Tourist from Buddhist Countries to get Visa on Arrival
Sahai Inaugurates International Buddhist Conclave

Union Tourism Minister Shri Subodh Kant Sahai has said that tourist from countries having sizable Buddhist population such as Thailand and Malaysia would be provided the facility of Visa on Arrival ( VOA). Inaugurating a two day International Buddhist Conclave at Varanasi today, he said his Ministry had also decided to develop a Ghat in the temple town Varanasi in the name of Lord Buddha on the bank of river Ganga. He said his Ministry had adopted a Keep India Clean Mission to keep clean the cities particularly tourist places across the country to attract maximum tourists. The Minister appealed to the State Governments to take initiatives for the success this Mission. He assured full cooperation of his Ministry to the state Government local administration to keep the holy city of Varanasi clean.

Shri Sahai said India being the land of origin of Buddhism, is the main attraction for the Buddhist tourists from across the globe. He said his Ministry is drawing up plans to to attract more tourists from Buddhist countries by providing them special facilities. Buddhism being a world religion now, its sites have a great attraction for tourists’ world over. The Ministry of Tourism is continuing with its efforts in identifying more and more Buddhist Circuits and developing them in holistic and integrated manner.

Shri Sahai announced that his Ministry has identified three circuits to be developed as part of Buddhist Circuits during the 12th Five Year Plan.they are:Circuit 1: The Dharmayatra or the Sacred Circuit - This will be a 5 to 7 days circuit and will include visits to Gaya (Bodhgaya), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva ( Kapilvastu) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal.Circuit 2: Extended Dharmayatra or Extended Sacred Circuit or Retracing Buddha’s Footsteps - This will be a 10 to 15 days circuit and will include visit to Bodhgaya (Nalanda, Rajgir, Barabar caves, Pragbodhi Hill, Gaya), Patna (Vaishali, Lauriya Nandangarh, Lauriya Ariraj, Kesariya, Patna Museum), Varanasi(Sarnath), Kushinagar, Piparva (Kapilvastu, Shravasti, Saniska) with a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal.Circuit 3: Buddhist Heritage Trails State Circuits- Jammu and Kashmir - Ladakh, Srinagar and Jammu; Himachal Pradesh - Dharamshala, Spiti, Kinnaur and Lahaul. Shri Sahai expressed the hope that deliberations at the conclave would help us to carry on this process of identifying and developing more Buddhist circuits.

The Tourism Minister said that tourism today is being looked upon as a driver of economic growth. India too has seen rapid development in tourism over the last few years apart from promoting our rich heritage and culture and its diversity. He said during 12th Five Year Plan period we have identified around 35 major integrated circuits and destinations having potential to attract a large number of tourists. It is proposed to develop around 20 tourism parks on the lines of Sentosa Islands in Singapore

The conclave is being held with a view to showcasing and projecting the Buddhist Heritage of India. The delegates at the conclave include the International Buddhist scholars, tour operators and media both domestic and international who actively promote Buddhist Tourism. About 130 Overseas guests including Buddhist Scholars/Tour Operators and Media representatives (mainstream media and travel journalists) from 30 countries including Australia,Belgium,Bhutan,Cambodia,Canada,China,France,Holland,Hungary,Indonesia,Italy,Japan,laos,Malaysia,Myanmar,New Zealand, Phillipines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, USA and Vietnam are attending the conclave. More than one hundred Indian Tour Operators, Scholars, Media personnel from 16 States/UTs including Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Bihar are also attending the Conclave.

The Conclave is an important tourism marketing event designed to bring together international buyers from around the world particularly from the popular Buddhist destinations like Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, China etc. together, to interact, promote and sell, with the objective of increasing tourist arrivals to India and specifically to the Buddhist sites in different states.

The Conclave sessions include Technical sessions on Buddhism for scholars, and travel and Tourism sessions for the media and Tour operators. The delegates will also be taken for site visits to Bodh Gaya and Nalanda. The International Buddhist Conclave in India is being organized after a period of two years. The last Conclave was organized in Nalanda in February 2010.

UPA and NDA will be defeated: CPI

Both Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA would be defeated in the next general elections slated for 2014, CPI said and voiced optimism about the emergence of a programme-based alternative of the Left and democratic forces.

"BJP's dream of regaining power will be shattered mainly due to infighting in that party," CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy and senior leader A B Bardhan said in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

"Though BJP seems to be presuming that it would come back to power at the Centre in the polls, it must realise that people will reject the party as several of its leaders are embroiled in corruption," they said.

The Congress-led UPA on the other hand would fail miserably to retain power as people are fed up with rampant corruption, faulty economic policies involving permission for FDI in multi-brand retail and sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, Bardhan said.

Under the circumstances, people are desperately looking for an alternative which would emerge when Left and democratic forces come together to provide a programme-based option, the CPI veterans said.

On CPI's possible tie-up with parties like BJD, Bardhan said "the question of alliance is still far off. When the time comes appropriate decision will be taken.

"It is not just a question of some political parties sitting together and distributing seats. If a new alternative has to emerge, people must know about it. It will not happen through talks across the table but by participation in an intensive struggle," he said.

The struggle by the Left and other parties besides a wide range of forces has already started against corruption, price rise and the harmful economic policies of the government and it needs to be intensified in order to bring about change, they said while expressing optimism about a positive outcome.

CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy criticised the UPA government for allowing FDI in retail and hiking prices of diesel and demanded their immediate rollback.

The CPI leaders accused the Centre of extending concessions and subsidies of Rs 24 lakh crore to the corporate sector in the past four years and said poor people were being burdened in order to sustain this.

They said Kelkar Committee's reported recommendation of withdrawal of subsidies on foodgrains, petroleum products and other articles was totally unacceptable as the poor would be hit hard.

If the government is courageous and determined, it can take concrete steps to bring back the Rs 71 lakh crore black money stashed in Swiss banks instead of taxing the people, they added.

