Sensitisation workshop on cluster development in Sikkim held
Cluster development in Sikkim can be a great source of employment: PD Rai
GANGTOK, June 11: MP Lok Sabha, PD Rai today said cluster development in Sikkim can be a great source of employment for the unemployed and can certainly add to the economy of the State as well as the Nation.
Addressing a daylong sensitization workshop on cluster development held here today, Mr Rai, the chairperson for the session said there is a need to prepare a road map in making cluster development and IIE (Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship) more functional in Sikkim. “Sikkim though small with geographical shortcomings has a great potential in this field,” he said while informing how the present Chief Minister Pawan Chamling led government has maintained tranquil and peaceful environment in the state by the good governance of the government.
At the same time, he expressed concern over the poor digital connectivity in the State.
He said that the cluster development approach has not taken up momentum in the North Eastern part of India and that there is a need to develop synergies among various schemes of different departments and organizations to spread the benefits of the cluster development programme on a wider scale. “Financial institutions such as NABARD can play a key role in the rural areas by financing the artisans,” he added.
Earlier, IIE Director K Ahmed in his welcome address gave an overview on cluster development. He said the growth of MSME in the North Eastern parts of India is slow. “With globalization as a challenge, growth of clusters can not only lower the cost of production and make the firm produce at a competitive end but can also give a thrust access to a wider market with the state of the art technology and better quality product,” Mr. Ahmed pointed out.
Dr. S Boruah, the head of Centre for Industrial Extension, IIE also made a power point presentation on cluster initiative of IIE with specific focus on Okharey, Carpet Making cluster.
The workshop was organized by Regional Resource Centre on Cluster Development, IIE Guwahati and sponsored by office of the DC Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India with the objective to bring together various organizations/institutions concerned with cluster development so as to synergise the efforts and add further momentum to cluster development in the State.
source;sikkim express
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Minister inaugurates Livelihood School for Retail Management in Arithang Constituency
Youth will be given placements after completion of training: NK Pradhan
GANGTOK, June 10: State HRD Minister NK Pradhan today assured that proper education would be provided to those who are deprived of good education.
Inaugurating the Livelihood School for Retail Management for Arithang Constituency here today, Mr. Pradhan, who is also the Chairman of State Board for Livelihood School said the Government has propounded the concept of livelihood schools in the country to make the younger generation capable and produce a complete work force of technically sound and skilled individuals. “Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, the State Government has targeted every youth to be self dependent, capable of living a respectable life and capable in every aspect,” he said adding that the thrust would be on technical education.
Stating that Government wanted disciplined, qualitative, skilled, educated, technically sound and determined youths, the minister said livelihood schools were in the process of commencement in all the 31 constituencies of the State.
“Our youths have plenty of talents but in absence of proper guidance and exposure, they cannot showcase their talents,” he said. At the same time, Mr. Pradhan urged students of his constituency to give up the mentality of running after easy money and white colour jobs and opt for technical education and be self employed.
Explaining the reason behind choosing Retail Management for his constituency youth, the minister said that there was immense scope for retail market. “Around 80-90 percent youths will be given placements after undergoing the trainings,” he informed.
Under Retail management, 50 students, mainly locals are enrolled at Arithang Constituency with five instructors. The students will be given a stipend of Rs. 2500 per month, Chief Administrator of State Board of Livelihood School SD Dhakal informed. He further informed that the faculties will be given trainings at SIRD complex, Karfectar, Jorethang by the resource persons.
In his introductory note, Mr Dhakal said, “Retail management will be tomorrow’s market and under the training every aspect of retail management will be taught to the participants who start from small retail knowledge to big mall management. Livelihood management schools on animal husbandry, horticulture, fashion designing, computer software and hardware and many more are in the pipeline,” he informed.
A thousand students will be given training within a time period of one year to six months, it was informed. “Large corporate houses have entered the retail market and if India maintains the present growth, it will be the third developed country by 2032 after USA and China, Mr. Dhakal said adding “our government has the foresight and the vision and wants to provide every opportunity to the people, for which livelihood schools have been started for every constituency.”
source; sikkim express
Youth will be given placements after completion of training: NK Pradhan
GANGTOK, June 10: State HRD Minister NK Pradhan today assured that proper education would be provided to those who are deprived of good education.
Inaugurating the Livelihood School for Retail Management for Arithang Constituency here today, Mr. Pradhan, who is also the Chairman of State Board for Livelihood School said the Government has propounded the concept of livelihood schools in the country to make the younger generation capable and produce a complete work force of technically sound and skilled individuals. “Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, the State Government has targeted every youth to be self dependent, capable of living a respectable life and capable in every aspect,” he said adding that the thrust would be on technical education.
Stating that Government wanted disciplined, qualitative, skilled, educated, technically sound and determined youths, the minister said livelihood schools were in the process of commencement in all the 31 constituencies of the State.
“Our youths have plenty of talents but in absence of proper guidance and exposure, they cannot showcase their talents,” he said. At the same time, Mr. Pradhan urged students of his constituency to give up the mentality of running after easy money and white colour jobs and opt for technical education and be self employed.
Explaining the reason behind choosing Retail Management for his constituency youth, the minister said that there was immense scope for retail market. “Around 80-90 percent youths will be given placements after undergoing the trainings,” he informed.
Under Retail management, 50 students, mainly locals are enrolled at Arithang Constituency with five instructors. The students will be given a stipend of Rs. 2500 per month, Chief Administrator of State Board of Livelihood School SD Dhakal informed. He further informed that the faculties will be given trainings at SIRD complex, Karfectar, Jorethang by the resource persons.
In his introductory note, Mr Dhakal said, “Retail management will be tomorrow’s market and under the training every aspect of retail management will be taught to the participants who start from small retail knowledge to big mall management. Livelihood management schools on animal husbandry, horticulture, fashion designing, computer software and hardware and many more are in the pipeline,” he informed.
A thousand students will be given training within a time period of one year to six months, it was informed. “Large corporate houses have entered the retail market and if India maintains the present growth, it will be the third developed country by 2032 after USA and China, Mr. Dhakal said adding “our government has the foresight and the vision and wants to provide every opportunity to the people, for which livelihood schools have been started for every constituency.”
source; sikkim express
Unemployment will be the biggest issue in Sikkim: Kiran
Gangtok, June 11: According to various economists, youth unemployment is the country’s ticking time-bomb. A caution in the unemployment rate has reached peak in Sikkim. Thousands number of educated unemployed youths of Sikkim in the final day of submitting the applications form for the post of Revenue Supervisor & the Assistant Surveyor. The application form was made available from 17th May 2010-31st May 2010 and submission of the form was from 1st June -10th June.
About 5000 unemployed youths had gather from all across the state to get job. Many had to face lots of hardships; some didn’t have money to buy refreshments and lunch. Some even fainted between the crowds. Some couldn’t return their respective destination and many among then neither had relatives at Gangtok nor money to stay at hotel.
Seeing this we can clearly predict that unemployment will be the biggest issue in sikkim in near future, said Nawin Kiran of ASESE&UA Thursday.
As per the survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation in 1999-2000, the unemployment rate among the educated persons (15 year and above) was 6.7 per cent in rural areas and 7.4 per cent in urban areas on all India basis. In Comparison with other states of the nation Sikkim’s rate of unemployment in rural area is 11.8 per cent and urban area is12.1 per cent. State must examine the unemployment growth of past ten years to make essential work-out for the solution.
source: Haalkhabar.com
Gangtok, June 11: According to various economists, youth unemployment is the country’s ticking time-bomb. A caution in the unemployment rate has reached peak in Sikkim. Thousands number of educated unemployed youths of Sikkim in the final day of submitting the applications form for the post of Revenue Supervisor & the Assistant Surveyor. The application form was made available from 17th May 2010-31st May 2010 and submission of the form was from 1st June -10th June.
About 5000 unemployed youths had gather from all across the state to get job. Many had to face lots of hardships; some didn’t have money to buy refreshments and lunch. Some even fainted between the crowds. Some couldn’t return their respective destination and many among then neither had relatives at Gangtok nor money to stay at hotel.
Seeing this we can clearly predict that unemployment will be the biggest issue in sikkim in near future, said Nawin Kiran of ASESE&UA Thursday.
As per the survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Organisation in 1999-2000, the unemployment rate among the educated persons (15 year and above) was 6.7 per cent in rural areas and 7.4 per cent in urban areas on all India basis. In Comparison with other states of the nation Sikkim’s rate of unemployment in rural area is 11.8 per cent and urban area is12.1 per cent. State must examine the unemployment growth of past ten years to make essential work-out for the solution.
source: Haalkhabar.com
District Plan of North Sikkim Approved
The Total Number of Minority Concentration Districts Whose Plans Have Been Approved by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under Multi-Sectoral Development Programme Goes up to 81
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has approved the District Plan of the North Sikkim district, which is the only Minority Concentration District (MCD) of Sikkim, under the Multi- sectoral Development Programme ( MsDP ) for the welfare of Minorities . Under this approval an amount of Rs. 6.43 crore has been sanctioned. Out of this the Central Government’s share will be Rs. 5.78 crore. North Sikkim is categorized as a ‘B-2’ sub-category district which has basic amenities parameters below the national average.
With this, the total number of MCDs whose District Plans have been approved by the Ministry of Minority Affairs has gone up to 81. Thus, out of 90 MCDs, now only 9 districts remain whose District Plans are yet to be approved. Of these 9, two are from Assam (whose plans for other 11 MCDs have already been approved) and 7 are from Arunachal Pradesh. In the case of Arunachal Pradesh, the state has 7 MCDs – of which majority districts are categorized as category-‘A’ districts thereby having both socio-economic and basic amenities parameters below the national average; but the District Plan of none of these could be approved as none has been submitted by the State Government, despite repeated requests by the Ministry.
------------------------------------
The Total Number of Minority Concentration Districts Whose Plans Have Been Approved by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under Multi-Sectoral Development Programme Goes up to 81
The Ministry of Minority Affairs has approved the District Plan of the North Sikkim district, which is the only Minority Concentration District (MCD) of Sikkim, under the Multi- sectoral Development Programme ( MsDP ) for the welfare of Minorities . Under this approval an amount of Rs. 6.43 crore has been sanctioned. Out of this the Central Government’s share will be Rs. 5.78 crore. North Sikkim is categorized as a ‘B-2’ sub-category district which has basic amenities parameters below the national average.
With this, the total number of MCDs whose District Plans have been approved by the Ministry of Minority Affairs has gone up to 81. Thus, out of 90 MCDs, now only 9 districts remain whose District Plans are yet to be approved. Of these 9, two are from Assam (whose plans for other 11 MCDs have already been approved) and 7 are from Arunachal Pradesh. In the case of Arunachal Pradesh, the state has 7 MCDs – of which majority districts are categorized as category-‘A’ districts thereby having both socio-economic and basic amenities parameters below the national average; but the District Plan of none of these could be approved as none has been submitted by the State Government, despite repeated requests by the Ministry.
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Friday, June 11, 2010
Gangtok, June 10: The yellow roofed cabs have disappeared from Gangtok. Long queues of exasperated commuters have replaced them at the taxi stands at Ranka, Tadong, Vajra, Deorali, Ranipool, Syari and Tathangchen. Most of the points are on NH31A.
For the past two months, the people of Gangtok have been grappling with acute cab shortage. But once outside the town, the shining local cabs can be seen swishing past or idling away waiting for tourists.
With surplus visitors, good rates for ferrying them, and roads without traffic jams as most of the tourist points — like Banjakhri Falls, Tashi View Point, Himalayan Zoological Park and Ranka monastery — are outside the town, the taxis have switched routes. They are more outside the town, than inside.
Tourists bring quick money. “It means we can save for the lean season. That is why we try to earn as much as possible during tourist season,” said taxi driver Vikash Chettri. While local rates range from Rs 5 to Rs 25 for each person, the minimum charges for half-day tourist service is Rs 700. For a full day, a visitor has to shell out at least Rs 1500. According to state government norms, taxis can carry only four passengers, tourists or otherwise.
And thanks to an incredible season, more than 2 lakh tourists visited Sikkim in the first five months and most of them passed through Gangtok to visit Nathu-la and Chhangu Lake in East Sikkim or to go to North Sikkim.
According to the tourism department, 2,36,312 domestic tourists visited Sikkim till April end with an arrival of 87,172 tourists in that month alone. Similarly, 9,538 foreigners visited Sikkim till May.
During their stay in Gangtok, most tourists go for local sighting in the hired taxis. The demand for local cabs have shot up with the Nathu-la-Chhangu Lake-Baba Mandir circuit becoming inaccessible because of landslides along the Gangtok-Nathu-la Road. Only SUVs can travel on these routes.
Most of the taxi stop points are located along the national highway from Ranipool to Zero Point. Local commuters complain that even empty cabs whiz past without as much as a glance. “In the past two tourism seasons, there was taxi shortage in town but this time, the taxis have simply disappeared,” said a student waiting for taxi near Tadong Government College.
