NEW DELHI:New circle rates for 2,480 colonies in Delhi
Based on the report submitted by a Cabinet Committee, the Delhi Cabinet on Monday decided to introduce circle rates based on localities and colonies instead of existing basis of unit area method and associated categorisation of colonies from A to H category.
Addressing the media following the meeting, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said the Cabinet has decided to have specific circle rates for 2,480 colonies and localities. The rates will vary from Rs.9,000 per square metre to Rs.1,25,000 per square metre.
The colonies which have been rated in the most expensive category of Rs.125,000 per square metre include Anand Lok, Civil Lines, Defence Colony, Friends Colony, Greater Kailash, Green Park, Nehru Place, Sunder Nagar and Vasant Kunj.
Next in line would be colonies like Andrews Ganj, Kalkaji, Munirka Vihar and Nehru Enclave where the circle rated have been pegged at Rs.1,00,000 per square metre.
In respect of Dwarka, Bank Colony, East Patel Nagar, Malviya Nagar, Meera Bagh and Roop Nagar the rate will be Rs.86,000 per square metre and for Jawahar Nagar, Rohini (certain sectors) and Shakti Nagar it will be Rs.68,500 per square metre.
The rate would be still lower at Rs.54,500 per square metre in Anand Vihar, Rani Bagh, Ashok Vihar, Bharti Artist Colony, Gautam Nagar, Eid Gah Road, Janakpuri, Khari Baoli, New Rajendra Nagar, Rohini (certain sectors) and Shankar Road.
Even more reasonably priced would be Aruna Nagar, Bharat Nagar, New Friends Colony, Inderpuri, Kailash Colony, Krishna Nagar, Model Town, Patel Nagar and Yusuf Sarai where the circle rate would be Rs.43,500 per square metre.
The lowest rate of Rs.9,000 per square metre would apply to villages and certain other colonies.
These new circle rates for 2,480 localities would be given due publicity by the Government and would come into effect from the day of notification.
The Chief Minister said the new circle rates will go a long way in ensuring property transactions at rates which are closes to the average market rate. She said the move has been undertaken to minimise the difference between the average market rate and the existing circle rates of different localities
Saturday, July 3, 2010
PM addresses Convocation Ceremony at IIT Kanpur
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh addressed the convocation ceremony at IIT , Kanpur today. He was conferred with the Honorary degree of Doctor in Science on this occasion. Following is the text of Prime Minister’s address-
“I am very happy to participate in this convocation of IIT Kanpur. Let me begin by thanking the Board of Governors and Academic Senate of IIT Kanpur for awarding me the degree Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa). This is an honor that I will always cherish.
I congratulate the bright young women and men who have just received medals and degrees. You are indeed a privileged group. The education you have received will serve you well all your life. A very exciting future beckons you.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur is undoubtedly one of our top-most institutions of higher education. The students graduating today will always have the self-assurance that comes with being educated at a great institution. You will have the confidence that you are better than most others in your chosen fields. But great institutions also teach you humility. They teach you the power of ideas. They teach you to be broad minded and tolerant and also to question relentlessly. They teach you that often there are many, equally valid approaches leading to the same goal. I hope you have also learnt some of these lessons, which in some ways are more important than the knowledge and skills that you have picked up here.
The alumni of the IIT system have done our country proud. The peaking of the careers of the early batches of the IITs has broadly coincided with the new recognition and respect with which the world views India today. IIT alumni have helped immensely in this transformation of India's image, serving as excellent ambassadors for their country. Many of them are leaders in business and technology, both within our country and abroad. They have also enriched India’s public service. There is a long list of illustrious IIT alumni – Shri Narayanamurthy in the software industry, Shri Vinod Khosla in venture capital, Prof. Raghuram Rajan in economics, Dr. Subba Rao in public service, late Prof. Rajiv Motwani in computer science, Shri Ashok Kejriwal in the NGO sector and so on. Your institute is well represented in my office too. There are three officers from IIT Kanpur in the Prime Minister’s Office today. Both my private secretaries are alumni of the IITs.
The graduating students of today will pursue diverse careers in academics, in finance, in marketing, in software, in technology and in public service. Most of you will be very successful individuals. You will be well off; you will have accomplishments in your professional life. But you must always bear in mind that the people of our country have partly paid for your education, that our country is still burdened with persistent poverty, hunger and disease and that institutions like yours are islands of excellence in a sea of less endowed institutions. You must in some manner, however small it might be, give back to the society and the people who have nurtured you.
In some respects your graduation from IIT Kanpur is just the beginning of your education. The life ahead will test the strength of your character and the mettle of your spirit as never before. I wish to see you pass these tests with flying colors. I hope you will be a little old fashioned and build your life on the bedrock of ethical conduct. I hope you will have the courage of conviction that Abraham Lincoln once spoke of- to close your ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if you think you are right.
Our country owes a very deep debt of gratitude to our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was his extraordinary vision that gave birth to many of our best institutions, including the IITs. IIT Kanpur has covered quite a distance since its inception. It has lived up to Nehruji’s vision in many ways. It undoubtedly ranks among the very best in the world in undergraduate education in Engineering and Technology. It has many firsts to its credit - the semester system, letter grades, open book and take home examinations and so on. While we should be justifiably proud of the institute’s achievements in its journey of 50 years, we should also use this landmark year for some serious introspection as to the deficiencies that we must remove and the higher goals that we must reach in the future. We should all pledge to work together to make IIT Kanpur and other IITs rank among the very best Science and Technology institutes of the world. An obvious area of improvement is the quality of the post graduate programs. We need to strengthen the master and doctoral programs in the IITs. I urge upon the Senate members, faculty and all others associated with IIT Kanpur to pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience to address this issue.
Let me also touch here upon two issues pertaining to the research being conducted at the IITs. I would suggest that the IITs should collaborate more with each other in research projects. I would also urge all IITs and especially IIT Kanpur for far more collaboration with the corporate sector than we have seen in the past. This would be of mutual benefit to both – to the corporate sector it could mean cost effective solutions and newer technology and products while for the IITs it would bring in much needed funds and enhance their research capabilities.
Indeed, we as a nation urgently need to increase quality research in Science and Technology. Science and Technology today play a dominant role in determining the power and progress of a nation. This role has become even more critical in the wake of newer challenges like climate change. We need more innovation in areas like sustainable agriculture, affordable health care and energy security. India’s strength in frugal engineering and extremely affordable innovations is becoming known internationally. Indian scientists and engineers should leverage this strength to play a more prominent role in addressing problems that affect all countries of the world.
To enhance our capabilities our Government has tried to ensure that Science and Technology form strong pillars of our strategic alliances with other countries. The establishment of IIT Kanpur marked the beginning of cooperation between India and the United States in Science and Technology. In the recently held meeting of Indo-US Science & Technology Joint Commission, several important decisions have been taken to take this cooperation rapidly forward.
For high quality research we need world-class institutions. We also need more bright students to opt for research. We need more young women and men acquiring PhD degrees. These needs of our country exist not only in Science and Technology but across all areas of higher education. In the last five years we have expanded higher education facilities on an unprecedented scale. A number of new IITs, IIMs, and IISERs have been started. More than 300 degree colleges have been opened in selected districts. Government spending on higher education has been enhanced manifold. However, the issue of quality remains. A major constraint is the availability of good faculty. I am told that the new IITs are ALSO facing problems in this area. An obvious solution lies in encouraging a larger number of bright students to join academics. However, the IIT community must come together to also evolve other innovative ways to address these issues. I assure you that the Central Government will do all that is possible to ensure that the IITs function with the required degree of autonomy and flexibility and that the genuine needs of the IIT faculty are met.
We have also set in motion an ambitious program to completely restructure the legal and regulatory environment of higher education. Intensive consultations are being carried out for setting up the National Council for Higher Education & Research. Several important bills have been introduced in the Parliament. These relate to accreditation, foreign universities, educational tribunals and unfair practices. I would urge the entire IIT community to carefully go through these bills and offer suggestions to make them better. I further suggest that high-class institutions like the IITs should also apply their minds to the improvement of the overall public policy framework in the field of higher education.
I am happy that in the past few years IIT Kanpur has become associated with a number of projects which would greatly benefit our country. These cover a diverse range of areas like railways, water resources, energy and environment. We have just launched a new initiative in solar energy to be executed jointly by three Ministries of the Central Government and IIT Kanpur. I am told that the project would explore new ways of storage of solar energy and its conversion into electricity. The importance of such initiatives in energy cannot be over-emphasized given India's dependence on fossil fuel imports and the increasing demand for energy to meet the requirements of our growing economy. We have also launched a joint initiatives of 7 IITs for the development of a management plan for the National Ganga River Basin. I am told that IIT Kanpur has also been involved with important projects of the Indian Railways. The development of zero discharge toilet technology is a wonderful contribution not only to the railways but also to the Shikaras of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. Similarly, the train tracking system that IIT Kanpur has developed should improve the efficiency and safety of our railways. There are many other critical areas where IIT Kanpur could contribute. I would urge the Institute, its faculty, staff and students to focus mere on projects and initiatives which are of immediate benefit to our country and our people.
As you venture into a new phase in your life and career, I wish you all luck. I also wish IIT Kanpur its faculty and staff all the best in the years ahead. I am sure that the institute will set higher and higher standards of excellence in the future.
May God be with you.”
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh addressed the convocation ceremony at IIT , Kanpur today. He was conferred with the Honorary degree of Doctor in Science on this occasion. Following is the text of Prime Minister’s address-
“I am very happy to participate in this convocation of IIT Kanpur. Let me begin by thanking the Board of Governors and Academic Senate of IIT Kanpur for awarding me the degree Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa). This is an honor that I will always cherish.
I congratulate the bright young women and men who have just received medals and degrees. You are indeed a privileged group. The education you have received will serve you well all your life. A very exciting future beckons you.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur is undoubtedly one of our top-most institutions of higher education. The students graduating today will always have the self-assurance that comes with being educated at a great institution. You will have the confidence that you are better than most others in your chosen fields. But great institutions also teach you humility. They teach you the power of ideas. They teach you to be broad minded and tolerant and also to question relentlessly. They teach you that often there are many, equally valid approaches leading to the same goal. I hope you have also learnt some of these lessons, which in some ways are more important than the knowledge and skills that you have picked up here.
The alumni of the IIT system have done our country proud. The peaking of the careers of the early batches of the IITs has broadly coincided with the new recognition and respect with which the world views India today. IIT alumni have helped immensely in this transformation of India's image, serving as excellent ambassadors for their country. Many of them are leaders in business and technology, both within our country and abroad. They have also enriched India’s public service. There is a long list of illustrious IIT alumni – Shri Narayanamurthy in the software industry, Shri Vinod Khosla in venture capital, Prof. Raghuram Rajan in economics, Dr. Subba Rao in public service, late Prof. Rajiv Motwani in computer science, Shri Ashok Kejriwal in the NGO sector and so on. Your institute is well represented in my office too. There are three officers from IIT Kanpur in the Prime Minister’s Office today. Both my private secretaries are alumni of the IITs.
The graduating students of today will pursue diverse careers in academics, in finance, in marketing, in software, in technology and in public service. Most of you will be very successful individuals. You will be well off; you will have accomplishments in your professional life. But you must always bear in mind that the people of our country have partly paid for your education, that our country is still burdened with persistent poverty, hunger and disease and that institutions like yours are islands of excellence in a sea of less endowed institutions. You must in some manner, however small it might be, give back to the society and the people who have nurtured you.
In some respects your graduation from IIT Kanpur is just the beginning of your education. The life ahead will test the strength of your character and the mettle of your spirit as never before. I wish to see you pass these tests with flying colors. I hope you will be a little old fashioned and build your life on the bedrock of ethical conduct. I hope you will have the courage of conviction that Abraham Lincoln once spoke of- to close your ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if you think you are right.
Our country owes a very deep debt of gratitude to our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was his extraordinary vision that gave birth to many of our best institutions, including the IITs. IIT Kanpur has covered quite a distance since its inception. It has lived up to Nehruji’s vision in many ways. It undoubtedly ranks among the very best in the world in undergraduate education in Engineering and Technology. It has many firsts to its credit - the semester system, letter grades, open book and take home examinations and so on. While we should be justifiably proud of the institute’s achievements in its journey of 50 years, we should also use this landmark year for some serious introspection as to the deficiencies that we must remove and the higher goals that we must reach in the future. We should all pledge to work together to make IIT Kanpur and other IITs rank among the very best Science and Technology institutes of the world. An obvious area of improvement is the quality of the post graduate programs. We need to strengthen the master and doctoral programs in the IITs. I urge upon the Senate members, faculty and all others associated with IIT Kanpur to pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience to address this issue.
Let me also touch here upon two issues pertaining to the research being conducted at the IITs. I would suggest that the IITs should collaborate more with each other in research projects. I would also urge all IITs and especially IIT Kanpur for far more collaboration with the corporate sector than we have seen in the past. This would be of mutual benefit to both – to the corporate sector it could mean cost effective solutions and newer technology and products while for the IITs it would bring in much needed funds and enhance their research capabilities.
Indeed, we as a nation urgently need to increase quality research in Science and Technology. Science and Technology today play a dominant role in determining the power and progress of a nation. This role has become even more critical in the wake of newer challenges like climate change. We need more innovation in areas like sustainable agriculture, affordable health care and energy security. India’s strength in frugal engineering and extremely affordable innovations is becoming known internationally. Indian scientists and engineers should leverage this strength to play a more prominent role in addressing problems that affect all countries of the world.
To enhance our capabilities our Government has tried to ensure that Science and Technology form strong pillars of our strategic alliances with other countries. The establishment of IIT Kanpur marked the beginning of cooperation between India and the United States in Science and Technology. In the recently held meeting of Indo-US Science & Technology Joint Commission, several important decisions have been taken to take this cooperation rapidly forward.
For high quality research we need world-class institutions. We also need more bright students to opt for research. We need more young women and men acquiring PhD degrees. These needs of our country exist not only in Science and Technology but across all areas of higher education. In the last five years we have expanded higher education facilities on an unprecedented scale. A number of new IITs, IIMs, and IISERs have been started. More than 300 degree colleges have been opened in selected districts. Government spending on higher education has been enhanced manifold. However, the issue of quality remains. A major constraint is the availability of good faculty. I am told that the new IITs are ALSO facing problems in this area. An obvious solution lies in encouraging a larger number of bright students to join academics. However, the IIT community must come together to also evolve other innovative ways to address these issues. I assure you that the Central Government will do all that is possible to ensure that the IITs function with the required degree of autonomy and flexibility and that the genuine needs of the IIT faculty are met.
We have also set in motion an ambitious program to completely restructure the legal and regulatory environment of higher education. Intensive consultations are being carried out for setting up the National Council for Higher Education & Research. Several important bills have been introduced in the Parliament. These relate to accreditation, foreign universities, educational tribunals and unfair practices. I would urge the entire IIT community to carefully go through these bills and offer suggestions to make them better. I further suggest that high-class institutions like the IITs should also apply their minds to the improvement of the overall public policy framework in the field of higher education.
I am happy that in the past few years IIT Kanpur has become associated with a number of projects which would greatly benefit our country. These cover a diverse range of areas like railways, water resources, energy and environment. We have just launched a new initiative in solar energy to be executed jointly by three Ministries of the Central Government and IIT Kanpur. I am told that the project would explore new ways of storage of solar energy and its conversion into electricity. The importance of such initiatives in energy cannot be over-emphasized given India's dependence on fossil fuel imports and the increasing demand for energy to meet the requirements of our growing economy. We have also launched a joint initiatives of 7 IITs for the development of a management plan for the National Ganga River Basin. I am told that IIT Kanpur has also been involved with important projects of the Indian Railways. The development of zero discharge toilet technology is a wonderful contribution not only to the railways but also to the Shikaras of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. Similarly, the train tracking system that IIT Kanpur has developed should improve the efficiency and safety of our railways. There are many other critical areas where IIT Kanpur could contribute. I would urge the Institute, its faculty, staff and students to focus mere on projects and initiatives which are of immediate benefit to our country and our people.
As you venture into a new phase in your life and career, I wish you all luck. I also wish IIT Kanpur its faculty and staff all the best in the years ahead. I am sure that the institute will set higher and higher standards of excellence in the future.
May God be with you.”
'There are no free lunches in economics'
'There are no free lunches in economics', goes the famous age old adage. It implies that for every benefit there is a cost even if the cost is not seen right away. Indeed. Modern day economics has got this point spot on. But we think there is a small defect here. While talking of free lunches, the economists only take the interaction between humans and human institutions into account. But what about the non human environment? What about the enormous wealth that has been generated from the finite resources of the environment? Similarly, what about the disposal of expensive wastes into the world around us? By ignoring mother nature, isn't the modern day economics availing of one free lunch after another? Certainly. Thus, it is time the record is set straight on this one. Environmental considerations will have to be built into economic decision making. Otherwise we will end up creating a huge ecological disaster.
Thus, with this background in mind, we were disturbed when recently, India's civil aviation minister slammed the environment ministry for delaying clearances to a prestigious airport project. It is believed that the new project could end up destroying around 400 acres of forest, a blow that the environment ministry is clearly not willing to take. Honestly, such issues are not only sensitive but quite subjective in nature as well. Thus, we cannot know for sure to what extent economics can override ecology. But what angered us is the outright callousness of the aviation ministry. "I do not understand their objections.....We can't be overly obsessive about environmental issues. We can't give priority to 50-100 acres of degradation over a large infrastructure project", is what the minister is believed to have said. Please do not get us wrong. We are all for growth. But we are certainly not about riding roughshod over environmental considerations. Why can't we have both.