Speaking against FDI in retail sector, they said if it was allowed the livelihood of millions in over four crore outlets would be at stake.

"Contrary to the government claims the move would snatch away more jobs than FDI would create."

FDI in media would have an adverse impact on the sector and the same in airlines would put country's security in jeopardy, Reddy claimed.

Reaffirming CPI's opposition to UPA's economic policies, they said leaders of Left parties would meet on 6^th October in Delhi to chalk out the future course of action on FDI in retail and increase in prices of diesel.

Opposing the decision on disinvestment in aluminium major Nalco, Reddy said it is shameful to disinvest the profit making Navaratna PSU.

Reddy and Bardhan asked BJD to involve other parties and forces in the fight against disinvestment of Nalco and said it should be made a people's movement.

On the coal blocks allocation controversy, Reddy and Bardhan said no captive mine should be given to private companies and all natural and mineral resources should be with the state agencies

Politics full of dirt: Hazare

Maintaining strong opposition to entering politics as it is full of dirt, Anna Hazare claimed that he did not get answers from Arvind Kejriwal-led group on questions raised by him on how to organise a political alternative. Hazare, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday morning and met activists to chalk out the next course of action on an apolitical anti-corruption movement, said the path of "politics is not sacred and it is full of dirt" but the route of agitation is "sacred". Contending that a big movement and not politics will give the country its future, the activist said he had told the pro-party group that the route of politics was "not the right direction". "I did not give an alternative. When I was told that an alternative has to be given, I said it is a good idea but I asked them to answer my 5-6 questions (on how to provide an alternative). But I did not get those answers," he told reporters on Sunday. Hazare was referring to the questions he raised like how will members of a new party will be selected, where will the money come from and how will the candidates for elections will be selected among others. The activist's fresh salvo against Kejriwal came two days after he wrote in a blog that the anti-corruption group split due to politics within and not because of any attempts by government. "If I had to enter elections I would have done it when I would have done it much earlier. I have not even fought Panchayat elections. When I talk about alternative, I am not talking about political alternative," he said. He said he will be talking to activists, retired bureaucrats and others in the next couple of days about the next course of action. "Politics is not the right direction. If politics would given us a bright future, then why India once called a golden bird had to mortgage gold. This country will not get the right future from politics," he said. This is his first visit to the capital after his split with Kejriwal. Hazare will return to Ralegan Siddhi on Monday

