Surat Beat

Acharya’s visit
Deputy chairman of State Planning Commission Surya Kant Acharya will visit Surat to hold a meeting with farmers of Shri Kalyan Keth Utpadan Rupantar and Vechan Mandali to discuss palm cultivation at Maroli on Friday at 10 am.

`Jari’ export
Ramanbhai Jariwala, member of All-India Handloom Board, who returned from Pakistan said there was immense potential of `jari’ and `jari’ goods in Pakistan. Jariwala was part of an Indian delegation sent by the union textile ministry to Pakistan for the promotion of handicrafts in neighbouring countries. “Pakistan has banned import of Indian `jari’ whereas `jari’ from other countries is allowed, even though the quality of Indian goods is far better than other countries,” he said.

Campaign
Expressing displeasure with office-bearers of Kerala Kala Samiti, an association of Keralites, some Samiti members have launched a signature campaign, to force the association to call a general body meeting saying that genuine members of the Samiti have been sidelined. In a statement K R G Nair, said despite 1.5 lakh Keralites living in the city, the Samiti’s membership has not been expanded because of vested interests. The samiti office-bearers have been holding their post for decades as they have not allowed elections to be held, Nair alleged.