Thus, with this background in mind, we were disturbed when recently, India's civil aviation minister slammed the environment ministry for delaying clearances to a prestigious airport project. It is believed that the new project could end up destroying around 400 acres of forest, a blow that the environment ministry is clearly not willing to take. Honestly, such issues are not only sensitive but quite subjective in nature as well. Thus, we cannot know for sure to what extent economics can override ecology. But what angered us is the outright callousness of the aviation ministry. "I do not understand their objections.....We can't be overly obsessive about environmental issues. We can't give priority to 50-100 acres of degradation over a large infrastructure project", is what the minister is believed to have said. Please do not get us wrong. We are all for growth. But we are certainly not about riding roughshod over environmental considerations. Why can't we have both.
New Delhi, July 3, 2010 Delhi gets new world—class airport
(Officials of DIAL said all international carriers, operating from Delhi, would shift their operations from the existing international terminal or T2 to T3 on July 14)
Delhi on Saturday got a spanking new world-class Rs. 9,000 crore airport that will integrate domestic and international operations and is expected to handle 34 million passengers annually.
The new terminal, Terminal 3 (T3), said to be the sixth largest in the world, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who said the Indian aviation sector has the potential to observe upto $120 billion of investment by 2020.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit were among the dignitaries present on the occasion to dedicate T3 built by GMR group backed developer Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).
Spread over 4 km, 80 per cent of T3 is made of glass and supported by metal frames. The nine level terminal building would be used for 90 per cent of the entire passenger movement in the airport.
Comfortable lounges, nap and shower rooms will add to passenger comfort in the airport which will have a mix of restaurants, bars, cafes and fast food outlets in around 20,000 sq mt of commercial space.
“An airport is often is the first introduction to the country. A good airport would signal a new India, committed to join the ranks of modern industrialised nations,” the Prime Minister said.
He said Delhi’s new airport proves the success of public-private partnership model in execution of large infrastructure projects.
He said India should have airports that are receptive to the comfort of passengers even as they meet the highest standards of safety. They should employ the most modern of technologies but also exude cultural warmth.
Noting that his government had launched a modernisation and capacity expansion programme for major airports some years ago, he said, “Today we see one of the successes of that initiative.
“The commissioning of this terminal will be a significant step forward in developing Delhi as a vital hub.
It will encourage feeder traffic from the non-metro airports being developed by the Airports Authority of India,” he said.
Besides three functional runways, the T3 would have, among other things, 168 check-in counters, 78 aerobridges , 97 travelators and a multi-level air-conditioned car park to accommodate 4,300 cars, both first in India.
Praising the “impressive” new airport, UPA President Sonia Gandhi said quality is not something to be reserved for prestigious projects but should become “part and parcel of our design process for all our public projects including housing and other services“.
“Providing rural and urban infrastructure efficiently and at the same time achieving high standards must remain our goal,” she said.
Operations at the new integrated terminal would begin from the middle of this month with Air India and all international airlines shifting their operations from the existing terminal buildings.
Officials of DIAL said all international carriers, operating from Delhi, would shift their operations from the existing international terminal or T2 to T3 on July 14.
On July 30-31, the operations of all full service Indian carriers, including Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher, would shift along with their low-cost wings.
The swanky T3 would also be “barrier free” to suit the requirements of passengers with “special needs or reduced mobility.”
(Officials of DIAL said all international carriers, operating from Delhi, would shift their operations from the existing international terminal or T2 to T3 on July 14)
Delhi on Saturday got a spanking new world-class Rs. 9,000 crore airport that will integrate domestic and international operations and is expected to handle 34 million passengers annually.
The new terminal, Terminal 3 (T3), said to be the sixth largest in the world, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who said the Indian aviation sector has the potential to observe upto $120 billion of investment by 2020.
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit were among the dignitaries present on the occasion to dedicate T3 built by GMR group backed developer Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL).
Spread over 4 km, 80 per cent of T3 is made of glass and supported by metal frames. The nine level terminal building would be used for 90 per cent of the entire passenger movement in the airport.
Comfortable lounges, nap and shower rooms will add to passenger comfort in the airport which will have a mix of restaurants, bars, cafes and fast food outlets in around 20,000 sq mt of commercial space.
“An airport is often is the first introduction to the country. A good airport would signal a new India, committed to join the ranks of modern industrialised nations,” the Prime Minister said.
He said Delhi’s new airport proves the success of public-private partnership model in execution of large infrastructure projects.
He said India should have airports that are receptive to the comfort of passengers even as they meet the highest standards of safety. They should employ the most modern of technologies but also exude cultural warmth.
Noting that his government had launched a modernisation and capacity expansion programme for major airports some years ago, he said, “Today we see one of the successes of that initiative.
“The commissioning of this terminal will be a significant step forward in developing Delhi as a vital hub.
It will encourage feeder traffic from the non-metro airports being developed by the Airports Authority of India,” he said.
Besides three functional runways, the T3 would have, among other things, 168 check-in counters, 78 aerobridges , 97 travelators and a multi-level air-conditioned car park to accommodate 4,300 cars, both first in India.
Praising the “impressive” new airport, UPA President Sonia Gandhi said quality is not something to be reserved for prestigious projects but should become “part and parcel of our design process for all our public projects including housing and other services“.
“Providing rural and urban infrastructure efficiently and at the same time achieving high standards must remain our goal,” she said.
Operations at the new integrated terminal would begin from the middle of this month with Air India and all international airlines shifting their operations from the existing terminal buildings.
Officials of DIAL said all international carriers, operating from Delhi, would shift their operations from the existing international terminal or T2 to T3 on July 14.
On July 30-31, the operations of all full service Indian carriers, including Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher, would shift along with their low-cost wings.
The swanky T3 would also be “barrier free” to suit the requirements of passengers with “special needs or reduced mobility.”
Sikkim plays host to month-long theatre workshop
Gangtok (Sikkim), June 30 (ANI): The Sikkim Central University and the National School of Drama (NSD) have organised ‘Theatre in Education’ a nearly month-long theatre workshop for young enthusiasts in Sikkim.
The workshop that kicked-off on June 23 will continue till July 18.
This is for the second time that the university and the NSD have jointly organised the workshop in the State.
The organisers here said the prime objective of the workshop is to promote theatre in the region, and develop the overall personality of the students through games, acting, role-play, drama, dance and music.
"The National School of Drama is organising the workshop for the children here in Sikkim. It is also trying to promote theatre in the region," said Purnima Kharga, an expert on Theatre in Education.
Several college and university students are actively participating in the workshop and believe that such workshops help them a lot to boost their confidence levels.
"This type of workshop is very helpful as it helps to gain confidence. It makes you forward and much more open. Even I have experienced that myself," said Tshering Yonzon, a student of Sikkim University.
Through the programme, the students are made to introspect on the various issues of their daily lives. They are also asked to make presentations of their creative ideas and create scripts. (ANI)
Gangtok (Sikkim), June 30 (ANI): The Sikkim Central University and the National School of Drama (NSD) have organised ‘Theatre in Education’ a nearly month-long theatre workshop for young enthusiasts in Sikkim.
The workshop that kicked-off on June 23 will continue till July 18.
This is for the second time that the university and the NSD have jointly organised the workshop in the State.
The organisers here said the prime objective of the workshop is to promote theatre in the region, and develop the overall personality of the students through games, acting, role-play, drama, dance and music.
"The National School of Drama is organising the workshop for the children here in Sikkim. It is also trying to promote theatre in the region," said Purnima Kharga, an expert on Theatre in Education.
Several college and university students are actively participating in the workshop and believe that such workshops help them a lot to boost their confidence levels.
"This type of workshop is very helpful as it helps to gain confidence. It makes you forward and much more open. Even I have experienced that myself," said Tshering Yonzon, a student of Sikkim University.
Through the programme, the students are made to introspect on the various issues of their daily lives. They are also asked to make presentations of their creative ideas and create scripts. (ANI)
Service tax simplified
The new service tax provisions of Finance Act 2010 affect you if you are undertaking a journey by air, using services provided at the airports or other ports, sending goods by rail, engaged in construction or buying property. However, there’s some relief for you if you have completed the payment formalities fully or partially before 1 July 2010. You need to worry only to extent of the payment pending.
If you are travelling by air:
• Your air-ticket may become 10% dearer or Rs100 per journey, (whichever is less), if you’re travelling by air within India.
• If you’re travelling abroad in economy class, your ticket may cost you 10% more or Rs500 extra, whichever is less.
• Travelling to north-eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) will not cost you extra, though. Passengers travelling to Bagdogra airport in West Bengal, the gateway airport for Sikkim will also be given this benefit.
Also Read | Service tax on air travel: some issues
• Assume you are travelling via multiple airports, a Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi journey will have separate service tax charged for each of the flights.
However, if your journey includes a landing or take-off from the north-eastern states or Bagdogra airport, your flights on these routes will be service tax exempt
• There’s good news for you if you are on transit in India, or form a part of the aircraft crew. Service tax exemptions for you remain unchanged.
Services provided at ports or airports:
• Service tax paid in relation to or for export of goods are eligible for refund
• Some of the other services which are exempt from tax are as follows:
■ Renting of a cab
■ Storage & Warehousing Service
■ Transport of export goods in an aircraft by an aircraft operator
■ Site formation and clearance, excavation and demolition services
** If you are transporting goods by rail, you will have to pay service tax from January 2011 onwards.
If you plan to acquire property:
• If you plan to buy a house or an apartment in a residential complex, you will be liable to pay service tax if you agree to buy the said property, or make a payment for it, before the certificate of completion is issued.
• If the cost of the property includes the cost of land, you will be liable to pay service tax corresponding to 25% of the gross value of the property. If not, then you pay service tax corresponding to 33% of the gross value of the property.
• If, however, you buy the property after the issue of this certificate, you are free from this liability.
• Also, now, the certificate of completion can be issued by any architect or chartered engineer or a licensed surveyor.
• Construction of industrial or commercial complex will attract service tax to the tune of 25% of the gross value of the property in case the cost of land is included, or 33%, if it the cost of land is not included.
• Construction of complex under the two development schemes - Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Rajiv Awaas Yojana, is exempt from service tax.
The new service tax provisions of Finance Act 2010 affect you if you are undertaking a journey by air, using services provided at the airports or other ports, sending goods by rail, engaged in construction or buying property. However, there’s some relief for you if you have completed the payment formalities fully or partially before 1 July 2010. You need to worry only to extent of the payment pending.
If you are travelling by air:
• Your air-ticket may become 10% dearer or Rs100 per journey, (whichever is less), if you’re travelling by air within India.
• If you’re travelling abroad in economy class, your ticket may cost you 10% more or Rs500 extra, whichever is less.
• Travelling to north-eastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) will not cost you extra, though. Passengers travelling to Bagdogra airport in West Bengal, the gateway airport for Sikkim will also be given this benefit.
Also Read | Service tax on air travel: some issues
• Assume you are travelling via multiple airports, a Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi journey will have separate service tax charged for each of the flights.
However, if your journey includes a landing or take-off from the north-eastern states or Bagdogra airport, your flights on these routes will be service tax exempt
• There’s good news for you if you are on transit in India, or form a part of the aircraft crew. Service tax exemptions for you remain unchanged.
Services provided at ports or airports:
• Service tax paid in relation to or for export of goods are eligible for refund
• Some of the other services which are exempt from tax are as follows:
■ Renting of a cab
■ Storage & Warehousing Service
■ Transport of export goods in an aircraft by an aircraft operator
■ Site formation and clearance, excavation and demolition services
** If you are transporting goods by rail, you will have to pay service tax from January 2011 onwards.
If you plan to acquire property:
• If you plan to buy a house or an apartment in a residential complex, you will be liable to pay service tax if you agree to buy the said property, or make a payment for it, before the certificate of completion is issued.
• If the cost of the property includes the cost of land, you will be liable to pay service tax corresponding to 25% of the gross value of the property. If not, then you pay service tax corresponding to 33% of the gross value of the property.
• If, however, you buy the property after the issue of this certificate, you are free from this liability.
• Also, now, the certificate of completion can be issued by any architect or chartered engineer or a licensed surveyor.
• Construction of industrial or commercial complex will attract service tax to the tune of 25% of the gross value of the property in case the cost of land is included, or 33%, if it the cost of land is not included.
• Construction of complex under the two development schemes - Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Rajiv Awaas Yojana, is exempt from service tax.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Pranab to meet State Finance Ministers on July 21
PTI
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to meet his State counterparts on July 21to discuss constitutional amendments needed to roll out the proposed GST and the compensation package for the States for the possible loss of their revenue due to this new indirect tax regime.
“The Finance Minister will meet the state finance ministers to discuss compensation packages and constitutional amendment required to implement the goods and services tax (GST),” a finance ministry official told PTI here on Friday.
Before meeting Mr. Mukherjee, the Empowered Group of State Finance Ministers, headed by West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, will meet on the same day and discuss the constitutional amendment draft prepared by the law ministry to implement GST besides the compensation package for the States for any possible revenue loss they suffer due to GST rollout.
“We expect the draft constitutional amendment from the law ministry next week to implement GST. Some kind of preliminary approval of the empowered committee of state finance ministers is required (for this draft). For that we would send it to them before the meeting,” the official added.
The Finance Ministry had explored the feasibility of introducing a Fourth List (Union List, State List and Concurrent List being the other three) in the Constitution that gives both the Centre and the states equal taxation powers, as currently the Centre cannot impose indirect taxes beyond manufacturing, while the states cannot levy service tax. However, the Fourth List idea was dropped later on.
The other option is to allow the Centre and the States to levy GST by amending the Union and State Lists.
The States have already floated a discussion paper on GST, which will replace the excise duty and service tax at the Central level and value-added tax at the state level, besides the cess, surcharges and local taxes.
The GST is scheduled to replace most of the indirect taxes from April 1, 2011
PTI
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to meet his State counterparts on July 21to discuss constitutional amendments needed to roll out the proposed GST and the compensation package for the States for the possible loss of their revenue due to this new indirect tax regime.
“The Finance Minister will meet the state finance ministers to discuss compensation packages and constitutional amendment required to implement the goods and services tax (GST),” a finance ministry official told PTI here on Friday.
Before meeting Mr. Mukherjee, the Empowered Group of State Finance Ministers, headed by West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta, will meet on the same day and discuss the constitutional amendment draft prepared by the law ministry to implement GST besides the compensation package for the States for any possible revenue loss they suffer due to GST rollout.
“We expect the draft constitutional amendment from the law ministry next week to implement GST. Some kind of preliminary approval of the empowered committee of state finance ministers is required (for this draft). For that we would send it to them before the meeting,” the official added.
The Finance Ministry had explored the feasibility of introducing a Fourth List (Union List, State List and Concurrent List being the other three) in the Constitution that gives both the Centre and the states equal taxation powers, as currently the Centre cannot impose indirect taxes beyond manufacturing, while the states cannot levy service tax. However, the Fourth List idea was dropped later on.
The other option is to allow the Centre and the States to levy GST by amending the Union and State Lists.
The States have already floated a discussion paper on GST, which will replace the excise duty and service tax at the Central level and value-added tax at the state level, besides the cess, surcharges and local taxes.
The GST is scheduled to replace most of the indirect taxes from April 1, 2011
Noise pollution – Assessment and Control
Noise pollution – Assessment and Control
by Kalpana Palkhiwala**
Noise pollution or environmental noise is displeasing to human beings and animals. Unwanted sound can damage physiological and psychological health of humans. It can cause hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus which leads to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times panic attacks, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects.
Noise also has a detrimental effect on animals by causing stress, increasing risk of mortality by changing the delicate balance in predator/prey detection and avoidance. Impact of noise on animal life can also result in the reduction of usable habitat which in the case of endangered species may be part of the path to extinction. One of the best known cases of damage caused by noise pollution is the death of certain species of whales, brought by about the loud sound of military sonar.
The source of most outdoor noise worldwide is mainly construction and transportation systems, including motor vehicle, aircraft and rail noise. Poor urban planning has also given rise to noise pollution, caused by closed proximity of industrial and residential buildings.
Indoor and outdoor noise pollution sources include car alarms, emergency service sirens, mechanical equipment, fireworks, compressed air horns, groundskeeping equipment, appliances, lighting hum, audio entertainment systems, electric megaphones etc,.
Noise also makes species communicate louder, which is called Lombard vocal response. Scientists and researchers have conducted experiments that show whales song length is longer when submarine-detectors are on.
Noise was included in the definition of the ‘air pollutants’ under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The same was followed by the notification of ambient noise standards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Air Act, 1981. This enabled the Central, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees to take suitable action against sources causing noise pollution. Subsequently, the following source specific noise standards have been brought out:
• Noise Standards for motor vehicles: These standards are applicable at the manufacturing stage, being implemented by the Ministry of Surface Transport
. • Noise Standards for diesel generator sets: The revised notification prescribes noise standards for diesel generator sets (upto 1000 KVA) at manufacturing stage. The CPCB is the nodal agency for its implementation with the help of various Certification Agencies. The revised notification also prescribes noise standards for diesel gensets manufactured before 01.01.2005 and/or larger than 1000 KVA.
• Noise Standards for fire-crackers: These are applicable at the manufacturing stage. The Department of Explosives (now known as The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization) is the implementation agency for these standards.
