‘Nehru Place Bachao’

New Delhi January 30, 2012;Nearly 1300 offices, businesses and trading community located in city’s busiest commercial hub, Nehru Place, has decided to observe peaceful protest--‘Nehru Place Bachao’--on Wednesday February 1, 2012 to bring into focus deteriorating civic amenities.

The call for peaceful protest is lead by Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association (NIWA) and four associations dealing with Export Fabrics, Computer Hardware, Peripherals and Media distribution. Nehru Place, located in South Delhi, is India’s biggest computer hardware and peripherals distribution hub.

Nehru Place, designed to be one of the modern complexes by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in 1970s, has over the years regressed into one of the filthiest markets in the national capital, especially during rains.

Nearly 12500 people engaged in 1283 businesses and offices in Nehru Place have signed a plea to the Lt. Governor of Delhi to save this burgeoning business hub.

The core committee of 5 associations will address a gathering of all occupants under ‘Nehru Place Bachao’ campaign on February 1 and seek their support to impress upon the Civic authorities (including DDA and Police) to improve the civic facilities due to the genuine occupants of shops and offices in Nehru Place. They will also seek urgent solution to the problems in Nehru Place through intervention by the Lt Governor of Delhi.

The steering committee of 5 associations estimates that IT hub of Nehru Place alone contributes to the government over Rs 1000 crore revenue annually by way of duties and taxes. 

‘No Hawking Zone’ becomes biggest pain point

DDA designated Nehru Place as a ‘No Hawking Zone’. However, different Hon’ble Courts in Delhi in the past, allowed 114 hawkers to ply their trade and directed DDA to allot alternate place to them. Since the orders came into force, DDA has not allotted any alternate place to the 114 affected hawkers.

Ironically, the number of unregulated hawkers has since grown to over 500, becoming the biggest challenge faced by business community running their businesses in Nehru Place. Presence of over 500 hawkers obstructs movement of visitors and those employed in establishments in Nehru Place.

Many of these hawkers run food stalls that have no running water. The hygiene levels of food sold by them are low. By using gas cylinders and kerosene stoves in the main Plaza these vendors expose customers to fire hazards. It may be recalled that only last month a case of LPG gas cylinder bursting in the main plaza creating panic.

In case of a fire or other mishaps, there is no clear passage for the fire tenders and ambulances as vendors crowd the main plaza.

Among the 30 top notorious markets in the World

A bulk of the unregulated hawker community is made up of juvenile youth vending illegal software and counterfeit ink cartridges. Juveniles are employed to hawk illegal software all over Nehru Place as it is difficult to punish them due to their being under age.

Only last month, Nehru Place was listed among the 30 top notorious markets in the World selling pirated software and counterfeit goods by the office of US Trade Representative.

Nehru Place today represents:

• Dilapidated floor and exterior of Nehru Place buildings.
• Poor cleaning and sanitation services leading to filth all round.
• Lack of proper urinals has converted to spaces next to Buildings into a public urinal.
• Absence of mechanisms to secure Nehru Place makes it potential target for terrorist attacks.
• Inadequate parking

The five major associations that have given a call for Peaceful protest are:

. Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association (NIWA)

. All Delhi Computer Traders Association (ADCTA)

. Export Fabric Suppliers Association (EFSA)

. Computer Media Dealers’ Association (CMDA)

. Progressive Channels Association of Information Technology (PCAIT)

For media queries, please contact:

Anil K Sehgal,

President,

Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association (NIWA)

Ph: 9971763838

Email: anilsehgaldelhi@gmail.com

Sanjiv Kataria

Strategic Communications and PR Counsel

Team India test temperament at low ebb

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.

PRESS INVITATION 30th January , 2012

                                                  PRESS INVITATION

 National Seminar on Nowcasting

Event-;National Seminar on Nowcasting National Seminar on Nowcasting (Location Specific Weather Forecast for next 6-12 hours) to be organized by India Metrological Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. Date 30 & 31.01. 2012 (Monday & Tuesday)

Time 9.00 a.m. to 12 noon – 

Inauguration 

12 noon to 6:30 pm –Technical Sessions Venue Inauguration at India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi- 3 and Technical Sessions at Arnav Conference Hall, 3rd Floor, Prithvi Bhawan, Lodi Road, New Delhi.