Transport secretary S.D. Basi said keeping in mind the local commuters’ plight spawned by tourism growth, his department has put 24 buses on the road under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Transport officials here said that they were trying to convince the various taxi syndicates to keep at least 50 percent of their fleet in the respective stands for the local people.
There are around half a dozen taxi drivers associations in Gangtok who ply their vehicles on the Ranka, Tadong, Vajra, Deorali, Ranipool, Syari and Tathangchen routes.
Deorali taxi drivers association president Chungchung Bhutia said most of the associations keep part of their vehicles at their stands. “We keep at least 10 taxis at the stand for the local commuters but these taxis take time to go back because of traffic jams,” he said.
The transport department is also mulling to release a new fare chart. The last fare was fixed in 2006.
According to records of the motor vehicles’ division of the transport department, there are 3,507 local taxis in Sikkim. The number for Gangtok is not clear. But around 1,500 ply in and around the hill town.
Transport officials also said the shortage of cabs could be because registration of new taxis in Gangtok has stopped since December 2009 to control the number of vehicles. The the registration will start only after December 2011.
source; The Telegraph
For the past two months, the people of Gangtok have been grappling with acute cab shortage. But once outside the town, the shining local cabs can be seen swishing past or idling away waiting for tourists.
With surplus visitors, good rates for ferrying them, and roads without traffic jams as most of the tourist points — like Banjakhri Falls, Tashi View Point, Himalayan Zoological Park and Ranka monastery — are outside the town, the taxis have switched routes. They are more outside the town, than inside.
Tourists bring quick money. “It means we can save for the lean season. That is why we try to earn as much as possible during tourist season,” said taxi driver Vikash Chettri. While local rates range from Rs 5 to Rs 25 for each person, the minimum charges for half-day tourist service is Rs 700. For a full day, a visitor has to shell out at least Rs 1500. According to state government norms, taxis can carry only four passengers, tourists or otherwise.
And thanks to an incredible season, more than 2 lakh tourists visited Sikkim in the first five months and most of them passed through Gangtok to visit Nathu-la and Chhangu Lake in East Sikkim or to go to North Sikkim.
According to the tourism department, 2,36,312 domestic tourists visited Sikkim till April end with an arrival of 87,172 tourists in that month alone. Similarly, 9,538 foreigners visited Sikkim till May.
During their stay in Gangtok, most tourists go for local sighting in the hired taxis. The demand for local cabs have shot up with the Nathu-la-Chhangu Lake-Baba Mandir circuit becoming inaccessible because of landslides along the Gangtok-Nathu-la Road. Only SUVs can travel on these routes.
Most of the taxi stop points are located along the national highway from Ranipool to Zero Point. Local commuters complain that even empty cabs whiz past without as much as a glance. “In the past two tourism seasons, there was taxi shortage in town but this time, the taxis have simply disappeared,” said a student waiting for taxi near Tadong Government College.
Transport secretary S.D. Basi said keeping in mind the local commuters’ plight spawned by tourism growth, his department has put 24 buses on the road under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Transport officials here said that they were trying to convince the various taxi syndicates to keep at least 50 percent of their fleet in the respective stands for the local people.
There are around half a dozen taxi drivers associations in Gangtok who ply their vehicles on the Ranka, Tadong, Vajra, Deorali, Ranipool, Syari and Tathangchen routes.
Deorali taxi drivers association president Chungchung Bhutia said most of the associations keep part of their vehicles at their stands. “We keep at least 10 taxis at the stand for the local commuters but these taxis take time to go back because of traffic jams,” he said.
The transport department is also mulling to release a new fare chart. The last fare was fixed in 2006.
According to records of the motor vehicles’ division of the transport department, there are 3,507 local taxis in Sikkim. The number for Gangtok is not clear. But around 1,500 ply in and around the hill town.
Transport officials also said the shortage of cabs could be because registration of new taxis in Gangtok has stopped since December 2009 to control the number of vehicles. The the registration will start only after December 2011.
source; The Telegraph
BURGEONING MARKET - Coffee chains line up to cater to young India
BY DEEPTI CHAUDHARY, PAVITRA JAYARAMAN & RASUL BAILAY
At least three international coffee chains are preparing to enter India, adding to a crowded mar- ket that is set to bulge some more.
The UK's Coffee Republic, Malta's Cafe Jubilee and Aus- tralia's Coffee Club Group have given mandates to retail consultancies in India to scout for franchise partners.
“We have identified real growth opportunities in India as (the) cafe culture is taking hold,“ said Tariq Affara, chief executive, Coffee Republic Trading Ltd. “We have interna- tional experience, a very strong brand offer, and we are excited and confident about our prospects in the Indian market.“
More than 1,200 cafes have sprung up across India in the past decade, mostly from six organized chains, clocking an average annual growth of around 40%. They have made the cafe industry--currently capped at Rs1,000 crore--one of the fastest growing organ- ized retail segments.
Chains such as Cafe Coffee Day (CCD)--which recently acquired Czech label Cafe Em- porio--Barista and Costa Coffee plan on opening hundreds of outlets in major cities over the next two-three years, pin- ning their hopes on the deep pockets of India's growing class of young professionals and students.
According to industry esti- mates, there is scope for an- other 5,000 or so outlets strate- gically located close to offices, colleges and shopping malls.
That's the space the foreign chains want to tap.
Coffee Republic is working with consultants to identify a partner who can expand its business across India. Affara didn't name the consultant.
Cafe Jubilee and Coffee Club Group are working with New Delhi-based consultancy Franchise India Holdings Ltd for strategizing their entry into the country.
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee retailer, is also eyeing the Indian market, after having dropped the plan a few years ago following some regu- latory hurdles.
“At some point in the near future, we will make the right announcement and the right partner in India,“ chief execu- tive Howard Schultz had told Reuters in April. “We are en- thused about India.“
The country is a big draw for international cafes, four of the six organized coffee chains in India being foreign players.
“It is important for the glob- al players to drive strategies by making the campaigns more product-centric than the desti- nation, in addition to the given mandates to flourish in India,“ said Gaurav Marya, president, Franchise India. “This poses a huge challenge to bring the re- quired shift in Indian consum- erism.“
Their biggest challenge will come from India's largest cafe chain, CCD, which has 917 outlets in 150 cities and towns.
It is looking to launch another 200 cafes to add to its presence on highways and inside malls and corporate offices by March.
CCD also plans to open 100 lounges in Mumbai, New Del- hi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Chennai to add to its single lounge in Bangalore, as well as Coffee Day Squares in major cities.
“With lounges, we hope to address young professionals who grew up on CCD and want to indulge a lot more,“ said K.
Ramakrishnan, president of marketing.
“It's a market that needs to be created. Geographical ex- pansion has huge possibilities.
Cities are not saturated yet and the market is not limiting at all,“ he said.
Barista Coffee Co. Ltd, In- dia's second largest organized cafe chain with 210 outlets, plans to launch 40-45 outlets a year in the next two-three years.
It will be followed closely by Costa Coffee, the UK's largest coffee brand, which entered India in September 2005 through an exclusive fran- chisee tie-up with Devyani In- ternational Ltd.
The company has opened around 50 outlets in northern and western India, and plans to invest Rs250 crore in the next four years to take its store count to 500.
But experts point out the chains are targeting the same locations and clients, with lit- tle other than price to differen- tiate them.
Clients agree. Prakash Chan- dra, a 25-year-old software en- gineer, said his loyalties don't lie with any particular chain, as he sat with a couple of friends, sipping from a Barista cup in Noida, a New Delhi sub- urb. “I go to these coffee chains very often. I go to Baris- ta, I go to Cafe Coffee Day; anything will do for me.“ Australian cafe chain Gloria Jean's Coffees, which entered India in 2008 through the Landmark Group's hospitality section, Citymax, positions it- self at the upper end of the market.
The chain, which has 12 out- lets across India, offers a pre- mium cup of coffee at 10-15% more than a cup at Barista, which is priced at around Rs60. It is looking to add an- other 18 outlets by March. The prices at Costa Coffee are also 10-15% above that at CCD, where a regular cup costs Rs40.
“In the cafe business, it is a question of which market and segment one is targeting,“ said Pinakiranjan Mishra, partner and national leader, retail and consumer product practice, Ernst and Young. “One needs to see if they are offering value for that money. In future, it would become more service- led than price-led differentia- tion.“
Outlet managers also say that with cafe chains vying for the same strategic locations, their sales are being affected.
In Noida's Sector 18 market, for instance, there are four Ba- rista outlets competing with five outlets of CCD, two of Cos- ta Coffee and five or six small independent cafes within a ra- dius of half a kilometre.
In Bangalore's Indiranagar locality, there are four cafes on a 1km stretch. “I wish they were not here,“ said the man- ager of one of the Indiranagar cafes, requesting anonymity.
“Since they opened, we have lost at least 20% of our regular customers.“
deepti.c@livemint.com
BY DEEPTI CHAUDHARY, PAVITRA JAYARAMAN & RASUL BAILAY
At least three international coffee chains are preparing to enter India, adding to a crowded mar- ket that is set to bulge some more.
The UK's Coffee Republic, Malta's Cafe Jubilee and Aus- tralia's Coffee Club Group have given mandates to retail consultancies in India to scout for franchise partners.
“We have identified real growth opportunities in India as (the) cafe culture is taking hold,“ said Tariq Affara, chief executive, Coffee Republic Trading Ltd. “We have interna- tional experience, a very strong brand offer, and we are excited and confident about our prospects in the Indian market.“
More than 1,200 cafes have sprung up across India in the past decade, mostly from six organized chains, clocking an average annual growth of around 40%. They have made the cafe industry--currently capped at Rs1,000 crore--one of the fastest growing organ- ized retail segments.
Chains such as Cafe Coffee Day (CCD)--which recently acquired Czech label Cafe Em- porio--Barista and Costa Coffee plan on opening hundreds of outlets in major cities over the next two-three years, pin- ning their hopes on the deep pockets of India's growing class of young professionals and students.
According to industry esti- mates, there is scope for an- other 5,000 or so outlets strate- gically located close to offices, colleges and shopping malls.
That's the space the foreign chains want to tap.
Coffee Republic is working with consultants to identify a partner who can expand its business across India. Affara didn't name the consultant.
Cafe Jubilee and Coffee Club Group are working with New Delhi-based consultancy Franchise India Holdings Ltd for strategizing their entry into the country.
Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee retailer, is also eyeing the Indian market, after having dropped the plan a few years ago following some regu- latory hurdles.
“At some point in the near future, we will make the right announcement and the right partner in India,“ chief execu- tive Howard Schultz had told Reuters in April. “We are en- thused about India.“
The country is a big draw for international cafes, four of the six organized coffee chains in India being foreign players.
“It is important for the glob- al players to drive strategies by making the campaigns more product-centric than the desti- nation, in addition to the given mandates to flourish in India,“ said Gaurav Marya, president, Franchise India. “This poses a huge challenge to bring the re- quired shift in Indian consum- erism.“
Their biggest challenge will come from India's largest cafe chain, CCD, which has 917 outlets in 150 cities and towns.
It is looking to launch another 200 cafes to add to its presence on highways and inside malls and corporate offices by March.
CCD also plans to open 100 lounges in Mumbai, New Del- hi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Chennai to add to its single lounge in Bangalore, as well as Coffee Day Squares in major cities.
“With lounges, we hope to address young professionals who grew up on CCD and want to indulge a lot more,“ said K.
Ramakrishnan, president of marketing.
“It's a market that needs to be created. Geographical ex- pansion has huge possibilities.
Cities are not saturated yet and the market is not limiting at all,“ he said.
Barista Coffee Co. Ltd, In- dia's second largest organized cafe chain with 210 outlets, plans to launch 40-45 outlets a year in the next two-three years.
It will be followed closely by Costa Coffee, the UK's largest coffee brand, which entered India in September 2005 through an exclusive fran- chisee tie-up with Devyani In- ternational Ltd.
The company has opened around 50 outlets in northern and western India, and plans to invest Rs250 crore in the next four years to take its store count to 500.
But experts point out the chains are targeting the same locations and clients, with lit- tle other than price to differen- tiate them.
Clients agree. Prakash Chan- dra, a 25-year-old software en- gineer, said his loyalties don't lie with any particular chain, as he sat with a couple of friends, sipping from a Barista cup in Noida, a New Delhi sub- urb. “I go to these coffee chains very often. I go to Baris- ta, I go to Cafe Coffee Day; anything will do for me.“ Australian cafe chain Gloria Jean's Coffees, which entered India in 2008 through the Landmark Group's hospitality section, Citymax, positions it- self at the upper end of the market.
The chain, which has 12 out- lets across India, offers a pre- mium cup of coffee at 10-15% more than a cup at Barista, which is priced at around Rs60. It is looking to add an- other 18 outlets by March. The prices at Costa Coffee are also 10-15% above that at CCD, where a regular cup costs Rs40.
