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Polling begins in Punjab, Uttarakhand

2012-01-29T18:50:00.000-08:00

Voting started in Punjab and Uttarakhand on Monday morning amidst tight security, around 1.76 crore voters will seal the fate of 1,078 candidates, in fray for 117 assembly seats in Punjab.

About 200 companies of the central Para military forces, besides Punjab Police personnel, have been deployed to ensure free and peaceful polling at 19,841 polling stations, including five identified as "hyper-sensitive" and 32 as sensitive, an election office spokesman said.

Out of the 1,078 candidates in fray 417, including 45 women, are Independents. At the last hustings in 2007, after scrutiny and withdrawal there were a total of 1,055 candidates, including 56 women, in fray.The ruling SAD-BJP alliance, the Congress and BSP are contesting all the 117 assembly seats.

Newly formed Punjab People's Party is contesting 92 while SAD (Amritsar) headed by former IPS officer Simranjit Singh Mann is contesting 57 seats.The SAD has put up candidates on 94 seats which include 10 women while the BJP is contesting the remaining 23 seats, which includes three women.

The Congress has fielded 11 women while the BSP has fielded six women.

Most of the 117 assembly seats will witness a triangular contest between the ruling SAD-BJP alliance, the main opposition Congress and the Sanjha Morcha which includes the Left and People's Party of Punjab (PPP) led by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's estranged nephew Manpreet.

Hill state of Uttarakhand goes to polls on today with the election campaign came to an end last evening.

A total of 788 candidates are trying their luck from 70 constituencies in the state where over 63 lakh electorates are expected to exercise their franchise on Monday.

The weather, which had played a spoilsport most of the time during electioneering, has changed for the better now.The Election Commission has taken special care to assist the high altitude poll parties, which have already left for the tough hilly regions.Sleeping bags, snow boots, jackets and other necessary equipments have been provided to these polling parties.

In addition, two choppers have been put on alert to launch rescue operations in case of any emergency.The forest officials, BRO and PWD personnel were working continuously to ensure that all roads and pathways were cleared of snow in these places to allow voters to reach to the polling booths.

75 companies of paramilitary forces, 6000 Home Guards from Uttar Pradesh and 2000 from Himachal Pradesh and 10,000 personnel of the state police have been deployed to ensure free and fair polls.

NTPC signed USD 1.5 bn power project in Bangladesh

2012-01-29T09:52:00.001-08:00

NTPC signed USD 1.5 bn power project in Bangladesh on Sunday signed a USD 1.5 billion deal with India's NTPC to build a 1,320 MW coal-fired power plant, the country's biggest, to help ease acute power shortages.Bangladesh's state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) struck the 50:50 joint venture deal with India's public sector National Thermal Power Company (NTPC).Under the pact, a JV company will be floated to install and operate the plant while the PDB and the NTPC will implement the USD 1.5 billion project.PDB chairman A S M Alamgir Kabir and NTPC chairman Arup Roy Chowdhury signed the agreement here.Kabir said the plant will be set up at Bagerhat's Rampal and Bangladesh and India will have equal partnership in production."We hope to supply electricity to the national grid by 2015," he said.India's power secretary Uma Shankar said the deal opened up a "great platform" for better cooperation between the two neighbours. The plant is expected to be commissioned by 2015.Of the total project cost, 70 per cent will be arranged through loans and the rest will be equally shared between the JV partners."We expect that the most modern and new technology would be used in setting up the JV power plant that would help Bangladesh minimise its growing need of electricity," Bangladesh's Finance Minister A M A Muhith said.PDB officials said that cost of per unit electricity will vary from Taka 5 to Taka 7 if existing international market price of coal is taken into account."Coal will be imported to run the plant from Indonesia, Australia and South Africa to run the plant...we'll use local coal if we get supply as per the demand of the plant," the PDB chairman said. PDB and NTPC had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in August last year to establish two thermal power projects at Chittagong and Khulna for mitigating power shortages in Bangladesh.The two power plants are likely to come up at an investment of around Rs 13,200 crore.NTPC had earlier carried out feasibility study to install the coal-fired power plant at Rampal in coastal Bagerhat district.Currently, Bangladesh produces power from five types of fuels: gas is used for 82 per cent of power generated, furnace oil for 5 per cent, diesel for 7 per cent, while water and coal-based power make up for the remaining 3 per cent power generated.The country's present power production is slightly more than 5,000 MW against a daily demand of 7,000 MW.The government has undertaken plans to step up power production to 15,000 MW by 2016, Bangladeshi media reports said.To realise the plan, the government so far has signed agreements to set up 50 power stations.Among these, 17 are quick rental-based stations, three are rental based, 11 are independent power producers, while the other 19 are public.Bangladesh-India Joint Steering Committee on the power sector, which was formed during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to New Delhi in January 2010, decided to set up the JV.Bangladesh has so far five discovered coalmines having the total reserve of around 3.0 billion tonnes.At present, Bangladesh has only one coal-fired power plant, having the generation capacity of 250mw at Barapukuria in northwestern Dinajpur.Bangladesh currently can generate as high as 5300 mw in 37 public and private sector plants, mostly run by natural gas, and faced with a deficit of estimated 1,500 mw.

Aung San Suu Kyi on election campaign trail

2012-01-29T09:28:00.001-08:00

Aung San Suu Kyi, visit coastal town of Dawei on a political tour ahead of by-elections on 1 April.
She initiated first time her election venture outside Rangoon for months her visit is seen as litmus test how she and her party are able to campaign.Military new administration entered into dialogue with Ms Suu Kyi and has changed the electoral laws that led to the NLD to poll.

Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) is contesting all the available constituencies in the coming by-elections.She herself is seeking office in the rural township of Kawhmu.
Aung San Suu Ky flocked by many thousands to see Nobel peace prize winner, who was released from house arrest in 2010.Burmese government is planning to build a huge industrial complex in Dawei, which could transform the region.NLD is running for all 48 seats up in the ensuing polls. Suu Kyi is standing in a rural constituency near Rangoon. Sunday's visit was in support of Aung Soe, the party's candidate in a local township."If we move in the right direction our country will have many opportunities. We are eager to seize them," she said in a speech in Dawei earlier."For the security of the people, the rule of law is very important...We hope to give back to the people by working for more stability in people's lives."
The 66-year-old, known here as "The Lady", also spoke about democratic principles and job creation for educated young people.Local people brought flowers and gifts and held up their children to see the NLD leader, who spent much of the past two decades in detention, with banners proclaiming "You are our heart".
Traffic clogged the roads as Suu Kyi's convoy, trailed by a large number of cars and motorbikes, travelled around the district through villages and Aung Soe's constituency.Suu Kyi's outing took her to the area set to be transformed by a huge industrial site and strategic deep sea port, the Dawei Development Project.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Award for Democracy on Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday in recognition of her outstanding services for the cause of democracy.
The award was presented to Suu Kyi by Aseefa Bhutto Zardari at a ceremony held at the residence of the Myanmar leader. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and members of the visiting Pakistani delegation attended the ceremony.President Zardari lauded the services of Suu Kyi for democracy and said she was a source of inspiration for millions around the world.President Asif Ali Zardari returned to Karachi on Wednesday after a two-day visit to Myanmar where he held talks with its leadership on boosting cooperation in trade, commerce and other fields.
From US several senators from both partieswent to Myanmar and they all came back cautiously optimistic about reforms there,and ready to consider lifting some of the sanctions on the country.
Senators,John McCain , Joe Lieberman , Kelly Ayotte , and Sheldon Whitehouse visited Myanmarearlier this month as part of their whirlwind tour around Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Thailand, and the HanoiHilton in Vietnam, the POW camp where McCain was held during the VietnamWar. Senate Minority Leader MitchMcConnell and Rep. JoeCrowley too visited Myanmar over the winter break on separatetrips.Media agencies

India & Pakistan to ink bilateral trade pacts

2012-01-28T21:57:00.000-08:00

India and Pakistan are set to sign three agreements to address issues such as non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that hinder bilateral trade.

Indian Joint Secretary for Commerce Arvind Mehta said, the agreements are expected to be signed during Commerce Minister Anand Sharma’s visit to Pakistan next month. Mr. Mehta was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr.Mehta, who is in Pakistan with a five-member delegation of Indian regulators, said these pacts are the Customs Cooperation Agreement to avoid arbitrary stoppage of goods at each other's ports, Mutual Recognition Agreement for acceptance of certificates of internationally accredited laboratories, and Redressal of Grievances Agreement to address any disagreements.

Mr. Mehta said the two sides have also finalised a very liberal visa regime that will be in place as soon as the Cabinets of the two countries grant approval.

UN:Assad is asked to transfer powers to deputy

2012-01-28T20:50:00.001-08:00

UN draft resolution asks Assad to transfer powers to deputy

The political unrest in Syria, a fresh draft resolution has been circulated in the UNSC, calling for an immediate end to the govt crackdown on civilians as it asked Prez Bashar al-Assad to transfer his powers to his deputy.

The draft introduced on Friday offers that if Syria does not comply with the provisions of the resolution within 15 days, the UN Security Council can "adopt further measures, in consultation with the League of Arab States," against the Syrian regime.

The draft also "fully supports" League of Arab States' initiative to facilitate a political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system, which will see President Bashar Al Assad delegating his "full authority to his Deputy to fully cooperate with the national unity government in order to empower it to perform its duties in the transitional period."

The 15-member UNSC has however remained deeply divided over the action that should be taken against the Syrian regime, even as more than 5000 people have been killed in the uprising that began almost a year ago. According to UNICEF, 384 children have been killed during the fighting.

Germany's UN ambassador Peter Wittig said the situation in Syria "just needed action."

"I appealed to the members of the Council that we should recover the unity of the Council and not fall back into acrimonious discussions of the past, climb out of our trenches and reunite, because we owe it to the Syrian people to send out rather sooner than later a strong endorsement of the Arab League decisions," he said on Friday.

Wittig said consultations on the draft resolution will begin next week, and "I think it is possible that we find an agreement." Witting said the new draft does not mention putting an arms embrago against Syria.

The French Permanent Representative to the United Nations Grard Araud said the new text reflects the postion of the Arab League on the release of political prisoners, access of media and on withdrawal of armed forces from the centres of the cities.

Russia had previously circulated a draft on Syria, in which the Council members had sought several changes.

However Russia did not return to the Council with a new text. Araud said some members have raised objections over sanctions being imposed on Syria. Russia in particular does not want sanctions imposed on Syria.

The French ambassador said the issue of sanctions will be discussed during the "very determined negotiating process" which will begin next week.

"I'm sure that this is one of the questions which will be raised. It can be interpreted as sanctions; several countries have expressed their reluctance of accepting sanctions or even the prospect of sanctions. It will be one of the three or four political issues that we have to handle. Negotiating is precisely about trying to find a way to solve these issues," he said.

Araud added that he hoped a resolution will be agreed upon "by the end of next week."

Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin said the draft, circulated by Morocco, ignores the "red lines".

"Unfortunately, the draft that we saw today not only ignored our red lines, but also added some new elements that we find unacceptable as a matter of principle. The Security Council cannot go about imposing political solutions in crisis situations in various countries of the world."

He said while the Russian delegation does not see the draft as a "basis on which we can agree...that does not mean we refuse to engage with the co-sponsors of that resolution. We will continue to engage."

Poll campaigning ends in Punjab, U’khand

2012-01-28T10:30:00.001-08:00

Poll Campaigning for 117-seat Punjab Assembly ended on Saturday evening with ruling SAD-BJP alliance and opposition Congress putting their best foot forward to wrest power in the 30th January polls.

The campaigning by and large remained peaceful in the state which saw national leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Uma Bharti and BSP Chief Mayawati criss-cross the state.

Besides Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, the other campaigners included Team Anna members who, however, did not advocate in favour or any political party confining their campaign to corruption and setting up of a strong Lokpal.

Film and TV actors Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, Rajesh Khanna, Kirron Kher and Samriti Irani and a host of local singers and actors, including Gurdas Mann, Harbhajan Mann and Gurpreet Ghuggi besides cricketer-turned-politicians Navjot Sidhu and Mohd Azharudin added to the colour.

The other leaders who visited the state included Union Ministers Ambika Soni and Ghulam Nabi Azad, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, former Chief Ministers of Rajasthan and Haryana Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Om Parkash Chautala, respectively.

Leaders of Left and other parties, including Brinda Karat and Sitaram Yechury, also toured the state which will see a total of 1,078 candidates, including 93 women, in fray. About 1.76 crore voters, including 83.61 lakh women, will seal the fate of the candidates at 19,841 polling stations, including five identified as "hyper sensitive" and 32 as "sensitive".

Besides Punjab Police personnel, about 200 companies of central paramilitary forces will be deployed in the state to ensure free and fair polling.

Electioneering comes to end in Uttarakhand

Electioneering outdoor for the 30^th January assembly poll in Uttarakhand on Saturday came to an end after which candidates switched over to door-to-door campaign in a last-minute attempt to woo voters.

A total of 788 candidates are trying their luck from 70 constituencies in the state where over 63 lakh electorates are expected to exercise their franchise on Monday.

Electioneering picked up towards the fag end as bad weather hampered the movement of national leaders during the early phase of campaign. BJP President Nitin Gadkari and some other leaders' visits were also cancelled due to the inclement weather.

During the electioneering, Congress had attacked BJP on changing chief ministers frequently to cover up its alleged scams and asked the people to vote on development plank.

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi tried to puncture the campaign of BJP "Khanduri (incumbent chief minister B C Khanduri) hai zaroori" by stating why he was removed in 2009 if he was so important.

Ruling BJP highlighted scams relating to 2G spectrum allocation, Commonwealth Games and Adarsha Housing Society in a bid to nail down Congress and asked the people to vote for the party for showing its commitment to weeding out corruption by bringing a strong Lokayukta bill.

The star campaigners from BJP and Congress also crisscrossed the hill state during the fortnight-long electioneering.

Chief Minister B C Khanduri addressed nearly two dozen rallies across the state during the past four to five days.

During his meetings, Khanduri had raked up emotive issues including the Muzaffarnagar massacre during Mulayam Singh Yadav government in 1994. "You all know who were the perpetrators of the Muzaffarnagar incident? You also know that it was only BJP which formed the new state of Uttarakhand," Khanduri had said.

With the Election Commission cracking down on use of money power, the cacophony of the electioneering was missing this time with candidates shunning big shows of strength.

IAF 2012 Collateral Event

2012-01-28T00:11:00.000-08:00

6:30 pm (By invitation only)Artist France IAF 2012

Cocktail Reception and multimedia works by French Artists, Laurent Pernot

Host.The French Embassy /Institut Français in India

Venue 2, Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi

6:30 pm (IAF VIP pass holders)

Parallel Journeys
Spain - Jordi Gispert Pi: The World’s Longest Landscape
India - Sunaina Bhalla: India Diaspora
Curated by Dr. Alka Pande
Cocktail Reception

Host

Instituto Cervantes

Venue;Instituto Cervantes, Exhibition Gallery, 48 Hanuman Road, New Delhi

THE DELHI DIALOGUE IV February 14, 2012,

2012-01-28T00:00:00.001-08:00

Towards Economic Integration: Prospects & Challenges

THE DELHI DIALOGUE IV

“India and ASEAN: Partners for Peace, Progress and Stability”

February 14, 2012, Time: 9.30-11.00am, Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi

The Delhi Dialogue IV (a Regional Security & Cooperation Dialogue) is being organized by FICCI in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs & Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in support with Institute of south East Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore and SAEA Group after the resounding success of the earlier three Conferences.

The theme for the Delhi-Dialogue IV is “India and ASEAN: Partners for Peace, Progress and Stability” which seeks to underscore India’s increasing engagement with ASEAN countries and to explore an agenda for the consolidation of this relationship in the coming years. The Dialogue is also significant given that India and ASEAN will celebrate two decades of their institutionalized engagement in 2012.

The idea of this Annual Conference is to get together policy makers, businesses, think tanks as well as politicians from India and the ASEAN countries, under one roof, to discuss the way forward for addressing various issues of common interest.

