Rail passengers: proposal for insurance
The Railway Minister, Mr. S.K. Patil, informed the Lok Sabha today [August 25, New Delhi] that a scheme for insurance of rail passengers was under the consideration of the Government. Replying to points raised in a debate on recent railway accidents, Mr. Patil pointed out that the introduction of the insurance scheme in the railways was not as easy as in air travel where the number of passengers was comparatively small. Still, the matter was under consideration. It might mean a little increase in the ticket rate. Mr. Patil did not accept the suggestion for an increase in staff strength. There was no case for it. The bane of India, he said, was that there were often ten people to do a job which was done by one or two persons in other countries.
Firing on bandh mob in Bombay
Except for two occasions when the city police opened fire to scare away a stone-throwing mob near two industrial units in North Bombay and for some sporadic stone-throwing incidents, the Bombay “Bandh” called by the Leftist parties passed off peacefully to-day [August 25]. The one-day token strike was organised by the Anti-Price Rise, Anti-Starvation and Anti-Unemployment Action Committees of the various Leftist political parties. Earlier in the morning when a 250-strong crowd indulged in heavy stone throwing, causing injuries to a police sub-inspector, at Kurla near the Premier Automobile factory, police fired three rounds to bring the situation under control. A small party of policemen was surrounded and attacked by a mob near the gates of the Ciba factory in Bhandup. One sub-inspector and two police constables sustained injuries. To prevent the situation getting out of control, the police fired.
Sale of U.S. soyabean oil to India
An Agriculture Department official said yesterday [August 24, Washington] no fresh arrangements had been made to date covering the sale to India on a further quantity of U.S. soya bean oil. The official was commenting on a Bombay trade report that the State Trading Corporation had purchased 35,000 tons of U.S. soyabean oil under P.L. 480 and that negotiations were under way for the supply of a further 35,000 tons. The official said the 35,000 ton reported purchased represented at amount covered by an amendment signed on May 26 in New Delhi, to the existing Food for Peace Agreement between India and the U.S. The Agriculture Department issued a purchase authorisation for the full amount on June I7 which completed the existing supply commitment under the agreement. However, a spokesman for the Indian Embassy recalled that last April, President Johnson had called on the U.S. Congress to make about 70,000 tons of edible vegetable oils available to India. India, which needed more oil the spokesman said, was making approaches to the U.S. Government for the “outstanding” 35,000 tons. The spokesman appeared fairly confident that the additional supply would be forthcoming but agreed that a shipment programme which would not adversely affect the U.S. supply was an important point to be negotiated.
Pocket television set
A pocket television set with a matchbox size screen — claimed the world’s smallest — has gone on display here [London] for the first time. The British set, to be sold next year for about £52, is a little larger than a packet of 20 cigarettes.