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2012 final report

September 30, 2012

by sagarmedia

New Delhi, September 30th, 2012:*
The hot weather and high humidity put paid to the record-setting
aspirations of the elite athlete field, but it did not deter Kenyan Edwin
Kipyego and Ethiopian Yimer Wude from coming up with strong, front-running
performances to clinch the overall men’s and women’s titles in the IAAF
Gold Label Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, 2012 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
on Sunday.
Kipyego beat back a strong challenge from his countryman Leonard Langat,
winning the final sprint surge to win in 60.55 minutes. Langat clocked
61.07, while Silas Kipruto followed home in 61.57 to complete a Kenyan
clean sweep. Finishing fourth was another Kenyan, Titus Mbieshi, winner of
the World 10K Bangalore, who was making his half marathon debut here and
clocked 62.44.
The high-profile Ethiopian duo of defending champion Lelisa Desisa and this
year’s fastest athlete, Atsedu Tsegay wilted in the heat, with Desisa
finishing a disappointing seventh in 62.50 and Atsedu Tsegay finishing out
of the top 20.
Yimer won the women’s title in 61.10 and was followed home by her country
women Waganesh Amare, who clocked 71.12 and Kenyan Helah Kiprop, who timed
71.18. Both the winner’s went home richer by USD 25,000. Namibian Helalia
Johannes, who had a 12th place finish in the London Olympics Marathon, had
to contend with fifth place, coming home in 71.43.
The Indian performances too were encouraging, with Rahul Kumar Pal
breasting the tape in 66.12, winning the Indian category and finishing
16thoverall.
Nitender Singh followed him home two seconds later, while Indrajeet Singh
sprinted home to finish one second later in 66.15. Sudha Singh emerged the fastest Indian woman in 79.34, while former double winner Kavita Raur came in second.A total of 31,746 runners participated in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2012, which offered total prize money of USD 210,000.Kipyego took the lead at the 11 km mark and though not confident of winning, thanks to the strong field, pushed a bit harder to see if they
would respond. When the other continued to lag behind, Kipyego kept up his brave front running to win with his personal best.
“The weather was good at the start but later on it became humid. I tried
my best but could not set any record. But I am very happy with the results,
because I hadn’t expected to win,” said Kipyego at the post-match press
conference at the media centre at J N Stadium. It was only after the 18 km
mark that Kipyego realized he has beaten the field for good and pushed hard
for the podium finish.
Yimer, who won the bronze medal in 10,000 metres at the 2009 World
Championships and took the silver in the 2011 All-Africa Games, was pushed
hard by Waganesh and Helahand it was a sprint finish that saw her winning.
“It was a great run for me. It was a very hot and humid day but we ran
together till the finishing line. In the last few metres, I decided to push
to win the race,” Yimer stated and added: “I am very happy today, it was an
unbelievable result for me.”
“I knew that the competition will be tough and weather will be humid. I
started my training two weeks ago, which was not enough. But my experience
in recently concluded Open National Athletic Championship helped to finish
first,” said Indian winner Rahul, who is a middle-distance athlete.
Rahul will continue his training in 5000m and 10,000m as half-marathon is
not in his mind. “I am happy to win this marathon, but middle-distance
running is my aim,” he stated.
In women’s section, 2010 Asian gold medallist Sudha Singh stole the show
from two-time ADHM champion Kavita Raut and defending champion Lalita
Babar. “I didn’t have good practice before this marathon and I was also bit
upset after the 2012 London Olympic qualifiers. But this result has given
me some relief and joy,” she added.
The leading women were running together till 12km, after which they pushed
hard for the podium finish. One of the main contenders, World 10K Bangalore
2012 winner Monika Athare suffered a cramp in the middle of the route, due
to that she could not complete the race.
As usual the race witnessed the participation of a large number of
enthusiasts and celebrities. A host of dignitaries led by Delhi Chief
Minister Sheila Dixit and event ambassador David Rudisha, besides Bipasha
Basu, Madhur Bhandarkar, Sanjay Kappor (CEO Bharti Airtel, India & South
Asia) and Bharat Bambawale (Global Brand Director Bharati Airtel) were
present to cheer on the participants. Tarun Tahliani, Hasleen Kaur, Rahul
Bose and Gul Panag were among the celebrities who cheered on the
participants.
*Following are the results:*
*Overall  Athlete Men*
Edwin Kipyego(KEN) 01:00:55, Leonard Langat(KEN) 01:01:07, Silas
Kipruto(KEN) 01:01:57,Milton Rotich(KEN) 01:02:01, Titus Mbieshi(KEN)
01:02:44,Yemane Tsegaye(ETH) 01:02:47, Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 01:02:50, Gideon
Kipketer(KEN) 01:03:33, Bazu Worku (ETH) 01:03:38, Abdellah Fathi(MAR)
01:03:53
*Overall  Athlete Women:*
Yimer Wude(ETH) 01:11:10, Waganesh Amare(ETH) 01:11:12, Helah Kiprop(KEN)
01:11:18, Yebrugul Melese(ETH) 01 :11:30, Hilalia Johannes(NAM) 01:11:43,
Belayanesh Oljira(ETH) 01:12:16, Aberek Afework(ETH) 01:13:00, Caroline
Kilel(KEN) 01:13:26, Tigist Kiros(ETH) 01:13:52, Goitetom Tesema(ETH)
01:14:30
*Overall Indian Athlete Men:*
Rahul Kumar Pal(IND) 01:06:12(overall 16th), Nitender Singh(IND) 01:06:14
(overall 17th), Indrajeet Singh(IND) 01:06:15 (overall 18th), Sandip Kumar
(IND) 01:06:15 (overall 19th), Elam Singh(IND) 01:06:20 (overall 20th),
Arjun Pradhan(IND) 01:06:23, Soji Maathew(IND) 01:06:38, Suresh Kumar(IND)
01:06:57, M D Yunus(IND) 01:07:04, Ratti Ram Saini(IND) 01:07:07
*Overall Indian Athlete Women:*
Sudha Singh(IND) 01:19:34 (overall 17th), Kavita Raut(IND) 01:19:53
(overall 18th), Lalita Babbar(IND) 01:20:47(overall 20th), Kiran
Tiwari(IND) 01:21:06, Anuradha Singh(IND) 01:21:50, Manisha Dattatray
Salukhe(IND) 01:21:57, Ritu Pal(IND) 01:22:12, Monika Raut(IND) 01:24:13,
Priyanka Singh Patel(IND) 01:26:53, Seema(IND) 01:27:37
*Inter-college Sporting Challenge (Men):*
Shyamlal College 01:17:14; IGIPESS Boys 01:18:36; Khalsa College 01:19:27.
*Inter-college Sporting Challenge (Women):*
IGIPESS Girls 01:34:58; Lakshmibai College 01:38:50; Miranda College
01:40:43.
*Men Veteran Category:*
Mukesh Rana 01:26:51; Nirmal Kumar 01:27:32; Dinesh Kumar 01:27:54.
*Women Veteran Category: *
Anne Philpott (GBR) 01:4:26; Shubha Bhargava (IND) 01:49:13; Vaishali
Kasture (IND) 01:51:37.
*Men Senior Veteran Category:     *
S.J.Yadav 01:33:41; Bhaskar Desai 01:41:56; Ram Autar Rajbhar 01:42:15.
*Women Senior Veteran Category:*
Kuldeep Kaur 01:39:02; Asha Agarwal 02:01:15: Parvin Batliwala 02:14:32.
*Men Super Veteran Category:*
Guru Dayal Singh Yadav 01:47:49; Mahadev Samjiskar 02:17:19; Ram Singh 02:18:00.
*Women Super Veteran Category:*
Urmila Katakam 03:12:48.
*DHL Corporate Sporting Challenge Winners:*
1st Cairn India
2nd   PNB
3rd FISERV
*Kingfisher Ishtyle Wale Winner:*
1st (Theme) Mahengai-Gurpreet Bains ( Individual)
2nd (Theme) Use Paper Bag-Vaibhav Singhal (Individual)
3rd (Theme) Gold Prices (Lakshan Rana) & Ministry of Scam (Deepa Sachdev)
*Kingfisher Green Crusader:*
1st Amarjeet R Bains-Save the Yamuna (Theme)
2nd Poonam Philips – Green Belt (Theme)
—
Deepak M Pilankar
P R Executive| Procam International Ltd | 14 St James Court, Marine Drive,
Mumbai 400 020 | Tel: +91 22 2202 0284

SAB TV promises a Magical Comedy with Baal Veer

SAB TV promises a Magical Comedy with Baal Veer

~Starting 8^th October every Mon-Friday at 8pm~

New Delhi,September 27^th,2012:The joy of watching a fairy tale on screen is unbridled especially when you discover it even has a dynamic superhero as its protagonist. Baal Veer is an enchanting saga of a little boy, raised by fairies and blessed with super powers like no other human. However, since this show is a SAB TV creation, it’s not all action, but instead it’s copious laughter scene after scene! It’s a hilarious show with extremely entertaining characters, who will redefine everything you know about fairyland.

Speaking of fairyland, this fairyland in particular, known as Pari Lok, has the most motley assortment of angels. Meet Aarpaar Pari, with the power to transcend matter and travel through walls, transporting herself anywhere within seconds; Vijdaar pari, fairy of thunder and lightning; Atakti Pari has a power to freeze a person anywhere;BaalPari whose tresses are so long that she can tie people with them;Bhatakti Pari who has a unique power to confuse people and make them lose their way and lastly Gaal Pari who has magic tricks hidden in her big rosy cheeks.Natkhat Pari has power to befool people.Little Baal Veer is blessed with the combined power of all these 7 angels and uses these powers for the good of mankind.

