11 Indian antiques to be brought back from abroad
New Delhi: As many as 11 Indian antiques including sculptures of God Vishnu, Buddha and Dengarpura Durga have been illegally trafficked from India and efforts are on to bring them back, Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said on Monday. “As per records available there are 11 cases of cultural properties illegally trafficked from India”, Sharma said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. He said government has approached the foreign countries through the Missions abroad for the retrieval of Indian antiques. Torso of God Vishnu located in USA, Dengarpura Durga found in Germany, Kushana seated Buddha sculpture from Australia and Khajuraho parrot lady from Canada among other antiques are to be retrieved from foreign countries. Other antiques to be brought back from abroad include Chola bronze statue from Singapore, sculpture of Gadgach Temple, 10th century Dancing Ganesha, Vishnu riding on Garuda, Bharhut sculpture, Uma and Ganesha from USA. Sharma said antiques intended for public exhibition in a public museum or national institution are exempted from basic custom duty. (PTI)
Govt to hold stress management programme for babus
New Delhi: Senior babus will now be able to learn stress management techniques with the Centre deciding to hold a two-day workshop for them. The workshop, scheduled to begin from March 28, is being organised for officers working in Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the Cabinet Secretariat here. Officers of the level of Deputy Secretaries, Director and above can register for the stress management programme to be conducted by the Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhan Sansthan at the Civil Services Officers’ Institute (CSOI), here, a press release issued today by the DoPT said. The DoPT deals with works related to personnel matters of central government employees and anti-corruption initiatives like Lokpal and others while Cabinet Secretariat provides secretarial assistance to cabinet and cabinet committees. “This is being started as a pilot project. Later, the programme will be extended to officers working in other ministries too,” a DoPT official said. The central government has been emphasising on popularising use of traditional medicine and yoga among others. (PTI)
UP CM releases Rs 200 cr for rain-hit farmers in UP
Lucknow: Taking serious note of the losses suffered by the farmers due to rains and hailstorm, Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has released Rs 200 crore from state’s emergency funds and directed officials to suspend recovery of dues from farmers. “The CM has released Rs 200 crores from state’s emergency funds and directed Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan to suspend recovery of dues from farmers,” an official spokesman said here. The CM also directed to give double the amount earmarked by Centre for natural calamities from state government’s funds. He said that if any farmer had died due to natural calamity, his family members should immediately be given Rs 5 lakh aid. (PTI)