UP govt to rope in Amazon, Wipro, GE at 'One District, One Product' summit

To give a major push to Uttar Pradesh's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) and cottage industries, the Yogi Adityanath government will exchange memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with top companies such as Amazon, Wipro and GE on Friday.

President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the state's flagship 'One District, One Product' summit aimed at showcasing its traditional cottage industries and crafts.

On the occasion, the government will exchange MoUs with e-commerce major Amazon, Wipro, GE Healthcare, Quality Circle of India (QCI) and India's leading bourses -- the BSE and National Stock Exchange (NSE). These entities would help the MSMEs and cottage industries by providing training, branding, marketing and other institutional support.

For example, Amazon will extend marketing support to traditional industries in 9 districts, including Gorakhpur, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi, Kanpur and Aligarh. The company will showcase local products over its online marketplace and create a micro-site dedicated to the ODOP scheme.

Modi to meet Afghan Prez Ghani in Delhi; security, terrorism on agenda

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday furthering the shared objective of promoting security and stability in Afghanistan, and efforts to combat the menace of terrorism.

The external affairs ministry said on Monday that the Afghan president would be here on a one-day working visit at the invitation of the prime minister.

The invitation was extended by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval during his Kabul trip on October 16.

Here are the key highlights of Ghani's visit:

1. President Ghani will meet with his Indian counterpart and have delegation-level talks with the prime minister, who will also host a lunch in his honour, an official statement said.

2. Both sides will have the opportunity to review the entire gamut of multifaceted bilateral strategic partnership, including the New Development Partnership; hold consultations and coordinate on furthering the shared objective of promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and efforts to combat the menace of terrorism, it said.
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Marshal of IAF Arjan Singh's state funeral today; nation mourns air warrior

The funeral procession of the sole Marshal of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Arjan Singh, began on Sunday in the national capital.

The procession was followed by the last rites, which were performed at the Brar Square. The wreath laying ceremony was to take place at 9:00 am.

Though no state mourning was announced, the Home Ministry said the national flag would fly at half-mast on the day of the funeral in Delhi on all buildings where it is flown regularly.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday stated that along with a state funeral and an appropriate gun salute, a flypast might take place, depending on the weather conditions, to honour the contribution of the Air Force Marshal.
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Presidential polls result today: Counting from 11 am, result out by 5 pm

Counting of the votes cast to decide who will be India's new President will begin on Thursday from 11 am. The result will decide the fate of the two contenders — the ruling NDA's candidate Ram Nath Kovind, who has a clear edge, and the combined Opposition nominee Meira Kumar.

The candidate who secures at least one vote more than 50 per cent of the total votes will become India's 14th President and enter the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The final result of the presidential election 2017 is expected to be out by 5 pm today.

Officials said that all preparations have been made for the vote count and that all ballot boxes had already reached Parliament House by Tuesday evening amid tight security.

They said the counting would begin at 11 am simultaneously across four tables. There will be eight rounds of counting and announcements made after every round.

Polling to choose the successor to President Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 24, was held simultaneously at 32 polling stations — one in Parliament House and one each in the 29 state Assemblies and two Union Territories with Assemblies.

Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra is the Returning Officer for the election and will issue the certificate to the winning candidate.

Officials said the seals of the ballot boxes will be opened on Thursday in the presence of representatives of the two candidates - former Bihar Governor Kovind and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar - and the observers of the Election Commission.
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