In addition to the above standards, the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 have been notified for regulation of ambient noise standards, regulation of noise due to loudspeakers etc. under these Rules, the Competent Authority for regulation of the Noise includes District Magistrate, Police Commissioner or any other Officer not below the rank of the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Apart from the provisions under the Air Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Rules under the Factories Act, 1948 prescribe maximum permissible noise exposure levels for work zone areas.
A National Committee on Noise Pollution Control has been constituted to advise Central Pollution Control Board in noise pollution related matters. The CPCB and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) are monitoring ambient noise levels in areas in Delhi. Noise monitoring has also been initiated in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and other cities by the concerned State Pollution Control Boards and PCCs on festive occasions.
*Deputy Director (M & C), Press Information Bureau, New Delhi.
RTS/VN
SS-108/SF-108/29.06.2010
by Kalpana Palkhiwala**
Noise pollution or environmental noise is displeasing to human beings and animals. Unwanted sound can damage physiological and psychological health of humans. It can cause hypertension, high stress levels, tinnitus which leads to forgetfulness, severe depression and at times panic attacks, hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and other harmful effects.
Noise also has a detrimental effect on animals by causing stress, increasing risk of mortality by changing the delicate balance in predator/prey detection and avoidance. Impact of noise on animal life can also result in the reduction of usable habitat which in the case of endangered species may be part of the path to extinction. One of the best known cases of damage caused by noise pollution is the death of certain species of whales, brought by about the loud sound of military sonar.
The source of most outdoor noise worldwide is mainly construction and transportation systems, including motor vehicle, aircraft and rail noise. Poor urban planning has also given rise to noise pollution, caused by closed proximity of industrial and residential buildings.
Indoor and outdoor noise pollution sources include car alarms, emergency service sirens, mechanical equipment, fireworks, compressed air horns, groundskeeping equipment, appliances, lighting hum, audio entertainment systems, electric megaphones etc,.
Noise also makes species communicate louder, which is called Lombard vocal response. Scientists and researchers have conducted experiments that show whales song length is longer when submarine-detectors are on.
Noise was included in the definition of the ‘air pollutants’ under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The same was followed by the notification of ambient noise standards under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Air Act, 1981. This enabled the Central, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees to take suitable action against sources causing noise pollution. Subsequently, the following source specific noise standards have been brought out:
• Noise Standards for motor vehicles: These standards are applicable at the manufacturing stage, being implemented by the Ministry of Surface Transport
. • Noise Standards for diesel generator sets: The revised notification prescribes noise standards for diesel generator sets (upto 1000 KVA) at manufacturing stage. The CPCB is the nodal agency for its implementation with the help of various Certification Agencies. The revised notification also prescribes noise standards for diesel gensets manufactured before 01.01.2005 and/or larger than 1000 KVA.
• Noise Standards for fire-crackers: These are applicable at the manufacturing stage. The Department of Explosives (now known as The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization) is the implementation agency for these standards.
In addition to the above standards, the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 have been notified for regulation of ambient noise standards, regulation of noise due to loudspeakers etc. under these Rules, the Competent Authority for regulation of the Noise includes District Magistrate, Police Commissioner or any other Officer not below the rank of the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Apart from the provisions under the Air Act, 1981 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Rules under the Factories Act, 1948 prescribe maximum permissible noise exposure levels for work zone areas.
A National Committee on Noise Pollution Control has been constituted to advise Central Pollution Control Board in noise pollution related matters. The CPCB and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) are monitoring ambient noise levels in areas in Delhi. Noise monitoring has also been initiated in Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and other cities by the concerned State Pollution Control Boards and PCCs on festive occasions.
*Deputy Director (M & C), Press Information Bureau, New Delhi.
RTS/VN
SS-108/SF-108/29.06.2010
Will Indians face a backlash in the U.S.?
by Pranay Gupte
There is a cultural defensiveness among many Indians, but they bring enterprise and energy to communities with their presence, and this works to everyone's benefit.
There has been increasing angst and teeth-gnashing among Indians in the United States this week over a tongue-in-cheek essay by columnist Joel Stein in the international newsweekly, Time. Mr. Stein ruefully talks about how his native Edison, a New Jersey community just across the Hudson River from New York City, has been transformed into a “Little India” — with the overpowering smells of Indian cuisine, the eclectic colours of Indian ethnicity, and the distinctive dialects of the subcontinent dominating what was once a largely Italian-American town.
The blogosphere has been ricocheting with rants against the writer, accusing him of prejudice or worse. Time's editors subsequently said that the magazine — whose circulation is just under four million — did not intend to offend Indians. I know Mr. Stein, and he's scarcely a racist; he has acknowledged that the presence of Indians has brought fresh prosperity and diversity to Edison. I am pretty sure that his piece was intended to be satirical, even if it wasn't especially felicitous. Columnists, after all, are paid to be provocative; engendering offence is sometimes one of those unintended consequences of the trade.
An Indian friend, who lives in East Asia, put a healthy perspective on Mr. Stein's article after I had e-mailed it to her. “I was aware somewhere that I ought to be insulted as this guy is saying mean things about my countrymen and culture — but the piece is written with so much humour and candour that I could not help but see his point,” she said. “I cannot help but see where he is coming from. It may not be balanced but brings out the feelings of so many. And somewhere along the line admits to being biased. I see why Time ran it!”
My own feeling is that Indians — especially those living and prospering abroad — often tend to be bereft of irony and a self-deprecating sense of humour; they are given to being far too readily offended as a tribe. It may not quite be a “Masada Complex” — a feeling of being under siege — but there's a cultural defensiveness that I have sensed among many Indians I have known since I first landed in the U.S. as a student.
Of course, there are now many more Indians in America since my initial arrival in 1967. When I visited the U.S. — now my adopted country — not long ago for a major class reunion at Brandeis University near Boston and Cambridge, it struck me that just about every second person on the streets seemed to be of Indian origin. In my home city of New York, the situation was no less different.
Surely, I thought, America — a nation of 307 million — must profit substantially from the presence of these Indians, of whom there are now more than 2.5 million, a tenth of the global Indian Diaspora. As if by serendipity, I came across a study showing that indeed America does benefit handsomely through the contributions of Indians, including businessmen, physicians, and high-technology entrepreneurs.
This study was jointly prepared by the India-U.S. World Affairs Institute of Washington, the Robert H. Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry; it revealed that Indians are not only the most affluent and most educated of the scores of ethnic communities in the melting pot that's the U.S., they are also rapidly becoming among the most significant investors in the American economy.
According to the report, 90 Indian companies made 127 greenfield investments worth $5.5 billion between 2004 and 2009, and created 16,576 jobs in the U.S. During the same period, 239 Indian companies made 372 acquisitions in the U.S., creating more than 40,000 jobs. The total value of 267 (of the 372) acquisitions was $21 billion, or $78.7 million per acquisition. A “greenfield investment” is a form of foreign direct investment where a parent company starts a new venture in a foreign country by constructing new operational facilities from the ground up.
The study says that the five industrial sectors in the U.S. that received the most greenfield investment were metals; software and information technology services; leisure and entertainment; industrial machinery, equipment and tools; and financial services. The sums poured into these sectors accounted for almost 80 per cent of total greenfield investment. New Jersey — the State in which Edison is located — has been one of the top recipients of Indian investment.
New Jersey schools and colleges also have among the largest number of the Indian students who come to the U.S. each year. Overall, there are an estimated 94,563 students from India whose net contribution to the U.S. economy was $2.39 billion, according to the study. In fact, students of Indian origin constitute 10 to 12 per cent of medical students entering U.S. schools, the new study says. Furthermore, there are about 50,000 physicians (and 15,000 medical students) of Indian heritage in the American cities, and in rural areas.
New Jersey has its share of the so-called “Patel motels” too. There are currently almost 10,000 Indian American owners of hotels/motels in the U.S., owning over 40 per cent of all hotels in the country and 39 per cent of all guest rooms; the study says they own more than 21,000 hotels with 1.8 million guest rooms and property valued at $129 billion. These Indian-owned facilities employ 578,600 workers.
The U.S. Census Bureau adds that there were 231,000 businesses owned by Indian Americans in 2002, which employed 615,000 workers and had revenues of over $89 billion. (The Census Bureau conducts the survey every five years, and the results of the 2007 survey will be available in a few days). A study led by Vivek Wadhwa for Duke University and the University of California, Berkeley, found that Indian immigrant entrepreneurs had founded more engineering and technology companies during 1995-2005 than immigrants from Britain, China, Japan, and Taiwan combined. Of all immigrant-founded companies, 26 per cent had Indian founders.
Which brings us back to Joel Stein's column and all the hullaballoo that it has generated. Edison, New Jersey, may not be a precursor of things to come — in other words, Indians are hardly about to demographically dominate small towns all across America; the country's immigration laws would work against that possibility. But Indians bring enterprise and energy to communities with their presence, and this works to everyone's benefit. They are largely anchored in their homespun culture, but they are also respectful of American mores and morals, and laws as well. They make the American tapestry more colourful, richer, and culturally more alive. They are living the American Dream, but in their own special Indian way. What's wrong with that?
(Pranay Gupte is a veteran international journalist and author. His forthcoming book is on India and the Middle East.)
by Pranay Gupte
There is a cultural defensiveness among many Indians, but they bring enterprise and energy to communities with their presence, and this works to everyone's benefit.
There has been increasing angst and teeth-gnashing among Indians in the United States this week over a tongue-in-cheek essay by columnist Joel Stein in the international newsweekly, Time. Mr. Stein ruefully talks about how his native Edison, a New Jersey community just across the Hudson River from New York City, has been transformed into a “Little India” — with the overpowering smells of Indian cuisine, the eclectic colours of Indian ethnicity, and the distinctive dialects of the subcontinent dominating what was once a largely Italian-American town.
The blogosphere has been ricocheting with rants against the writer, accusing him of prejudice or worse. Time's editors subsequently said that the magazine — whose circulation is just under four million — did not intend to offend Indians. I know Mr. Stein, and he's scarcely a racist; he has acknowledged that the presence of Indians has brought fresh prosperity and diversity to Edison. I am pretty sure that his piece was intended to be satirical, even if it wasn't especially felicitous. Columnists, after all, are paid to be provocative; engendering offence is sometimes one of those unintended consequences of the trade.
An Indian friend, who lives in East Asia, put a healthy perspective on Mr. Stein's article after I had e-mailed it to her. “I was aware somewhere that I ought to be insulted as this guy is saying mean things about my countrymen and culture — but the piece is written with so much humour and candour that I could not help but see his point,” she said. “I cannot help but see where he is coming from. It may not be balanced but brings out the feelings of so many. And somewhere along the line admits to being biased. I see why Time ran it!”
My own feeling is that Indians — especially those living and prospering abroad — often tend to be bereft of irony and a self-deprecating sense of humour; they are given to being far too readily offended as a tribe. It may not quite be a “Masada Complex” — a feeling of being under siege — but there's a cultural defensiveness that I have sensed among many Indians I have known since I first landed in the U.S. as a student.
Of course, there are now many more Indians in America since my initial arrival in 1967. When I visited the U.S. — now my adopted country — not long ago for a major class reunion at Brandeis University near Boston and Cambridge, it struck me that just about every second person on the streets seemed to be of Indian origin. In my home city of New York, the situation was no less different.
Surely, I thought, America — a nation of 307 million — must profit substantially from the presence of these Indians, of whom there are now more than 2.5 million, a tenth of the global Indian Diaspora. As if by serendipity, I came across a study showing that indeed America does benefit handsomely through the contributions of Indians, including businessmen, physicians, and high-technology entrepreneurs.
This study was jointly prepared by the India-U.S. World Affairs Institute of Washington, the Robert H. Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry; it revealed that Indians are not only the most affluent and most educated of the scores of ethnic communities in the melting pot that's the U.S., they are also rapidly becoming among the most significant investors in the American economy.
According to the report, 90 Indian companies made 127 greenfield investments worth $5.5 billion between 2004 and 2009, and created 16,576 jobs in the U.S. During the same period, 239 Indian companies made 372 acquisitions in the U.S., creating more than 40,000 jobs. The total value of 267 (of the 372) acquisitions was $21 billion, or $78.7 million per acquisition. A “greenfield investment” is a form of foreign direct investment where a parent company starts a new venture in a foreign country by constructing new operational facilities from the ground up.
The study says that the five industrial sectors in the U.S. that received the most greenfield investment were metals; software and information technology services; leisure and entertainment; industrial machinery, equipment and tools; and financial services. The sums poured into these sectors accounted for almost 80 per cent of total greenfield investment. New Jersey — the State in which Edison is located — has been one of the top recipients of Indian investment.
New Jersey schools and colleges also have among the largest number of the Indian students who come to the U.S. each year. Overall, there are an estimated 94,563 students from India whose net contribution to the U.S. economy was $2.39 billion, according to the study. In fact, students of Indian origin constitute 10 to 12 per cent of medical students entering U.S. schools, the new study says. Furthermore, there are about 50,000 physicians (and 15,000 medical students) of Indian heritage in the American cities, and in rural areas.
New Jersey has its share of the so-called “Patel motels” too. There are currently almost 10,000 Indian American owners of hotels/motels in the U.S., owning over 40 per cent of all hotels in the country and 39 per cent of all guest rooms; the study says they own more than 21,000 hotels with 1.8 million guest rooms and property valued at $129 billion. These Indian-owned facilities employ 578,600 workers.
The U.S. Census Bureau adds that there were 231,000 businesses owned by Indian Americans in 2002, which employed 615,000 workers and had revenues of over $89 billion. (The Census Bureau conducts the survey every five years, and the results of the 2007 survey will be available in a few days). A study led by Vivek Wadhwa for Duke University and the University of California, Berkeley, found that Indian immigrant entrepreneurs had founded more engineering and technology companies during 1995-2005 than immigrants from Britain, China, Japan, and Taiwan combined. Of all immigrant-founded companies, 26 per cent had Indian founders.
Which brings us back to Joel Stein's column and all the hullaballoo that it has generated. Edison, New Jersey, may not be a precursor of things to come — in other words, Indians are hardly about to demographically dominate small towns all across America; the country's immigration laws would work against that possibility. But Indians bring enterprise and energy to communities with their presence, and this works to everyone's benefit. They are largely anchored in their homespun culture, but they are also respectful of American mores and morals, and laws as well. They make the American tapestry more colourful, richer, and culturally more alive. They are living the American Dream, but in their own special Indian way. What's wrong with that?
(Pranay Gupte is a veteran international journalist and author. His forthcoming book is on India and the Middle East.)
BJP’s Fact Finding Committee warns against Chinese incursions
By Pramod Kumar
"CHINA has built 13 airports at the border and most of them including Lhasa, Qando, Nyngchi, Ngaji and Xigaza are operational now. Apart from rail links it has also established several missile points there. It has constructed metalled roads up to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and has reportedly deployed two lakh army personnel on the border. It has the potential to move two more divisions to forward areas during emergency. On the other hand there are virtually no metalled roads on Indian border and more distinctly in those areas which are under threat. There are just wind sandy rubble tracks which Indian security forces are using today. Such a road system in no way can serve our requirements during war time. This state of affairs exists both in Eastern and Western sectors of India," reveals a latest study of Indo-China border conducted in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim by a high powered Fact Finding Committee of BJP leaders.
The report further reveals: "China now has 40,000 km road network in Tibet, apart from rail links of 1,118 km, one from Lhasa to Gormo in Qinghai province. This would enable China to mobilise large forces by train and by road onto Indian borders.
Earlier, this exercise not only took a long time but also was impossible during winter but the new rail line into Tibet and the expressway have changed the scenario totally."
The Committee was constituted by Shri Nitin Gadkari on January 29 to investigate and compile a dossier on the reported incursions by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Indian soil. It has already visited the border areas in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim and will shortly visit Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh before submitting a final White Paper. BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Lok Sabha MP Shri Rajan Sushant, former MP and national secretary Shri Tapir Gao and former J&K BJP president Dr Nirmal Singh were other members of the committee.
"The issue of infrastructural developmental in border areas has totally been neglected even after humiliating defeat of 1962. Today, the presence of Chinese army at the border is three to five times more than the Indian army. It must be taken seriously," said Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, team leader of the Fact Finding Committee.
The committee submitted its report to BJP president Shri Nitin Gadkari at the party’s National Executive Meeting in Patna on June 12. The report demanded the Central government to immediately make the recommendations of China Study Group on Infrastructure Development public and also implement the Group’s recommendations expeditiously. Stressing the need to set up a Parliamentary Group for detailed study and overseeing the border issues, the Committee said a statutory high powered autonomous border management group should be constituted at the national level.
India shares 4,056 kms of boundary with China divided into three sectors-Eastern, Western and Middle. In the Eastern Sector China claims an area of 94,700 sq. kms in addition to whole of Arunachal Pradesh and some parts of Sikkim as its territory. The Western Sector comprises the area of Aksai Chin and the Western boundary in Ladakh, is located along the Lanka La, Niagzu stream and Demchok and Teshigong through the Emis Pass, which was originally under the control of Ladakhi kings. Aksai Chin is strategic to China to sustain control over Tibet. Here China claims about 38,000 sq kms of land in Aksai Chin. In the Middle Sector the area extends up to Spiti Valley and Shipkila Pass. In Garhwal area of Uttarakhand, Satluj-Ganga
watershed has been the traditional boundary. Here China claims about 1,300 sq kms as their territory. After 1962 war, China illegally occupied 20,000 sq kms in Arunachal Pradesh and 38,000 sq kms in Ladakh region, excluding 5,180 sq kms area ceded to it by Pakistan in 1963.
