PM frowns on foreign jaunts

The Prime Minister, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, has expressed serious concern over the incidents of secretaries and additional secretaries at the Centre going on foreign jaunts and accepting “local hospitality” without obtaining proper approval from the Union Government. Proposals for foreign visits by secretaries and additional secretaries to the Union Government require to be approved by a screening committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary.

Oil majors rushing to India

India is fast becoming a strategic area for the global oil giants. Shell, Caltex, Marubeni, and E-Othani are all planning huge investments to facilitate imports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) under parallel marketing scheme. According to sources, E-Othani, which is the largest supplier of LPG in Japan, is looking at the option of setting up a permanent facility in Tuticorin for berthing gas tankers. Similarly, Louis Dryffus is on the lookout for a suitable location for setting up port infrastructure and a Danish company wants to develop the Kakinada port.

Insurance cover for orchids

Orchid growers can now have an insurance cover for their paradise plants. United India Insurance has introduced an orchid insurance scheme … (it)covers against fungal and viral diseases, fire, drought, strike, riot and civil commotion and natural disasters like cyclone and flood damage. This is the first time that an insurance policy has been devised for orchid plantations. It is the most comprehensive orchid insurance policy world-wide, according to Dr. N. Harnath, assistant manager of the Rural Insurance Department of United India.

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