Sikkim would be linked by the rail
Kolkata, September 10 (IST 21:15): Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday night announced that Sikkim would be linked by the rail to Darjeeling district in West Bengal.
“Railway lines will connect Sevoke and Rangpoo, Sikkim and the 52.7 km line will cost 1,339 crore,” she said.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
NORTH EAST FOOD PROCESSING SUMMIT 2009 AT GANGTOK
CALLING SIKKIM ENTREPRENURS TO ATTEND
Indian Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored by Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India is organizing a summit cum exhibition focusing North East Agri Business- NORTH EAST FOOD PRO 2009 at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok on September 22-23, 2009.
ICC has asked Sikkim Chamber of Commerce to send a strong delegation comprising of local entrepreneurs, would be entrepreneurs, traders in bakeries, packagers,etc, Unemployed who like to take up entrepreneurship and existing industrial units, farmers, Horticulturists.
This meet will be addressed by experts on food processing and provides a platform for interaction and knowledge sharing. Their will be a round table discussion of representatives of all North East States.
Shri Subodh K Sahai, Hon’ble minister for Food Processing Industries, Government of India will also bless the Summit with inaugural address by Dr.Pawan Chamling, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim.
Issues related to Project Financing, success stories, presentation by NERAMAC, Cold Chain and question Answers sessions will be another highlights of the Summit.
Sikkim Chamber of Commerce, therefore, urges all interested to get them registered with SCC to enable them to attend the summit. This is a golden opportunity not to be missed.
For registration:
Pl contact Mobile No 94340 23594
Or visit out site: www.sikkimchamberofcommerce.blogspot.com
Or E mail to: sikkimchamberofcommerce@yahoo.com
Or drop in at following address: Converse, near Gandhi Statute ,M.G.Road,Gangtok, Sikkim
S.K.Sarda
President
Sikkim Chamber Of Commerce
Form for Registration:
NORTH EAST FOOD PROCESSING SUMMIT 2009
( 22ND & 23RD SEPT 2009- Chintan Bhawan,Gangtok)
REGISTRATION FORM
DELEGATES OF SIKKIM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Name:Shri/Smt/Miss
Organisation Representating ( if any)
Full Address: House No/Name:
Road
Locality
P.O.
Phone Nos: Mobile:
Landline:
Category: ( mention here):
TRADER/ ENTREPRENUR/ UNEMPLOYED/FARMER/HORTICULTRIST/ OTHERS
Dt: ( Signature)
Gangtok
CALLING SIKKIM ENTREPRENURS TO ATTEND
Indian Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored by Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India is organizing a summit cum exhibition focusing North East Agri Business- NORTH EAST FOOD PRO 2009 at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok on September 22-23, 2009.
ICC has asked Sikkim Chamber of Commerce to send a strong delegation comprising of local entrepreneurs, would be entrepreneurs, traders in bakeries, packagers,etc, Unemployed who like to take up entrepreneurship and existing industrial units, farmers, Horticulturists.
This meet will be addressed by experts on food processing and provides a platform for interaction and knowledge sharing. Their will be a round table discussion of representatives of all North East States.
Shri Subodh K Sahai, Hon’ble minister for Food Processing Industries, Government of India will also bless the Summit with inaugural address by Dr.Pawan Chamling, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim.
Issues related to Project Financing, success stories, presentation by NERAMAC, Cold Chain and question Answers sessions will be another highlights of the Summit.
Sikkim Chamber of Commerce, therefore, urges all interested to get them registered with SCC to enable them to attend the summit. This is a golden opportunity not to be missed.
For registration:
Pl contact Mobile No 94340 23594
Or visit out site: www.sikkimchamberofcommerce.blogspot.com
Or E mail to: sikkimchamberofcommerce@yahoo.com
Or drop in at following address: Converse, near Gandhi Statute ,M.G.Road,Gangtok, Sikkim
S.K.Sarda
President
Sikkim Chamber Of Commerce
Form for Registration:
NORTH EAST FOOD PROCESSING SUMMIT 2009
( 22ND & 23RD SEPT 2009- Chintan Bhawan,Gangtok)
REGISTRATION FORM
DELEGATES OF SIKKIM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Name:Shri/Smt/Miss
Organisation Representating ( if any)
Full Address: House No/Name:
Road
Locality
P.O.