3rd MSME Summit“Innovation & Clusters” February 23, 2012

2012-01-27T23:59:00.001-08:00

FICCI with support of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India is organizing its 3^rd MSME Summit with the theme “Innovation & Clusters” on February 23, 2012 at FICCI.

Shri. Virbhadra Singh, Hon’ble Minister of MSME, Government of India, has been invited to inaugurate the Summit. Mr. Radha Krishna Mathur, Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Govt. of India has kindly agreed to deliver the keynote address. Innovation and Cluster; Setting agenda for 12th Five Year Plan for the development of MSMEs; Relevance of Technology, R&D and Capacity Building in development of MSMEs; Innovative models to ease Finance to MSMEs and Financing for Innovations, etc. will be the key issues of discussion.

Paes in mixed doubles final:Australia open

2012-01-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

Paes in mixed doubles final, Sania-Hesh ousted

Leander Paes is in line to win two Slam titles as he and Elena Vesnina reached the mixed doubles summit clash even as Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi bowed out after their semifinal defeat at the Australian Open on Friday.

Fifth seeds Paes and Vesnina came from behind to tame a fighting Italian pair of Roberta Vinci and Daniele Bracciali 5-7 6-2 10-7 in the semifinals.

Paes has already made it to the men's doubles final with Czech partner Radek Stepanek and they face top seeds Americans Bob and Mike Bryan.

Meanwhile, the sixth seeded Sania-Bhupathi's campaign ended after they lost 3-6 3-6 to the eighth seeded combo of Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Romania's Horia Tecau in just 68 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.

Although the match was a closely-contested affair, the American-Romanian duo played better as far as the crucial points were concerned. The Indians could hit only 17 winners as compared to 24 by their opponents.

In the opening set, the Indians managed to convert only breakpoint out of the three that they got, besides losing their serve on two occasions to hand their opponents the advantage.

The second set was on serve till 3-3 but the eighth seeds broke Sania and Bhupathi to go up 4-3 and then held their serve to make it 5-3.

The Indians once again failed to keep their serve and the opponents claimed their second consecutive break to book a place in the final

Posted 8 minutes ago by Nksagar

Team India test temperament at low ebb

2012-01-27T21:05:00.001-08:00

Australian team win at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday against India as Oz claimed four remaining wickets in an hour to crush India to a 298-run defeat and humiliating 0-4 whitewash.
Why Team India test temperament is at low ebb is moot point.Senior players failed to show the defensive game of cricket,lacked maturity to stay at site and failed to deliver on fast tracks which needs quick reflexes.Practice and fitness is key mantra to which senior players needs to play more test games thus building their games and none of the senior players wants to have rest is matter of concern.Bench strength of team India needs to be tested with regular induction but the cartel makes the strategy hard to bend.
Sachin Tendulkar God of Cricket failed to present his 100th international century and is without a century for 25 Test and one-day innings media reports his last hundred was in the World Cup last March.
Team India big names famous for their batting standards in game of cricket are reduced to paper tigers in the test format of games and selectors needs to reinvent his team or he should too exit for the sake of the game.

Virender Sehwag: said to NDTV,"Haven't done good, will have to look at my performance."

cricketwallah Cricketwallah tweets

ICC Tweets ,Recall now Glen McGrath predicting a whitewash at the start of the series. Is he a clairvoyant or wot? India have lost 8 away Tests in a row. Between June 1959 and January 1968 India lost 17 successive Tests away from home.

Michael Clarke to NDTV: 'Senior Indian players need to perform to keep place in team'

Sehwag: Haven't done good, will have to look at my performance.Sehwag: This is the time for fans to support us.On the strategy of team India Sehwag said Problem was with execution & not planning.Rahul Dravid not to retire: Indian Team Manager calls Dravid retirement report a rumour.
Srikant said in one of the seminar,We started the game of 1983 world cup just to enjoy the foreign trip and were never serious about win but it was Skipper Kapil Dev who kept on pursuing that we can win the world cup.Srikant the selector needs to think that team India can retain the number one status is games administrators are serious on the subject and donot look for only spin of money.

Rajeev Sethi at India Art Fair2012

2012-01-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

India Art Fair2012

Against Corruption & Black Money पर 4 फरवरी राष्ट्रीय सम्मलेन

2012-01-27T09:05:00.000-08:00

Action Committee Against Corruption In India (ACACI) के चेयरमेन डॉ सुब्रमण्यम स्वामी द्वारा दिल्ली के के मावलंकर हाल में Fight Against Corruption & Black Money पर 4 फरवरी , दोपहर 3.30 बजे राष्ट्रीय सम्मलेन रखा गया है | कालेधन व भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाप सम्पूर्ण राष्ट्र में नवजागरण करने वाले राष्ट्रनायक स्वामी रामदेव जी महराज मुख्य अतिथि के रूप में इस सम्मलेन को संबोधित करेंगे | सम्मलेन में श्री के.एन. गोविन्दाचार्य, श्री एस.गुरुमूर्ति, श्री अजित डोवाल और डॉ वेदप्रकाश वेदिक आदि प्रामाणिक गणमान्य अतिथि भी अपने विचार रखेंगे | आप सभी को हम इस कार्यक्रम में सादर आमंत्रित करते हैं| कार्यक्रम में शामिल होने व अधिक जानकारी के लिए संपर्क करें 09212137571

Thai PM Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra at Republic Day Parade

2012-01-27T08:57:00.001-08:00

@PMOIndia Dr Manmohan Singh

India OECD sign Multilateral Convention on Mutual Adm Assistance in Tax Matters.

2012-01-27T08:32:00.000-08:00

India Signs Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. India has signed a Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. The Convention was signed by Shri Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Foreign Tax & Tax Research Division, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India in the presence of Deputy Secretary-General of OECD, Mr. Rintaro Tamaki. This instrument hitherto available for the members of OECD and Council of Europe was amended in 2010 and open for all countries in June 2011. The Convention was amended to respond to the 2009 G20 Summit call for developing a broader multilateral approach to improve the effectiveness of exchange of information, co-operation between the countries in the assessment and collection of taxes, with a view to combating tax avoidance and evasion.

Present signatories to the amended Convention are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

By signing the Convention, India and the other 31 signatories encourage more countries to join, sending a strong signal that countries are acting together to ensure that individuals and multinational enterprises pay the right amount of tax, at the right time and in the right place. Many more countries are expected to sign the Convention in future. This provides for a wider network of countries co-operating in exchange of information, assistance in tax collection etc. Out of the 31 signatories, 12 of them have ratified the Convention so far.

Salient features of this Multilateral Convention are

- It is based on international standard of transparency and exchange of information.

- This instrument is multilateral and a single legal basis for multi-country co-operation as against the DTAAs/TIEAs which are bilateral. It provides for an extensive network and there will be consistent application of provisions leaving limited scope for deviation.

- It provides extensive forms of co-operation among the signatories on all taxes.

- It not only facilitates the exchange of information, but also provides for assistance in the recovery of taxes. This will give a fillip to the efforts of the Government in bringing the Indian money illegally stashed abroad.

- It provides for simultaneous tax examinations and participation in tax examinations in other countries. This provides for examination of tax affairs of the taxpayers simultaneously in their own territory and share the relevant information to each other. This allows tax officials to entering into the territory of the other country to interview individuals and examine records.

- The Convention explicitly provides for automatic exchange of information and spontaneous exchange of information.

- It provides for service of documents in other country.

- The Convention allows exchange of past information in criminal tax matters.

- The information received under the convention can also be used for other purposes besides those related to tax co-operation, for example to counter money laundering with the approval of the supplying state.

Tax rebate to Companies in safe -haven funded by Indian Banks

2012-01-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

Honorable Members ofParliament,

I was shocked to findyesterday Essar Steel had commissioned Rs.37,500 crore Flat Products Steel Plantbut soon Firstly found out in 2008 Annual Report it was 93% owned by CaymanIsland company. Secondly this Indian Funded project would not contribute muchto taxes in India, thirdlyit would cause all the pollution in high population density Surat district and fourthly displace existingfacilities in other states due to excess capacity.

Ø With Rs.37,500Crores India could have promoted 10,000 Agro Industries – 20 in each districtadding atleast 10% GDP and to benefit 5 crore farmers directly and indirectlycompared to NEGATIVE contribution – reducing net employment and increasing costcompared to existing units.

My NRI returned friendinvested in Essar Steel subscribing to IPO – purchased 10,000 shares for Rs.220each when Ruias paid just Rs.10 for each share, for several years ES didn’tregister the share – finally when registered its value Rs.15-Rs.18 and he thansold it. Had he purchased some plot it would have been worth Rs.10 crores.

Thus Essar Steel largelyfinancially promoted by Indians and debt funded by Indian Bank and Indian moneywas owned by Ruias almost free is now owned and operated by Ruia company fromCayman Island. Essar Steel retained over subscription as permitted and investedFree Cash in its control to fund (Oil and Gas, Power, Infrastructure, Ports, Projects,Services, Shipping, BPO, Telecom, Realty, Information technology, Publishing, Agribusiness,Essar TV, Partner with Essar, Other businesses.)

Ø Ruiastransferred ESSAR STEEL to Cayman Islands –foreign ownership is 93%. So entire group funded by Indian Equity and IndianDeposits is not registered in Indiaand not contributing to Taxes in India.

Ø This alone is$30b to $50b Loss to Indiaor transfer of $50b to CAYMAN Island. (Essar Hutch wasworth $18.9b)

You wondered how Gujarat asclaimed by Narendra Modi is growing fast but firstly not reflected in GDPfigures and secondly Gujarati people continues to be Malnourished, Stunted andUnder Weight. Essar Projects, RIL, Tata, Adani and others contribute nothing toGujarat – subsidies are more than tax revenuewhen most are owned and operated from Tax Heavens. These Foreign Ownedcompanies also claim Corporate Tax Concessions called Tax Forgone.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=73098

As per latest Monthly PerCapita Expenditure Gujarat Ranks 8th and 9th among major states.

I quick succession we foundjust one family Essar was involved in Foreign Transactions and Illegal Subsidyto

1. Sales tax subsidy of 125%of project cost i.e. Rs.9100 crores to Essar Refinery.

2. $20b Essar Hutch sold outto Vodafone for $12b – Indiagot nothing – even IT case was lost.

3. Essar Steel too is CaymanIsland Company 93% directly owned and controlled by Ruias.

4. Tata, Ambanis, Mittals,Ruias, Agarwals etc operate foreign companies from Foreign Heavens with IndianMoney.

Similarly many morecompanies Funded By Indian Banks and Indian money are Registered in ForeignCompanies contributing nothing to the states and center as Taxes and little byway of employment – but polluting our Environment.