Function  (1)	:	Shri Ajay Maken, Minister of State  of Youth Affairs & Sports and Shri Paban Singh Ghatowar Minister of State  for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) will launch  pilot project “Youth to the Edge”, to promote adventure activities in the remote areas of North East Region. The volunteers from National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuvak Kendra (NYKS) under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will participate in the adventure activities under the project.
Date	:	Monday , 30th January , 2012
Time	:	12 Noon
Venue	:	Indian Mountaineering Foundation , Near Venkateshwara College,  Benito Juarez Road,– New Delhi

Function  ( 2)	:	Shri Ajay Maken, Minister of State ( I/C) of Youth Affairs & Sports will meet 200 NSS Volunteers who had participated in Republic Day Parade . Sh Maken will also give away certificates to NSS volunteers.
Date	:	Monday , 30th January , 2012
Time	:	4.30 PM
Venue	:	Sports Hostel , Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium , Entry through  Gate No 2 ( Near Main Gate), New Delhi

Posted by Nksagar at 9:49 AM

Quake 6.3 Mw Coast of Central Peru

6.3 Mw - NEAR COAST OF CENTRAL PERU

Magnitude	6.3 Mw
Date-Time	30 Jan 2012 05:11:00 UTC 30 Jan 2012 00:11:00 near epicenter 30 Jan 2012 09:11:00 standard time in your timezone
Location	14.179S 75.643W
Depth	39 km
Distances	23 km (15 miles) SE (134 degrees) of Ica, Peru 97 km (60 miles) SSE (147 degrees) of Chincha Alta, Peru 175 km (109 miles) WNW (290 degrees) of Puquio, Peru 277 km (172 miles) SSE (147 degrees) of LIMA, Peru

India ranks 125th in Environment Performance Index: report

India ranks a low 125 in the Environment Performance report of the prestigious Yale University, which should be a wake-up call to Indian political leaders at all level, its officials said.

"India's low rank on the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) should be a wake-up call to Indian political leaders at all levels," said Daniel C Esty, Director of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy.

"India faces significant pollution control and natural resource management challenges and its lagging results suggest the need for redoubled policy efforts across the board," Esty said after the release of the second annual report of the Yale University in Davos early this week.

According to the 2012 Environmental Performance Index, Switzerland leads the world in addressing pollution control and natural resource management challenge.

The report has been produced by researchers at Yale and Columbia Universities in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.

Latvia, Norway, Luxembourg, and Costa Rica round out the top five positions in the 2012 EPI, which ranks 132 countries based on 22 indicators across 10 major policy categories including air and water pollution, climate change, biodiversity, and forest management.

Besides India, among the emerging economies, China ranks 116th, reflecting the strain rapid economic growth imposes on the environment.

Brazil ranks 30th, however, suggesting that a concerted focus on sustainability as a policy priority will pay dividends and that the level and pace of development is just one of many factors affecting environmental performance, the report said.

The United States places 49th in the 2012 EPI, with strong results on some issues, such as water and air pollution management, but weak performance on others, including greenhouse gas emissions and renewable electricity generation.

This ranking puts the US significantly behind other industrialized nations, including France (6th), the United Kingdom (9th), Germany (11th), and Japan (23rd).

In addition, the US ranks 77th in the Trend EPI rankings, suggesting that little progress has been made on environmental challenges over the last ten years.

Paes-Vesnina runner-up in Australian Open mixed doubles

A second title eluded Leander Paes at this year's Australian Open as he and Elena Vesnina ended runners-up in the mixed doubles event after being outplayed by Horia Tecau and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the summit clash in Melbourne on Sunday.

