Data Source: The Economist

More efficient treatment for lung cancer patients in offing

For patients of lung cancer, there could be a safer and more efficient treatment in the offing as researchers in Scotland are developing a method to give drugs by inhalation rather than the approach of intravenous delivery currently followed. The system could administer the treatment far more quickly than existing methods and without the harmful side effects associated with current systems, which can cause kidney damage. Scientists at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland have devised a method for giving drugs by inhalation to patients through a nebuliser, rather than the current approach of intravenous delivery, the University said in a release today. It could enable health authorities to deliver the drugs in smaller doses without diminution of benefit to patients. Lung cancer and mesothelioma caused 4,147 deaths in Scotland in 2009, and deaths of women from the disease increased by 12 per cent in the preceding decade, despite a corresponding fall of 20 per cent among men. Dr Chris Carter, a Senior Lecturer the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, led the research, partnered by Professor Alex Mullen and Dr Valerie Ferro. She said: "Increasing awareness of cancer risks and improvements in treatment do not alter the fact that it remains one of Scotland's biggest killers and lung cancer is its most common form". "This means that new, improved treatments are still essential. By delivering cisplatin, one of the most widely used drugs for lung cancer, in a vaporised form, we would be able to get it to the cancerous cells and avoid the damage to healthy cells which can be hugely debilitating to patients. "It would make the treatment far less onerous for them and we hope it would help them to live longer". The research is an example of the pioneering work of the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences in developing new medicines for illnesses and conditions including infectious diseases, cancer, heart disease, and schizophrenia. An 8 million pounds fundraising campaign is underway for the Institute's new 36 million pound building, to expand and enhance its innovative research and education in medicine discovery, development and use. The research received funding from Scottish Enterprise's Proof of Concept Programme, which supports the pre-commercialisation of leading-edge technologies emerging from Scotland's universities, research institutes and NHS Boards. It helps researchers to export their ideas and inventions from the lab to the global marketplace and create new sustainable technology businesses in Scotland or license the technology to Scottish companies. The programme is developed and operated by Scottish Enterprise in partnership with key stakeholders including: Scottish Government, Universities Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council. It is partly funded by the European Union.

The Commonwealth's propensity for thinking big (“Think big, start small and upscale fast,” is how a senior Commonwealth official described its motto) is reflected in the CHOGM's ambitious agenda that includes issues ranging from the “challenges” of food security, sustainable development and natural resource development to financial turmoil and climate change. These will be discussed under the overarching theme: “Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience.”

source:livemint

PM's address at the Biennial Conference of CBI and state anti-corruption bureaux

The Prime Minister addressed the 18th Biennial Conference of CBI and state anti-corruption bureaux in New Delhi today. Following is the text of the Prime Minister`s address on the occasion:

"I am very happy to be with you here today. Over the last five years, this is the third consecutive biennial conference of state anti-corruption agencies and the CBI that I have been attending. I believe that in these five years we as a nation have moved substantially forward in our efforts to deal with the menace of corruption. Though we still have a long way to go, I also believe that today we stand at the cusp of far reaching changes in our approach and our institutional mechanisms to curb corruption in public life. But before I proceed further, let me congratulate the very fine officers who have been awarded medals today. We are all very proud of their solid achievements. The CBI owes a great deal of its reputation of professionalism to their talent, to their commitment and to their sustained hard work.

In the last few months the debate over the possible ways and means to curb corruption and improve the processes of governance has intensified in our country. The agitation for the establishment of a Lok Pal has brought the issue of cleaning up of our public life right at the top of the agenda of our national priorities. I believe that the churning over this issue that our society and our polity are witnessing today, marked by sharp differences of opinions and ardent advocacy of particular causes is, on balance, good for our country. Today, the tasks of ensuring transparency and accountability in the work of public authorities and of building effective mechanisms for punishing those who indulge in corrupt practices and protecting those who seek to expose wrongdoings have acquired an urgency as never before. I believe that we as a nation should seize this moment. Let me take this opportunity to reaffirm our government`s commitment to expeditiously move forward on a comprehensive agenda of executive, legal and technology reforms to curb corruption and deliver good governance. In this effort, we will continue to welcome suggestions and inputs from various sections of Civil Society and non-government institutions. We should not and we cannot afford to tolerate a malaise that hurts our economic growth, harms our polity, alienates our people, breeds an amount of cynicism, lowers our image internationally and is particularly harsh on the poor.

It goes without saying that the best way to fight corruption is to reduce opportunities for corrupt practices. If government decisions are transparent and the responsibility of individual public servants in the decision-making processes is clearly known, the deterrence against illegal private benefit in public work is so much more enhanced. The Right to Information Act that we provided to ourselves about six years back is a potent tool in ensuring such transparency and accountability in our public life. Here, I would like to emphasize that public authorities should voluntarily place as much information as is possible in the public domain to inform our people.

As part of our efforts to reduce opportunities for corrupt practices, we are also working on ways and means to minimize discretionary powers of public authorities. This is a matter being considered by a Group of Ministers. The same Group of Ministers is also looking at the issue of a public procurement law to minimize irregularities in the award of government contracts worth thousands of crores of rupees every year. In the next few months, it is my hope that we will be able to introduce a Bill in Parliament for such a legislation.

Whatever we might do to minimise the opportunities for corruption, the sad reality is that we cannot build a totally fool-proof system. There will always be some instances of corrupt practices in the work of public authorities. And therefore, there is a need for speedy and thorough investigation into allegations of such wrong doings, followed by expeditious prosecution to bring the guilty to book. Those indulging in corrupt acts must realize that they can not possibly get away from the law and would sooner rather than later suffer the consequences of their wrongdoing. This would act as a powerful deterrent against corruption.

The CBI is our premier investigation agency. It sets standards and benchmarks for investigation for other agencies to follow, particularly in cases of corruption. What our government and people expect of the CBI is well known. But it bears repetition on occasions like this because sometimes in the routine of our daily work we forget the larger scheme of things. We expect from the CBI the highest standards of honesty and professionalism and a total disregard of any extraneous considerations, particularly political pressure, in its work. We require the use of the latest technology and the knowledge and the application of global best practices in the CBI`s work. And professionalism demands facelessness, in the best traditions of our civil services. Premature publicity given to cases under investigation can harm the cause of justice. We must also not forget the distinction between a deliberate attempt at wrongdoing and honest mistakes, sometimes inevitable in decision-making processes under conditions of uncertainty. I do hope, today we will introspect deeply and honestly about these expectations and whether we are doing enough to meet them. Our government will continue to support all efforts of the CBI to maintain the highest levels of personal conduct, to ensure speedy and timely completion of investigations, to strengthen the processes of prosecution and to bring in reforms in the organization, wherever necessary.

India ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in June 2011. This will strengthen our anti-corruption efforts and facilitate international cooperation in trans-border cases of corruption. To meet the requirements of the Convention, we have introduced a Bill in the Parliament to make bribery of foreign public officials an offence. We are considering changes in our laws to criminalize private sector bribery. Another Bill has been introduced in Parliament to provide protection to whistleblowers. The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill has also been introduced in Parliament.

We hope to see the establishment of a strong and effective Lokpal in the coming months. Whatever be the structure and functions of the Lokpal when it is established, the CBI as our premier investigating agency will continue to play a very important role in our efforts for ensuring probity in our public life.