Overseeing all that’s happening in Pari Lok, there is Rani Pari, as no fairytale is complete without a fairy godmother! Rani Pari has the power of all the angels in Pari Lok. This significant character in the show  is played by Karishma Tanna. Karishma, who has been a part of the television industry for over two decades, is no stranger to comedy. She will now be seen in elaborate costumes and hair-dos in Baal Veer, which will add yet another feather in her hat for portraying varied roles. Playing her rival on the show, in the role of an antagonistic Pari, is Shama Sikandar, who revels in creating turbulence in the otherwise ethereal firmament. Shama too, has been part of television for the longest time and even has numerous films to her credit. Both Shama and Karishma have had a background of comedy in television and they sure look like an ideal choice to match their powerful, unexpected roles for the show.

Baal Veer is esentially a show about a child bestowed with godly powers, who shuttles between earth and fairyland. His sole motive is to save young kids like himself, from bullies and other injustice against them. In the course of his travel between the two realms is when he meets two earthlings, Manav and Meher, who eventually become his dear friends. Manav and Meher are often troubled by older kids and treated insensitively. Baal Veer comes to their rescue with the powers of his wand causing much comic mayhem in the process but as the proverb goes, all is well as it eventually ends well.

For an ensemble cast like this one, higly crafted outfits and magnificent sets, this show surely promises a lot. With all the detailing, the channel promises to stay faithful to its most essential facet, that of comedy. The exaggerated character sketches provide ample humour to get the audiences in splits.

Mr. Anooj Kapoor, EVP and Business Head, SAB TV said, ‘It’s a very large scale venture from our side which is a mythical fiction. We have upped the production value and quality and even the scale at which TV shows are made today. It’s a landmark show for SAB TV as its a totally new genre of magic and special effects. A family entertainer and a visual delight, all in one!’

Baal Veer is being produced by Mr. Vipul Shah from Optimystix.

In keeping with SAB TV’s belief that “Asli Maaza Toh Saab Ke saath aata hai”, gather all generations of your family and enjoy this adorable show with its innocent charm and humour. Catch this new flavour of fairytale and comedy on SAB TV every Mon-Friday at 8 pm.

About SAB

SAB is a part of the network of Television channels owned by Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. SAB is India’s only family comedy entertainment channel with a core brand promise of ‘Asli Mazaa SAB ke Saath Hai’. SAB with its impressive lineup of innovative programs and light-hearted content ranging from daily family comedy to path breaking concepts like Silent comedy is dedicated to promoting an enjoyable “family-viewing” experience. Its programming mix includes Golmaal Hai Bhai Sab Golmaal Hai,Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah, Chidiyaghar, R. K. Laxman Ki Duniya, Lapataganj, FIR, Waah Waah Kyaa Baat Hai & classic films on weekends. For its differentiated programming and healthy entertainment, SAB has also won the Brand Leadership award in Media & Entertainment space.

 

Warm Regards,

Satya

M: +91- 9999488749

Naresh -- Our final quarterly fundraising deadline is here.

Naresh --

Our final quarterly fundraising deadline is here.

This is a huge deal: Tomorrow, we could hit 10 million grassroots donations in 2012 alone.

It would be a historic milestone in grassroots politics, and a huge win for our way of building a campaign. Don't you want to be a part of it?

We're at 9,725,074 now, and it's going to take a huge push to get there before tomorrow's midnight deadline, but I know we can do it -- especially if you step up and do your part.

Every donation counts -- will you chip in $5 or more now?

https://donate.barackobama.com/September-Deadline

More soon,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

Government Misleading on FDI on Retail

Government Misleading on FDI on Retail

Government playing with Post Harvest loss figures

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has alleged the Government for misleading the nation on the matter of wastage of fruits and vegetable in India for which FDI in Retail is needed. The CAIT said that the reports of Planning Commission's Working Group on Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure for 12th Five Year Plan has while citing the report of Indian Council on Agricultural Research(ICAR) has contradicted the claim of the Government that currently 30% to 40% Fruits and Vegetables produced in the Country are wasted. The Union Commerce Minister Mr. Anand Sharma has repeatdly argued the need of FDI in Retail in order to curtail such wastage. Even the Prime Ministers address to the nation also mentioned the said figure of wastage.

CAIT Secretary General Mr. Praveen Khandelwal has asked the Union Commerce Minister to divulge the source or reference or study report based on which he is continuosly claiming wastage of fruits and vegetables upto 30% to 40% .It is a wrong statement of the Govt which has been propounded just to facilitate the entry of FDI in Retail Trade-said Mr. Khandelwal

Mr. Khandelwal while contesting the claim of the Government cited the report of the Working Group of Planning Commission which has inserted figures of post harvest losses on the basis of the survey report of ICAR which stated as under.

Status of Post-harvest Losses

Status of Post-harvest Losses

Crop	Minimum % Loss	Maximum % Loss
Cereals	3.9 (Sorghum)	6.0 (Wheat)
Pulses	4.3 (Chick Pea)	6.1 (Black Gram)
Oilseeds	2.8 (Cottonseed)	10.1 (Groundnut)
Fruit	5.8 (Sapota)	18.0 (Guava)
Vegetables	6.8 (Cauliflower)	12.4 (Tomato)
Spices	3.9 (Black Pepper)	7.4 (Turmeric)
Livestock	0.8 (Milk)	6.9 (Inland Fish)

Mr. Khandelwal said that all the proponents of the FDI in Retail has been arguing on this line.He further said thet Agro Experts and Dealers in these agro commodities have stated the percentage of wastage upto 30% to 40% as incorrect and bogus in their responses to Consultation paper of DIPP which were deeply ignored.

