Indian Killing: Trump Condemning The Hate Crime

According to the Story of Hindu, U.S President Donald Trump says it "reminds us that we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil." America stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms, U.S President Donald Trump said on Tuesday as he broke his silence on the fatal Kansas shooting in which an Indian techie was killed.
“Recent threats targeting Jewish Community Centers and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries, as well as last week’s shooting in Kansas City, remind us that while we may be a nation divided on policies, we are a country that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms,” Mr. Trump said in his address to the joint session of U.S Congress. By mentioning Kansas, Mr. Trump in his maiden address to the U.S Congress, heeded to the call being made by a host of Indian-American organisations and lawmakers to publicly condemn the fatal Kansas shooting which is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as a hate crime.
“I’ve been clear that the President must use this platform to condemn this hateful act in no uncertain terms and send a powerful message that no American should be fearful in their own community. “Diverse political and religious views are what make our country great, and I look forward to him utilising this opportunity tonight,” Republican Congressman from Kansas Kevin Yoder had urged Mr. Trump earlier. ”...I’ve been in contact with the White House regarding the senseless tragedy last week in Olathe that claimed the life of Srinivas Kuchibhotla and injured Alok Madasani and Ian Grill,” Mr. Yoder said. Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed and Mr. Madasani, another Indian of the same age, was injured in the shooting by navy veteran Adam Purinton, who yelled “terrorist” and “get out of my country” before opening fire on them. A 24-year-old American named Ian Grillot who tried to defend the Indians also received injuries in the firing that took place last Wednesday. Purinton, 51, apparently mistook the Indians for immigrants from the Middle East. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) also urged Mr. Trump to speak on the issue. “It is our hope President Trump uses the opportunity he has when speaking to the special joint session of Congress later today to address the rising levels of hate violence in our nation,” Jay Kansara of HAF said.

Bollywood:Radhika, Surveen at screening of 'Parched'

Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Ragini Khanna and other Bollywood celebrities attended the special screening of 'Parched' at a preview theatre in Mumbai. Radhika Apte at the special screening of her film 'Parched' in Mumbai. 

Bollywood: Trailer launch of Film 'Hate Story 2'

Lead stars Jay Bhanushali, Surveen Chawla and Sushant Singh were in attendance at the unveiling of the erotic thriller's promo,Jay Bhanushali and Surveen Chawla will reportedly share intimate love-making scenes in 'Hate Story 2'. Lead actress Surveen Chawla and a host of other stars from the small screen industry were spotted at the upcoming erotic-thriller's screening at Sunny Super Sound Studio. Manav Gohil, Shweta Kawatra, Rubina Dilaik, Karan Wahi and others were in attendance

Bollywood: It is Dancing Film ABCD2

Cast members Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Lauren Gottlieb, director Prabhu Deva and others were in attendance at the launch of the upcoming dance film's promo at a Mumbai multiplex.

Remo D'Souza, Lauren Gottlieb, Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor

Bollywood: Commando 2 ready for Big Screen

Bollywood celebs attend a special screening of 'Commando 2' at a Mumbai multiplex. Vidyut Jammwal and Adah Sharma at 'Commando 2' trailer launch in Mumbai.Vidyut Jammwal, Adah Sharma, Freddy Daruwala, director Deven Bhojani, Vipul Shah at the trailer launch of 'Commando 2' in Mumbai. Cast members Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Lauren Gottlieb, director Prabhu Deva and others were in attendance at the launch of the upcoming dance film's promo at a Mumbai multiplex.This Film is remake of One Man Army of 2013.

Bollywood: Fatima to work with Aamir in Thugs of Hindostan next?

Woah! Did Fatima Sana Shaikh bag a role in Aamir Khan starrer Thugs of Hindostan? According to a leading daily, Fatima is being considered as one of the lead protagonists in Thugs, which also stars Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. Fatima, who was last seen in Dangal, impressed everyone BIG time with her exemplary performance in the film. Initially there were rumours that either Alia Bhatt or Shraddha Kapoor were likely to be cast for the role. but now reports state that it’s Fatima who might star next to Aamir  in the film. Well, if Fatima is finalised for the role, this will be another HUGE opportunity for her after Dangal. In fact, in one of her interviews with us during Dangal, we had asked Fatima if she would like to audition for a role in Thugs since the leading ladies are yet to be finalised. To which she had said, “Of course I would love to. I would love to work with Aamir sir again in Thugs of Hindostan.” Sources have also revealed that Vaani Kapoor is also being considered for the role in Thugs of Hindostan.

India and Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoy cordial and friendly ties

President of India’s message on the National Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

The President of India Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the eve of theirNational Day (March 1, 2017).
In a message to His Excellency Mr. Mladen Ivanic, Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President has said, “On behalf of the Government, the people of India and on my own behalf, it is with great pleasure that I extend greetings and felicitations to Your Excellency and to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the occasion of your National Day. India and Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoy cordial and friendly ties. I am confident that our many-faceted bilateral relations will continue to strengthen in the coming years. I take this opportunity to convey my best wishes for Your Excellency’s good health and well-being and for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Bosnia and Herzegovina”. 