“In the cafe business, it is a question of which market and segment one is targeting,“ said Pinakiranjan Mishra, partner and national leader, retail and consumer product practice, Ernst and Young. “One needs to see if they are offering value for that money. In future, it would become more service- led than price-led differentia- tion.“
Outlet managers also say that with cafe chains vying for the same strategic locations, their sales are being affected.
In Noida's Sector 18 market, for instance, there are four Ba- rista outlets competing with five outlets of CCD, two of Cos- ta Coffee and five or six small independent cafes within a ra- dius of half a kilometre.
In Bangalore's Indiranagar locality, there are four cafes on a 1km stretch. “I wish they were not here,“ said the man- ager of one of the Indiranagar cafes, requesting anonymity.
“Since they opened, we have lost at least 20% of our regular customers.“
deepti.c@livemint.com
MG Marg comes alive with the Bose beats of Music!
Sikkim Express | www.sikkimexpress.com
BOSE Speakers in MG Marg
MG Marg comes alive with the Bose beats of Music!GANGTOK, June 3: Tourists and locals alike can now relax their evenings with a lovely stroll along the MG Marg listening to melodious instrumental music flowing from the 38 Bose speakers perched in the streetlights.
And the early morning walkers seeking fresh air for health can also feel spiritual as devotional songs will gently flow along the MG Marg through the Bose speakers.
As an extra value addition to the popular MG Marg revamped in a mall design, the State Energy & Power department has installed the Boss music system in the 400 m stretch from Tourism department to bend where New Market starts.
State Power minister Sonam Gyatso Lepcha inaugurated the music system for MG Marg at the 11/11 KV sub-station of the department at old Children Park taxi stand today evening.
Gangtok Mayor KN Topgay, Gangtok MLA Dorjee Namgyal Bhutia, power secretary Pema Wangchen, councilors and senior power officials were present on the occasion.
The power secretary explained the music system has been installed at a cost of Rs. 19.98 lakhs where music of various types will be played for the benefit of the people and tourists from 6 am to 9:30 pm daily.
We will have bhajans being played in the morning, soft instrumental songs in the afternoons and popular songs in the evenings, said Wangchen. The objective is to give entertainment to the tourists and locals alike and add to the appeal of MG Marg, he said.
Mayor Topgay said that the idea to have music system for MG Marg was a wonderful idea. We would be able to entertain the people with soulful and appealing music, he said. The tourists will definitely enjoy this, he said.
The Mayor appealed the people to look after this new initiative of the State government as their own. We should value what is ours, he said and thanked the Power department for the music system.
Gangtok MLA Bhutia said that the second phase will be launched soon for extending the music system to the remaining part of MG Marg.
Sikkim Express | www.sikkimexpress.com
BOSE Speakers in MG Marg
MG Marg comes alive with the Bose beats of Music!GANGTOK, June 3: Tourists and locals alike can now relax their evenings with a lovely stroll along the MG Marg listening to melodious instrumental music flowing from the 38 Bose speakers perched in the streetlights.
And the early morning walkers seeking fresh air for health can also feel spiritual as devotional songs will gently flow along the MG Marg through the Bose speakers.
As an extra value addition to the popular MG Marg revamped in a mall design, the State Energy & Power department has installed the Boss music system in the 400 m stretch from Tourism department to bend where New Market starts.
State Power minister Sonam Gyatso Lepcha inaugurated the music system for MG Marg at the 11/11 KV sub-station of the department at old Children Park taxi stand today evening.
Gangtok Mayor KN Topgay, Gangtok MLA Dorjee Namgyal Bhutia, power secretary Pema Wangchen, councilors and senior power officials were present on the occasion.
The power secretary explained the music system has been installed at a cost of Rs. 19.98 lakhs where music of various types will be played for the benefit of the people and tourists from 6 am to 9:30 pm daily.
We will have bhajans being played in the morning, soft instrumental songs in the afternoons and popular songs in the evenings, said Wangchen. The objective is to give entertainment to the tourists and locals alike and add to the appeal of MG Marg, he said.
Mayor Topgay said that the idea to have music system for MG Marg was a wonderful idea. We would be able to entertain the people with soulful and appealing music, he said. The tourists will definitely enjoy this, he said.
The Mayor appealed the people to look after this new initiative of the State government as their own. We should value what is ours, he said and thanked the Power department for the music system.
Gangtok MLA Bhutia said that the second phase will be launched soon for extending the music system to the remaining part of MG Marg.
CESS Act 1996 implemented in Sikkim
Gangtok, June 10: The Labour Department of Sikkim today implemented ‘The Building and Other Construction Worker’s Welfare CESS Act 1996’ in the state.
The seminar was held here at Janata Bhavan where the announcement of implementation of the act was made. The Supreme Court of India made a hearing on 18th of January of this year making it mandatory for all the states to implement this CESS Act and in response to which the state government too has to obey the direction.
Speaking at the seminar, PW Rinzing Addl. Secretary of Labour Department said that there have been protests from all over the state as well as the nation owing to demands for fulfilling the basic requirement of the labour. So the implementation of this act will certainly fulfill those grievances for it guarantees the medical and various necessary aid of the labourers.
Also addressing at the seminar Bishan Rai, Joint Labour Commissioner Labour Department said that the structure of this act for the state has been copied from the very Act of West Bengal and Tripura. He further said that henceforth all the building and construction project as well as the existing buildings and projects whose valuation exceeds 10 lakhs within the state has to be registered under labour board before the commencement of the project. He also said that the board will claim some amount of the total expenditure cost of the project from the legal owner and will deposit it in labour welfare fund which will be used for the betterment of the labour whenever required.
Today our advisory board is formed and hence we will be holding meetings in every two months, he further informed.
However Binod Rai, chairman Labour Welfare Board, Labour Department expressed of carrying few amendments works in the existing act. He also expressed the importance of debating this CESS Act with the other concerned departments for ruling out every single grievance.
But it is noteworthy that RB Subba Minister Labour Department on his chief guest speech warned all the absent delegates of sending notice from henceforth if the practice is not stopped. The absent delegates have shown the sign of irresponsibility and it is intolerable, he said.
However talking on the issue of the CESS Act he said that the Act is only meant to safeguard the rights of the labourers who are of immense importance. He further expected the feedbacks from the people of the state and too laid the importance of carrying necessary amendments on the existing Act.
It is to be noted that if any one trespasses this act or avoid it he will be penalized of fine as well as jail term. However government notification on percentage or fixed amount of levy/charges has not been produced today.
source: Haalkhabar
Gangtok, June 10: The Labour Department of Sikkim today implemented ‘The Building and Other Construction Worker’s Welfare CESS Act 1996’ in the state.
The seminar was held here at Janata Bhavan where the announcement of implementation of the act was made. The Supreme Court of India made a hearing on 18th of January of this year making it mandatory for all the states to implement this CESS Act and in response to which the state government too has to obey the direction.
Speaking at the seminar, PW Rinzing Addl. Secretary of Labour Department said that there have been protests from all over the state as well as the nation owing to demands for fulfilling the basic requirement of the labour. So the implementation of this act will certainly fulfill those grievances for it guarantees the medical and various necessary aid of the labourers.
Also addressing at the seminar Bishan Rai, Joint Labour Commissioner Labour Department said that the structure of this act for the state has been copied from the very Act of West Bengal and Tripura. He further said that henceforth all the building and construction project as well as the existing buildings and projects whose valuation exceeds 10 lakhs within the state has to be registered under labour board before the commencement of the project. He also said that the board will claim some amount of the total expenditure cost of the project from the legal owner and will deposit it in labour welfare fund which will be used for the betterment of the labour whenever required.
Today our advisory board is formed and hence we will be holding meetings in every two months, he further informed.
However Binod Rai, chairman Labour Welfare Board, Labour Department expressed of carrying few amendments works in the existing act. He also expressed the importance of debating this CESS Act with the other concerned departments for ruling out every single grievance.
But it is noteworthy that RB Subba Minister Labour Department on his chief guest speech warned all the absent delegates of sending notice from henceforth if the practice is not stopped. The absent delegates have shown the sign of irresponsibility and it is intolerable, he said.
However talking on the issue of the CESS Act he said that the Act is only meant to safeguard the rights of the labourers who are of immense importance. He further expected the feedbacks from the people of the state and too laid the importance of carrying necessary amendments on the existing Act.
It is to be noted that if any one trespasses this act or avoid it he will be penalized of fine as well as jail term. However government notification on percentage or fixed amount of levy/charges has not been produced today.
source: Haalkhabar
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Text of the Valedictory Address of MOS, Revenue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18:17 IST
Following is the text of the Valedictory address of Shri S.S. Palanimanickam, Minister of State for Finance delivered at the 26th Annual Conference of Chief Commissioners and Directors General of Income Tax, here today:
“It is my pleasure to give the valedictory address before this distinguished gathering of the senior officers of the Income Tax department. I entered this office as Minister of State of Finance- Revenue, in 2004 and since then, there has been an exponential growth in its revenues - from Rs.1.05 lakh crore in March 2004 to Rs. 3.78 lakh crore in March, 2010. This is a result not only of economic buoyancy, but also a stellar example of the positive effect of tax payer friendly initiatives undertaken by CBDT. The Hon’ble Finance Minister has already congratulated the excellent performance of the department and its officers, but I too have to laud the efforts of the officers and employees of this department for its outstanding achievement.
At the outset, I would like to thank the Hon’ble Finance Minister for his active participation in various initiatives of the department. He inaugurated the Advance Training Complex at NADT, Nagpur on 8th May, 2010 to augment training and international programmes. He also launched the e-tutorial on TDS prepared by the IRS probationers. He chaired the second meeting of the Central Direct Tax Advisory Committee (CDTAC) on 18th May, 2010. The Hon’ble Finance Minister dedicated to the Nation the Centralized Processing Centre set up in Bengaluru on 29th May 2010. In his key note address yesterday, the Finance Minister emphasized the need to tone up the tax administration by adopting IT initiatives and improving professional competence and responsiveness of the officers. He also suggested accepting the PPP mode to improve the services delivery standards. I am hopeful that these suggestions have been given due consideration by this august group, and comprehensive proposals will be submitted in due course to take these suggestions to the next higher level. It is our good fortune to have such a senior and experienced Minister to guide us in our task of building an efficient tax administration.
The Annual Conference of Chief Commissioners and Directors General provide an opportunity to the officers to take stock of Department’s achievements and review the work in progress. I would like to commend the Department on some of its achievements in the last year. The innovative project of the Income Tax Department Integrated Taxpayer Data Management System (ITDMS) was awarded PM’s Award of Excellence for the year 2008-09. This is a comprehensive tool to develop focused intelligence and detect tax evasion in a non-intrusive manner. To this end, it is laudable that the Income Tax Service Centre has obtained IS 15700:2005 certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards. I am glad that the Department has not only brought out a compilation of Best Practices and Orders in the form of a book titled “Let Us Share”, but have kept it updated by bringing out its 3rd Volume. The drafting of the new Direct Taxes Code is a major policy initiative of the department, which will go a long way in ushering in a more transparent and simplified direct tax administration, and would be in tune with the new demands and challenges that the growing forces of globalization throw up.
While I am happy at the progress made by CBDT in the various fronts, more needs to be done. There is a need to attain higher levels of professionalism and motivation amongst the officers of CBDT and to improve service delivery standards to the tax payers. In my valedictory address in the last year’s conference, I had flagged certain important issues. I am glad that certain clauses of transfer policy which were perceived to be causing hardship to the officers have been amended. However, I feel that this is only the beginning of the process. More issues need to be addressed to improve the morale and the satisfaction level of the officers and staff. It is important to satisfy the professional aspirations of officers in a timely manner through efficient cadre management, cadre planning, and imparting the right skills. In this context, I would like to draw your attention to the Hon’ble FM’s keynote address yesterday wherein he had laid emphasis on taking up cadre restructuring proposal which has been delayed. I hope this is taken up in right earnestness by the Board.
As the Department’s contribution to the Central exchequer grows, its manpower, resources and infrastructure also have to grow in tandem. The Department has to create quality infrastructure for its officers and staff as well as for the use of assessees. It is not always efficient and timely to control this process centrally. The field formations need to be given greater financial powers and autonomy in order to impart greater momentum to the process of infrastructure building. I urge the department to actively work on a proposal to enhance delegation of financial powers to its field formations. To ensure better coordination of expenditure on human and material resources, the department should consider setting up a dedicated Directorate of Finance. There is an urgent need to tone up the Vigilance Machinery of the department. It is imperative that the department fixes a time frame to decide vigilance related cases. Such a time frame should be practical taking into consideration the various nuances of the case. The corrupt should be punished, but the department’s reaction should be prompt. You have to realize that keeping officers in the Agreed list also deprives the department of officers to man sensitive charges. It is therefore in the interest of the department and the officers that vigilance matters are resolved within a fixed time frame.
I would also like to bring to your attention the delay in compiling the monthly revenue figures within the first week of the following month. I would like to be apprised of the bottlenecks, if any in timely collection of the revenue collection figures. I am positive that problems, if any, can be sorted out in this regard.
