SONIA GANDHI PAYS SURPRISE VISIT TO EVENT ORGANISED BY MANEKA GANDHI’S MINISTRY

NEW DELHI: Tunited Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi paid a surprise visit to the Women of India Organic festival, at the capital’s Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, on Wednesday being organised by women and child development ministry, headed by her sister-in-law Maneka Gandhi.officials said Maneka Gandhi was unaware of the unscheduled visit and the two did not meet each other. “She came around 11:30 am and was there for almost an hour and a half. We were not expecting her at the festival. She visited all the stalls and did some shopping and was interested in coming again in the evening to witness the cultural performances,” said Ajay Garkal, consultant,

Women of India Organic initiative. The festival, which is in its fifth year, is aimed at promoting women organic farmers and entrepreneurs.

In Bahrain, Alphons links tourism boost to job creation

NEW DELHI: Chairing the ‘Programme and Budget Committee’ meeting of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)’S executive council in Bahrain on Wednesday, union tourism minister KJ Alphons harped on the creation of jobs in the sector. In his opening speech, Alphons pointed out the socio-economic role the tourism sector plays in creation of jobs apart from enterprise and environment development and foreign exchange earnings. India will be the chair of Programme and Budget Committee of Executive Council till 2021. The Executive Council will discuss several topics on the agenda that are related to the development of global tourism sector, a press release stated.

1st Indojapan joint military exercise to start in Mizoram

GUWAHATI: In yet another step to deepen the strategic ties, India and Japan will hold the first ever joint military exercise from November 1. ‘Dharma Guardian-2018’ involving the Indian Army and Japan Ground Self Defence Force will go on till November 14 at the elite Counter Insurgency Warfare School, Vairengte, in Mizoram, a defence spokesperson said. According to the defence spokesperson, the Indian contingent will be represented by 6/1 Gorkha Rifles while the Japanese contingent will be represented by the 32 Infantry Regiment.