Indian Economy Is Expanding At A Fast Pace

OECD Economic Survey of India 2017 :  boosting living standards and reducing poverty nationwide 

The Indian economy is expanding at a fast pace, boosting living standards and reducing poverty nationwide. Further reforms are now necessary to maintain strong growth and ensure that all Indians benefit from it, according to a new report from the OECD.
The latest OECD Economic Survey of India 2017 finds that the acceleration of structural reforms and the move toward a rule-based macroeconomic policy framework are sustaining the country’s longstanding rapid economic expansion.
The Survey, launched in New Delhi Tuesday by OECD Secretary-General Mr Angel Gurria and Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India, Shri  Shaktikanta Das, hails India’s recent growth rate of more than 7 percent annually as the strongest among G-20 countries. It identifies priority areas for future action, including continuing plans to maintain macroeconomic stability and further reduce poverty, additional comprehensive tax reforms and new efforts to boost productivity and reduce disparities between India’s various regions.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Gurria said that India provides a welcome counter-point to a global economy that has been under-performing for years. He further said that India has been top performer and reforms are bearing fruit, growth is strong and other macroeconomic indicators are improving. Mr Gurria said that Maintaining the reform momentum will be critical to boosting investment and creating the quality jobs needed to ensure strong and inclusive growth for future generation, with all segments of society benefitting from it.
Later, Shri Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India said that he was pleased to note that the OECD survey considers India as a top reformer in the world. As per the report, the ease of doing business in India has improved. He assured that the Government of India is well aware about the challenges before it and there is work in progress on all of the recommendations enshrined in the Survey.
The implementation of the landmark GST reform will contribute to making India a more integrated market. By reducing tax cascading, it will boost competitiveness, investment and job creation. The GST reform – designed to be initially revenue-neutral – should be complemented by a form of income and property taxes, the Survey said.
The Survey points out the need to make income and property taxes more growth-friendly and redistributive. A comprehensive tax reform could help raise revenue to finance much-needed social and physical infrastructure, promote corporate investment, enable more effective redistribution and strengthen the ability of states and municipalities to better respond to local needs, according to the Survey.

Dairying Plays Important Role In Rural Economy

 NDDB’s Cattle Feed Knowledge Portal Launched

The Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Parshottam Rupala has said that agriculture is the back bone of rural economy in the country and dairying plays an important role in it. Even though India is the largest milk producer in the world, there is ample scope to improve per animal productivity. Shri Rupala stated it while inaugurating a National Workshop on Improving Feed Production Efficiency & Quality Control Aspects of Cattle Feed Plants organized by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Anand, today. Shri Dilip Patel, Member of Parliament, Shri Dilip Rath, Chairman, NDDB and Dr HPS Makkar, FAO, Rome graced the occasion. Around 200 cattle feed plant professionals from all over the country participated.
Shri Rupala said that with the increase in demand for milk, productivity of dairy animals should increase. It is time to refocus our efforts in providing good quality feed and mineral mixture and put up concerted efforts in promoting different variants of compound cattle feed for different categories of animals. For ensuring quality in feed production, we need to have qualified trained manpower, efficient plants and machinery and technical expertise to produce right type of feeds. Shri Rupala thanked NDDB for organizing this workshop to address all these issues with participation from dairy cooperatives all over the country. The Minister hoped that this workshop will discuss ways to achieve global standards in the feed production and requested NDDB to take benefit from budget allocation by Government of India for modernization of dairy technology.
Shri Parshottam Rupala also launched NDDB’s Cattle Feed Knowledge Portal, an interactive knowledge platform on various aspects of compound cattle feed production. The portal will also have information on least cost formula for feeds, suppliers of feed ingredients, raw material specifications as well as a discussion forum to share information.

“These Divyangs are inspiration for millions”

T20 Blind Cricket World Cup Winning Team meets PM

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today met the members of the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup Winning Team. Speaking on the occasion, he complimented them for their achievements and urged them to do even better in future. He praised their concentration and special skill, and said their deeds are an inspiration for millions of people, including the Divyang. The team members presented the Prime Minister with an autographed bat, a ball and a team jersey with the Prime Minister’s name. The Prime Minister too, autographed a bat and a ball for the team.

Watan ko Jaano: Kasmiri’s ask PM’ work routine

Working hard is never a cause for exhaustion: Modi

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today met a group of over 100 youth and children from Jammu and Kashmir. They are currently touring different parts of India as part of the initiative “Watan Ko Jaano.”
The youth and children asked a number of questions to the Prime Minister on themes such as infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir, sports facilities in the State, education and employment opportunities, and the Prime Minister’s work routine.
Interacting with them, the Prime Minister spoke of the efforts being made by the Union Government to improve connectivity and infrastructure in the State. He emphasized the importance of sports, and sportsman spirit among people. The Prime Minister said that working hard is never a cause for exhaustion, and completion of a task brings satisfaction, that is greater than any sense of exhaustion. The Minister of State in the PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh, was present on the occasion

White House condemned Indian Killing

Shocked the entire Indian-American community in the U.S.

The White House has called the Kansas shooting, in which an Indian engineer was killed in an apparent case of hate crime, “disturbing.”
The White House also condemned alleged hate crimes against the Jewish community in the country. White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that “early reports coming from Kansas are equally disturbing.”
Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed and Alok Madasani was injured in a shooting — a hate crime — by 51-year-old U.S. Navy veteran Adam Purinton, who screamed racial slurs and told them to “get out of my country.”
Mr. Spicer, in a briefing, asserted that there was no space for violence based on religion and ethnicity.
“From our country’s founding, we’ve been dedicated to protecting the freedom of our citizens’ rights to worship. No one in America should feel afraid to follow the religion of their choice freely and openly. The President is dedicated to preserving the originating principle of our nation,” he said.
“And while we’re at it, I don’t want to get ahead of law enforcement, but I was asked the other day about the story in Kansas, the shooting in Kansas. While the story is evolving, early reports out of Kansas are equally disturbing,” he added.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the local law enforcement agencies in investigating the incident that has shocked the entire Indian-American community in the U.S.
Mr. Spicer said the President continues to be deeply disappointed and concerned by the reports of further vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.
“The cowardly destruction in Philadelphia this weekend comes on top of similar accounts from Missouri and threats made to Jewish community centers around the country. The President continues to condemn these and any other form of anti-semitic and hateful acts in the strongest terms,” he said.