Our Government has recently decided in-principle to prescribe a three-month deadline for deciding on request of investigating agencies for granting sanction for prosecution of public servants. In fact, this deadline would also apply to requests for permission for investigation by the CBI. We have also decided that if an authority refuses to grant permission for investigation or sanction for prosecution, the reasons for such denial would have to be informed to the next higher authority. Delay in the trial of cases remains an area of serious public concern. To reduce pendency of CBI cases under trial, we have taken a decision to set up a committee under a retired Supreme Court judge to review cases pending trial, which are more than ten years old, and suggest ways and means for their speedy disposal. The Government has sanctioned 71 Special Courts for CBI to fast track trial of cases charge sheeted by the CBI. I am happy to know that a majority of these courts have already started functioning. I would expect Secretary, DoPT and Director, CBI to follow up with the State Governments for also making the remaining courts functional at the very earliest.

A few months ago I had the opportunity to inaugurate the new state-of-the-art building of the CBI. I hope it is serving the needs of CBI well. Our government stands committed to doing everything necessary to enable the CBI to function professionally and smoothly. I assure you that we will do our utmost for meeting the financial, technological and personnel needs of the CBI. I am aware that the Bureau has made requests for greater financial autonomy, increase in funds for modernization and has asked for additional personnel. I would request my colleague Shri Narayanasamy to look into these requests expeditiously.

I sincerely hope that this gathering of the officers of the CBI, Anti-Corruption/Vigilance Bureaux and other distinguished participants will come out with effective, useful and practical suggestions to combat corruption in our public life. Let me end by wishing you all success. May God bless your path."


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SC
(Release ID :76787)

India's economy

India's surprising economic miracle

The country’s state may be weak, but its private companies are strong

Sep 30th 2010 |

HORRIBLE toilets. Stagnant puddles buzzing with dengue-spreading mosquitoes. Collapsing masonry. Lax security. A terrorist attack. India’s preparations for the 72-nation Commonwealth games, which are scheduled to open in Delhi on October 3rd, have not won favourable reviews. “Commonfilth”, was one of the kinder British tabloid headlines. At best—assuming that the organisers make a last-minute dash to spruce things up—the Delhi games will be remembered as a shambles. The contrast with China’s practically flawless hosting of the Olympic games in 2008 could hardly be starker. Many people will draw the wrong lesson from this.
A big sporting event, some people believe, tells you something important about the nation that hosts it. Efficient countries build tip-top stadiums and make the shuttle buses run on time. That India cannot seem to do any of these things suggests that it will always be a second-rate power.
Or does it? Despite the headlines, India is doing rather well. Its economy is expected to expand by 8.5% this year. It has a long way to go before it is as rich as China—the Chinese economy is four times bigger—but its growth rate could overtake China’s by 2013, if not before (see article). Some economists think India will grow faster than any other large country over the next 25 years. Rapid growth in a country of 1.2 billion people is exciting, to put it mildly.

• People power

There are two reasons why India will soon start to outpace China. One is demography. China’s workforce will shortly start ageing; in a few years’ time, it will start shrinking. That’s because of its one-child policy—an oppressive measure that no Indian government would get away with. Indira Gandhi tried something similar in the 1970s, when she called a state of emergency and introduced a forced-sterilisation programme. There was an uproar of protest. Democracy was restored and coercive population policies were abandoned. India is now blessed with a young and growing workforce. Its dependency ratio—the proportion of children and old people to working-age adults—is one of the best in the world and will remain so for a generation. India’s economy will benefit from this “demographic dividend”, which has powered many of Asia’s economic miracles.
The second reason for optimism is India’s much-derided democracy. The notion that democracy retards development in poor countries has gained currency in recent years. Certainly, it has its disadvantages. Elected governments bow to the demands of selfish factions and interest groups. Even the most urgent decisions are endlessly debated and delayed.
China does not have this problem. When its technocrats decide to dam a river, build a road or move a village, the dam goes up, the road goes down and the village disappears. The displaced villagers may be compensated, but they are not allowed to stand in the way of progress. China’s leaders make rational decisions that balance the needs of all citizens over the long term. This has led to rapid, sustained growth that has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Small wonder that authoritarians everywhere cite China as their best excuse not to allow democracy just yet.
No doubt a strong central government would have given India a less chaotic Commonwealth games, but there is more to life than badminton and rhythmic gymnastics. India’s state may be weak, but its private companies are strong. Indian capitalism is driven by millions of entrepreneurs all furiously doing their own thing. Since the early 1990s, when India dismantled the “licence raj” and opened up to foreign trade, Indian business has boomed. The country now boasts legions of thriving small businesses and a fair number of world-class ones whose English-speaking bosses network confidently with the global elite. They are less dependent on state patronage than Chinese firms, and often more innovative: they have pioneered the $2,000 car, the ultra-cheap heart operation and some novel ways to make management more responsive to customers. Ideas flow easily around India, since it lacks China’s culture of secrecy and censorship. That, plus China’s rampant piracy, is why knowledge-based industries such as software love India but shun the Middle Kingdom.
India’s individualistic brand of capitalism may also be more robust than China’s state-directed sort. Chinese firms prosper under wise government, but bad rulers can cause far more damage in China than in India, because their powers are so much greater. If, God forbid, another Mao were to seize the reins, there would be no mechanism for getting rid of him.
That is a problem for the future. For now, India’s problems are painfully visible. The roads are atrocious. Public transport is a disgrace. Many of the country’s dynamic entrepreneurs waste hours each day stuck in traffic. Their firms are hobbled by the costs of building their own infrastructure: backup generators, water-treatment plants and fleets of buses to ferry staff to work. And India’s demographic dividend will not count for much if those new workers are unemployable. India’s literacy rate is rising, thanks in part to a surge in cheap private schools for the poor, but it is still far behind China’s.
Advantage India
The Indian government recognises the need to tackle the infrastructure crisis, and is getting better at persuading private firms to stump up the capital. But the process is slow and infected with corruption. It is hard to measure these things, but many observers think China has done a better job than India of curbing corruption, with its usual brutal methods, such as shooting people.
Given the choice between doing business in China or India, most foreign investors would probably pick China. The market is bigger, the government easier to deal with, and if your supply chain for manufactured goods does not pass through China your shareholders will demand to know why. But as the global economy becomes more knowledge-intensive, India’s advantage will grow. That is something to ponder while stuck in the Delhi traffic.
source: The Economist

What explains Chinese ‘aggression'

Nilanjan Banik

Source: Hindubusinessline

  

China's growing interest in the South-East Asian region has been in the news recently. However, its actions are, in fact, quite rational from its standpoint, and are an outcome of a combination of factors, such as protectionist measures in the US and the EU against Chinese exports; unabated price rise in China, including higher labour costs, energy prices and land rents; and the appreciation of the renminbi. In this scenario, the South-East Asian region promises access to a bigger market.

China also stands to gain by tapping into captive resources of this region, especially, minerals and energy.

CHINA AFTER 2008

The financial crisis since 2008 has seriously affected world trade, with some governments resorting to protectionist measures such as anti-dumping and countervailing measures to protect their domestic industries. Such protectionist measures are hurting China the most. During 2008, Chinese exports to the EU and the US fell by 19.4 per cent and 12.5 per cent, respectively.

Global Trade Alert (a database tracking number of protectionist measures imposed around the world) has indicated that as many as 659 measures were initiated against Chinese exports after 2008. Most of these measures originated from Russia (31), Germany (18), France (16), United Kingdom (17), Spain (16), Italy (15), Netherlands (15), Sweden (13), Austria (13), Belgium (13), Finland (13), in Europe, and USA (9). China's trade surplus fell from US$ 298.12 billion in 2008 to US$ 195.84 billion in 2009.

Chinese firms are looking for alternative production bases to evade such protectionist measures. Given its geographical proximity to mainland China, the South-East Asian region becomes a natural choice.