He further said that based on the ICAR study and planning working group this post harvest losses are nowhere around the staggering percentage quoted by the Government..It appears that the Govt is basing these bogus figures for making up a case for allowing FDI in Multi Brand Retail.

China communist party congress to open Nov.8

China communist party congress to open Nov.8

China's Communist Party to convene its National Congress on November 8th. Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to assume the top leadership.On Friday the party's Political Bureau decided the date of the meeting, held once every 5 years.

During the meeting, Vice President Xi Jinping will likely replace President Hu Jintao. Many other top leaders are also expected to be replaced.Experts are interested in what policies the new leadership will lay out for the 5 years until the next national congress. Economic policy is a source of interest as China needs to ensure social stability amid a slowing economy.

This year the announcement of the schedule was delayed for about a month. Analysts attribute the delay to the time-consuming process of selecting new leadership members.Too point to the punitive measures against former Chongqing City party head Bo Xilai. He was stripped of his party membership on Friday. Communist Party has still to disclosed how long the congress to last.

Spain banks need 59 billion Euros

Posted on September 29, 2012

Spanish banks need 59.3 bn euros in loans’,spanish government says it may need to borrow about 40 billion euros, or 51 billion dollars, from the EU rescue funds to help clear up the bad debts in the country’s banking sector.Auditors commissioned by the Spanish government said on Friday that 7 of the country’s 14 banking groups could need a capital injection of up to 59.3 billion euros in total to survive a serious downturn.
The worst case is Bankia, which requires 24.7 billion euros. The bank was partially nationalized in May.
The Spanish government says individual banks are expected to raise some of the capital themselves, reducing the projected public injection from the region’s rescue funds to 40 billion euros.
The Spanish banking sector has been in difficulty since the real estate bubble burst in 2008.
Spain requested financial aid from the EU in June to help its ailing banks, and the EU offered up to 100 billion euros. Spanish government and the EU will discuss the final assistance package. Rescue funding is expected to be implemented in November.Media agencies

Obama, Netanyahu agree on prevent Iran nuclear capabilities

US President Barack Obama,Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both agreed to continue to work together to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Obama on Friday phoned Netanyahu, who was in New York for the UN General Assembly.The White House said in a statement that Obama reaffirmed his unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. Statement said the two leaders noted their close cooperation and coordination on what it called "the threat posed by Iran." It also said they are in full agreement on the shared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Obama has come under pressure from Netanyahu to be more specific in public in preventing Iran from getting nuclear weaponry. In a speech before the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Netanyahu warned that the world has until next summer to stop Iran from building one and he called for placing a red line on Iran's nuclear weapons program. Further said Iran must be stopped before it completes the second stage of nuclear enrichment needed to make a weapon.Jewish Americans are said to be unhappy that no schedule has been set for Obama and Netanyahu to hold a meeting during the Israeli leader's visit to address the UN.

Obama apparently sought to demonstrate improvement in his ties with Netanyahu through the phone conversation. Slightly more than one month remains before the US presidential election..

PRESS INVITATION

 Press –Invitation

SUB: Anti Corruption Front Janata Dal (U) Battle Against

                Corruption    Through “DABBA ANDOLAN”

 Dear Sir,

                             We would like to cordially invite you on Our “DABBA AANDOLAN” The ultimate Solution for Corruption Free India. At Jantar Mantar, which will be inaugurated by Our Esteemed  National President Janata Dal United Sh. Sharad Yadav Ji.

Which will be the Movement to eradicate the Corruption from our Government System “Through the People of India For the People of India” on the eve of Birth day of Our “Father of Nation” Sh. M.K.Ghandhi

A movement for the development of inner consciousness of every Indian.

Venue:  Jantar Mantar Delhi.Time: 12.30 A.m.Date:  2^nd  oct. 2012

Yours truly,

Kumar Sahil

Secretary (ACF JDU)

For Any Query Contact

                                                                                          9013082104

                                                                                             8750143170

Team Kejriwal: Government's misleading spin on 2G

Government’s misleading spin on the 2G presidential opinion shows its dishonest intent.

 

The government, notably Mr. Sibal and Chidambaram have gone on an overdrive after the Supreme Court’s opinion on the 2G presidential reference to project the judgement as a vindication of the government’s policies and manner in which they have been allocating spectrum, coal and other valuable natural resources worth lakhs of crores to private companies. They are using the innocuous part of the judgement, which says that all natural resources don’t have to be auctioned in all circumstances, to claim vindication. They have even used the SCs opinion to criticize the CAG.

 

This only shows the dishonest intent of the government. It was nobody’s case before the Supreme Court that even natural resources like water have to be auctioned while being allocated to people. The 2G judgment merely said that natural resources like Spectrum (meaning scarce and valuable resource which are given to private companies for commercial considerations) must only be allocated by auction because apart from transparency, it ensured that the State was able to maximize revenue for the people as a trustee of the people. This has in fact been reiterated in the presidential opinion of the Court. In the words of Justice D.K. Jain (on behalf of 4 judges) in para 149 of the judgment:

“Alienation of natural resources is a policy decision, and the means adopted for the same are thus, executive prerogatives. However, when such a policy decision is not backed by a social or welfare purpose, and precious and scarce natural resources are alienated for commercial pursuits of profit maximizing private entrepreneurs, adoption of means other than those that are competitive and maximize revenue may be arbitrary and face the wrath of Article 14 of the Constitution.”

 

Justice Khehar in his concurring judgement has elaborated it further by saying:

“I am in respectful agreement with the aforesaid conclusion, and would accordingly opine, that when natural resources are made available by the State to private persons for commercial exploitation exclusively for their individual gains, the State’s endeavour must be towards maximization of revenue returns.  This alone would ensure, that the fundamental right enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution of India (assuring equality before the law and equal protection of the laws), and the directive principle contained in Article 39(b) of the Constitution of India (that material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good), have been extended to the citizens of the country.”

