1.   

National Food Security Mission has added to food production: Sharad Pawar

The implementation of the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) has resulted in an increase in food grain production by 42 million tonne as against the target of 20 million tonne set for the Eleventh Plan. Agriculture and Food Processing Industries minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday informed members of parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his ministry that various interventions under NFSM have resulted in the distribution of almost 75 lakh of farm equipment, nearly 175 lakh quintals of highyielding seeds of rice, wheat and pulses, and knowledge transfer through more than 49,000 farmer field schools and 8 lakh field demonstrations.

2.   

'CEPA has helped strengthen Indo-Japan economic ties'

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has helped strengthen the economic ties between India and Japan, Tamaki Tsukada, Minister (Economy) at the Embassy of Japan, said here on Wednesday. He said the agreement was not biased in favour of Japan, as reported in the media, and argued that the benefits of fund flow from Japanese companies into India and the positive impact of jobs created here had offset India’s negative trade deficit.

3.   

UK eyeing doubling bilateral trade with India by 2015

The UK is aiming at doubling its bilateral trade with India by 2015 and very keen to take the relationship to the next level, British Cabinet Minister for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles said today. "Close relationships are already paying off. On the national level we collaborate closely on everything from energy security to climate change and healthcare. We are looking at doubling our trade by 2015," he said. The bilateral trade between the two countries was 12 billion pounds in 2012.

4.   

DGFT, Delhi govt sign MoU on e-BRC; exporters to benefit

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which had recently launched e-BRC, an initiative to reduce transaction cost to exporters, who would not be required to make any request to bank for issuance of bank export and realisation certificate, Wednesday signed an MoU with the Delhi government. The Memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Commissioner (Trade & Taxes) Prashant Goyal on behalf of the Government and Addl. DGFT D.K. Singh.