New Delhi, Dec 06: India is participating in a debate on reform and expansion of UN Security Council to be held at the world body on December 11, Government told the Lok Sabha today.
"The object is to keep focus on this vital issue while developing a model of UN Security Council that has wide support and acceptance. So far, the progress in this direction has been satisfactory," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.
He said the reform and expansion of UNSC were considered by the Government as central to the process of UN reform which has been going on for some years.
"This reform of the UNSC should encompass its expansion, both in permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as the improvement of its working methods," Mukherjee said in a written reply.
India, he said, has been continuing to actively pursue the issue through coordination and engagement with Brazil, Germany and Japan known as the G-4 group.
"India is participating in the debate in the plenary of UNGA on December 11 on the issue of UNSC reform," he said.
On teaching of Hindi in Indian missions abroad, Mukherjee said an important step taken by his Ministry to promote the language was organisation of Regional Hindi Conferences in different countries.
Recently, the Ministry has decided to encourage Hindi writers abroad by extending financial support to them, he added.
Govt to bring changes in syllabus of undergraduate dental docs
To upgrade the knowledge and skills of the undergraduate dental doctors, the government is planning to bring some changes in their syllabus, the Lok
Sabha was informed today.
Replying to a written question, Minister of State for
Health and Family Welfare P Lakshmi, said the Central
Government on the basis of the recommendations of Dental
Council of India and in consultation with the state
governments and the medical universities, is contemplating
bringing about certain changes in the syllabus for Bachelor in
Dental Surgery (BDS).
The bds course regulations for undergraduate dental
students were last framed in 1983 -- 23 years ago.
India conveyed concerns to US about current versions of
legislations on nuke deal
India has conveyed its concerns to the United States about the current versions of the American legislation relating to Indo-US nuclear deal, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
Replying to written questions, External Affairs Minister
Pranab Mukherjee said an amendment to the Waiver Bill passed
by the US Senate on November 16, 2006 to enable full civil
nuclear energy cooperation with India envisages setting up of
a Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) programme to further
common non-proliferation goals.
However, no prior discussion on setting up such a
programme had taken place between the two governments, he
said.
By its very nature, establishing such a programme would
require the agreement of Government of India which would take
a decision after fully taking into account all aspects of the
country's national security, Mukherjee said.
Cryogenic system to be flight tested next year: Govt
An indigenous cryogenic system is planned to be flight tested in the Geo-Synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D3) mission next year,
government told the Lok Sabha today.
On October 28 this year, ISRO has successfully carried
out the ground hot test of indigenous cryogenic upper stage at
the liquid propulsion systems centre test complex at
Mahendragiri, Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan said
in a written reply.
Bureau Report