The crucial non-aligned foreign ministers conference began in New Delhi with the Prime Minister urging the delegates to issue a call to the big powers to deescalate belligerent rhetoric, reduce pressure in the Indian Ocean region and various parts of Europe and Africa and resume an earnest search for peace and understanding. Referring to the situation in Afghanistan and the Iran-Iraq war as deeply disturbing, the PM said “let us hope the big powers will not be able to take advantage of local disputes and enlarge them into wider conflicts. In the name of peace and the future of mankind, we plead with the combatants and appeal to those who are waiting in the wings to call their young men home”.
New Andhra cabinet
Forty four of the 69 Andhra ministers whose resignation was accepted last week are back in the state cabinet. The pruned cabinet consists of 29 Cabinet ministers, a reduction of nine, and 15 ministers of state, a reduction of 16.
Census begins
The massive population count began with the launching of the India-1981 Census from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Census Commissioner P Padmanabhan became the first enumerator when he called on President N Sanjeeva Reddy and filled in the questionnaire. In the state capitals, commissioners visited governors and Lt Governors to fill in details.
Cinema ticket prices
Lt Governor of Delhi, Jagmohan, has proposed the reduction of cinema tickets prices in Delhi to the level prevailing in September 1975. The proposed rates, according to a Delhi Administration note, will be effective from March 1.