While tax collection is the core responsibility of the Department, it is important to remember that there is more to modern tax administration than mere revenue collection. The administration needs to be transparent, simple, and efficient. The officers and staff need to go beyond their traditional role of tax collector, and should acquire a more holistic approach where efficiency of services to tax payers, transparency and fair play are given their due importance. At the same time, they also need to focus on devising tools to prevent tax evasion, rather than to unearth evasion that has already taken place. All this requires a focused approach to qualitative improvement of the human resources through regular training and interaction with the senior officers. In this regard, I am happy to note that zonal/regional level conferences have been started, as a precursor to such an annual conference. This will certainly aid in identifying issues which are peculiar, sensitive and relevant for that region and which can be tackled more effectively by such interaction. A connected issue that the department needs to dwell upon is how to improve and update the knowledge base of its most important stakeholders i.e. Auditors, Chartered Accountants etc. An approach of partnership in this area can pay rich dividends.
The Board is very fortunate to be led at this time by a Finance Minister who is willing to give utmost freedom to the Department in augmenting its resources and improving its infrastructure. This is the right time to capitalize on this opportunity because the pressures of revenue collection, meeting the revenue target and budget preparations start building up only from December onwards. Therefore, the Board should use this lean period to work on proposals for creation of infrastructure, cadre restructuring, capacity building etc.
The Department’s efficiency has to be bench marked by the satisfaction level of the users. A major source of dissatisfaction of income tax assesses is with respect to refund of taxes. The time taken to grant refunds is very high when compared to international standards. The department should set up a task force to revamp the system of tax refunds so as to progressively reduce the time taken for refunds from the present period of more than four months, to a maximum of sixty days. Similarly, I have received feedback that the taxpayers are facing difficulties in getting credit of the TDS paid by them. There is a need to review and revamp the existing TDS administration in order to iron out these irritants. It is important that taxpayers receive uniform treatment of their cases in any part of the country. In order to ensure uniformity of approach and transparency in its functioning, the department should put in place a mechanism to disseminate information on all such important orders, judgments to all field formations.
I note that several of these issues have been deliberated during the Conference and I hope that concrete suggestions and action plans have been drawn up for follow-up action.
In the year ahead, we have a tough task before us. We have to achieve a budget collection target of Rs.4.30 lakh crore. The FM in his speech yesterday had implied and hoped that the direct tax collection will exceed its Budget Estimates. However, I shall be direct and urge all of you to take all necessary steps for not only realizing, but exceeding the B.E. Exceeding our collection targets will be a form of thanksgiving to the FM for the benevolence and encouragement shown towards this Department. “
DSM/BY/GN-193/10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18:17 IST
Following is the text of the Valedictory address of Shri S.S. Palanimanickam, Minister of State for Finance delivered at the 26th Annual Conference of Chief Commissioners and Directors General of Income Tax, here today:
“It is my pleasure to give the valedictory address before this distinguished gathering of the senior officers of the Income Tax department. I entered this office as Minister of State of Finance- Revenue, in 2004 and since then, there has been an exponential growth in its revenues - from Rs.1.05 lakh crore in March 2004 to Rs. 3.78 lakh crore in March, 2010. This is a result not only of economic buoyancy, but also a stellar example of the positive effect of tax payer friendly initiatives undertaken by CBDT. The Hon’ble Finance Minister has already congratulated the excellent performance of the department and its officers, but I too have to laud the efforts of the officers and employees of this department for its outstanding achievement.
At the outset, I would like to thank the Hon’ble Finance Minister for his active participation in various initiatives of the department. He inaugurated the Advance Training Complex at NADT, Nagpur on 8th May, 2010 to augment training and international programmes. He also launched the e-tutorial on TDS prepared by the IRS probationers. He chaired the second meeting of the Central Direct Tax Advisory Committee (CDTAC) on 18th May, 2010. The Hon’ble Finance Minister dedicated to the Nation the Centralized Processing Centre set up in Bengaluru on 29th May 2010. In his key note address yesterday, the Finance Minister emphasized the need to tone up the tax administration by adopting IT initiatives and improving professional competence and responsiveness of the officers. He also suggested accepting the PPP mode to improve the services delivery standards. I am hopeful that these suggestions have been given due consideration by this august group, and comprehensive proposals will be submitted in due course to take these suggestions to the next higher level. It is our good fortune to have such a senior and experienced Minister to guide us in our task of building an efficient tax administration.
The Annual Conference of Chief Commissioners and Directors General provide an opportunity to the officers to take stock of Department’s achievements and review the work in progress. I would like to commend the Department on some of its achievements in the last year. The innovative project of the Income Tax Department Integrated Taxpayer Data Management System (ITDMS) was awarded PM’s Award of Excellence for the year 2008-09. This is a comprehensive tool to develop focused intelligence and detect tax evasion in a non-intrusive manner. To this end, it is laudable that the Income Tax Service Centre has obtained IS 15700:2005 certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards. I am glad that the Department has not only brought out a compilation of Best Practices and Orders in the form of a book titled “Let Us Share”, but have kept it updated by bringing out its 3rd Volume. The drafting of the new Direct Taxes Code is a major policy initiative of the department, which will go a long way in ushering in a more transparent and simplified direct tax administration, and would be in tune with the new demands and challenges that the growing forces of globalization throw up.
While I am happy at the progress made by CBDT in the various fronts, more needs to be done. There is a need to attain higher levels of professionalism and motivation amongst the officers of CBDT and to improve service delivery standards to the tax payers. In my valedictory address in the last year’s conference, I had flagged certain important issues. I am glad that certain clauses of transfer policy which were perceived to be causing hardship to the officers have been amended. However, I feel that this is only the beginning of the process. More issues need to be addressed to improve the morale and the satisfaction level of the officers and staff. It is important to satisfy the professional aspirations of officers in a timely manner through efficient cadre management, cadre planning, and imparting the right skills. In this context, I would like to draw your attention to the Hon’ble FM’s keynote address yesterday wherein he had laid emphasis on taking up cadre restructuring proposal which has been delayed. I hope this is taken up in right earnestness by the Board.
As the Department’s contribution to the Central exchequer grows, its manpower, resources and infrastructure also have to grow in tandem. The Department has to create quality infrastructure for its officers and staff as well as for the use of assessees. It is not always efficient and timely to control this process centrally. The field formations need to be given greater financial powers and autonomy in order to impart greater momentum to the process of infrastructure building. I urge the department to actively work on a proposal to enhance delegation of financial powers to its field formations. To ensure better coordination of expenditure on human and material resources, the department should consider setting up a dedicated Directorate of Finance. There is an urgent need to tone up the Vigilance Machinery of the department. It is imperative that the department fixes a time frame to decide vigilance related cases. Such a time frame should be practical taking into consideration the various nuances of the case. The corrupt should be punished, but the department’s reaction should be prompt. You have to realize that keeping officers in the Agreed list also deprives the department of officers to man sensitive charges. It is therefore in the interest of the department and the officers that vigilance matters are resolved within a fixed time frame.
I would also like to bring to your attention the delay in compiling the monthly revenue figures within the first week of the following month. I would like to be apprised of the bottlenecks, if any in timely collection of the revenue collection figures. I am positive that problems, if any, can be sorted out in this regard.
While tax collection is the core responsibility of the Department, it is important to remember that there is more to modern tax administration than mere revenue collection. The administration needs to be transparent, simple, and efficient. The officers and staff need to go beyond their traditional role of tax collector, and should acquire a more holistic approach where efficiency of services to tax payers, transparency and fair play are given their due importance. At the same time, they also need to focus on devising tools to prevent tax evasion, rather than to unearth evasion that has already taken place. All this requires a focused approach to qualitative improvement of the human resources through regular training and interaction with the senior officers. In this regard, I am happy to note that zonal/regional level conferences have been started, as a precursor to such an annual conference. This will certainly aid in identifying issues which are peculiar, sensitive and relevant for that region and which can be tackled more effectively by such interaction. A connected issue that the department needs to dwell upon is how to improve and update the knowledge base of its most important stakeholders i.e. Auditors, Chartered Accountants etc. An approach of partnership in this area can pay rich dividends.
The Board is very fortunate to be led at this time by a Finance Minister who is willing to give utmost freedom to the Department in augmenting its resources and improving its infrastructure. This is the right time to capitalize on this opportunity because the pressures of revenue collection, meeting the revenue target and budget preparations start building up only from December onwards. Therefore, the Board should use this lean period to work on proposals for creation of infrastructure, cadre restructuring, capacity building etc.
The Department’s efficiency has to be bench marked by the satisfaction level of the users. A major source of dissatisfaction of income tax assesses is with respect to refund of taxes. The time taken to grant refunds is very high when compared to international standards. The department should set up a task force to revamp the system of tax refunds so as to progressively reduce the time taken for refunds from the present period of more than four months, to a maximum of sixty days. Similarly, I have received feedback that the taxpayers are facing difficulties in getting credit of the TDS paid by them. There is a need to review and revamp the existing TDS administration in order to iron out these irritants. It is important that taxpayers receive uniform treatment of their cases in any part of the country. In order to ensure uniformity of approach and transparency in its functioning, the department should put in place a mechanism to disseminate information on all such important orders, judgments to all field formations.
I note that several of these issues have been deliberated during the Conference and I hope that concrete suggestions and action plans have been drawn up for follow-up action.
In the year ahead, we have a tough task before us. We have to achieve a budget collection target of Rs.4.30 lakh crore. The FM in his speech yesterday had implied and hoped that the direct tax collection will exceed its Budget Estimates. However, I shall be direct and urge all of you to take all necessary steps for not only realizing, but exceeding the B.E. Exceeding our collection targets will be a form of thanksgiving to the FM for the benevolence and encouragement shown towards this Department. “
DSM/BY/GN-193/10
Railways to Accept Two More Proofs of Identity for Travelling on E-Tickets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18:55 IST
In an important passenger friendly move, the Ministry of Railways has decided to accept two more proofs of identity for traveling on e-tickets. These are; i) Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognised School/College for their students. ii) Nationalised Bank Passbook with photograph. These are in addition to the existing five proofs of identity for undertaking journey on e-tickets namely; a) Voter Identity Card, b) Passport, c) PAN Card, d) Driving License and e) Photo Identity Card issued by Central/State Government. The new provision will come into effect from 15th June 2010.
There will be no concession including student concession admissible to the persons booking e-tickets except concession for senior citizens.
Ministry of Railways has asked all Zonal Railways to issue necessary instruction to all concerned particularly ticket checking staff so as to educate them about this modified provision and to avoid inconvenience to the passengers.
AKS/HK/LK/TR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18:55 IST
In an important passenger friendly move, the Ministry of Railways has decided to accept two more proofs of identity for traveling on e-tickets. These are; i) Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognised School/College for their students. ii) Nationalised Bank Passbook with photograph. These are in addition to the existing five proofs of identity for undertaking journey on e-tickets namely; a) Voter Identity Card, b) Passport, c) PAN Card, d) Driving License and e) Photo Identity Card issued by Central/State Government. The new provision will come into effect from 15th June 2010.
There will be no concession including student concession admissible to the persons booking e-tickets except concession for senior citizens.
Ministry of Railways has asked all Zonal Railways to issue necessary instruction to all concerned particularly ticket checking staff so as to educate them about this modified provision and to avoid inconvenience to the passengers.
AKS/HK/LK/TR
Arjun Singh knows all the facts, says Sathe
Call to fly Andersen out came from CM’s office: Ex-official
Arjun Singh should break his silence on Anderson issue: Mishra
Former Union Minister Vasant Sathe on Thursday said there was “collusion” between the Madhya Pradesh government and “some people” in the Centre which allowed former Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson to escape justice in the Bhopal gas tragedy.
Mr. Sathe, former minister for Information and Broadcasting and Chemicals and Fertilisers, told PTI, “There was collusion between the State Government and some people in the Central Government, probably in the Home Ministry during the Narasimha Rao government.”
Asked who could be responsible for the escape of Anderson, Mr. Sathe said he could not guess the names of the people but claimed only the then Chief Minister Arjun Singh could reply to queries on this issue.
“I cannot guess the names of the people...The collector (Moti Singh) says he got orders from the Chief Secretary...Arjun Singhji knows all the facts. The best person for the media to direct these queries would be Arjun Singhji,” the octogenarian leader said.
He said that instead of doing an exercise in vacuum, the media should direct questions to Singh to get authentic information on the Anderson issue.
“After all, he (Anderson) was given the state government plane from Bhopal to Delhi. Obviously there were some people (in Bhopal and Delhi who were responsible)” Mr. Sathe said.
Asked whether the image of the Congress has taken a beating following the revelations about Anderson fleeing the country, Mr. Sathe replied in the negative.
“I cannot blame the party. I don’t think Congress as a party was responsible,” he added.
On Wednesday, Mr. Sathe had said there were “rogue” elements in the government in 1984 who helped Anderson flee the country after the Bhopal tragedy.
Meanwhile, CWC member Satyavrat Chaturvedi blamed the then Madhya Pradesh government for the episode and said the central government could not be held responsible.