The committee visited Eastern Sector-Tawang, Zemithang, Bumla in Arunachal Pradesh-from March 23 to 28. It found that the Thagla Ridge, where the 1962 Indo-China war had begun, Namka Chu and Sumdrong Chu Valley are under Chinese occupation since 1986. As a result lot of traditional grazing land of local people has been lost. Even an important and sacred Buddhist statue has been displaced by the Chinese Army. In Central Arunachal Pradesh under Upper Subansiri district, the Asa-Pila-Maya Army camp which was in Indian territory is now under Chinese occupation. Similarly, in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh under Dibang Valley district, the Athu-Pupu range, an important sacred place for local people, is now under Chinese occupation since 2006. In Chaklagam range in eastern part, three mountain ranges frequented by Indian hunters have also been occupied by China in 2006. Similarly, in Kurung Kumey district seven of the nine army base camps have been occupied by Chinese Army.
In the Western Sector in Ladakh which was visited from April 1 to 4, the committee realised the urgent need to improve conditions of roads and also the requirement of advanced surveillance equipments. The committee found that the Chinese are far ahead of India in this regard in this region. Now they need not patrol the border all the times. They have advanced equipments with the help of which they can take action immediately in an emergency. The Chinese have also intruded in Mangyur in Demchok area, opposite to Dungti post, Chumar in Nyoma block, places near Pengong Lake, etc. Here certain posts are unmanned and some are unduly spaced as there is no post within 40 km and the Jaarsar post is 8 km from the LAC.
During its visit to Eastern Sector in Sikkim from May 30 to June 1, the committee witnessed the absence of even basic road right from Gangtok to the border posts. Even after 60 years of Independence the abysmal facilities are a telling story of the Indian side. It is not only roads, even the basic telecom communication is absent beyond Lachen. It was for the first time that any civilian/non-uniformed personnel ventured to visit the East Changeri Post 18,000 ft with only six per cent oxygen level. At this location virtually no vehicles can ply and diesel genset cannot be used for power.
The committee emphasised on the immediate need to create new posts to man the gaps at different points to stop incursion. For this purpose, the strength of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) should be increased. It also stressed the urgent need to increase Army’s strength to match deployment on Chinese side of the border. "The Government must take up construction of pucca (metalled) roads on priority basis before it is too late. There is also urgent need of making the Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) at Chushul and Furchok workable. The Government should also speed up construction of Airports in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim," the report added.
Stressing the need to boost the morale of ITBP by improving living conditions of the personals the report suggested to involve the local people in guarding the border by recruiting them in Territorial Army. "In Ladakh area, there seems to be lack of coordination between the security forces and the local administration to deal with border issues. Similarly, there seems to be lack of communication between the security forces and the local people. The people say the ITBP doesn’t trust them. The local Riboos (grazers) will play a vital role when the question of deciding the boundary will come. We suppose that they shall be one of the deciding factors as their claim over the land under their occupation shall not be so easy to ignore. So, it is imperative on the part of security agencies to improve relations with them," the report said suggesting to open the Ladakh region for tourists, as it will also reduce the travel distance to Kailash Mansarovar to less than a half. In ancient time this was the familiar route to Kailash Mansarovar.
source: The Organiser
By Pramod Kumar
"CHINA has built 13 airports at the border and most of them including Lhasa, Qando, Nyngchi, Ngaji and Xigaza are operational now. Apart from rail links it has also established several missile points there. It has constructed metalled roads up to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and has reportedly deployed two lakh army personnel on the border. It has the potential to move two more divisions to forward areas during emergency. On the other hand there are virtually no metalled roads on Indian border and more distinctly in those areas which are under threat. There are just wind sandy rubble tracks which Indian security forces are using today. Such a road system in no way can serve our requirements during war time. This state of affairs exists both in Eastern and Western sectors of India," reveals a latest study of Indo-China border conducted in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim by a high powered Fact Finding Committee of BJP leaders.
The report further reveals: "China now has 40,000 km road network in Tibet, apart from rail links of 1,118 km, one from Lhasa to Gormo in Qinghai province. This would enable China to mobilise large forces by train and by road onto Indian borders.
Earlier, this exercise not only took a long time but also was impossible during winter but the new rail line into Tibet and the expressway have changed the scenario totally."
The Committee was constituted by Shri Nitin Gadkari on January 29 to investigate and compile a dossier on the reported incursions by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Indian soil. It has already visited the border areas in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikkim and will shortly visit Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh before submitting a final White Paper. BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Lok Sabha MP Shri Rajan Sushant, former MP and national secretary Shri Tapir Gao and former J&K BJP president Dr Nirmal Singh were other members of the committee.
"The issue of infrastructural developmental in border areas has totally been neglected even after humiliating defeat of 1962. Today, the presence of Chinese army at the border is three to five times more than the Indian army. It must be taken seriously," said Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, team leader of the Fact Finding Committee.
The committee submitted its report to BJP president Shri Nitin Gadkari at the party’s National Executive Meeting in Patna on June 12. The report demanded the Central government to immediately make the recommendations of China Study Group on Infrastructure Development public and also implement the Group’s recommendations expeditiously. Stressing the need to set up a Parliamentary Group for detailed study and overseeing the border issues, the Committee said a statutory high powered autonomous border management group should be constituted at the national level.
India shares 4,056 kms of boundary with China divided into three sectors-Eastern, Western and Middle. In the Eastern Sector China claims an area of 94,700 sq. kms in addition to whole of Arunachal Pradesh and some parts of Sikkim as its territory. The Western Sector comprises the area of Aksai Chin and the Western boundary in Ladakh, is located along the Lanka La, Niagzu stream and Demchok and Teshigong through the Emis Pass, which was originally under the control of Ladakhi kings. Aksai Chin is strategic to China to sustain control over Tibet. Here China claims about 38,000 sq kms of land in Aksai Chin. In the Middle Sector the area extends up to Spiti Valley and Shipkila Pass. In Garhwal area of Uttarakhand, Satluj-Ganga
watershed has been the traditional boundary. Here China claims about 1,300 sq kms as their territory. After 1962 war, China illegally occupied 20,000 sq kms in Arunachal Pradesh and 38,000 sq kms in Ladakh region, excluding 5,180 sq kms area ceded to it by Pakistan in 1963.
The committee visited Eastern Sector-Tawang, Zemithang, Bumla in Arunachal Pradesh-from March 23 to 28. It found that the Thagla Ridge, where the 1962 Indo-China war had begun, Namka Chu and Sumdrong Chu Valley are under Chinese occupation since 1986. As a result lot of traditional grazing land of local people has been lost. Even an important and sacred Buddhist statue has been displaced by the Chinese Army. In Central Arunachal Pradesh under Upper Subansiri district, the Asa-Pila-Maya Army camp which was in Indian territory is now under Chinese occupation. Similarly, in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh under Dibang Valley district, the Athu-Pupu range, an important sacred place for local people, is now under Chinese occupation since 2006. In Chaklagam range in eastern part, three mountain ranges frequented by Indian hunters have also been occupied by China in 2006. Similarly, in Kurung Kumey district seven of the nine army base camps have been occupied by Chinese Army.
In the Western Sector in Ladakh which was visited from April 1 to 4, the committee realised the urgent need to improve conditions of roads and also the requirement of advanced surveillance equipments. The committee found that the Chinese are far ahead of India in this regard in this region. Now they need not patrol the border all the times. They have advanced equipments with the help of which they can take action immediately in an emergency. The Chinese have also intruded in Mangyur in Demchok area, opposite to Dungti post, Chumar in Nyoma block, places near Pengong Lake, etc. Here certain posts are unmanned and some are unduly spaced as there is no post within 40 km and the Jaarsar post is 8 km from the LAC.
During its visit to Eastern Sector in Sikkim from May 30 to June 1, the committee witnessed the absence of even basic road right from Gangtok to the border posts. Even after 60 years of Independence the abysmal facilities are a telling story of the Indian side. It is not only roads, even the basic telecom communication is absent beyond Lachen. It was for the first time that any civilian/non-uniformed personnel ventured to visit the East Changeri Post 18,000 ft with only six per cent oxygen level. At this location virtually no vehicles can ply and diesel genset cannot be used for power.
The committee emphasised on the immediate need to create new posts to man the gaps at different points to stop incursion. For this purpose, the strength of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) should be increased. It also stressed the urgent need to increase Army’s strength to match deployment on Chinese side of the border. "The Government must take up construction of pucca (metalled) roads on priority basis before it is too late. There is also urgent need of making the Advance Landing Grounds (ALGs) at Chushul and Furchok workable. The Government should also speed up construction of Airports in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim," the report added.
Stressing the need to boost the morale of ITBP by improving living conditions of the personals the report suggested to involve the local people in guarding the border by recruiting them in Territorial Army. "In Ladakh area, there seems to be lack of coordination between the security forces and the local administration to deal with border issues. Similarly, there seems to be lack of communication between the security forces and the local people. The people say the ITBP doesn’t trust them. The local Riboos (grazers) will play a vital role when the question of deciding the boundary will come. We suppose that they shall be one of the deciding factors as their claim over the land under their occupation shall not be so easy to ignore. So, it is imperative on the part of security agencies to improve relations with them," the report said suggesting to open the Ladakh region for tourists, as it will also reduce the travel distance to Kailash Mansarovar to less than a half. In ancient time this was the familiar route to Kailash Mansarovar.
source: The Organiser
Thursday, July 1, 2010
CM offer prayers at the famous Salasar Hanuman Temple
GANGTOK, June 30 (IPR): Chief Minister Pawan Chamling undertook journey by road today to the famous Hanuman Temple at Salasar, 57 kms from Sikar in Rajasthan and offered prayers.
On arrival at Sikar, the Chief Minister was accorded a warm welcome by the Additional District Collector and the Superintendent of Police. The Rajasthan Police contingent also presented the guard of honour to the Chief Minister. At Salasar Temple, the Sikkim CM was received by Collector KK Pathak and Sr Supdt of Police.
Mr. Chamling also joined the sacred congregation for the evening aarati at the famous temple to offer his prayer for peace, security and well being of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people.
The famous temple at Salasar constructed about 256 years ago has continued to remain as one of the most sacred places of worship drawing devotees and tourists from within and outside the Country for centuries. Rich in local folklore and religious mysticism, the temple was built by the King of Aswathama of the neighbourhood region in the good old days. Legend has it that Lord Hanumana came to the dream of the King and told him to construct the temple in honour of one devotee Mohandas for his devotion and spiritual obeisance offered to Lord Hanumana. In compliance to the holy injunction, the King made a statue of Lord Hanumana and the temple handed over the same to the staunch devotee Mohandas. The temple is today served and looked after by eight generation of priests belonging to the descendents of Mohandas family.
Mr. Chamling was accompanied by Mrs Tika Maya Chamling, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister RS Basnet and Principal Resident Commissioner, Sikkim House.
He is scheduled to visit the famous shrine of Ajmer Sharif tomorrow
--------------------
Gangtok, June 29: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling inspected the ongoing construction work of the new Sikkim House in Guwahati yesterday.
The Chief Minister made suggested creation of a show room in all such guest houses located outside Sikkim. The show room shall act as the one-stop centre for showcasing the State’s rich tradition and culture. The centre shall display all traditional and cultural items of the State together with agri-flori products.
He also visited the Kamakhya temple and offered his prayer for peace, prosperity and well being of Sikkim.
Later, the Chief Minister met the Governor of Assam JB Patnaik. (AT)
GANGTOK, June 30 (IPR): Chief Minister Pawan Chamling undertook journey by road today to the famous Hanuman Temple at Salasar, 57 kms from Sikar in Rajasthan and offered prayers.
On arrival at Sikar, the Chief Minister was accorded a warm welcome by the Additional District Collector and the Superintendent of Police. The Rajasthan Police contingent also presented the guard of honour to the Chief Minister. At Salasar Temple, the Sikkim CM was received by Collector KK Pathak and Sr Supdt of Police.
Mr. Chamling also joined the sacred congregation for the evening aarati at the famous temple to offer his prayer for peace, security and well being of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people.
The famous temple at Salasar constructed about 256 years ago has continued to remain as one of the most sacred places of worship drawing devotees and tourists from within and outside the Country for centuries. Rich in local folklore and religious mysticism, the temple was built by the King of Aswathama of the neighbourhood region in the good old days. Legend has it that Lord Hanumana came to the dream of the King and told him to construct the temple in honour of one devotee Mohandas for his devotion and spiritual obeisance offered to Lord Hanumana. In compliance to the holy injunction, the King made a statue of Lord Hanumana and the temple handed over the same to the staunch devotee Mohandas. The temple is today served and looked after by eight generation of priests belonging to the descendents of Mohandas family.
Mr. Chamling was accompanied by Mrs Tika Maya Chamling, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister RS Basnet and Principal Resident Commissioner, Sikkim House.
He is scheduled to visit the famous shrine of Ajmer Sharif tomorrow
--------------------
Gangtok, June 29: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling inspected the ongoing construction work of the new Sikkim House in Guwahati yesterday.
The Chief Minister made suggested creation of a show room in all such guest houses located outside Sikkim. The show room shall act as the one-stop centre for showcasing the State’s rich tradition and culture. The centre shall display all traditional and cultural items of the State together with agri-flori products.
He also visited the Kamakhya temple and offered his prayer for peace, prosperity and well being of Sikkim.
Later, the Chief Minister met the Governor of Assam JB Patnaik. (AT)
Aadhaar Authentication API Specification Relased by UIDAI
The UIDAI has published the Aadhaar Authentication Application Programming Interface (API) specification on its website. It contains details including API data format, protocol, and security specifications.
Aadhaar Authentication is the process wherein Aadhaar number, along with other attributes, including biometrics, are submitted online to the Central Identities Data Repository for its verification on the basis of the information or data or documents available with it. Aadhaar authentication service only responds with a “yes/no” and no personal identity information is returned as a part of the response.
Aadhaar authentication will provide a convenient mechanism for all residents to establish their identity using just the Aadhaar number and biometrics and optionally other additional demographics. It provides a national platform for identity verification and can be used to deliver services effectively to residents across the country.
The detailed technical document is available on the website www.uidai.gov.in
DS/GK
The UIDAI has published the Aadhaar Authentication Application Programming Interface (API) specification on its website. It contains details including API data format, protocol, and security specifications.
Aadhaar Authentication is the process wherein Aadhaar number, along with other attributes, including biometrics, are submitted online to the Central Identities Data Repository for its verification on the basis of the information or data or documents available with it. Aadhaar authentication service only responds with a “yes/no” and no personal identity information is returned as a part of the response.
Aadhaar authentication will provide a convenient mechanism for all residents to establish their identity using just the Aadhaar number and biometrics and optionally other additional demographics. It provides a national platform for identity verification and can be used to deliver services effectively to residents across the country.
The detailed technical document is available on the website www.uidai.gov.in
DS/GK
Green & Digital Prosperity should be Sikkim’s GDP: Vijay Mahajan
Seminar on identifying key elements of knowledge economy for Sikkim
June 30: Eminent social entrepreneur and expert on micro-finance Vijay Mahajan today strongly advocated the Sikkim government to lay thrust on developing a knowledge based economy in order to achieve the equitable growth goals by 2025.
Speaking at brainstorming session organized by State Knowledge Commission which is preparing the Vision 2025 document of Sikkim today here at Chintan Bhavan, Mahajan said that the economy of Sikkim is presently depended on sectors like agriculture and animal husbandry and also on hydro power generation.
“But knowledge based economy in Sikkim is presently two or three percent. Sikkim being where it is with its mountainous terrain and distance from markets, it will be losing battle for us to have a matter based economy. Knowledge is where we can score by 2025”, said Mahajan who is also a member of the State Knowledge Commission.
Mahajan said that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Sikkim should be on ‘Green’ and ‘Digital Prosperity’.
Under ‘Green’ skills we have to give thrust on agriculture sector like organic farming, animal husbandry, installation and management of renewable engery and preservation of environment, said Mahajan. We will also have to develop digital skills on date processing, call centres, research and other knowledge based activities, he said.
Green skills and Digital services will be Sikkim’s GDP by 2025 and here human capital is very important for which the involvement of local institutions, organizations and Self Help Groups is critical besides developing proper infrastructure, said Mahajan.
Sikkim has to improve its green skills and learn digital skills to achieve the goals proposed in Vision 2025, said Mahajan.
Responding to question raised by the participants, Lok Sabha member and also the member of the State Knowledge Commission PD Rai said that the biggest challenge of Sikkim for software and Information Technology sector is its digital connectivity. BSNL has not really been a good way of connectivity for us to the rest of the country and we need to develop proper infrastructure and human resources, he said.
State Human Resource Development minister NK Pradhan who chaired the meeting said that the State government is trying to involve the people themselves in drafting the Vision 2025. We want the contributions of the Sikkimese people to formulate plans as how Sikkim should be by 2025, he said.
The State Knowledge Commission had been set up in 2009 to prepare the Vision 2025 document of Sikkim.
It has also been mandated to suggest measures for making the Sikkimese society a knowledge based society and improve the government educational centres and education sector, said State Knowledge Commission secretary Vishal Chauhan.
The Commission is expected to submit its report by 2011.
source;sikkim express
Seminar on identifying key elements of knowledge economy for Sikkim
June 30: Eminent social entrepreneur and expert on micro-finance Vijay Mahajan today strongly advocated the Sikkim government to lay thrust on developing a knowledge based economy in order to achieve the equitable growth goals by 2025.
