DoP Releases a Set of Stamps on Four Princely States of India

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From: Press Information Bureau Ministry of I&B <pib.kolkata@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Oct 6, 2010 at 3:32 PM
Subject: Releases...........pt2

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Communications & Information Technology

DoP Releases a Set of Stamps on Four Princely States of India

New Delhi: October 6, 2010.

 

Department Of Posts released today a set of four stamps on “Princely States of India” as a curtain raiser to INDIPEX 2011, the World Philatelic Exhibition. The exhibition is scheduled to be held during 12th February to 18th February, 2011 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.  These stamps were formally released by Ms. Rameshwari Handa Chief Postmaster General, Delhi Circle at Sansad Marg HPO. This set of four commemorative postage stamps depicts the stamps issued by the Princely States- Sirmoor, Indore, Bamra and Cochin. These stamps are both archaic and rare and highly valued by Philatelists all over the world.

There were as many as 568 states in India before Independence that ceased to exist after independence. It is relevant to mention here that only forty odd states out of five hundred plus had issued stamps as symbol of their sovereignty. The Postage stamps issued by the states carried the portraits of the kings and princes, regal insignia or symbols. Printed using a variety of methods and colours, the stamps were sometimes overprinted too. However, some of the princely states left a legacy which is valuable in philatelic circle.

This is the second set of the series as the first set of  six stamps on Heritage Postal Buildings comprising of Delhi GPO, Shimla GPO, Udagmandalm Head Post Office, Coochbehar HPO, Nagpur GPO and Lucknow GPO , were released on 12.5.2010 . The objective was to showcase the rich heritage of India Post to the World.

Two photographs of the stamps and event are given below. These stamps and the First Day Cover have been designed by Sh. Kamleshwar Singh.

 

at/dk/kol/15:25 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

FSSAI Advisory on Standards for Honey and Prohibition of Antibiotics

New Delhi: October 6, 2010.

 

Recently some reports have been appeared in the newspapers regarding the permitted levels of antibiotics in honey. The following advisory is issued by Food Safety and Standards Authority to clarify the issues involved.

Honey is the natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of plants.

When visually inspected, the honey shall be free from any foreign matter such as mould, dirt, scum, pieces of beeswax, the fragments of bees and other insects and from any other extraneous matter.

The colour of honey varies from light to dark brown.

Standards for honey have been prescribed under Prevention Food Adulteration (PFA) Rules, 1955 as under.

 

(a) Specific gravity at 27OC                           Not less than 1.35

(b) Moisture                                                      Not more than 25 per cent by mass

(c) Total reducing sugars                               Not less than 65 per cent by mass

(c-i) for Carbia colossa and Honey dew   Not less than 60 per cent by mass

(d) Sucrose                                                         Not more than to 5.0 per cent by mass

(d-i) for Carbia colossa and Honey dew  Not more than 10 per cent by mass

(e) Fructose-glucose ratio                            Not less than 0.95

(f) Ash                                                                  Not more than 0.5 percent by mass

(g) Acidity (Expressed as formic acid)      Not more than 0.2 per cent by mass

(h) Fiehe's test                                                  Negative

(i) Hydroxy methyl furfural(HMF)             Not more than 80 mg/kg                                        

 

If Fiehe's test is positive, and hydroxy methyl furfural (HMF) content is more than 80 milligram/kilogram, then fructose: glucose ratio should be 1.0 or more.

Rule 44 D provides for restriction on sale of Carbia Callosa and Honey dew. Carbia Collosa and Honey dew shall be sold only in sealed containers bearing AGMARK seal.

Rule 45 specifies that food resembling but not pure honey cannot be marked as honey. No person shall use the word „Honey‟ or any word, mark, illustration or device that suggests “Honey‟ on the label or any package of, or in any advertisement for, any food that resembles honey but is not pure honey.

Violation of the provisions of PFA Act/Rules attracts penal action.

No pesticide residues or antibiotics are allowed in honey.

The maximum limits of heavy metals in various foods are prescribed under PFA Rules, 1955. Rule 57 of PFA Rules prescribes the limits of contaminants under category “Foods not specified” (which includes honey) as follows:-

 

1. Lead                                                                  Not more than 2.5 ppm

2. Copper                                                            Not more than 30.0 ppm

3. Arsenic                                                            Not more than 1.1 ppm

4. Tin                                                                     Not more than 250.0 ppm

5. Zinc                                                                   Not more than 50.0 ppm

6. Cadmium                                                        Not more than 1.5 ppm

7. Mercury                                                          Not more than 1.0 ppm

8. Methyl Mercury                                          Not more than 0.25 ppm

 

Standards of Honey under AGMARK

The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has laid down standards of honey under the Grading and Marking Rules (AGMARK), which lays down the grades, designation of honey as Special, Grade–A and Standard to indicate the quality of honey for the purpose of certification. It specifies the method of packing, marking and labeling and conditions for grant of certificate for authorization. The standards of AGMARK are voluntary.

In the matter of admissibility of antibiotics in honey, safety standards in India are similar to those in European Union, Codex Alimentarius and USA where they are completely prohibited.

 

ds/gk/dk/kol/15:25 hrs.

 

Press Information Bureau

Government of India

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Ministry of Railways

Railway Revenue Earnings up by 7.83 per Cent During April- September 2010

New Delhi: October 6, 2010.

 

The total approximate earnings of Indian Railways on originating basis during 1st April – 30th September 2010 were ` 44323.70 crore compared to ` 41104.78 crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 7.83 per cent.

The total goods earnings have gone up from ` 27629.01 crore during 1st April – 30th September, 2009 to ` 29443.32 crore during 1st April – 30th September 2010, an increase of 6.57 per cent.

The total passenger revenue earnings during first six months of the financial year 2010-11 were ` 12689.36 crore compared to ` 11573.60 crore during the same period last year, registering an increase of 9.64 per cent.

The revenue earnings from other coaching amounted to ` 1234.89 crore during April- September 2010 compared to ` 1121.64 crore during the same period last year, an increase of 10.10 per cent.

The total approximate number of passengers booked during April-September 2010 was 3904.57 million compared to 3683.53 million during the same period last year, showing an increase of 6.00 per cent. In the suburban and non-suburban sectors, the number of passengers booked during April-September 2010 was 1989.30 million and 1915.27 million compared to 1887.57 million and 1795.96 million during the same period last year, showing an increase of 5.39 per cent and 6.64 per cent respectively.

 

aks/hk/lk/tr/dk/kol/15:25 hrs.

--
Palash Biswas
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