“The incident took place in Bhopal. The arrest was made by the State Government and bail was given to Anderson there the same day. He was sent to Delhi by a state government plane and from there he went to America. No, where do we see the role of the central government? In this we only see the role of the state government,” he said.
Congress had said that those being held responsible should explain.
A senior party leader, who declined to be identified, said these matters needed to be clarified by those against whom questions are being raised.
Arjun Singh had met party president Sonia Gandhi soon after the verdict and has since not made any comment on the issue.
source:The Hindu.com
Call to fly Andersen out came from CM’s office: Ex-official
Arjun Singh should break his silence on Anderson issue: Mishra
Former Union Minister Vasant Sathe on Thursday said there was “collusion” between the Madhya Pradesh government and “some people” in the Centre which allowed former Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson to escape justice in the Bhopal gas tragedy.
Mr. Sathe, former minister for Information and Broadcasting and Chemicals and Fertilisers, told PTI, “There was collusion between the State Government and some people in the Central Government, probably in the Home Ministry during the Narasimha Rao government.”
Asked who could be responsible for the escape of Anderson, Mr. Sathe said he could not guess the names of the people but claimed only the then Chief Minister Arjun Singh could reply to queries on this issue.
“I cannot guess the names of the people...The collector (Moti Singh) says he got orders from the Chief Secretary...Arjun Singhji knows all the facts. The best person for the media to direct these queries would be Arjun Singhji,” the octogenarian leader said.
He said that instead of doing an exercise in vacuum, the media should direct questions to Singh to get authentic information on the Anderson issue.
“After all, he (Anderson) was given the state government plane from Bhopal to Delhi. Obviously there were some people (in Bhopal and Delhi who were responsible)” Mr. Sathe said.
Asked whether the image of the Congress has taken a beating following the revelations about Anderson fleeing the country, Mr. Sathe replied in the negative.
“I cannot blame the party. I don’t think Congress as a party was responsible,” he added.
On Wednesday, Mr. Sathe had said there were “rogue” elements in the government in 1984 who helped Anderson flee the country after the Bhopal tragedy.
Meanwhile, CWC member Satyavrat Chaturvedi blamed the then Madhya Pradesh government for the episode and said the central government could not be held responsible.
“The incident took place in Bhopal. The arrest was made by the State Government and bail was given to Anderson there the same day. He was sent to Delhi by a state government plane and from there he went to America. No, where do we see the role of the central government? In this we only see the role of the state government,” he said.
Congress had said that those being held responsible should explain.
A senior party leader, who declined to be identified, said these matters needed to be clarified by those against whom questions are being raised.
Arjun Singh had met party president Sonia Gandhi soon after the verdict and has since not made any comment on the issue.
source:The Hindu.com
A “zhengyou” relationship with China
by Vidya Subrahmaniam
During Pratibha Patil's recent visit to China, both sides celebrated the Copenhagen spirit and affirmed to take the relationship beyond bilateral to global cooperation.
At the Asia Hotel in Beijing, Ma Jisheng, an official with the information department of the Foreign Ministry, was declaiming on millennia-old India-China relations. Suddenly he flung aside the prepared text and announced that he would speak straight from the heart: “Would the media on both sides please give India and China a chance to develop normal relations?”
The official's point was simple. Attitudes hardened when the media sensationalised issues, and the events of 2009, when bilateral relations reached a precipitous low following media frenzy and scare-mongering, proved as much. “This constant harping on border, visa and other things, is it not like eating the same food everyday?” Mr. Ma asked plaintively, adding, “I cannot help but think sometimes that China and India would solve their problems if only the media kept quiet a bit.”
The Indian media delegation accompanying President Pratibha Patil had looked upon the Asia Hotel lunch as little more than an interlude in an itinerary packed with ceremonial welcomes, meetings, inaugurations, receptions and so forth. Ornamental phraseology and practised rhetoric are the stuff of such visits, and we were naturally taken aback by Mr. Ma's plain speaking. Perhaps he was being free and frank because we were not officials but the media?
Yet as the tour — organised to coincide with the landmark 60th anniversary of the establishment of India-China diplomatic relations — progressed, it was evident that even at the highest level of the Chinese leadership there was a degree of candour and responsiveness that took the Indian side by surprise. As the presidential outing drew to a close, both sides seemed to concur that Ms Patil's visit had gone beyond the perimeter of goodwill ambassadorship to generate tangible positives for the future. A highly placed Indian official told The Hindu: “I read the visit as a clear Chinese signal to have better relations with us.”
It certainly helped that Ms Patil arrived in Beijing at a time when India-China relations were seen to be on the mend after a difficult year characterised by intense mistrust on both sides. The irritants seemed daunting enough on their own: China's angst over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, and the Indian unhappiness at stapled visas, not to mention apprehensions over Chinese-assisted construction in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). But aided by irresponsible speculation on an upcoming war, they began to look insurmountable. In July 2009, the editor of an Indian defence magazine prophesied that China would attack India by 2012. A month later, a so-called Chinese strategist posted a web article that argued that China with some effort could indeed balkanise India.
Neither of the articles was officially authorised. Yet, together, they assumed a life of their own with commentators in India hyperventilating about China's hidden agenda, and the Chinese media and think tanks contributing their bit to the rising hysteria.
While it may be difficult to locate the precise point when tensions began to ease up, analysts on both sides agree that India and China were well served by the “Copenhagen spirit.” This is a euphemism for the exemplary cooperation witnessed in the Danish capital during the December 2009 Climate Change summit. India and China so finely coordinated their negotiating positions at the talks that the online edition of the German magazine, Der Spiegel, was provoked to put out an article, “How India and China sabotaged the UN Climate Summit.”
The summit revealed the humongous potential of India-China cooperation on international platforms. Given the size of either country's population and economy, India and China are intimidating enough individually. Together their might could be staggering. Not surprisingly, Copenhagen became a metaphor for forward movement at the 2010 India-China Beijing talks. Ms Patil and President Hu Jintao agreed that the Asian neighbours were now ready to move beyond bilateral engagement to consider cooperation at international groupings and venues, among them G-20, Doha and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China).
The enlarged scope of cooperation was brought up again on the last day of talks by Vice-President Xi Jinping, who made several significant points. First, he declared that India and China were ripe for a “new start.” Second, he reiterated the prospects for global cooperation between the Asian neighbours. Third, he pointed out that between them China and India boasted a combined population of 2.6 billion. The imagery would overawe anyone: Two fastest growing economies with close to 40 per cent of the global population acting in tandem. That Mr. Xi followed this up by attending the 60th anniversary celebrations of India-China relations held at a local hotel was not missed by the Indian side. Mr. Xi is not just any Vice-President. Though currently fifth in the Chinese leadership hierarchy, he is widely tipped to succeed Mr. Hu, which invests his words with weight and value. Mr. Xi's presence at the reception was noteworthy because the usual practice is to send Ministers to such functions.
Indian Foreign Ministry officials counted other factors which lent that special touch to the presidential visit. Ms Patil had an audience with each member of the leadership hierarchy — besides Mr. Hu and Mr. Xi, she met Chairman of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jia Qinglin. This is considered a rare honour for a visiting head of state.
Through the visit, the two sides seemed to have firmed up a formula, slowly evolving over meetings between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Chinese leadership, and now held up as the way forward: Manage the areas of conflict so that the relationship, rather than being held hostage to “one or two persisting issues,” could move forward to explore areas of global and bilateral cooperation.
Inevitably India's growing trade with China — China is India's largest trading partner with volumes targeted to reach $ 60 billion this year — figured prominently in the talks as did the fact that it was adversely balanced against India. President Patil missed no opportunity to speak for wider Indian access to Chinese markets. India's exports are currently restricted to primary and resource-based products such as iron ore and copper, with little opening available to core competence sectors like IT, pharma and engineering. In her speeches, Ms Patil stressed these as thrust areas for market development, and according to Indian officials, the Chinese team agreed that the trade imbalance was not sustainable. Said an Indian official: “The Chinese are minimal with their promises because they see them as commitment. The fact that at almost every forum they agreed to import more from us shows that they are very serious about trade.”
Yet with all the positives, the tour also showed how delicately poised the relationship is and how easily views can be shaped for or against China. So far, the Indian public opinion has alternated between exultation over Chindia and paranoia over imagined war threats. Chindia is an inappropriate coupling notwithstanding the growing prospects for India-China global joint action. China is far ahead of us on all indicators. On infrastructure and organising capacity, we must abandon all hopes of catching up — a truth that hit home when we saw the woefully inadequate Indian pavilion at the Shanghai expo.
As the presidential entourage flew into Beijing, the media mood was set by a report in the Guardian indicating huge Chinese diversion projects on the Brahmaputra. But thanks to excellent background briefing by the Indian side, which pointed to lack of evidence for the report, the accompanying media were prevented from blowing it up into “yet another Chinese threat.”
As against this, the media mood swing was overly positive on India's aspirations for a United Nations Security Council seat. Ms Patil did seek China's backing for it during her summit meeting with President Hu, and China did broadly indicate its support but the phraseology was far more nuanced than understood by the Indian media which drummed it up as “China backs India on UNSC seat.” Indeed, the omission of the “promised” UNSC seat from the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement issued the same day underscored the pitfalls of overinterpreting what Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao described as “a gradually developing relationship.” What official sources did convey later was that on the UNSC seat, “the Chinese were far more positive than they have been so far.”
Tibet provided some more media excitement on the last day of talks. Ms Rao and Ambassador S. Jaishankar were bombarded with questions: Did China raise Tibet? Just when we thought things were going fine, they brought up this irritant. Is this not unfair to us? MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who was on the tour, added to the panic: “Heard they are singing the Tibet tune.” Tempers cooled down only after the Indian side explained that Tibet was on a checklist of queries China always raised in talks with India. The Indian side had a checklist too, and it was routine for both countries to go through the motions and allay each other's fears.
A top member of the Indian official delegation summed up India-China relations in terms of “pengyou” and “zhengyou.” “Pengyou” is a superficial friend. “Zhengyou” is a serious, real friend who will frankly admit to problems and work at overcoming them: “We have a zhengyou relationship with China.”
by Vidya Subrahmaniam
During Pratibha Patil's recent visit to China, both sides celebrated the Copenhagen spirit and affirmed to take the relationship beyond bilateral to global cooperation.
At the Asia Hotel in Beijing, Ma Jisheng, an official with the information department of the Foreign Ministry, was declaiming on millennia-old India-China relations. Suddenly he flung aside the prepared text and announced that he would speak straight from the heart: “Would the media on both sides please give India and China a chance to develop normal relations?”
The official's point was simple. Attitudes hardened when the media sensationalised issues, and the events of 2009, when bilateral relations reached a precipitous low following media frenzy and scare-mongering, proved as much. “This constant harping on border, visa and other things, is it not like eating the same food everyday?” Mr. Ma asked plaintively, adding, “I cannot help but think sometimes that China and India would solve their problems if only the media kept quiet a bit.”
The Indian media delegation accompanying President Pratibha Patil had looked upon the Asia Hotel lunch as little more than an interlude in an itinerary packed with ceremonial welcomes, meetings, inaugurations, receptions and so forth. Ornamental phraseology and practised rhetoric are the stuff of such visits, and we were naturally taken aback by Mr. Ma's plain speaking. Perhaps he was being free and frank because we were not officials but the media?
Yet as the tour — organised to coincide with the landmark 60th anniversary of the establishment of India-China diplomatic relations — progressed, it was evident that even at the highest level of the Chinese leadership there was a degree of candour and responsiveness that took the Indian side by surprise. As the presidential outing drew to a close, both sides seemed to concur that Ms Patil's visit had gone beyond the perimeter of goodwill ambassadorship to generate tangible positives for the future. A highly placed Indian official told The Hindu: “I read the visit as a clear Chinese signal to have better relations with us.”
It certainly helped that Ms Patil arrived in Beijing at a time when India-China relations were seen to be on the mend after a difficult year characterised by intense mistrust on both sides. The irritants seemed daunting enough on their own: China's angst over the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, and the Indian unhappiness at stapled visas, not to mention apprehensions over Chinese-assisted construction in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). But aided by irresponsible speculation on an upcoming war, they began to look insurmountable. In July 2009, the editor of an Indian defence magazine prophesied that China would attack India by 2012. A month later, a so-called Chinese strategist posted a web article that argued that China with some effort could indeed balkanise India.
Neither of the articles was officially authorised. Yet, together, they assumed a life of their own with commentators in India hyperventilating about China's hidden agenda, and the Chinese media and think tanks contributing their bit to the rising hysteria.
While it may be difficult to locate the precise point when tensions began to ease up, analysts on both sides agree that India and China were well served by the “Copenhagen spirit.” This is a euphemism for the exemplary cooperation witnessed in the Danish capital during the December 2009 Climate Change summit. India and China so finely coordinated their negotiating positions at the talks that the online edition of the German magazine, Der Spiegel, was provoked to put out an article, “How India and China sabotaged the UN Climate Summit.”