Higher Input Cost

The China growth story is still intact, making it a favoured destination among foreign fund managers. Last year, China has received more foreign funds than any of the other BRIC economies. The expectation about future appreciation of Chinese renminbi has also been an influential factor enhancing the inflow of foreign funds.

The Chinese central bank has been frantically trying to keep renminbi from appreciating further, by actively intervening in the foreign exchange market. However, such active intervention and increase in incomes in China, have resulted in overheating of the economy. Wages of migrant workers, land, property rents, and power prices, have all registered an increase.

On a year-on-year basis, as of November 2010, labour costs were up by 21 per cent, and the home prices across 70 cities in China have gone up 7.7 per cent. Estimates made in 2010 suggest minimum annual wage rates in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are $600, $434, and $1200-1500, respectively. If one were to add the mandatory welfare allowances to the minimum annual wage rates, then the Chinese labour costs are at least double compared with other regions in South-East Asia.

Property prices are also on the rise. What is worrisome is that property prices are rising despite the government's ownership rights on land – indicating a possible real estate bubble. China has also imposed stricter pollution control norms on its industries, raising the marginal cost of producing goods in China.

Hence, Chinese firms stand to gain by shifting production bases to the neighbouring south-east Asian region. Also, since the Chinese currency has been appreciating since 2005 and is expected to appreciate further, there is a feeling Chinese exports will become more expensive as well.

Chinese firms can gain by importing raw material and using this to produce finished goods outside China.

Access to a bigger market

Trade and investment measures undertaken in the South-East Asian region are non-discriminatory and complementary in nature.

These nations are increasingly driving down tariff barriers and other border costs. Most of the items are traded at zero tariffs among the member countries. Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar are all part of Asean. As on January 1, 2010, duties on 99.65 per cent of all tariff lines under the Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme for the Asean Free Trade Area have been eliminated.

For the newer Asean member-states — Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam — 98.96 per cent of total tariff lines are within the tariff range of 0-5 per cent.

Since October 2003, China and Thailand have taken the lead in implementing zero tariffs on agricultural products, covering 200 types of fruit and vegetables. China has also granted zero tariffs treatment to Cambodia (83 products), Laos (91 products) and Myanmar (87 products). Free market access for Chinese exports into this region means a larger market for their manufacturers.

When compared with the other provinces like Shandong, Guangdong, Hainan, Jiangsu, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Tianjin, the provinces of Yunnan and the Guangxi (bordering south-east Asia), are relatively underdeveloped. Given their geographical proximity to South Asia and the Asean markets, China can gain substantially by developing these two regions and improving their linkages with Asean neighbours.

Since 1996, Chinese firms have constructed six hydro-power plants and one thermal power station in Myanmar. China has also invested in power transmission, and copper processing activities in Vietnam. Dongfang Electric of China has won a contract to construct a coal-fired thermal plant at Hai Phong, Vietnam.

At present, there has been ownership issue over the Spratly Islands, and the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. Brunei, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam, each has notified United Nations about their share of claim.

The US wanted to mediate using the Asean forum, which China has been opposing. So what the Indian media calls Chinese aggression appears to be quite rational on the part of China.

(The author is Associate Professor, IFMR, Chennai.)

A Metro train on trial run on M.G. Road on the eve of the inauguration of the service in Bangalore on Wednesday. File photo

Most of us know that India is one of the biggest consumers of gold in the world. But does the country have a similar standing when it comes to the production of the yellow metal? Certainly not. As today's chart of the day shows, as per data collected by the British Geological Survey, India stands nowhere as compared to the largest producers of gold in the world. At a little more than 2,000 tonnes of gold, its production absolutely pales in comparison to the largest producers like China and the US. Little wonder, it has to satisfy the needs of its gold consumers by resorting to large scale imports.
Source: J Mulraj

Source: British Geological Survey, Rediff.com 

FM on Income Tax Exemption Issue to Old Settlers

 

GST, states and Sikkim

source:Sikkim Mail

Gangtok: October 18, 2011

Goods and services Tax (GST) was proposed to be introduced across states in India by 1st of April 2010. It was rescheduled to be introduced by 2012 tentatively.

Special Commissioner Commercial Tax Division, Government of Sikkim HB Rai informed that there exist numerous bottle neck problems in respect to introduction of GST across nation. The problem being faced by the empowered committee which includes all the states Finance Ministers across nation are the thresh holds limits to be charged under GST, limitations, fixing of rates and many more. The consensus from the entire states is yet to be build up in respect to the introduction of the GSTy.

Since long the state government was only authorized to levy taxes on goods whereas the services taxes were levied by the central authority across nation but once the GST is introduced the levying of service tax will also be authorized to the state government. But the authorization of levying service tax to the state will only be met after amending the constitution.

The other factor that obstructs the introduction of GST is the formation of ‘Dispute Settlement Authority’.

Mr. Rai said that the aim of introducing GST is to make the rates of commodities across nation uniform. The introduction of GST will ensure the time saving factor of the tax payers as the paying of taxes will come under one roof. When enquired about the levying of Value Added Tax (VAT) in Sugar Mr. Rai informed that the meeting held under the chairmanship of the current chairman, Empowered Committee (EC) Sushil Kumar Modi on October 14 has proposed a resolution of levying VAT on Sugar but the implementation of VAT on sugar will only take place after availing total consensus from the members of ECs.

Informing about the total collection of taxes in state under different taxes levied like Environmental Cess, VAT, Sales Tax on items like Liquor, Petroleum products, Central Service Tax (CST), Profession Tax and Sikkim Transport Infrastructure Development Fund (STIDF) he said that under the financial year 2010-11 a total of 22.59% annual increment growth has been met by the division which amounted to collection of Rs. 177 crores. Adding more he mentioned that commercial tax division is the highest revenue generating department in the state to

Anger of the masses is on the boil

Anger of the masses is on the boil

by B. S. RAGHAVAN

Unmistakable evidence is piling up pointing to the conclusion that worldwide, established authorities — governments, banking and financial institutions or even familial setups — whose diktats were once accepted as beyond question are coming under the relentless and unforgiving scrutiny of the societies amidst which they are situated.

In olden times, the pent-up fury of the people against injustice and oppression used to take a long time to erupt in the form of bloody revolutions, and there was relative calm once the fury was spent. The 21st Century has already become a marked contrast in defying this trend. If the turmoil engulfing the world in recent years is any guide, it may well come to be called the Century On The Boil.

The reason is simple: There has been an awakening of the people brought on by the spread of education, and the impact of the communications revolution resulting in vast numbers of people of different countries exchanging information and experiences in real time. They are able to come to instant judgment as to what is good or bad for them, and where outfits meant to serve their interests are betraying them — be it because of mismanagement, misconduct or a rapacious mindset.

GRAVE MISTAKE
The world woke up to the fact with the series of upheavals starting from Tunisia, sweeping tsunami-like across Egypt, Yemen, Libya and Syria, and showing all signs of continuing in the near future.

If armchair analysts and those in politics and running governments in the so-called democracies view this phenomenon with a sense of apathy or complacency, they would be committing a grave mistake.

The outrage felt by the persons in the street, the aam aadmis, has little to do with the nature of politics or ideology and a lot with the failure of governance and the callousness of the governing class towards the grievances and sufferings of the people whose servant it is. It looks like it will not take long for the Arab Spring to replicate itself in other countries as well.

The mass upsurge against corruption India has witnessed has given it a taste of the shape of things to come, if the Government does not mend its ways and respond with sensitivity and speed to the people's insistent demand to get black money back and visit with condign, and summary, punishment the corrupt blackguards in high places.

The Government has had plenty of warnings to make it realise that it cannot get away with playing blind man's buff with the people. India being a notional democracy will not save the Government from the people's wrath.