Kader Khan's rushed to Canada for treatment

Veteran Bollywood actor Kader Khan's health has deteriorated. The 79-year-old actor, who is now on a wheelchair, has been reportedly rushed to Canada for medical treatment after his knee surgery went wrong.
Actor Shakti Kapoor, who has worked with Kader Khan in several films, told newsmen that the legendary actor's heath condition has worsened and that he has been rushed to Canada for treatment.
"Yes, Kader Khan is now on a wheelchair. It's so so sad to be talking about this and I am trying to reach him since the past few days, but I am not able to get his number. I hope to have it in the next 2-3 days," Shakti Kapoor told the website. Shakti Kapoor added, "Kader Khan had a knee problem. He got operated but the operation went wrong."
He also told the entertainment portal, "Kader Khan's elder son resides in Canada. So, he has gone there to avail medical facilities which can cure him. I think his wife is accompanying him."
Kader Khan has regaled the audience with his comic side in films like 'Himmatwala', 'Aankhen' and 'Coolie No.1' among several other entertainers. On the big screen, the veteran actor was last seen in Fauzia Arshi-directed 'Hogaya Dimaagh Ka Dahi'.

Abhishek and Aishwarya to work together !

Seven years after they worked in Mani Ratnam's 'Raavan', Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are likely to team up again for a project titled 'Gulab Jamun'.
We hear Anurag Kashyap-led Phantom Films will produce the film to be helmed by a novice. In a recent Instagram post, Junior B had shared a picture with Ash from the set of 'Raavan'. Dropping a hint about the possible pairing, maybe?

Bollywood:Akshara Haasan at 'Laali Ke Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana'

Akshara Haasan, Vivaan Shah and Gurmeet Choudhary and other cast members at the trailer launch of 'Laali Ke Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana' in Mumbai. 

Noteban has developed a psychology spend only on essential items

Indian businesses fear lingering economic aftershocks from Modi's note ban

According the story of ET, Struggling with customers unable to pay on time and plummeting sales, Indian small-business owner Ravi Jain fears the government's crackdown on cash will have a much larger impact than predicted by top policymakers.
Jain's bath taps manufacturing firm Supreme, along with many other Indian businesses, has been shaken by New Delhi's shock decision last November to scrap 86 percent of the cash in circulation. And it wasn't certain when things will get back to normal as much depends on a revival in consumer spending.
"Demonetisation has developed a psychology among customers to spend only on essential items," Jain told Reuters from his factory on the outskirts of the Indian capital.
"We expect the cash situation to become normal in a couple of months, but we don't know when this psychology will change."
Asia's third-largest economy is tipped to slow down to a near three-year low in the October-December period, losing the title of the world's fastest-growing major economy to China.
The median estimate from a Reuters poll showed economists expect economic growth to slip to 6.4 percent in the last quarter, lower than China's 6.8 percent in the same period and slower than a 7.3 percent annual expansion in the September quar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's currency ban, aimed at fighting tax evasion, corruption and forgery, had caused huge disruption to daily life, leaving farmers, traders and companies - reliant on cash transactions - in disarray.
Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian last month said the official GDP figures may not fully reflect the "real and significant hardships" experienced by the informal sector, in which an estimated nine out of 10 Indian workers are employed.
But the pain, policymakers promised, will be short-lived.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has called the slowdown a transitory phenomenon and expects a sharp rebound in economic growth in the next fiscal year as cash conditions improve.That confidence prompted the central bank to keep interest rates on hold this month and shift its monetary policy stance to "neutral" from "accommodative", signalling the end of the monetary-easing cycle. To be sure, the cash situation is improving gradually. Currency in circulation increased to 7.2 percent of GDP in mid-February from 5.9 percent in early January, the central bank data showed. But it was lower than the 12 percent ratio before the cash crackdown began. With the cash situation still not back to normal and weak consumer confidence, many economists predict the aftershocks of Modi's move will linger for months.

India and China to look for a “common ground” on Afghanistan

According the story published in The Hindu: Despite differences on a number of issues, including over the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), U.N. designation of Masood Azhar as a terrorist, and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, India and China began to look for a “common ground” on Afghanistan during Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar’s visit to Beijing last week, official sources have told The Hindu.
Officials reportedly even discussed the possibility of “joint development projects” that could be undertaken despite economic rivalries between the two countries in other parts of the subcontinent.
The Foreign Secretary’s visit, which saw a restructured “Strategic Dialogue” with Chinese executive Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Yesui, also witnessed an effort by both sides to “stabilise India-China relations” at a time the world is experiencing a new “volatility,” a senior official said.
This indicates a shifting global calculus due to the recent surprise foreign and trade policy moves by the new U.S. administration under Donald Trump.
“The overarching concern during the talks seemed to be that China had grown economically, and India has been growing because of a predictable international system so far,” one official, privy to the talks, said. “Each one of us is affected by the new unpredictability, and we must do what we can to bring down the volatility, instead of playing up our differences.”
Officials who were privy to the negotiations told The Hindu that there was still little movement on issues that have been most highlighted in the past year, mainly over Masood Azhar, where China has put a technical hold at the U.N. that will lapse in July, and the NSG, where India’s membership will be taken up again at the plenary session in June.
Another possible flashpoint in May 2017 is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s global conference on the “Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI),” where the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan will be highlighted and which Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to attend. Officials said that India had “made it clear” that it would not take part given the “sovereignty issues.”
While talks on Azhar and the NSG failed to see any breakthrough, the fact that both the Indian and Chinese delegations included officials dealing with Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as the U.N. and multilateral ties showed that China was “open to finding solutions,” the official said.

