Wednesday 20 June 2012

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News


West Bengal seeking to extend STPI Scheme to woo Infosys

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:07 PM PDT

While the  STPI Scheme may have expired, West Bengal is looking forward to extend it as an alternative to SEZ. It is awaiting response from Central Government in order to extend the benefits of STPI to IT Giant Infosys. The STPI scheme had expired in March 2011.
Infosys has claimed a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status for the project, but the state government has rejected it, saying it was not in conformity with the state policies.

Replying to a question in the assembly, Industries and Information Technology Minister Partha Chatterjee said the scheme could be extended to benefit IT companies seeking SEZ status.

He said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and he had requested Union Minister for Commerce and Industries Anand Sharma that the scheme, which expired in March 2011, be extended.

Infosys purchased 50 acres for the project in Rajarhat on the northeastern fringes of the city, for Rs.1.5 crore per acre. The company also made the payment in full in October last year.

Earlier this year, it wrote to the government seeking clarification on its SEZ status, which was turned down by the government.

Despite a series of discussions, the issue remains unresolved, making the project’s future uncertain.

Hillary Clinton all praise for a Bihari Karate Girl

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:18 AM PDT

Us Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is all praise for a Young girl, Poonam Khatoon from Bihar whom she met last month at Kolkata. She often shares the story with her audience. She was amazed by Poonam’s Karate Moves.

On May 6, oozing with confidence, Poonam told Clinton that she was a karate champion and asked her whether she would like to watch her perform. Clinton laughed and asked Poonam to show some of her skills.

“One young girl, full of life, came up and asked me if I wanted to see her perform some karate moves, and I said of course. And the way she stood up, so straight and confident, the pride and accomplishment in her eyes, was so inspiring,” Clinton told a select audience at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department where she launched the 2012 Trafficking in Persons Report.

“This was a child who’d been born in a brothel to a young mother who had been forced and sold into prostitution. But when her mother finally escaped and took her daughter with her, they were out of harm’s way and finally able to make choices for themselves,” Clinton said while referring to her short-interaction with Poonam Khatoon(16).

“Now I don’t know what’s going to happen to that young girl, whose image I see in my mind’s eye, in the years and decades ahead. But I do know that with a little help, her life can be so much better than her mother’s. And that’s what we need to be focused on, and it’s what we need to try to do for all victims and survivors,” Clinton said.

After releasing the 2012 Trafficking report, Clinton said on Wednesday it is estimated as many as 27 million people around the world are victims of modern slavery, what is sometimes called trafficking.

“When I met with the people who were working with victims in Calcutta, I met several young women from the United States who had been inspired by reading about and watching and going online and learning about what was happening in the efforts to rescue and protect victims, and they were there in Calcutta working with organizations, NGOs and the faith community to do their part,” Clinton said.

Andhra Pradesh to announce Intermediate Advanced Supplementary Results 2012

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:12 AM PDT

Andhra Pradesh  Board of Intermediate Education, BIEAP Hyderabad  is about to declare the first year Intermediate Advanced Supplementary Results 2012.

The results would be available at the Board’s Official Website, http://examresults.ap.nic.in/ .

The Exam was conducted from May 16th  to May 23rd at more than 1780 Examination Centers. About 6 lakhs candidates appeared for the first year Intermediate Advanced Supplementary  Examination 2012.

 

Recipe of a Cocktail Party

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:12 AM PDT

Wanting to throw a cocktail party, but confused about what to serve?  We lists the top 10 cocktails as detailed by the experts.

The list has been prepared after jamming with bartenders and chefs at various bars and restaurants in the capital – Smoke House Room, Harem, Second Sin, Restaurant Drift at Epicentre, Kasturi, The Spice Market, Zura Bistro Bar Bakery and Park Plaza Noida.

Here’s the list:

1. Charlie Chaplin cocktail: Charlie Chaplin is the first actor to have a drink named after him. With an equal mix of lime, apricot brandy and sloe gin, the drink is a gentle mix of sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

1 oz (ounce) apricot brandy
1 oz sloe gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
lime peel for garnish

Method: Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake it well. Strain it into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish it with a lime peel.

Price: Rs.450 per glass plus tax.

2. Naked Lady: A sophisticated cocktail with a name that is really an attention grabber. Making the cocktail is simple and easy.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 oz Bacardi Superior Rum
1 1/4 oz Noilly Prat Rouge (sweet Vermouth)
1 1/2 oz Apricot brandy
1 1/2 oz pomegranate grenadine
1 1/5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 or 3 ice cubes
Lemon zest to garnish

Method: Put all ingredients into a shaker, throw in the ice and shake until the exterior of the shaker gets very cold. Double strain into a chilled or frozen glass. Finally, garnish with lemon zest.