The fifth seeded Indo-Russian pair lost 3-6 7-5 (3-10) to eighth seeded Romanian-American combination in one hour and 48 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena.
Paes was chasing a rare feat of winning two Grand Slam titles in the same tournament for the second time in his career but fell at the final hurdle.
In the 1999 Wimbledon, he had won both the men's doubles (with Mahesh Bhupathi) and mixed doubles (Lisa Raymond) titles.
Yesterday, Paes had won the men's doubles title with Czech Radek Stepanek to complete a career Grand Slam.
It was Paes' fourth Australian Open mixed doubles final, having won two and lost two.
Overall, Paes has six mixed doubles titles with the French Open trophy missing from his Slam cabinet.
The combination of Tecau's strong serve and Mattek's stunning and powerful ground strokes, proved too hot to handle for Paes and Vesnina.
Mattek hit some breathtaking winners, specially with her crushing forehand while Tecau hardly erred on his serve.
Mattek and Tecau made a strong start to the match as they broke Paes and Vesnina in the second game to take the lead.
Mattek returned well and played aggressively. One of her lobs and then a winner by Tecau earned them three breakpoints straightaway. They broke Paes' serve when the Indian fired a backhand to net.
Paes and Vesnina broke back immediately but Vesnina could not hold serve and they trailed 1-3, which became 1-4 when Tecau held his own in the next game.
Paes finally held his serve, albeit after saving three breakpoints when Vesnina hit a volley winner on Tecau's return.
But there was nothing to worry their rivals as they had a comfortable lead and Tecau served out the set with ease when Vesnina hit a backhand to net.
An early break of Vesnina's serve and easy hold by Tecau again put them up 2-0 and the eighth seeded duo led 4-2 at one stage.
However, a seven-minute break due to drizzle changed the complexion of the match.
Perhaps the rhythm of Tecau and Mattek got disturbed and they began to commit a lot of unforced errors.
Mattek was broken in the eighth game and the scores were level. Vesnina served impressively in the ninth game to lead 5-4.
The pair broke Vesnina for the second time to take the second set and force a match tie-breaker.
The momentum shifted yet again in favour of Mattek and Tecau following the amazing first point.
Mattek ran down the court on her right, just avoided colliding with an umpire but succeeded in hitting a stunning winner.
From there, Mattek and Tecau dominated the proceedings, not letting the hard work go into the drain.

Egypt’s upper house poll Sunday and Monday,

Jan29

The first round of elections to the upper house of parliament, the Consultative Council, will take place in Egypt on Sunday and Monday, and the second will follow on February 14 and 15, Supreme Election Commission head Abdel Moez Ibrahim was quoted as saying on the Al Ahram website.
The first vote will be held in 13 Egyptian provinces, including Cairo and Alexandria, with almost 25.5 million people eligible to cast ballots, Ibrahim said.
Another 14 provinces will vote in mid-February. In line with Egyptian laws, two thirds of the 270-strong Consultative Council are elected in nationwide polls, with another 90 lawmakers being appointed by the head of state.The Consultative Council is expected to hold its first session on February 28.
Egypt’s newly-elected lower house of parliament, the People’s Assembly, held its first meeting since a popular uprising ousted President Hosni Mubarak a year ago, on January 23. The assembly is dominated by Islamist lawmakers from the Muslim Brotherhood and other religious groups.

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India, EU making good progress on trade pact

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India and the European Union are making steady progress towards concluding the ambitious bilateral trade opening pact on goods, services and investment.

This was disclosed by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum, WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland yesterday.

He said, it will have a positive impact not just for India and the EU, but for others also, as it will help keeping the global economy robust.

Sources said, the annual India-EU Summit is slated to be held in the second week of February in New Delhi and some announcements regarding the trade pact is expected.

Australian Open: Paes, Elena to play for Mixed Doubles title

In the Australian Open Tennis tournament at Melbourne, the Indo-Russian pair of Leander Paes and Elena Vesnina will today lock horns with the Romanian-American combine of Horia Tecau and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the title clash in Mixed Doubles.

The fifth seeded Indo-Russian duo had defeated the Italian pair of Daniele Bracciali and Roberta Vinci, 5-7, 6-2, 10-7 to reach the final.

Yesterday, Leander Paes wrote his name in the history books, as he became the first Indian player to complete a Grand Slam event by winning the Men’s Doubles title.

Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek completely outplayed the top seeded Bryan brothers of the US, Bob and Mike, beating them in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2.

The final of the Men’s Singles event will also be played today. Defending champion and World Number One Novak Djokovic of Serbia will clash with the second seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal for the title.

In the semi-finals, Djokovic had defeated Briton Andy Murray, while Nadal had swept aside World Number 3 Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Azarenka crowned Open queen, world No.1

Victoria Azarenka won her first grand slam title and became the new world number one when she thrashed a disappointing Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final on Saturday.

