India today decided to reduce the number of items in the sensitive list for SAARC countries, aiming to expand trade in goods in the region.

News Agencies quoting official sources reports that the government has approved pruning of sensitive list to
increase trade with SAARC countries.

Shifting of items from sensitive list to general category would do away with duty impediments and boost trade, according to officials.

Under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), which came into force in July 2006, India's imports are classified under two lists-- the MFN list and sensitive list.

India's sensitive list for least developed countries (LDC) like Bangladesh has just 25 items. And the same for non-LDC like Pakistan has over 800 commodities.

It was proposed to cut 30 per cent of products under the sensitive list for non-LDCs under SAFTA.

According to an official, the decision would benefit Pakistan more than any other SAARC member.

India and Pakistan Commerce Ministers in April had agreed that discussions would continue at official levels to
draw a roadmap for further reductions in the SAFTA-sensitive list.

Pitching for building a South Asian Union on the lines of the European Union, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that countries in the region should pool their wisdom and work to remove the roadblocks that prevent South Asia from realizing its true destiny. 

Inaugurating the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asian Regional Cooperation for Peace and Development at the Pondicherry University yesterday, Dr Singh said, the events in the Euro zone should not cast a shadow over efforts at building unity and eventually a South Asian union.

Stating that a stable, prosperous and united Europe was good for the world, Dr Manmohan Singh said, the European project, has served as a guiding light to regional cooperation in the world, including South Asia.

On SAARC, the Prime Minister said, New Delhi is strongly committed to strengthening the grouping. He said India was happy that important initiatives that symbolize the idea of South Asia are taking shape.

Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi today said that practices like paid news syndrome and use of money power have emerged as new challenges in the management of elections.

Addressing the third Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies of the SAARC countries in New Delhi, Quraishi said it was important to curb such practices to ensure free and fair elections to strengthen democracy in the SAARC region.

He said that voter education had assumed greater importance as an area to maximise participation by people in the electoral process.

Dr Quraishi said the three-day conference was aimed at discussing good electoral practices and sharing of ideas among member countries. During the conference, India will make a presentation on the use of information-technology in conducting elections in the country.

The Chief Election Commissioner said that SAARC countries were holding a beacon of democracy to the world. He expressed the hope that they would emerge as the leader in the democratic world as 60 to 70 per cent or over 1 billion of the total electorate reside in the region. 

Mr Quraishi called for using innovative methods and strategies to deal with new problems in election management and administration.

Speaking on the occasion, Election Commissioner V S Sampath emphasised on the need for continuous exchange of experience and expertise between the SAARC electoral bodies.

India called for greater regional cooperation amongst SAARC countries to find concrete solutions which are feasible, cost effective and suitable in tackling common health problems. Addressing the fourth Health Ministers’ Conference at Male in Maldives,Health and Family Welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that a strong and vibrant public health care system can cope with enormous challenges emanating from demographic and epidemiological transition in the SAARC region.
Taking note of communicable diseases and high levels of maternal and child mortality in the region, he said that adopting a comprehensive strategy for Diseases Surveillance for Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases is the need of the hour. He emphasised to develop and put in place a comprehensive strategy for surveillance, early detection and response to such diseases and infections.
Mr. Azad stated that there are many examples of successful strategies and programs in the region in combating dreadful diseases. Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) strategy which originated from Tubercluosis research in India is now the global paradigm in the prevention and control of tne disease.
Mr Azad also suggested that health ministers of the region should meet more often to deliberate upon a selected theme or subject of common interest and agree on an action plan.