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Mumbai Dabbawallahs leave for Prince Charles' wedding

     Mumbai: Two "tiffin" or lunch box couriers from Mumbai, who impressed Britain's Prince Charles on a visit to India two years ago, left for London on Friday to attend the royal wedding. The Buckingham Palace invited Raghunath Medge and Sopan More, as special guest of Prince Charles who had met the dabbawallahs t o understand their working methods during a visit to Mumbai. The duo represents about 5,000 couriers or "dabbawallahs" who deliver almost 150,000 lunch boxes from suburban homes to Mumbai schools, offices and factories during the working week.

     Prince Charles is scheduled to wed Camilla Parker Bowles, his long-time lover, on Saturday, delayed by a day due to Pope John Paul's funeral on Friday. Medge's association sent traditional Indian gifts to the royal couple, a sari and a blouse to Parker Bowles and a red turban to Charles after the couple announced their wedding plans in February. On this trip as well they are carrying a fresh booty of sweets, handmade by their wives and a greeting card pasted with their blessings in English, a language they have taken pains to learn so that they can wish their "buddy". "We are taking ladoos, we have taken a gift and also taken a greeting card. In that all of us tiffin carries have written down our blessing and greetings in English. We really hope and pray from our hearts that his marriage is joyous and that he is always happy," Medge said. "I am taking with me the blessing of entire India. I am representing my people and wish Prince Charles a happy and joyous marriage. He has our blessings," added More, who had also personally met the prince on his India visit. Mumbai Dabbahwallahs have impressed many management gurus worldwide with their ability to bring tens of thousands of people their lunches every day with remarkable efficiency across the sprawling and congested city.

Economic relations high on Chinese Premier's plate (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's four-day visit to India beginning tomorrow is expected to bring in a sea change in the dragon's approach to India, which had seen several ups and downs in bilateral relations despite all the bonhomie that existed between Jawaharlal Nehru and Zhou Enlai in the mid 50s. Sources in the External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi today that most importantly, both sides are to "get down to look a framework for settling the boundary issue." Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Premier Jiabao are expected to dwell on bilateral cooperation from "a broader regional and global perspective" when they sit across the table on Monday. Jiabao, who belongs to the new breed of communists in China, is considered to be a reformist, who wants to dump the burden of the past and move forward.

     New Delhi is of the view that the relations need not be "adversarial" but both the countries can "come together, advancing their own interests and the interests of developing countries." With India becoming a world leader in Information Technology, no wonder Jiabao is flying straight to Bangalore to see how it works on the ground. He will meet leaders in the IT sector, besides meeting the top brains in Indian space and scientific sector. Both the countries are expected to sign a series of agreements - some have already been finalized and some are in the process of fine-tuning. The fifth session of the Special Representatives on border issues will also meet on Sunday to thrash out differences on the boundary issue. Other agreements New Delhi and Beijing are expected to seal its approval include on civil aviation, trade, cooperation in the area of customs, setting up of a financial dialogue mechanism and cooperation in the field of water resources.

Second administrative reforms commission okayed (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs has cleared a proposal that envisions the setting up of a second Administrative Reforms Commission. (ARC) First formed in the 1960s under the stewardship of then Finance Minister Morarji Desai, the second ARC is expected to explore issues relating to public administration and will submit its report to the government within one year of its constitution, Information and Broadcasting S Jaipal Reddy, told reporters after the Cabinet met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Reddy said the panel, with four members and a Member Secretary, would be created as a Commission of Inquiry with its Chairman enjoying Cabinet rank. "This will the second Administrative Reforms Commission; a group of ministers has been set up to finalise and fine tune the terms of reference. For this the Chairperson of ARC will enjoy the cabinet rank," said Reddy. Among the issues that the commission would go into are the organisational structure of the Central Government, ethics of governance, the refurbishing of personnel administration, the strengthening of financial management systems and steps to ensure effective administration at the state district, local and panchayati levels.