Ravinder Singh

Progressindia008@yahoo.com

January27, 2012

फिर भी थप्पड़ को मेरे साथ जोड़ा जा रहा है

2012-01-27T08:21:00.001-08:00

फिर भी थप्पड़ को मेरे साथ जोड़ा जा रहा है

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Jan Lokpal

पिछले ३० साल से मैं भ्रष्टाचारियों के खिलाफ़ लड़ रहा हूं, न मैंने किसी को थप्पड़ मारा है, न ही किसी को मारने के लिए कहा, फिर भी थप्पड़ को मेरे साथ जोड़ा जा रहा है। थप्पड़ के बारे में मेरे बयान को बगैर सोचे, न समझते हुए इस देश के बहुत बड़े अपराधी के रूप में मेरा चित्र रंगाया जा रहा है, जो कि दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है।
मैं तो पहले भी बता चुका हूं कि गांधीजी के पैरों के पास बैठने की भी मेरी पात्रता नहीं है, गांधीजी के साथ मुझे जोड़ना ठीक नहीं। गांधीजी ने तो किसी के लिए कठोर शब्द प्रयोग करने का भी शुमार हिंसा में किया है। लेकिन मैंने कई बार देश और समाज के साथ गद्दारी करने वालों का विरोध कर कठोर शब्दों का प्रयोग किया है, जो कि मैं मानता हूं कि देश और समाज की भलाई के ही लिए किया है, हालाँकि गांधीजी के विचारों में वह भी हिंसा ही है।
एक दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण साजिश के तहत थप्पड़ के बारे में गलतफहमियाँ फैला कर मेरी बदनामी करने के प्रयास किये जा रहे हैं। यह पहली घटना नहीं है। मेरी बदनामी की कोशिशें कई बार हो चुकी हैं। लेकिन सत्य हमेशा सत्य ही होता है। इतिहास गवाह है कि सत्य को कोई झूठ नहीं साबित कर पाया। फिर भी सत्य के मार्ग पर चलने वालों को काफी तकलीफें सहनी पड़ी हैं। उनकी हमेशा निन्दा होती रही है, बुराई के साथ उन्हें संघर्ष भी करना पड़ा है, फिर हम पाते हैं कि मानव जाति के इतिहास में सत्य कभी भी पराजित नहीं हुआ। सत्य हमेशा सत्य ही रहा है। इस बात का मैंने अपने जीवन में खुद अनुभव किया है। पिछले २५ सालों से मेरी बदनामी के प्रयास होते रहे हैं। लेकिन मन्दिर में रहने वाले अण्णा पर उससे कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता। क्योंकि अण्णा अपने निजी स्वार्थ के लिए कुछ भी तो नहीं कर रहा है। निन्दा करने वालों को मैं बताना चाहता हूं कि थप्पड़ का सच क्या है। ‘अण्णा कहते हैं भ्रष्टाचारियों को थप्पड़ मारो।’ इसी बात को लेकर इस थप्पड़ को गांधीजी की समाधि के साथ तक जोड़ा गया…’गांधी के चोले में थप्पड़’, ‘क्यों पड़ी अण्णा को थप्पड़ की जरूरत’, वगैरह-वगैरह। इन बातों को कह कर मेरी बदनामी का चित्र रंगाया गया जो कि मैं समझता हूं कि एक दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटना है।
१६ अगस्त को रामलीला मैदान में भ्रष्टाचार के विरोध में हुए आन्दोलन में करोड़ों की संख्या में देश की जनता रास्ते पर उतर आई थी। मैंने बार-बार जनता से अपील की कि सभी भाई-बहनों ने, युवकों ने शान्ति के मार्ग ही से आन्दोलन करना है। कहीं पर भी हिंसा नहीं करनी है। अहिंसा में बहुत शक्ति है। अगर कहीं छुटपुट भी हिंसा हुई तो सरकार इस आन्दोलन को तोड़ देगी, कुचल देगी। इतना विशाल आन्दोलन हुआ मगर पूरा का पूरा शान्तिपूर्ण हुआ। न सिर्फ देश में बल्कि पूरी दुनिया में इस बात की चर्चा जरूर हुई कि भारत में करोड़ों लोग रास्ते पर उतर आए, पर देश भर में कहीं भी एक पत्थर भी किसी ने नहीं उठाया। इसके पीछे क्या रहस्य छिपा है?
२५ सालों से आन्दोलन चल रहे हैं, कभी भी जीवन में हिंसा का विचार नहीं आया। १६ अगस्त २०११ के इतने बड़े आन्दोलन में कभी हिंसा का विचार मन में नहीं आया। वहीं आन्दोलन के सिर्फ चार महीने बाद हिंसा करने या करवाने के विचार कैसे आ सकते हैं? इन चार महीनों के दौरान कई स्थानों पर मेरी बड़ी-बड़ी सभाएं हुईं। न मैंने कहीं हिंसा की बात रखी, न ही जनता ने भी हिंसा की है। भारतीय सेना में सेवा के दौरान १९६३ से लेकर १९७६ तक १२ वर्ष मैं पाकिस्तान जैसे देश के दुश्मन के साथ लड़ता रहा। खुद के स्वार्थ के लिए नहीं पर देश व समाज के हित के लिए मैंने २६ साल की उम्र में लड़ाई में भी हिस्सा लिया है। आज भी देश में छिपे हुए भ्रष्टाचारियों के साथ जंग जारी है, पर हिंसात्मक नहीं, अहिंसा के मार्ग से जारी है। १९७५ में पहले तो स्वामी विवेकानन्द जी और बाद में गांधीजी के विचारों का प्रभाव जीवन पर हुआ। उस कारण जीवन में कभी भी किसी के साथ हिंसात्मक लड़ाई नहीं की। २५ सालों से भ्रष्ट प्रवृत्ति के खिलाफ़ चल रही इस लड़ाई में राजनीति के कई खिलाड़ियों ने यदि मेरी हद से ज्यादा बदनामी की है, मुझे जेल में भी भिजवाया गया, तरह-तरह के दुर्व्यवहार किये गये, फिर भी मैंने कभी भी थप्पड़ मारने की भाषा नहीं की। इतने वर्षों में न मैंने किसी को थप्पड़ मारा, न ही किसी को मारने के लिए उकसाया। भ्रष्टाचारियों के खिलाफ़ कानूनी लड़ाई के फलस्वरूप ६ कैबिनेट मिनिस्टर तथा ४०० से अधिक भ्रष्ट अधिकारियों को अपने घर जाना पड़ा। उस समय भी मेरे साथ उन लोगों ने भाँति-भाँति के दुर्व्यवहार किये, लेकिन उनके साथ भी थप्पड़ की भाषा मैंने कभी नहीं की। समाज और देश की भलाई के लिए कई बार मैंने आन्दोलन किये लेकिन उनमें हमेशा खुद आत्मक्लेश करना और उसकी संवेदना जनता को हो इसी प्रकार से आन्दोलन किये गये, कभी भी थप्पड़ की भाषा का प्रयोग नहीं हुआ।
आत्मक्लेश के तीन अनशन पिछले १० महीनों में किये, नतीजा यह हुआ कि महीने भर से बीमार पड़ा हूं। फिर भी मेरा हौसला कम नहीं हुआ है। पूर्णतया स्वस्थ हो जाऊं तो फिर से भ्रष्टाचारी प्रवृत्ति के विरोध में मैं देश भर में जनता को सम्बोधित करने निकल पडूंगा। उसमें थप्पड़ की बात कभी भी नहीं होगी। कुछ लोगों ने जो यह थप्पड़ का माहौल खड़ा किया है उसके पीछे असलियत क्या है यह मैं जनता को बताना चाहता हूं। वैसे मैं कभी फिल्में देखता नहीं और बीमारी के कारण महीने भर से कमरे के बाहर भी नहीं गया। हमारे कार्यकर्ता यह सन्देश ले आए कि एक फिल्म बनी है ‘गली-गली में चोर’ जो कि भ्रष्टाचार निर्मूलन के विषय पर बनाई गई है। इस फिल्म को दिखाने हेतु फिल्म के निर्माता एवं कलाकार हमारे गाँव में आ रहे हैं। मुझे फिल्म दिखाने की उनकी तीव्र इच्छा थी और चूंकि भ्रष्टाचार निर्मूलन विषय पर आधारित है इसलिए फिल्म देखने को मैं राजी हो गया। मैंने फिल्म देखी। एक परिवार पर पुलिस व राजनीति वाले मिल कर इतने अन्याय अत्याचार करते हैं कि उनका जीना दूभर हो जाता है। अत्याचार सहने की उनकी क्षमता खत्म हो जाती है। पुलिस वाले और राजनायिक विधायक मिल कर उन्हें झूठे मुकदमे में फँसा देते हैं, सताते जाते हैं, फर्जी कागज़ात बना कर उन्हें घर से बेघर करने की कोशिश करते हैं। यह ज़ुल्मों सितम इतना हद से बढ़ जाता है कि अब इसके आगे सह पाना उन्हें असम्भव हो जाता है। आखिरकार भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ़ लड़ने वाला उस परिवार का मुखिया तंग आकर पुलिस वाला और विधायक दोनों के मुंह पर थप्पड़ जमा देता है और जनता को संगठित कर एक जन आन्दोलन को आरम्भ कर देता है।
फिल्म देखने के बाद मुझे फिल्म के बारे में पूछा गया तो मैंने बताया कि फिल्म अच्छी बनी है। आदमी की सहन करने की भी सीमा होती है। अन्याय अत्याचार हद से बढ़ जाए और वह सीमा लाँघ जाएं तो उस आदमी के सामने सिवा थप्पड़ मारने के क्या पर्याय रहता है? यही बात मैंने मीडिया के सामने भी कही। अण्णा हजारे ने न तो किसी को थप्पड़ मारा और न ही किसी को थप्पड़ मारने का सन्देश दिया। बस, इतना ही कहा कि जब सहन करने की क्षमता खत्म हो जाती है तो अन्याय और अत्याचार से ग्रस्त आदमी के सामने सिवा थप्पड़ मारने के कोई पर्याय नहीं बचता।
गांधीजी और स्वामी विवेकानन्द जी के विचारों से प्रेरणा पाकर भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ़ लड़ाई लड़ रहा हूं। इस लड़ाई में मैंने किसी को भी थप्पड़ नहीं मारा है और न ही भविष्य में कभी मारूंगा। लेकिन यह एक मिसाल है कि कोई बदनामी करने पर उतारू हो ही जाए तो कैसे बदनामी की जाती है। न मैंने थप्पड़ मारा, न किसी को मारने के लिए उकसाया। फिल्म देख कर जैसे मुझे लगा मैंने बता दिया। उसी बात को लेकर राजनीति होने लगी और कई लोग षड़यन्त्र बनाने में जुट गये।
जाहिर है कि राजनीति से जुड़े कई लोगों ने हमारे आन्दोलन को बदनाम करने का षड़यन्त्र रचा है। टीम अण्णा के सभी सदस्यों पर आरोप प्रत्यारोप कर उन्हें बदनाम करने की कई कोशिशें हुई हैं। मेरी बदनामी के भी कई प्रयास हुए। सुना है कि राजनीति वालों ने इस काम में करोड़ों रुपये खर्च भी किये हैं। फिर भी उन्हें सफलता नहीं मिली क्योंकि मैंने अपने जीवन में कहीं छोटा दाग भी नहीं लगने दिया। ऊपर बताये जैसे कोई उदाहरण मेरे साथ जोड़कर मुझे बदनाम करने की साजिश की जाती है। मेरी बदनामी करने वालों को मेरी विनती है कि मैंने क्या बोला इसका सच यदि जानना चाहते हों तो ‘ऑनलाईन प्रश्न-उत्तर’ हो जाएं। किसने किसको क्या कहा और फिल्म में जो थप्पड़ मारा गया उसकी असलियत क्या है इस पर बहस करने को मैं तैयार हूं। मुझे इस बात का भी अन्देशा है कि वे राजनायिक जो हमारे आन्दोलन को एक खतरे के रूप में देखते हैं, उन्होंने हमारी बदनामी का षड़यन्त्र रचा है। लेकिन उन लोगों ने कितने भी कोशिशें कीं तो भी हमारे आन्दोलन पर न ही इसके पूर्व में भी कोई असर हुआ है और न ही भविष्य में भी पड़ेगा।
जिस आदमी ने अपना जीवन समाज और देश के लिए अर्पण किया है, ३५ साल पूर्व अपना घर छोड़ने के बाद फिर से कभी घर नहीं लौटा, अपने भाइयों के बच्चों के नाम तक जिसको मालूम नहीं, करोड़ों रुपयों की योजनाएं पूरी कीं पर कहीं भी बैंक बैलेन्स नहीं रखा है, ऐसे आदमी पर उन राजनायिकों ने कितने भी झूठे आरोप लगाये तो भी क्या होने वाला है? ना ही जनता पर उसका कोई असर होगा। क्यों कि सच तो सच ही होता है। जो आदमी अपने जीवन में शुद्ध आचार, शुद्ध विचार, निष्कलंक जीवन, त्याग और अपमान सहने की शक्ति रखता हो, उसी के शब्दों का लोगों पर प्रभाव होता है। भ्रष्टाचार में डूबे लोगों ने कितने ही आरोप लगाये तो भी उनका असर नहीं होगा।
मेरा स्वास्थ्य सुधरने के बाद जब मैं देश भर में निकल पडूंगा तब इन भ्रष्टाचारियों की समझ में आएगा कि ऐसे आरोपों का कोई प्रभाव नहीं पड़ता है। बीमारी के कारण मैं पाँच राज्यों में नहीं जा पाया, लेकिन २०१४ में होने वाले चुनावों के पहले मैं पूरे देश भर में जाऊंगा और मतदाताओं को जगाऊंगा। भ्रष्टाचार के विरोध में जो लम्बी लड़ाई लड़नी है, उसकी तैयारी करूंगा। जनता हमारे साथ है। क्योंकि जनता के लिए भ्रष्टाचार एक बहुत बड़ी समस्या है, और उसी की लड़ाई हम लड़ रहे हैं।
केन्द्र में जन लोकपाल, राज्यों में जन लोकायुक्त, ग्राम सभा को पूरे अधिकार, राईट टू रिजेक्ट जैसे कई कानून बनवाने हैं। आज गरीब किसानों की जमीनें मार पीट कर हथिया ली जाती हैं, जैसा कि कभी अंग्रेजों के जमाने में हुआ करता था। शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में भी कई सारी समस्याएं हैं, जिस वजह से गरीबों के बच्चें उच्च शिक्षा नहीं ले पाते हैं।
सही मायने में देश में प्रजातन्त्र लाना हो तो इन विषयों को लेकर लम्बी लड़ाई लड़नी पड़ेगी जो कई वर्षों तक चल सकती है। देश में प्रजातन्त्र, गणतन्त्र कायम करने के लिए एक ही रास्ता है और वह है जन आन्दोलन का। रात-दिन भ्रष्टाचार में लगे लोगों ने कितने भी आरोप लगाए तो भी ऐसे आरोपों का कोई प्रभाव नहीं होगा। ये लोग ना तो भ्रष्टाचार को मिटाएंगे, ना ही गणतन्त्र- प्रजातन्त्र को कारगर बनाने का प्रयास करेंगे। क्योंकि अगर वे ऐसा करेंगे तो उन्हें डर है कि कहीं अपने हाथों में केन्द्रित सत्ता कम न हो जाये। उन्हें तो ऐसा करने को बाध्य करना होगा और वह केवल जन आन्दोलन के माध्यम से ही सम्भव है। और इसी कारण हमारे संविधान ने जनता को आन्दोलन करने का मौलिक अधिकार दिया है। उसी अधिकार का प्रयोग कर हम सब जनता को उसके अधिकार दिलाने की भरसक कोशिश करेंगे।
कि.बा. उपनाम अण्णा हज़ारे

Cuts International FICCI and FT INVITATION

2012-01-27T06:22:00.001-08:00

CUTS International is pleased to invite you to the subject-mentioned event. This is an invitation to YOU and your colleagues to come to the event, for which we will be grateful. Please pass this onto to your colleagues and networks.

Anna Hazare's message for Election bound states

2012-01-26T20:50:00.001-08:00

Anna Hazare's message for Election bound states

Anna has not been able to travel to the five poll bound states due to his ill health. As soon he gets well, he will start his travel. Till
then, he has issued his message through a video CD, which will be shown at all public meetings and also would be widely circulated. In
this video, he has appealed to the public to ask every party whether they would enact Uttarakhand type of Lokayukta, if they won? He has
also said that till he got well, he was asking his team to travel to the states and take his message to the people. The video can be seen
at the following link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU07RkbbCls

Myanmar, Mr. U. Wunna Maung Lwin called on the Prime Minister

2012-01-25T23:29:00.000-08:00

@PMOIndia Dr Manmohan Singh

Foreign Affairs Minister of Myanmar, Mr. U. Wunna Maung Lwin called on the Prime Minister today pic.twitter.com/AGzq2TTt

India showcases military might

2012-01-25T23:00:00.001-08:00

India showcases military might, cultural heritage on R-Day

An impressive display of armour and unmanned aerial vehicles recently added to India's military prowess was on full display at the 63rd Republic Day parade on Thursday that also showcased the country's rich heritage.

The early morning chill did not deter people along the 8-km-parade route as they gathered on both sides of the majestic Rajpath, the country's ceremonial boulevard facing the Raisina Hills, and cheered the contingents as they went past portraying the diverse culture of the country.

The well-turned out and synchronised military and police formations led by General Officer Commanding (Delhi) Lt Gen V K Pillai marched proudly to the lilting tunes of bands through the Rajpath where President Pratibha Patil, who is the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, took salute.

The impressive march-past was watched by Chief Guest Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Marshal of Air Force Arjan Singh and top political and military brass. Police and other para-military forces turned Delhi into a a virtual fortress for the Republic Day celebrations as helicpoters scanned from air, snipers kept a hawk-eye vigil from rooftops and armed personnel at every nook and corner provided a ground-to-air security apparatus.

Minutes before the parade began, Singh, Antony and chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force laid wreaths at 'Amar Jawan Jyoti', an eternal flame in the memory of those who laid down their lives while defending the nation. After the customary 21-gun salute and unfurling of the national tricolour, President Patil presented Ashok Chakra -- the highest peacetime gallantry award -- posthumously to Lieutenant Navdeep Singh who died foiling an infiltration attempt by Pakistan-based terrorists along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

Then, four Mi-17 helicopters zoomed in from skies on the western side showering flower petals on thousands of spectators, signalling the start of the impressive parade followed by winners of Param Vir Chakra, highest war-time gallantry award, and Ashok Chakra and mounted columns of 61 Cavalry.

The Army showcased its impressive weaponry which included T-72 tanks, Carrier Motor Tracked vehicle, Smerch missile Launcher, Multi Barrel Rocket System 'Pinaka' and Full Width Mine Plough.

It also displayed the NBC (Nuclear- Biological-Chemical) Chemical Purification System and Jammer Station.

Demonstrating its air power, Army's also conducted a flypast of three indegenously made advanced light helicopters Dhruv.

The Army contingent from Parachute Regiment, Bengal Engineer Group, The Brigade of the Guards, Kumaon Regiment, Assam Regiment, Mahar Regiment and Gorkha Rifles marched to the tunes of 'Arjuna', Thimmaya, 'Gangotri' and 'Veer Gorkha' military numbers.

The next to follow were smartly-dressed Navy personnel and then the Air Force contingent, led by Flight Lieutenant Sneha Shekhawat, marching to the tunes of 'Jai Bharati' and 'Air Battle'.

The Navy showcased models of the Delhi Class guided missile destroyer and IL-38 (Sea Dragon) Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft. The 3,000-km-range nuclear-capable Agni-IV missile, successfully flight tested in November last year, stole the limelight as people cheered and clapped when the weapons system's model came near them.

Commentaries gave an insight into the capabilities of the sophisticated missile system. The DRDO also put on display for the first time the 150- km range Prahaar tactical battlefield support missile and the Rustom-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

Other marching contingents were those of camel-mounted BSF, Assam Rifles, Coast Guard, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, RPF, Delhi Police, NCC and NSS.

As the country's armed and police forces demonstrated their might, states and different departments put up an impressive show when they showcased their rich cultural diversity in full display in 23 tableaux -- 13 from states and ten from ministries.

Another highlight of the event was that West Bengal became part of the parade after 13 years as it showcased the university town of Shantiniketan, the living abode of Rabindranath Tagore, that symbolises the avant garde vision of an international, educational and cultural institution.

The Jammu and Kashmir tableaux depicts the architectural heritage of its capital Srinagar during the medieval period, while Chhatisgrah showcased the Dondaki art and claywork by artists late Sonabhai Rajwar, Darogaram and Atmadas Manikpuri.

The one by Maharashtra boasted of its rich culture, natural wonders and historical monuments and attractive tourist destinations.

The north-eastern state of Meghalaya depicted the Jaintia Festivals and the most colourful dance by the major tribal community inhabiting the state, while Rajasthan brought alive the 'Aamber Fort' which has an unique artistic style that blends both Hindu and Mughal elements.

Assam showcased its enthralling Bhortal dance, while the Punjab tableaux adorned the larger than life figure of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh atop the Lahore fort. Goa, Nagaland and Sikkim are other states who showcased their cultural heritage.