Phone Nos: Mobile:
Landline:
Category: ( mention here):
TRADER/ ENTREPRENUR/ UNEMPLOYED/FARMER/HORTICULTRIST/ OTHERS
Dt: ( Signature)
Gangtok
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Sikkim can exploit Chinese void in export of mandarin oranges: EXIM Bank
GANGTOK, September 7: Projecting a drastic fall in the exports of mandarin oranges from China, the Export Import Bank of India (EXIM) has expressed its confidence that Sikkim where mandarins are endemic, can initiate to exploit this void in the global market.
“In fact, mandarin is the most important commercial fruit of Sikkim and its cultivation has witnessed a consistent increase”, said EXIM Bank in its ‘Sikkim: Export Potential and Prospects’ report recently released by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling.
The Bank in its dossier pegged the area under mandarin plantation in Sikkim as 5818 hectares with the production increased to 9672 tonnes recording an annual average growth of 5.1 percent. A more promising fact is that yield has increased continuously up to 2006-07, from 1599.6 kg/ha to 1667.1 kg/ha.
The Bank also noted in its report that Sikkim is ideally suited to the extension of acreage under orange as the State has favourable topography and climate.
“However, due to the extreme age of mandarin orange orchards (nearly 80 percent of them have crossed the most productive age) and an inadequate replantation rate, productivity declined in 2007-08”, the Bank said. These orchards lack vigour and are prone to diseases and pest attacks, more so considering that the State has declared itself as organic.
The Bank has recommended to the State government for rejuvenation of orchards of about 20 years of age, gradual replanting of the older ones, soil reclamation and manuring around the tree and planting of new orchards with saplings from certified nursery that can go a long way in helping to realize the untapped export potential of mandarin orange.
The Bank has also called for setting up an autonomous board for mandarin growers which would act as a nodal point for extension work, help in farmer education and work closely with farmers’ cooperatives to improve farm management practices and the quality of farm produce. The board can also help with credit, marketing and information on the market.
“A customer export cell may be set up to deal with formalities and simplify documentation procedures”, the Bank noted. It also advocated the need for creating awareness among the farmers that the entry of large investors is to the benefit of the entire industry.
“So far, farmers have been reluctant to replant their orchards, preferring to live off the little income generated by the old trees. The entry of large firms, who will guarantee the purchase of good quality mandarin oranges, is likely to encourage replanting at a faster rate. Once success has been achieved with citrus, fruit and vegetable processing can be extended to other fresh produce grown in the State”, the Bank said.
The report pointed out that processing of mandarin oranges in the form of juices, squash, marmalade and jam is critical as it results in increased shelf life and a far higher per unit value realization. Such processing lends itself to easy transportation thereby facilitating its exports.
The Bank also raised doubts over the Sikkim Fruit Preservation factory at Singtam stating that the amount and quality of the factory are not adequate from an international perspective. Besides, the factory itself needs an overhaul as the equipment and machinery are obsolete, it said.
The Bank summed up its study on mandarin orange export potential of Sikkim by concluding that a facility needs to be established for sorting, grading and processing of mandarin oranges and other horticulture products which could be simultaneously used so as to achieve optimal utilization of the unit. This would entail creating an enabling environment for private sector investments in the State, it said.
Mandarin oranges
Global production: 90.4 mn tonnes (2007)
India: 3.9 mn tonnes (sixth largest producer)
Sikkim: 9672 tonnes (2007-08)
Area under mandarin plantation in Sikkim: 5818 hectares with yield of 1667.1 kg/ha
GANGTOK, September 7: Projecting a drastic fall in the exports of mandarin oranges from China, the Export Import Bank of India (EXIM) has expressed its confidence that Sikkim where mandarins are endemic, can initiate to exploit this void in the global market.
“In fact, mandarin is the most important commercial fruit of Sikkim and its cultivation has witnessed a consistent increase”, said EXIM Bank in its ‘Sikkim: Export Potential and Prospects’ report recently released by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling.
The Bank in its dossier pegged the area under mandarin plantation in Sikkim as 5818 hectares with the production increased to 9672 tonnes recording an annual average growth of 5.1 percent. A more promising fact is that yield has increased continuously up to 2006-07, from 1599.6 kg/ha to 1667.1 kg/ha.
