Aid India Club
The next meeting of the “Aid India Club” will be held in Washington either in the last week of July or in the first week of August, according to indications available in New Delhi. The meeting is to make a firm commitment of aid for the second year of the Third Plan. India requires one billion dollars for the second year of the Plan and so far commitments to the extent of only 780 to 800 million dollars have been made. The gap of 200 million dollars is yet to be filled. Either the gap in full or most of it is expected to be made good at the next meeting.
World Food Plan
The “World Food Programme”, now in advanced preparatory stage, will be launched in October this year and the first shipments of supplies under the programme are likely to reach the recipient countries early next year. This was stated at a Press conference in New Delhi on June 29. Sponsored by the F.A.O., the “World Food Programme” envisages the creation of a 100-million dollar fund in the shape of commodities, services and money for rendering assistance to under-developed and developing countries.
Rule of Road
Britain is to consult India, Australia and New Zealand and all interested organisations before deciding whether to follow most of the rest of Europe and change the rule of the road from left to right. Mr. Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport, told the House of Commons this on June 27 when asked if he had made up his mind on the issue. He said India, Australia and New Zealand were still having the left-hand rule.
Rush of Indians to England
Over 5,000 Indians have left for England during the three-month old “beat the Bill” rush which is expected to end on June 30. During June alone, over 2,000 Indians have flown to London – a record figure for any month in the past several years. Several hundred others were reported to have gone from other places in the country. The rush of travellers to England,which started in April last when the British Parliament approved the new immigration laws, reached a high pitch last week.