The third-seeded Belarusian overpowered the 2008 champion to win 6-3, 6-0 in 82 minutes to lift the trophy and become the fourth women's first-time grand slam winner in a row.

"I can't wait to be back next year, I've had an amazing month in Australia. It's a dream true," said Azarenka.

Azarenka came from 0-2 down in the first set to win 12 of the next 13 games for a comprehensive victory, as Sharapova's game disintegrated in the face of all-out aggression from the Belarusian.

Sharapova made 30 unforced errors, while Azarenka played almost flawlessly at times with only 12 errors across the two sets.

"As in any sport you have your good days you have your tough days and you have days where things just don't work out. Today Victoria was just too good," Sharapova said.

"It all comes down to the last two athletes, winner takes it all after all the players in the draw. I've had great wins here and I've had tough losses but there's no doubt I'll be back."

Azarenka won the toss and chose to serve, but she started nervously and dished up two double-faults on her way to dropping the first game.

Sharapova consolidated to open a 2-0 lead and got to 0-30 on Azarenka's next game, but the Belarusian seemed to shake off her nerves and slowly took control.

She stepped up to the baseline and took the ball early, pressuring Sharapova into mistakes. And soon Azarenka was dominating in all departments, matching the Russian's power from the baseline and volleying confidently.

The 22-year-old broke back in the fourth game and broke again in the eighth before confidently serving for the first set.

And Azarenka started the second set with the same self-belief, breaking Sharapova's first serve and coming back from 15-40 to hold her own and open a 2-0 lead.

Sharapova was becoming increasingly frustrated and, unusually for the three-time grand slam winner, she began to look to her coach Thomas Hogstedt in frustration.

Azarenka was in full control, however, and she broke Sharapova twice more to go to 5-0 lead.

The Belarusian stepped up to serve for the championship, saving a break point and falling to her knees in delight when a Sharapova backhand crashed into the net.

Azarenka, who won the girls' singles crown in 2005, became only the third woman in the open era to win the junior and senior titles at the Australian Open after Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Chris O'Neil.

She is also the first Belarusian to win a grand slam title, going one better than Natasha Zvereva, who finished runner up at the French Open in 1998.

Sharapova has now been runner-up at two of the last three grand slams, after losing last year's Wimbledon decider to Petra Kvitova.

The three-time grand slam winner had been attempting to win her first major title since coming back from major shoulder surgery in October, 2008.

Azarenka will be confirmed as world number one in the new women's rankings released next week, ending Caroline Wozniacki's long stay at the top.

Paes-Stepanek duo outplay Bryan brothers to lift Aus Open

Veteran star Leander Paes on Saturday created history by becoming the first Indian to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open men's doubles title with Radek Stepanek, taming the dangerous top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan in straight sets, in Melbourne.

The unseeded Indo-Czech pair played tremendously to win 7-6(1) 6-2 in the summit clash, which lasted one hour and 24 minutes.

Thrice Paes had reached the Australian open final but lost on all ocassions -- twice to Bryan brothers.

This title has eluded Paes since the late 90s when he along with estranged partner Mahesh Bhupathi dominated the doubles tennis and reached the number one spot as a team in 1999.

In their quest to complete their slam tally, Paes and Bhupathi had joined hands in 2011 after a gap 11 years but the title slipped out of their hands as they lost to Bryan brothers.

Paes and Bhupathi broke partnership again with the latter choosing Rohan Bopanna as partner on Tour for the 2012 season.

Paes began the season by winning the Chennai Open with Serbian Janko Tipsarevic.

This is the 13th Grand Slam title for Paes with seven men's doubles trophies and six mixed doubles titles and is India's most succesful doubles player in majors. Bhupathi has won 11 Grand Slam titles.

Paes won French Open thrice (1999, 2001, 2009) and Wimbledon (1999) and US Open (2006) once each.

Paes now has a chance to repeat the rare success of winning both men's doubles and mixed doubles titles in the same Grand Slam tournament as he is due to play the mixed doubles final on Sunday with Russian partner Elena Vesnina.

In 1999 Wimbledon, Paes had won both the titles. Men's doubles with Bhupathi and doubles with America's Lisa Raymond.

As expected, it was a keenly fought match. The opening set went with serve with Paes and Bob saving breakpoints on their serves in the fourth and fifth games respectively.