The Bank also noted in its report that Sikkim is ideally suited to the extension of acreage under orange as the State has favourable topography and climate.
“However, due to the extreme age of mandarin orange orchards (nearly 80 percent of them have crossed the most productive age) and an inadequate replantation rate, productivity declined in 2007-08”, the Bank said. These orchards lack vigour and are prone to diseases and pest attacks, more so considering that the State has declared itself as organic.
The Bank has recommended to the State government for rejuvenation of orchards of about 20 years of age, gradual replanting of the older ones, soil reclamation and manuring around the tree and planting of new orchards with saplings from certified nursery that can go a long way in helping to realize the untapped export potential of mandarin orange.
The Bank has also called for setting up an autonomous board for mandarin growers which would act as a nodal point for extension work, help in farmer education and work closely with farmers’ cooperatives to improve farm management practices and the quality of farm produce. The board can also help with credit, marketing and information on the market.
“A customer export cell may be set up to deal with formalities and simplify documentation procedures”, the Bank noted. It also advocated the need for creating awareness among the farmers that the entry of large investors is to the benefit of the entire industry.
“So far, farmers have been reluctant to replant their orchards, preferring to live off the little income generated by the old trees. The entry of large firms, who will guarantee the purchase of good quality mandarin oranges, is likely to encourage replanting at a faster rate. Once success has been achieved with citrus, fruit and vegetable processing can be extended to other fresh produce grown in the State”, the Bank said.
The report pointed out that processing of mandarin oranges in the form of juices, squash, marmalade and jam is critical as it results in increased shelf life and a far higher per unit value realization. Such processing lends itself to easy transportation thereby facilitating its exports.
The Bank also raised doubts over the Sikkim Fruit Preservation factory at Singtam stating that the amount and quality of the factory are not adequate from an international perspective. Besides, the factory itself needs an overhaul as the equipment and machinery are obsolete, it said.
The Bank summed up its study on mandarin orange export potential of Sikkim by concluding that a facility needs to be established for sorting, grading and processing of mandarin oranges and other horticulture products which could be simultaneously used so as to achieve optimal utilization of the unit. This would entail creating an enabling environment for private sector investments in the State, it said.
Mandarin oranges
Global production: 90.4 mn tonnes (2007)
India: 3.9 mn tonnes (sixth largest producer)
Sikkim: 9672 tonnes (2007-08)
Area under mandarin plantation in Sikkim: 5818 hectares with yield of 1667.1 kg/ha
STP Pharmaceuticals MD gets ‘National Award’ for outstanding entrepreneurship in Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
SE Report
GANGTOK, September 7: Sonam Lhamo, the Managing Director of STP Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, Sangkhola near Singtam received ‘National Award’ from the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for her outstanding entrepreneurship in Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises from North East Region including Sikkim on August 28.
The award comprised of Rs. 1 lakh in cash, certificate and trophy.
Established in February 1999 in collaboration with M/s. Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., (FIP) Mumbai with an initial investment of Rs. 28 Lakhs in Plant and Machinery with 66 employees, STP Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd has 159 employees at present.
The company manufactures all products for Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals. The products are marketed by them. After fulfilling the demands for the domestic market, Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals is also exporting products manufactured in STP to overseas.
A press release adds that 95 percent of the employees at STP Pharmaceuticals are needy local unemployed people who have just had primary or no education with an average age of 25 years.
The facilities for the employees at the company include Employees Provident Fund, 13 months’ salary against 11 working months, subsidised canteen, regular medical examination, medical reimbursements including long term ailments, operations etc, free accommodation for officers from outside of the State, interest free loans, leave facility and subsidised ration shop.
Till the end of the last financial year 2008-2009, STP has contributed Rs. 34.15 crores as revenue to the State Government.
As far as certificates awarded by the government, FIP and STP, the release states are quality conscious and all their products are tested stringently before being passed. STP has, therefore, been awarded with the W.H.O-G.M.P certificate because of its facilities and quality product in the Pharmaceutical field, the release said.
Meanwhile, Mrs Lhamo has thanked the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of India and State Commerce and Industries Department and also to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for his guidance and encouragement.