 

Justice Khehar in his concurring judgment has further examined what would happen if coal blocks were allocated to electricity distribution companies without auction, even if they had bid the lowest tariffor electricity. He says:

 

“If the bidding process to determine the lowest tariff has been held, and the said bidding process has taken place without the knowledge, that a coal mining lease would be allotted to the successful bidder, yet the successful bidder is awarded a coal mining lease.  Would such a grant be valid?  In the aforesaid fact situation, the answer to the question posed, may well be in the negative. This is so because, the competitive bidding for tariff was not based on the knowledge of gains, that would come to the vying contenders, on account of grant of a coal mining lease.  Such a grant of a coal mining lease would therefore have no nexus to the “competitive bid for tariff”.  Grant of a mining lease for coal in this situation would therefore be a windfall, without any nexus to the object sought to be achieved.  In the bidding process, the parties concerned had no occasion to bring down the electricity tariff, on the basis of gains likely to accrue to them, from the coal mining lease.  In this case, a material resource would be deemed to have been granted without a reciprocal consideration i.e., free of cost.  Such an allotment may not be fair and may certainly be described as arbitrary, and violative of the Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Such an allotment having no nexus to the objective of subserving the common good, would fall foul even of the directive principle contained in Article 39(b) of the Constitution of India.

 

Therefore, a forthright and legitimate policy, on account of defective implementation, may become unacceptable in law.”

 

In view of this judgement which is a concurring judgment of the court, all the allocations of coal blocks made by the government to private companies for commercial use (even for captive consumption) without auction, would have to be declared void. The government’s dishonest spin being sought to be given to the judgement by its senior ministers is another clear sign of its dishonest intent.Team KejriwalTeam Kejriwal:

Justice Kabir is the new CJ of India

New Delhi: Justice Altamas Kabir on Saturday took oath as the new Chief Justice of India (CJI)after incumbent Chief Justice SH Kapadia relinquished office on Friday. Born on July 19, 1948 at Kolkata, Justice Kabir did his LLB and MA from the University of Calcutta. He was enrolled at the Bar on August 1, 1973 and was made a permanent judge of Calcutta High Court on August 6, 1990. Justice Kabir assumed the office of acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on January 11, 2005. He was elevated as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court on March 1, 2005 and became a judge of the Supreme Court of India on September 9, 2005. Justice Kabir was responsible for the computerisation of the Calcutta High Court, the City Civil Court and other courts in Kolkata. He was appointed as executive chairman of National Legal Services Authority on January 14, 2010.

Two dead in Air show crash in Indonesia

JAKARTA: A light aircraft burst into flames after hitting a building during an air show in Indonesia on Saturday, killing both the pilots, the transport ministry said. Television footage showed a thick plume of smoke rising from the crash site in Bandung in western Java, where the air show was held to commemorate the city's 202nd anniversary. "A Cessna 202 plane lost altitude during a manoeuvre and crashed into a building at 11:37 am (0437 GMT) with two pilots on board, who were both killed instantly," transport ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan told. Indonesia has a poor aviation safety record and is in the process of updating its ageing military aircraft and equipment, procuring Russian and American warplanes, boats for its navy and parts for its transport planes.

TiEcon Delhi 2012:National Policy on Entrepreneurship

National Policy for Entrepreneurship Needed To Provide Impetus Entrepreneurs, industry stalwarts, celebrities discuss policy,
Social entrepreneurship, healthcare and education to play key role in development

New Delhi, Sept 29: A National Policy for Entrepreneurship that covers key areas like Access to Capital, Scalability and involvement of State Governments is needed to create 30-40 million jobs.  This was discussed at TiEcon Delhi 2012, by panel on National Policy of Entrepreneurship which being drafted by the government.

“Having innovative ideas is the first step which needs to be followed by support including capital support”, said Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission. “The other key aspect is that of scaling up. We don’t collaborate very well among each other, we get too stuck on our ideologies and very often don’t see eye to eye. That comes in the way of scaling up,” he added.

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who is also a member of National Innovation Council, called entrepreneurship an act of chaos, which arises out of a dream. People who fund entrepreneurs work with structures, and this gives rise to a conflict. “We are slaves to keywords such as Innovation, Capital Structures, and Scalability. A dream is not a structure. So an entrepreneur spends his time fighting his way through the structure,” he said.

Dr Saurabh Srivastava, Chairman Emeritus, The Indus Entrepreneurs Delhi NCR chapter reiterated the need for having a National Entrepreneurship Policy in place, especially as it has the potential to create 30-40 million jobs and revenues over Rs 200 billion. Encouraging entrepreneurship in 3-4 key sectors can catapult their growth aka the IT sector.

Social Entrepreneurship, which is catching the fancy of youth across the world, is challenged by lack of capital as the regular funding mechanisms like venture capital or angel investments do not work successfully. Social ventures are harder to predict, monitor and measure impact, said Professor Robert Gertner, Deputy Dean of University of Chicago Booth School of Business, speaking at session on social entrepreneurship.

The panel on Education and Skill Development chaired by Sandeep Sinha, Managing Partner, Lumis Partners, said that this industry has enormous opportunities and entrepreneurs need to get their ideas into action and run them sustainably.

“There is money to be made in this segment. Those who can manage the aspiration of the individual will be able to crack it,” Dilip Chenoy, CEO & MD, National Skills Development Corporation, emphasizing the need for handholding people through placements. “Lack of teachers and trainers is a challenge. But entrepreneurs must see the problem as an opportunity,” he said.

Harsh Chitale, CEO, HCL Infosystems, said this segment may not be amenable to rapid scaling. “The key challenge is the ability to scale profitably,” he said. “The value proposition of an enterprise in the segment is not about training individuals. It is being able to give customers the right people who are fully trained and productive from the day one,” Chitale said.