Three Institutes Develop High-Yielding Varieties of Plant Species

ICFRE Dehradun, have developed 20 high-yielding varieties of plant species.

Three institutes of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, have developed 20 high-yielding varieties of plant species. The Variety Releasing Committee (VRC) of ICFRE, granted approval for the release of these varieties of plant species, at a meeting held here .
Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, has worked, for more than a decade, on ten improved varieties of Melia dubia and three clones of Eucalyptus tereticornis, the timber of which is in high demand in the industry. The released cultivars of Melia, popularly known as Dreake, or Malabar Neem, not only have a high productivity per unit area, with an average of 34.57 cubic metre per hectare per annum, but also have an excellent bole form, which is a desirable characteristic for plywood industry. Similarly, the average productivity of the released varieties of Eucalyptus has been recorded as 19.44 cubic meter per hectare per annum, against the present productivity level of 5-7 cubic meter per hectare per annum. These clones have also been found to be resistant to pink disease and wall gasp. Research at Institute of Forest Genetic and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, has resulted in the development of five inter-specific hybrids of Casuarina equisetifolia X Casuarina junghuhniana for use as timber. Similarly, Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur, developed two varieties of medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina.
The developed varieties have to go through stringent long field trials and testing before release. The VRC meeting that released the varieties was held under the chairmanship of Director General, Forest and Special Secretary, Dr. S.S Negi granted approval for the release of these varieties. The three institutes that have developed the varieties are – Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore and Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur. Director General, ICFRE and Co-Chair of VRC, Dr. Shashi Kumar, Director, TFRI, Dr. Prakasham, Director, FRI, Dr. Savita, Director, IFGRB, Dr. Prashanth and two experts of the subject matter, Dr. D.K Khurana, Dr. Vishnu Bhatt, Shri Omkar Singh PCCF (HoFF), AGMUT and Dr. Amrinder Kaur, PCCF (HoFF), Haryana, were also present at the VRC meeting.

Trade initiatives to develop strong India

Trade with the CLMV countries grew from USD 1.5 bn to more than USD 10 bn in the last 10 years

Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has said that trade with the CLMV countries grew from USD 1.5 bn to more than USD 10 bn in the last 10 years and expressed hope that India will be able to partner in more trade initiatives with these countries to develop a strong India-CLMV vertical within the ASEAN market. In her inaugural address at the the 4th India – CLMV (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam) Business Conclave in Jaipur today she invited both the Government and business community of these countries to actively partner in India’s initiative to strengthen manufacturing capacities,  and stated that in India there is a good scope for improving trade in sectors like health and  wellbeing, manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, skilling amongothers. The Minister indicated that there are clear verticals for India to facilitate trade with these countries like, organic agriculture produce from Myanmar, value added products from  coffee& pepper produce of Vietnam, two & three wheeler exports to Lao PDR etc. She highlighted that these countries can take advantage of the tremendous scope in India on skill resources across various sectors.  Smt. Sitharaman stated that the themes selected for deliberation during this Conclave have been carefully selected to integrate into each other’s economy.  
Highlighting India’s strength in health sector, she announced that India is organising a BSM-cum-exhibition in Myanmar during March 28-29, 2017. At the event, India will showcase her strengths in the healthcare verticals, viz. Pharmaceuticals, medical technology and health services.  The Minister invited all of them to participate in this event from both Government and business side.   She further emphasised India’s abilities in Agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, skilling, solar and wind energy where India can provide a lead to the region.  She urged the business entities from the CLMV region participating in the Conclave to seal some business deals before departing to their country.
Smt. VasundharaRaje, Chief Minister of  Rajasthan gave a Special Address in the inaugural session.  The country delegations were led at the Ministerial level by H. E. MrChhuonDara,Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, Kingdom of Cambodia, H.E Dr. Than Myint, Minister of Commerce, Myanmar and H E Mr. Cao Quoc Hung, Vice Minister, Industry and Trade Vietnam.The delegation fromLao PDR was led by Ambassador,H E Mr.SouthamSakhonninhom. The event also witnessed a wide participation of official and business delegations from these countries.
Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam collectively, is the third largest economy in ASEAN, followed by Indonesia and Thailand.  Due to close proximity, India is looking to boost trade and investment with the CLMV region as part of the ‘Act East’ policy announced by the Prime Minister during the 12th India - ASEANSummit in 2013.The CLMV conclave is an annual feature which provides an opportunity for Indian business leaders to interact with government and business stakeholdersrepresenting the four countries.The conclave facilitates to create and provide a platform for the decision makers from CLMV countries to interact with a range of Indian business companies involved in trading, manufacturing, processing, engineering, consultancy, construction etc.
Mr Naushad Forbes, President CII also acknowledged the initiative of the government in supporting the industry through such business meets.  It was indicated that CII has decided to open two offices in the CLMV region i.e Myanmar andVietnam which would further the intra-regional trade. Transportation and connectivity in the region were highlighted as the most important aspects for trade.
In their addresses the Ministers from Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar expressed their appreciation of the Indian Governments persistent efforts through such annual events associating these countries.