CRY FOR TRUE DEMOCRACY
Britain's ordeal by fire in August is yet another example of a Government — a democracy of thousand years to boot — being taken unawares and paying heavily for taking the people for granted.

As a perceptive commentary put it at the time, the week-long riots that broke out in London and in the interior cities were not about race.

They were “defined by a more disorganised class politics of reaction, propelled by huge inequalities and a perceived injustice and indifference by the state to the fate of those involved…. (in) the backdrop of Britain's ongoing fiscal and sovereign debt crisis and the coalition government's politics of austerity.”

Now we have the siege of Wall Street. It has been described as the crisis of capitalism caused by “greedy capitalists, craven politicians, scheming bankers, dispossessed masses.” It started as the indignado (indignant) movement in Spain, and has spread like forest-fire to more than 900 cities in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America.

In the US, for instance, a small minority of the rich has cornered almost the entire financial cake, misusing trillions of dollars of bail-outs and tax reliefs, leaving the poor, numbering one in six, to face unemployment and cutbacks.

Everywhere, among the masses as well as the classes below the top crust, the cry is for “true democracy”. The political and governing coteries stand in danger of being swept off if they do not heed the cry soon enough.
source;The Hindubusinessline

TCS to hire 45,000 engineers for fiscal 2013


Mumbai, Oct 18: The country's largest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services will give out 45,000 offers to fresh engineers for fiscal 2013 through its annual campus recruitment drive, a top company official has said.

In comparison, the Tata group company had given 37,000 offers to engineering graduates for the current fiscal.

TCS, which had started the process of approaching campuses in August, has already made 35,000 offers to students in over 200 campuses, Mr Ajoy Mukherjee, Executive Vice-President and Global Head, Human Resources, told newspersons, here on Tuesday.

Assuming a joining ratio of 70 per cent, this translates into an addition of 31,500 more employees to the IT major's rolls.

However, TCS has not tinkered with the salary structure of its campus recruits. A fresh engineering graduate's overall package continues to be around 3.15 lakh per year.

Also, the company will now will scout for fresh engineers during the seventh semester of the academic year as against the eighth semester.

“Given the volumes that we are looking at and the feedback we have got from the colleges we will now begin the campus recruitment drive in the seventh semester. The process will continue till January next year,” said Mr Mukherjee.

It may be recalled that TCS and other IT companies had decided in 2009 to hire only in the middle or towards the end of eighth semester.

“Some institutions have given us a feedback that the eighth semester may not be a good idea since many technical institutions send students for practical training then. As a result, they miss out on placement opportunities,” Mr Mukherjee had said in an earlier interaction.

In the ongoing quarter, TCS expects to get on board another 17,000 to 20,000 employees.

Making the law easier for the common man

N. R. Madhava Menon

Source: The Hindu  

The Hindu Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia along with Supreme Court judge Altamas Kabir, releasing 'Restatements of Indian Law', in New Delhi on October 11, 2011. Supreme Court judges Justice R.V. Raveendran (right) and Justice A.K. Ganguly are in the picture. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

The Restatement of law seeks to identify and remove the ambiguities surrounding the legal principles, and clarify the law for its better adaptation to the needs of society.

One of the reasons for popular dissatisfaction with the administration of justice is the uncertainty of law which sometimes results in miscarriage of justice. The multiplicity of interpretations, the inadequacies of legislative drafting, ambiguities in policies and the variety of languages in which transactions are made add to the confusion and make repeated litigation inevitable. The use of simple English is now being canvassed in Common Law countries for legislative drafting and legal documentation. In the United States, complex and ambiguous laws have been simplified, codified and re-stated by the American Law Institute for the convenience of the legal community and the litigant public. In India, the problem persisted, alienating people from the law itself and providing litigants and advocates their heyday to often delay and manipulate the process to their advantage. The rule of law and access to justice have been in jeopardy in the circumstances.

On October 11, Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia released three Restatement volumes in New Delhi on three different legal subjects prepared by a committee headed by senior Supreme Court judge R.V. Raveendran (since retired) and published by the Indian Law Institute. The volumes are on various themes which have for long been discussed in the public domain without any clarity or certainty on where the law stands for guidance of the people who are supposed to know it in any case. It is doubtful whether the lawyers and judges who are the experts to advise the litigants are themselves clear on the various issues involved.

The Restatement Series, which the Supreme Court started with, included Legislative Privileges, Contempt of Court and Public Interest Litigation. The event marked a quiet revolution in the simplification, clarification, consolidation and dissemination of the law authoritatively. It is all the more significant that the project was initiated without any public funding and through the voluntary contribution of time and expertise by the contributors, consultants, editors and publishers. Even the printers and distributors have agreed to price the publications in the public interest at the bare cost of paper, ink and printing. Soon it may be available free in digital form as well.

What is Restatement and how does it help the public? According to Mr. Justice Raveendran, Restatement is intended to be an authoritative neutral statement of the law on the subject, identifying and removing uncertainties and ambiguities surrounding the legal principles and clarifying the current law for its better adaptation to the needs of society. The subjects are areas of Indian law where there is need for clarity and simplicity benefiting not only the legal community but, more importantly, civil servants and the general public.

The method of producing the Restatement is not the usual one adopted in writing books or drafting documents. The Restatement Committee deliberated on the choice of subject from the point of the public interest, the legal doctrines and principles involved, the issues that deserve clarification, the uncertainties or ambiguities to be removed and the structure of presentation to serve the multiple consumers of the Indian law. Care has been taken to avoid views and opinions on what the law ought to be and to make the propositions purely based on statutes and judicial pronouncements so that the Restatement is an authoritative reproduction of current law which can be acted upon by lawyers and judges whenever differing judgments from different jurisdictions offer diverse interpretations on the same issue. Thus, it can save judicial time and expedite disposal of cases. Lawyers may not have to carry or cite multiple decisions or run the risk of overlooking judgments; nor need judges be afraid of being misguided by overruled propositions or amended statutory provisions.

The Restatement draft involved two revisions — first when it was sent for critical feedback among selected expert consultants and, second, when the revised text was scrutinised by the editorial committees consisting of judges, jurists and academics. The concern all through has been to ensure clarity and accuracy and, to a large extent, the three volumes fulfil these objects. These Restatements are thus an easily accessible, clearly understandable, non-technical statement of the current law otherwise spread into many constitutional provisions, voluminous statutory texts, innumerable judicial pronouncements — sometimes conflicting and confusing. If they are translated into vernacular languages, the general public will have free access to understand the law, which is fundamental for access to justice.

It will be interesting to know that the contributors of the three volumes include busy lawyers such as K.K. Venugopal and Gopal Subramaniam, of course, ably assisted by a number of bright young lawyers practising in different courts. S. Sivakumar, Research Professor of the Indian Law Institute, co-ordinated the preparatory work and oversaw the production of the volumes in a uniform format.

Congratulating the Supreme Court Project Committee and the Indian Law Institute, the Chief Justice of India said this ambitious project would publish Restatements on various important topics in future and Justice Raveendran would continue to be its Chairman even after his retirement. Justice Raveendran, in turn, announced a list of topics which would engage the priority attention of the Committee for preparation of further Restatements in the coming years.

But it is sad that a major project of great public interest in reaching the law to people at the instance of the highest court has gone unnoticed by the government, the media and civil society. Though it is not the function of judges, the interest and investment they have put in the effort will be appreciated by civil society as the project brings more Restatements on laws affecting the daily lives of common people. What the government can do is to support the project with funds, undertake translations of the volumes in all official languages and reach them to people through panchayats and other local bodies so that the rule of law prevails with the removal of ignorance. In fact, if the grass-roots courts proposed under the Gram Nyayalaya Act have to function through an informed conciliatory process, both parties should have an authoritative knowledge of the laws that regulate their transactions, and understand the rights and obligations under them. Even the gram panchayats can function effectively without bureaucratic dependence only when the law and the Constitution become unambiguously familiar to the elected representatives. Looked at from this perspective, the Supreme Court's Restatement of Indian Law Project is nothing short of a rule of law revolution in the making, possibly heralding the success of democracy and constitutional governance.