Speaking at brainstorming session organized by State Knowledge Commission which is preparing the Vision 2025 document of Sikkim today here at Chintan Bhavan, Mahajan said that the economy of Sikkim is presently depended on sectors like agriculture and animal husbandry and also on hydro power generation.
“But knowledge based economy in Sikkim is presently two or three percent. Sikkim being where it is with its mountainous terrain and distance from markets, it will be losing battle for us to have a matter based economy. Knowledge is where we can score by 2025”, said Mahajan who is also a member of the State Knowledge Commission.
Mahajan said that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Sikkim should be on ‘Green’ and ‘Digital Prosperity’.
Under ‘Green’ skills we have to give thrust on agriculture sector like organic farming, animal husbandry, installation and management of renewable engery and preservation of environment, said Mahajan. We will also have to develop digital skills on date processing, call centres, research and other knowledge based activities, he said.
Green skills and Digital services will be Sikkim’s GDP by 2025 and here human capital is very important for which the involvement of local institutions, organizations and Self Help Groups is critical besides developing proper infrastructure, said Mahajan.
Sikkim has to improve its green skills and learn digital skills to achieve the goals proposed in Vision 2025, said Mahajan.
Responding to question raised by the participants, Lok Sabha member and also the member of the State Knowledge Commission PD Rai said that the biggest challenge of Sikkim for software and Information Technology sector is its digital connectivity. BSNL has not really been a good way of connectivity for us to the rest of the country and we need to develop proper infrastructure and human resources, he said.
State Human Resource Development minister NK Pradhan who chaired the meeting said that the State government is trying to involve the people themselves in drafting the Vision 2025. We want the contributions of the Sikkimese people to formulate plans as how Sikkim should be by 2025, he said.
The State Knowledge Commission had been set up in 2009 to prepare the Vision 2025 document of Sikkim.
It has also been mandated to suggest measures for making the Sikkimese society a knowledge based society and improve the government educational centres and education sector, said State Knowledge Commission secretary Vishal Chauhan.
The Commission is expected to submit its report by 2011.
source;sikkim express
Full Text of Code of Conduct for Safe and Honourable Tourism
Following is the full text of Code of Conduct for Safe and Honourable Tourism unveiled today by Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja in New Delhi:
“To leverage the burgeoning global travel and trade and in keeping with the Indian tourism industry’s objective of positioning India as a global tourism brand, the Ministry of Tourism has strategically outlined in its policy the central principle of, ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God). In stating this, is evident the commitment of Indian tourism to ensure that every tourist in India is physically invigorated, mentally rejuvenated, culturally enriched and spiritually elevated.
To meet this objective and at the core of the National tourism policy of 2002 is outlined the seven pillars of tourism, Swagat (Welcome), Soochana (Information), Suvidha (Facilitation), Suraksha (Safety), Sahyog (Cooperation), Samrachanam (Infrastructure Development) and Safai ( cleanliness).
‘Safe and Honourable Tourism’ aims to strengthen the critical pillar of ‘Suraksha’ (Safety) and ensure that Indian tourism follows international standards of safe tourism practices, applicable for both tourists and local residents i.e local people and communities who may be impacted by tourism in some way. Its central objective is to ensure that tourism activities are undertaken, integrating the need to protect the dignity, safety and the right to freedom from exploitation of all tourists and local residents involved in or impacted by tourism. In today’s scenario, following safety guidelines is not just about adhering to the provisions of the seven pillars but also implies good business. As the demand from travellers for safe and secure tourism services increases, this code will assist signatories to build capacities among their services chains and personnel so as to be able to respond to this demand.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES -
This code is a guideline of conduct to enable the Indian travel and tourism industry to:
Encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents i.e people and communities who may be impacted by tourism in some way.
Aid the prevention of prostitution, sex tourism and forms of sexual exploitations like assaults and molestations in tourism to safeguard the safety of persons, in particular women and children.
To enhance prevention of activities like forced or involuntary drug use, manipulated and incorrect information, cultural and social intolerance which could increase vulnerability to crime.
APPLICABILITY:
This code of conduct shall be applicable to all the owners, suppliers, contractors, employees of the travel and tour sector including hotels, restaurants, lodges, guest houses, tour agents, entertainment establishments etc. In addition it shall be applicable to service providers like event management organizations, entertainment providers, transport operators like taxis, buses, tour guides and other services or agencies associated with the tourism sector. This is not a legally binding instrument but a set of guidelines for the tourism industry. In addition to these guidelines, included in this code are key messages that signatories are encouraged to use.
GUIDELINES FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY -
1. Information & training of personnel:
· Management will take up measures to build awareness and train staff on the guidelines of this code and appropriate legal provisions to enhance vigilance and to ensure that personnel act in a manner that promotes the safety of tourists, local residents and their own staff.
· All hotels and tour operators shall train and maintain two persons as focal points to ensure that all safety norms and guidelines of this code are adhered to. The officers shall provide correct information to tourists, like information on Child lines- 1098, Women Help lines- 1091, local police helpline 100 and also act as a liaison officer with agencies such as the local police station, immigration authorities, civil society partners working in this area, child and women welfare committees etc.
· In case of an incidence of exploitation, personnel shall be sensitized to report correct information to the appropriate authorities act in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, other agencies providing care and support and take necessary action to protect the interests of the individual whose rights are violated,.
· Organizations will promote awareness on the code among service providers affiliated to their business such as vendors, contractors, taxi drivers, tour guides, event management companies etc.
· In case of misconduct by a staff member or personnel of a service provider, signatories of the code will commit themselves to act in an unbiased manner, reporting the incidence to appropriate authorities and protecting the interests of the individual whose rights are violated.
· Identified victims shall not be treated as criminals. They should be identified as persons in need of care, protection and should be provided with legal, medical, psycho-social and any other assistance without delay.
2. Public awareness and guest notification:
· Messages of intolerance to any form of exploitation must be made evident in appropriate places visible to guests/clients, employees and other visitors. Guests and clients must also be provided information through the company’s website, brochures, tickets, bills, in-room/in-flight communication etc on issues related to commercial sexual exploitation such as sex tourism, prostitution, pornography, forms of sexual assaults, molestations and key messages elaborated in this code.
· In order to enhance tolerance for social and cultural norms, signatories of this code must take action to provide information available to their best knowledge on local social and cultural beliefs and norms. Knowledge and tolerance for different social and cultural norms will allow tourists to dress, conduct themselves and respect local beliefs helping them to adjust and thereby reducing the vulnerabilities they might face as foreigners to a particular destination.
· Signatories of the code are encouraged to assist tourists with guidance on safety tips applicable to the specific city/place like places to visit, timings for visits, right dressing and precautions against moving alone, and against accepting eatables and favors from unknown persons etc. Guests and clients shall be cautioned against solicitations from touts, non-regulated tourism operators and encouraged to consult the website of the Tourism Ministry and other authorized websites.
· Signatories will ensure that a clause is included in registration papers seeking commitment of the tourist to act in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of local residents and also to conduct themselves in a manner that shall aid the tourist’s own protection against exploitation.
3. Regulated use of premises and official equipment:
· Management/owners are encouraged to prohibit usage of the organization’s premises for use or abuse of illicit substances, sexual violations and of company equipment for viewing, storage, distribution, promotion or use of material which could increase vulnerability to exploitations of the nature mentioned in this code.
· Individuals under the permitted age shall not be allowed permission in to restricted areas like bars and pubs.
· Tourism service providers shall verify and maintain a record of details pertaining to tourists, personnel and service providers like address, contact details etc and also commit themselves to maintaining confidentiality.
· Internet usage that promotes, seeks any contacts for sex tourism and other sexual services, for search of pornographic material and/or to solicit the sale and purchase of illicit substances shall be prohibited.
4. Ethical business practices and marketing:
Management/owners shall ensure that all contracts with business partners, suppliers and franchise agreements bear a clause seeking commitment to provisions of the ‘Code of conduct for Safe and Honorable Tourism’ in their businesses.
Any tourism enterprise or service provider found to act in a manner that undermines the safety of persons outlined in this code may be blacklisted.
Sexually explicit images or concepts/images that may compromise the safety of individuals shall not be used for marketing purposes. An unambiguous company policy shall be set up to ensure that marketing and advertising does not support the promotion of sexual exploitation or promotion of sexually explicit images.
Signatories are encouraged to patronize vendors and service providers who are committed to adhering to the provisions of this code.
5. Implementation and Monitoring:
· All signatories are required to maintain an annual report on ‘Code of conduct for Safe and Honourable Tourism’ and submit it to a designated authority.
· Management/owners shall report on:
o Training and capacity building initiatives carried out for personnel/ staff.
o Means adopted to raise awareness on safety among guests, personnel and service providers.
KEY MESSAGES FOR AWARENESS BUILDING AND DISSEMINATION-
Enhancing safety and security of all tourists -
· All signatories of the code are committed to act in a manner that protects the dignity and freedom against exploitation of persons especially women and children and facilitate prevention of incidences of sexual molestation, harassment of their guests and provide assistance in case of an untoward incident.
· In case of exploitation please call the Child line-1098, Women Help lines- 1091 and/or contact relevant authorities like the police or travel and tour operators.
· Like in many places in the rest of the world tourists are encouraged to follow some basic and practical safety tips such as to remain with a group or meet new people in public places, not to accept items from persons whom they have befriended recently, be wary of unexpected, unknown persons coming to their hotel room, never open the door to unsolicited room service or maintenance people etc.
· Tourists are encouraged to understand local social, cultural norms and beliefs and are encouraged to conduct themselves in a manner that respects these beliefs.
· Tourists must always take the advice of more than one person when seeking information on places to visit, shopping places, local customs, beliefs and norms and remain vigilant on accepting completed documents. Tourists are encouraged to seek information from Government of India recognized information centers and visit the Ministry of Tourism’s websites.
· Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, Section 2 (c) - Indecent representation of women means the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to, or denigrating a woman or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals.
· Kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt, slavery, etc. is an offence under Section 367 of the Indian Penal Code.
· Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty is an offence under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code.
· Punishment for rape offences shall not be less than seven years but which may be for life or for a term which may extend to ten years as the case may be, according to Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code.
Enhancing safety of local people -
People across the world dress, eat and live differently and follow different values and norms. Tourists are encouraged to respect the local people and must commit themselves to acting in adherence to local laws.
Signatories to the code maintain zero tolerance to acts of sexual exploitations, including commercial sexual exploitation like prostitution, sex tourism and trafficking of persons for it.
Many tourists believe that they are protected by anonymity and thus laws are more easily violated. Any guest, staff, partner linked to this agency found to be indulging in exploitations outlined in this code or supporting it shall be reported to an appropriate authority.
A few alarming trends that have emerged in recent years are sexual exploitation through sex tourism, paedophilia, prostitution in pilgrim towns and other tourist destinations, cross border trafficking.( See Footnote-1)
According to studies conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, there are 3 million commercial sex workers in India, of which an estimated 40% are children. (See Footnote-1)
Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring or receiving a person through use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation is irrelevant irrespective of age. ( See Footnote-2)
· Sexual relationship with a child amounts to rape according to the Indian Penal Code and is punishable with imprisonment of minimum 7 years which can even be extended to life imprisonment.
· Acquiring or inducing any person (irrespective of age or sex) for prostitution or causing a person to be taken for prostitution is an offence under Section 5 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act 1956 and with a punishment of 3- 7 years.
· It is a myth that sexual intercourse with a virgin or a minor will cure STI or prevent HIV. It only spreads the disease further.
· Abetment to crime amounts to committing the crime itself.
· Victims of exploitation are not criminals. They are persons in need of care, protection, legal, medical and psychological assistance.
· Under section 7 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956, letting out a hotel or any part there off for prostitution is an offence for which the license of the hotel can be suspended.
Publishing or transmitting or causing to be published or transmitted, material in any electronic form which depicts children engaged in sexually explicit act or induces children to online relationship with one or more children for and on sexually explicit act is an offence under section 67(b) of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008.
Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act- Engaging in the production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transportation, warehousing, concealment, use or consumption, import inter-state, export inter-state, import in to India, export from India or transhipment, of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances is an offence expect for scientific and medical reasons. Punishment for the offence may imply imprisonment, fine or both.
Handling or letting out any premises for the carrying on of any of the above mentioned activities in an offence under the NDPS act.
According to the National Security Act, 1980, the Central Government or the state Government has the power to act against any person with a view to prevent him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the defence of India, the relations of India with foreign powers or the security of India.
· The Foreigners (Amendment) Act, 2004 - If a foreigner to the country acts in violations of the conditions of the valid visa issued to him for his entry and stay in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine. If he has entered in to a bond then his bond shall be fortified.”
1. India Country report- 2008- Ministry of Women and Child Development and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
2. United Nations Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
AD/DB
Following is the full text of Code of Conduct for Safe and Honourable Tourism unveiled today by Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja in New Delhi:
“To leverage the burgeoning global travel and trade and in keeping with the Indian tourism industry’s objective of positioning India as a global tourism brand, the Ministry of Tourism has strategically outlined in its policy the central principle of, ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (Guest is God). In stating this, is evident the commitment of Indian tourism to ensure that every tourist in India is physically invigorated, mentally rejuvenated, culturally enriched and spiritually elevated.
To meet this objective and at the core of the National tourism policy of 2002 is outlined the seven pillars of tourism, Swagat (Welcome), Soochana (Information), Suvidha (Facilitation), Suraksha (Safety), Sahyog (Cooperation), Samrachanam (Infrastructure Development) and Safai ( cleanliness).
‘Safe and Honourable Tourism’ aims to strengthen the critical pillar of ‘Suraksha’ (Safety) and ensure that Indian tourism follows international standards of safe tourism practices, applicable for both tourists and local residents i.e local people and communities who may be impacted by tourism in some way. Its central objective is to ensure that tourism activities are undertaken, integrating the need to protect the dignity, safety and the right to freedom from exploitation of all tourists and local residents involved in or impacted by tourism. In today’s scenario, following safety guidelines is not just about adhering to the provisions of the seven pillars but also implies good business. As the demand from travellers for safe and secure tourism services increases, this code will assist signatories to build capacities among their services chains and personnel so as to be able to respond to this demand.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES -
This code is a guideline of conduct to enable the Indian travel and tourism industry to:
Encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents i.e people and communities who may be impacted by tourism in some way.
Aid the prevention of prostitution, sex tourism and forms of sexual exploitations like assaults and molestations in tourism to safeguard the safety of persons, in particular women and children.
To enhance prevention of activities like forced or involuntary drug use, manipulated and incorrect information, cultural and social intolerance which could increase vulnerability to crime.
APPLICABILITY:
This code of conduct shall be applicable to all the owners, suppliers, contractors, employees of the travel and tour sector including hotels, restaurants, lodges, guest houses, tour agents, entertainment establishments etc. In addition it shall be applicable to service providers like event management organizations, entertainment providers, transport operators like taxis, buses, tour guides and other services or agencies associated with the tourism sector. This is not a legally binding instrument but a set of guidelines for the tourism industry. In addition to these guidelines, included in this code are key messages that signatories are encouraged to use.
GUIDELINES FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY -
1. Information & training of personnel:
· Management will take up measures to build awareness and train staff on the guidelines of this code and appropriate legal provisions to enhance vigilance and to ensure that personnel act in a manner that promotes the safety of tourists, local residents and their own staff.
· All hotels and tour operators shall train and maintain two persons as focal points to ensure that all safety norms and guidelines of this code are adhered to. The officers shall provide correct information to tourists, like information on Child lines- 1098, Women Help lines- 1091, local police helpline 100 and also act as a liaison officer with agencies such as the local police station, immigration authorities, civil society partners working in this area, child and women welfare committees etc.
· In case of an incidence of exploitation, personnel shall be sensitized to report correct information to the appropriate authorities act in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, other agencies providing care and support and take necessary action to protect the interests of the individual whose rights are violated,.
· Organizations will promote awareness on the code among service providers affiliated to their business such as vendors, contractors, taxi drivers, tour guides, event management companies etc.
· In case of misconduct by a staff member or personnel of a service provider, signatories of the code will commit themselves to act in an unbiased manner, reporting the incidence to appropriate authorities and protecting the interests of the individual whose rights are violated.
· Identified victims shall not be treated as criminals. They should be identified as persons in need of care, protection and should be provided with legal, medical, psycho-social and any other assistance without delay.
2. Public awareness and guest notification:
· Messages of intolerance to any form of exploitation must be made evident in appropriate places visible to guests/clients, employees and other visitors. Guests and clients must also be provided information through the company’s website, brochures, tickets, bills, in-room/in-flight communication etc on issues related to commercial sexual exploitation such as sex tourism, prostitution, pornography, forms of sexual assaults, molestations and key messages elaborated in this code.
· In order to enhance tolerance for social and cultural norms, signatories of this code must take action to provide information available to their best knowledge on local social and cultural beliefs and norms. Knowledge and tolerance for different social and cultural norms will allow tourists to dress, conduct themselves and respect local beliefs helping them to adjust and thereby reducing the vulnerabilities they might face as foreigners to a particular destination.
· Signatories of the code are encouraged to assist tourists with guidance on safety tips applicable to the specific city/place like places to visit, timings for visits, right dressing and precautions against moving alone, and against accepting eatables and favors from unknown persons etc. Guests and clients shall be cautioned against solicitations from touts, non-regulated tourism operators and encouraged to consult the website of the Tourism Ministry and other authorized websites.
· Signatories will ensure that a clause is included in registration papers seeking commitment of the tourist to act in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of local residents and also to conduct themselves in a manner that shall aid the tourist’s own protection against exploitation.