We need a sustainable framework

Sustainable development can achieved by change the way we think and act: Vice President

The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari has said that we need to move towards implementing a framework of sustainability that synthesizes both the human and the environmental elements of security for sustainable human development. He was delivering the 6th Prof. Moonis Raza Memorial Lecture, here today, organised by the Prof. Moonis Raza Memorial Trust.
Speaking about Prof. Moonis Raza, the Vice President said that his work blurred the boundary between traditional human geography and environmental science, synthesizing both natural and socio-economic elements of geography, and its impact on the human landscape. A Muslim by birth, a Marxist by orientation and an agnostic in matters metaphysical, Moonis sahib was acutely aware of the sociological imperatives of the Indian scene, he added.
The Vice President said that sustainable development cannot be achieved by technological solutions, political regulation or financial instruments alone. We need to change the way we think and act, he added.
The Vice President said that the human security approach is tied intrinsically to the idea of sustainable human development, which envisions not only generating economic growth but distributing its benefits equitably, regenerating the environment rather than destroying it, and empowering people rather than marginalizing them. It is increasingly apparent that approaches to development, based merely on economic values are insufficient, he added.
The Vice President said that the articulation of views by some members of the new Administration in the United States has raised questions on the future of sustained global action on climate change and may put at risk the immediate goals and commitments to mitigating climate change impact and promoting sustainability. He further said that the developing shift in the global system, from an outward-looking to a more inward-looking stance, would also create challenges for strengthening global cooperation. It is sad to conclude that the travellers of spaceship earth continue to be mired in conflicts of narrow self-interest and are yet to reach a consensus on how to change the disastrous trajectory we are on, he added.

India & Ukraine to strengthen bilateral cooperation through Cinema

India and Ukraine have agreed to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the twocountries through the medium of Cinema. The cooperation would be worked out through a policy and institutional framework to showcase films through the medium of Film Festivals and utilizing the Film Facilitation Office platform established by India. The screening of films with subtitles was also discussed in order to reach out to people. These issues were discussed during the meeting between Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Ukrainian delegation led by Mr. Iurii Artemenko, Member of the Parliament of Ukraine and Chairman of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine today in New Delhi. Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore and Secretary I&B were also present during the discussions.
During the discussions, Shri Naidu said that Ministry of Information & Broadcasting would extend all possible support to promote exchange programs between public broadcasters of the two countries, content creation, screening and distribution of films. The possibility of translating programs and content and providing subtitles in respective languages of both the countries was also discussed with respect to the Public Broadcasters of both the countries.
Shri Naidu also apprised the delegation about the Film Facilitation Office recently setup in the Ministry to facilitate single window clearance for film makers. The FFO act as a facilitation point for film producers and assist them in obtaining requisite permissions, disseminate information on shooting locales as well as the facilities available with the Indian film industry for production/post production.
Mr. Iurii Artemenko, said that Ukraine Government were taking efforts to organise an Indian Film Festival in Ukraine to promote Cultural ties between the two countries through the medium of Cinema. He extended a personal invitation to I&B Minister for the Film Festival to be organised in the near future. He also expressed interest for showcasing programmes based on Indian weddings, Touristic places such as Rajasthan and different Indian Cuisines.
Deliberations were also held for organising Film Festivals showcasing each other’s movies in respective countries and the possibility of participating in Film Festivals as Partner Countries.

Ukraine-India Co-operate in I&B Sector

A delegation from Ukrain led by the Member of the Parliament of Ukraine and Chairman of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, Mr. Iurii Artemenko meeting the Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu to discuss the prospects of launching Ukraine-India Co-operation in Information & Broadcasting fields, in New Delhi on February 27, 2017. The Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and the Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Ajay Mittal are also seen.

Food Economy of India – An international platform

India has allowed 100% FDI in marketing of food products

Smt.Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing  had a luncheon meeting with Ambassadors and High Commissioners of leading food processing and food retailing countries to share with them the investment opportunities available in India in the food processing sector.
Speaking at the session Smt.Harsimrat Kaur Badal said “Recently, the Government of India has allowed 100% FDI in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. This initiative has opened up vast opportunities for international companies to invest in India in the food processing manufacturing, supply and marketing. Additionally, attractive incentives have been established by state andcentralgovernments to include capital subsidies, tax rebates, and reduced custom and excise duties. Increasing focus is also being given to supply-chain related infrastructure, such as cold storage, abattoirs and food parks. The whole idea is to spur greater growth in the food processing sector and transform Indian food economy as well as connect farmers with the value chain to increase their returns”.
During the interaction, the Minister also invited the countries to partner with World Food India 2017 - a three day flagship event being organized by Ministry of Food Processing Industriesfrom 3-5 Nov 2017 at New Delhi. The eventwill focus on showcasing achievements and opportunities of the Indian Food Processing Sector and fostering maximum investment commitments. The event will also provide a platform for exhibiting innovative products and manufacturing processes, showcasing the entire value chain of food processing industry with a vision to leverage innovation, technology, development & sustainability of the sector.
The interaction was attended by Ambassadors from Royal Danish Embassy, Embassy of France, Embassy of Republic of Korea, Royal Netherlands Embassy, Embassy of the Republic of Poland along with senior representatives from Canadian High Commission, Embassy of People’s Republic of China, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Embassy of the republic of Indonesia, Embassy of Italy, Embassy of Japan, Embassy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, High Commission of Malaysia, Embassy of Mexico, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand High Commission, Embassy of Belgium, Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil and Embassy of the United States of America. The representatives appreciated the Ministry’s initiative of organizing ‘World Food India 2017’, including its timely announcement and expressed keen interest in partnering with the mega event.