The summit revealed the humongous potential of India-China cooperation on international platforms. Given the size of either country's population and economy, India and China are intimidating enough individually. Together their might could be staggering. Not surprisingly, Copenhagen became a metaphor for forward movement at the 2010 India-China Beijing talks. Ms Patil and President Hu Jintao agreed that the Asian neighbours were now ready to move beyond bilateral engagement to consider cooperation at international groupings and venues, among them G-20, Doha and BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China).
The enlarged scope of cooperation was brought up again on the last day of talks by Vice-President Xi Jinping, who made several significant points. First, he declared that India and China were ripe for a “new start.” Second, he reiterated the prospects for global cooperation between the Asian neighbours. Third, he pointed out that between them China and India boasted a combined population of 2.6 billion. The imagery would overawe anyone: Two fastest growing economies with close to 40 per cent of the global population acting in tandem. That Mr. Xi followed this up by attending the 60th anniversary celebrations of India-China relations held at a local hotel was not missed by the Indian side. Mr. Xi is not just any Vice-President. Though currently fifth in the Chinese leadership hierarchy, he is widely tipped to succeed Mr. Hu, which invests his words with weight and value. Mr. Xi's presence at the reception was noteworthy because the usual practice is to send Ministers to such functions.
Indian Foreign Ministry officials counted other factors which lent that special touch to the presidential visit. Ms Patil had an audience with each member of the leadership hierarchy — besides Mr. Hu and Mr. Xi, she met Chairman of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jia Qinglin. This is considered a rare honour for a visiting head of state.
Through the visit, the two sides seemed to have firmed up a formula, slowly evolving over meetings between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Chinese leadership, and now held up as the way forward: Manage the areas of conflict so that the relationship, rather than being held hostage to “one or two persisting issues,” could move forward to explore areas of global and bilateral cooperation.
Inevitably India's growing trade with China — China is India's largest trading partner with volumes targeted to reach $ 60 billion this year — figured prominently in the talks as did the fact that it was adversely balanced against India. President Patil missed no opportunity to speak for wider Indian access to Chinese markets. India's exports are currently restricted to primary and resource-based products such as iron ore and copper, with little opening available to core competence sectors like IT, pharma and engineering. In her speeches, Ms Patil stressed these as thrust areas for market development, and according to Indian officials, the Chinese team agreed that the trade imbalance was not sustainable. Said an Indian official: “The Chinese are minimal with their promises because they see them as commitment. The fact that at almost every forum they agreed to import more from us shows that they are very serious about trade.”
Yet with all the positives, the tour also showed how delicately poised the relationship is and how easily views can be shaped for or against China. So far, the Indian public opinion has alternated between exultation over Chindia and paranoia over imagined war threats. Chindia is an inappropriate coupling notwithstanding the growing prospects for India-China global joint action. China is far ahead of us on all indicators. On infrastructure and organising capacity, we must abandon all hopes of catching up — a truth that hit home when we saw the woefully inadequate Indian pavilion at the Shanghai expo.
As the presidential entourage flew into Beijing, the media mood was set by a report in the Guardian indicating huge Chinese diversion projects on the Brahmaputra. But thanks to excellent background briefing by the Indian side, which pointed to lack of evidence for the report, the accompanying media were prevented from blowing it up into “yet another Chinese threat.”
As against this, the media mood swing was overly positive on India's aspirations for a United Nations Security Council seat. Ms Patil did seek China's backing for it during her summit meeting with President Hu, and China did broadly indicate its support but the phraseology was far more nuanced than understood by the Indian media which drummed it up as “China backs India on UNSC seat.” Indeed, the omission of the “promised” UNSC seat from the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement issued the same day underscored the pitfalls of overinterpreting what Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao described as “a gradually developing relationship.” What official sources did convey later was that on the UNSC seat, “the Chinese were far more positive than they have been so far.”
Tibet provided some more media excitement on the last day of talks. Ms Rao and Ambassador S. Jaishankar were bombarded with questions: Did China raise Tibet? Just when we thought things were going fine, they brought up this irritant. Is this not unfair to us? MP Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who was on the tour, added to the panic: “Heard they are singing the Tibet tune.” Tempers cooled down only after the Indian side explained that Tibet was on a checklist of queries China always raised in talks with India. The Indian side had a checklist too, and it was routine for both countries to go through the motions and allay each other's fears.
A top member of the Indian official delegation summed up India-China relations in terms of “pengyou” and “zhengyou.” “Pengyou” is a superficial friend. “Zhengyou” is a serious, real friend who will frankly admit to problems and work at overcoming them: “We have a zhengyou relationship with China.”
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Pink card to strengthen validity of Old Sikkim Subjects’
Land Revenue dept claims confusion being created by non-Sikkimese
source:Sikkim Express
GANGTOK, June 2: In a public appeal, the State Government today asserted that it does not intend to do away with the existing Sikkim Subject certificates with the proposed controversial Pink Cards system.
“Some confusion is being created by the persons who are either not Sikkimese or holder of false certificates or have not understood the reasons behind issue of Pink Card. This needs to be done away with at the interest of the Sikkimese populous showing that intension of Government is not to do way with the existing Sikkim Subject but to strengthen validity of Old Sikkim Subjects who are actually entitled to hold it”, said the concerned department of Land Revenue & Disaster Management in its appeal.
The department has published its appeal in both English and Nepali language in around 80,000 pamphlets in pink colour which will be distributed to the masses through sub-divisional authorities and Panchayats.
The Sikkim Cabinet had on August 12 last year approved issue of Pink colour identity card to old Sikkim Subject holders and their legal and direct descendents.
“Issue of extra card in distinct colour to original old Sikkim Subjects have been warranted as there were 31,180 reported false cases against 3,15, 693 Sikkim Subject holders as on December 25, 2005”, the department said in its public appeal.
Land Revenue additional secretary TN Dhakal said that the department had conducted a survey in 2005 to verify the number of Sikkim Subject holders in the State. It is up to the government to decide what to do with those false cases, he said. He said that during the 2005 survey, the department had found 31,180 Sikkim Subject certificates had been acquired through fraudulent measures.
The department in its appeal has informed that the administrations and Panchayats in all the four Districts have been sensitized about the importance of the Pink Card being issued and sincerity required in identifying real old Sikkim Subjects so that benefits given to them by the State Government and Centre are not availed by wrong persons.
“We have to ensure that only genuine old Sikkim Subjects are given the Pink cards in conformity with the records available in the Sikkim Subject register”, the department said.
Presently, application forms are being collected by the eligible local people to submit for the Pink cards from the Panchayat and block divisional officials which will be then vetted and cards will be issued by the Land Revenue department.
The department said that purpose behind the Pink card drive is to facilitate the government on reservation of government or private undertaking jobs for the local people, to allow educational facilities to the local people which includes both facilities at the school level and also for higher studies and in order to identify the bonafide Sikkimese for exemption of Central Income Tax.
The objectives are also to extend benefits of various government schemes to the local people on priority and to preserve separate and distinct identity as the original inhabitants of State of Sikkim.
“Innocent people should not be misguided by giving wrong information that the validity of Old Sikkim Subject will be lost. In reality, the issue of Pink card will upgrade the value of Old Sikkim Subject who are actually genuine Indian of Sikkimese origin”, the department said.
Dhakal said that process of issuing Pink cards will be completed by October.
Meanwhile, State BJP president Padam Chettri questioned why the State Government is not taking action against those 31,180 persons who have taken the Sikkim Subject certificates through fraudulent means.
The department has the figures ready and the State government should take action against such persons, said Chettri. He said that the party has been demanding that the State government should publish the names of those persons eligible for the Pink Cards in the lines of electoral rolls.
“Publish the list of Sikkim Subject holders who will get the Pink Cards. Invite objections and debate. Then only decide whether to go for it or withdraw the move”, said Chettri.
Inviting objections from the public will also clear doubts on the person who has applied for the Pink Card, said the State BJP president.
Land Revenue dept claims confusion being created by non-Sikkimese
source:Sikkim Express
GANGTOK, June 2: In a public appeal, the State Government today asserted that it does not intend to do away with the existing Sikkim Subject certificates with the proposed controversial Pink Cards system.
“Some confusion is being created by the persons who are either not Sikkimese or holder of false certificates or have not understood the reasons behind issue of Pink Card. This needs to be done away with at the interest of the Sikkimese populous showing that intension of Government is not to do way with the existing Sikkim Subject but to strengthen validity of Old Sikkim Subjects who are actually entitled to hold it”, said the concerned department of Land Revenue & Disaster Management in its appeal.
The department has published its appeal in both English and Nepali language in around 80,000 pamphlets in pink colour which will be distributed to the masses through sub-divisional authorities and Panchayats.
The Sikkim Cabinet had on August 12 last year approved issue of Pink colour identity card to old Sikkim Subject holders and their legal and direct descendents.
“Issue of extra card in distinct colour to original old Sikkim Subjects have been warranted as there were 31,180 reported false cases against 3,15, 693 Sikkim Subject holders as on December 25, 2005”, the department said in its public appeal.
Land Revenue additional secretary TN Dhakal said that the department had conducted a survey in 2005 to verify the number of Sikkim Subject holders in the State. It is up to the government to decide what to do with those false cases, he said. He said that during the 2005 survey, the department had found 31,180 Sikkim Subject certificates had been acquired through fraudulent measures.
The department in its appeal has informed that the administrations and Panchayats in all the four Districts have been sensitized about the importance of the Pink Card being issued and sincerity required in identifying real old Sikkim Subjects so that benefits given to them by the State Government and Centre are not availed by wrong persons.
“We have to ensure that only genuine old Sikkim Subjects are given the Pink cards in conformity with the records available in the Sikkim Subject register”, the department said.
Presently, application forms are being collected by the eligible local people to submit for the Pink cards from the Panchayat and block divisional officials which will be then vetted and cards will be issued by the Land Revenue department.
The department said that purpose behind the Pink card drive is to facilitate the government on reservation of government or private undertaking jobs for the local people, to allow educational facilities to the local people which includes both facilities at the school level and also for higher studies and in order to identify the bonafide Sikkimese for exemption of Central Income Tax.
The objectives are also to extend benefits of various government schemes to the local people on priority and to preserve separate and distinct identity as the original inhabitants of State of Sikkim.
“Innocent people should not be misguided by giving wrong information that the validity of Old Sikkim Subject will be lost. In reality, the issue of Pink card will upgrade the value of Old Sikkim Subject who are actually genuine Indian of Sikkimese origin”, the department said.
Dhakal said that process of issuing Pink cards will be completed by October.
Meanwhile, State BJP president Padam Chettri questioned why the State Government is not taking action against those 31,180 persons who have taken the Sikkim Subject certificates through fraudulent means.
The department has the figures ready and the State government should take action against such persons, said Chettri. He said that the party has been demanding that the State government should publish the names of those persons eligible for the Pink Cards in the lines of electoral rolls.
“Publish the list of Sikkim Subject holders who will get the Pink Cards. Invite objections and debate. Then only decide whether to go for it or withdraw the move”, said Chettri.
Inviting objections from the public will also clear doubts on the person who has applied for the Pink Card, said the State BJP president.
Kashmir: pessimism may be good news
by Praveen Swami-Hindu
Last month, Noorjehan Baba left her home in Srinagar's Dal Gate area to start a new life across the Line of Control with the man who unleashed a war which claimed her first husband's life. Her husband, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen field commander Khurshid Baba, died in 1995, fighting the Indian forces in central Kashmir. For the next five years, Ms Baba retreated into a dark shroud which widows across South Asia are expected to do. Early this year, though, a family friend approached her with an offer of marriage. Her suitor was much older — but had wealth and status.
United Jihad Council chairman and Hizb supreme commander Mohammad Yusuf Shah's marriage to Ms Baba at his Rawalpindi home drew neither television crews nor newspaper reporters. It ought to have: that the 61-year-old jihad commander had love on his mind this summer, rather than war, tells us not a little about where Jammu and Kashmir is headed. Eight weeks after the November 2008 carnage in Mumbai, Shah told a rally in Muzaffarabad, “Jihad will continue until the independence of Kashmir.” Instead, violence in the State has diminished to an all-time low and the Hizb has all but disintegrated.
This is good news for India — but a serious problem for New Delhi's efforts at peacemaking in Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's low-key visit to Srinagar this week illustrates the rise of a new caution in New Delhi's policy on Jammu and Kashmir. In an address to students graduating from the Sher-i-Kashmir Agricultural University, Dr. Singh focussed on issues linked to development. For those hoping for a call to Kashmiri secessionists to renew their engagement with the government, there was only the repetition of a long-standing offer to “to hold talks with the representative of any group which shuns violence and terror.” Meaningful dialogue with Pakistan on the State, he suggested, would be “possible only when Pakistan doesn't let its territory be used for acts of terror against India”.
