China ready to invest $160 billion in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: China is ready to invest about $160 billion in different sectors in Andhra Pradesh and improve bilateral ties with India, according to economic advisor to the President of China.

Shoosan Maa, the economic advisor to Xi Jinping and also the Member of Parliament, met Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in Hyderabad and discussed plans to invest in sectors like food processing, small-scale industries, infrastructure and education, among others, a CMO release said.

While quoting Shoosan on China's intention of pumping in $160 billion in the state, the release did not state any timeframe or phases in which such a huge investment could materialise.

"The Chief Minister invited proposals and asked Shoosan to spell out the areas in which they were interested in investing. Shoosan said he would make efforts for promoting investments and improving relations between the two countries," the release said.

Shoosan said his country would send 10,000 students to Hyderabad for education in various streams, according to the release.
PTI

Midday meal safety norms to be painted on Bihar schools walls

PATNA: Facing the ire of people over the midday meal tragedy, the Bihargovt plans to provide printed instructions to school principals about food quality and safety besides painting the norms on the schools walls.

"We are readying detailed instructions about maintaining quality and safety of food served under midday meal scheme in schools," Director midday meal scheme, R Lakshmanan said.

The instructions being prepared with the help of food experts will include giving knowledge to principals about first aid measures in cases like that of Dharmasati Gandaman primary school in Saran district.

In the wake of the tragedy, many medical experts voiced that ORS should have been provided to the ill for immediate relief. These things should be known to school principals to face challenges of such nature immediately, Lakshmanan said, explaining the need for first aid protocol being issued to the principals.

The Bihar midday meal director said that besides providing printed instructions about safety and quality of food to be served under the programme, the details would be painted on the walls of schools for everyone to see and follow.

A forensic report had yesterday confirmed the presence of poisonous pesticide in the midday meal served to the students of the school in Chhapra where 23 children died after taking the contaminated food.

The midday meal scheme, a flagship programme of the Union government, is given in 70,200 schools of Bihar covering more than 1.30 crore children.

Odisha boy addresses UN Youth Assembly

Bhubaneswar: A tribal student from Odisha left his folks proud after participating in the Malala Day United Nations Youth Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Laxman Hembram represented India at the prestigious international event held on July 12 where altogether 120 youth leaders from as many countries participated in the event, said a release from Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS).

He spoke on the topic of 'Education for All' at the Malala Day United Nations Youth Assembly, outlining quality education system and youth union.

Laxman discussed how to eradicate

poverty through education. The release said the visit gave him an opportunity to learn about education systems of other countries.

Talking about his four-day visit, Laxman said he got a chance to talk with Pakistani teen activist Malala Yousafzai and representatives of various other countries.

Laxman's participation in the meet is a matter of great pride for KISS, tribal community and Odisha, said founder of KISS and KIIT Achyut Samanta.

PTI 

50 new ambulances flagged off in Himachal Pradesh

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday flagged off 50 new ambulances under the 'Free 108 National Ambulance Service' raising the strength of the fleet to 162 in the state.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh flagged off 50 ambulances, equipped and fabricated to provide emergency medical aid to patients, from the historic Ridge Maidan here.

125 more small ambulances would be purchased shortly to facilitate expectant mothers to reach hospitals and return back to their homes after delivery with new-borns, he said.

The National Ambulance Service has proved a boon for the people and benefited more than three lakh patients besides being used in 2,500 fire and 10,000 police related cases since its inception three years ago, Singh said.

The free ambulance project was a Centrally sponsored scheme but the previous BJP government claimed it as its own scheme for deriving political mileage, he said.

The state government was pursuing the matter regarding increasing 50 MBBS seats each in IGMC and Government Medical college at Tanda (Kangra) with the Union government and hoping for early nod from the Centre, the Chief Minister said.

An approval has been granted to fill 475 vacant posts of various categories in Health department to provide best health care services to the people at their door-steps, he said.

The Chief Minister also launched National Rural Health Mission website (www.Nrhmhp.Gov.In), which would provide all updated health related information to the people.


Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said 200 posts of doctors would be filled up during 2013-14 and 2014-15 and the IGMC would be developed as a Super Speciality Hospital.

He said that ECG machine and snake bite serum had also been made available besides other life saving medicines and equipments in the 108 Ambulance.

PTI

Educated youths chuck plum jobs to enter PR polls

Educated youths chuck plum jobs to enter PR polls

MAHBUBNAGAR: Elections to local bodies have acquired significance this time as quite a few members of highly educated class are throwing their hat into the electoral ring.

Nearly half a dozen youths, with B Tech, BAMS, M Sc and B Ed are contesting the elections in the district by even resigning from their cozy jobs.

