PSBT’s 13th Open Frame International Film Festival
12092013
Posted on September 12, 2013 by sagarmedia
PSBT’s 13th Open Frame International Film Festival focuses on narratives of and by women, which foreground women’s experiences and embody a wide range of issues that require critical engagement, individually and collectively. As an organisation and movement committed to using the documentary form to raise concerns that matter, we consider this an urgent, if recurring, need.
Through the Festival, we hope to encourage conversations and discussions in an Indian context, especially in the light of the renewed public discourse around violence against women. An analysis of the lived realities and experiences of women, across space and time, as individuals, groups, political subjects and citizens, will facilitate reflection on the visible and invisible structures that create, sustain and perpetuate unequal systems of power, access and control. They will help recognise the interrelated nature of women’s marginalisation, across the multiple identities they inhabit and negotiate.
We explore feminisms, patriarchy, gender stereotypes, sexuality, violence, virginity, labour, reproductive rights, desire, disability, political organisation, media representation, misogyny, religion, relationship with the state and more. From the intensely personal and moving narratives of women to the documentation of their deeply held solidarities, across real and imagined borders and differences, the context is varied, rich, warm and exhilarating. The Films will stir us, make us happy, sad, proud and sometimes uncomfortable.
We celebrate women’s creativity and the unique perspectives and richness they bring to the art they create. We celebrate some of the most fabulous women this world has ever known and the power of women coming together. We acknowledge the role they have played in ensuring that so many of us can live with freedom, dignity and choice.
We examine why a large number of women, beneficiaries of their foremothers’ struggles, are weary and skeptical of embracing the very praxis that has won them their freedoms. We invite men in particular to examine and understand ways in which their actions, in inactions, deny women their rights as human beings.
We invite our audience to watch, agree, disagree, debate, learn, unlearn, feel moved, surprised, challenged and most importantly, question, inherited modes of being and thinking. For almost every injustice, inequality and oppression in some part of the world, a struggle is being waged and alliances being forged. We wish to salute, celebrate, bring to attention and lend a voice, albeit small, to some of these struggles. We hope our audience will feel inspired to learn more about them, embrace them and see the world in a new light!
This is not a Festival on women’s issues. It is a Festival about the world we create for ourselves and those who follow, a world where we take responsibility for our thoughts and actions
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Philippines rebels attack 2nd town
120920135 missing, 2 wounded as Philippines rebels attack 2nd town
Filipino rebels attacked predominantly Christian outskirts of Lamitan town in Basilan province on Thursday morning, and officials say five people were missing and two wounded. It is a second town near the southern port where rebels are holding scores of residents hostage in a standoff with government forces. The assault on Lamitan was repulsed, regional Governor Mujiv Hataman said. Residents had already been evacuated Wednesday. Moro National Liberation Front fighters have been holding more than 100 hostages since Monday.
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Categories : Politics, Uncategorized, world News
Israel voices tentative support for Russia’s Syria solution
12092013
Posted on September 12, 2013 by sagarmedia
A senior Israeli official has said that Russia’s plan to remove chemical weapons from Syria could be a solution to the conflict. Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said that the international community would need a guarantee from Moscow that “Syria is cleansed of chemical weaponry.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad to be “stripped of its chemical weapons” on Wednesday, but stopped short of openly voicing his support of the Russian initiative.
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DMIC Trust Approves Nine Projects with Investment of Rs 1,20,000 Crore
12092013
DMIC Trust in its meeting held yesterday had approved nine projects with an investment of Rs. 1,20,000 crores from Central, State Governments and the private sectors. The meeting was chaired by Secretary, DEA Mr. Arvind Mayaram; Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Mr. Saurabh Chandra, CEO & MD, DMICDC, Mr. Amitabh Kant and Joint Secretary, Expenditure, Mr. Saurabh Garg. These projects will drive the growth of manufacturing and bring in cutting edge technology from Japan. The projects will generate 2,15,000 direct jobs and 6,18,000 indirect jobs to the Indian economy. Details of the projects are given below:
1. Integrated Industrial Township ‘Vikram Udyogpuri’ Near Ujjain
‘Vikram Udyogpuri’ Project will have sustainable economic base primarily driven by industries (manufacturing) integrated with institutional (public and semi-public use) and supported by residential land use and commercial activities.
The site for the proposed ‘Vikram Udyogpuri’ is located about 8km from Ujjain and 12km from Dewas and has a total area of 443.79 Ha (1096.63 acres).
The township would consist of Automotive & Auto-Components, IT/ITeS and Engineering Services industries and educational institutions, supported by residential, commercial and other urban facilities including supporting social and physical infrastructure to boost the same.
The total revenue (direct & indirect) expected to be generated by the project is Rs. 1,20,600 crore by 2040.The project is expected to generate an employment of 78000 (direct and indirect) by 2040.
2. Integrated Multi Modal Logistic Hub, Rewari
The site for the proposed ‘Vikram Udyogpuri’ is located about 8km from Ujjain and 12km from Dewas and has a total area of 443.79 Ha (1096.63 acres).
The township would consist of Automotive & Auto-Components, IT/ITeS and Engineering Services industries and educational institutions, supported by residential, commercial and other urban facilities including supporting social and physical infrastructure to boost the same.
The total revenue (direct & indirect) expected to be generated by the project is Rs. 1,20,600 crore by 2040.The project is expected to generate an employment of 78000 (direct and indirect) by 2040.
2. Integrated Multi Modal Logistic Hub, Rewari
The site is about 965 acres and is in Rewari district of Haryana and is adjacent to the proposed Western DFC to its North and NH-8 in the West near Garhi Bolni on NH-8. The project will handle 1.4 million TEUs and will have a total container handing in the range of Rs. 38000-40000 crores.