Stepanek attacked Bob's serve in the fifth game, unleashing tremendous returns and thrilling netplay and earned a breakpoint. But the American brothers saw off the threat comfortably.

Some of the Stepanek shots were so stunning that once Paes even bowed his head, acknowlegding the winner.

Eventually, the issue was stretched to tie-breaker and then Indo-Czech pair dominated the Bryan brothers right after earning break in the first point.

There was no stopping Paes and Stepanek after that first point and they comfortably took the lead, letting the rivals take just one point.

The Bryans lost steam in the second set with Paes and Stepanek dicating terms. Just once they faced anxious moment when Brayns earned a breakpoint in the seventh game but failed to convert.

Anna Hazare's message for Election bound states

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

Posted 2 days ago by Nksagar

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India Art Fair 2012

                                           

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Neha Kirpal diluting her stake in the event to Sandy Argus and Will Ramsay,the co-founders of the wildly successful Art HK.India Art Fair 2012 attracts International galleries Britain’s White Cube, Lisson, and Hauser Wirth as well as Aicon and Paul and Aicon and Paul Kasmin from the U.S. Herve Perdriolle from Paris,Everard Read from Cape town,Neilson Gallery from Spain and DIE Galerie from Franfurt. Gallery from Switzerland, Australia, Italy,Greece,Japan show cased their art work in this fair.International exhibitors this year include influential galleries from Europe,the Middle East and South Africa of art works of Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali and Andre Masson and by more than 1000 artist with visitors growing each day at the four days event. This is the fourth event hosting artists of international repute.India Art Fair continues through Sunday, January 29 at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla Industrial Estate in New Delhi.Neha in her welcome message said this year 98 exhibitors from 20 countries present world class showcase of modern and contemporary art in custom built space at NSIC ground in New Delhi.

Jan

26

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

@PMOIndia Dr Manmohan Singh

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

Posted 2 days ago by Nksagar

President stresses on removal of poverty, hunger & illiteracy

President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday said tremendous work needs to be done to move forward on social and economic agenda to achieve fast, economic and sustainable growth.

"Our foremost priority is the removal of poverty, hunger and malnutrition, disease and illiteracy. All social welfare programmes must be implemented efficiently. Agencies involved in the delivery of services should have a strong sense of duty and work in a transparent, corruption-free, time-bound and accountable manner," she said in her address to the nation on the eve of 63rd Republic Day.

The President said all issues, therefore, must be resolved through dialogue and there can be no place for violence. Negativity and rejection cannot be the path for a vibrant country that is moving to seek its destiny.

She said the Constitution has been and should be the compass guiding in nation-building.

"It is the charter of our democracy. It is the document guaranteeing individual freedoms to its citizens. It is the basis on which institutions of the State have been created and have derived their powers and functions," she said.

She said one has to be cautious in bringing about reforms so that the tree of democratic institutions does not come down.

"While bringing about reforms and improving institutions, we have to be cautious that while shaking the tree to remove the bad fruit, we do not bring down the tree itself", she said.  

She said India can take pride in its democratic record but as in any functional democracy, it faces pressures and challenges.

Patil said there would be short term pressures, but in this process the long term goals must not be lost sight of, and everyone must work together on core national agenda.

Emphasising that those who believe in democracy must try to see the rationale in the others' point of view, she said concord and not discord is the way forward for a country as large as India.

"All issues, therefore, must be resolved through dialogue and there can be no place for violence. Negativity and rejection cannot be the path for a vibrant country that is moving to seek its destiny," she said.

Patil said Indian institutions may not be flawless but they have coped with many challenges. Indian Parliament, she noted, has enacted path-breaking laws and Government has put together schemes for the progress and welfare of the people.

Patil said,"our judiciary has a reputable standing. Our media too has played an important role. With all institutions working together for the same national purpose it will create a stream of positive energy."

She expressed the hope that in the spirit of national interest, matters of national importance, are discussed and solutions found between different stakeholders. This would strengthen the roots of our democracy and the foundations of our nation.

"Often, we are quick to find blame with others; but, yet are unable to give constructive responses. There seems to be a tendency to doubt almost everything. Do we not have faith in our own people's strengths and in our institutions? Can we afford distrust amongst ourselves?," she said.