She has also expressed her appreciation and gratitude to P. Postel, Managing Director, Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals for his continued support as well as all the staff and employees of STP for their dedication and hard work.
SE Report
GANGTOK, September 7: Sonam Lhamo, the Managing Director of STP Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, Sangkhola near Singtam received ‘National Award’ from the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh for her outstanding entrepreneurship in Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises from North East Region including Sikkim on August 28.
The award comprised of Rs. 1 lakh in cash, certificate and trophy.
Established in February 1999 in collaboration with M/s. Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., (FIP) Mumbai with an initial investment of Rs. 28 Lakhs in Plant and Machinery with 66 employees, STP Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd has 159 employees at present.
The company manufactures all products for Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals. The products are marketed by them. After fulfilling the demands for the domestic market, Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals is also exporting products manufactured in STP to overseas.
A press release adds that 95 percent of the employees at STP Pharmaceuticals are needy local unemployed people who have just had primary or no education with an average age of 25 years.
The facilities for the employees at the company include Employees Provident Fund, 13 months’ salary against 11 working months, subsidised canteen, regular medical examination, medical reimbursements including long term ailments, operations etc, free accommodation for officers from outside of the State, interest free loans, leave facility and subsidised ration shop.
Till the end of the last financial year 2008-2009, STP has contributed Rs. 34.15 crores as revenue to the State Government.
As far as certificates awarded by the government, FIP and STP, the release states are quality conscious and all their products are tested stringently before being passed. STP has, therefore, been awarded with the W.H.O-G.M.P certificate because of its facilities and quality product in the Pharmaceutical field, the release said.
Meanwhile, Mrs Lhamo has thanked the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Government of India and State Commerce and Industries Department and also to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for his guidance and encouragement.
She has also expressed her appreciation and gratitude to P. Postel, Managing Director, Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals for his continued support as well as all the staff and employees of STP for their dedication and hard work.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
INSIGHTS
STEP BEYOND THE NET
The great Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj observes, “We see the world through the net of our desires, divided into pleasure and pain, right and wrong, inner and outer. The real world is beyond the mind’s ken. To see the universe as it is, we must step beyond the net.”
He then adds, “Stepping beyond the net is not hard, for this net is full of holes!”
What are the holes? How do we find them? When we look at the net, we can find many contradictions. We do and undo at every step. We want peace and love but work hard to create pain and hatred. We want to live long but we overeat. We want true friendship but exploit everyone.
The net of our thoughts is thus full of holes, its contradictions. If we see them, they will go.
Therefore the urgency is not about reading all those books that we have collected at our home library. It is rather about being aware of the mechanical way our mind is working. Krishnamurti called it reading the book of life. The action is needed here and now; of what use is it to think, “Oh I must meditate tonight; I must go to the temple this weekend”? Meditate now – in the form of breaking the habit of imagining and by way of seeing things as they are. Go now to the temple in your own heart – where the light of pure awareness shines, unconditioned by memory.
Are we earnest at all about our own freedom? Or are we content with the praise, “He is a good slave?” When we have given primary importance to social respectability, we thereby put off indefinitely our own breaking free. This does not of course mean we must simply disregard the society and break its laws thoughtlessly. We need to see how we create artificial structures of power or glory and then suffer under their weight. We make somebody a celebrity and then envy her. We make someone else a (so-called) common man and turn indifferent to him. The extra attention we give to the celebrity and the attention we deny to the common man are both actually expressions of our lacking the quality of true attention. In such self-created hierarchy we lose our sensitivity; we live carelessly.
If we are earnest in self-inquiry, we would not live under the pressure of various notions. Fancy ideas of who is great and who ordinary create the false net of the mind. The idea of greatness makes me ‘want to become like that’. Similarly the idea of commonness makes me ‘not want to remain like that’. Either way, I am pursuing an image (or avoiding an image) and, in the process, am failing to know myself as I am. The challenge before us is to ask, “Who am I?” and not to get caught in the wild goose chase of becoming.