3. Regulated use of premises and official equipment:
· Management/owners are encouraged to prohibit usage of the organization’s premises for use or abuse of illicit substances, sexual violations and of company equipment for viewing, storage, distribution, promotion or use of material which could increase vulnerability to exploitations of the nature mentioned in this code.
· Individuals under the permitted age shall not be allowed permission in to restricted areas like bars and pubs.
· Tourism service providers shall verify and maintain a record of details pertaining to tourists, personnel and service providers like address, contact details etc and also commit themselves to maintaining confidentiality.
· Internet usage that promotes, seeks any contacts for sex tourism and other sexual services, for search of pornographic material and/or to solicit the sale and purchase of illicit substances shall be prohibited.
4. Ethical business practices and marketing:
Management/owners shall ensure that all contracts with business partners, suppliers and franchise agreements bear a clause seeking commitment to provisions of the ‘Code of conduct for Safe and Honorable Tourism’ in their businesses.
Any tourism enterprise or service provider found to act in a manner that undermines the safety of persons outlined in this code may be blacklisted.
Sexually explicit images or concepts/images that may compromise the safety of individuals shall not be used for marketing purposes. An unambiguous company policy shall be set up to ensure that marketing and advertising does not support the promotion of sexual exploitation or promotion of sexually explicit images.
Signatories are encouraged to patronize vendors and service providers who are committed to adhering to the provisions of this code.
5. Implementation and Monitoring:
· All signatories are required to maintain an annual report on ‘Code of conduct for Safe and Honourable Tourism’ and submit it to a designated authority.
· Management/owners shall report on:
o Training and capacity building initiatives carried out for personnel/ staff.
o Means adopted to raise awareness on safety among guests, personnel and service providers.
KEY MESSAGES FOR AWARENESS BUILDING AND DISSEMINATION-
Enhancing safety and security of all tourists -
· All signatories of the code are committed to act in a manner that protects the dignity and freedom against exploitation of persons especially women and children and facilitate prevention of incidences of sexual molestation, harassment of their guests and provide assistance in case of an untoward incident.
· In case of exploitation please call the Child line-1098, Women Help lines- 1091 and/or contact relevant authorities like the police or travel and tour operators.
· Like in many places in the rest of the world tourists are encouraged to follow some basic and practical safety tips such as to remain with a group or meet new people in public places, not to accept items from persons whom they have befriended recently, be wary of unexpected, unknown persons coming to their hotel room, never open the door to unsolicited room service or maintenance people etc.
· Tourists are encouraged to understand local social, cultural norms and beliefs and are encouraged to conduct themselves in a manner that respects these beliefs.
· Tourists must always take the advice of more than one person when seeking information on places to visit, shopping places, local customs, beliefs and norms and remain vigilant on accepting completed documents. Tourists are encouraged to seek information from Government of India recognized information centers and visit the Ministry of Tourism’s websites.
· Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, Section 2 (c) - Indecent representation of women means the depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to, or denigrating a woman or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals.
· Kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt, slavery, etc. is an offence under Section 367 of the Indian Penal Code.
· Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty is an offence under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code.
· Punishment for rape offences shall not be less than seven years but which may be for life or for a term which may extend to ten years as the case may be, according to Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code.
Enhancing safety of local people -
People across the world dress, eat and live differently and follow different values and norms. Tourists are encouraged to respect the local people and must commit themselves to acting in adherence to local laws.
Signatories to the code maintain zero tolerance to acts of sexual exploitations, including commercial sexual exploitation like prostitution, sex tourism and trafficking of persons for it.
Many tourists believe that they are protected by anonymity and thus laws are more easily violated. Any guest, staff, partner linked to this agency found to be indulging in exploitations outlined in this code or supporting it shall be reported to an appropriate authority.
A few alarming trends that have emerged in recent years are sexual exploitation through sex tourism, paedophilia, prostitution in pilgrim towns and other tourist destinations, cross border trafficking.( See Footnote-1)
According to studies conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, there are 3 million commercial sex workers in India, of which an estimated 40% are children. (See Footnote-1)
Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring or receiving a person through use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. The consent of a victim of trafficking in persons to the intended exploitation is irrelevant irrespective of age. ( See Footnote-2)
· Sexual relationship with a child amounts to rape according to the Indian Penal Code and is punishable with imprisonment of minimum 7 years which can even be extended to life imprisonment.
· Acquiring or inducing any person (irrespective of age or sex) for prostitution or causing a person to be taken for prostitution is an offence under Section 5 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act 1956 and with a punishment of 3- 7 years.
· It is a myth that sexual intercourse with a virgin or a minor will cure STI or prevent HIV. It only spreads the disease further.
· Abetment to crime amounts to committing the crime itself.
· Victims of exploitation are not criminals. They are persons in need of care, protection, legal, medical and psychological assistance.
· Under section 7 of Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956, letting out a hotel or any part there off for prostitution is an offence for which the license of the hotel can be suspended.
Publishing or transmitting or causing to be published or transmitted, material in any electronic form which depicts children engaged in sexually explicit act or induces children to online relationship with one or more children for and on sexually explicit act is an offence under section 67(b) of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act 2008.
Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act- Engaging in the production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transportation, warehousing, concealment, use or consumption, import inter-state, export inter-state, import in to India, export from India or transhipment, of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances is an offence expect for scientific and medical reasons. Punishment for the offence may imply imprisonment, fine or both.
Handling or letting out any premises for the carrying on of any of the above mentioned activities in an offence under the NDPS act.
According to the National Security Act, 1980, the Central Government or the state Government has the power to act against any person with a view to prevent him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the defence of India, the relations of India with foreign powers or the security of India.
· The Foreigners (Amendment) Act, 2004 - If a foreigner to the country acts in violations of the conditions of the valid visa issued to him for his entry and stay in India, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine. If he has entered in to a bond then his bond shall be fortified.”
1. India Country report- 2008- Ministry of Women and Child Development and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
2. United Nations Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
AD/DB
Sandalwood seized, two arrested
FROM SIFY NEWS
Sandalwood worth over Rs.1 crore has been seized from two trucks in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, official sources said here.
Acting on a tip, officials of the Directorate of Revenue stopped the trucks in Ghoshpukur area and made the seizure totally 12 tonnes Tuesday night.
The drivers of the Mizoram-bound trucks were arrested. The trucks started off from Rajasthan.
FROM SIFY NEWS
Sandalwood worth over Rs.1 crore has been seized from two trucks in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, official sources said here.
Acting on a tip, officials of the Directorate of Revenue stopped the trucks in Ghoshpukur area and made the seizure totally 12 tonnes Tuesday night.
The drivers of the Mizoram-bound trucks were arrested. The trucks started off from Rajasthan.
Prevention and control of noise pollution
Prevention and Control of Noise Pollution
Issued by CPCB
Do's Don'ts
Always maintain your motor vehicle and its exhaust silencer in proper condition
Avoid using horns except at emergencies.
Ensure that your Diesel Generator Set is provided with acoustic enclosure which gives a reduction of a minimum 25 dBA (as per the provisions of the Govt. of India notification GSR 371(E), dated May 17,2002. Avoid use of multi toned/air horns in your vehicle.
Ask for copy of valid type approval certificate from the dealer while purchasing portable petrol/kerosene generator sets (as per Govt. of India notification viz. GSR 742(E), dated September 25, 2000, which prescribes noise standards for petrol/kerosene generator sets). Do not install Diesel Generator Sets without prior approval of the competent authority, if required by local laws
Keep the volume of the loudspeaker or sound amplification system low so as not to annoy your neighbors . Avoid use of loudspeaker in the open.
Ensure that the sound from your music system is played at volume which does not disturb your neighbor. Do not use loudspeaker or any sound amplification system except in closed premises.
Play fire-crackers only outdoors in large open areas and community level. Do not make your neighbor a captive listener to your music system.
Purchase only those fire-crackers that comply the noise standards as provided by the Govt. of India regulation GSR 682(E),dated October 5, 1999. Do not play fire-crackers between 10:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.
Prevention and Control
of Noise Pollution
Issued by CPCB
Do's Don'ts
Always maintain your motor vehicle and its exhaust silencer in proper condition
Avoid using horns except at emergencies.
Ensure that your Diesel Generator Set is provided with acoustic enclosure which gives a reduction of a minimum 25 dBA (as per the provisions of the Govt. of India notification GSR 371(E), dated May 17,2002. Avoid use of multi toned/air horns in your vehicle.
Ask for copy of valid type approval certificate from the dealer while purchasing portable petrol/kerosene generator sets (as per Govt. of India notification viz. GSR 742(E), dated September 25, 2000, which prescribes noise standards for petrol/kerosene generator sets). Do not install Diesel Generator Sets without prior approval of the competent authority, if required by local laws
Keep the volume of the loudspeaker or sound amplification system low so as not to annoy your neighbors . Avoid use of loudspeaker in the open.
Ensure that the sound from your music system is played at volume which does not disturb your neighbor. Do not use loudspeaker or any sound amplification system except in closed premises.
Play fire-crackers only outdoors in large open areas and community level. Do not make your neighbor a captive listener to your music system.
Purchase only those fire-crackers that comply the noise standards as provided by the Govt. of India regulation GSR 682(E),dated October 5, 1999. Do not play fire-crackers between 10:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.
Prevention and Control
of Noise Pollution
WATER,AIR, NOISE POLLUTION CONTROL NECESSARY IN SIKKIM TOO
What are the important Environmental Laws in the country?
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,
Cess Act, 1977, - Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rules there under
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1981,
National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995
National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997
What are the different programes/activities implemented through State Pollution Control Board?
State Boards are implementing following programmes
Pollution control in 17 categories of highly polluting industries
Pollution control from industries discharging waste water into rivers and lakes
Inventorization of pollution industries in the State and ensuring their compliance to the Pollution control norms
Restoration of environmental quality in critically polluted areas
Monitoring of water and ambient air quality in the States
Hazardous waste
Bio-medical and Management of Municipal Solid Wastes
What steps have been taken to control vehicular pollution?
Major initiatives taken to control vehicular pollution include the following
Emission Standards for Tractors : Emission norms for tractors were notified on 8.9.1999 under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules is effective from 1.10.1999.
India 2000 Emission Norms akin to Euro-I Norms: Emission norms known as India 2000 akin to Euro I norms was notified on 28.8.1997 under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules is effective from 1.4.2000 for the entire country, required major modifications in the engine designs.
What are sources of water pollution and wastewater generation scenario? Back
It is estimated that 75% to 80% of water pollution by volume is caused by domestic sewage. The major industries causing water pollution include: distilleries, sugar, textile, electroplating, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, pulp & paper mills, tanneries, dyes and dye intermediates, petro-chemicals, steel plants etc. Non-point sources such as fertilizer and pesticide run-offs in rural areas also cause pollution. Only 60% of chemical fertilizers are utilized in soils and the balance is leached into soil polluting the ground water. Excess phosphate run-off leads to eutrophication in lakes and water bodies.
How many critically polluted areas have been identified?
The Central Pollution Control Board in consultation with State Pollution Control Boards has identified 24 areas in the country as critically polluted areas. These are: Bhadravati (Karnataka), Chembur (Maharashtra), Digboi (Assam), Govindgarh (Punjab), Greater Cochin (Kerala), Kala-Amb (Himachal Pradesh), Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh), Korba (Madhya Pradesh), Manali (Tamil Nadu), North Arcot (Tamil Nadu), Pali (Rajasthan), Talcher (Orissa), Vapi (Gujarat), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Dhanbad (Bihar), Durgapur (West Bengal), Howrah (West Bengal), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Nagda- Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh), Najafgarh Drain (Delhi), Patancheru Bollaram (Andhra Pradesh), Singrauli (Uttar Pradesh), Ankleshwar (Gujarat), Tarapur (Maharashtra)
Is there any legal and institutional framework to check pollution in the country?
Yes Sir, India has prepared pollution abatement strategy which include the legal framework and the Environment Authorities.
Environment Authorities :
In addition to Pollution Control Boards, 6 Environmental Authorities have been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, including the National Environment Appellate Authority. These are :
The Central Ground Water Authority - Aqua Culture Authority
Dahanu Taluka Environment (Protection) Authority
Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority for National Capital Region of Delhi
Loss of Ecology (Prevention and Payment of Compensation) Authority for State of Tamil Nadu.
National Environment Appellate Authority,1997
What are the measures for control of noise pollution?
Ambient standards in respect of noise for different categories of areas (residential, commercial, industrial) and silence zones have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Noise limits have been prescribed for automobiles, domestic appliances and construction equipment at the manufacturing stage. Standards have been evolved and notified for the gen sets, fire crackers and coal mines. Regulatory agencies have been directed to enforce the standards for control and regulate noise pollution.
What are the steps taken to control vehicular pollution?
The following steps are taken:
Establishment of Ambient Air Quality Monitoring throughout India
Notification of Ambient Air Quality Standards under Environment (Protection) Act.
Notification of vehicular emission norms for year 1990-91,1996, 1998, 2000, 2001
Improving fuel quality by phasing out lead from gasoline, reducing diesel sulphur, reducing gasoline benzene, and etc.
Introduction of alternate fuelled vehicles like CNG/LPG.
Improvement of public transport system.
Phasing out of grossly polluting commercial vehicles.
Public awareness & campaigns.
What is the impact of the steps to Ambient Air Quality?
Impacts of the steps taken in Delhi: All regulatory pollutants show a decreasing trend in concentrations in Delhi. CO decreased to 3069 ug/m3 in 2000-2001 from 5450 ug/m3 in 1998. NO2 decreased from 75 ug/m3 in 1996 to 59 ug/m3 in 2000. Lead which is harmful especially for children, decreased remarkably due to phasing out of lead from gasoline. Another critical pollutant RSPM also shows a decreasing trend in Delhi.
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution due to fire crackers? Back
The Govt. of India has enacted noise standards for fire-crackers vide G.S.R.682(E), dated 5th October, 1999, in an effort to control noise pollution due to fire crackers Recently in March 2001, Central Pollution Control Board in association with National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Delhi initiated a study on measurement of noise levels of fire-crackers available in the market. The study indicates that 95% of the fire-crackers samples exceed the prescribed noise limits. Consequently, CPCB issued notice under Section 5, of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to the Department of Explosives, Nagpur, to take immediate steps to control manufacturing of fire-crackers exceeding the prescribed limits. All the State Pollution Control Boards/Committees were also requested to initiate steps to control sale of fire-crackers exceeding the notified limits, in consultation with their respective local administrations.
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution due to loud-speakers? Back
The Govt. of India has enacted Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 vide S.O.123(E), dated 14th February, 2000. The Rule deals with provisions to control noise pollution due to loud-speakers and public address system, as given below :
Restriction on the use of loud speakers/utility address system :
A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used except after obtaining written permission from the authority.
A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used at night (between 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.) except in closed premises for communication within e.g. auditoria, conference rooms, community halls and banquet halls.
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution from generator sets?
The Central Pollution Control Board, in association with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, had developed systems for control of noise pollution from diesel generator sets as well as from petrol/kerosene generator sets. Based on this, the noise standards for diesel and petrol/kerosene generator sets have been developed and notified
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution in the country?
Ambient noise standards were notified in 1989, which formed the basis for State Pollution Control Boards to initiate action against violating sources.
The vehicular noise standards, notified in 1990, are being implemented by Ministry of Science and Technology, to reduce traffic noise. These standards have been made more stringent vide a notification in September 2000 and will be effective from January, 2003.
Noise standards for diesel genset were prescribed in Dec. 1998. Govt. has been pursuing with State Pollution Control Boards, generator manufacturing and major users, for implementation of these standards. Presently these standards are being revised (the MoEF is in the process of issuing notification) making it mandatory for all generator manufacturers to provide acoustic enclosure at the manufacturing stage itself. This will have a major impact on noise from DG sets.
Noise standards for fire-crackers were developed in October, 1999. Central Pollution Control Board had carried out a compliance testing of the fire crackers available in the market and also taken up with the Department of Explosives for compliance with these standards.
Noise standards for petrol and kerosene generator sets were notified in September, 2000, and will be effective from September, 2002. The sale of these gensets will be prohibited if not certified by the testing agencies, identified for the purpose.
The Noise Rules, 2000, regulates noise due to Public Address System/ Loud speakers and also prescribed procedures for noise complaint handling.
Central Pollution Control Board has taken up a study on aircraft noise monitoring in
Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. This will be followed by development of
guidelines/ standards for aircraft noise.
What are the laws enforced by of the Pollution Control Boards ?
The Central and State Pollution Control Boards were set up for enforcement of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Over the years, the Boards have been assigned additional responsibilities which include the following :
Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977.
Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rules made thereunder
Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules1989.
Manufacture, storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989
Bio-medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998
Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000.
Plastics wastes Rules, 1999 o Coastal Regulation Zone Rules, 1991
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
What are the specific functions of the Pollution Control Boards?
Functions of Central Pollution Control Board :
Advise the Central Government on matters relating to pollution;
Coordinate the activities of the State Boards;
Provide Technical assistance to the State Boards, carry out and sponsor investigations and research relating to control of pollution;
Plan and organize training of personnel;
Collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data, prepare manuals and code of conduct.
To lay down standards;
To plan nation wide programme for pollution control.
Functions of the State Pollution Control Boards:
To advise the State Government on matter relating to pollution and on siting of industries
To plan programme for pollution control;
To collect and disseminate information;
To carry our inspection;
To lay down effluent and emission standards;
To issue consent to industries and other activities for compliance of prescribed emission and effluent standards,
SOURCE:cpcb
Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974;
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,
Cess Act, 1977, - Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rules there under
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1981,
National Environmental Tribunal Act, 1995
National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997
What are the different programes/activities implemented through State Pollution Control Board?