The Prime Minister's language illustrates the rise of a new pessimism in New Delhi on the prospects of a breakthrough in the peace process. In November 2004, during his first visit to Srinagar as Prime Minister, Dr. Singh called on young people to join him in the “adventure of building a new India and a new Kashmir.” The next year, he met twice with leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. He also initiated a consultation process with major political groups, and held separate discussions with secessionists like the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front's Yasin Malik. From 2006, New Delhi's envoy Satinder Lambah and his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Aziz started working to close a deal on Jammu and Kashmir's future.
That deal, though, was blown away by the storm winds that swept Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf from power in 2008. Pakistan's all-powerful military establishment has since made clear that it has no desire to make concessions on Jammu and Kashmir. Last year, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram initiated a process he called “quiet diplomacy”— a series of covert contacts with the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led APHC, which were first made public by this newspaper. That process has come to a grinding halt. Mirwaiz Farooq has closed the door on talks until a new consensus evolves in Pakistan; jihadists made their position known by shooting a key pro-dialogue leader, Fazl Haq Qureshi, in December.
Jammu and Kashmir's political landscape has been transfigured by the death of the war which began in 1988. Last year, the State saw 3.95 terrorism-related killings per 1,00,000 population including combatants, who made up over three-quarters of the dead. Its residents are now less at risk of terrorism-related death than citizens of many countries in firearms-related crime. In South Africa, there were 71.97 murders with firearms for every 100,000 of the population; for Colombia, the figure was 50.98; Thailand recorded 31.20.
India has a low-rate of firearms-related deaths; there were 4,101 killings of this kind in 2008, National Crime Records Bureau data show. But it is interesting to note that 19.8 of every 100,000 Indians were victims of a violent crime — a probability far higher than that of being killed in terrorism-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite concerns at the continued operations of jihadist groups, violence in the State remains in decline. In 2007, there were 170 civilian deaths; last year, 83 were killed. The security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir police lost 79 personnel last year, down from 122 in 2007. Two years ago, 472 terrorists were killed; just 239 were shot dead in 2009. Improvised explosive device use fell from 56 in 2007 to 23 last year; grenade attacks from 107 to 56. Levels of violence were marginally higher in the first five months of 2010 than during the same period in 2009 — but infiltration has been lower, suggesting that no major escalation is imminent.
The decline in violence has, oddly, made it difficult for the two key actors in the peace process — the jihadists and Kashmiri secessionist politicians — to reach for New Delhi's olive branch.
Pakistan-based jihadists have found their political leverage within Jammu and Kashmir severely degraded. India's intelligence services estimate that there are between 500 and 600 jihadists operating in the State today — less than a tenth of the numbers in 2001. Ethnic Kashmiri jihadist groups like the Hizb no longer have the network and infrastructure to benefit from post-peace politics. Islamist elements in urban Kashmir are increasingly supportive of the global jihadist project of organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, not the Jamaat-e-Islami linked, State-focussed politics of the Hizb. None of the five sons Shah left in Kashmir to be brought up by his wife Taj Begum when he left for Pakistan in 1994 has, notably, been drawn to their father's cause; three of them hold government jobs.
Last year, Shah expressly asked the Hurriyat leadership “not to take a hasty decision with regard to dialogue with Delhi, as bilateral talks had proved futile in the past.” In February, he asserted that there was “no option other than the armed struggle”.
Lashkar chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, for his part, called in a recent speech for closer jihadist-secessionist politics. “The first priority “is to end this [India's] tyrannical occupation, and to end it, it is critical that both armed struggle and political parties must be united.” “The most important thing,” Saeed went on, “is that the people of Kashmir, through their untold sacrifices in the struggle for freedom, have shown that they can give their all in the struggle against Hindu imperialism.”
In practice, this means the jihadists have thrown their weight behind Islamist patriarch Syed Ali Shah Geelani, whose Tehreek-i-Hurriyat has long rejected dialogue with New Delhi. Pressure from Mr. Geelani and the jihadists has made it difficult for the Hurriyat — the second key actor in the peace process — to move forward. It has deeper problems.
Ever since the Assembly elections were held in 2008, it has been evident to the Hurriyat that its constituency in Jammu and Kashmir is contracting. “Elections are ultimately projected as a sort of referendum by India, and that is why we have called for a complete boycott of such a process,” Mirwaiz Farooq said that November. He issued “a last call to the so-called mainstream politicians to join the separatist movement.” Humiliation followed hubris: starting from a week after the Mirwaiz held out his threat, well over half of registered voters in the State participated in the elections. Interestingly, more than 63 per cent of voters in Shah's home village, Soibug, defied the boycott call.
Last year's protests in Shopian against the alleged rape-murder of two south Kashmir women — later established as accidental deaths by the Central Bureau of Investigation — also demonstrated the Hurriyat's limited reach. Just 17 of 111 documented Shopian-related protests between May 30, 2009 and June 30, 2009 took place in rural and semi-rural areas. More than half of the rural protests, moreover, occurred in villages just outside Shopian town. Fewer than a dozen rallies drew more than 1,000 supporters.
Kashmiri secessionist politicians have come to realise that their political position rests on weak foundations. But they seem to have little idea of what to do about it. Torn between pro-dialogue realists like Butt and anti-negotiation hawks like Shabbir Shah, Mirwaiz Farooq has chosen to retreat into a shell. In a recent interview, he called on Pakistan to evolve consensus on its future position on Kashmir, a process that could, quite obviously, take years. He has also ruled out immediate engagement with New Delhi but offered no alternative.
Prime Minister Singh's speech suggests that New Delhi's patience has worn thin — and that might be just good news. Barring small pockets of Islamist-led protests in Kashmir's inner city neighbourhoods, the State government faces no major political challenge. It has, however, been unable to move forward. For more than a decade, democratic politics in Jammu and Kashmir has had to confront the prospect of a new dispensation emerging as a consequence of the peace process. Elected leaders have thus had little incentive to focus on the kind of long-term issues needed to institutionalise democratic governance. Instead of chasing the chimera of a historic peace deal with Pakistan and the secessionists, New Delhi seems to be realising that doing nothing might, paradoxical as it might seem, yield the best outcomes
by Praveen Swami-Hindu
Last month, Noorjehan Baba left her home in Srinagar's Dal Gate area to start a new life across the Line of Control with the man who unleashed a war which claimed her first husband's life. Her husband, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen field commander Khurshid Baba, died in 1995, fighting the Indian forces in central Kashmir. For the next five years, Ms Baba retreated into a dark shroud which widows across South Asia are expected to do. Early this year, though, a family friend approached her with an offer of marriage. Her suitor was much older — but had wealth and status.
United Jihad Council chairman and Hizb supreme commander Mohammad Yusuf Shah's marriage to Ms Baba at his Rawalpindi home drew neither television crews nor newspaper reporters. It ought to have: that the 61-year-old jihad commander had love on his mind this summer, rather than war, tells us not a little about where Jammu and Kashmir is headed. Eight weeks after the November 2008 carnage in Mumbai, Shah told a rally in Muzaffarabad, “Jihad will continue until the independence of Kashmir.” Instead, violence in the State has diminished to an all-time low and the Hizb has all but disintegrated.
This is good news for India — but a serious problem for New Delhi's efforts at peacemaking in Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's low-key visit to Srinagar this week illustrates the rise of a new caution in New Delhi's policy on Jammu and Kashmir. In an address to students graduating from the Sher-i-Kashmir Agricultural University, Dr. Singh focussed on issues linked to development. For those hoping for a call to Kashmiri secessionists to renew their engagement with the government, there was only the repetition of a long-standing offer to “to hold talks with the representative of any group which shuns violence and terror.” Meaningful dialogue with Pakistan on the State, he suggested, would be “possible only when Pakistan doesn't let its territory be used for acts of terror against India”.
The Prime Minister's language illustrates the rise of a new pessimism in New Delhi on the prospects of a breakthrough in the peace process. In November 2004, during his first visit to Srinagar as Prime Minister, Dr. Singh called on young people to join him in the “adventure of building a new India and a new Kashmir.” The next year, he met twice with leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. He also initiated a consultation process with major political groups, and held separate discussions with secessionists like the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front's Yasin Malik. From 2006, New Delhi's envoy Satinder Lambah and his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Aziz started working to close a deal on Jammu and Kashmir's future.
That deal, though, was blown away by the storm winds that swept Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf from power in 2008. Pakistan's all-powerful military establishment has since made clear that it has no desire to make concessions on Jammu and Kashmir. Last year, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram initiated a process he called “quiet diplomacy”— a series of covert contacts with the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led APHC, which were first made public by this newspaper. That process has come to a grinding halt. Mirwaiz Farooq has closed the door on talks until a new consensus evolves in Pakistan; jihadists made their position known by shooting a key pro-dialogue leader, Fazl Haq Qureshi, in December.
Jammu and Kashmir's political landscape has been transfigured by the death of the war which began in 1988. Last year, the State saw 3.95 terrorism-related killings per 1,00,000 population including combatants, who made up over three-quarters of the dead. Its residents are now less at risk of terrorism-related death than citizens of many countries in firearms-related crime. In South Africa, there were 71.97 murders with firearms for every 100,000 of the population; for Colombia, the figure was 50.98; Thailand recorded 31.20.
India has a low-rate of firearms-related deaths; there were 4,101 killings of this kind in 2008, National Crime Records Bureau data show. But it is interesting to note that 19.8 of every 100,000 Indians were victims of a violent crime — a probability far higher than that of being killed in terrorism-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite concerns at the continued operations of jihadist groups, violence in the State remains in decline. In 2007, there were 170 civilian deaths; last year, 83 were killed. The security forces and the Jammu and Kashmir police lost 79 personnel last year, down from 122 in 2007. Two years ago, 472 terrorists were killed; just 239 were shot dead in 2009. Improvised explosive device use fell from 56 in 2007 to 23 last year; grenade attacks from 107 to 56. Levels of violence were marginally higher in the first five months of 2010 than during the same period in 2009 — but infiltration has been lower, suggesting that no major escalation is imminent.
The decline in violence has, oddly, made it difficult for the two key actors in the peace process — the jihadists and Kashmiri secessionist politicians — to reach for New Delhi's olive branch.
Pakistan-based jihadists have found their political leverage within Jammu and Kashmir severely degraded. India's intelligence services estimate that there are between 500 and 600 jihadists operating in the State today — less than a tenth of the numbers in 2001. Ethnic Kashmiri jihadist groups like the Hizb no longer have the network and infrastructure to benefit from post-peace politics. Islamist elements in urban Kashmir are increasingly supportive of the global jihadist project of organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, not the Jamaat-e-Islami linked, State-focussed politics of the Hizb. None of the five sons Shah left in Kashmir to be brought up by his wife Taj Begum when he left for Pakistan in 1994 has, notably, been drawn to their father's cause; three of them hold government jobs.
Last year, Shah expressly asked the Hurriyat leadership “not to take a hasty decision with regard to dialogue with Delhi, as bilateral talks had proved futile in the past.” In February, he asserted that there was “no option other than the armed struggle”.
Lashkar chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, for his part, called in a recent speech for closer jihadist-secessionist politics. “The first priority “is to end this [India's] tyrannical occupation, and to end it, it is critical that both armed struggle and political parties must be united.” “The most important thing,” Saeed went on, “is that the people of Kashmir, through their untold sacrifices in the struggle for freedom, have shown that they can give their all in the struggle against Hindu imperialism.”
In practice, this means the jihadists have thrown their weight behind Islamist patriarch Syed Ali Shah Geelani, whose Tehreek-i-Hurriyat has long rejected dialogue with New Delhi. Pressure from Mr. Geelani and the jihadists has made it difficult for the Hurriyat — the second key actor in the peace process — to move forward. It has deeper problems.
Ever since the Assembly elections were held in 2008, it has been evident to the Hurriyat that its constituency in Jammu and Kashmir is contracting. “Elections are ultimately projected as a sort of referendum by India, and that is why we have called for a complete boycott of such a process,” Mirwaiz Farooq said that November. He issued “a last call to the so-called mainstream politicians to join the separatist movement.” Humiliation followed hubris: starting from a week after the Mirwaiz held out his threat, well over half of registered voters in the State participated in the elections. Interestingly, more than 63 per cent of voters in Shah's home village, Soibug, defied the boycott call.
Last year's protests in Shopian against the alleged rape-murder of two south Kashmir women — later established as accidental deaths by the Central Bureau of Investigation — also demonstrated the Hurriyat's limited reach. Just 17 of 111 documented Shopian-related protests between May 30, 2009 and June 30, 2009 took place in rural and semi-rural areas. More than half of the rural protests, moreover, occurred in villages just outside Shopian town. Fewer than a dozen rallies drew more than 1,000 supporters.
Kashmiri secessionist politicians have come to realise that their political position rests on weak foundations. But they seem to have little idea of what to do about it. Torn between pro-dialogue realists like Butt and anti-negotiation hawks like Shabbir Shah, Mirwaiz Farooq has chosen to retreat into a shell. In a recent interview, he called on Pakistan to evolve consensus on its future position on Kashmir, a process that could, quite obviously, take years. He has also ruled out immediate engagement with New Delhi but offered no alternative.