Caught in the net, we look out and chase a dream. Stepping out of the net, we wake up. Many dreams, no doubt, are lovely. Alas, all of them at the end are nothing. They are, as a play of Shakespeare is titled, Much Ado about Nothing. The Vedanta therefore gives the analogy of going after the mirage, mistaking it to be real water; or desiring the silver in the (sea shell called) mother of pearl. The Upanishads ask, “Are not all actions (karmas) a sign of ignorance? Are you not chasing one illusion after another through them?” The wise do not (with plan and scheme) do any karma. If at all, karmas take place spontaneously through them. Swami Chinmayananda therefore made a distinction: the unwise act for happiness; the wise act out of happiness. The happiness of the wise is from their intuitive awareness of their own fullness, no matter what.
Let us not think of long years of tapas on the slopes of the Himalayas; that is a grand future plan. What is the present plan? Let us live today with all vigilance, ensuring that no word slips from our mouth wrongly and no food enters our mouth unnecessarily. Let us, if necessary, reprimand somebody who is at fault but not utter one un-parliamentary word. Let us eat sweets (provided we are not diabetic) but not take one more piece than the appropriate quantity. Living now rightly may make the grandiose plans redundant.
Swami Chidananda
Varanasi
Monday, August 10, 2009
STEP BEYOND THE NET
The great Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj observes, “We see the world through the net of our desires, divided into pleasure and pain, right and wrong, inner and outer. The real world is beyond the mind’s ken. To see the universe as it is, we must step beyond the net.”
He then adds, “Stepping beyond the net is not hard, for this net is full of holes!”
What are the holes? How do we find them? When we look at the net, we can find many contradictions. We do and undo at every step. We want peace and love but work hard to create pain and hatred. We want to live long but we overeat. We want true friendship but exploit everyone.
The net of our thoughts is thus full of holes, its contradictions. If we see them, they will go.
Therefore the urgency is not about reading all those books that we have collected at our home library. It is rather about being aware of the mechanical way our mind is working. Krishnamurti called it reading the book of life. The action is needed here and now; of what use is it to think, “Oh I must meditate tonight; I must go to the temple this weekend”? Meditate now – in the form of breaking the habit of imagining and by way of seeing things as they are. Go now to the temple in your own heart – where the light of pure awareness shines, unconditioned by memory.
Are we earnest at all about our own freedom? Or are we content with the praise, “He is a good slave?” When we have given primary importance to social respectability, we thereby put off indefinitely our own breaking free. This does not of course mean we must simply disregard the society and break its laws thoughtlessly. We need to see how we create artificial structures of power or glory and then suffer under their weight. We make somebody a celebrity and then envy her. We make someone else a (so-called) common man and turn indifferent to him. The extra attention we give to the celebrity and the attention we deny to the common man are both actually expressions of our lacking the quality of true attention. In such self-created hierarchy we lose our sensitivity; we live carelessly.
If we are earnest in self-inquiry, we would not live under the pressure of various notions. Fancy ideas of who is great and who ordinary create the false net of the mind. The idea of greatness makes me ‘want to become like that’. Similarly the idea of commonness makes me ‘not want to remain like that’. Either way, I am pursuing an image (or avoiding an image) and, in the process, am failing to know myself as I am. The challenge before us is to ask, “Who am I?” and not to get caught in the wild goose chase of becoming.
Caught in the net, we look out and chase a dream. Stepping out of the net, we wake up. Many dreams, no doubt, are lovely. Alas, all of them at the end are nothing. They are, as a play of Shakespeare is titled, Much Ado about Nothing. The Vedanta therefore gives the analogy of going after the mirage, mistaking it to be real water; or desiring the silver in the (sea shell called) mother of pearl. The Upanishads ask, “Are not all actions (karmas) a sign of ignorance? Are you not chasing one illusion after another through them?” The wise do not (with plan and scheme) do any karma. If at all, karmas take place spontaneously through them. Swami Chinmayananda therefore made a distinction: the unwise act for happiness; the wise act out of happiness. The happiness of the wise is from their intuitive awareness of their own fullness, no matter what.
Let us not think of long years of tapas on the slopes of the Himalayas; that is a grand future plan. What is the present plan? Let us live today with all vigilance, ensuring that no word slips from our mouth wrongly and no food enters our mouth unnecessarily. Let us, if necessary, reprimand somebody who is at fault but not utter one un-parliamentary word. Let us eat sweets (provided we are not diabetic) but not take one more piece than the appropriate quantity. Living now rightly may make the grandiose plans redundant.
Swami Chidananda
Varanasi
Monday, August 10, 2009
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