The law governing contempt is shrouded in mystery despite there being a statute and innumerable pronouncements by the Supreme Court clarifying its scope. Yet the common people and journalists are uncertain about the principles involved, the scope of the statute and the constitutional limitations on contempt power. Similar is the case with the privileges of elected representatives of the State Assemblies and Parliament. Such a situation in the functioning of two important institutions of governance is prejudicial to democracy and the rule of law. This is what the two Restatements attempt to redeem by clarifying the current law on the subject. Of course, the law can change with changes in society and Restatements may need to be updated whenever new editions are planned. Furthermore, Restatement can never act as a substitute for professional advice if and when legal action is required. Yet they help to avoid problems and to solve problems effectively as and when they arise.

Public Interest Litigation is a legal tool invented by the Indian judiciary for giving a voice to those vast masses who would otherwise have not been able to access justice because of ignorance, incapacity and the way the system works. For that very reason, it is a part of the jurisprudence of the masses which they ought to know for seeking justice. In the absence of any statute on the subject, the law has to be articulated from judicial practice and pronouncements over the last several decades and more. This is what the Restatement on the subject has done for the lasting credit of the Indian justice system. If Restatements are brought out on the Right to Education, Health, Food, Work, Clean Environment and a corruption-free government, the common man can hope to be less prone to exploitation and more empowered to seek remedies under the law.

(Professor N.R. Madhava Menon, a former Vice-Chancellor of the National Law School, Bangalore and Kolkata, is a Member of the Restatement of Indian Law Project Committee of the Supreme Court.)

source:Livemint

*Commercial vehicles
Data Source: SIAM

India as a country is a contradiction of sorts. No doubt it has come a long way in terms of growth over the past many years and is holding its own in the global arena. Many statesmen have acclaimed India as a responsible, rising power, inviting it to take a seat at the top table of world affairs. GDP growth at 8.5% has put it along China as one of the world's fastest growing economies. With a population of around 1.2 bn, there is huge scope for the domestic consumption theme to play out over the next many years. And there are opportunities galore in retail, education and infrastructure. India also boasts of being among the top nations having the highest number of millionaires in the world. India Inc. has also done its bit to put India on the global map and companies especially in the IT, auto and pharma space have continued to expand their footprint abroad.

But while the accolades are plenty, one cannot ignore the brickbats either. And these in recent times have taken the ugly shape of high inflation and mounting corruption. Moreover, questions persist as to whether the government will be able to transform the lives of millions of poor in the country. With no long term reforms in place, large sections of the Indian population continue to be hampered by rising prices and erosion in purchasing power. The UPA government came to power with reforms being its main agenda and resulting scams and scandals have tied its hands as a result of which it has been busy trying to tidy up its own affairs rather than focus on developmental activities. Recent attempts to define the poverty line have only been met with rising criticism and have highlighted the government's inability to grasp the ground reality. Indeed, GDP growth in the long term is quite meaningless if it does not improve the standard of living of its citizens and i nstead increases income inequality.

The latter especially is dangerous and could lead to more insurgencies or revolutions of the kind that were witnessed in the Arab world. Of course, all is not bleak and India's growth rates are still much better than that of the developed world which is grappling with prolonged recession. Moreover, some of India's current problems have been there in the past as well and the Indian economy has been able to grow at a fast rate inspite of it. However, times are changing, intolerance among citizens has increased and the government has to step up its pace on the structural reform front in a bid to diminish the income equality divide.
By J Mulraj

Taxpayers' money would be better spent on addressing gaps in power, road, rail and port infrastructure rather doling out sops of a questionable value.

Should a decline in growth rate from 81.8 per cent to 36.3 per cent in a space of three months for any sector be cause for alarm? Well, when it comes to exports, the Government seems to believe so. So worried has the Commerce Ministry been about the recent ‘slowdown' — despite exports on the whole registering a 52 per cent year-on-year increase to $160 billion during April-September — that last week it announced additional export incentives linked to specified products (from hand tools to potassium iodide) and destinations. These sops, mainly in the form of import duty credit as a certain percentage of the free-on-board value of exports, are expected to cost the exchequer about Rs 900 crore. Besides, the Reserve Bank of India, too, extended a two per cent interest subvention on rupee export loans for four sectors (handicrafts, handlooms, carpets and SMEs) — taking the total value of the ‘package' to Rs 1,700 crore or so. The exporting community couldn't have asked for a better pre-Diwali bonanza, which is cherry on the cake of a 10 per cent-plus depreciation of the rupee against the dollar since August.

The Government's defence of the latest handouts is that carpets and handicrafts are ‘labour-intensive' industries and hence deserve special support. As regards the extra incentives for exports to Mexico, Cuba or Kazakhstan, the stated reason is the weakening demand in developed markets and the need to diversify into ‘non-traditional' markets in Latin America, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States. But the way they have been done, through duty credits, is questionable. It is one thing to reimburse taxes suffered on goods manufactured for exports (permissible under the WTO rules); but it is quite another to hold that India's carpet and handicraft exports suffer import duty on inputs. In the case of special duty credits for exports to non-traditional markets, even the fiction of additional tax imposts has not been maintained. It is simply being given as a market penetration incentive. In any case, it is the job of exporters to anticipate shifts in demand and build new markets. In fact, some level of diversification has happened even without much policy intervention. In 2000-01, the developed OECD economies accounted for nearly 53 per cent of India's exports; this has since fallen to 33 per cent in 2010-11.

If one were to promote exports, the best way to do it is by investing more in power, roads, rail and port infrastructure. Currently, the average turnaround time for ships in Indian ports is over four days, against less than a day in Singapore. Likewise, it takes days for cargo to reach the ports from the hinterland, where the manufacturing process itself would have required running on diesel generator sets in the absence of reliable supply from the grid. Taxpayers' money would be better spent on addressing these concerns rather doling out sops of a questionable value.
Editorial The Hindu Businessline

ITC ropes in corporate biggies for its ‘wealth from waste' initiative

Oct. 18:

The diversified business group, ITC Ltd, through its Papers and Speciality Papers Division (PSPD), has roped in some of the major corporate entities, including Infosys, Google, Mahindra Satyam and Dr. Reddy's into the WOW (wealth from waste) initiative.

The group has also dovetailed the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity of the company into its overall business plan, according to Division Chief Executive, ITC PSPD, Mr Sanjay Singh.

“By linking CSR activity into the overall business plan, we ensure it gets greater focus; also there is something to look forward to by the company. Both the farm forestry and WOW initiative have now been linked,” he said.

Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Singh said that within a short span, the collection of dry receivables is touching 4,000 mt a month. It is proposed to take this up to 6,000 mt a month during the current financial year. By covering the entire south, ITC expects to manage a collection level of about 15,000 mt a month. That would be sufficient to run a mill.

Mr Jogarao Bhamidipati, Division Head (Commercial), ITC PSPD, said that 20 major groups with over 200,000 employees like Infosys, Microsoft, Google, Mahindra Satyam, Dr. Reddy's Labs have agreed to join the WOW initiative where the waste is segregated and collected. By paper waste segregation, this would be better suited for recycling.

