The joint action plan reiterates the provisions of cooperation enshrined in the bilateral agreement on tourism signed between the two countries on January 24, 1994. There has been a constant increase in the number of tourists from Singapore to India. While 44,306 Singaporeans visited India in 2002, the number increased to 92,908 in 2007.
As part of its efforts to boost the sector, the Tourism Ministry has decided to announce policy initiatives for promotion of innovative programmes like 'caravan' and 'heliport tourism' in its 100-day agenda.
Aiming at empowering the urban poor with legal rights, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is initiating steps to provide property entitlements to them.
If the government has its way, the catchy 'Incredible India' tourism campaigns will be spotted in big ticket events like Oscar and Grammy awards.
The tourism ministry wants rationalisation of import duty on adventure sports equipment to promote adventure tourism in the country. There is a proposal for exemption of service tax for inbound tour operators on their foreign exchange earnings. Sources said Tourism Minister Kumari Selja would submit the detailed proposals to the finance ministry, seeking various tax incentives for the sector.
There is a shortage of 24.7 million housing units in urban areas at the beginning of the 11th Five Year Plan. Admitting the flaws in the housing sector planning for the huge gap between demand and supply, Selja said unfortunately the private sector only focuses on high-end housing and ignores low cost units.
The assembly election results are likely to put a lid on the impending battle the old guard and young Turks, strengthen the hands of the veterans, and force the younger leaders to negotiate a truce. Archis Mohan reports.
Gandhi walked into Goa Chitra, in South Goa's Benaulim village, about 40 kilometre from Panaji, on Monday evening around 4 pmand spent around 40 minutes there, founder of the museum, Victor Hugo Gomes said.
A first of its kind report, it has been prepared with the support of UNDP and by eminent academicians and researchers under the supervision of JNU professor Amitabh Kundu.
On the action taken by the government to construct more houses for the poor, she informed the House that a new scheme has been launched for providing interest subsidy to make housing affordable and within the repaying capacity of the economically weaker section and low income group.
"The government has decided to introduce the Rajiv Awas Yojana for slum dwellers and the urban poor," Kumari Selja, minister of housing and urban poverty alleviation, said. The scheme would extend support to states that are willing to assign property rights to people living in slum areas. The government's efforts would be to create a slum-free India, which also envisages the states preparing their own time-bound plans to make the cities and towns slum free, she said.
The government is finalising a policy for urban areas that will encourage the role of private players to make owning a house affordable in towns and cities.
Tanwar announced his resignation on Twitter and posted a four-page resignation letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi in which he said "Congress is going through existential crises, not because of its political opponents but because of serious internal contradiction.
'I think there must be some sort of a nexus between the rioters and a section of police officials which resulted in gruesome killings and arson'
The Congress requested the President to remind the central government of its 'raj dharma', Singh said.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday began a stock-taking exercise following the party's debacle in assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra even as a clamour for "course correction" grew within its ranks in the wake of the dip in electoral fortunes.
The polls have come at a time when opposition parties in Haryana are in a disarray.
She dared PM to fight the polls on issues like development rather than "divert" the people's attention.
While the Rajya Sabha had exactly six years ago passed the Women's Reservation Bill, the legislation has since been pending in Lok Sabha.
Sonia Gandhi on Sunday hosted her first Iftar in three years, which saw the Congress president sharing a table with leaders of RJD and its new-found ally Janata Dal-United.
He has also convened the first meeting of the extended CWC on July 22 to chalk out the party's future strategy.
Fresh protests erupted on the University of Hyderabad campus on Tuesday over the alleged suicide by Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula even as members of a social outfit tried to hold a demonstration outside the residence of Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who has been accused in the suicide case.
A majority of Congress leaders said the party will face desertions if Rahul Gandhi does not remain the leader.
'There is no meritocracy or at least there is none that is visible and transparent.' 'The Congress has two opportunities to change this,' says Aakar Patel.
The elections in this phase are seen as a big test for the Bharatiya Janata Party
Counting of votes is underway in assembly byelection to 58 seats in 11 states including Madhya Pradesh where the results will decide the fate of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who has been spearheading the UPA's ambitious Food Security Bill, left the Lok Sabha while the voting was underway on Monday night on various amendments moved by the Opposition.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari, who is not contesting Lok Sabha polls as he is ailing, has been made acting in-charge of the AICC Communication department along with party spokesman Randeep Surjewala.
Gandhi, who spent around 40 minutes with the family members, said he is "ashamed" that such incidents are taking place in India.
A driver, working for US-based cab service provider Uber, was remanded in police custody for three days by a Delhi court for allegedly raping a 27-year-old woman executive in New Delhi on Friday night.
Congress along with Communist Party of India-Marxist and Janata Dal-United accused Irani of "willfully misleading" Parliament.
Senior leaders within the Congress now say the party could accommodate the government's argument that the GST rate cannot be stipulated within the Constitution.
Rahul Gandhi claimed that he was stopped from entering a temple in Barpeta by RSS workers during his recent visit to Assam.
Even as Sonia Gandhi was on Saturday re-elected chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party and asked party men not to bicker in public amid a fierce blame game in the party, the anger and anguish was visible after the meet was over. Anita katyal reports
Former Union minister and Haryana Congress leader Kumari Selja decries former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's style of functioning, his inability to carry everybody with him and pitches for a fresh leadership in Haryana after the poll debacle, in an interview with Anita Katyal.
The bill would prohibit unaccounted money from being pumped into the sector and as now 70 per cent of the money has to be deposited in bank accounts through cheques.
His native village in Haryana was flocked by political leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's leadership has come under attack. Although the party tried to dismiss the rebellion brewing in Congress-ruled states of Assam in the east and Maharashtra in the west, no one is convinced.
No one else filed papers till Sunday, according to Mullapally Ramachandran, the chairman of the party's Central Election Authority.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi was on Monday night admitted to AIIMS hospital after she was taken ill in the Lok Sabha where her pet welfare legislation and UPA's ambitious Food Security Bill was in the final stages of adoption.
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