1.   

PM heads to Tehran for NAM summit, Iran ties in focus

Amid mounting pressure from West on Iran over its nuclear programme, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh heads to Tehran Tuesday to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, an important visit that will also see meetings with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the leaders of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Manmohan Singh is expected to pitch for reinvigorating the 120-member Non-Aligned Movement in the context of the shifting world order.

2.   

Sharma-Deming meet: Trade deficit tops agenda

The contentious issue of growing trade deficit in favour of China in bilateral trade between India and China, the two Asian giants, is likely to figure prominently at a meeting between Indian Commerce & Industry Minister Anand Sharma and his Chinese counterpart Chen Deming, scheduled on Monday. The two ministers will take part in the 9th session of India-China Joint Economic Group.

3.   

MP to export 2 lakh MT wheat to Iran

Madhya Pradesh is all set to export close to 2 lakh MT tonne of wheat to Iran. The Food Corporation of India has twice tested the samples of wheat from the state at its laboratory in Karnal and has given the go-ahead. The samples had been sent to Karnal after a delegation from Iran visited the state in mid-June. In the first phase, 1.98 lakh MT wheat from Bhopal, Vidisha, Hoshangabad, Sehore, Gwalior, Ujjain and four other districts will be exported, while another 5 lakh MT will be dispatched later.

4.   

31 Cold Chain Projects Worth Rs. 619 Crore Approved

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has approved 28 cold chain projects worth Rs. 618.88 crore. The Food Processing Industries Ministry implements the Scheme of Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition & Preservation Infrastructure (part of scheme of Infrastructure Development) and under which it provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid @ 50% of the total cost of plant and machinery and technical civil works in general areas.