State Boards are implementing following programmes
Pollution control in 17 categories of highly polluting industries
Pollution control from industries discharging waste water into rivers and lakes
Inventorization of pollution industries in the State and ensuring their compliance to the Pollution control norms
Restoration of environmental quality in critically polluted areas
Monitoring of water and ambient air quality in the States
Hazardous waste
Bio-medical and Management of Municipal Solid Wastes
What steps have been taken to control vehicular pollution?
Major initiatives taken to control vehicular pollution include the following
Emission Standards for Tractors : Emission norms for tractors were notified on 8.9.1999 under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules is effective from 1.10.1999.
India 2000 Emission Norms akin to Euro-I Norms: Emission norms known as India 2000 akin to Euro I norms was notified on 28.8.1997 under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules is effective from 1.4.2000 for the entire country, required major modifications in the engine designs.
What are sources of water pollution and wastewater generation scenario? Back
It is estimated that 75% to 80% of water pollution by volume is caused by domestic sewage. The major industries causing water pollution include: distilleries, sugar, textile, electroplating, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, pulp & paper mills, tanneries, dyes and dye intermediates, petro-chemicals, steel plants etc. Non-point sources such as fertilizer and pesticide run-offs in rural areas also cause pollution. Only 60% of chemical fertilizers are utilized in soils and the balance is leached into soil polluting the ground water. Excess phosphate run-off leads to eutrophication in lakes and water bodies.
How many critically polluted areas have been identified?
The Central Pollution Control Board in consultation with State Pollution Control Boards has identified 24 areas in the country as critically polluted areas. These are: Bhadravati (Karnataka), Chembur (Maharashtra), Digboi (Assam), Govindgarh (Punjab), Greater Cochin (Kerala), Kala-Amb (Himachal Pradesh), Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh), Korba (Madhya Pradesh), Manali (Tamil Nadu), North Arcot (Tamil Nadu), Pali (Rajasthan), Talcher (Orissa), Vapi (Gujarat), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Dhanbad (Bihar), Durgapur (West Bengal), Howrah (West Bengal), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Nagda- Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh), Najafgarh Drain (Delhi), Patancheru Bollaram (Andhra Pradesh), Singrauli (Uttar Pradesh), Ankleshwar (Gujarat), Tarapur (Maharashtra)
Is there any legal and institutional framework to check pollution in the country?
Yes Sir, India has prepared pollution abatement strategy which include the legal framework and the Environment Authorities.
Environment Authorities :
In addition to Pollution Control Boards, 6 Environmental Authorities have been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, including the National Environment Appellate Authority. These are :
The Central Ground Water Authority - Aqua Culture Authority
Dahanu Taluka Environment (Protection) Authority
Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority for National Capital Region of Delhi
Loss of Ecology (Prevention and Payment of Compensation) Authority for State of Tamil Nadu.
National Environment Appellate Authority,1997
What are the measures for control of noise pollution?
Ambient standards in respect of noise for different categories of areas (residential, commercial, industrial) and silence zones have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Noise limits have been prescribed for automobiles, domestic appliances and construction equipment at the manufacturing stage. Standards have been evolved and notified for the gen sets, fire crackers and coal mines. Regulatory agencies have been directed to enforce the standards for control and regulate noise pollution.
What are the steps taken to control vehicular pollution?
The following steps are taken:
Establishment of Ambient Air Quality Monitoring throughout India
Notification of Ambient Air Quality Standards under Environment (Protection) Act.
Notification of vehicular emission norms for year 1990-91,1996, 1998, 2000, 2001
Improving fuel quality by phasing out lead from gasoline, reducing diesel sulphur, reducing gasoline benzene, and etc.
Introduction of alternate fuelled vehicles like CNG/LPG.
Improvement of public transport system.
Phasing out of grossly polluting commercial vehicles.
Public awareness & campaigns.
What is the impact of the steps to Ambient Air Quality?
Impacts of the steps taken in Delhi: All regulatory pollutants show a decreasing trend in concentrations in Delhi. CO decreased to 3069 ug/m3 in 2000-2001 from 5450 ug/m3 in 1998. NO2 decreased from 75 ug/m3 in 1996 to 59 ug/m3 in 2000. Lead which is harmful especially for children, decreased remarkably due to phasing out of lead from gasoline. Another critical pollutant RSPM also shows a decreasing trend in Delhi.
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution due to fire crackers? Back
The Govt. of India has enacted noise standards for fire-crackers vide G.S.R.682(E), dated 5th October, 1999, in an effort to control noise pollution due to fire crackers Recently in March 2001, Central Pollution Control Board in association with National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Delhi initiated a study on measurement of noise levels of fire-crackers available in the market. The study indicates that 95% of the fire-crackers samples exceed the prescribed noise limits. Consequently, CPCB issued notice under Section 5, of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to the Department of Explosives, Nagpur, to take immediate steps to control manufacturing of fire-crackers exceeding the prescribed limits. All the State Pollution Control Boards/Committees were also requested to initiate steps to control sale of fire-crackers exceeding the notified limits, in consultation with their respective local administrations.
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution due to loud-speakers? Back
The Govt. of India has enacted Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 vide S.O.123(E), dated 14th February, 2000. The Rule deals with provisions to control noise pollution due to loud-speakers and public address system, as given below :
Restriction on the use of loud speakers/utility address system :
A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used except after obtaining written permission from the authority.
A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used at night (between 10.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m.) except in closed premises for communication within e.g. auditoria, conference rooms, community halls and banquet halls.
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution from generator sets?
The Central Pollution Control Board, in association with the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, had developed systems for control of noise pollution from diesel generator sets as well as from petrol/kerosene generator sets. Based on this, the noise standards for diesel and petrol/kerosene generator sets have been developed and notified
What steps have been taken to control noise pollution in the country?
Ambient noise standards were notified in 1989, which formed the basis for State Pollution Control Boards to initiate action against violating sources.
The vehicular noise standards, notified in 1990, are being implemented by Ministry of Science and Technology, to reduce traffic noise. These standards have been made more stringent vide a notification in September 2000 and will be effective from January, 2003.
Noise standards for diesel genset were prescribed in Dec. 1998. Govt. has been pursuing with State Pollution Control Boards, generator manufacturing and major users, for implementation of these standards. Presently these standards are being revised (the MoEF is in the process of issuing notification) making it mandatory for all generator manufacturers to provide acoustic enclosure at the manufacturing stage itself. This will have a major impact on noise from DG sets.
Noise standards for fire-crackers were developed in October, 1999. Central Pollution Control Board had carried out a compliance testing of the fire crackers available in the market and also taken up with the Department of Explosives for compliance with these standards.
Noise standards for petrol and kerosene generator sets were notified in September, 2000, and will be effective from September, 2002. The sale of these gensets will be prohibited if not certified by the testing agencies, identified for the purpose.
The Noise Rules, 2000, regulates noise due to Public Address System/ Loud speakers and also prescribed procedures for noise complaint handling.
Central Pollution Control Board has taken up a study on aircraft noise monitoring in
Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. This will be followed by development of
guidelines/ standards for aircraft noise.
What are the laws enforced by of the Pollution Control Boards ?
The Central and State Pollution Control Boards were set up for enforcement of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Over the years, the Boards have been assigned additional responsibilities which include the following :
Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977.
Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rules made thereunder
Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules1989.
Manufacture, storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989
Bio-medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998
Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2000.
Plastics wastes Rules, 1999 o Coastal Regulation Zone Rules, 1991
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
What are the specific functions of the Pollution Control Boards?
Functions of Central Pollution Control Board :
Advise the Central Government on matters relating to pollution;
Coordinate the activities of the State Boards;
Provide Technical assistance to the State Boards, carry out and sponsor investigations and research relating to control of pollution;
Plan and organize training of personnel;
Collect, compile and publish technical and statistical data, prepare manuals and code of conduct.
To lay down standards;
To plan nation wide programme for pollution control.
Functions of the State Pollution Control Boards:
To advise the State Government on matter relating to pollution and on siting of industries
To plan programme for pollution control;
To collect and disseminate information;
To carry our inspection;
To lay down effluent and emission standards;
To issue consent to industries and other activities for compliance of prescribed emission and effluent standards,
SOURCE:cpcb
GAS PRICE IN SIKKIM
Jun 30, 2010 |
The Sikkim State Government has refixed the retail sale price of LPG Cylinder (14.2 kg) as under by allowing minor local transportation allowance:
1. Distance within 10 KM from the distributor’s godown Rs. 365.00 Per cylinder
2. Distance between 10 KM to 25 KM from the distributor’s godown Rs. 370.00 Per Cylinder
3. Distance between 25 KM to 40 KM from the distributor’s godown Rs. 375.00 Per Cylinder
Jun 30, 2010 |
The Sikkim State Government has refixed the retail sale price of LPG Cylinder (14.2 kg) as under by allowing minor local transportation allowance:
1. Distance within 10 KM from the distributor’s godown Rs. 365.00 Per cylinder
2. Distance between 10 KM to 25 KM from the distributor’s godown Rs. 370.00 Per Cylinder
3. Distance between 25 KM to 40 KM from the distributor’s godown Rs. 375.00 Per Cylinder
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Ministry of Tourism Paying Special Attention on Hotel and Hospitality Sector: Sultan Ahmed
The Minister of State for Tourism Shri Sultan Ahmed has said that tourism plays an important role in most developing as well as developed countries. He said, the sector accounts for 11% of the GDP and 8% of employment globally. Leading Tourism Organizations, including World Tourism Organization and World Tourism and Travel Council, have declared Indian tourism as the fastest growing at a rate of about 8%.
He was speaking today at a function organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi for the presentation of cheques to the two charity organizations- Plan India and PHD Family Welfare Foundation (PHDFWF).
Shri Ahmed said, India’s performance in tourism sector has been quite impressive. During the period 2002 to 2009, India witnessed as increase in the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) from 2.38 million to 5.11 million. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism increased from 15,064 crore in 2002 to 54,960 crore in 2009. The minister said, not only this, during 2009, the number of domestic tourist visits to the States/ Union Territories was 650 million as compared to 563 million in 2008 and 527 millions in 2007.
He said, Hotel and Hospitality sector plays an important role in the growth and sustainability of tourism sector in the country. Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India is paying special attention to this sector.
Shri Ahmed said, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved broad basing hospitality education. Vocational schools, polytechnics, universities and colleges would be involved to meet the growing demand of trained manpower in hospitality sector. Revised guidelines for the Scheme of Assistance to Institute of Hotel Management and Food Craft Institutes have also been issued. He said the Ministry intends to set up 19 State IHMs and 25 State FCIs in the 11th Plan Period.
He said, the combined training capabilities currently available in the country are able to provide only 12000 trained personnel for absorption in the Hospitality industry. The existing demand is far higher at 2 lakh personnel annually. To bridge this demand–supply gap, the Ministry of Tourism has launched the “Hunar Se Rozgar” programme. The programme envisages creation of employable skills in hospitality sector under the Capacity Building Scheme. It targets the youth of weaker sections of Society who are interested in joining the hospitality industry. The programme is being operated simultaneously in the Institutes of Hotel Management and Food Craft Institutes across the country. Linkages forged with the Industry have ensured that successful candidates are now finding appropriate placements in the Hotels and Restaurants.
AD/DB
The Minister of State for Tourism Shri Sultan Ahmed has said that tourism plays an important role in most developing as well as developed countries. He said, the sector accounts for 11% of the GDP and 8% of employment globally. Leading Tourism Organizations, including World Tourism Organization and World Tourism and Travel Council, have declared Indian tourism as the fastest growing at a rate of about 8%.
He was speaking today at a function organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi for the presentation of cheques to the two charity organizations- Plan India and PHD Family Welfare Foundation (PHDFWF).
Shri Ahmed said, India’s performance in tourism sector has been quite impressive. During the period 2002 to 2009, India witnessed as increase in the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) from 2.38 million to 5.11 million. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism increased from 15,064 crore in 2002 to 54,960 crore in 2009. The minister said, not only this, during 2009, the number of domestic tourist visits to the States/ Union Territories was 650 million as compared to 563 million in 2008 and 527 millions in 2007.
He said, Hotel and Hospitality sector plays an important role in the growth and sustainability of tourism sector in the country. Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India is paying special attention to this sector.
Shri Ahmed said, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved broad basing hospitality education. Vocational schools, polytechnics, universities and colleges would be involved to meet the growing demand of trained manpower in hospitality sector. Revised guidelines for the Scheme of Assistance to Institute of Hotel Management and Food Craft Institutes have also been issued. He said the Ministry intends to set up 19 State IHMs and 25 State FCIs in the 11th Plan Period.
He said, the combined training capabilities currently available in the country are able to provide only 12000 trained personnel for absorption in the Hospitality industry. The existing demand is far higher at 2 lakh personnel annually. To bridge this demand–supply gap, the Ministry of Tourism has launched the “Hunar Se Rozgar” programme. The programme envisages creation of employable skills in hospitality sector under the Capacity Building Scheme. It targets the youth of weaker sections of Society who are interested in joining the hospitality industry. The programme is being operated simultaneously in the Institutes of Hotel Management and Food Craft Institutes across the country. Linkages forged with the Industry have ensured that successful candidates are now finding appropriate placements in the Hotels and Restaurants.
AD/DB
Biological toilets to be set up in Lakshwadeep Islands
The island of Kavaratti (in pic) will be among the locations installed with an eco-friendly biological toilet.
Environmentally sensitive region of Lakshwadeep Islands will be the first to have biological toilets in the country for eco—friendly disposal of human waste.
The Lakshwadeep government has asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to install 21 biological toilets in Kavaratti and other islands.
“Biological toilets use a bacteria called psychrophilic found in Antartica region. The bacteria thrives on these waste and delivers a residue that is odourless, non—pathogenic and has no toxicity, thus making it eco—friendly,” R B Srivastava, Director, Life Sciences, DRDO said.
“The surface water—level in Lakshwadeep Islands is one metre deep and as such sewage waste gets mixed with it. The Planning Comission was looking for a solution. This technology will help avoid this contamination,” he said.
Human waste disposal, especially in moving rail coaches, is a burning problem. If not properly disposed, it can result in spread of water—borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery and diarrhea.
“Ministry of Rural Development has shown interest in this technology and Ministry of Railways has signed an MOU with us.
They have asked us to make certain changes because other waste material like bottles etc are also disposed off in toilets of rail coaches,” Srivastava said.
The problem is more severe in glaciers where low temperature delays natural bio—degradation of the waste and sunlight exposes the waste buried in the ice, causing foul smell.
“The melting ice takes the waste to rivers disturbing the aquatic eco system,” he said, adding biological toilets was suitable for such areas as it treats human waste in a method that is odour less and free from pathogens and environmentally acceptable.
The island of Kavaratti (in pic) will be among the locations installed with an eco-friendly biological toilet.
Environmentally sensitive region of Lakshwadeep Islands will be the first to have biological toilets in the country for eco—friendly disposal of human waste.
The Lakshwadeep government has asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to install 21 biological toilets in Kavaratti and other islands.
“Biological toilets use a bacteria called psychrophilic found in Antartica region. The bacteria thrives on these waste and delivers a residue that is odourless, non—pathogenic and has no toxicity, thus making it eco—friendly,” R B Srivastava, Director, Life Sciences, DRDO said.
“The surface water—level in Lakshwadeep Islands is one metre deep and as such sewage waste gets mixed with it. The Planning Comission was looking for a solution. This technology will help avoid this contamination,” he said.
Human waste disposal, especially in moving rail coaches, is a burning problem. If not properly disposed, it can result in spread of water—borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery and diarrhea.
“Ministry of Rural Development has shown interest in this technology and Ministry of Railways has signed an MOU with us.
They have asked us to make certain changes because other waste material like bottles etc are also disposed off in toilets of rail coaches,” Srivastava said.
The problem is more severe in glaciers where low temperature delays natural bio—degradation of the waste and sunlight exposes the waste buried in the ice, causing foul smell.
“The melting ice takes the waste to rivers disturbing the aquatic eco system,” he said, adding biological toilets was suitable for such areas as it treats human waste in a method that is odour less and free from pathogens and environmentally acceptable.
Nepal Prime Minister resigns amid pressure from Maoists
PTI
Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister Madhav Kumar on Wednesday announced his resignation in a TV address to the nation to seek an end to the political impasse as he succumbed to intense pressure from the Opposition Maoists to make way for a “consensus” national government.
“I tender my resignation for the sake of consensus and to pave way for ending the ongoing political stalemate,” he said while announcing his resignation.
The Maoists have been demanding his resignation for months and the formation a new national government led by them.
The Prime Minister, who resigned from the post after 13 months in power, said that he still commands majority in the Parliament with the support from 22 political parties.
“I believe that the Maoists will now fulfill their commitment to complete the peace process after my resignation,” the 57-year-old Prime Minister said in a televised address to the nation.
He was hinting that the Maoists should return the seized property, dissolve their paramilitary organisation the Young Communist League and agree to manage their combatants as per the three point agreement they inked with the major coalition partners on May 28 while extending the term of the Constituent Assembly.
In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister has complained that he has not received cooperation from the Maoists which hindered the peace process.
He also mentioned about the Maoists’ continued blockade of the Parliament, street movement and non—cooperation. He held mainly the Maoists responsible for failing to draft the Constitution on time and completing the peace process.