Price: Rs.450 per glass plus tax.

3. Sex on the Beach: One of the most popular cocktails, Sex on the Beach is a delicious fruity drink in almost anyone’s favourite drink list. It’s a great tropical highball apt for hot summer evenings or for noons at the beach.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz vodka
3/4 oz peach schnapps
1/2 oz creme de cassis
2 oz orange juice
2 oz cranberry juice
Orange slice, Maraschino cherry to garnish

Method: Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and shake well. Strain into a highball glass and garnish it with orange slice and maraschino cherry.

Price: Rs.450 per glass plus tax.

4. Blood and Sand: The Scotch based cocktail is named after a 1922 movie starring Rudolph Valentino and Rita Hayworth. Blood and Sand is one of the few classic mixed drinks which has Scotch. It is ideal for those who like strong drink.

Ingredients:

3/4 oz Scotch whisky
3/4 oz cherry brandy
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
3/4 oz orange juice
An orange slice for garnish.

Method: Put everything into cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake it well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

Price: Rs. 450 per glass plus tax.

5. Bloody Mary: Termed as ‘the world’s most complex cocktail’, Bloody Mary is a popular cocktail and it is never out of circulation. It was one of the earliest vodka cocktails to gain popularity in the US and is equally popular even today.

Ingredients:

1 Oz Of Smrinoff No 21 Vodka
3 Oz Of Tomato Juice
2 tblsp Red Hot Sauce
2 tblsp Green Hot Sauce
1 Dash Of Worcestershire Sauce
0.5 Oz Of Lemon Juice
1 pinch of Salt
1 Pinch Of Pepper
1 stalk of celery

Method: Add Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka with all ingredients including sauces and lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour back and forth between two mixing glasses. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass and garnish with celery stalk.

Price: Rs.299 per peg plus tax.

6. Red wine Sangria: Sangria takes its name from Spanish word – sangre, which means “blood” and refers to the blood-red colour of the drink. The drink made from fresh fruit and wine is a perfect beverage for summer parties and offers a freshness to wine enthusiasts.

Ingredients:

1 cup of cubed seasonal fruits
1 cup orange juice
1 bottle red wine
1/2 cup sugar
2 tblsp cognac
2 cups soda

Method: Heat up orange juice, and sugar till the sugar dissolves. Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher, except ice and soda, which you add just before serving. Serve in wine glasses.

Price: Rs.1,800 per pitcher plus tax.

7. Tequila Sunrise: The drink is called Tequila Sunrise because of the way it looks after it is poured into a glass – denser ingredients settle down, creating gradations in colour that look like a sunrise. The cocktail is considered a long drink and is usually served in a highball glass.

Ingredients:

2 oz Tequila
1 glass of orange juice
Dash of grenadine

Method: Pour tequila in a highball glass with ice and top it with orange juice then stir it. Add grenadine by tilting glass and pouring grenadine down side by flipping the bottle vertically very quickly. The grenadine should go straight to the bottom and then rise up slowly through the drink.

Price: Rs.300 per glass plus tax.

8. Cosmopolitan: It is a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice. It first appeared on the scene in the 1980s but it was TV series “Sex and the City” that got it international recognition.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 oz vodka
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup oz lime juice
1/4 cup triple sec

Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Quickly shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime twist.

Price: Rs.225 per glass plus tax.

9. Singapore Sling: It is one of the oldest cocktails developed by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender working at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The attractive pink- coloured cocktail is quite popular among women.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz sugar syrup
1 1/2 tsp powdered sugar
2 oz club soda
1/2 oz cherry brandy
A lemon slice and maraschino cherry to garnish

Method: Pour gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and powdered sugar into a shaker with ice cubes. Shake it well. Strain into a highball glass with ice cubes then add club soda.
Float the cherry brandy on top by pouring it over the back of a bar spoon and garnish with lemon slice and cherry.

Price: Rs.250 per glass plus tax.

10. Watermelon Jolly Rancher: If you want the sweet taste of a watermelon and a great buzz to party, then this is your drink.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz watermelon
0.5 oz sweet & sour mix
1/2 oz grenadine
2 tblsp lime juice

Method: Shake vodka and watermelon with ice and strain into old fashioned glass over ice cubes. Fill with sweet and sour mix, add grenadine for colour and stir. Add cherry on top and serve.

