President Asif Ali Zardari in an interview to the leading British daily “The Financial Times” has said in face of political and economic and social crisis faced by his government during taking over power, the government has achieved modest but tangible results during its first year in office.The President was interviewed by the FT’s Pakistan-based correspondent and its South Asian bureau chief last week.

The transcript of his interview appeared in the paper’s Wednesday’s edition.

President Asif Ali Zardari’s visits to the United Kingdom have rendered valuable contribution towards cementing and deepening Pak-UK bilateral relations on diverse horizons. In an exclusive chat with APP in the run up to the President Zardari’s visit to UK from tomorrow (Thursday), Pakistani High Commissioner in United Kingdom, Mr Wajid Shamsul Hasan said, “Pak-UK ties are growing leaps and bounds and there is palpable improvement in the bilateral ties in different areas.”

President Asif Ali Zardari arrives here tomorrow (Thursday) on a short working visit to the United Kingdom en-route to USA ahead of the first FoDP summit, to be held in New York on September 24 on the margins of UN General Assembly session.President Zardari will deliver a lecture at International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) - a prestigious Think Tank forum here on September 18 (Friday) on “Pakistan’s Challenges and Opportunities”.

To attract foreign investments in the roads and highways sector in India, the Minister for Road Transport & Highways Shri Kamal Nath showcased the prospects of the Indian road sector to potential US investors in New York City. At the various events organized by CII-USIBC-USCIB, Morgan Stanley, and Infrastructure summit jointly organized by ICICI Bank, JM Financial and CII,the Minister elaborated the significant opportunities being opened in the roads sector in India, which have a potential to add an incremental 2% to India’s GDP growth rate.

NTPC is the highest in the world in terms of capacity utilization 'calculated as total generation (kWh) by capacity (MW)' during 2008-09;the largest power generation company in Asia and the 7th largest in the world in terms of market capitalization as on 31 August 2009; 3rd largest in Asia and 10th largest in the world in terms of electricity output during 2008-09 as per a global benchmarking study covering 25 largest power generation companies in the world.

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, CERC has notified the tariff regulations for electricity generated from renewable energy sources. These regulations have been finalized keeping in view the statutory mandate to Electricity Regulatory Commissions for promoting co-generation and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy. The Tariff Policy had also mandated CERC to lay down guidelines for pricing non-firm power, especially from non-conventional sources to be followed in cases where such procurement is not through competitive bidding.

Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, CERC has notified the tariff regulations for electricity generated from renewable energy sources. These regulations have been finalized keeping in view the statutory mandate to Electricity Regulatory Commissions for promoting co-generation and generation of electricity from renewable sources of energy. The Tariff Policy had also mandated CERC to lay down guidelines for pricing non-firm power, especially from non-conventional sources to be followed in cases where such procurement is not through competitive bidding.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned the grant of Rs. 88,85,55,000/- (Rs. Eighty eight crore eighty five lakh fifty five thousand) for the State of Orissa as Regular allocation.

The first instalment of grant-in-aid of Rs. 44,00,00,000/- (Rs. Forty four crore ) has been released to the State Government towards Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan (SCA to TSP) for the year 2009-10.

o enhance the cooperation between Indian Army and Tajikistan Army, a mountaineering expedition was conducted to Mount Stok Kangri (20,551 ft) and Gulap Kangri (19,776 ft) in Leh region. The expedition flagged-in today by the Director General Military Intelligence , Lt Gen RK Loomba, at Army HQ, New Delhi.

The peak which belongs to the Stok Kangri Massif in the Leh region of J&K attracts mountaineers across the world. The route to this peak is long and difficult and requires expertise both in ice craft and rock craft.

The Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994 was enacted by the Parliament during 1994 and came into force on 4th February, 1995 in the States of Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra and all the Union Territories. Thereafter it was adopted by all States except the States of Jammu & Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh, which have their own legislations to regulate transplantation of Human Organs. The main purpose of the Act is to regulate the removal, storage and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and to prevent commercial dealings in human organs.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government’s flagship programme, the National Rural Health Mission, was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister in April 2005. Its detailed Framework for Implementation, which empowered it for wide ranging reforms in partnership with States, was approved in July 2006. Health being a State subject, NRHM is an innovative partnership with the States/UTs. In its short journey of four years (three years after the framework was approved), NRHM has been making a difference everywhere.

Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment and Forests has today released a discussion paper highlighting a proposal for the creation of a new body tentatively called the National Environment Protection Authority (NEPA). This shall be an autonomous body manned by professionals and shall perform two main functions. One is the grant of Environmental clearances currently being done by the Ministry and the second is national stewardship for compliance and enforcement of environmental laws.

India and Saudi Arabia have a history of fruitful political and economic relationship, which has been mutually beneficial for both the countries and can be developed further. The progressive growth of the air services between our two countries has greatly facilitated enhancement of this relationship.

The Government today has given its approval to the amendments in the Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and Saudi Arabia.

ASA between India and Saudi Arabia was last signed on 26 April 1973, following which bilateral air services talks between the two countries were held from time to time to review air services matters. The last round of such talks was held on 23 January, 2008 at Jeddah.

An incidence of fire took place in the early hours of 17.09.2009 at Electronics Niketan Building, 6, CGO Complex, Lodi Road, New Delhi that houses the Department of Information Technology (DIT) under the Ministry of Communications and IT. The fire broke-out at around 3.30 a.m. in the morning affecting the central portion of 2nd floor. Senior Officials of DIT, rushed to the spot and supervised the fire fighting operations by Delhi Fire Service. Officials from CPWD and CISF were also present. Normal office activities resumed at DIT today except in the affected areas.