The Union Textiles Ministry's tableaux displayed the range of Indian handicrafts, reflecting the journey of Indian handicrafts from the traditional to the modern world, representing the rich cultural heritage from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Rebuilding Our Republic Press Invite

2012-01-25T22:09:00.000-08:00

Press Invite

A nationwide event "Rebuilding Republic" is being organised on the issue of Citizen's direct participation in the making of Laws and policies of the country on the eve of Republic Day. In Delhi, a seminar cum panel discussion would be held on January 26, 2012 at 2 - 6pm at Constitution Club Lawns, Rafi Marg.

Key Speakers at the event: Yogender Yadav, Dr. BD Sharama, Admiral Ramdas, Vandana Shiva, Sandeep Pandey, Praful Samantra and Seema Mustafa

Rebuilding Our Republic

For quite some time now it has become evident that policies being adopted by the government and Laws being made by Parliament are not reflecting the views, wishes or the needs of the majority of the people of the country. Many policies are clearly against the wishes and interests of the people but have been pushed through by the government and in Parliament for the commercial interests of large Indian and foreign corporations.

The same is evident from the manner in which the government and Parliament has dealt with the Lokpal bill. While all polls, surveys and referenda were showing that more than 80% people favoured the Jan Lokpal bill, the government introduced a bill bore little resemblance to it, and defeated the very purpose of a Lokpal by making it a body selected and controlled by the government and making it dependant on government controlled investigating agencies. When amendments moved by the opposition parties to cure some of these defects were likely to be passed, the government filibustered and engineered disturbances and the bill was left hanging in the air.

We are constantly told that Parliament is supreme and that we must respect Parliamentary democracy and that it is inherent in this form of democracy that the people must leave decision making to the wisdom of their “elected representatives”. We know that these representatives are generally getting elected by use of money power and often even muscle power. That is why the major political parties are lining up to induct even those persons who have been kicked out for corruption by the corrupt BSP government on the eve of the elections. We are seeing that only candidates of large, established and moneyed parties have any realistic chance of getting elected, mainly because of the nature of our electoral system in which honest and hardworking social workers who have contested elections as independants or candidates of small political fare poorly in elections.

But even more importantly, we find that after getting elected, these elected representatives normally do not take decisions on policies and laws by finding out what people want, and often such decisions are taken (usually at the level of the party high commands) on the basis of self interest (as in the case of the lokpal bill) or on extraneous and often corrupt considerations. That is why Acts which vitally affect millions of persons like the SEZ Act get passed in Parliament in minutes without any discussion, and the Lokpal bill remains stuck for decades. Parliament these days get adjourned frequently due to disturbances created sometimes by a few M.Ps, and only a small fraction of its time is devoted to real work.

We are told that we have to live with this “imperfect democracy” and that other countries have also learnt to similarly live with such imperfections. But what we are seeing is not an imperfection in the working of our democracy but virtually a total breakdown, where, as we are seeing, the popular will is rarely getting reflected in governance and law making.

The challenge before us therefore is: Can we not put in place a system whereby the views of the people are directly taken into account in major policy decisions and laws of the State, rather than these being decided by the “elected representatives”? Such a system is already in place in tribal areas through the PESA Act which provides for the Gram Sabha (the collective of all adults in the village) to take all public decisions pertaining to the village, though mostly this has remained only on paper.

Some skeptics ask: How do you expect people to understand complex issues like the Lokpal bill, nuclear energy or Genetically modified foods. “These are matters which can only be understood by experts.” But are our M.P.s or Ministers experts on these subjects? After all they are deciding such critical matters which affect large sections of society. If they can take a view on it by taking into account the views of experts, so can the people. Some people who feel that they understand the issue sufficiently will vote on their understanding. Others will go by the experts that they trust. Manu may not vote, which is the case even for elections. But this would still be better than decisions being taken only by these “elected representatives” who are often elected on a small fraction of the vote in elections dominated not merely by inadequate knowledge of the candidates, but by money and muscle power and caste considerations. These “elected representatives” are far easier to manage by commercial vested interests than the entire electorate. Therefore, it would be much safer to trust the people than these elected representatives.

Whatever the challenges and difficulties in putting in place such a system, the time has certainly come to discuss this. We need to see how we can strengthen and deepen our democracy and ensure that we really get a truly participatory democracy and thus a government which is really run by the wishes of the people. Participatory democracy is an idea whose time has come.

Kale dhan pe hulla bol..!!!!

2012-01-25T21:41:00.000-08:00

Republic Day Parade 2012 – A Curtain Raiser

2012-01-25T21:17:00.001-08:00

Republic Day Parade 2012 – A Curtain Raiser
Agni IV Finds Pride of place on Rajpath, Herculesmakes Debut,Woman leads IAF Marching Contingent for the First Timeever A strong and resurgent India will be celebrating its 63rd Republic Day tomorrow. This year’s parade will highlight the nation’s achievements in various fields, the military prowess, scintillating display of air power as also country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The highlight of this year’s Parade will be the 3,000 kms range Agni-IV missile. The Intermediate Range Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile mounted on a road mobile launcher is being paraded by the Defence Research & Development Organisation. The state-of-the-art missile was successfully flight tested last November. The DRDO has also put on display for the first time the 150 kms range Prahaar tactical battlefield support missile and the Rustom-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

The weaponry put on display by the Indian Army includes the T-72 tank, Carrier Mortar Tracked, SMERCH Multiple Launch Rocket System, Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket System, Full Width Mine Plough, NBC Water Purification Systems and Jammer Station VHF/UHF. The Army`s Mechanized Columns will conclude with a flypast by the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv of the Army Aviation Corps. The Indian Air Force will not make static display of any aircraft but its latest acquisition, the C-130-J Super Hercules tactical aircaft, makes its debut at the Republic Day Parade, with three of the six aircraft acquired from the US participating in the flypast.The Indian Navy`s tableau also glosses over its newly acquired capabilities, instead focusing on its longstanding, reliable capabilities.

"Every dog has its day", so goes the proverbial saying and though the sniffing dogs are omnipresent at the Parade, forming part of theDelhi Police Bomb Disposal Squad and NSG too relying on man`s best friend to secure the Rajpath, this year`s Parade gives them their due, with the dogs displaying their skills in a lotus formation and a grand salute by the leader sitting on a tableau of the Army`s Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC).

The parade ceremony will commence at the Amar JawanJyoti at India Gate where the Prime MinisterDrManmohan Singh will lead the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by laying wreath. An eternal flame burns at the Amar JawanJyoti to commemorate the indomitable courage of our Armed Forces personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland. The Amar Jawan, the immortal soldier, is symbolised by a reversed rifle topped by a helmet.

As per tradition, after unfurling of the National Flag, the National Anthem will be played. Thereafter President SmtPratibhaDevisinghPatil will posthumouslyconfer the Ashok Chakra on Lieutenant Navdeep Singh of the Army Ordnance Corps / 15th Battalion,The Maratha Light Infantry.

The parade will then commence and the President will take the salute. This year’s Chief Guest in the parade will be Ms. YingluckShinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand. The parade will be commanded by Lt. General Vijay Kumar Pillai, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area. Major General Rajbir Singh, Chief of Staff, Delhi Area will be the parade Second-in-Command.

ParamVir Chakra winners NaibSubedarYogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers and Havaldar Sanjay Kumar, 13 JAK RIF and Ashok Chakra Winners Brigadier CA Pithawalla, BGS (Trg), HQ Southern Command, Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (retd), Major D. Sreeram Kumar, Instructor, IMA, Dehra Dun, Hon`yNaibSubedarChheringMutup (retd), Shri Hukum Singh and Shri Govind Singh, both from district Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh and Shri BhureLal of district Guna, also from Madhya Pradesh will follow the Deputy Parade Commander on Jeeps.

The marching contingents of Army will include the horse-mounted columns of the 61st Cavalry, Parachute Regiment, Bengal Engineer Group & Centre, Brigade of the Guards, Kumaon Regiment, Assam Regiment, Mahar Regiment, Gorkha Rifles Regiment and the Corps of Military Police.The marching contingents of Navy comprising 144 men will be led by Lt. Commander Manikandan K. and the Air Force contingent comprising 144 men will be led by Flight Lieutenant SnehaShekhawatthe first woman ever to lead an IAF contingent at the Parade. The marching contingents of paramilitary and other auxiliary civil forces will include contingents from the Border Security Force, Assam Rifles, Coast Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Central Industrial Security Force, SashastraSeemaBal,Railway Protection Force, Delhi Police, National Cadet Corps and National Service Scheme. The Camel-mounted band of the BSF and the Ex-Servicemen marching contingent will be another major attraction.

Tableaux from 23 states and Central Ministries and Departments will present the varied historical, architectural and cultural heritage of the country. They will also showcase country’s progress in different fields. Nineteen of the 24 children selected for the National Bravery Award – 2009 will also participate in the parade. Five children have got the award posthumously. In the children’s pageant section, 1,200 boys and girls drawn from Delhi`s two schools, - KendriyaVidyalaya, Sector-2, RK Puram and Government SarvodayaKanyaVidyalaya, Hastsal, Delhi, besides regional cultural zones, - South Zone Cultural Centre, Thajavur, East Zone Cultural Centre, Kolkata and North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Madhya Pradesh will present dances and other programmes. Janbaz, the motorcycle display by the Border Security Force will be a major attraction of the parade. It will consist of 154 riders on 30 motorcycles performing Bordermen Salute, Side Riding, Yoga, Janbaz-1, Ladder Double, Harmony, Exercise, Pyramid, Parallel Bar, Guldasta, Karvan and Flag March under the leadership of Inspector Amit Kumar. They will perform breathtaking stunts in a synchronised and synergetic display of mind, body and machine coordination.

The grand finale of the parade will be a spectacular flypast by the IAF, with the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft participating in the Parade for the first time. The flypast will be led by a Vic formation of three Mi-35 helicopters, followed by the three Super Hercules again in a Vic formation. Trailing them will be one IL-78, flanked by two AN-32 and two Dornier, in a Big Boy formation. Next in line will be the fighters, - five Jaguars followed by five MiG-29 will fly in Arrowhead formation. The breathtaking Trishul formation comprising three Su-30 MKI would fly over the Rajpath and once in front of the saluting dais the Su-30MKI aircraft will split upwards, making a Trishul in the sky. The flypast will conclude with another Sukhoi Su-30 MKI carrying out a Vertical Charlie manoeuvre over the saluting dais.

The ceremony will culminate with the National Anthem and release of balloons.

ऐसा हो गणतंत्र हमारा

2012-01-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

ऐसा हो गणतंत्र हमारा

- विनोदबंसल

Vinodbansal01@gmail.com

26 जनवरी 1950 को, जब हमारा संविधानलागू हुआ, तब यह सोचा गयाकि यह विश्व के चुनिन्दा देशों के अच्छे संवैधानिक प्रावधानों का सार तत्व है।संविधान सभा का यह मत था कि जिस रूप में यह लागू किया जा रहा है वर्तमानपरिस्थितियों में तो सर्वोत्तम है किन्तु, समय-समय पर देश की परिस्थितियों के अनुसार परिवर्तन भीआवश्यक हैं। तब से अब तक विदेशों के संविधानों से नकल किये गये प्रावधानों मेंअनेक संशोधन तो हुए किन्तु अपेक्षित परिणाम सामने नहीं आये। गणतन्त्र के मायने हैंगणों का तंत्र अर्थात जनता का शासन। आइये आज हम अपने गणतन्त्र की 63वीं वर्षगांठ परकुछ विश्लेषण करें।

कभीपूरे विश्व के अंदर सोने की चिड़िया एवं विश्वगुरू कहा जाने वाला यह देश आज चारोंतरफ जेहादी आतंकवाद, माओवाद, नक्सलवाद, भाषावाद एवंभ्रष्टाचार से जकड़ा हुआ है। अधिकांश राजनेता अपनी राजनैतिक महत्वाकांक्षाओं केचलते वोट बैंक की भूख में सभी सामाजिक, सांस्कृतिक एवं राष्ट्रीय मूल्यों को खोते जा रहे हैं।विडम्बना यह है कि राष्ट्र की युवा शक्ति को भी जो संस्कार, आत्मनिर्भरता वराष्ट्रीयता का पाठ पढ़ाया जाना चाहिये उससे हम कोसों दूर हैं क्योंकि हमारी शिक्षाप्रणाली भी वोट केंद्रित राजनीति के दलदल में फंस गयी है। जहाँ पर मतदाता समूह मेंहैं, उस समूह पर किसीव्यक्ति, संस्था, जाति, मत-पंथ यासम्प्रदाय का बोलबाला है। राजनेता ऐसे समूहों को रिझाने के लिये कुछ भी करने कोतैयार रहते हैं। चाहे वह राष्ट्र विरोधी कदम ही क्यों न हो।

राजनैतिकसंरक्षण के चलते अपराधियों को या तो पकड़ा ही नहीं जाता और यदि पकड़ भी लिया जाये तोकानूनी पेचीदगियों में उलझा कर सजा नहीं मिल पाती। न्यायालय द्वारा सजा दे दी जायेतो भी हमारे दुष्ट राजनेता राष्ट्रघातियों का संरक्षण जारी रखते हैं। आखिर कौनबचायेगा हमें आतंकवाद से?

गणतंत्र के 63वें वर्ष में हमें प्रण करउपर्युक्त सभी समस्याओं के समाधान हेतु व्यवस्था में आमूलचूल परिवर्तन करने होंगेतथा जनता की उसमें राजनैतिक जिम्मेवारी सुनिश्चित करनी होगी।

निम्नांकितबिंदु इस दिशा में कारगर हो सकते हैं:-

1. वोट डालने की अधिकार केसाथ कर्तव्य का बोध।

2. अनिवार्य मतदान काप्रावधान।

3. यदि चुनाव में खड़े सभीप्रत्याशी अयोग्य हों तो किसी को भी न चुनने हेतु गोपनीय मतदान का अधिकार।

4. चुनाव में खड़े होने केलिये न्यूनतम शैक्षणिक योग्यता हो।

5. राजनीतिज्ञों केरिटायरमेंट की भी कोई अवधि हो।

6. जाति, मत, पंथ, संप्रदाय, भाषाव राज्य के आधार पर वोट मांगने वालों के खिलाफ कार्यवाही तथा इस प्रकार के आंकडोंके प्रकाशन पर रोक।

7. सांसदों व विधायकोंद्वारा किये कार्यों का वार्षिक अंकेक्षण (ऑडिट) कर उसे सार्वजनिक करना अनिवार्यहो।

8. संसद व विधान सभाओं/विधानपरिषदों से अनुपस्थित रहने वाले नेताओं पर कार्रवाई।

यदि राष्ट्रको खुशहाल देखना है तो प्रत्येक मतदाता को सबसे पहले यह सुनिश्चित करना होगा किजिस प्रकार शरीर के लिये भोजन व प्राणों के लिये वायु की आवश्यकता है उसी प्रकारराष्ट्र को आपके वोट की आवश्यकता है। कोई भी मतदाता अपने मताधिकार से वंचित नहींरह पाये, इसके लिये हमें समुचितप्रबंध करने होंगे। हालांकि, इलेक्ट्रॉनिक वोटिंग मशीनोंके आने से वोट डालना कुछ आसान एवं प्रामाणिक तो हुआ है किंतु इसे अभी और सरल करनेकी आवश्यकता है। आज कम्प्यूटर का युग है, हमें ऐसीप्रणालियां विकसित करनी होंगी जिससे देश का तथाकथित उच्च वर्ग, जिसमें उद्योगपति, प्रशासनिक अधिकारी, बुद्विजीवी व बड़े व्यवसायी इत्यादि आते हैं, अपनीसुविधानुसार मताधिकार का प्रयोग कर सकें। जहाँ पर एक ओर मतदाताओं को उनके मत कीकीमत बतानी होगी, वहीं दूसरी ओर कुछ ऐसे प्रावधान भी करनेपड़ेंगे जिनसे प्रत्येक मतदाता इस राष्ट्र यज्ञ में अपनी एक आहूति सुनिश्चित करसके। मतदाता पर यह दबाव न हो कि चुनाव में खड़े हुए किसी न किसी एक प्रत्याशी कोचुनना ही है, लेकिन यह दबाव जरूर हो कि उसे वोटडालना ही है। वैलेट पेपर में या वोटिंग मशीन मेंप्रत्याशियों की सूची के अंत में एक बिंदू यह भी हो ''उपरोक्तमें से कोई नहीं,'' जिससे कि मतदाता यह बता सके कि सभी केसभी प्रत्याशी मेरे हिसाब से चुनने के योग्य नहीं है। ऐसा होने से देश के कानूननिर्माताओं (सांसद/विधायक) की सूची में से गुण्डे, आतंकवादीव राष्ट्रविरोधी मानसिकता वाले लोगों को अलग रखा जा सकेगा।