Price: Rs.250 for a glass plus tax.

G20 Leaders endorse Indian vision of Development

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 04:17 AM PDT

G20 Countries have endorsed India’s vision of Development and assured all sort of help in Developing infrastructures at their 2 day Summit at Mexico.

 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been pushing for  this long-term access to funds for infrastructure. It was finally endorsed in seventh summit in this sea-side resort town in a document that is formally called the G20 leaders declaration.
“Investment in infrastructure is critical for sustained economic growth, poverty reduction and job creation,” it said, adding the recommendations made by multilateral development banks in this regard must be implemented.

“The Los Cabos Declaration fully reflects our initiative that investment on infrastructure in developing countries can play a major role in strengthening development and in stimulating global recovery,” the prime minister said, reacting to the document.

“The Declaration indicates that multilateral development banks should be strengthened for this purpose. We would work with G-20 countries to transform their commitment to specific action.”

In his address during the plenary, Manmohan Singh said with developing countries such as India already facing serious problems due to the negative impact of the global economic crisis, funds for growth was getting scarce.

“Infrastructure investment in developing countries assumes special importance in this context. It lays the foundation for rapid growth in the longer term, while providing immediate stimulus for their economies and also for the global economy, by providing a robust source of demand,” he said.

But that, he added, was possible only if they can get access to long-term capital to fund such investment, which was difficult when capital flows stood disrupted.

The multilateral development banks can play a major role in this context he said, especially after the first and immediate task of expanding their war chest to support programmes in rich countries had been accomplished.

“We now need to take steps to substantially expand the resource base of multilateral development banks so that they have the firepower to help developing countries pursue their development goals,” he said.

Another take away for India was a clear message from the leaders that growth cannot be ignored and while austerity was important for debt-ridden countries, surplus nations must counter it with expansion.

It was in tune with what the prime minister said.

“I am not suggesting fiscal prudence is not important. I am only saying given the large adjustment needs, not all of it can be front-loaded everywhere. This is especially relevant within a currency area.”

The prime minister said he was satisfied this stand was adopted.

“My overall assessment of the meeting is that there was general agreement that policy in all countries must shift to strengthening growth. There are many things that have to be done to achieve this, but there was also general agreement that the most urgent problem we must tackle is to reduce uncertainty about the Eurozone,” he said in his reactions.

The declaration also had several other observations that were in tune with what Indian interlocutors have been pushing for at successive G20 Summits and other forums.

These include the joint positions in promoting growth and jobs, no to protectionism, strengthening the global financial system, food security, need to arrest fluctuations in commodity prices and fighting corruption.

After the G20 Summit, the prime minister headed for the Earth Summit in Rio de Janerio to join world leaders in finding ways to reduce poverty, advance social equity and protect the environment in a sustainable manner.

He is scheduled to return to New Delhi Saturday night.

P A Sangma quits from Nationalist Congress Party

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:21 AM PDT

P A SangmaPresidential Candidate  and former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma has  quit his political outfit Nationalist Congress Party, which doesn’t want him to contest the presidential election.

Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy said, “He told me that I have no option but to resign from NCP. He said he is resigning (because) his self-respect has to be protected”.

Swamy alleged that Sangma was told he would be made India’s envoy to Mauritius if he decided not to be a presidential candidate.
Swamy quoted Sangma as saying that he was unhappy with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and there was pressure on the Nationalist Congress Party because he wanted to contest the presidential polls.

Sangma told Swamy that he wanted to make things easier for the NCP by resigning.

Earlier Sangma said he was a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India, which had nothing to do with any political party. "I am not an NCP candidate".

Sangma enjoys the support of two chief ministers – AIADMK's J.Jayalalitha and Biju Janata Dal's Naveen Patnaik. The BJD came out in open support of Sangma Saturday.

"As of now there is no change in our decision on the presidential poll. BJD sticks to its support for Sangma, a prominent tribal leader. We are determined to back Sangma," senior leader and BJD parliamentary party leader Arjun Sethi told reporters in Odisha.

Speaking to IANS in Shillong from New Delhi, Sangma said: “The disinclination of the NCP to endorse my candidature amounts to a denial of the aspirations of the tribals of the country.

“I cannot ignore the feelings of the tribals that Raisina Hill should not continue to be a distant dream for them,” he said, referring to the area in the heart of the capital where the Rashtrapati Bhavan is located.

“I have resigned accordingly, without any intent whatsoever of embarrassing the party and its leadership,” Sangma told IANS.