The Chairman of Ramky Group, Mr Ayodhya Rami Reddy, said that the company now works with over 35 municipalities and 35,000 hospitals and over 800 corporate houses across the country and is keen to play a role in ITC's WOW initiative .

source: The Hindu

Kathmandu, October 17, 2011 Scientists map Nepal typhoid using Google Earth

PTI

Scientists claim to have mapped typhoid outbreaks in the Nepalese capital accurately using latest gene sequencing technology and Google Earth.

In the research, published in the journal Open Biology, an international team of researchers used Global Positioning System (GPS) signalling and the latest DNA sequencing techniques to map the spread of typhoid and trace its source in Kathmandu.

They discovered the bugs behind the typhoid outbreaks — Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi bacteria — are usually spread through water or food contaminated with faeces in the city.

“Until now, it has been extremely difficult to study how organisms such as the typhoid-causing bacteria evolve and spread at a local level,” study researcher Dr. Stephen Baker, of Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam, said.

“Without this information, our ability to understand the transmission of these diseases has been significantly hampered,” he explained.

“Now, advances in technology have allowed us for the first time to create accurate geographical and genetic maps of the spread of typhoid and trace it back to its sources.”

To capture the information, health workers would visit a patient’s home and use GPS to capture the exact location.

They would also take a blood sample from the hospitalised patient to isolate the organism and to allow analysis of the typhoid strain’s genotype — its genetic make-up.

This sequencing technology able to identify single changes in the “letters” of DNA — the A, C, T and Gs that make up the code.

The study showed that people living near to water spouts, for whom these provide their main source of water, and people living at a lower elevation are at substantially greatest risk of contracting the disease.

According to the researchers, their work has also shed light on the role of asymptomatic carriers of the disease in the spread of typhoid. As these carriers do not show symptoms, they are likely to be unaware of their infection and can unwittingly spread the disease.

The most famous of such cases was a cook in New York in the early twentieth century, nicknamed “Typhoid Mary”, who is believed to have spread the disease to dozens of people.

India should strengthen ties with Myanmar

by Srinath Raghavan

  

The Myanmar President, Mr Thein Sein, and the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh… The agreement to extend a credit line of $500 million to Myanmar is a welcome move.

 

Myanmar is looking to break out of its uneasy embrace with China. India should give its ties with Myanmar a push.

The recent visit to India by the President of Myanmar took place against the backdrop of significant changes in his country. When President Mr Thein Sein took office last November, there was much scepticism about the new ‘civilian' government. Since then he has surprised his critics by initiating a slew of political and economic reforms. To be sure, these are tentative first steps. But it is likely that the reforms will continue; for, the process is driven by three inter-related considerations that cannot be wished away.

First, Mr Thein Sein realises that if Myanmar is to break out of its international isolation, it will have to institute a modicum of political accountability and economic transparency. The trade and financial sanctions imposed by the US and the EU are unlikely to be lifted in the immediate future. But Myanmar could reasonably hope for much-needed technical assistance from international financial institutions.

Second, the government is rather keen to chair the Asean summit in 2014. The reforms currently under way are essential to secure the approval of other members of Asean. Tightening its links with these countries is critical both to enable Myanmar to deal with the consequences of an extended Western boycott and to prepare the ground for wider acceptance by the international community.

Third, Myanmar does not wish to be locked in an exclusive embrace with China. For a good part of the last six decades — to go back no further in time— it has had a troubled relationship with China.

Through the 1950s, the presence of Kuomintang fighters in Northern Burma and their American intelligence advisors was a major source of friction between the two countries. China, for its part, began supporting an insurgency led by the Communist Party of Burma. During the fevered years of Mao's Cultural Revolution, there was a major riot in Rangoon against Chinese people and property and a retaliatory siege of the Burmese embassy in Beijing.

EQUATION WITH CHINA

Things began to change in the early 1990s, when both countries faced international ostracism owing to the military takeover after the Myanmar elections of 1988 and the Tiananmen Square incident of 1989.

In the following years, China emerged as Myanmar's most dependable friend. China is by far the largest investor in Myanmar, its second largest trading partner (after Thailand) and largest source of imports, and its main supplier of military equipment. In 2009-10, China accounted for around 61.5 per cent of foreign investment and 47.3 per cent of Myanmar's trade.

The local economy of Myanmar's regions adjoining China is almost entirely controlled by Chinese entrepreneurs and businesses.

The bulk of Chinese investment in Myanmar is geared towards extraction of natural resources — oil, gas, hydropower, and minerals.

Myanmar's economists and officials are worried that only 15 per cent of the FDI last year was directed to manufacturing and services. Even in areas of potential comparative advantage such as garments and footwear, there has been no growth of small and medium enterprises.

The most dramatic expression of the unease over China's economic profile was Mr Thein Sein's decision to put on hold the $3.6 billion Myitsone hydro-electric project financed by the Chinese government.

Interestingly, this step followed the suspension of another such project in Bhamo.

The decision on Mytisone was all the more surprising because it was taken in response to popular protests in the Irrawaddy valley —protests that received the endorsement of Ms Suu Kyi. It is unwise to read too much into one incident, and Myanmar is already trying to mollify China.

But it is undeniable that Myanmar's ruling class is not only concerned about China's economic dominance in the country but also about its political implications.

INDIA'S OPPORTUNITIES

India could help address some these underlying issues and so provide impetus to the reforms in Myanmar. Before the 1960s, Myanmar had closer political ties with India than any of its other neighbours.

Thereafter Myanmar's self-imposed isolation and the junta's refusal to step down in favour of an elected government resulted in the deterioration of the relationship.

In the late 1980s and early 90s, New Delhi supported Ms Suu Kyi. But once the military junta's staying power became clear, India embarked on a course correction.

New Delhi now accorded greater priority to its economic and security interests. The former pertained to accessing Myanmar's huge gas reserves and improving connectivity in order to facilitate India's access to its north-eastern states as well as other south-east Asian countries.

The latter related to securing Myanmar's cooperation in tackling insurgent groups operating in north-east India and to ensuring that China's mounting presence in Myanmar did not impinge upon Indian interests in the country and in the Bay of Bengal.

There is considerable room for deepening economic and political ties with Myanmar. Bilateral trade in 2009-10 was a $1.2 billion, just 9.16 per cent of Myanmar's total trade. Pulses and wood products account for 97.5 per cent of Myanmar's exports to India; buffalo meat and pharmaceuticals account for 45 per cent of its imports from India. India is the 13th largest investor in the country: its investment amounting to a paltry $189 million.

The Indian private sector has little presence in Myanmar. The recent agreement to extend a credit line of $500 million is a welcome step.

But if India wants to redress its position in Myanmar, it must pay attention to three key issues.

For one thing, it needs to ensure timely delivery of projects. Excessive delay, particularly in infrastructure projects, calls into question India's credibility and invites unfavourable comparisons with China.

For another, it must focus on upgrading infrastructure in the north-east. Despite four Indian states sharing a border with Myanmar, the bulk of trade does not happen over land.

Similarly, the absence of a pipeline implies that India is unable to benefit fully from its investment in Myanmar's gas blocks. Finally, India should use its increasing influence in international forums to push for an end to the sanctions.

A Myanmar that is more closely integrated with the international community will have better prospects for sustained political reform.

And it will also advance India's interests in its extended eastern neighbourhood.

(The author is Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, Delhi.)

Source: The Hindubusinessline

Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, New Delhi; said to be the world's largest Hindu temple

NEGATION, A QUIET CELEBRATION


By Swami Chidananda

We are attracted to a hundred things outside of us, dreaming of possessing them and becoming special by virtue of them. We know at the same time that the richest man in the world has his own problems. Our standard of living may rise by leaps and bounds but the quality of life remains as great a challenge as ever before. By quality is meant, among many aspects, the sense of love that we may experience in our heart.



