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“Railways are neglecting port connectivity”
- Adding to the woes of the cash-strapped Railways which have been wavering on various policy issues too, the Union Shipping Ministrycriticised it for slow pace of work in providing connectivity to ports across the country.
- However, it expected the under construction Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project would help to considerably alleviate congestion on the Delhi-Mumbai corridor which was critical to the hinterland connectivity of the Mumbai and Gujarat port clusters.
- The Railways' plans for last mile connectivity to various major and non-major ports need considerable enhancement and a special effort on this by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited to expedite planning and implementation should be initiated on an urgent basis.
Russian specialists dismayed by role of ‘self-appointed' leaders
- The Indian Society for Cultural Cooperation and Friendship (ISCUF) had organised the meeting inviting Russian experts.
- Russian specialists and engineers working in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant have expressed dismay over delay in commissioning of the power plant by stating that “some self-appointed leaders have assumed people's rights and are falsely claiming to be talking on behalf of people of India.”
- Those who are opposing the Kudankulam power plant are opposing the technical progress of India
- They said - "What is happening at Kudankulam could only be described as provocative politics."
- They were also personally surprised over the silence and lack of action from the government side on an important issue.
- When asked about how the Russian Government would have handled the situation if the same protests occurred in Russia, he said that these developments would not have happened in Russia because the Government there could have worked on public opinion right from the start.
- We (in Russia) would have set up a Public Information Centre if a nuclear plant is to be constructed. Our specialists in nuclear energy will travel all around to create awareness.
‘Ignorance of basic sciences is a kind of brain drain'
- Director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) said that "Earlier, brain drain happened when students went abroad for studies and never came back. Now brain drain is on internally, where students are moving towards professional courses at the cost of basic sciences, social sciences and arts."
- Thus, he called for a balanced structure in the higher education curriculum.
Now two-year child care leave for female employees
- The WB Government has approved a proposal for two years' child care leave for its women employees.
- Women employees of the State government may avail of this facility either at a stretch or in tranches.