The panel discussion on Affordable Healthcare, chaired by Jasjit Mangat, Omidyar Network, showcased some of the innovative approaches taken by entrepreneurs to reach out to communities across India. It also discussed how the high-end healthcare players are making top-of-the-line healthcare affordable for those who cannot go abroad for treatment.
Amit Jain, CEO eHealthPoint, talked about the company’s operations in Punjab villages. “We run primary healthcare centres in villages that have population from 4,000 to 10,000 people. We provide tele-medical consultations, on-site diagnostic tests, generic drugs at low rates, and clean drinking water through these centres. These villagers now have access to accurate diagnosis and treatment.”

Ajay Bakshi, CEO, Max Healthcare, pointed out the need for disruptive healthcare technologies in India, as he fears that the healthcare system in India is moving towards the same expensive system that the US is now reeling under. “Don’t look at Max, GE, Philips and say this is what Indian healthcare is going to be. It’s an open field and you need to get innovative.”

India can make solar the backbone of its economy:Elasser

“India Can Make Solar the Backbone of Its Economy by 2050” - Mr. Markus Elsasser, MD, Solar Promotion International GmbH

Delhi, September 2012: Intersolar India’s “Opportunities in the Indian Solar Market” media roundtable was recently held in Delhi by Messe Munich International India, Solar Promotion International GmbH & FMMI Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH, the promoters of Intersolar India 2012. The media roundtable was organized to facilitate an understanding of India’s position in the Solar Market and also engage the media in valuable information exchange & to position Intersolar India which is India’s largest Exhibition and Conference for the Solar Industry till now.

Prominent speakers were, Mr. Markus Elsasser, MD, Solar Promotion International, GmbH, Mr. Venkateshwara Rao, General Manager, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited, Mr. Vivek Saxena, Group President - Marketing, PCI Group, Mr. Rohit Dhar, Vice President C&S Electric, Mr. Oliver Herzog, Director, Bridge to India Energy Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Darryl Dasilva– CEO, MMI India

Mr. Markus Elsasser, MD, Solar Promotion International GmbH said, “India has huge potential for solar power generation. As the nation is facing an increasing demand - supply gap in energy, it is important to tap the solar potential to meet the energy needs. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (also known as the National Solar Mission) is a major initiative by the Government of India to promote ecologically sustainable growth while addressing India’s energy needs. With Intersolar India, we play a key role in contributing to the amount of knowledge in this field and also continue to recognize those projects through Intersolar award that helps move the industry forward in this direction.”

The Indian solar market is undergoing sweeping developments. While, according to figures published by the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India had merely 10 megawatts (MW) of installed photovoltaic capacity in 2009, this figure has risen to over 20000 MW by the end of 2011. India can make renewable resources such as solar the backbone of its economy by 2050, reining in its long-term carbon emissions without compromising its economic & ecological growth potential.”

Mr. Tarun Kapoor, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, shared his key insights and said, “India requires Euro 30 billion investment to develop 20000 MW of grid connected solar power by 2012. Indian policies in renewable energy are welcoming for investors, lenders and financial institutions in India and abroad. As a growing economy with a surging middle class energy resources are much essential. When a wide scope of such a renewable energy source exists, we should utilize it to the maximum.”

Industry Perspective:

“From 1994, the Indian Government is trying to push the development of solar and solar power but due to high investment cost as well as lack of expertise, the project couldn’t take off. But now, the scenario is different, overall cost to such project is reduced because of development of national and international players in the solar market and the various government subsidies towards this industry”, said Mr. Venkateshwara Rao, General Manager - Projects, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited.

The spokespersons from PCI Group and L& T Construction gave an insight into to the various projects & breakthroughs made in the India Solar Projects division, elaborating on the various grid systems and techniques under experiment across India.

Mr. Shaji John, Chief Solar, Division, L& T Construction, highlighted some of L&T’s experiences in constructing and managing the Rooftop Solar PV system which they had successfully tested in their Chennai campus. He said our primary goals towards this project were “Taking positive steps create and alternative and a reliable source of back-up power for meeting emergency. Most commercial units depend on DG set and diesel oil. Our outlook was aimed at moving towards smart micro grids, energy savings and an initiative to make environment more clean and peaceful.

The speakers during the media roundtable, also stressed on the need of the hour contribution of not just the government but also the corporate companies in India, towards promotion of solar power as a whole, at a urban, state & national level as well as providing impetus & encouragement to the individual home to home basis.

Mr. Vikas Saxena, Group President, PCI Group said, India is facing a perfect storm of factors that will drive solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption at a "furious pace over the next five years and beyond". The falling prices of PV panels, mostly from China but also from the U.S., have coincided with the growing cost of grid power in India. Government support and ample solar resources have also helped to increase solar adoption across many business verticals.”

According to the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), the target is for 20 GW of capacity to be installed by 2022, making India one of the most promising and fastest growing solar markets in the world.

The State of Karnataka, for example, 60 MW were awarded recently as part of a tender and a further 25 MW in Orissa 200 MW in Madhya Pradesh 250 MW are up for tender in Rajasthan while the federal state of Tamil Nadu is planning to have 3 GW installed in the coming three years. With the launch of such ambitious projects, the states have also encouraged small villages to include the power needs based via solar roof top projects, which would be an answer to the overwhelming problem of power shortage across the country. The eventual aim of the government and the various players involved is to make India independent for its power needs in the years to come and shine forth as the beacon of successful Solar Project implementations.

Intersolar India 2012 takes place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Mumbai from November 6–8.

Intersolar's storied history of international exhibitions and conferences spans more than 20 years. Taking place in addition to Intersolar India in Mumbai are Intersolar North America in San Francisco and Intersolar China in Beijing, which was launched in December 2011. The world’s largest exhibition for the solar industry is Intersolar Europe in Munich.

For further information, please visit www.intersolar.in

About Intersolar

With over 3,100 exhibitors and 100,000 visitors spanning three continents, Intersolar is the world’s leading exhibition series for the solar industry. Intersolar India is India’s largest exhibition and conference for the solar industry and, as a leading industry platform, focuses on photovoltaic plates and solar thermal technologies. In 2011, a total of 264 companies from 18 countries attended the exhibition. Intersolar India supports the development of the Indian solar market and promotes cooperation between key players from industry, commerce, service providers and politics.

