India at the 127th slot in UNDP's Human Development Index
New Delhi: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has assigned India among the medium human development countries putting it in the 127th slot, a notch higher than Botswana but lower than Namibia among the 177 countries it tracked in progress in human development. The UNDP has developed the human development index (HDI) focussing on three measurable dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life, being educated and having a decent standard of living.

The UNDP said the countries with the worst disparities between their GDI (gender-related development index) and HDI values, include Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, Yemen and India "indicating a need for greater attention to gender equality". Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Latvia and Bulgaria have the closest correspondence between HDI and GDI. Stating that progress in human development during the 20th century was dramatic, it said between 1960 and 2000 life expectancy in developing countries increased from 46 to 63 years. Mortality rates for children under five were more than halved.
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GAIL to invest Rs 10,723 crore in new projects
New Delhi: GAIL India will invest Rs 10,723 crore in putting up petrochemical plants in southern and eastern India. The state run company is planning a Rs 7000 crore naphtha based petrochemical complex in Kasargod district near Kochi and a Rs 2500 crore Assam Gas Cracker project.

In addition, GAIL has signed a technology agreement with Mitsui Chemicals Inc of Japan for setting up a new high density poly-ethylene (HDPE) plant at its petrochemical complex at Pata in Uttar Pradesh. The company has also conceptualised a 8000-km National Gas Grid to create a green quadrilateral of clean energy corridors. Studies are also underway to construct a 100-km long network of LPG pipelines between Porbandar and Jamnagar and a 140-km network between Okha and Jamnagar.
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Birlas say Priyamvada estate is for charity
Kolkata: The Birla families have issued a statement declaring that they do not want any of late Priyamvada Birla's assets but they wished to secure the estate for charity, which according to them was the original plan. Priyamvada Birla, inheritor of Madhav Prasad Birla's Rs 5,000 crore empire, died on July 3 bequeathing all her assets to Rajan Lodha, the co-chairman of M P Birla group's flagship company Birla Corp.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Birla families - K K Birla, B K Birla, G P Birla, S K Birla, C K Birla, Siddharth Birla, K M Birla and Yash Birla - it was stated that "the purpose of the statement is to make it clear that the Birla families are united to secure the estate for charity as late M P Birla had intended and none of the families would like to have any share of the assets of late MP Birla and Priyamvada Birla.

"The Birla families appeal to the media to take note of this solemn declaration of theirs so that their reports are consistent with the fundamental stand of the Birla families - not contrary to it," the statement said. Lodha, named as the sole beneficiary in Priyamvada Birla's will, has now hired Fox and Mandal - one of Kolkata's oldest law firms. According to media reports, the firm has, in turn, hired about 70 per cent of the city's top lawyers to fight the might of the Birlas against Lodha.
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