M Krishna of Yelkur village of Maldhakal mandal who is contesting in the elections said he felt it was the right time to enter politics to strengthen administration at village level. Krishna who has a B Tech degree said he wants to weed out corruption.

Another B Tech graduate M Balakrishna is contesting from Mulamalla village of Atmakur mandal. "From the inception of panchayat raj system only a single family is holding power in the village. How can decentralization take place when a single family is holding on to the post? I have joined the fray to bring about a change in the village," he said.

S Radhika, a software professional with an enviable monthly salary of Rs 60,000 in Hyderabad, has now entered the electoral fray for the post of sarpanch in Marripally village of Uppunuthala mandal. She is an M Sc (Computers) from Osmania University.

"A village should be self-contained and should not depend on cities for growth. But many villages still lack basic amenities. My main goal in getting into politics is to develop the village," she said.

Another woman candidate, M Shoba Rani, who has a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medical Science (BAMS) degree filed nomination for the Ajilapur village of Devarkadra mandal. Shoba is presently pursuing higher studies in ayurvedic medicine and is a contestant for the sarpanch post.

"There is too much of corruption and many schemes targeted at the rural people are not being implemented properly. As Rajiv Gandhi said out of the Re 1 sanctioned from the government, only 20 paise is reaching the village for development. This has to change," she said.

All the educated lot who are in fray have clear goals and have the conviction to reach them. Rajamani with M A, B Ed degrees is contesting from Jeklaru panchayat of Makthal mandal. "More educated people should come into politics. They can bring reforms in the society. Our villages are mainly agrarian. Farmers are cheated by middle men. My focus will be to educate farmers apart from providing better education facilities, sanitation and medical facilities," she said.

It may be mentioned here that in Khammam district, an MBBS graduate, Lakki Nani Raghu, has filed nomination for ward member in Kallur village panchayat. Similarly an M SC (Organic Chemistry) graduate, M Swapna, has filed nomination for the sarpanch post at Ashwaraopet village of Khammam.

For Gundugula and Dhammapet gram panchayats, two MBA graduates have filed papers. B Krishna Kumari and A Balaji are promising to bring changes in the village and educate people about the many schemes meant for them.

Several PG and B Ed degree holders too have filed their nominations. In some areas, the educated candidates are being supported by all parties so that they can get elected unanimously.

"With educated people in fray, the local governments can only become stronger. Once elected, they should stick to their motto of developing villages," said Lok Satta party president Jayaprakash Narayan.

French Police Commissioner to train Pondy official

Puducherry: In order to check fraudulent practices by some touts and intermediaries cheating those seeking French citizenship, a Police Commissioner of France is camping here to train officials to detect and prevent such activities.

Fabrice Grossir, a Commissioner of Police in France, who is the Homeland Security Attache in the French Embassy in New Delhi, has been deputed by the French government to hold discussions with the Puducherry government and also local police on the matter.

A release from office of the French Consul General here said today the Consulate had drawn the attention of the French and Indian authorities to the "dubious practices" adopted by some intermediaries to procure French citizenship for Indian families residing in Puducherry.

The release said the French police official had been deputed by the French Ambassador to camp here for three days from today to train the officials (concerned with processing of applications for French citizenship) on the procedures and legal provisions available for detection of fraudulent practices and to prevent activities of intermediaries.

French authorities here said the Consulate would be ready to help those legitimately claiming for the citizenship in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Forgery and use of forged documents for official purposes is punishable under both Indian and French laws.

PTI 

Modi says 'Ramzan Mubarak' to Muslims brothers

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi Thursday greeted the Muslims at the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan, a move that invited criticism from the Congress, which said," they will do anything to get votes".

"Happy Ramzan. May this holy month bring joy, peace and prosperity in our lives," Modi wrote on his twitter account, extending warm greetings to the Muslims.

Modi, who has been fighting hard to erase the taint of the 2002 communal riots, was recently elevated as chief of the BJP's Election Campaign Committee and his greetings to the Muslims is being seen as part of his image makeover ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Reacting to Modi's tweet, Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhw

adia, without naming any party or individual, said, "They will do anything to get votes. They will rake up the Ram temple issue and then drop it. They will say that Mohammed Ali Jinnah was secular.

They will burn Sachar committee report and they will extend greetings on Ramzan."

"Yeh janata hai, yeh sab jaanti hai (the public knows everything)," he added.

Modhwadia also took to Twitter to extended Ramzan greetings, saying "Ramzan Mubarak to everyone. May this holy month bring peace and prosperity to all."

PTI