innovation in INDIA- Very insignificant

As per R&D spending data for 2011 (the latest available), the US maintained its status as the leader of innovation. This is because the country's R&D spend remained the highest - at just below 30% - of the global R&D spend. This is hardly surprising given that the rise in status and power of the US in the global economy in the past several decades has been a result of its focus on innovation. What is more interesting, however, is that while the US still leads the field as compared to others, its R&D share since 2001 has declined. This has been due to increasing investments being made by other countries. And also due to the fact that the US itself is not innovating as much as it once used to. In the meanwhile, China has been making rapid strides in innovation, while India still lags far behind. 

India scores poor on innovation

*2007 is the latest data available for India

HSBC Purchasing Managers Index still below 50

India's services sector has seen contraction over the last seven months. As today's chart shows, the HSBC Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for services sector has been below 50 over the last 7 months. Though it witnessed a slight recovery in the month of January this year and stood at 48.3, it was still below the benchmark figure of 50. It may be noted that any reading below 50 is a sign of contraction. 

Service sector: Going through its ups and downs

Slowdown in retail & wholesale trade, telecommjunications and real estate sector was the primary reason for contraction in the index. Further, increased competition and weak confidence added to the woes. The index movement is based on the general economic environment and hiring activity in the services sector. The hiring activity, in turn, will increase if businesses expect new orders. If new orders fail to materialize the index is likely to remain below the critical 50 level mark in the near future as well. 

SIKKIM EMERGING PARAGLIDING DESTINATION OF THE COUNTRY

Adventure lovers from different parts of the world are making a beeline  for  thrilling experience in Sikkim for adventure holidays in foot hills of Himalayas . Increasing number of  foreign visiting paragliding pilots are showing interest to spend their flying holiday in Sikkim

The state which  is fastly  emerging  as paragliding destination of  the country  has  turned  into heaven for tourists on  one of the final settlements on the brink of a vast and desolate mountain region, uninhabited apart from  occasional groups of trekkers.

Sikkim  is fastly  turning out to be one of the hotspots for the adventure sport in the country due to  excellent launching sites  and ridges according to a cross-section of paragliders. The state gained   popularity among the paragliding community  after the   successful  organization of first Sikkim Paragliding Festival at  “beautiful flying site"  Bulbuley Dara by Tourism & Civil Aviation Department of Sikkim    in association with Paragliding Association of India [PAI] and Sikkim Paragliding Adventure Sports Co-operative Society Limited in the year  2012..Around 60 Indian and International paragliding pilots  took to the skies  in   various  events like Free Flying event, Spot Landing contest, Acro Show, Tandem Flights etc  during the four days  festival. 

 The sikkim  emerged  on the  paragliding map  of the country    after state govt sponsored 30  local youths for basic paragliding training     in  Manali in himachal pradesh during the year 2008  under   "Chief Minister Self Employment and Capacity Building Program"  to promote adventures tourism in big way in the state .Then after formation of "Sikkim Paragliding Adventure Sports Cooperative Society"  in year 2010,the Organization conducted the intermediate and advance training of the pilots at Bir/Billing( Himachal Pradesh), Kamshet(Pune) and Pokhara(Nepal), with certified schools and Instructors 

 At present the state has more than 35  qualified  commercial pilots who are conducting paragliding sessions at   the backdrop of mountain ranges  in  its three  paragliding sites at  Bulbuley dara , Ranka ,Chakung .  Four  Sikkimese paragliding pilots  have already  participated in international level events  like Nepal Open Championship, and Himalayan open Championship. which  played an instrumental role in promoting Sikkim as the preferred venue at international level  . Sikkimese paragliding pilots are also providing training and  technical expertise at various other places of north eastern states  to  promote the adventures sports in entire  north eastern  region . At present around 100 youth is associated with the paragliding events which generates annual economic  activities  of around  one crore in a year .The state govt plans to actively associate around 500 youths with the paragliding sports   by  developing   two more modern  paragliding sites at Yumthang  and Soren with latest world class facilities  by spending 10 crore Rs  during  the 12 th five year plans.The state govt  plans to develop at least two paragliding sites with latest safety ,medical and infrastructural facilities  at each district of the state  by the year 2020 to  attract the international tourists  to  new areas said Sikkim Chief Minister Sh Pawan Chamling  

The various para gliding associations registered with department of tourism are providing Tandom , High Fly, Medium fly flight services of different durations   from various sites on reasonable rates .

The state has  registered  6000 paragliding tourists in last three  years. The state registered only 500 paragliding tourist during first year and its number increased steadily each year .The state has    set target to attract  5000 paragliding tourist each year  by  the year 2020 by creating modern facilities .The state govt aims to generate annual  economic activities  of  Rs 10 crore from paragliding events by the year  2020  said Sikkim Tourism Minister Sh Shri Bhim Prasad Dhungel 

The state govt is planning to   expand and beautify the existing takeoff at Bulbuley dara and Chakung, so that the carrying capacity of the takeoff increases, as the number of Sikkimese pilots is increasing and numbers of tourist coming to fly is on rise.

  Paragliding services in the state are also being diversified  after the Sikkim Paragliding Festival  and a  new  hike and fly route in west Sikkim has been established . A new paragliding route  from Phoktey dara(Nepal/India) border and  Dentam.has also been identified .

Source: Resident Commissioner,Sikkim Hs, New Delhi