Indian official to   US NRIs’ aid
Bangalore, dhns: Arathi Krishna, an officer posted with the Indian embassy in the US, has been appointed Community Development Officer in Washington by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
Overseas Indians may approach the office any time and the focus will be a multi-faceted one but with a special emphasis on the social. “It is like an arm of the Government of India that they can touch,” according to Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi.

Ms Krishna, who hails from Chikmagalur and is a post-graduate from Mysore University, will be involved in the implementation of many schemes identified by the ministry, including tracing roots, scholarships for diaspora children, Know India Programme, etc.

‘Law for farmers’ protection’
Dharwad, dhns: The State Government was pressurising the Union Government to immediately come out with a comprehensive legislation towards protecting the farmers who go in for contract farming, and towards getting them a remunerative price for their produce, said Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Khashempur.

Speaking to the media here on Tuesday after inaugurating the four-day Krishi Mela, he stated that while the multi-national companies, who had entered even into the retail business in the agriculture sector, were buying the farm produce at a very cheap rate, but selling at huge profits at their retail outlets.

Moreover, he said, the contract farming system was coming into practice slowly. In this, even though there was an agreement between the farmer and the agency, still there was no mechanism to punish the agency in case it duped the farmer.

The minister said, the Centre was releasing more funds under the 11th Five Year Plan to the agriculture sector.