The Garo tribal leader from Meghalaya said he had no option but to quit the NCP, which he founded in 1999 along with Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar after breaking away from the Congress.

The NCP said it would accept his resignation. “The resignation will be accepted,” party chief and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said without elaboration.

The first word of Sangma’s action came from Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, who announced that the NCP leader was set to leave his party.

Swamy, who described the former speaker as a close friend, said Sangma invited him to his house to say that he felt insulted after hearing various rumours about him.

“He told me he is resigning (because) his self-respect has to be protected,” Swamy told the media.

Swamy quoted Sangma as saying there was pressure on the NCP since he was declared the presidential candidate of Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa of Tamil Nadu and Naveen Patnaik of Odisha.

The NCP has repeatedly said that Sangma would abide by its decision to back United Progressive Alliance (UPA) presidential candidate and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and quit the presidential race.

Swamy alleged that “leaks” from Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s residence insinuated that Sangma would be made India’s envoy to Mauritius if he withdrew from the presidential race.

“He has resigned to protect his self respect, not because he anticipates he will be made the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) candidate,” the Janata Party leader said.

“There are attempts to humiliate him,” he said.

Describing him as a nationalist from the northeast and a bright (Lok Sabha) speaker, Swamy said: “It is a matter of great regret that a person like him is sought to be insulted.”

Swamy declined to say if Sangma would be a candidate of the NDA, merely saying a meeting of the alliance was scheduled Wednesday evening at BJP leader L.K. Advani’s residence.

Purno Sangma also told IANS: “I have received promises of support from senior leaders of non-Congress parties, including those in the NDA.”

He said he had been a founder member of the NCP. “I believe that I have also worked hard for building up the base of the party in several parts of India.

“Indeed the national status of the party has been significant due to the mass support from among the tribals who constitute 100 million of our population and among whom I have ceaselessly worked.

“It is in gratitude for the support of the tribals that I have accepted the candidature proposed by the Tribal Forum of India,” he said.

In Shillong, Sangma’s son Conrad Sangma, who is also from the NCP and heads the opposition in the Meghalaya assembly, told IANS: “My father has resigned because he does not want conflict of interest in the party. My father does not want to put the party in an awkward position.”

Indian Americans more elite than other Races in United States

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:11 AM PDT

Indian American have earned the reputation of being highly educated and high income groups in United States compared to other Racial groups.

In fact Asians  are  considered better educated than the general US population reveals Pew Research Centre report on “The rose of Asian Americans”.

Indians, who now number 3.18 millions, the third largest after the Chinese (4 million) and the Filipinos (3.4 million) have a median household annual income of $88,000, much higher than for all Asians ($66,000) and all US households ($49,800).

Median annual personal earnings for Indian-American full-time, year-round workers are $65,000, significantly higher than for all Asian Americans ($48,000) as well as for all US adults ($40,000).

Seven-in-ten (70 percent) Indian Americans ages 25 and older, have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree; this is higher than the Asian-American share (49 percent) and much higher than the national share (28 percent), the survey found.

More than half of Indian Americans (57 percent) own a home, compared with 58 percent of Asian Americans overall and 65 percent of the US population overall.

The share of adult Indian Americans who live in poverty is 9 percent, lower than the rate for all Asian Americans (12 percent) as well as the national rate (13 percent).

Indian Americans stand out from most other US Asian groups in the personal importance they place on parenting; 78 percent of Indian Americans say being a good parent is one of the most important things to them personally.

Indian Americans are among the most likely to say that the strength of family ties is better in their country of origin (69 percent) than in the US (8 percent).

Compared with other US Asian groups, Indian Americans are the most likely to identify with the Democratic Party; 65 percent are Democrats or lean to the Democrats, 18 percent are Republican or lean to the Republicans, the Pew Survey found.

And 65 percent of Indian Americans approve of President Barack Obama’s job performance, while 22 percent disapprove.

Key Findings:

Indian Americans are more evenly spread out than other Asian Americans. About 24 percent of adult Indian Americans live in the West, compared with 47 percent of Asian Americans and 23 percent of the US population overall.

More than three-in-ten (31 percent) Indian Americans live in the Northeast, 29 percent live in the South, and the rest (17 percent) live in the Midwest.

Nearly nine-in-ten (87 percent) adult Indian Americans in the United States are foreign born, compared with about 74 percent of adult Asian Americans and 16 percent of the adult US population overall.

More than half of Indian-American adults are US citizens (56 percent), lower than the share among overall adult Asian population (70 percent) as well as the national share (91 percent).