Prime Minister Singh's speech suggests that New Delhi's patience has worn thin — and that might be just good news. Barring small pockets of Islamist-led protests in Kashmir's inner city neighbourhoods, the State government faces no major political challenge. It has, however, been unable to move forward. For more than a decade, democratic politics in Jammu and Kashmir has had to confront the prospect of a new dispensation emerging as a consequence of the peace process. Elected leaders have thus had little incentive to focus on the kind of long-term issues needed to institutionalise democratic governance. Instead of chasing the chimera of a historic peace deal with Pakistan and the secessionists, New Delhi seems to be realising that doing nothing might, paradoxical as it might seem, yield the best outcomes
Indo-Sikkim Treaty 1950
The president of India and His Highness the Maharajah of Sikkim being desirous of further strengthening the good relations already existing between India and Sikkim have resolved to enter into a new treaty with each other and the president of India has for the purpose appointed as his plenipotentiary Shri Harishwar Dayal, political officer in Sikkim and His Highness the Maharaja having examined Harishwar Dayal’s credentials and found them good and in due form the two have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE – I
All previous Treaties between the British Government and Sikkim, which are at present in force as between India and Sikkim, are hereby formally cancelled.
ARTICLE – II
Sikkim shall continue to be a protectorate of India and subject to the provisions of this Treaty shall enjoy autonomy in regards to its internal affairs.
ARTICLE – III
1. The Government of India will be responsible for the defense and territorial integrity of Sikkim. It shall have the right to take such measures as it considers necessary for the defense of Sikkim and security of India, whether preparatory or otherwise, and whether within or outside Sikkim. In particular, the Government of India shall have the right to station Troops anywhere within Sikkim.2. The measures referred to in Para –(I) will as far as possible be taken by the Government of India in consultation with the Government of Sikkim.3. The Government of Sikkim shall not import any arms ammunitions, military stores or other warlike materials of any description for any purpose whatsoever without the previous consent of the Government of India.
ARTICLE – IV
1. The external relations of Sikkim whether political, economical or financial shall be conducted and regulated solely by the Government of India and the Government of Sikkim shall have no dealings with any foreign power.2. Subjects of Sikkim traveling to foreign countries shall be treated as Indian Protected for the purpose of passports and shall receive from Indian representatives abroad the same protections and facilities as Indian nationals.
ARTICLE – V
The Government of Sikkim agrees not to levy any import duty, transit duty or other imports on the goods brought into, or in transit through Sikkim, and the Government of India agrees not to levy any import or other duty on goods of Sikkimese origin brought into India from Sikkim.
ARTICLE – VI
1. The Government of India shall have the exclusive right of constructing, maintaining and regulating the use of railways, aerodromes and landing grounds and air-navigation facilities, posts, telegraphs, telephones and wireless installations in Sikkim and the Government of Sikkim shall render the Government of India every assistance in their constructions, maintenance and protection.2. The Government of Sikkim may, however, construct, maintain and regulate the use of railways and aerodromes and landing grounds and air-navigation facilities to such extent as may be agreed to by the government of India.3. The Government of India shall have the right to construct and maintain in Sikkim the roads for strategic purposes and for the purpose of improving communications with India and other adjoining countries; and the Government of Sikkim shall render the Government of India every assistance in the construction, maintenance and protection of such roads.
ARTICLE VII
1. Subjects of Sikkim shall have the right of entry into, and free movement within, India and the Indian nationals shall have the right of entry into, free movement within, Sikkim.2. Subjects to such regulations as the Government of Sikkim may prescribe in consultation with the Government of India, Indian nationals shall have:(a) the right to carry on trade and commerce in Sikkim ; and(b) when established in any trade in Sikkim, the right to acquire, hold and dispose of any property, movable or immovable, for the purpose of their trade or residence in Sikkim.3. Subjects of Sikkim shall have the same rights;(a) to carry on trade and commerce in India, and to employment therein, and(b) of acquiring, holding and disposing of property movable and immovable, as Indian nationals.
ARTICLE VIII
1. Indian nationals within Sikkim shall be subject to the laws of Sikkim and subjects of Sikkim within India shall be subject to the laws of India.
2. Whenever any criminal proceedings are initiated in Sikkim against any Indian national or any person in the service of the Government of India or any foreigner, the Government of Sikkim shall furnish the representative of the Government of India in Sikkim (herein after referred to as the India Representative) with particulars of the charge against such persons.If in the case of any person in the service of the Government of India or any foreigner if is so demanded by the Indian Representative, such person shall be handed over to him trial before such court as may be established for the purpose of the Government of India either in Sikkim or outside.
ARTICLE IX
1. The Government of Sikkim agrees to seize and deliver up any fugitive offender from outside Sikkim who has taken refuge therein on demand being made by the Indian Representative. Should any delay occur in complying with such demand, the Indian Police may follow the person whose surrender has been demanded into any part of Sikkim, and shall, on showing of warrant sign by the Indian Representative, receive every assistance and protection in the prosecution of their object from the Sikkim officers.
2. The Government of India similarly agrees, on demand being made by the Government of Sikkim, to take extradition proceedings against, and surrender, any fugitive offender from Sikkim who has taken refuge in the territory of India.
3. In this article, “fugitive offender” means a person who is accused of having committed and extradition offence as defined in the First Schedule of the Indian Extradition Act, 1903, any other offence which may hereafter be agreed upon between the Government of India and Government of Sikkim as being an extradition offence (see Appendix-I).
ARTICLE X
The Government of India, having in mind the friendly relation already existing between India and Sikkim and now further strengthen by this treaty and being desirous of assisting in the development and good administration of Sikkim, agrees to pay the Government of Sikkim a sum of rupees three lakhs every year so long as the term of the treaty are duly observed by the Government of Sikkim. The first payment under this article will be made before the end of the year 1950, and subsequent payments will be made in the month of August every year.
ARTICLE XI
The Government of India shall have the right to appoint a Representative to reside in Sikkim and the Government of Sikkim shall provide him and his staff with all reasonable facilities in regard to their residential and office accommodation and generally in regard to carrying out their duties in Sikkim.
ARTICLE XII
If any dispute arises in the interpretation of the provision of this treaty, which cannot be resolved by mutual consultation, the dispute shall be referred to the Chief Justice of India whose decision thereon shall be final.
ARTICLE XIII
This Treaty shall come into force without ratification from the date of signature by both the parties.
Done in duplicate at Gangtok on this 15th Day of December 1950.
Sd/- Sd/-
HARISHWAR DAYAL TASHI NAMGYAL
Political Officer in His Highness, the Maharaja of Sikkim Sikkim
The article IX paragraph (3) was later modified and read as follows:“ In this Article ‘fugitive offender’ means a person who is accused of having committed an extradition offence as defined in the Second Schedule to the Indian Extradition Act of 1962 (Act 34 of 1962) or any other offence which may hereafter be agreed upon between the Government of India and Government of Sikkim as being an extradition offence.”
The president of India and His Highness the Maharajah of Sikkim being desirous of further strengthening the good relations already existing between India and Sikkim have resolved to enter into a new treaty with each other and the president of India has for the purpose appointed as his plenipotentiary Shri Harishwar Dayal, political officer in Sikkim and His Highness the Maharaja having examined Harishwar Dayal’s credentials and found them good and in due form the two have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE – I
All previous Treaties between the British Government and Sikkim, which are at present in force as between India and Sikkim, are hereby formally cancelled.
ARTICLE – II
Sikkim shall continue to be a protectorate of India and subject to the provisions of this Treaty shall enjoy autonomy in regards to its internal affairs.
ARTICLE – III
1. The Government of India will be responsible for the defense and territorial integrity of Sikkim. It shall have the right to take such measures as it considers necessary for the defense of Sikkim and security of India, whether preparatory or otherwise, and whether within or outside Sikkim. In particular, the Government of India shall have the right to station Troops anywhere within Sikkim.2. The measures referred to in Para –(I) will as far as possible be taken by the Government of India in consultation with the Government of Sikkim.3. The Government of Sikkim shall not import any arms ammunitions, military stores or other warlike materials of any description for any purpose whatsoever without the previous consent of the Government of India.
ARTICLE – IV
1. The external relations of Sikkim whether political, economical or financial shall be conducted and regulated solely by the Government of India and the Government of Sikkim shall have no dealings with any foreign power.2. Subjects of Sikkim traveling to foreign countries shall be treated as Indian Protected for the purpose of passports and shall receive from Indian representatives abroad the same protections and facilities as Indian nationals.
ARTICLE – V
The Government of Sikkim agrees not to levy any import duty, transit duty or other imports on the goods brought into, or in transit through Sikkim, and the Government of India agrees not to levy any import or other duty on goods of Sikkimese origin brought into India from Sikkim.
ARTICLE – VI
1. The Government of India shall have the exclusive right of constructing, maintaining and regulating the use of railways, aerodromes and landing grounds and air-navigation facilities, posts, telegraphs, telephones and wireless installations in Sikkim and the Government of Sikkim shall render the Government of India every assistance in their constructions, maintenance and protection.2. The Government of Sikkim may, however, construct, maintain and regulate the use of railways and aerodromes and landing grounds and air-navigation facilities to such extent as may be agreed to by the government of India.3. The Government of India shall have the right to construct and maintain in Sikkim the roads for strategic purposes and for the purpose of improving communications with India and other adjoining countries; and the Government of Sikkim shall render the Government of India every assistance in the construction, maintenance and protection of such roads.
ARTICLE VII
1. Subjects of Sikkim shall have the right of entry into, and free movement within, India and the Indian nationals shall have the right of entry into, free movement within, Sikkim.2. Subjects to such regulations as the Government of Sikkim may prescribe in consultation with the Government of India, Indian nationals shall have:(a) the right to carry on trade and commerce in Sikkim ; and(b) when established in any trade in Sikkim, the right to acquire, hold and dispose of any property, movable or immovable, for the purpose of their trade or residence in Sikkim.3. Subjects of Sikkim shall have the same rights;(a) to carry on trade and commerce in India, and to employment therein, and(b) of acquiring, holding and disposing of property movable and immovable, as Indian nationals.
ARTICLE VIII
1. Indian nationals within Sikkim shall be subject to the laws of Sikkim and subjects of Sikkim within India shall be subject to the laws of India.
2. Whenever any criminal proceedings are initiated in Sikkim against any Indian national or any person in the service of the Government of India or any foreigner, the Government of Sikkim shall furnish the representative of the Government of India in Sikkim (herein after referred to as the India Representative) with particulars of the charge against such persons.If in the case of any person in the service of the Government of India or any foreigner if is so demanded by the Indian Representative, such person shall be handed over to him trial before such court as may be established for the purpose of the Government of India either in Sikkim or outside.
ARTICLE IX
1. The Government of Sikkim agrees to seize and deliver up any fugitive offender from outside Sikkim who has taken refuge therein on demand being made by the Indian Representative. Should any delay occur in complying with such demand, the Indian Police may follow the person whose surrender has been demanded into any part of Sikkim, and shall, on showing of warrant sign by the Indian Representative, receive every assistance and protection in the prosecution of their object from the Sikkim officers.
2. The Government of India similarly agrees, on demand being made by the Government of Sikkim, to take extradition proceedings against, and surrender, any fugitive offender from Sikkim who has taken refuge in the territory of India.
3. In this article, “fugitive offender” means a person who is accused of having committed and extradition offence as defined in the First Schedule of the Indian Extradition Act, 1903, any other offence which may hereafter be agreed upon between the Government of India and Government of Sikkim as being an extradition offence (see Appendix-I).
ARTICLE X
The Government of India, having in mind the friendly relation already existing between India and Sikkim and now further strengthen by this treaty and being desirous of assisting in the development and good administration of Sikkim, agrees to pay the Government of Sikkim a sum of rupees three lakhs every year so long as the term of the treaty are duly observed by the Government of Sikkim. The first payment under this article will be made before the end of the year 1950, and subsequent payments will be made in the month of August every year.
ARTICLE XI
The Government of India shall have the right to appoint a Representative to reside in Sikkim and the Government of Sikkim shall provide him and his staff with all reasonable facilities in regard to their residential and office accommodation and generally in regard to carrying out their duties in Sikkim.
ARTICLE XII
If any dispute arises in the interpretation of the provision of this treaty, which cannot be resolved by mutual consultation, the dispute shall be referred to the Chief Justice of India whose decision thereon shall be final.
ARTICLE XIII
This Treaty shall come into force without ratification from the date of signature by both the parties.
Done in duplicate at Gangtok on this 15th Day of December 1950.
Sd/- Sd/-
HARISHWAR DAYAL TASHI NAMGYAL
Political Officer in His Highness, the Maharaja of Sikkim Sikkim
The article IX paragraph (3) was later modified and read as follows:“ In this Article ‘fugitive offender’ means a person who is accused of having committed an extradition offence as defined in the Second Schedule to the Indian Extradition Act of 1962 (Act 34 of 1962) or any other offence which may hereafter be agreed upon between the Government of India and Government of Sikkim as being an extradition offence.”
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