For more information on Intersolar India please visit:  http://www.intersolar.in/

TiE Aspire Young Achiever Awards goes to ......

Flipkart presents 4^th TiE-Aspire Young Achiever Awards
3 Talented Youngsters Inspire Entrepreneurs and win Rs 1 Lac each

• Sports Womanandmountaineer with disabilities Arunima Sinha, 26
• A prodigy Raga Pianist Utsav Lal, 20
• Whiz-kid Actor and Film Director Kishan Shrikanth, 16

New Delhi, September 29, 2012: Celebrating the spirit of art, culture and sportsmanship, the New Delhi-NCR chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs and Aspire, todayhanded over the 4^th TiE-Aspire Young Achiever Awards for three trailblazers. India’s largest e-commerce brand, Flipkart.com, joined hands to support these achievers and presented E-Gift vouchers worth Rs 1 Lac each to the three awardees.  
Aspire Human Capital Management, a Gurgaon-based company engaged in the field of employability in education, in association with The Indus Entrepreneurs  and Flipkart honoured the achievements of Arunima Sinha, Trekker and National Level Football and Volleyball player; Utsav LalPianist; and Kishan Shrikanth Actor and Film Director.
The awards were presented to the young achievers by Lord Karan Billimoria, chairman of the UK-India Business Council, a member of the UK-India Roundtable, and of the Prime Minister of India’s Global Advisory Council. .
Arunima Sinha, 26,climbed 21,110 ft of Mt. Chhamser Kangri* with an amputated leg and is a national level Football and Volleyball player. She had to undergo amputation of her left lower limb after she was thrown off a running train in Bareilly for resisting a chain-snatching attempt. Her passion and undying will has become a source of inspiration for all people with disabilities.
Gurgaon -based Pianist Utsav Lal, 20, has earned the unique title of ‘Raga Pianist’ by successfully creating pure sounds of Indian Ragas on the Piano and has won international acclaim and awards for his pioneering foray. He haspresented over 150 concerts of Indian music at worldwide venues and festivals since age 9.
The third prize winner Kishan Shrikanth, 16,is anActor, Film Director, Editor, Sound and Visual Effects Engineer. He has been recognized as one of top 15 genius children on the Oprah Winfrey show and holds the Guinness Record for being the World’s Youngest feature film director, directing a feature film at age 9. Winner of prestigious awards including the National Golden Lotus Award, National Award for Exceptional Achievement, Kishan is currently pursuing Masters in multimedia and animation and doing research in the field of Holography and Optical illusion.
At TieCon Delhi three young achievers shared their experiences and success stories with Mr. Amit Bhatia, Founder & CEO, Aspire Human Capital Management who said, “The 2012 winners are an amalgam of gift, conviction and courage. An inspiration to all, their dedication and determination is the key to success in any walk of life--including entrepreneurship. All of us at TiE take great pride in saluting these individuals who have fought all challenges to achieve their goals .”
Sachin Bansal, CEO and Co-Founder, Flipkart added, “Flipkart is delighted to honour such great young achievers. Their pioneering spirit resonates completely with what we treasure most at Flipkart. We are proud to be part of this initiative and hope to encourage more young Indians to follow their passion and make a difference.”
The last 3 year’s TiE-Aspire achievers are:
2011
Anu Vaidyanathan, Triathlete
Deeya S Bajaj, Cross country Skier and Kayaker
Sucheta Kadethankar, Trekker
2010
Prashant Karmakar, Swimmer
Ashish Kumar, Gymnast
Deepika Kumari, Archer
2009
Tania Sachdev, Chess Grandmaster
Athira Krishna, Prodigy Violinist,                                                                                                                               
Tathagat Avatar, Prodigy Academician
Notes to the Editors:  *Mt. Chhamser Kangri is at 21725 ft height
About The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE)
The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) founded, in 1992 in Silicon Valley, by a group of successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and senior professionals with roots in the Indus region currently has over 13,000 members and over 2,500 charter members in 61 chapters across 15 countries.
TiE's mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
About Aspire Human Capital Management
Aspire^TM is an industry-promoted social enterprise offering Embedded Education for schools, colleges and universities to Enhance Employability and Life Skills. All Aspire products have Global Certifications: ProHire^TM and EnglishPro^TM with University of
Cambridge (ESOL Examinations); ITPro^TM and RoboticPro^TM with iCarnegie (subsidiary of Carnegie Mellon University); and, MBAPro^TM with content from Harvard Business Publishing (subsidiary of Harvard University). Aspire products are enabled by an Employability Education Management System (EEMS^TM) which includes online learning management, e-learning and assessments (e.g., NEST^TM). Declared "Education Czar" by Mint (2008), adjudged finalist of the John P. McNulty prize (2010), and profiled as “Who’s Next” by Fast Company (USA, 2011), Aspire enables Educators, Employers and Employees to Grow More. Please visit www.aspireindia.org for more information.
 About Flipkart.com:
Flipkart.com, India’s largest e-commerce brand for physical goods, started with books in 2007, and entered the consumer electronics category with the launch of mobile phones, in September 2010. Since then, it has grown rapidly with the introduction of innovative features like Cash/Card on Delivery (CoD), 30 day replacement guarantee and its own delivery network. Today, the portfolio is spread across 15 categories - from books to music, mobiles, computers, cameras, home & kitchen appliances, TV & home theatre systems, personal and healthcare products, stationery items and lifestyle products like perfumes, watches and health and beauty products. In addition to these, Flipkart has also made a foray into the emerging digital content market with the recent launch of Flyte, the digital music store. Flipkart is rapidly expanding its network of warehouses, distribution centers, procurement operations and 24/7 customer support teams. The company has its own delivery network in 50 cities and is set to expand this in the current financial year. With a team of around 4,800 members, the company operates from offices and warehouses in seven Indian cities.

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