कहीं भी यदिनौकरी की तलाश करनी है या अपना कोई व्यवसाय चलाना है तो पढ़ाई-लिखाई बहुत जरूरी है।साथ ही उसके काम करने की एक अधिकतम आयु भी निश्चित होती है। इसके अलावा बीच-बीचमें उसके कार्यों का वार्षिक मूल्यांकन भी होता है। जिसके आधार पर उसके आगे केप्रमोशन निश्चित किये जाते है। आखिर ये सब मापदण्ड हमारे राजनेताओं के क्यों नहींहो सकते? चुनाव में खड़े होने से पूर्व उनकी न्यूनतम शैक्षणिक योग्यता, आयु तथा शारीरिक सामर्थ्य की न सिर्फ जांच हो बल्कि रिटायरमेंट की भी आयुसीमा निश्चित हो।

अंग्रेजों नेजाते-जाते देश को साम्प्रदायिक, जातिवाद व भाषावाद में बांट दिया। कहीं जाति पर, कहीं भाषा पर तो कहीं किसी विशेष सम्प्रदाय को लेकर लोग आपस में भिड़जाते हैं। जो कहीं न कहीं, किसी न किसी राजनेता के दिमागीसोच का परिणाम होता है क्योंकि उन्हें तो किसी खास समुदाय के सहानुभूति वाले वोटचाहिये। ऐसी स्थिति में हमें यह सुनिश्चित करना होगा कि कोई भी राजनेता किसी भी हालत में हमें इन आधारों पर न बांटसके। चुनावों के दौरान प्रकाशित ऐसेआकड़ों या समाचारों को भी हमें रोकना होगा जिनमें किसी जाति, भाषा, राज्य, मत, पंथ या सम्प्रदाय का जिक्र हो।

देश की जनताने जिन प्रतिनिधियों को संसद या विधानसभाओं में भेजा उनकी भी अपनी जनता के प्रतिएक जबावदेही होनी चाहिए। जिससे यह तय हो सके कि आखिर करदाताओं के खून-पसीने कीकमाई का कहीं दुरुपयोग तो नहीं हो रहा। वैसे भी एक-एक राजनेता पर करोड़ों रुपयेप्रत्येक वर्ष खर्च होते हैं। क्षेत्र काविकास एक न्यूनतम मापदंड से कम रहने, आवंटित धन व योजना कासमुचित प्रयोग क्षेत्र के विकास में न करने पर या किसी भी प्रकार के दुराचरण मेंलिप्त पाये जाने पर कुछ न कुछ दण्ड का प्रावधान अवश्य हो।

जनप्रतिनिधियों के कार्य का वार्षिक अंकेक्षण (ऑडिट) अनिवार्य होना चाहिए। जिससे जनता उसकेकार्यकलापों को जान सके। इसमें न सिर्फ आर्थिक वही खातों की जांच हो बल्कि वर्ष भरउसके द्वारा किये गये कार्यों की समालोचना भी शामिल हो।

आम तौर परदेखा जाता है कि ये जनप्रतिनिधि या तो विधानसभाओं या संसद से लापता रहते हैं याक्षेत्र की आवाज कभी उठाते ही नहीं हैं। ऐसी स्थिति में उनका चुना जाना व्यर्थ हीहोता है। जिस प्रकार नौकरी या स्कूल सेएक निश्चित अवधि से अधिक अनुपस्थित रहने पर विद्यार्थी/कर्मचारी को निकाल दियाजाता है। उसी प्रकार संसद या विधानसभाओं में भी इसप्रकार के कुछ प्रावधान अवश्य हों।

इस प्रकार जबदेश का प्रत्येक नागरिक स्वछंद रूप से राष्ट्रीय जिम्मेदारी समझते हुए एक योग्यव्यक्ति को अनिवार्य रूप से मतदान कर संसद/विधानसभा में भेजेगा तथा जनप्रतिनिधिअपने-अपने क्षेत्र की जनता का समुचित प्रतिनिधित्व कर राष्ट्रोन्नति के कार्य मेंलगेगा तो क्यों नहीं भारत पुन: सोने की चिड़िया या विश्वगुरू कहलायेगा। जब प्रत्येकजनप्रतिनिधि निर्भय हो बनेगा जनता का सहारा,तब होगा गणतंत्र हमारा।

**सम्पर्कसूत्र : 9810949109 329, द्वितीय तल, संतनगर, ईस्ट ऑफ कैलाश,नई दिल्ली-65**

Tell President Obama to support in word and deed democracy and human rights in Egypt and Bahrain!

2012-01-25T20:57:00.001-08:00

Dear Naresh,

President Obama asserted in last night's State of the Union address that the United States is a global leader.
He said that the United States "will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings" and that it "will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies...because tyranny is no match for liberty."
We agree. But as the people of Egypt build a new government and as human rights defenders and NGO's in Bahrain call for democratic reforms, tyranny continues.
Tell President Obama to support in word and deed democracy and human rights in Egypt and Bahrain!
We've seen a positive impact when the United States leads and it must do so more concretely in the Middle East. Last weekend, President Obama called Egyptian Field Marshal Tantawi to condemn SCAF's recent violence against peaceful protesters and raids in NGO's. He reminded him that an active civil society and respect for human rights are foundations for a stable democracy. We need more of this leadership.
In Bahrain, despite recommendations by its own Independent Commission of Inquiry, the monarchy continues to attack, harass, and detain human rights defenders who are calling for democratic reforms. Medics and peaceful protesters continue to receive unfair sentences in sham trials and international NGO's—including Human Rights First—are denied entry to document abuses. Yet the United States remains silent on these abuses.
To lead in the Middle East, President Obama must give unequivocal support for human rights and democracy in Egypt and Bahrain. He must openly criticize attacks against NGO's and human rights defenders in the region.
Tell President Obama to call for an effective transition to civilian rule in Egypt and an end to violence against peaceful protesters in Bahrain!
Sincerely,
Neil Hicks
Human Rights First

Delhi Court :what was the motive of creating alleged fabricated CD case of Mr. Shanti Bhushan

2012-01-25T20:17:00.001-08:00

TheCourt of CMM, Tis Hazari today (i.e. 25.01.2012) rejected the closure reportfiled by Delhi Police in the alleged fabricated CD case of Mr. Shanti Bhushanand directed the Delhi Police to do further investigation as the Court foundthat many issues have not been investigated by the Delhi Police at all. Toquote from the order:

· Itisfurther not clear as to whyinvestigating agency did not conduct any investigation towards knowing thesource from where the said CD was prepared. This is not the case ofinvestigating agency that the said CD came from a thin air.

· Theleast which was expected from the investigating agency was to have probed as toaround which time this CD was prepared.

· Whythe voice samples of ShriMulayam Singh Yadav, Shri Amar Singh and Complainantwere not taken for comparing their voices with the voices appearing in the CD.

· Whythe statement of ShriVirendraDutta, the then Advocate General of UP who isstated to be present at the time of the said conversation at the residence ofShri Amar Singh was not recorded.

· Fromthe entire gamut of facts as argued before this Court, this Court fails tounderstand as to what prompted the investigating agency to limit itsinvestigation in the matter to the ingredients of section 469 IPC….

· At this stage this Court find some substance in theargument of Shri V.K. Ohri, ld. Counsel for the Complainant, that based uponthe facts that couple of sentences in the alleged conversation were verbatimcopied from an earlier recorded conversation of the year 2006 betweenShriMulayam Singh Yadavand Shri Amar Singh……

· Thereis another disturbing feature which needs mention here is as to why theinvestigating officers rather than conducting through investigation in thematter rush to the prosecution for opinion to file cancellation report in thematter, knowing fully well that the matter was investigated only in a limitedfashion.

· The prosecuting agency clearly failed to investigatewhat was the motive of creating such a CD. Was it to malign the complainant andin turn thwart the “Civil Society movement” on “Lokpal Bill” , which he hadundertaken or was it a ploy to make the Hon’ble Supreme Court Judge to recusehimself from the Bench, which was hearing 2G spectrum case…

· Herethe investigation has been based merely on the opinion of the experts and noinvestigation on factual aspects has been conducted.

· Inview of the above discussion this Courtis of the firm opinion that the investigation in the matter has not beenconducted properly.”

Someadditional facts which show that a fair and independent investigation has notbeen done by the Delhi Police are as follows:

· The fact that the CD is totally fabricated hadalready become apparent from the forensic reports of CFSL, Chandigarh, TruthLab Hyderabad and Mr.George Papcun of Sound Evidence, USA. The CFSL, Chandigarh in its report(obtained under the RTI) to Delhi Police categorically stated that the CD isnot original and is a post-production edited version. The reports of Truth Laband Mr. George Papcun gave finding that the speeches of Maulayam Singh and AmarSingh have been bodily lifted from Amar Singh’s CD of 2006 which was filed inthe Supreme Court.

· The Delhi Police completely ignored theaforementioned three reports.It closed the investigation on the basis of twocompletely perverse reports procured by it from CFSL, CBI, Delhi and IndianComputer Emergency Response Team, (ICERT) Delhi, which is not even competent todo such forensic examination.For any forensic lab to arrive at such aconclusion was almost impossible when it had already been discovered that someparts of the conversation are bodily lifted from an earlier conversationbetween Shri Amar Singh and ShriMulayam Singh Yadav, which conversation is partof a CD which has already been filed before this Hon’ble Court since 2006 andis part of the Court record in the Amar Singh Tapes case.

· Though the complaint was lodged on 14/04/2011(around 12:30 pm) before Delhi Police but the Police till the evening of 17^thApril, 2011 could not manage to get the copy of the CD despite the fact that itwas circulating freely among all sections of the media.

· It is only after the press conference which was heldby Mr. PrashantBhushanin the evening of 17/04/2011 one constable came around8:15 pm in the night and collected the CD from Mr. Bhushan’s office. Mr.Bhushan along with the CD in dispute also gave another CD containing relevantextracts of Amar Singh’s CD of 2006 as well as the aforementioned two reports. However,the Police denied before the Court of receiving any such report from Bhushanseven though the constable had signed a receipt also.

· The Delhi Police leaked the report of the CSL,Delhi to media promptly but suppressed the report of the CFSL, Chandigarh.Several letters were written to the IO, the Commissioner of Police and theUnion Home Minister to know about the findings of the CFSL, Chandigarh reportbut the same was denied to him on the ground that it would hamper the ongoinginvestigation. In fact, on 04/05/2011, the Addl. DCP, Mr. Rao, the IO in thepresent case, denied of receiving any such report though as per the mediareport the CFSL report was already submitted to the Special Cell, Delhi Policeby that time.

· The Delhi Police didnot send Mr. Amar Singh’s CD of 2006 to any of the forensic laboratories.

· The Delhi Police didnot examine the experts of CFSL, Chandigarh and Truth Lab.

Inview of the above facts can one expect a genuine and fair investigation fromthe same agency which has so far done a completely dishonest investigationapparently under political pressure?

President Obama will answer your questions about the State of the Union

2012-01-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

The State of the Union and Your Questions
Last night, President Obama delivered his State of the Union Address and laid out his plan for an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, new skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.
Throughout the speech, the President discussed ideas for building an America that lasts. He called it a blueprint for the future and talked about ways to make his vision reality.
In case you missed it, be sure to check out the video of the enhanced State of the Union:
WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU

Over the next few days there are plenty of ways to get involved and ask your questions about the President’s speech.
On Monday, January 30, President Obama will answer your questions about the State of the Union in a first-ever Google+ Hangout from the White House. You can submit your questions and vote for your favorite questions on YouTube.com/WhiteHouse.
On Thursday, January 26, Vice President Biden will answer questions submitted by people from across the country in his first Twitter interview. You can submit your questions now using the #SOTU and #WHChat hashtags and be sure to follow @VP to see his responses.
In addition, senior White House officials will be answering your questions about the speech through a series of Office Hours on Twitter. Checkout the full lineup of over 30 White House officials below, and start submitting your questions using the hashtag #WHChat and follow along at @WHLive.
Learn more about these events and find out how to get involved:
WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU
Here’s the full lineup of events:

Media Invite "Health Effects of Wireless Communications"

2012-01-24T22:10:00.001-08:00

"Health Effects of Wireless Communications"

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is arranging a lecture on "HealthEffects of Wireless Communications" by Prof Kenneth Foster of Universityof Pennsylvania, USA to create awareness on the subject. You are cordially invited to cover the lecture as per the following schedule.

DATE : January 25, 2012 (Wednesday)

TIME : 3.00 P.M.

VENUE : C-DOT Auditorium, Centre for Developmentof Telematics Campus, Mehrauli, New Delhi

President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address

2012-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address

Jan25

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:
Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought – and several thousand gave their lives.
We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.
These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.
We can do this. I know we can, because we’ve done it before. At the end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.
The two of them shared the optimism of a Nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism. They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share – the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.
The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.
Let’s remember how we got here. Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores. Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.
In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.
It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hard-working Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly four million jobs. And we lost another four million before our policies were in full effect.
Those are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than three million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005. American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s. Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we’ve put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like that never happens again.
The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.
No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.
This blueprint begins with American manufacturing.
On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We got workers and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry to retool and restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.
We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry is back.
What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other industries. It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We can’t bring back every job that’s left our shores. But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive. A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home. Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.