 The President said India's foreign policy was aimed at the promotion of an environment that is conducive to its socio-economic transformation.

"We seek to build bridges of cooperation and friendship with all countries of the world. We constructively engage with the international community to find responses to global challenges," she said.

Patil said the role and stature of India, has been growing and the nation has been scaling up in the ladder of the comity of nations.

"India seeks an architecture for global institutions that is more reflective of contemporary realities. We are also proud of the contributions of the Indian Diaspora, spread over many countries and across continents, to the economic, professional and political fields of the countries where they live," she said.

The President said, "we are living in a world that is complex and challenging. Forces of globalisation have created an interlinked and interdependent world. No country exists in isolation; it is continuously being influenced by external developments".

She said all nations, developed and developing, are facing the impact of global economic instability, as well as problems of unemployment and inflation, in varying degrees.

"There are growing aspirations of the people, coupled with their expectations of immediate solutions. We are observing, an information explosion and ever-newer technological inventions.”

"These have altered lifestyles and there is also a growing quest for materialism. There are persistent questions about how growth and resources will be shared in a more equitable manner," she said.

The President said education must reach every section of the society, as must access to health.

"We need to expand health services, particularly in rural areas. We need quality medical facilities for our population, which are affordable. In today's era of ICT, technology can be very useful in our mission of health and education," she said.

Patil said science and technology was a critical input for the growth of the nation and all sectors of the economy.

"Focus on research and development is an investment in our future. Our agriculture, industry and service sectors need to be working more efficiently, with greater scientific inputs and more inter-linkages with each other," she said.

The President said agriculture is one sector whose integration with other sectors of the economy remains inadequate.

"We need to look at models of partnership, of farmers with industry and with Research and Development institutions in various activities, so that, not only does agricultural productivity increase, but farmers benefit as well," she said.

Patil said special focus is necessary on dryland farming, given its potential and, the fact that, a large proportion of farm labour and poor farmers are dependent on it.

"At the same time, it is very important to build our physical infrastructure - such as roads, ports and airports, to overcome constraints to rapid growth," she said.

On the issue of women empowerment, the President said it would have a very big impact on creating social structures that are stable.

"An important component of women's development is their economic and social security. Social prejudices prevalent in our society which have led to gender discrimination need to be corrected. Social evils like female foeticide, child marriage and dowry must be eradicated. Status of women is an important indicator of progress in a society," she said.

First Tableaux on Indian Handicrafts this Republic Day

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.