Oscar 2017:WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

Manchester by the Sea- WINNER!

Hell or High Water
La La Land
The Lobster
20th Century Women

Oscar 2017:WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

Moonlight - WINNER!

Arrival
Fences
Hidden Figures
Lion

Oscar 2017:VISUAL EFFECTS AWARDEE FILM IS THE JUNGLE BOOK

The Jungle Book - WINNER!

Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Oscar 2017:SOUND MIXING AWARD GOES TO HACKSAW RIDGE

Hacksaw Ridge - WINNER!

Arrival
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Oscar 2017:SOUND EDITING AWARD GRAB ARRIVAL

Arrival - WINNER!

Deepwater Horizon
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully

Oscar 2017:SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION) WINNER IS SING

Sing - WINNER!

Ennemis Intérieurs
La Femme et le TGV
Silent Nights
Timecode

Oscar 2017:SHORT FILM (ANIMATED) PIPER WIN AWARD

Piper - WINNER!

Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl

Oscar 2017:PRODUCTION DESIGN WINNER IS LA LA LAND

La La Land - WINNER!

Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail, Caesar!
Passengers

Oscar 2017:MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul - WINNER!

"Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" from La La Land
Music by Justin Hurwitz; Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
"Can’t Stop The Feeling" from Trolls
Music and Lyric by Justin Timberlake, Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster
"City Of Stars" from La La Land
"The Empty Chair" from Jim: The James Foley Story
Music and Lyric by J. Ralph and Sting
"How Far I’ll Go" from Moana
Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Oscar 2017:MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) WINNER IS LA LA LAND

La La Land - WINNER!

Jackie
Lion
Moonlight
Passengers

Oscar 2017:MAKEUP AND HAIR STYLING AWARD GOES TO SUICIDE SQUAD

Suicide Squad - WINNER!

A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond

Oscar 2017:FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM IS SALESMAN

The Salesman - WINNER!

Land of Mine
A Man Called Ove
Tanna
Toni Erdmann

oscar 2017:FILM EDITING AWARD GRAB HACKSAW RIDGE

Hacksaw Ridge - WINNER!

Arrival
Hell or High Water
La La Land
Moonlight

Oscar 2017:DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT) is The White Helmets

The White Helmets - WINNER!

Extremis
4.1 Miles
Joe’s Violin
Watani: My Homeland

Oscar 2017: AWARDEDE DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE) IS HERE

O.J.: Made in America - WINNER!

Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
13th

Oscar 2017:DIRECTING AWARDEE IS La La Land

La La Land - WINNER!

Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight

Oscar 2017:BEST COSTUME DESIGNER IS HERE

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - WINNER!

Allied
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land

Oscar 2017:CINEMATOGRAPHY WINNER IS La La Land

La La Land - WINNER!

Arrival
Lion
Moonlight
Silence

Oscar 2017:ANIMATED FEATURE FILM is Zootopia

Zootopia - WINNER!

Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
The Red Turtle

Oscar 2017:ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE is Viola Davis

Viola Davis, Fences - WINNER!

Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Oscar 2017:ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE is Mahershala Ali

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight - WINNER!

Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

Oscar 2017:Emma Stone is ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Emma Stone, La La Land - WINNER!

Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Oscar 2017:ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE isCasey Affleck

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea - WINNER!

Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Denzel Washington, Fences

Oscar 2017: Moonlight is the BEST PICTURE

Most prestigious award of Oscar’s for Best Picture section come many picture But Moonlight is grab this award. This section be competet this films Fences, acksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, La La Land, Lion, Manchester by the Sea.
Before this La La Land is declare the Best Picture But soonly correct this mistake and after called the Moonlight - WINNER! 

These are OSCAR WINNERS 2017

The complete list of 2017 Oscars winners is coming! View the complete list of of winners below from Oscar Sunday. Check back during the ceremony for instant updates after every winner is announced. Look for the WINNER mark in each category. Who will win Best Picture? Arrival, Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, La La Land, Lion, Manchester by the Sea and Moonlight all secured Best Picture nominations. The nominees for Actor in a Leading Role include Casey Affleck, Andrew Garfield, Ryan Gosling, Viggo Mortensen and Denzel Washington. For Actress in a Leading Role, Isabelle Huppert, Ruth Negga, Natalie Portman, Emma Stone and Meryl Streep were nominated. 

Oscar 2017: Priyanka Chopra become attractive celebrity

Celebrities walked the 2017 Oscars red carpet and paraded in the latest fashions. Oscar attendees including Halle Berry, Priyanka Chopra, Taraji P. Henson made their mark on the legendary red carpet sporting beautiful designer dresses. Many celebrities were wearing blue ribbons to support the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) including Oscar 2017 nominees Ruth Negga and Lin-Manuel Miranda. You can see these celebs and more in the Oscar.com Photos section and highlights from the red carpet below.
Oscars red carpet couples including Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel,  John Legand and Chrissy Teigan and Dwayne Johnson and his wife Lauren Hashian displayed affection wearing designers such as Givenchy, Alberta Ferretti, Zuhair Murad and more.