The report on Global Think Tanks

2012-01-24T21:42:00.001-08:00

The report on Global Think Tanks

Jan25

AN EXPLANATORY NOTE FROM RAM NARAYANAN

In spite of the presence of 192 think tanks in India, only some figure among the various categories of think tanks surveyed in this report, and they too not among the top ones.
The top think tank of the year 2011 – the top think tank in the world – is Brookings Institution of the US.
The top fifty think tanks – worldwide (non-US) – include U K 14, Germany 8, Belgium 4, France 2, China 2, Canada 2, Norway 2, Poland 2, Sweden 1, Russia 1, Lebanon 1, Denmark 1, The Netherlands 1, Brazil 1, Australia 1, Azerbaijan 1, India 1, Egypt 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 1, Singapore 1, South Africa 1.
The solitary India think tank is listed number 34 and it is, none of the well known ones such as Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) or Observer Research Foundation (ORF) or Institute of Peace & Conflict Studies (IPCS) or Centre for Policy Research (CPR), but the Center for Civil Society which does not even focus on foreign policy or national security issues.
IDSA, ORF, IPCS and CPR owe an explanation to the people of India as to why, in spite of the transparent procedure adopted by the University of Pennsylvania team which did the research and prepared the report, they failed to qualify for entry into the list of the top 50 think tanks in the world.
CPR (Centre for Policy Research) does figure as number 4 among the top thirty think tanks in Asia, a think tank which specializes in Economics (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations -ICRIER) occupies the 15th place, The Energy Research Institute (TERI) takes the 17th place, the Centre for Civil Society (CCS) the 18th place and Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA) the 24th place — in all 5 Indian think tanks figure among the 30 Asian think tanks. The first place is taken by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the second by Japan Institute of International Affairs and the third by Centre for Strategic and International Studies of Indonesia. The Chinese in all have 7 think tanks among the thirty Asian ones, the Japanese 4, Singapore 4, Australia 2, Korea 2, Malaysia 2, Indonesia 1, Taiwan 1, Uzbekistan 1, Bangladesh 1.
Surprisingly, neither IDSA nor any other Indian think tank figures in the list of top fifty security and international affairs think tanks, worldwide — US 18, UK 4, France 4, Germany 3, Belgium 3, China 2, Norway 2, the Netherlands 1, Sweden 1, Brazil 1. Korea 1, Indonesia 1, Australia 1, Poland 1, Singapore 1, Japan 1, Jordan 1, South Africa 1, Russia 1, Spain 1, Israel 1.
Of the top thirty international development think tanks, one is from India — Center for Development Alternatives, Ahmedabad, which ranks # 34.
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bangalore is # 19 among the top thirty environment think tanks in the world.
Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi which specializes in economic and social development, surprisingly, figures under top thirty health policy think tanks and it holds, obviously an error, both ranks 25 and 29.
Not a single Indian think tank is counted among the top thirty domestic economic policy think tanks.
India Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) is placed # 25 among the top thirty international economic policy think tanks.
Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is part of a list of top thirty social policy think tanks, ranking # 27. A think tank each from Bangladesh, Peru, South Africa and Singapore rank above CPR.
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), # 16, and the Telecom Center of Excellence (TCOE), # 30, figure among the top thirty science and technology think tanks. India has many other excellent scientific and technological think tanks. It is not clear why none of them made it to the list.
Development Alternatives, # 22, and Common Cause, # 28, are among the top thirty transparency and good governance think tanks.
Development Alternatives, again, ranks # 23 among the 30 think tanks with the most innovative policy ideas/proposals.
No Indian think tank figures as part of the 20 best new think tanks (established in the last 18 months).
Again, not a single Indian think tank is included among the 30 think tanks worldwide with outstanding policy-oriented public policy research programs.
Even more distressing for a software giant, no Indian organization figures among the 30 think tanks with the best use of the internet or social media to engage the public.
Development Alternatives of India is the only one and counts as # 30 among the 30 think tanks with the best use of the media (print or electronic) to communicate programs and research.
Again, Development Alternatives at # 21, is the only Indian organization to be counted among the 30 think tanks with the best external relations/public engagement programs.
To its credit, but otherwise not really much of an achievement for India’s think tanks, Development Alternatives ( the sole Indian think tank) ranks at # 44 to figure among the 50 think tanks worldwide with the greatest impact on public policy (global). Does that mean Indian policymakers pay no attention whatsoever to the work done by think tanks such as IDSA, ORF, ICRIER, CPR and IPCS?
Of the 30 best university affiliated think tanks (global), not one is from India.
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) is # 20 among the 30 best government affiliated think tanks, Congressional Research Service of the US secures the first place. Four Chinese think tanks are on this list with ranks #s 12, 17, 18 and 21.
No Indian organization figures among the 30 best worldwide party affiliated think tanks. Indian political parties no doubt do not need think tanks to advise them on what they focus on, viz. fissiparous issues!
Finally, one Indian institution figures among the 15 top think tanks with annual operating budgets of less than $5 million USD — Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe) at # 15. IRADe of New Delhi “conducts research and policy analysis and connects various stakeholders including government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), corporations, and academic and financial institutions. Its research covers many areas including energy & power systems, urban development, climate change & environment, poverty lleviation & gender, food security & agriculture, as well as the policies that affect these areas”.

Demand Side Management of Electricity

2012-01-24T04:22:00.000-08:00

Demand Side Management of Electricity
Secretary, Power Shri P. Uma Shankar has said that energy conservation and energy efficiency are parts of the Government’s strategy to meet growing need of power. He was inaugurating the National Conference on Demand Side Management (DSM) in New Delhi today. He said the schemes such as Bachat Lamp Yojana (BLY) and Standards and Labelling of electrical gadgets have helped in energy saving. He said that there is a large scope for energy saving in the industrial sector, agriculture, municipal street lighting and pumping. He called upon the power utilities and regulators to work out strategies to save power. The objective of the conference is to promote Demand Side Management, energy efficiency and conservation by deployment of more efficient technologies, consumer education and demonstration of the benefits of DSM. The mission of the conference is to transform the implementation of DSM in the country into a “Mass Movement”. The one day conference being attended by experts from power sector including senior officers of the Ministry of Power, Central Electricity Authority, Bureau of Energy Efficiency , State Governments, Central and State Electricity Regulatory Commissions, electricity distribution utilities, CPSEs of Ministry of Power, CBIP, NGOs and energy efficiency service companies.

First Tableaux on Indian Handicrafts this Republic Day

2012-01-24T04:20:00.001-08:00

Ministry of Textiles makes a beginning this year by floating a Tableaux on Indian Handicrafts on the Republic Day parade. Through this tableaux, the theme of Indian Handicrafts is portrayed and the tableaux conveys that while Indian handicraft sector is an unorganized, labour intensive decentralized industry, it provides employment to over 7 million artisans in rural and semi-urban areas. Handicrafts form a substantial part of Indian exports and their share in the exports is increasing each year. Indian Handicrafts sector emerged as one of the most important foreign exchange earners for the country. Handicraft exports touched Rs. 10,534 crores in the year 2010-2011 while production was worth Rs. 17, 557 crores in the same year. Shri S. S Gupta DC Handicraft while addressing to media said, “Indian handicrafts are part our old age tradition. Their rich and diverse work needs to be depicted to the world. This tableaux gives us an opportunity to pay tribute to all the artisans across our country”.

The tableaux will showcase the complete process of sourcing, manufacturing, retailing & export of handicrafts in different approaches. The tableaux will also consist of 10 artisans giving live demonstration of their craft work as well as 32 other crafts and craft items. The tableaux has been conceived and designed by National Centre for Design and Product Development, a national level design centre set up by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India to fill up the gap in the areas of design & product development in Indian Handicrafts Sector.

During the last few decades, there has been tremendous diversification, product innovation, product adaptation and product development made in nearly all types of raw material bases for handicrafts. Products now being produced and exported are not only gifts and decorative but a whole lot of utility items forming an important part of lifestyles.

Office of Development Commissioner, (Handicrafts) has nurtured and transformed Indian Handicrafts sector through its various flagship schemes such as Baba Sahib Hastshilp Vikas Yojana, Design & Technology Upgradation Scheme, marketing support services, Human Resource Development, Handicraft Artisans Welfare scheme and Research & Development scheme

The approach and strategy envisaged in the 12th Five Year Plan shall fulfill major gaps in the Handicrafts sector and the handicraft sector: the Magic of Gifted Hands will be the sunrise sector from the point of view of employment creation, income generation, incremental growth in the livelihoods due to more production and supply of goods. Major initiatives shall include setting up of national level craft university for providing skilled and trained manpower, advanced technology training centers at clusters for improvement in production process, handicraft parks for integrated and inclusive development of infrastructure. Emphasis will be on design and new product development and penetration in nontraditional markets.

The Ministry of Defense selected the Indian Handicraft Tableaux along with 9 others, out of the 25 Ministries that applied for display of tableaux during republic day parade. The Indian Handicrafts Tableaux will be no. 14 in the order of March at the parade.

Finding the right professional college

2012-01-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

New Delhi January 23, 2012
IndiaCollegeSearch.com now eases the pain of admission seekers by letting them find the most suitable professional college--engineering (B.Tech), management (MBA), medical (MBBS) and others--acrossIndia.

IndiaCollegeSearch offers continuously updated and detailed information on over 3000 professional colleges inIndia. A proprietary web based toolset helps locate a set of programs with a stream in a chosen state or even a city out of a long list to match a student needs. Additionally, IndiaCollegeSearch’s tools help customize the list even further as per a fee band chosen by the student.

IndiaCollegeSearch.com offers detailed info about a college--its infrastructure, faculty, placement track record including starting salaries and names of hiring companies. Students can also create a shortlist of colleges by their scores in entrance exams--a neat way to narrow down data to a short list that meets their needs.

IAN Incubated company upgrades Technology, Improves user experience
IndiaCollegeSearch is being incubated byIndia’s oldest and largest group of angel investors--Indian Angel Network (IAN) at their Department of Science and Technology supported incubator since early 2011.

In the second half of 2011, the IndiaCollegeSearch team spent energies on creation and launch of a prototype with a new and more powerful search engine that scores high on user interface, lets visitors post reviews, shortlist colleges and interact better.

The site also has detailed information on previous year cut-offs, placements record and infrastructure. Over 500 professional colleges are now actively using the platform to interact with students making admission requests.

IndiaCollegeSearch is completely free for students, does not serve ads or sell student information to colleges, says its founder Anirudh Motwani.

Anirudh, 24, is an engineer who majored in Computer Science from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS),Dubai. He worked with companies like Digital Satellite LLC, Tech Mahindra and had a stint as a software consultant at Cvent Inc., one of the largest SaaS companies in the world.
His co-founder, Parul Bansal, 25, majored in Mathematics fromUniversityofDelhiand completed her MBA (Finance) from IBS. She has worked with NTPC and an Aditya Birla group company.

IndiaCollegeSearch’s core team of 7 full-time associates from top Indian colleges like Shriram College of Commerce, Jesus andMaryCollege, contribute to product development.

Angel investor and an Indian Angel Network member Vikram Kant Upadhyaya is on the board of the company as a ChiefMentorand Observer. Prominent educationists on the advisory board include officials (both serving and retired) from bodies such as All India Council Technical Education and the Indian Institutes of Technology.

Heartening Response
The number of students visiting IndiaCollegeSearch has seen an upward climb since it opened to public in December 2010. The portal is visited by over 50,000 students each month. Anirudh says that server running the application had to be upgraded every other month as visitors continued to double. IndiaCollegeSearch team attributes this to the power of positive word of mouth from the existing visitors. Founders Anirudh and Parul believe that IndiaCollegeSearch is serving an unmet need.

IndiaCollegeSearch also received an extremely positive response from professional colleges in the country, with hundreds of colleges registering on the platform within months. Currently, nearly 3000 colleges are on the platform with prominent colleges such as Birla Institute of Technology (BIT) Ranchi, College of Engineering Pune (CoEP), Goa Engineering College, Osmania University College of Engineering (OUCE), Institute of Aeronautical Engineering Hyderabad and Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology (IGIT) using the site regularly.
IndiaCollegeSearch is gearing up to cater to the surge in the number of users in the 2012 admissions season by updating information on all the engineering colleges across India.

IndiaCollegeSearch is extending its services beyond engineering by catering to students seeking admission to MBA, MBBS and other professional courses. With the addition of new courses and colleges, the number of students using the platform is expected to grow faster.

“We plan to grow our user base from engineering students to those seeking admission to professional programs such as BBA, MBA, MCA, M. Tech, Law and Medical. We want to better our product and content to encourage repeat visitors,” adds Anirudh.

The site is accessible to anyone, and for those inIndiait is cost and time-effective than even a phone helpline or education fair. It attracts students from across the length and breadth of the country. Students from metros, mini metros and small towns log on to IndiaCollegeSearch and it will help shape their choice of college and their future.

IndiaCollegeSearch, being incubated at the IAN’s technology incubator, has an eminent entrepreneur and an Indian Angel Network member Vikram Kant Upadhyaya mentoring them.

Like all IAN mentors Vikram provided valuable inputs to the team on how they could better their go to market strategy and build differentiators as well as a robust platform. He also advised the startup on potential tie-ups as well as relevant resources they could leverage. The incubator team helped IndiaCollegeSearch connect with mentors for of technology, media and marketing areas.

“By end 2012, we expect to see IndiaCollegeSearch emerge as the dominant online guide for students and partner for colleges, offering trends on students preferences. We expect to have a market-share that is bigger than most competitors,” says Anirudh.

Challenges as an entrepreneur
“The major challenge so far has been technology. Having pulled through pilots and various stages of growth, we have invested to build a full-fledged development team. Building a passionate team made us confront another challenge--spotting the right people, convincing them to trade off well paid job for the thrill of creating the first of its kind of a portal to help Indian students choose the right college. Overcoming opposition from family and friends, though long drawn, was relatively easy.

Indian Angel Network incubator and our mentor in particular, helped us with most issues, including the process of evaluating our angel investors. Even today, we look up to our mentor in goal setting and building processes.”

Photographer Of the Year 2011.February 1, 2012

2012-01-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

NewDelhi ,January 23, 2012: BetterPhotography, one of India’s leading photography magazines held the muchawaitedcontest, Photographer Of the Year 2011. Stated as one of India’sbiggestphotography awards, the competition is now in its seventh year.

Thisyear thecompetition promises to be grander and even more challenging. Thecontest wasopen to all and there were photo enthusiasts,hobbyists, students of photography and even professionals whoparticipated and whoare eagerly awaiting recognition on a national platform.

Theentries werecollected through a dedicated website (http://www.betterphotography.in/poy/)as well as physical print entries by post were accepted. The last dateofsubmission was December 31^st 2011 and the magazine receiveda recordbreaking 66,782 entries from towns, cities all over India and was openeven forNon Residential Indians.

Thecontest did not have an entry fee and the entrants were allowed toparticipatein multiple themes with a maximum of four entries per theme. For thephotoessay, participants could send up to two series of images-eachcontaining aminimum of six and maximum of 12 images.

Theawards are being sponsored by Title Partner Canon along with AssociatePartnerCanvera and Television Partner CNBC TV18. The themewinners will be whisked off to an exotic location for the finalface-offwherein they would have the opportunity to experience new and excitingattractions as they compete to earn the title of Canon-BetterPhotographyPhotographer of the Year 2011.

Asthe grandprize, the winner will receive a Canon EOS 7D, among other excitingprizes andcould win anopportunity to be recognized on a national level by the magazine.

Thecategories were judged on January 8, 2012 byprominent judges who have shortlisted the theme winners.

Thecategories and judges are as follows:

PhotoEssay: Song of the Road was judged by Mr. AmitMadheshiya and Mr. Mahindra Parikh. Landscapes:Play of Light was judged by SoumitraPendse and Mr. Hari Mahidar .
Still Life: Obvious Things was judged by Mr. Ian Pereiraand Mr. SunilRaju
Portraiture: I, Me, Myself was judged by Mr. David deSouza and Mr. AshokSalian
Wildlife: Animal Behavior was judged by Mr. Kedar Bhideand Mr. Anish Andheria
The Joy of Colour: was judged by Mr. SwapanMukherjee and Ms. Amrita Ganguly Salian
Life on the Streets was judged by Mr. IndranilMukherjee and Mr. Mukesh Parpiani
Reflections was judged by Mr. AmitAshar and Mr. Jagdish Agarwal

BetterPhotographyeditor, K Madhavan Pillai said “The number of entries was unbelievableand toreceive a response from the smallest towns to the biggest metros inIndia wasastonishing. It’s the seventh year for the contest and we are goingstrong.During the category judging we realized that there is so much untappedtalentin the country. We plan to conduct many more opportunities throughphotographyto explore the talent and capabilities of the people of India.”

TheFace Off will beheld in Mumbai from 29^th- 31^st January 2012 andeight contestantsfrom different cities will come to Mumbai to fight it out in a decisivefinalface off where they will click photographs under the themes provided tothem.

Thefinal title winneralong with the eight category winners would be announced on1st February2012 inMumbai. There would be a gallery of the nominated and winningphotographs foran exclusive first look to the guests present.

Thecontest waspromoted on a large scale through television promos on CNBC TV18, CNNIBN,Awaaz, CNN IBN, IBN Lokmat, magazine advertisements in BetterPhotography,Overdrive, T3, Chip, AV Max, Better Interiors, Entrepreneur, Burrp,NoiseFactory along with banner ads across web18 sites including In.com ,Moneycontrol.com , Ibnlive, Ibn khabar, Cricketnext.com and e-mailers to the vast Network 18database.

