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'Obama received gifts worth USD3K during Jan 2015 India visit'

Agencies
January 11, 2018

Washington, Jan 11: Former US president Barack Obama had received gifts worth about USD 3,000 during his visit to India in 2015 as Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade, according to the State Department.

Obama was the first US head of state who attended the parade in 2015.

According to the Department of State's Protocol Office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Obama telegram facsimile from the US to India's Constituent Assembly in 1946 and reproduction of the cover page of a report on India's Constitutional Debates.

Modi also presented him a framed photograph of Marian Anderson's radio interview in India and a hand-carved wooden Jali box with a small wooden latch and photo of Marian Anderson's radio interview in India on the lid.

Among other gifts from Modi were a CD set, title: All India Radio Interview with Marian Anderson, November 18 1957, New Delhi.

Obama also received a hand-carved black wooden Jali box with painting on the lid; blue Shahmina shawl, red Shahmina shawl and beige and cream coloured shahmina shawl. The State Department Protocol Office have estimated their value at USD 1,231.

The Rajghat Samadhi Committee presented him a model spinning wheel with white tread looped around the wheel and a cloth scroll listing the Seven Social Sins as articulated by Mahatma Gandhi.

He also received a book on Mahatma Gandhi titled "An AutobiographyThe Story of my Experiments with the Truth" and a bronze-coloured bust of Mohandas Karamchard Gandhi on a wood base. The gifts were estimated to be a value of USD 929.01.

The then president Pranab Mukherjee presented Obama a book titled "Thoughts and Reflections", "Winged Wonders of Rashtrapati Bhavan RB Series 20122014" along with a Photobook, titled "State Visit of His Excellency Barack H Obama, President of the United States of America and Michelle Obama to India on January 25 to 27 January 2015".

The gifts were estimated to be USD 825.

The First Lady Michelle Obama received gifts worth over USD 1500, according to the list. All the gifts have been handed over to the National Archive.

Michelle was given by Modi a hand-embroidered Shahmina shawl, hand-carved wooden Jali box, and assorted Indian tea of an estimated value of USD 662. While rest of the items were given to the National Archives, the tea box was handled pursuant to United States Secret Service policy, the Office of Protocol said.

And finally, President Mukherjee presented to Michelle pashmina Shawl with hand-embroidery and specially commissioned tea set, including pot, six cups, six saucers, milk pitcher, and sugar jar, at an estimated value of USD 900.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has issued notice to some Bollywood celebrities named in a complaint against the promoter of a company for allegedly blackmailing and sexually assaulting a number of girls on the pretext of giving them a career in modelling.

Taking cognizance of the complaint filed by social activist Yogita Bhayana of People Against Rape in India (PARI), the NCW scheduled a virtual hearing presided by its chairperson on August 6.

The complaint against Sunny Verma, promoter of a company named IMG Ventures with its headquarter in Chandigarh, alleged that he has been blackmailing and sexually assaulting a number of girls on the pretext of giving them career in modelling.

PARI's Yogita Bhayana wrote a complaint letter to NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma.

"Through his company, he (Sunny Verma) invites the girls on the pretext of organising a Miss Asia contest with a claim that the contest will launch them as models. To make it look genuine, his company has also been taking an entry fee of Rs 2,950. Once the girls apply, they are alluded by the female accomplices of Sunny Verma to submit their nude pictures in order to get the better ranking in the contest," the complaint letter said on July 31.

It alleged that Verma, after receiving the pictures and sometimes even before, used to get in touch with the girls and ask for completely nude pictures and videos.

The complaint letter said that Verma also used to allude as well as threaten the girls to submit to his sexual desires if they were interested in modelling as a career or wish to win the contest.

"Once he established a physical relationship with the girls, he used to blackmail them for regular sexual favours. Many girls from across the country have suffered a sexual and mental assault from Sunny and his accomplices," said the complaint citing several letters, texts and audio clips from several girls as proof of this modus operandi of Sunny Verma and his company.

The complaint also said that Sunny Verma has been previously also arrested on charges of sexual assault.

"We would demand that NCW should investigate the case to its depth and get the guilty punished so that any other person should not dare to exploit these kinds of innocent girls on any pretext. It will be a message to people like Sunny Verma and all associated Bollywood stars. Looking forward to strict action from NCW against sexual offenders like Sunny Verma & others," the complaint said.

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Agencies
June 24,2020

New Delhi, Jun 24: The Centre has made it mandatory for sellers to enter the 'Country of Origin' while registering all new products on government e-marketplace (GeM).

The e-marketplace is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry which facilitates the entry of small local sellers in public procurement, while implementing 'Make in India' and MSE Purchase Preference Policies of the Centre.

Accordingly, the ministry said the move has been made to promote 'Make in India' and 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'.

The provision has been enabled via the introduction of new features on GeM.

Besides the registration process, the new feature also reminds sellers who have already uploaded their products, to disclose their products' 'Country of Origin' details.

The ministry further said that failing to disclose the detail will lead to removal of the products from the e-marketplace.

"GeM has taken this significant step to promote 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," the ministry said in a statement.

"GeM has also enabled a provision for indication of the percentage of local content in products. With this new feature, now, the 'Country of Origin' as well as the local content percentage are visible in the marketplace for all items. More importantly, the 'Make in India' filter has now been enabled on the portal. Buyers can choose to buy only those products that meet the minimum 50 per cent local content criteria."

In case of bids, the ministry said that buyers can now reserve any bid for a "Class I Local suppliers. For those bids below Rs 200 crore, only Class I and Class II Local Suppliers are eligible to bid, with Class I supplier getting purchase preference".

In addition to this, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has reportedly called for a meeting with all e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Flipkart to display the country of origin on the products sold on their platform, as well as the extent of value added in India.

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Agencies
July 3,2020

Mumbai, Jul 3: In yet another move to keep Chinese technologies companies at bay, the Centre has cancelled the 4G upgradation tender for BSNL as it has decided to come up with fresh specifications for the upgrade process, sources said.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is likely to issue a fresh tender in the next two weeks.

People in the know said that the fresh tender may not allow Chinese companies to participate and that the new tenders that will be floated in the next two weeks will emphasise on Make in India.

As the border tussle with China escalated last month and around 20 soldiers lost their lives, the government had last month asked both BSNL and MTNL not to use equipment of Chinese makers in their upgrading process to 4G facilities.

Huawei and ZTE are the major Chinese telecom equipment makers working with Indian telecom companies and they would be the hardest hit by the decision.

The impact may be felt in terms of the much-awaited 5G trials in the country. After much deliberation, the Centre last December decided to allow Huawei to take part in the 5G trials.

The cancellation of tender for BSNL's 4G upgradation comes after the Centre on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser.

A statement by the Ministry of Electronics and IT said that the decision was taken since "there is credible information that these apps are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".

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