active diplomatic support for India’s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Much of the submission is devoted to the sale of energy to India. It also envisages elevating the joint working group on minerals and energy to ministerial level, as a key tool in managing the energy relationship.

Besides, it contains a wide range of proposals for enhanced security co-operation, including joint naval exercises, intensified co-operation in counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, all aspects of maritime security and greater engagement on border and transport security.

Trade and investment links between Australia and India have grown rapidly in recent years. Two-way trade in goods and services between the two countries reached 7.76 billion dollars in 2006-07. (ANI)

Panchkula (Haryana)/New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): Youths belonging to Dalit community clashed with policemen in Panchkula town in Haryana as violent protests that began in Gohana four days ago, spread to new areas in the State.

An irate mob showered policemen with stones and wooden planks, who had to run for cover and call in reinforcements.

A police official assured the situation was now under control.

“These people were trying to gather and take out a procession in the city. We tried stopping them, then they changed tracks and started pelting stones,” said Sandeep, Superintendent of Police, Panchkula.

Violence spilled onto the streets across Haryana after unidentified assailants murdered a Dalit youth in Gohana town on August 27.

One person was killed and a dozen others, including policemen, injured as rampaging mob damaged state-run buses, set several vehicles on fire and pelted stones at policemen.

Caste- tensions have simmered ever since. Dalits have accused the police of using undue force during the demonstrations.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Dalit community met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and demanded speedy investigations into the murder case.

“It is clear that the violence was not perpetrated by a particular caste, it was the work of anti-social elements. Those who murdered the Dalit son should be tried and sentenced,” said Jai Kishan, a Dalit politician who was part of the representation.

The situation in Gohana, origin of the violence, was reported to be limping back to normalcy after three days of violence followed by shutdowns. (ANI)

Tezpur (Assam), Aug 31 (ANI): The army killed two hardcore militants belonging to banned Karbi Longpi North Cachar Liberation Front (KLNLF) in East Karbi Anglong area after the security forces intensified its operations in the area.

The killed terrorists have been identified as Dimapur Bey and Harbaman. ne Thomson sub – machine gun and a pistol were recovered from the killed terrorists besides ammunition, combat dresses, large amount of cash and other items.

In recent army operations, a camp of KLNLF terrorists was busted and two terrorists were killed in last three days.

The KLNLF militant were behind the recent massacre of Hindi-speaking people in the area. (ANI)

and the rape of a disciple.

Special CBI Judge R N Bharti issued the notice on Friday after the Dera Sacha Sauda chief’s defence counsel appeared before the court and informed it about the interim relief given to Singh by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The court had earlier asked Singh to present himself before it today after the CBI had filed a chargesheet on July 31, accusing him of murdering sect manager, Ranjit Singh, and a Sirsa-based journalist, Ram Chander Chatterpatti, and for the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.

Two accused, Inder Sain and Avtar Singh were discharged in the Chatterpatti murder case on a defence plea that the duo had not been named as accused by the CBI in the chargesheet.

The court has summoned Singh and three others — Kishan Lal, Kuldip Singh and Nirmal Singh who have been facing charges of conspiracy and murder.

Singh has been charged under Section 120-B (Conspiracy) in connection with the case relating to the murder of Ranjit Singh.

The other accused summoned in this case are Kishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Sabdil, Avtar Singh and Inder Singh, booked under Section 302 (Murder).

Singh is the lone accused under Section 376 (Rape) in connection with the alleged rape of a Sadhavi.

On August 29, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had granted interim relief to the Dera chief and asked the trial court to adjourn the August 31 hearing in the three cases against him to any date after September 15, so that it could pronounce its order on his anticipatory bail plea in these cases.

“In view of lengthy arguments, it will not be possible for the court to pronounce its order on the anticipatory bail plea of the petitioner,” Justice L N Mittal of the High Court at Chandigarh had observed two days ago.

Earlier this month, Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was questioned by Punjab Police in connection with a case filed against him for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs in the month of May.

A police team from Bhatinda, comprising 24 officials led by Deputy Superintendent Surinder Pal Singh, quizzed him inside the sect’s headquarters at Sirsa in Haryana.

Singh was interrogated regarding all aspects of the case, Bathinda police chief Naunihal Singh said.

The questioning lasted over two hours but remained inconclusive. He was grilled again on August 24.