He also pointed out that the Maoist combatants need to be integrated and rehabilitated within the next three months in order to complete the peace process.
The Prime Minister also underlined the need for forging cooperation and collaboration among all political parties saying that without this the peace process could not be completed and the task of writing the constitution could not be accomplished.
PTI
Nepal’s embattled Prime Minister Madhav Kumar on Wednesday announced his resignation in a TV address to the nation to seek an end to the political impasse as he succumbed to intense pressure from the Opposition Maoists to make way for a “consensus” national government.
“I tender my resignation for the sake of consensus and to pave way for ending the ongoing political stalemate,” he said while announcing his resignation.
The Maoists have been demanding his resignation for months and the formation a new national government led by them.
The Prime Minister, who resigned from the post after 13 months in power, said that he still commands majority in the Parliament with the support from 22 political parties.
“I believe that the Maoists will now fulfill their commitment to complete the peace process after my resignation,” the 57-year-old Prime Minister said in a televised address to the nation.
He was hinting that the Maoists should return the seized property, dissolve their paramilitary organisation the Young Communist League and agree to manage their combatants as per the three point agreement they inked with the major coalition partners on May 28 while extending the term of the Constituent Assembly.
In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister has complained that he has not received cooperation from the Maoists which hindered the peace process.
He also mentioned about the Maoists’ continued blockade of the Parliament, street movement and non—cooperation. He held mainly the Maoists responsible for failing to draft the Constitution on time and completing the peace process.
He also pointed out that the Maoist combatants need to be integrated and rehabilitated within the next three months in order to complete the peace process.
The Prime Minister also underlined the need for forging cooperation and collaboration among all political parties saying that without this the peace process could not be completed and the task of writing the constitution could not be accomplished.
Beware of fake offers: RBI
GANGTOK, June 28: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appealed the people not to get lured by the fake offers for cheap funds claimed to have been remitted by overseas entities to it or banks in India.
Certain foreign entities or individuals make offers to people here through SMS, letters or emails on the pretext of helping them in their businesses and ventures in India, explained RBI Sikkim general manger Eugene E Karthak to media here while describing the modality of such offers.
Once the contact is established, the offer is followed by a request seeking details of the bank account of the individual and asking some amount to be remitted to them as initial amount so that the offered money could be transferred, said Karthak.
“It has also come into notice of the RBI, Sikkim branch that many people are falling easy prey of such conjured schemes”, said Karthak. He further said that the certain overseas organizations have been advising the people that huge sums of money for disbursal of loans in India at cheap rates has been kept in an RBI account and the funds would be released after the approval from the RBI.
This is untrue, said Karthak. He said that remittance in any form towards participation in lottery schemes is prohibited under Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999.
It was asserted that RBI does not maintain any account in the name of individuals, companies or trusts in India to hold funds for disbursal.
source;sikkim express
GANGTOK, June 28: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appealed the people not to get lured by the fake offers for cheap funds claimed to have been remitted by overseas entities to it or banks in India.
Certain foreign entities or individuals make offers to people here through SMS, letters or emails on the pretext of helping them in their businesses and ventures in India, explained RBI Sikkim general manger Eugene E Karthak to media here while describing the modality of such offers.
Once the contact is established, the offer is followed by a request seeking details of the bank account of the individual and asking some amount to be remitted to them as initial amount so that the offered money could be transferred, said Karthak.
“It has also come into notice of the RBI, Sikkim branch that many people are falling easy prey of such conjured schemes”, said Karthak. He further said that the certain overseas organizations have been advising the people that huge sums of money for disbursal of loans in India at cheap rates has been kept in an RBI account and the funds would be released after the approval from the RBI.
This is untrue, said Karthak. He said that remittance in any form towards participation in lottery schemes is prohibited under Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999.
It was asserted that RBI does not maintain any account in the name of individuals, companies or trusts in India to hold funds for disbursal.
source;sikkim express
Powers delegated to Civic bodies
GMC now to issue trade licenses
GANGTOK, June 28: The local urban bodies of Sikkim have been delegated their powers on various functions which were previously handled by the State Urban Development department.
As per an official release, the Gangtok Municipal Corporation (GMC) has been given the authority in trade licenses, car parking, bazaar contract, sanitation, urban poverty alleviation and civil works within its jurisdiction.
The GMC is empowered to issue and renew the trade licenses, supervisory functions and call for tenders, evaluate and award car parking contracts and bazaar contracts. It would also be disposing the solid wastes and collecting sanitation charges.
The GMC would also be implementing poverty alleviation schemes and execute civil works up to Rs. 50 lakhs.
The GMC will be assisted by a 38 member support staff with a joint secretary functioning as the chief municipal officer.
Similarly, Namchi Municipal Council (NMC) has been delegated its powers. It can renew trade licenses and supervise the process. It will also be taking care of sectors like car parking, bazaar contract and sanitation besides implementing the Urban Poverty Alleviation scheme. It can execute civil works up to Rs. 30 lakhs.
The NMC will be assisted by a 21 member support headed by a deputy secretary in its functions.
The five Nagar Panchayats of Rangpo, Singtam, Jorethang, Mangan and Geyzing have been given similar powers except in the trade license sector. It can execute civil works up to Rs. 20 lakhs. The Nagar Panchayats will be helped by four member support staff headed by a Nagar Panchayat assistant
source;sikkim express
GMC now to issue trade licenses
GANGTOK, June 28: The local urban bodies of Sikkim have been delegated their powers on various functions which were previously handled by the State Urban Development department.
As per an official release, the Gangtok Municipal Corporation (GMC) has been given the authority in trade licenses, car parking, bazaar contract, sanitation, urban poverty alleviation and civil works within its jurisdiction.
The GMC is empowered to issue and renew the trade licenses, supervisory functions and call for tenders, evaluate and award car parking contracts and bazaar contracts. It would also be disposing the solid wastes and collecting sanitation charges.
The GMC would also be implementing poverty alleviation schemes and execute civil works up to Rs. 50 lakhs.
The GMC will be assisted by a 38 member support staff with a joint secretary functioning as the chief municipal officer.
Similarly, Namchi Municipal Council (NMC) has been delegated its powers. It can renew trade licenses and supervise the process. It will also be taking care of sectors like car parking, bazaar contract and sanitation besides implementing the Urban Poverty Alleviation scheme. It can execute civil works up to Rs. 30 lakhs.
The NMC will be assisted by a 21 member support headed by a deputy secretary in its functions.
The five Nagar Panchayats of Rangpo, Singtam, Jorethang, Mangan and Geyzing have been given similar powers except in the trade license sector. It can execute civil works up to Rs. 20 lakhs. The Nagar Panchayats will be helped by four member support staff headed by a Nagar Panchayat assistant
source;sikkim express
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Vice President Inaugurates Statistics Day-2010 Function
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that it is very appropriate that Statistics Day 2010 has the theme of ‘Child Statistics’. India is home to one-fifth of the world’s children. Addressing after inaugurating the “Statistics Day-2010 function” and presenting “2009-2010 National Award in Statistics” here today, he has said that around 440 million people in the country are children and they constitute 42 per cent of our population. These young citizens of the country constitute a potential demographic resource that could propel the nation to higher orbits of economic progress and human development. Realising the potential, however, is neither a given nor automatic.
He has said that it is also heartening that various ministries and departments of the government have agreed to set up an ‘India Forum on Child Statistics’ as an institutional mechanism comprising all major stakeholders dealing with child related issues. I congratulate the Chief Statistician of India for setting up this Forum and hope that it would foster coordination and collaboration and improve the credibility and transparency in the collection and reporting of statistical data on our children and the families they come from. This should enable compilation and tracking of national indicators on the well-being of our children across all population segments and presentation of data in terms understood by non-technical audience.
The Vice President conferred the ‘National Award in Statistics ‘ constituted in honour of Prof. P.V.Sukhatme to renowned statistician Prof. Alok De. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 3 Lakhs and a citation. He also released a Statistical publication entitled “Mid Term Statistical Review of Millenium Development Goals- India Country Report 2009” on the occasion.
Following is the text of the Vice President’s inaugural address :
“It gives me great pleasure to participate in today’s inaugural session of the Fourth Statistics Day that is being celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, a recognised global leader in the discipline of statistics. As an architect of development planning in the nascent republic, he had guided the evolution of statistical studies as an important instrumentality for policy planning and implementation. He was also a great builder of institutions through which he laid the foundation for promoting teaching and research in statistics and for developing the official statistical system in the country as the first Statistical Adviser to the Union Cabinet.
It is befitting that we celebrate the Statistics Day in honour of the memory of Professor Mahalanobis. This function also brings together the statistics fraternity of the country and creates awareness about their contribution to the nation. I also congratulate Professor Aloke Dey who has been conferred the National Award in Statistics that had been instituted in honour of Professor P. V. Sukhatme.
We have come a long way since the first Statistical Abstract of British India was published over a century and a half ago. As a growing and diverse economy with a host of complex variables affecting human and economic development in the country, the importance of collection and analysis of statistical data alongside enhanced coverage, timeliness and reliability of such data can hardly be overemphasized. It is a subject on the Concurrent List, and in keeping with the emphasis on decentralization, the statistical system brings together the Central and State governments in the collection and generation of data.
The Central Government remains committed to strengthen the credibility and the transparency of the official statistical system and has in 2005 set up the National Statistical Commission with the mandate to serve as the nodal and empowered body for all core statistical activities, to evolve and lay down national quality standards and exercise statistical coordination between the Centre and the States. The government is also in the process of implementing the various recommendations of the Commission.
It is also very appropriate that Statistics Day 2010 has the theme of ‘Child Statistics’. India is home to one-fifth of the world’s children. Around 440 million people in the country are children and they constitute 42 per cent of our population. These young citizens of the country constitute a potential demographic resource that could propel the nation to higher orbits of economic progress and human development. Realising the potential, however, is neither a given nor automatic.
The reality is in stark contrast. Every third malnourished child in the world lives in India; every second Indian child is under weight; three out of four children in India are anaemic; and every second new born has reduced learning capacity due to iodine deficiency. The Working Group on Development of Children for the 11th Five Year Plan has highlighted the following critical concerns regarding the status and condition of children:
“high mortality and morbidity, poor outcome achievement in education and development; chronic imbalances in access to services and opportunities; high risks of neglect and lack of protection; fragmented and sectoralised service outreach to address cross-sectoral needs, unequal distribution of development benefits, and low levels of investment and attention”.
The need to put in place a framework for assuring our children their right to survival, protection and development is well-recognised. The Constitution of India accords a special status to children as deserving of special provisions of protection to secure and safeguard the entitlements of “those of tender age”. We have recently enacted legislation to operationalise the Fundamental Right to Education for our children aged 6 to 14 years. Our accession to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child imposes additional obligations and commitments. The National Policy for Children 1974 had declared children as a ‘supreme national asset’. The National Plan of Action for Children 2005 regards the child as ‘an asset and a person with human rights’.
The commitment to make children a priority of our development agenda thus exists. The outcomes of such a commitment, however, are yet to materialize. It is here that systematic compilation of comprehensive statistical information on children can guide our policy makers and planners engaged in bettering the situation of our children.
It is also heartening that various ministries and departments of the government have agreed to set up an ‘India Forum on Child Statistics’ as an institutional mechanism comprising all major stakeholders dealing with child related issues. I congratulate the Chief Statistician of India for setting up this Forum and hope that it would foster coordination and collaboration and improve the credibility and transparency in the collection and reporting of statistical data on our children and the families they come from. This should enable compilation and tracking of national indicators on the well-being of our children across all population segments and presentation of data in terms understood by non-technical audiences.
While policy makers and national leaders have always appreciated the contribution of our statisticians, their public profile has declined since the time of Prof. Mahalanobis and other great statisticians of his ilk. We must do everything we can to improve the working conditions and status of our statistics fraternity in the country. We must also encourage our youth to choose statistics as an academic pursuit and as a profession.
I wish you all success in your interactions and deliberations on ‘Statistics Day-2010’ and I am confident that you would carry forward the great legacy of Professor Mahalanobis. I thank Sriprakash Jaiswal ji for inviting me to inaugurate this function.”
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that it is very appropriate that Statistics Day 2010 has the theme of ‘Child Statistics’. India is home to one-fifth of the world’s children. Addressing after inaugurating the “Statistics Day-2010 function” and presenting “2009-2010 National Award in Statistics” here today, he has said that around 440 million people in the country are children and they constitute 42 per cent of our population. These young citizens of the country constitute a potential demographic resource that could propel the nation to higher orbits of economic progress and human development. Realising the potential, however, is neither a given nor automatic.
He has said that it is also heartening that various ministries and departments of the government have agreed to set up an ‘India Forum on Child Statistics’ as an institutional mechanism comprising all major stakeholders dealing with child related issues. I congratulate the Chief Statistician of India for setting up this Forum and hope that it would foster coordination and collaboration and improve the credibility and transparency in the collection and reporting of statistical data on our children and the families they come from. This should enable compilation and tracking of national indicators on the well-being of our children across all population segments and presentation of data in terms understood by non-technical audience.
The Vice President conferred the ‘National Award in Statistics ‘ constituted in honour of Prof. P.V.Sukhatme to renowned statistician Prof. Alok De. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 3 Lakhs and a citation. He also released a Statistical publication entitled “Mid Term Statistical Review of Millenium Development Goals- India Country Report 2009” on the occasion.
Following is the text of the Vice President’s inaugural address :
“It gives me great pleasure to participate in today’s inaugural session of the Fourth Statistics Day that is being celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis, a recognised global leader in the discipline of statistics. As an architect of development planning in the nascent republic, he had guided the evolution of statistical studies as an important instrumentality for policy planning and implementation. He was also a great builder of institutions through which he laid the foundation for promoting teaching and research in statistics and for developing the official statistical system in the country as the first Statistical Adviser to the Union Cabinet.
It is befitting that we celebrate the Statistics Day in honour of the memory of Professor Mahalanobis. This function also brings together the statistics fraternity of the country and creates awareness about their contribution to the nation. I also congratulate Professor Aloke Dey who has been conferred the National Award in Statistics that had been instituted in honour of Professor P. V. Sukhatme.
We have come a long way since the first Statistical Abstract of British India was published over a century and a half ago. As a growing and diverse economy with a host of complex variables affecting human and economic development in the country, the importance of collection and analysis of statistical data alongside enhanced coverage, timeliness and reliability of such data can hardly be overemphasized. It is a subject on the Concurrent List, and in keeping with the emphasis on decentralization, the statistical system brings together the Central and State governments in the collection and generation of data.
The Central Government remains committed to strengthen the credibility and the transparency of the official statistical system and has in 2005 set up the National Statistical Commission with the mandate to serve as the nodal and empowered body for all core statistical activities, to evolve and lay down national quality standards and exercise statistical coordination between the Centre and the States. The government is also in the process of implementing the various recommendations of the Commission.
It is also very appropriate that Statistics Day 2010 has the theme of ‘Child Statistics’. India is home to one-fifth of the world’s children. Around 440 million people in the country are children and they constitute 42 per cent of our population. These young citizens of the country constitute a potential demographic resource that could propel the nation to higher orbits of economic progress and human development. Realising the potential, however, is neither a given nor automatic.
The reality is in stark contrast. Every third malnourished child in the world lives in India; every second Indian child is under weight; three out of four children in India are anaemic; and every second new born has reduced learning capacity due to iodine deficiency. The Working Group on Development of Children for the 11th Five Year Plan has highlighted the following critical concerns regarding the status and condition of children:
“high mortality and morbidity, poor outcome achievement in education and development; chronic imbalances in access to services and opportunities; high risks of neglect and lack of protection; fragmented and sectoralised service outreach to address cross-sectoral needs, unequal distribution of development benefits, and low levels of investment and attention”.
The need to put in place a framework for assuring our children their right to survival, protection and development is well-recognised. The Constitution of India accords a special status to children as deserving of special provisions of protection to secure and safeguard the entitlements of “those of tender age”. We have recently enacted legislation to operationalise the Fundamental Right to Education for our children aged 6 to 14 years. Our accession to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child imposes additional obligations and commitments. The National Policy for Children 1974 had declared children as a ‘supreme national asset’. The National Plan of Action for Children 2005 regards the child as ‘an asset and a person with human rights’.
The commitment to make children a priority of our development agenda thus exists. The outcomes of such a commitment, however, are yet to materialize. It is here that systematic compilation of comprehensive statistical information on children can guide our policy makers and planners engaged in bettering the situation of our children.
It is also heartening that various ministries and departments of the government have agreed to set up an ‘India Forum on Child Statistics’ as an institutional mechanism comprising all major stakeholders dealing with child related issues. I congratulate the Chief Statistician of India for setting up this Forum and hope that it would foster coordination and collaboration and improve the credibility and transparency in the collection and reporting of statistical data on our children and the families they come from. This should enable compilation and tracking of national indicators on the well-being of our children across all population segments and presentation of data in terms understood by non-technical audiences.
While policy makers and national leaders have always appreciated the contribution of our statisticians, their public profile has declined since the time of Prof. Mahalanobis and other great statisticians of his ilk. We must do everything we can to improve the working conditions and status of our statistics fraternity in the country. We must also encourage our youth to choose statistics as an academic pursuit and as a profession.
I wish you all success in your interactions and deliberations on ‘Statistics Day-2010’ and I am confident that you would carry forward the great legacy of Professor Mahalanobis. I thank Sriprakash Jaiswal ji for inviting me to inaugurate this function.”
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