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USE OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS MADE MANDATORY IN MORE CITIES

    In order to check vehiculoar pollution in different cities of the country, the government has decided to introduce unleaded petrol in several cities apart from the four kmetropolitan cities of calcutta, Chennai delhi and mumbai where it was made mandatory available. The decision has the implication that four wheeler petrol driven cars to be registered in these cities should be fitted with catalytic converters also.for the purpose. the ministry orf surface transport has made it mandatory that all four-wheeler petrol driven vehicles registred on first sale in these cities on and after the 1st june, 1998 shall be fitted by the manufacturers of such vehicles with a noble metal based catalytic converters. According to a notification issued by the ministry last week the catalytic converters to bge used shall be of atleast an oxidated type with an OEM certification.

    The cities covered under the notification are the capital towns of all the states/UTs and also cities of vishakhapatnam,Jameshedpur, Ranchi Surat, Baroda, Gurgaon hisar ambala, cochin, calicut Indodre,Pune,Nagpur, Amritsar,Ludhiana,Jallandhar, Jodhpur, Udaipur,Allahabad and Kanpur. according to the central motor vehicles Rules, the emission standards (carbon monoxide Hydro carbon and Nitrogen Oxide) for vehicles fitted with catalytic converters are 20 per cent of those vehicles not fitted with the same.

    Vehicle manufactuers have been advised to ensure strick implementation of the notification, Similar instructions have also been sent to the state Transport Commissioners. SPECIAL

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR DATA ON COUNTING TENDS AND RESULTS

    The Commission, for the first time, has made elaborate arranements for obtaining counting trends and results directly. From the 1428 counting centres locate3d on 874 towns, the Commission would be rceiving the counting rends and results on two parallel channels. The observers will be sendinhg the data to the Commission through about 50 faxes set up in the Control Room. The Reurning Officers will be sending the data through the Chief Electoral Officers. In 15 major States, this data is being computerised directly and will be transmitted through the Electronic Data Transfer System on High Speed Data Links. The data links will be on two levels two levels, i.e., and direct connections on 64 KBPS leased lines prrovided by the telecom Commission and through a satellite link through VSATs of the ERNET network of the Department of Electronics. The entire connectivity has been operationalized in less than a month's time.

    The internet connectivity is being provided by VSNL through 2 MBPS Radio Link between the Nirvachan Sadan and the VSNL International Data Communication Centre at Delhi.

    The general public, academics, Media persons and particularly the persons abroad having interrest in India can access this site and obtain up to date information available on the site.
 
 

INDO-ETHIOPIAN TRADE - FIRST MEETINGS OF JOINT TRADE PANEL HELD

    The First India-Ethiopia Joint Trade Committe met in Addis Ababa on 25 and 26 February, 1998 to review the implemention of the provisions of the Trade Agreement. The Indian delegation was led by Shri P.P. Prabhu, Commerce Secretary, and the Ethiopian delegation by Mr.Brook Debebe, Vice Minister of Trade and Industry of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

    The leader of the Indian delegation had intensive exchange of views with the Ethiopian leaders. During his visit, Shri Prabhu called on he Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Minister of Finance, Minister of Water Resources, Minister of Economic Development and Cooperation and General Manager of Ethiopian Investment Authority. At these meetings, the Ethiopian leadership reiterated their desire to have extensive cooperation with India in all fields. The two sides reviewed the progress of bilateral trade and expressed their satisfaction on the increasing trend. Two sides also explored the new areas of cooperation in trade and investment and had extensive discussions on he ways and means of further enhancing trade and technical cooperation between the two countries. The new areas of cooperation identified were agriculture, water resources, power, electronics and computer software, telecommunicaions, drugs & pharmaceuticals, construction and consultancy, science & technology and small scale sector.

    The official delegation from India was accompanied by a high level business delegation headed by Mr.S.T.Vachani, Chairman, Electronics and Software Export Promotion Council. The business delegation had exttensive interaction with members of the Ethiopian and Addis Adaba Chamber of Commerce. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Elecronics and Software Export Promotion Council of India and Addis Adaba Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to be signed today. The visit of the Indian delegattion for the first Joint Trade Committee Meeting (JTC) is expected to give a fillip o bilateral trade and promote closer relations with Ethiopia. The next meeting of the JTC is scheduled to be held in New Delhi in the year 2000.

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