Are we able to love the people whom we meet on a daily basis? Do we feel loved by people around us? If the fragrance of love does not permeate our day, is it of much use to have fancy possessions, positions, name and fame?



What do we do? Work harder? Run faster? Think more?



Why not an ‘out of the box’ approach? Shift your attention from doing something new to just examining whatever you have been doing, with no specific plan to change it in some way. There is a lot beneath the surface, when you examine your actions, words and thoughts. Much is exposed. Hidden desires, vague fears, irrelevant beliefs, outdated conclusions and subtle schemes are operating all the time within you. They shape what you do, what you say and what you think.



There is urgency in this matter. Life is not long. Do this job, before you follow those who have gone, like Steve Jobs. (Steve, by the way, could not work much on exploring the holistic beauty of life. They say he went to India to meet a guru he fancied, Neem Karoli Baba, but upon finding the latter had passed already, shifted his focus. He made remarkable contributions and became famous, no doubt. How nice it would have been if his intelligence had helped him enrich himself with human values like sensitivity towards the deeper needs of humanity and compassion towards the suffering of the poor and of the rich.)



Examining our entire way of life has urgency about it. Our house is on fire. It is not the time to sing or play the piano. We have been racing, perhaps quite efficiently, in the wrong direction. We have been chasing illusions. Leave alone the false glitter and glamour of our goals, our sense of ‘Who I am’ is itself a deceptive foundation on which stands the edifice of our life’s major activities. Imagine, for example, that somebody mistakes his identity for being a homeless person and goes around the town asking for help. In reality he is a prince and could be a generous giver, rather than a beggar.



Examining the way our thought works can lead to radical change in us. Here it is neither substitution of thoughts nor improvement in the way we think. No specific plan is suggested as to what to think or how to think. Being aware of the movement of thought is the suggestion being made here. In this awareness, junk gets exposed and eliminated. You will lose all that does not really belong to you. A lot of stuff had made your mind their home. In the process, you lost your true identity. The ego therefore is called an imposter in related literature. This imposter takes to his heels. The self gets negated. The Self emerges (to use the language of the Vedanta. The Buddha talked of just negation of the self and kept silent on the Self, the Atma.) The negation of the false – false identity, false values, and false pursuits etc – is a silent affair. There is no ‘doing’ here. The wisdom here expresses itself as ‘ceasing to do’ rather than doing. The relief therefore is quiet celebration.



Swami Chidananda, Varanasi

Thursday, October 13, 2011



Director, Rajghat Education Centre,

Krishnamurti Foundation India, Varanasi 221 001 India
Tel: Home 91 542 244 0722, Work: 91 542 244 1160 and Mobile: 91 98392 70579

Email: chidananda9@yahoo.com Website: www.j-krishnamurti.org






To see what is... transforms what is. - J Krishnamurti

HERBS

Ashwagandha(Withania somnifera)
Ashwagandha is a shrubby plant, which offers tremendous potential as an energizing medicinal herb. Ayurvedic practitioners have used the roots of this plant for centuries with success as a tonic to increase vitality and longevity, as well as to treat health conditions as diverse as tumors and arthritis. Recent laboratory studies have begun to confirm what Ayurvedic practitioners have known for years – that Ashwagandha deserves attention as an herbal therapy to ease or even eliminate many of today’s common health problems.
Research on Ashwagandha has shown it to be a stress adaptogen, to promote healing and to have diuretic and anti-cancer properties. I have used Ashwagandha extensively in my practice for insomnia, fatigue, stress, depression, anxiety and cancer. My son uses it for bodybuilding. It can also be used as an adjuvant in chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Ashwagandha was tested for its anti-aging properties in a double-blind clinical trial. A group of 101 healthy males, 50-59 years old, were given the herb at a dosage of 3 grams daily for one year. The subjects experienced significant improvement in hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hair melanin, and seated stature. Serum cholesterol decreased and nail calcium was preserved. Seventy percent of the research subjects reported improvement in sexual performance.1

Amla(Emblica officinalis)
Amla is an excellent rejuvenator. It has powerful antioxidant properties and counters the toxicity of heavy metals such as nickel, cobalt, arsenic and mercury. It also provides protective properties after one has been exposed to toxic or carcinogenic chemicals. It has powerful anti-cancerous properties and, like Ashwagandha, has been used in cancer therapy to cut down the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. According to ancient Ayurvedic texts, one who consumes a rasayana with Amla as the main ingredient, one will "live for a hundred years without any sign of decrepitude."
My experience with Amla bears out this claim. The father of one of my co-workers in India lived to be 107 years of age. He walked 3-5 miles a day, he had all his own teeth, his eyes were only slightly refracted, he had never had surgery, and he recognized people right up until just before his death. His secret? He ate Amla every day! Among other things, Amlais one of the richest sources of natural vitamin C available and is well-known as a powerful immune support.2

Sitawari(Asparagus racemosus)
Shatavari has tonic, adaptogenic, alterative (curative) and aphrodisiac activities. It is used to treat debility and chronic diseases like infertility, impotence, menopause, lung abscesses and chronic fevers.
Shatavari has a number of indications in traditional Ayurveda. It is used to treat stomach ulcers, hyperacidity, and hormonal imbalance and diarrhea. Decoctions of the herb have a soothing effect on dry and irritated membranes, making it useful in treating bronchitis and other respiratory ailments. As a rasayana, and is believed to bring into balance all of the body's fluids.3 Ancient Ayurvedic texts recommend Sitawari as a remedy for nervous disorders, inflammation, liver disease and certain infectious diseases.

Trifal(Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica and Emblica officinalis)
Trifal is another prized adaptogen. The combined herbs are synergistic and have digestive and eliminative actions. It has anti-parasitic, anti-yeast, anti-bacterial and antihistaminic properties. It improves the flow of bile, lowers cholesterol and can be used as adjuvant in chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
Trifal, or “three fruits,” is an ancient blend of three highly-valued Ayurvedic herbs – Terminalia chebula (Haritaki), Terminalia bellerica (Bahera), and Phyllanthus emblica (Amla). Traditionally, Trifala is highly valued as a rasayana, or rejuvenating formula. Rasayanas are used in Ayurveda to balance all body types.
Although Trifalahas many health benefits, it has primarily been used as a digestive aid and intestinal cleanser. Unlike many products of its kind, Trifala acts gently, promoting regularity without irritating the bowels. Regular users of Trifala report a natural regularity, in contrast to the forced bowel evacuation experienced with other laxatives. This combination of fruits is also frequently used to relieve indigestion.

Shilajeet-mumiyo(Mineral pitch)
Shilajeet is a rich source of naturally occurring minerals. Russian athletes used it as non-steroidal body builder and a stamina enhancer. Ayurvedic medicine considers it as an aphrodisiac, a tonic for the kidneys and prostate. It helps with benign prostate enhancement and is an immune enhancer. In Ayurveda, Shilajit is considered a rasayana herb and an adaptogen.4 The substance has been found to contain at least 85 minerals in ionic form, as well as humic acid and fulvic acid. Clinical research has been conducted to determine Shilajit’s pharmacological activity, and the results have confirmed its traditional uses in treating impotence, sterility, mental diseases, and for improving memory and learning.