Coordination Among PSUs are Must

In today’s fast-paced business world, it is essential to work together: Steel Minister

Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh has directed that a High-level Coordination Committee comprising CMDs and top Ministry officials be constituted for pooling and sharing of resources among PSUs. He said, “This will lead to aggregation of demand and economies of scale among the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the administrative control of the Ministry. Formation of such a mechanism and committee would minimize areas of overlap, duplication & communication gaps and help in harnessing the potential for financial savings. In today’s fast-paced business world, it is essential to work together to retain the competitive edge.”  The idea emerged from a comprehensive joint review meeting held recently, which was chaired by the Steel Minister.
The objective of the Committee is to derive benefits of economies of scale by pooling of resources, as also sharing of best practices. ‘Terms of Reference’ of the Committee will, inter-alia, include :
·        Common procurement portal using MSTC Metal Mandi (M3)
·         Common marketing and distribution/storage facilities
·         Common R&D facilities & projects under SRTMI
·         Common Employee Welfare issues
·         Common Consultancy
·         Payment Settlement mechanism among MoS CPSEs.
·         Common platform for knowledge sharing
Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh has issued instructions for immediate action to be taken on formalising a mechanism of coordination among PSUs, which include industry leaders like SAIL, NMDC, RINL, MOIL, MSTC and MECON. AS&FA, MoS will be designated as the nodal officer from Ministry of Steel to facilitate and oversee the coordination mechanism.

Waqf Boards Records Across The Country To Be Digital

Computerisation will help in ensuring transparency:Naqvi

The Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi stated it while addressing the 75th meeting of Central Waqf Council in New Delhi, Monday. He said that Central Government is making efforts to ensure that all the waqf boards and their records across the country are made digital. Minority Affairs Ministry has been providing all possible help to the state waqf boards. The Computerisation of waqf boards and their properties will help in ensuring transparency.
Shri Naqvi said that a one-man “Board of Adjudication” at the Central level has been established under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court justice to deal with complaints and disputes regarding waqf properties. Three-member tribunals are being established in the states. About 24 states have established these tribunals so far. Other states should also do this soon.  There are about 4,49,314 registered and non-registered waqf properties across the country. The number of these properties will be increased after computerisation of waqf boards. It has also been come to our notice that some waqf boards are not registering the waqf properties properly during the computerisation process. Strict action is being taken in such complaints.
Shri Naqvi said that in the Budget 2017-18, Rs 3.30 crore has been allocated for computerisation of records of state waqf boards; Rs 9.70 crore have been given for strengthening of state waqf boards while Rs 3.18 crore have been allocated as grants-in-aid to Waqf.
Shri Naqvi said that the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the guidance of  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working towards socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities as a mission and commitment. Keeping this in mind, the Centre has increased the Budget of Minority Affairs Ministry in the Union Budget (General) 2017-18. This increased budget will be helpful in socio-economic-educational empowerment of Minorities.
The Budget of Minority Affairs Ministry has been increased to Rs 4195.48 crore for 2017-18. This is Rs 368.23 crore more than 2016-17 Budget of Rs 3827.25 crore with an increase of about 9.6 per cent.
Shri Naqvi said that the Government’s efforts for empowerment of Minorities include “Progress Panchayat”, “Hunar Haat”, “Gurukul” type residential schools, “Garib Nawaz Skill Development Centre”, “Begum Hazrat  Mahal Scholarship” for girls, establishing five world class educational institutes for Minorities and 500 quality residential schools and job-oriented skill development centres. 

Serious Irregularities In Some State Waqf Boards

Strict action will be taken against responsible: Naqvi

The Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs  Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that some vested interests are creating various obstacles in development of waqf properties and utilisation of these properties for welfare of the society. Shri Naqvi said that serious irregularities in some State Waqf Boards have also come to notice. A high-level inquiry has been going on into these matters and strict action will be taken against those people who are responsible. Shri Naqvi stated it while addressing the 75th meeting of Central Waqf Council in New Delhi, Monday.
The Minister said that proper utilisation of waqf properties is an important part of our efforts towards empowerment of Minorities. Several State Governments and Waqf Boards have been performing very well in this regard. 

Pay special attention for rapid urban transformation

States and Cities to taking small steps towards implementing transformational reforms 

   Ministry of Urban Development has evolved a new reform matrix to enable State and City Governments go beyond the present incrementalism of taking small steps towards implementing transformational reforms over the next three years, for a turn around in urban governance, planning and finance. The Ministry will discuss a set of five major reforms with States and Union Territories at a ‘National Workshop on Urban Development’ to be held here tomorrow. Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu will chair the deliberations on the reforms and six other new initiatives that promote these reforms since huge private sector investment is envisaged under five of these initiatives. The concerned Group of Secretaries in their report on urban sector have recommended that “After a review of the schemes over the years,  the Group felt that instead of an incremental approach, the time has come for ushering in transformational reforms in Governance, Planning and Finance”.
            Major reforms recommended by the Group of Secretaries are;

1.Moving to a Trust and Verify Approach: Instead of the present practice of verifying first and approving later, it has been recommended that trust needs to be reposed in the citizens and approvals may be accorded first and to be verified later, inverting the model of verifying first and approving later which is resulting in huge delays. This ‘Trust and Verify’ approach has been recommended in respect of Permissions for building construction, Change of title in municipal records (mutation) and Birth and Death registration, involving the largest number of physical interactions between city governments and citizens.
2.Formulating Land Titling Laws: The Group quoting a study by McKinsey noted that over 90% of the land records in the country are unclear and land market distortions and unclear land titles are costing the country 1.30% of GDP per year and accordingly recommended enactment of Land Titling Laws and their implementation in a specific time frame.
3. Credit Rating of Urban Local Bodies