A case was registered against him following a complaint by a Bathinda resident, who accused Singh of hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs by donning the attire of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

His projection as Guru Gobind Singh led to widespread agitations across the country, and to a locking of horns with the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC), which sought an unqualified apology from him. (ANI)

Siwan (Bihar), Aug.31 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Mohammed Shahabuddin was today sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in the Siwan Superintendent of Police S K Singhal attack case that happened eleven years ago.

Special Court Judge Gyaneshwar Prasad Srivastava declared Shahabuddin guilty of involvement in the attack on Singhal in Siwan District on May 3, 1996.

Besides Shahabuddin, his police guards Jehangir and Khali, were also convicted.

“The court had found him guilty under Section 307 of IPC and sentenced him to ten years of rigorous imprisonment,” Public Prosecutor Rambilas Mahto said.

According to the FIR, when Shahabuddin was the Member of the Bihar State Assembly representing Zeeradei in the state’s Siwan District,Singhal was the Superintendent of Police of Siwan.

s said.

Police sources said as their vehicles reached near Dona Tola, another Maruti car joined the chase and after sometime the occupants of both vehicles opened fire at Singhal. Singhal identified three of them as the Shahabuddin and his two bodyguards, Jehangir and Khaliq, who were in uniform.

Later the group sped away while Singhal returned to Siwan. Next day, he lodged a written complaint with the Darauli police station.

Currently Shahabuddin is lodged in Siwan jail.

This is not the first time Shahabuddin, who faces charges in over 30 criminal cases of murder, abduction and possession of illegal arms and stolen vehicles, has been sentenced by court. arlier, a court sentenced him to life imprisonment in the 1999 abduction of Chhotelal, a Siwan businessman. (ANI)

Jodhpur, Aug 31 (ANI): Four hours after Rajasthan High Court granted bail to Bollywood actor Salman Khan in connection with the 1998 Chinkara poaching case, the actor was released from the Jodhpur Central jail, where he was lodged for the past six days.

Salman was whisked away in a black car and was accompanied by his lawyer Dipesh Mehta.

Earlier in the day, the High Court bench of Justice H R Panwar granted him bail.

rate at Jodhpur,” said Mehta.

On Thursday, the hearing in the case was deferred after Justice Panwar demanded to see the entire case records.

Salman was taken into custody on August 25 after a Jodhpur court turned down his appeal against a lower court order.

Salman was convicted on April 10, 2006. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on him.

The actor has been charged with poaching two Chinkaras at Ujiyala Bhakhar near Ghoda Farm.

Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Satish Shah, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari have been acquitted in the case.

Salman has also been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment in another poaching case at Bhawad. He has appealed against this as well.

The case is pending before the Rajasthan High Court. The State Government has called for an enhancement of sentence. (ANI)

New Delhi, Aug.31 (ANI): Foreigners will not have any difficulty in ordering a meal in Beijing during next year’s Olympics, as most dishes and drinks will have English translations.

The Beijing Tourism Bureau has released a list of translations for 2,753 dishes and drinks to solicit public opinions.

Once fixed, the list will be used in restaurants across the country, according to the bureau.

Authorities in the Chinese capital have also moved to standardize English translations of public facilities, including road signs, and the hotel service.

Bad translations of Chinese dishes are headaches for foreign epicures. There used to be translations like “Virgin Chicken” and “Burnt Lion’s Head”, which are actually dishes based on young chicken and pork ball resembling a lion’s head. These translations either scare or embarrass foreign customers and may cause misunderstanding on China’s diet habits.

According to The China Daily, a team of the Beijing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and the Beijing Tourism Bureau has been working on the problem since March 2006, backed by a committee of 20 language experts and catering service managers.

Translators have divided the dish names into four catalogues: named by materials, by cooking method, by tastes, by name of a person or a place.

Translation of the first type is done simply by linking the the name of each material with a hyphen. For instance, “Mushroom-Duck’s Foot” and “AmentJuice-BalsamPear”, which helps foreign guests to recognize the materials and content of the dish.

The second type is translated according to cooking methods. Some Chinese cooking methods are unique and do not exist in other countries, like stew, quick-fry or saute, braise, and chilioil-boil. The translators now put the method in the beginning, followed by the material, forming a verb-noun phrase. For instance, “Stewed Diced Porkand Sweet Potatoes” and “Fish Filets in Hot Chilioil”.

ird type begins with the taste or texture of the food. For example, “Crispy Chicken”.

The last type is named after either its creator or the place it originates from. Such examples include “MapoTofu”, which is a kind of Tofu invented by Mapo, the name of a Chinese woman.