Posted 4 days ago by Nksagar

L’AFFAIRE SALMAN RUSHDIE

Received by email:
Paper no 4873
21-Jan-2012

L’AFFAIRE SALMAN RUSHDIE

By B.Raman 1962: There were intelligence reports of likely threats to the life of John F.Kennedy, the then US President, if he visited Dallas. The US Secret Service advised him not to go. He decided to go despite the reports. He was assassinated.
 1984: There were intelligence assessments of likely threats to Indira Gandhi from her Sikh security guards following the military raid in the Golden Temple. Those responsible for her security quietly removed all Sikh security guards from her house. She noticed it and ordered that they should be reposted. She said: “ How can I call myself the Prime Minister of secular India if I distrust my Sikh guards?” Her security set-up was told to ensure  that no Sikh would be alone by her side. There was negligence in implementing this. She was killed by two of her Sikh guards who managed to have the duty roaster manipulated in such a manner as to ensure that they would be alone by her side.
 1991: There were intelligence assessments of likely threats to Rajiv Gandhi from the LTTE during his election campaign in Tamil Nadu. The intelligence agencies and the Tamil Nadu Police failed to strengthen security for him. He was killed by a LTTE suicide bomber.
 2004: There were intelligence assessments of likely threats to the security of  Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister, if he went to Islamabad for the SAARC summit. Despite this, he decided to go. The intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan strengthened his security. Nothing happened.
 2. Shri Salman Rushdie is a well-known literary personality--- loved and admired by many non-Muslims and hated by many Muslims whose feelings were hurt by his Satanic Verses. He was and is a highly threatened non-Government personality in the world. The threats to his life arose from individual Muslims angered by his book and from the intelligence agencies of Iran where religious clerics had announced a handsome reward for his assassination.
 3.The British security agencies and Police strengthened his security and he was advised to cut down his public exposure. He complied with their advisory and had practically no social life for some years till the fatwa was withdrawn in Iran. The threat to him from the Iranian intelligence subsided, but the threats from individual Muslims remained as high as ever. Intelligence and security agencies of the world felt confident of being able to protect him from potential individual assassins with no State sponsorship. He increasingly became more active socially and started interacting with the civil society and the media in different countries. He started travelling frequently. He developed a love relationship with a woman of Tamil origin in New York and was often seen with her in public in NY. He visited Chennai with her to meet her relatives and friends. He participated in the inaugural session of the Jaipur Literary Festival in 2007.
 4. Though the threats to him remained high, the intelligence and security agencies of different countries, including India, had no difficulty in ensuring his security. He and his hosts also facilitated their task by maintaining a low profile about his visits and by avoiding advance publicity. Many of us came to know of his visit to Chennai along with his Tamil woman-companion only after he had come and gone.
 5. Ensuring his security for his participation in the Jaipur Literary Festival that started on January 20 became a complicated affair because the fundamentalist Deobandi group came to know of his planned visit much in advance and made a public issue of it. Statements and comments emanating from the Deobandi office-bearers and some sections of the Muslim community amounted to open, verbal intimidation meant to intimidate the Government of India into not allowing him to come and intimidate him into not coming.
6. The situation became sensitive and complex. One would have expected the Government of India to stop this intimidatory campaign initiated by the Deobandis in the bud and make it clear to them that the Government of India was determined to protect him and would not succumb to the intimidatory campaign.
 7. The Government of India did nothing of the sort. It adopted what seemed to many as a deliberately ambivalent attitude by highlighting his right to visit to India as a person of Indian origin , but maintaining a political silence on the intimidatory campaign against him. The Government and the Congress seem to have seen political advantages in such an ambivalent attitude on the eve of the forthcoming elections in UP.
 8. As it normally happens in such an increasingly-charged atmosphere, reports started flowing to intelligence agencies of alleged plans of some elements to assassinate him when he came to India. The open intimidatory campaign of the Deobandis was compounded by the flow of reports about the alleged clandestine plans of the Mumbai underworld to assassinate him. The reports were of a general and not specific nature.
 9. These clandestine reports called for three actions by the Government of India:
(a). The Government of India taking over the responsibility for strengthening and co-ordinating his security.
 ( b ).Informing Rushdie of the clandestine intelligence reports.
 (c ). A formal assurance to him that security for him would be strengthened and that he need not cancel his visit just because of these reports.
 10. It is apparent that the Government of India only informed him of these clandestine intelligence reports. It did not take any other action to give him confidence that it would do everything necessary to protect him. The Government of India’s deliberately ambivalent attitude continued.
 11. Apart from odd statements and remarks by individual spokesmen of the Government of India and the Congress Party that Rushdie would be protected, nothing was done to strengthen his confidence in the Government of India. In the face of this ambivalence of the Government of India, he decided to cancel his visit. I felt disappointed  and let down by his decision which will give fresh oxygen to extremists of any persuasion. But I can understand his decision. Many of us would have probably reacted in the same manner in the face of the ambivalent attitude of the Government of India which was marked by a mix of  partisan opportunism and  State cowardice.
 12. The ill-advised actions of some of the participants in the Jaipur festival such as reading out extracts from Satanic Verses have added to the confusion. Certain things need to be clearly stated and understood. L’Affaire Rushdie is not a moral issue.  It is not a question of the right of Rushdie to freedom of expression.
 13. It is pure and simple an issue of the obligation of the State to protect a highly-threatened person by whatever means possible and not to let itself be intimidated by extremists. The way the whole affair has been handled by the Government of India would legitimately strengthen the suspicion that the handling of the affair was vitiated by partisan opportunism, which encouraged the creation of a crisis in the hope of reaping electoral dividends.
 14. January 20,2012, was a day of tragedy, shame and disquiet. Tragedy because the events were manipulated in such a manner as to discourage Rushdie from coming. Shame because of the opportunism and cowardice of the Indian State and political leadership. Disquiet because it showed once again that for our political class partisan interests come before national interests.
 ( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com Twitter : @SORBONNE75 )
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