Month: September 2009

Panaji, September 01: Iron ore exporters in Goa say Australia’s Yandi mines have emerged as a tough competition.

According to Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) executive director S. Sridhar, the low grade iron ore produced by the relatively new Yandi mines in Western Australia and the region’s relative proximity to China are posing a threat to Goa’s exporters.

“China accounts for 80 percent of our ore exports. And the emergence of Yandi mines has certainly evolved as a threat,” Sridhar said.

Srinagar, September 01: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was adjourned sine-die today after the 36-day long budget session came to an end.

Winding up the discussion on proceedings of the House, Speaker M A Lone expressed gratitude to the legislators for highlighting the issues of people in the House and extending their cooperation in conducting the proceedings smoothly.

Giving details of the business during the session, the Speaker said 958 questions, including 545 starred and 413 un-starred, were asked and 860 written replies were filed.

New Delhi, September 01: President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday greeted the nation on Kerala’s harvest festival of Onam, saying it inspires the country to promote harmony and brotherhood.

“On the joyous occasion of Onam, I extend my warmest greetings to everyone, especially to all my brothers and sisters in Kerala,” the president said in a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Onam will be celebrated Wednesday.

New Delhi, September 01: The capital will soon have 29 more police stations and 6,478 additional policemen, as the central government took note of threat perceptions and growing needs of the city.

“I am glad to inform you that taking note of the growing needs of the metropolitan city of Delhi, the central government has sanctioned additional manpower of 6,478 policemen at a cost of Rs.199 crore per annum,” Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters here.

New Delhi, September 01: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday congratulated the national football team on winning the ONGC Nehru Cup tournament.

“Congratulations on your remarkable win last evening. It was a magnificent performance and the whole country is proud of you. The victory, I am sure, will inspire sports men and women across the country,” Singh said in a statement.

India defeated Syria 6-5 via the penalties Monday night at the jampacked Ambedkar Stadium here to retain the title they won in 2007.

–Agencies

New Delhi, September 01: From an annual auction of its hydrocarbon blocks, India is moving towards a year-long bidding process, said Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasada here Tuesday.

“The government of India is moving gradually but inexorably towards the Open Acreage Licensing System from the current New Exploration Licensing Policy,” Prasada said at the inauguration of an international conference on National Data Repository (NDR).

Chandigarh, September 01: Dogs, especially strays, may not have an easy life in Punjab with the the state government Tuesday announcing a sustained plan to sterilise them – even engaging a Bangalore-based expert agency to help in the campaign.

State government officials said Tuesday that the plan has been mooted following the rising number of dog-bite complaints, especially bites of stray dogs, from across the state.

Punjab, September 01: Unplayable ground conditions following a heavy downpour forced the abandonment of the opening tie between Air India-Blue and ITC without a single ball being bowled at the PCA ground in the BCCI Corporate Trophy tournament here today.

Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Joint Secretary G S Walia said the match had been re-scheduled for Friday.

Rains lashed the city in the morning after which curator Daljeet Singh and his team tried hard to make field at the PCA stadium playable at 1300 hours but in vain.

Kolkata, September 01: Grandmaster Sundararajan Kidambi was the first casualty of the 4th Kolkata Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament being organised by Alekhine Chess Club at Gorky Sadan here today.

The 13-year-old Shiven Khosla accounted for the Indian GM in only 20 moves through a Ruy Lopez game.

Kidambi blundered a piece on the 17th move and resigned after a few moves.

Shiven is the reigning Asian U-14 champion.

Top seeded Shakriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan was impressive in his victory against B S Shivanand.

Chennai, September 01: The Latin American region, unaffected by the global meltdown, offers good business opportunities for Indian companies in sectors such as information technology (IT), pharmaceutical, renewable energy, agri-business and manufacturing, said a senior Indian diplomat here Tuesday.

“Indian companies should formulate long-term strategies to tap the available potential. India’s bilateral trade with Latin America has gone up eight times to $16 billion since 2001,” said R. Viswanathan, India’s ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

New Delhi, September 01: The sports ministry Tuesday decided to provide financial assistance to the widows of players of the 1956 Indian team that finished fourth in the Melbourne Olympics.

Sports Minsiter M.S. Gill said that widows of T.A. Rahman, P.R. Thangaraj, K.S. Kittoo and M.K. Kempiah will receive a cheque of Rs.150,000 each.

Nine surviving members of the team, captain Samar Banerjee, S.S. Narayan, A.S. Salam, Ahmad Hussain, Nikhil Nandi, P.K. Banerjee, M.Z. Zulfikar, Tulsidas Balaram and Keshto Pal, were given similar assistance in February.

–Agencies

New Delhi, September 01: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday said that withdrawal of paramilitary forces from the state was an ongoing process and no time limit had been set for it.

“It is an ongoing process. At least six (Central Reserve Police Force) CRPF battalions have been removed and two Indian Reserve Battalions have been inducted… it is an ongoing process… there is no deadline,” Abdullah told reporters after meeting union Home Minister P. Chidambaram here.

New Delhi, September,01: India Tuesday made a fresh pitch for UN reforms, seeking to revive its bid for a permanent seat in the Security Council, and underlined that a new system of global governance must also have “in-built flexibility” to adapt to the evolving world order.

Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur presented India’s perspective on ?New global governance for the 21st Century’ at the Bled Strategic Forum at the lakeside resort of Bled in Slovenia.