• The 83rd session of the Indian Science Congress was inaugurated in Patiala on January 3. The conference focused on scientific and technological endeavours for achieving "food, economic and health security".

• The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank, will be investing US $8 million in India Oil and Gas Finance Facility, for projects in the oil and gas sectors in the country.

• The National Energy Conservation Award 1995 (second prize in the fertiliser sector) has been bagged by Kribhco, the world's largest fertiliser producer, announced the ministry of power recently.

• The Himachal Pradesh government recently announced its plans to promote commercial trout farming in the state. The state fisheries department will be setting up two new trout farms at Holi and Chirgaon.

• The ministry of environment and forests will set up 50 pollution-free booths starting from the New Year, with the help of Delhi police and NGOs to make the city clean in the next three months.

• The Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Delhi, recently developed a contraceptive Nim-76 from the 'neem' tree, in collaboration with Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Delhi.

• A mining institute at Bailadila in Bastar, Madhya Pradesh, will be set up at a cost of Rs 20 crore to impart technical education to the local people, announced the state minister for mineral resources and environment on December 31.

• The Union government has allocated Rs 100 crore to Goa for providing sewage, drainage and drinking water facilities in the state, it was announced on December 31.

• The World Bank announced a US $192 million aid for a US $295.6 million sewage disposal project for the Greater Mumbai municipality on December 3 1.

•The Tripura government announced a project on January 1, to expand rubber cultivation in the state in the next five years through economic rehabilitation of 15,000 tribal families.