4. Value Capture Financing
Noting that the total revenues of the municipal sector accounts for only 0.75% of the country’s GDP as against 6% for South Africa, 5% for Brazil and 4.50% for Poland, the Group recommended Municipal Bonds further to Credit Rating of ULBs and Value Capture Finance tools for meeting the capital expenditure needs of cities.
5.Improving Professionalism of ULBs: Quoting investment bank Goldman Sachs report, the Group of Secretaries noted that a bureaucracy that is based on merit rather than seniority could add nearly a percentage point annually to the country’s per capita GDP growth. It also expressed concern over shortage of qualified technical staff and managerial supervisors in ULBs preventing innovation, the Group recommended induction of professionals in city governments by encouraging lateral induction and filling top positions in cities (Commissioners and Heads of Finance and Revenue) through open competition.

Costly summer: will pay more for snacks, ice-creams, soaps

Get ready to pay more for biscuits, snacks and ice-creams as fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) companies are hiking the prices due to rising input costs. Household names like Britannia, Amul, Dabur and Parle are either raising the prices of their products or providing lower quantities at the same price-point, The Economic Times reported on Monday. Input costs for these companies have gone up. Ingredients like skimmed milk powder prices have moved from Rs 140 a kg last year around the same time to over Rs 240 a kg now. Besides, prices of sugar, too, have risen by around 30-40 per cent, and milk fat prices have grown by around 35 per cent, say companies. Palm oil, another key input, has also seen its prices go up. According to the ET report, the culprits are fluctuations in global commodity prices and lower production cycles. This comes at a time when such companies have already been hit by demonetisation. As reported earlier, data shared by Kantar Worldpanel, part of the WPP Group, show that FMCG sales growth by value declined to 5.3 per cent in the December quarter after cruising comfortably in the first three quarters of calendar year 2016. Sales growth by value for the quarters ending March, June and September 2016 was 6.2 per cent, six per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively.

Emma Stone would thank you to not blame the Oscars' best picture mix-up on her

Emma Stone waltzed backstage with wide eyes and a sly smile after her win for best actress in “La La Land,” which came moments before a historic Oscar malfunction that led to the mistaken reading of that film for best picture instead of the rightful winner, “Moonlight.”  “Whoo, did you guys see that?” she asked as the press roared. She said the now-notorious mix-up was incredibly surreal and added to the general dreamlike feeling she was already experiencing after her win. “I was on such a buzzy plane backstage that I already felt like I was on another planet,” she said. “It was an incredible outcome, but a very strange happening for Oscar history.”
Then she grinned: “Is that the craziest Oscar moment of all time? Cool, we made history. Craziest moment.” she said. Stone also made it very clear that she and her co-collaborators on “La La Land” were thrilled for “Moonlight” and Barry Jenkins. “I ... love 'Moonlight.' God, I love 'Moonlight' so much. I'm so excited for 'Moonlight' — we are so excited for 'Moonlight.' I think it's one of the best pictures of all time,” she gushed. Adding a note of intrigue to the confusion surrounding just what exactly led to the best picture debacle, Stone said, “I also was holding my best actress in a leading role card, so I’m not sure what that was. Whatever story you’re hearing.”

Buffett can change the scene of H1B Visa Problem

Buffett's statement could be a reality check for Trump's controversial efforts

In his recent annual letter to shareholders, Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., mentioned "ambitious immigrants" for growth in the US.  “Americans have combined human ingenuity, a market system, a tide of talented and ambitious immigrants, and the rule of law to deliver abundance beyond any dreams of our forefathers," Buffett wrote in his letter which has become a mega event in the US over the years as shareholders wait to read nuggets of wisdom from Buffett who is a legend in investment circles. Buffett's statement could be a reality check for US President Donald Trump's controversial efforts to cap work visas for foreign companies, mainly in the tech sector. Indian IT companies, which will suffer greatly from Trump's curbs on H-1B visas, are in fact big contributors to the US economy in several ways. The most obvious contribution is the Indians heading top tech firms. Google and Microsoft won't have Sunder Pichai and Satya Nadella had it not been for a liberal work visa regime. Pichai and Nadella lead what Buffett calls "the tide of talented and ambitious immigrants" which includes dozens of Indians at top places in big American companies. A few of them are Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayan, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga, GlobalFoundries CEO Sanjay Jha, NetApp CEO George Kurien and Harman International CEO Dinesh Paliwal.

Amitabh Bachchan and 'Pink' team's movie date with President Pranab Mukherjee

Amitabh Bachchan couldn't contain his excitement after President Pranab Mukherjee watched his last film, Pink, in which he played a lawyer. Big B, along with co-stars Taapsee Pannu, Andrea Tariang, director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and producer Shoojit Sircar, had been invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for a special screening on Saturday. Post screening and a felicitation ceremony, the cast was also invited for a lavish dinner with the Prez. Big B tweeted, "A most rewarding evening with the President of India, as he watches Pink and then invites us for dinner."
Later, the cover photo of the President's official Facebook page was updated to a picture of Mukherjee along with the Pink cast.
An overjoyed Taapsee took to Instagram to post the screenshot of the update, writing, "And how cool this looks."