Collateral events_India Art Fair

2012-01-22T21:51:00.000-08:00

Speakers' Forum

Art Projects

Book Launches

Curated Walks

Video Lounge

Collateral Events

Collector's Circle

Art Book Store

Outreach

IAF VIDEO 2011

IMAGE GALLERY

Collateral Events


22nd January	24th January	26th January
27th January	28th January	29th January
Collateral Events in Mumbai	Collateral Events in Bangalore

Sunday, 22nd January

TOP

12:30 pm – 4:30 pm		Art Brunch @ Lado Sarai


Gallery		Abadi Art Space
Show		Decadence – a Present History
Artists		Daliborka Obradovic- Manmeet Devgun- Prashast Kachru- Shivani Aggarwal Vineet Kumar
Dates		22 January, 2012 till 11 February 2012


Gallery		Gallery Art Motif
Artists		John Tun Sein and Shalina Vichitra
Dates		22nd January, 2012 to 18th February, 2012


Gallery		Gallery Art Positive
Show		Aham
Artists		Dileep Sharma, Nitish Bhattacharya, Jagadish Chintala, Vineet Sharma, Satish Gupta, Shuvaprasanna, Shipra Bhattacharya and Sidharth
Dates		22nd January, 2012 to 15th February, 2012


Gallery		Exhibit 320
Show		The construction of loss
Artists		charmi gada shah, gunjan and rahul, kuldeep singh, priti vadakkath, sachin george sebastian, sandip pisalkar
Dates		22nd January, 2012 - 3rd February, 2012


Gallery		Gallery Ragini
Show		a4arple, curated by Johny ML
Artists		aadhi vishal, abhimanue v.g, ajaya kumar, aji adoor, anil thambai chaitali kulkarni, deepak john mathew, dibin thilakan, garima jayadevan, george martin, gigi scaria, hochimin p.h jinson joseph, john xaviers, karl antao, kavita singh kale madhu venugopalan, manmeet, mathai tom, megha joshi mithu joardar, murali cheeroth, norman tagore, phaneendranath chaturvedi, pooja iranna, priti vadakkath, ravi kashi, reji arackal, richa goel, s. ayesha, sajeev visweswaran, shantanu lodh, shilpa m. nasnolkar, siri devi khandavilli soghra khurasani, subodh kerkar, suchit sahni , sukesan kanka, sunil padwal, vaibhav sharma, vivek vilasini
Dates		25th November 2011 - 31st January 2012


Gallery		Latitude 28
Show		Slipping Through The Cracks - Curated by Meera Menezes
Artists		Anita Dube \| Archana Hande \| Arun Kumar HG \| Atul Bhalla \| Baptist Coelho \| Hemali Bhuta \| Jagannath Panda \| Mithu Sen \| Prajjwal Chowdhury \| Raqs Media Collective \| Sheba Chhachhi \| Shreyas Karle
Dates		22nd January - 22nd February 2012


Gallery		Threshold Art Gallery
Show		Why Cross the Boundary…
Artists		V. Ramesh
Dates		22nd January to 18th February 12

Tuesday, 24th January

TOP

4 pm onwards

Experiments with the Magyar: Associations of Identities across Geographies
High Tea and Aperitifs on the Lawn Exhibition: 24 to 31 January | 11am to 7pm

Host

Venue

Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre, 1/A, Janpath, New Delhi-110 011

6:00 pm - 10:30pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Hemi Bawa 2012
Cast Glass, Sculptures and Mixed Media
Special Preview & cocktail reception

Host

Hemi Bawa & Ashwini Pai Bahadur

Venue

The Atrium, DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi

6:00 pm

Adbhutam – rasa in Indian art
Curated by CIMA Gallery
Preview with snacks

Venue

Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003

6:30 - 8:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

The ŠKODA Prize Show 2011 Opening
Show continues till 6th February

Host

Mrs. Kiran Nadar, Jury Chairperson and Chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, ŠKODA Auto India and Seventy Event Media Group

Venue

Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, 35 Feroz Shah Road, New Delhi

7:00 pm -9:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders) (By RSVP only: tg@talwargallery.com by 22nd January 2012)

Nothing From My Hands
Solo Exhibition of Alwar Balasubramaniam
Special Preview and Reception

Host

Talwar Gallery

Venue

Talwar Gallery, C-84, Niti Bagh, New Delhi

7:00 pm onwards
(IAF VIP pass holders)

BENGAL
Viewing with cocktail reception

Host

Ashish Anand, Director Delhi Art Gallery

Venue

Delhi Art Gallery- 11, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi

Thursday, 26th January

TOP

6:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Our Beautiful Daughters
Artists: Yoko Ono
Talk by leading International curators and exclusive viewing of exhibition

Host

Vadehra Art Gallery

Venue

Vadehra Art Gallery D 53 Defence Colony, New Delhi

6:00 – 9:00 pm
(IAF VIP Pass holders)
RSVP at vip@indiaartfair.in by 15th January 2012. (Entry on first-come, first-serve basis)

Studios of Shahpur Jat
Artists studio visits: Arpana Caur, , Prittam Priyalochan, Ravi Agarwal and Raqs Media Collective

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

OUTSET India presents Vishal K Dar + Gabriel Dunne
Site Specific Installation ‘Untitled’ on view
Also on view on Friday, 27th January

Venue

The Toilet @ 1071/a, old Dada Bari road, Mehrauli

7:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)
RSVP: culture.frenchembassy@gmail.com

Writers and writing on Art
A discussion and cocktails

Host

The French Embassy & Institut Français in India & The Alliance Francais de Delhi

Venue

Alliance Francaise de Delhi, 72 Lodhi Estate, New Delhi

7:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

The Backstage Painting Show
Sumakshi Singh brings three Artists to construct illusionist paintings
Viewing with snacks and refreshments

Host

Religare Art

Venue

Religare Art, Ground Floor, D3, PB3, District Centre, Saket, New Delhi

Friday, 27th January

TOP

11:00 am -1:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)(By RSVP only: tg@talwargallery.com by 22nd January 2012)

Nothing From My Hands
Solo Exhibition of Alwar Balasubramaniam
Special Preview Brunch

Host

Talwar Gallery

Venue

Talwar Gallery, C-84, Niti Bagh, New Delhi

4:00 pm – 9:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

KHOJlive12 Supported by OUTSET India
An evening of Live Performance Art

Host

KHOJ and OUTSET

Venue

Bluefrog, the Qila, Mehrauli

4:30 pm onwards

Project - by Kiran Chandra
A talk by the Artists on the project

Host

Shrine Empire Gallery

Venue

Shrine Empire Gallery, 7, Friends Colony West, New Delhi

6:00 - 7:30 pm onwards
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Pink is the Navy Blue of India, Being & Nothingness
An exhibition of photographs by Norman Parkinson and Swapan Nayak
Special preview and cocktail reception

Host

Tasveer

Venue

Stainless Gallery, The Mira Corporate Suites 1&2, Old Ishwar Nagar, Okhla Crossing, Mathura Road, New Delhi-110065

6:00 - 7:30 pm onwards
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Picture Project
Panaromic Trompe L'oeils by Amit Pasricha Curated by Kishore Singh
Special preview and cocktail reception

Host

Wonderwall

Venue

Stainless Gallery, The Mira Corporate Suites 1&2, Old Ishwar Nagar, Okhla Crossing, Mathura Road, New Delhi-110065

6:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders,
RSVP: art@galleryespace.com
by 22nd January, 2012)

Narratives of the Self
A Group Show of Autobiographical Sketchbooks.
Viewing with cocktails and snacks.
Artists: Amit Ambalal, Anandajit Ray, Anju Dodiya, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Jitish Kallat, Jyoti Bhatt, Krishen Khanna, Madhvi Parekh, Manisha Gera, Manjunath Kamath, Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur,Mithu Sen, Nilima Sheikh, Paula Sengupta, Rekha Rodwittiya, Sarnath Banerjee, Sutapa Biswas.

Host

Gallery Espace

Venue

Gallery Espace, 16, Community Centre, New Friends Colony, New Delhi

7:00 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Meera Mukherjee
Cocktail Reception

Host

Akar Prakar and The Sheraton, New Delhi Coordinated by Ina Puri

Venue

The Sheraton, New Delhi, District Centre, Saket

After Hours
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Drinks at Aqua and Agni
(Special discounts for IAF VIP pass holders)

Venue

Aqua and Agni, Park Hotel, 15 Parliament Street, New Delhi

Saturday, 28th January

TOP

7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
(By invitation only)

Exhibition of Raking Leaves Special Editions 2008-2012
January Exhibition: Raking Leaves Special Editions 2008-2012
Exhibition continues until 12 Feb

Venue

Project Jan-Path, Brick House Jan-Path, C 48 Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi 110 017

6:00 pm – 10 pm
(By invitation only)

Visions of Space 2012
Solo Exhibition of Sanjay Bhattacharya
Cocktail Reception

Host

Arushi Arts
contact: payalkapoork@gmail.com

Venue

The Gallery on M.G Mall on M.G Road, New Delhi (1km from Lutyens)

6:30 pm
(By invitation only)

France & IAF 2012
Cocktail Reception and multimedia works by French Artists, Laurent Pernot

Host

The French Embassy /Institut Français in India

Venue

2, Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi

6:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Parallel Journeys
Spain - Jordi Gispert Pi: The World’s Longest Landscape
India - Sunaina Bhalla: India Diaspora
Curated by Dr. Alka Pande
Cocktail Reception

Host

Instituto Cervantes

Venue

Instituto Cervantes, Exhibition Gallery, 48 Hanuman Road, New Delhi

7:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Art and Mythology
Works by Anjolie Ela Menon, F.N.Souza, Jamini Roy, Krishen Khanna, M.F.Husain, Niren Sen Gupta, Julio D’souza, Redappa Naidu, Tapati Sarkar, among others
Preview with cocktails and snacks

Host

Dhoomimal Gallery

Venue

Dhoomimal Gallery, G-42 Connaught Place, New Delhi

7:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

The Contemporary Sultanate
Curated by Veeranganakumari Solanki
Artists: Arun Kumar HG, Bose Krishnamachari, charmi gada shah, GR Iranna, Gigi Scaria,muktinath mondal, Princess Pea, Nandan Ghiya, Vibha Galhotra, Reena Kallat, Pooja Iranna, Raqs Media Collective, Remen Chopra, Riyas Komu, TV Santhosh, Zuleikha Choudhari
Preview with cocktails

Host

Exhibit 320

Venue

The Sunrydge 1 Style Mile, Olive Complex, Mehrauli, near Qutub Minar, New Delhi

After Hours
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Drinks at Aqua and Agni
(Special discounts for IAF VIP pass holders)

Venue

Aqua and Agni, Park Hotel, 15 Parliament Street, New Delhi

Sunday, 29th January

TOP

4:30 pm to 8 pm

Raking Leaves book launch and panel discussion followed by cocktail reception and book signing Curator/publisher Sharmini Pereira and artists Bani Abidi and T. Shanaathanan in conversation with Pooja Sood

Host

British Council

Venue

British Council, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001

2 pm - 6 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders RSVP:engenderednyc@gmail.com)

Can You See Me?- Contemporary investigations of the invisibilities,multiplicities and complexities of gender and sexuality in culture and religion in the global South' Site specific & residency work by Sharmistha Ray,Simeen Farhat,Amina Begum Ahmed,Satyakam Saha,Balbir Krishan,Satadru Sovan, Jose Abad
Open Contemporary: Talk with Leeza Ahmady New York based independent curator,dOCUMENTA (13) Agent,and director of Asian Contemporary Art Week, Leeza Ahmady,discusses contemporary art practices,curator and art -historical re -considerations,and the wonders of working in an era of unprecedented access to artists worldwide.Followed by a high tea reception and late brunch on the residency terrace

Host

Engendered Gallery

Venue

Engendered Gallery,125 B, 2nd Flr,Shahpurjat, Above Bookwise near Khelgaon ,New Delhi

5:00 pm

Dayanita Singh: House of Love
Walkthrough and conversation with the Artists

Host

Nature Morte

Venue

Nature Morte, A1 Neeti Bagh, New Delhi

6:30 pm
(IAF VIP pass holders)

Gallery Night @ Lado Sarai
Shows and cocktails at Abadi Art Space, Art Motif, Art Positive, Exhibit 320, Gallery Ragini, Latitude 28, Threshold Gallery

Collateral Events in Mumbai during India Art Fair 2012

TOP

Friday, 20th January

8:00 pm
(By invitation only )

The unveiling of Sudarshan Shetty's sculpture, Flying Bus and the launch of the Flying Bus Project with a showing of works by Amar Kanwar.

Host

Maker Maxity

Venue

Maker Maxity, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra (East), Mumbai – 400051

Gallery		THE LOFT at Lower Parel
Show		MIND\|MIRROR Video Works by Darshana Vora
Dates		21st December 2011 – 27th January, 2012

Mumbai Art District shows
Gallery		Chatterjee & Lal
Show		Hetain Patel
Dates		12 January – 29 February, 2012

Gallery		Chemould Prescott Road
Show		*Someoneelse* Artists: Shilpa Gupta
Dates		21 January – 16 February, 2012

Gallery		Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke
Show		*Hidden Geographies* Artists: Sharmistha Ray
Dates		18 January – 18 February, 2012

Gallery		Gallery Beyond
Show		*Personal Icons* Artists: Reghunandhan K, Karl Antao, Prithpal Singh Ladi, Viraj Naik, Ratna Gupta, Puneet KAUSHIK , B.M.KAMATH, Pooja Irranna, RAJAN KRISHNAN, FARHAD HUSSAIN, PRATUL DASH, N.N.RIMZON, Arunkumar H.G
Dates		10 January – 20 February, 2012

Gallery		Gallery Maskara
Show		*Suffocation* Artists: Aaditi Joshi
Dates		8 December, 2011 – 4 February, 2012

Gallery		Lakeeren
Show		*Listen to your Eyes* Artists: Sharmila Samant
Dates		4 January – 4 February, 2012

Gallery		Mumbai Art Room
Show		*In Deed: Certificates of Authenticity in Art*
Dates		13 January – 10 February, 2012

Gallery		Project 88
Show		*In the Year 2030* Artists: The Otolith Group
Dates		12 January – 28 February, 2012

Gallery		Sakshi Gallery
Show		*Sightings*
Dates		7 January - 31 January, 2012

Gallery		The Guild
Show		Baiju Parthan and Prayas Abhinav
Dates		17 January – 18 February 2012

Collateral Events in Bangalore during India Art Fair 2012

TOP


Gallery		GALLERYSKE
Show		Listen outside this house Artists: Sudarshan Shetty
Dates		On view till 28th Jan 2012

For more information on the shows, please contact the galleries directly.

Russia's Nerpa Nuclear Submarine to India

2012-01-22T20:48:00.000-08:00

Russia’s K-152 Nerpa nuclear-powered attack submarine handed over to the Indian Navy, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported on Monday.
In line with the contract worth over $900 million, the Project 971 Shchuka-B (NATO: Akula II) class sub has been leased to India’s Navy for ten years. It will be renamed the INS Chakra.
The ceremony took place in the Far Eastern Primorye Territory. Russian submariners trained their Indian colleagues to steer the Nerpa in the Pacific Ocean.
The event was attended by Indian ambassador to Russia Ajai Malhotra, United Shipbuilding Corporation head Roman Trotsenko, Eastern Military District commander Admiral Konstantin Sidenko and other officials.
The submarine’s displacement is 8,140/12,770 tons. Its maximum speed is 30 knots, maximum operating depth, 600 m; its endurance is 100 days with a crew of 73. The vessel is armed with four 533mm torpedo tubes and four 650mm torpedo tubes.
India has become the sixth operator of nuclear submarines in the world, after the United States, Russia, France, Britain and China, though it previously leased another Russian submarine which was then returned.
Twenty sailors died on the Nerpa in 2008 after the vessel’s fire-suppression systems were accidentally triggered during sea trials, releasing toxic gases.