Pippli (Piper longum)
Pippli helps in digestion, enhances acid and enzyme secretions. It significantly enhances the absorption of nutrients, herbs and drugs and has shown anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic and powerful anti-parasitic actions.
Ancient Ayurvedic texts list Pippli as one of the most powerful rasayana herbs, which means that it is a valuable longevity enhancer. It is also considered a purifying herb, with soothing qualities that help improve the quality of sleep. Ancient texts and contemporary studies point to the wide-ranging effectiveness of Pippli in respiratory, liver, digestive, metabolic, parasitic, and malignant conditions.5

By Dr. Virender Sodhi

source:BBC

GoM on Corruption for Acceptance of Ashok Chawla Committee Recommendations on Allocation of Natural Resources

Law Ministry asked to Frame Concrete Proposals on State Funding of Elections


The Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by Government to consider measures that can be taken by the Government to tackle corruption, under the chairmanship of Union Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, has in its recent meeting, recommended acceptance of a number of recommendations made by the Expert Committee on Allocation of Natural Resources(CANR), headed by former Finance Secretary, Shri Ashok Chawla.

The Expert Committee, constituted by Government on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers in January, 2011, to recommend measures required for enhancing transparency, effectiveness and sustainability in utilisation of natural resources, had submitted its report on 31st May, 2011. The Expert Committee was mandated to -

(a) identify key natural resources being allocated by Government;

(b) examine the efficacy and suitability of existing legal and regulatory framework and rules rules being employed in the allocative processes; and

(c) recommend measures for enhancing their sustainabilityand improving transparency and effectiveness of the allocative processes.

The Ashok Chawla Committee identified natural resources such as coal, minerals, petroleum, natural gas, spectrum, forests, water and land, wherein the Union Government had a major role to play in articulating the policy framework or otherwise influencing the manner of their allocation. The recommendations made by the Ashok Chawla Committee were considered by a Committee of Secretaries (COS) headed by the Cabinet Secretary and the recommendations of the COS were placed before the Group of Ministers.

The important recommendations of the CANR relate to standardising the format of minutes for all Standing Linkage Committee (Long-Term) meetings, particularly for meetings where allocation decisions are made; the proposed Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) [MMDR] Bill, 2011 which has been drafted to replace the existing MMDR Act, 1957 may accommodate a variety of allocation mechanisms – both for areas of known and unknown mineralization – provided they are open, transparent and competitive; the creation of an National Data Repository (NDR) for petroleum exploration may be expedited and an open acreage licensing policy (OAL) allowed to operate on the NDR; all future telecom licenses should be unified licenses and spectrum de-linked from the license; a reform linked capacity building scheme should be initiated for State forest Departments, with a view to improving accessibility of information, improving the predictability and reducing the time taken for clearances; a comprehensive national legislation should be enacted on water related issues; and, the land available with Central Government Ministries and Departments should be inventorised and all alienation thereof should take place through competitive and transparent e-auctions.

The Group of Ministers also called upon the Ministry of Law to formulate concrete proposals on Constitutional and statutory amendments which are required for introducing reforms relating to State Funding of Elections. The Group of Ministers had, in its meeting held on 6th September, 2011, asked the Ministry of Law to report progress in the consultative process already initiated by it. In the 30th September, 2011 meeting of the GoM, after the Law Ministry made a presentation on the subject, the Group of Ministers directed the Law Ministry to formulate specific proposals for consideration and decision of the GoM, excluding such areas where consultation with political parties was required.

It may be recalled that the Group of Ministers had, in its First Report submitted to the Government, made several recommendations on fast tracking of cases relating to corruption against public servants. The recommendations made by the GoM in its First Report were accepted by the Government in the first week of September and the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has issued orders for implementing a number of these recommendations, while necessary action is under way for implementing others which require amendments in statutory rules.

Convention of the Central Information Commission Concludes

The two-day convention of the Central Information Commission concluded here today at Vigyan Bhawan. The valedictory session was addressed by Shri Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar. In his valedictory address he stated that the right to information is basic right that under pins good governance, democracy, poverty eradication and the practical realization of human rights. The norms of freedom of information and the assurance of widespread citizen participation in public affairs are essential for the full realization of democratic values. What is required is system of government responsive to the needs of its citizens with a culture of human rights and accountability. The recognition of right to information is crucial to achieving these ends. Hence there is the need for guaranteed and legislated right to information. In his concluding remarks he requested the Chief Information Commissioner of India (CIC) to organize an all India Workshop on Right to Information in Patna with participation from all states and other countries well.

Shri Stayananda Mishra, CIC, presented the brief outcome of the two days convention. He exhorted that the two- day convention brought to the fore many important issues and many constructive suggestions were also received. Earlier, the Panelists addressed the issues and question raised by the audiences present in the hall.

Corruption:Enough is Enough

Enough is Enough

By Paranjoy Guha Thakurta | Oct 15, 2011

Corruption is neither new nor unique to India Why then has corruption suddenly become such an important issue? Why is it that large sections of the country’s population are angry at the government’s apparent inability to curb corruption? Why are so many people who were supportive of a government headed by a person whose personal integrity has never been questioned -- even if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s critics claim he is intellectually dishonest - today wondering whether the UPA coalition has a hope in hell of returning to power for a third term?



Perhaps the most important reason why the government is perceived to be steeped in graft is the sheer scale and the brazen manner in which a slew of scandals have taken place in recent times - be it the manner in which 2G spectrum scam was allotted or the way the Commonwealth Games were organized. Important politicians and bureaucrats are seen to have deliberately acted tardily despite the focussed media attention on the malfeasance that took place. There are other important reasons why corruption is the big issue that it is at present. Corruption cuts across most sections of society and does not respect caste, language, religion or region. More significantly, corruption has come at a time when the bulk of the country’s population is reeling from the debilitating impact of high food inflation which has widened the gap between the rich and the poor and which the government has been unable to check.

Long after the hype and the hoopla about the anti-corruption agitation led by Anna Hazare dies down, what will be remembered is how the government was literally forced to listen to the voices of ordinary citizens despite the arrogance and incompetence of some of its important functionaries. If Hazare has emerged as a superstar of sorts, as a person who, willy-nilly, was elevated to the status of a Jaya Prakash Narayan who, in the 1970s, united the political Right and the Left against Indira Gandhi’s Emergency, much of the credit should go to the utter stupidity and overblown egos of a small coterie of ministers.

One obvious example was the silly manner in which Hazare’s “preventive arrest” was sought to be “blamed” on the Delhi police. To argue that the police chief of the national capital acted as an agent independent of his superiors in North Block where the Ministry of Home Affairs is headquartered, is to insult the intelligence of the people of the country. Arrogance, when coupled with stupidity, is a deadly combination, which is why the government had to backtrack in the face of overwhelming public pressure.

Dr Singh is concerned that corruption has undermined the very basis of his economic liberalization programme. During his August 22, 2011 speech on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Kolkata, the Prime Minister said: “There are some who argue that corruption is the consequence of economic liberalization and reforms. This is of course completely mistaken…The abolition of licensing has eliminated corruption in these areas. But corruption has not disappeared from the system. It surfaces in many forms. The aam admi faces corruption when he has to pay a bribe to facilitate ordinary transactions with government… Wherever there is government discretion in the allocation of scarce resources, whether it be land, or mineral rights, or spectrum, if the method of allocation is not transparent, there is a possibility of corruption... (which) promotes inefficiency and cronyism which undermine the social legitimacy of market economics...”

The Harshad Mehta scandal was a consequence of, among other things, the government dragging its feet on adequately empowering the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI). We have an apology of a Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board. The Indian Bureau of Mines lacks teeth. The government has taken years to strengthen the Competition Commission, long after the Monopolies & Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTP) was done away with. A more proactive and independent Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) could have checked the spectrum scam.

Even as the government has opened up large segments of the Indian economy to the private sector, it has failed to strengthen regulatory bodies and packed them with pliable former bureaucrats. More significantly, the fountainhead of corruption in India emanates from illegal election funding and the corrupt nexus between politics, business and crime.

source;Valueresearch