More than three-quarters of Indian Americans (76 percent) speak English proficiently, compared with 63 percent of all Asian Americans and 90 percent of the US population overall.

The median age of adult Indian Americans is 37, lower than for adult Asian Americans (41) and the national median (45).

More than seven-in-ten (71 percent) adult Indian Americans are married, a share significantly higher than for all Asian Americans (59 percent) and for the nation (51 percent).

The share of unmarried mothers was much lower among Indian Americans (2.3 percent) than among all Asian Americans (15 percent) and the population overall (37 percent).

South Africa targeting High Income Indian Tourists

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 02:05 AM PDT

While India may be luring Foreign Tourists with its Incredible India campaign, Indians are being wooed by countries like South Africa.. In fact South African Tourism Deptt is in process to lure high income level travelers from India.

“We are focussing on three segments with high income levels and who travel frequently,” said Hanneli Slabber, country manager, South African Tourism.

“The segments we are looking at are young couples with dependent children (young family adventurers); young singles/couples with no children seeking adventure tourism (social explorers); and middle-aged couples who travel frequently and stay in five-star hotels (seasoned leisure seekers),” she told IANS.

South African Tourism is responsible for marketing the country as a preferred tourist destination.

A study on Indian tourists notes that an annual income of Rs.1.6 million ($28,500) is the threshold level for households to participate in long-haul leisure travel.

As per the report, there are around 2.3 million Indians adults who would qualify for the over Rs.1.6 million income per annum category.

According to the report, there are 528,000 Indians who would fall under the three focus categories of the agency.

“The number of Indian tourists to South Africa has been increasing steadily over the last five years. In 2011, the total number of Indians who visited South Africa was 90,367. The target for this year is over 100,000,” Slabber said.

People from Mumbai lead the country in visiting South Africa, followed by people from Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad and Coimbatore.

She said typical Indian tourists to South Africa were men aged between 25 and 34 who stayed there for around 25 days and spent around Rs.13,000 per day.

A majority of the Indian tourists to the African country are first timers; they travel alone and on business.

“The popular South African destinations for Indians are Gauteng, Western Cape and Johannesburg. The purpose of visiting South Africa is to experience a different country as well as going on a safari and wildlife experience,” she said.

South African Tourism is currently holding a training programme `Learn South Africa’ for its travel partners till July. The training will enable the partners to promote, plan and organise attractive packages as per clients’ needs.

Narendra Modi gets RSS support as future PM

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:05 AM PDT

Narendra Modi has overcome a big hurdle in his road to be the next PM of India. RSS, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)  Chief Mohan Bhagwat has supported his candidature as Prime Minister.

“To keep alive the Hindutva ideology, the Hindu ‘samaaj’ (society) should come together. And the country should have a prime minister who believes in that ideology or propounds that view,” RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat told.

Bhagwat’s comments came a day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hit out at Narendra Modi without naming him and said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, should announce a secular prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Nitish Kumar Tuesday made it clear that Modi is unacceptable as an NDA candidate for prime ministership.

“Will Nitish decide what sort of person makes a good PM?” Bhagwat questioned.

He also slammed Nitish Kumar and said that he is scared to call himself a Hindu.

The Nitish-Modi rivalry has been on a high for the past few days. Modi took a dig at politicians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for what the Gujarat chief minister called “resort to caste-based politics”.

Nitish Kumar then said that Modi, who has been a constant irritant in the JD(U)-BJP coalition ties in Bihar, should mind his own business instead of making comments on others.

Government launches Clean India Campaign for promoting Tourism

Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:01 AM PDT

Government has launched a Clean India Campaign for  providing quality services to visitors at tourist destinations. Minister of Tourism Subodh Kant Sahay launched a Pilot Project at Qutub Minar.
According to ministry, in the first phase of the campaign, 36 monuments have been identified by the ministry and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Speaking on the occasion, Sahai urged corporates, celebrities and public to join hands for the campaign.

The campaign was a part of efforts to increase foreign tourist arrivals to 12 million under in the 12th Five Year plan, Sahai said.

Under this campaign, we would focus on 100 monuments for maintenance, he said.

Sahai added that under the pilot project, Indian Tourism Development Corp (ITDC) would take care of the upkeep of the Qutub complex while NGO Prayas would help monitor the implementation of the project.

He also unveiled the seal and logo of the campaign as a part of the ceremony.

Culture Minister Kumari Selja was also present on the occasion, along with ITDC Director General Shankersinh Vaghela, parliamentarian and actor Shatrughan Sinha and Formula-1 racer Narain Karthikeyan.

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