Putin: New Interethnic Relations Agency

2012-01-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed establishing a new state agency on national development and interethnic accord.Interethnic issues have come to the foreground recently, with ethnic Russians growing indignant at the behavior of migrants from inside Russia and other former Soviet republics, whose disrespect for Russian traditions and customs sometimes results in interethnic clashes.
In an apparent attempt to soothe both groups, Putin, who will run for president in the March 4 elections, said in an article for the Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily: “I think a special structure responsible for issues of national development, interethnic accord and interaction should be established in the system of the federal power bodies.”
Putin’s initiative echoes proposals by regional parliamentarians, who have repeatedly called for reestablishing a federal body strengthening interethnic relations.
Earlier the Nationalities Ministry dealt with such issues, while now they are addressed by the Regional Development Ministry, which does not pay enough attention to them, Putin said.
The premier said the agency should interact with the president, the government staff, the public and have certain powers.
Putin served two terms as Russia’s president between 2000 and 2008, but was barred from standing for a third consecutive term by the constitution. He became prime minister after his handpicked successor, Dmitry Medvedev, became president.
While Putin is widely expected to secure the presidency in the March 4 vote, he is facing a crisis of popularity and analysts say it is no longer certain he will triumph in the first round of voting

UP Polls: Last day for 2nd phase nomination today

2012-01-22T20:24:00.001-08:00

In Uttar Pradesh, nomination for the second phase of assembly elections ends on Monday, a total of 788 nominations have already been filed for this phase.

59 constituencies spread over 9 districts of eastern UP will go to polls on the 11th of next month in this phase.

Meanwhile, nomination process has gained momentum for the first three phases of assembly polls in the state.

Monday is last date for withdrawal for nominations for first phase.

For the third phase, 18 candidates including 3 from Congress and one each from BJP, BSP and Samajwadi Party have filed their papers on first day of nominations on Saturday.

Filing of Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum IEM

2012-01-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

Filing of Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) Under the provisions of Press Note. 9 (1991 Series) dated 2nd August 1991, entrepreneurs are required to submit an Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) in the prescribed form along with the prescribed fee for undertaking the manufacture of any article exempted from Industrial Licence in terms of this Ministry’s (Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion) notification No. 477 (E) dated 25.7.1991. Such a memorandum was also to be filed by industrial undertakings engaged in non-scheduled industries i.e. those not covered under the 1 (D&R) Act, 1951. On filing the memorandum with the requisite number of copies, entrepreneurs are given an acknowledgement of receipt.

It was clarified by Press Note. No. 22 (1991 Series) dated 24 the December, 1991 that the IEM was intended purely for statistical purposes and to conduct a limited post-facto check to see whether the proposed manufacturing activity requires an industrial licence or not. It was also clarified that the procedure was not in the nature of any registration involving scrutiny of the memorandum, etc.

Press Note No. 17 (1997 Series) dated 28.11.1997 further clarified that acknowledgement of the IEM, which is given on the spot on prima facie evidence of not attracting licensing provisions, cannot be construed as a clearance of approval to carry on an industrial activity contemplated in the IEM unless the provisions of statutes/regulations/notifications etc. issued by the Central or State Governments from time to time or any specific directions or Stay orders issued by the Court/Competent Authority relevant to such an activity, are also fully complied with or in no way contravened, as the case may be. Hence, it was stated that it is the responsibility of the entrepreneur to ensure that the manufacturing activity as specified in the IEM, does not come into conflict with other legal provisions or directions or standing orders. In case of doubt, the entrepreneurs were free to seek clarification/avail assistance of the Secretariat of Industrial Assistance (SIA).

In continuation of the position mentioned in the Press Notes 22 (1991 Series) & 17 (1997 Series), it is reiterated that the IEM is meant purely for statistical purposes and the acknowledgement is issued without any further scrutiny beyond checking that all the requisite columns in the Form are filled in, and the onus for compliance/non-contravention with all the rules regulations, guidelines, orders and directions etc., on the subject lie with the applicant.

Haryana ahead of Punjab:PM

2012-01-22T04:27:00.001-08:00

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Parkash Singh Badal-led SAD-BJP government in Punjab, saying the state which was once a frontrunner in all spheres had now fallen behind.

Dr Singh addressing an election rally in his hometown Amritsar, he asked the electorate to overthrow the present regime and bring back Congress to power in the state."Punjab was a golden land till a few years ago. The state was a frontrunner for many years and had done wonders in agriculture, industial sector and food production.”

"It had no parallel in Sabyachar (culture) not just in the country but around the world. But, now it lags behind," Dr Singh told the rally.

He said after being number one state in the country, Punjab had fallen back and alleged the SAD-BJP government was responsible for this.

He said even small and neighbouring state Haryana had left Punjab behind. Haryana was carved out of Punjab in November 1966.He accused the Badal government of failing to sincerely implement and properly utilise funds provided to the state for carrying out developmental activities.

Speaking in Punjabi, Dr Singh, in his nearly 35-minute speech, said the Congress rule between 2002 and 2007 had seen a swift pace of development in the agrarian state.

He said there had been little development during the SAD-led dispensation, adding power problem and unemployment had aggravated during its rule.The Prime Minister said education and health sectors remained totally neglected during the SAD rule.He said the UPA government had always kept in mind the interest of Punjab.

The Central government had been liberal in allocating projects to the state and ensuring that its development took place without any discrimination, he said.

It had provided 2,700 doctors and para-medics, and set up 126 primary health centres besides giving ambulances to the state, the Prime Minister said.

"We also gave an IIT in Ropar and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research at Mohali, set up a Central Unviversity in Bathinda and upgraded Amritsar's medical college at a cost of Rs 150 crore," he said.

The Prime Minister said it was his greatest desire to have a Central University in Amritsar but the state government had expressed its inability to provide land for the project.

Referring to the education sector, the Prime Minister said the Centre had given Rs 3400 crore to the state for its improvement.

The Centre had also helped in setting up 824 primary centres and appointing 15,000 teachers, he said.

Appealing to the people to vote for the Congress to ensure all-round and equitable development of the state, he said if his party came to power, it would take effective steps to make the state drug-free.

Monday's Amavasya bathing at Sangam

2012-01-22T04:25:00.003-08:00

Thousands of pilgrims have arrived at Sangam area for Monday's Amavasya bathing. According to Magh mela officer, about 30 lakh pilgrims have already arrived at Sangam. Elaborate administrative and security arrangements have been made for Monday's bathing.

More than 500 night shelters have been arranged for pilgrims at Sangam area. Allahabad correspondent reports from Sangam that 14 companies of PAC, Rapid Action Force, Anti sabotage team and Bomb disposal squad are patrolling Sangam area. CCTV cameras are also installed at various locations for round the clock surveillance. Railways and Road transport departments have arranged special train and bus services for pilgrims.

Posted 37 minutes ago by Press Conference-Sagar31News

Tibetan national uprising day on March 10

2012-01-22T04:19:00.001-08:00

Tibetan New Year from February 22-24 and the Tibetan national uprising day commemorated on March 10. Three years ago, demonstrations on March 10, 2008 had led to the biggest ever pan-Tibet uprisings seen for many decades.

AP, in a report, has quoted travel agents in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet as confirming the ban, Thursday.

The timing of the ban has greater political implications this year as Tibetans in Tibet, as well in exile, have called for a boycott of the new year celebrations in a show of respect and solidarity with Tibetans who have self-immolated in Tibet. In the past 11 months, 16 Tibetans have set their bodies on fire demanding the return of the Dalai Lama from exile and protesting China’s occupation of Tibet.

Recent reports suggested that Chinese government officials in eastern Tibet were “coaxing Tibetans with money and gifts” to celebrate the new year.

The report noted that travel agencies were informed of the ban on foreign travellers from February 20 to March 30 by the government's tourist administration in Lhasa.

"We haven't seen a written notice, but it's the same as previous bans. We were not told about the reasons, but it's probably because of the Tibetan new year," AP quoted a travel agent in Lhasa as saying.

“Chinese officials often issue orders regarding sensitive political issues only verbally to allow deniability and maintain the impression of control,” the report said.

Last year, a ban on foreigners was announced during the same period, but government officials cited cold weather and overbooking of hotels as reasons for the ban.

For a second time in 2011, Chinese authorities again banned foreigners as well as Chinese scholars and Tibetans from neighbouring provinces from visiting the ‘TAR’ ahead of politically sensitive celebrations in July.

The restive traditionally Tibetan areas outside the ‘TAR’ where most of the self-immolations have taken place have remained closed to outsiders for months amidst massive security presence.

SAD's manifesto for Punjab polls

2012-01-22T04:02:00.000-08:00

Punjab Assembly elections just round the corner, SAD out to woo voters with more promises.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has expressed its commitment to infrastructure development and compulsory IT education for the people of Punjab.In its poll manifesto released in Ludhiana on Sunday, the party has promised laptops to higher secondary students in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh, BJP leader Uma Bharati said development is her party’s main agenda. She expressed the hope that the SAD-BJP combine would come back to power in the state.

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi questioned SAD-BJP government’s promises on IT education in Punjab.Talking to media persons, he asked the state government what it had done in this sector during its rule for the last five years.

Social Innovations needed to solve the problems of the poor: Sam Pitroda

2012-01-21T07:58:00.000-08:00

New Delhi, Jan 21, 2012:India is in a unique position to solve the problems of the poor as it has the largest number of poor and huge amount of talent to address challenges faced by them, said Sam Pitroda, advisor to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on public information infrastructure and innovations and Honorary Chairman of Action For India.

“There is a lot of talent solving the problem of the rich. Innovations are needed to solve the problem of the poor,” Pitroda added addressing a meet of 100 young social innovators at the first ever ‘Action For India’ Forum 2012 focussing on how technology can make social enterprises scale their operations more effectively.

These social innovations will be driven by the young innovators from the bottom (of the pyramid) as the top is not in tune with the requirements. The government – state as well as central – is doing a number of things to help this change and make the delivery of public service different, Pitroda added.

India’s most celebrated social innovators – Chanchalapathi Dasa, Trustee of Akshaya Patra Foundation that feeds 1.3 million mid day meals everyday; Prableen Sabhhaney from Fabindia, the unique venture that made 15,000+ mini entrepreneurs out of weavers and artisans, Self-Help Group pioneer Anish Pradhan from Pradan, pioneers in the promotion of Self-Help Groups that covers nearly 200,000 rural poor women in eight states who have mobilized a total savings of Rs. 50 crore; Sushmita Ghosh, President Emeritus, Ashoka, the world’s working community of nearly 3000 leading social entrepreneurs, K Thiagarajan from Agastya, the largest science education program in schools; bureaucrats from Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana which has over 90 million active smart cards and more than 1.5 million people already availed treatment at various hospitals shared their challenges and lessons in scaling up to galvanize 100 Young Social Innovators to discover how technology can help social enterprises get more pervasive in coverage and impact.

Enthused by the work done by social entrepreneurs and changes in public delivery system at least five African countries are looking at Indian models of development to solve the problems at the bottom of the pyramid, said Sam Pitroda, as western models aren’t scalable.

An in-depth report highlighting barriers to scale and how technology and government can play a role in overcoming these challenges, specially developed by Dasra team led by Neera Nundi, a strategic philanthropy foundation, was unveiled by Mr Pitroda.

The forum discussed technological and other challenges faced by social innovators in sectors like agriculture represented by eFarm and Logistimo, Education by Butterfly Fields and Gram Vaani, Healthcare by Biosense and iKure, Energy by Simpa Networks and Onergy and Livelihood by Amrita University and Jaldoot.

To support social entrepreneurs set up new business models to bring about change, efforts are underway to increase the corpus of National Innovation Fund, as soon as it collects Rs 500 crore, including Rs 100 crore announced by the finance minister Pranab Mukerjee, said Sam Pitroda. This fund is expected to be operational by June-July this year

About Action For India
Action For India (AFI) is a social start-up enterprise dedicated to helping social organizations scale their impact by leveraging Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). They offer training and guidance to social entrepreneurs to sustainably scale their organizations through the use of technology.

AFI recruits Young Social Innovators, people who lead organizations that are able and willing to scale by leveraging technology, and provides them:

Skills and Knowledge: Training and exposure to technology experts and social entrepreneurs
Networks: AFI Mentors providing advice on selecting and implementing technology solutions, and an enabling ecosystem of youth networks, universities, and volunteers available to help implement scale up strategies
Partnerships: AFI Partners consisting of technology companies and networks that can offer free or subsidized technology products and services

Sam Pitroda at IIT Delhi

2012-01-20T21:32:00.001-08:00

Action For India Forum 2012 being led by Sam Pitroda on Saturday Jan 21 at Seminar Hall of at IIT Delhi from 915 am to 6 pm is an initiative to bring 100 Young Social Innovators face to face with technologists and senior successful social innovators--bureaucrat Anil Swarup, entrepreneur William Bissel, social innovator CP Das, energy expert Swati Bhogle, healthcare change agent Dr Ashwin Naik, Self-Help Group pioneer Anish Kumar, skill development agency chief Dilip Shenoy--with a view to help them enhance their social impact by inducting technology.

Program Schedule

08:30 AM	Registration & Tea
09:30 AM	Introduction & Welcome Sanjay Kadaveru
09:40 AM	Keynote Speech Sam Pitroda
10:10 AM	Young Social Innovators (YSIs) Pitch Session YSIs introduce their organizations followed by Q&A
11:15 AM	Tea
11:35 AM	Panel Discussion: Exemplars of Social Innovation Theme: Successful Social Innovators share their journey of growth and scaling up Moderator: Sushmita Ghosh (President Emeritus, Ashoka; Member, AFI’s Advisory Board) Panelists: Anil Swarup, RSBY C P Das, Akshaya Patra William Bissell, Fabindia Anish Kumar, Pradan Q&A
12:25 PM	Panel Discussion: Leveraging Technology for Scaling Impact Theme: Technology resources YSIs should know about Moderator: Ed Cutrell (Microsoft Research, Technology for Emerging Markets Unit; Member, AFI’s Advisory Board) Panelists: B V Natesh, Nokia Dilip Modi, Spice Telecom Srinivas B Garudachar, Intel Anurag Gupta, A Little World Q&A
01:15 PM	Lunch
02:15 PM	Sector Specific Break-Out Sessions YSIs split into groups by sector and discuss challenges and opportunities in the sector
03:15 PM	Cross Sector Break-Out Sessions YSIs split into mixed groups and discuss challenges and opportunities for scaling up their organizations
04:15 PM	Tea
04:35 PM	Presentations from the Sector Specific Break-Out Sessions YSIs & Sam Pitroda
05:45 PM	Announcements of AFI “Growth Prizes” & Next Steps of AFI
05:55 PM	Key Learnings Sam Pitroda
06:25 PM	Vote of Thanks Dr. Shiban Ganju
06:30 PM	Networking Reception
07:30 PM	Close

Posted byNksagarat7:36 PM

A collateral event of the India Art Fair.

2012-01-20T21:29:00.001-08:00

A collateral event of the India Art Fair.

Hungarian Information and Cultural Centre in cooperation with the Clark House Initiative an exhibition "EXPERIMENTS WITH THE MAGYARS - Associations of Identities Across Geographies" and a collateral event of the India Art Fair. The exhibition has been curated by Sumesh Sharma and Zasha Colah (Clark House Initiative).

The exhibition will include works by Somnath Adamane, Imran Ali Khan, Liz Ballard, Tibor Balogh, Sachin Bonde, János Borsos, Prapti Chavanke, Věra Duždová, Roland Farkas, Lada Gaziova, Tushar Joag, Andras Kallai, Henrik Kallai, Szabolcs Kisspál, Roland Korponovics, József Zé Kovács, Krisztián Kristóf, Simon Liddiment, Oláh Mara, Miklós Mécs, Avinash Motghare, Prasad Nikumbh, Szacsva Y Pál, Nandini Pantawane, Deepali Patkar, Madan Pawar, André Raatzsch, Nikhil Raunak, Sharmila Samant, Alexander Schikowski, Hemant Shinde, Shambhavi Singh, Priya Sawale, Laszlo Siroki, Lajos Csonto Sontó, János Sugár, Csaba Vándor, Tamás Zádor.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by renowned artist, Vivan Sundaram on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 3:30 pm at the gallery and lawns of the Hungarian Centre. Please join us for high tea after the inauguration.

You are cordially invited for the same. Please find attached the ecard for the same