The committee also plans to launch a training program to equip waiters and waitresses with knowledge of the dish names in case customers seek explanations. (ANI)

New Delhi, Aug.31 (ANI): The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC) has entered into an MoU with global oil major BP, to collaborate in Exploration and Production (E and P) business in India and abroad, which include sharing of knowledge in Coal Bed Methane (CBM) and Deepwater exploration.

The MoU was signed at a simple ceremony at ONGC’s corporate office here today by ONGC’s Director (Exploration) D K Pande and BP’s President, Middle East and South Asia, Steve Peacock.

ONGC’s CMD R S Sharma, BP India’s Country Head Ashok K Jhawar, other Directors of ONGC, and senior executives of ONGC and BP were present on the occasion.

The MoU also envisages possible participation in each other’s acreages in India and abroad, including offshore licenses and the CBM acreages in India. The MoU also provides for joint bidding by ONGC and BP for exploration acreages in India and abroad.

The MoU is valid for an initial period of 18 months, which can be extended further by mutual agreement of the two corporations.

After the signing of the MoU, Sharma said that both oil majors have varied experiences in the exploration and production business, and this synergy would give competitive advantages to both entities in global operations. (ANI)

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Gujarat Government on a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the killings of 21 persons in post-Godhra riots, whose bodies were exhumed in 2005.

A Bench headed by Justice B N Aggarwal sought reply from the State Government and the CBI within four weeks.

In 2005 at least 21 skeletal remains of those believed to have been killed in the 2002 Gujarat communal riots were exhumed from a mass grave in Panchamahal district of the State.

The bodies were dug out by relatives of people, who went missing after the riot.

The Gujarat High Court had ordered the DNA testing of the skeletal remains unearthed be collected and had sent to a laboratory in Hyderabad for DNA testing under the supervision of CBI.

Of the 21 bodies, DNA of eight had matched with their relatives.

Over 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in Gujarat in retaliation for the burning alive of 59 Hindu pilgrims on February 27,2002 at Godhra town by a suspected Muslim mob.(ANI)

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil will visit Sriperumbudur on Saturday in what would be her first domestic tour to a state after becoming the First Citizen of India last month.

Patil will reach Chennai later today, and move to Sriperumbudur tomorrow morning where she will deliver the Foundation Day address at the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development.

She will also unveil the institute’s logo and will launch its websites.

Patil is also scheduled to pay her tributes at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial, before returning to New Delhi the same day. (ANI)

New Delhi, Aug.31 (ANI): Indians must compliment the double digit growth of automobile industry with the ability to innovate new designs, said Dilip Chabbria, Chairman, DC Design at the valedictory session of the seminar on “New Product Development Tools ; CAD – CAM – RP – CAE” organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), here.

Chabbria said that India has an edge over China in high scale design technology and should leverage the expertise in the competitive global market.

“We are going towards creative economy from the existing knowledge economy”, said Chabbria.

he said.

“In an increasing bland world, dare-devil styles and designs may be the only salvation if automobile majors have to survive,” he added.

Dr. Surinder Kapur, Chairman-Manufacturing Innovation Mission, CII and CMD, Sona Koyo Steering Systems Ltd. said that India is becoming world class engineering and manufacturing country. He said that excellence in design and manufacturing can be achieved through process, breakthrough, improvement and retention.

CEOs must have 360 degree view to create ‘Ambidextrous Organisation’ to make sure that innovation happens in the companies, said Dr. Kapur. Learning process of ideation is important for innovation, he said. India has a growing middle class with increasing lifestyle needs and there is a significant market in every section of the society, mentioned Dr. Kapur. Innovation in design can bring low cost products to the bottom of the pyramid, he added.

Indian industry should create an ecosystem to foster innovation and support early stage findings, suggested Dr. Kapur. He said that academia should be motivated participate in the business of innovation.

India needs latest technology and new products to sustain the current economic growth, said Ram Mohan, Advisor, CII. He said that we have to improve the usage of designing tools and should move from Computer Aided Design (CAD) to Computer Aided Engineering (CAE).

India is talking about next phase of manufacturing and has the potential to become a global hub of manufacturing, said Dr. Sarita Nagpal, Deputy Director General and Head-Manufacturing Services, CII. There has been improvement in lot of sectors but adequate growth can only be achieved if the Indian companies invest more in research and development, she added. (ANI)