The IMLH will provide facilities for large, small and medium enterprises which will be benefitted from the proximity to the logistics hub. The site has provision for commercial office/retail space to cater to businesses like those of freight forwarders, operators, third-party logistics (3PL) companies, fourth-party logistics (4PL) companies, etc. Other supplementary facilities at the site comprise administration buildings, utility areas and greens.
3. Integrated Industrial Township at Greater Noida
The Integrated Industrial Township is an initiative of DMIC to drive manufacturing activity in the region in order to promote sustainable development. The township will act as a magnet to promote R&D activities, and will subsequently promote industrial development, in line with DMIC’s objective to promote industrial and manufacturing activities in the Dadri Noida Ghaziabad Investment Region (DNGIR).
Based upon historical and existing trends, inherent advantages of India and UP, existing status of the industry in the State, government policies, view of industry experts and potential investors, the Integrated Industrial Township is proposed with new age industry sectors such as Bio-technology, Hi-tech electronics industry, and Research and Development (R&D). The Integrated Industrial Township will also support in key sectors like telecom, electronics, automobile, food, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and defense research sector.
It has a total site area of 302.5 Ha (747.5 acres). The total project size is in the region of Rs. 33000 crores.
4. Integrated Multi Modal Logistic Hub at Greater Noida near Dadri
The IMLH will provide facilities for large, small and medium enterprises which will be benefitted from the proximity to the logistics hub. The site has provision for commercial office/retail space to cater to businesses like those of freight forwarders, operators, third-party logistics (3PL) companies, fourth-party logistics (4PL) companies, etc. Other supplementary facilities at the site comprise administration buildings, utility areas and greens.
3. Integrated Industrial Township at Greater Noida
The Integrated Industrial Township is an initiative of DMIC to drive manufacturing activity in the region in order to promote sustainable development. The township will act as a magnet to promote R&D activities, and will subsequently promote industrial development, in line with DMIC’s objective to promote industrial and manufacturing activities in the Dadri Noida Ghaziabad Investment Region (DNGIR).
Based upon historical and existing trends, inherent advantages of India and UP, existing status of the industry in the State, government policies, view of industry experts and potential investors, the Integrated Industrial Township is proposed with new age industry sectors such as Bio-technology, Hi-tech electronics industry, and Research and Development (R&D). The Integrated Industrial Township will also support in key sectors like telecom, electronics, automobile, food, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and defense research sector.
It has a total site area of 302.5 Ha (747.5 acres). The total project size is in the region of Rs. 33000 crores.
4. Integrated Multi Modal Logistic Hub at Greater Noida near Dadri
The MMLH has been planned in congruence with DMIC’s objective of creating strong economic base with a globally competitive environment and state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities. The proposed site of IMLH is a part of the delineated site for Dadri NoidaGhaziabad Investment Region (DNGIR) and is strategically located in close proximity to the point of congruence of the Western and Eastern DFC and also the proposed freight corridor of Eastern Peripheral Expressway.
The total area of 438.9 Ha has been earmarked for this project which includes area of 293.8 Ha which will be developed in Phase-1. The total investment in the project will be approximately Rs. 35000 crores.
5. Improvement of water supply system for Pithampur Industrial Area & Phase I of Pithampur- Dhar- Mhow Investment Region, Madhya Pradesh
The total area of 438.9 Ha has been earmarked for this project which includes area of 293.8 Ha which will be developed in Phase-1. The total investment in the project will be approximately Rs. 35000 crores.
5. Improvement of water supply system for Pithampur Industrial Area & Phase I of Pithampur- Dhar- Mhow Investment Region, Madhya Pradesh
The availability of 24×7 water supply at adequate pressure is essential for the development of the Pithampur-Dhar-Mhow Investment Region. The project will provide 90 MLD water from Narmada Kshripra Simhastha Link to meet the future water requirements of the Project area. The Project area includes Pithampur Industrial Area, Phase-I ofPithampur-Dhar-Mhow Investment Region, with major industrial development proposed in the vicinity such as the Diamond Park and Sonvaya Bhainslai Industrial Area. The Municipal areas of Pithampur and the Betma are also included in the Project Area.
Project cost is in the range of Rs. 300 to Rs. 320 crores.
6. Construction of New Rail Line from Bhimnath to Dholera Special Investment Region in Gujarat
Project cost is in the range of Rs. 300 to Rs. 320 crores.
6. Construction of New Rail Line from Bhimnath to Dholera Special Investment Region in Gujarat
Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) will be connected to Indian Railways network through a Bhimnath-Dholera new line and the existing Bhimnath-Botad MG rail link, converted to BG. Botad-Bhimnath (29.66) & Bhimnath-Dholera (27.60) sections will have a total length of about 57.26 km and will provide rail connectivity between DSIR and the rest of the country, including sea-ports.
The total cost of the project is approximately Rs. 250 crores.
7. Solar Power Project at Neemrana, Rajasthan
The total cost of the project is approximately Rs. 250 crores.
7. Solar Power Project at Neemrana, Rajasthan
The Model Solar Power Project at Neemrana, Rajasthan is a unique initiative of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project and has been conceived as the First Smart Micro-Grid Project in the country demonstrating the concept of integration of Solar Power with industrial Diesel Generator sets.
DMICDC in partnership with NEDO and HITACHI is setting up 6.00 MWp Solar Photovoltaic (PV) power project and 1 MW Diesel generator power projects in NeemranaIndustrial Park, Japanese Zone, Neemrana, Rajasthan. The project will bring in cutting edge Japanese technology with invertor technology.
8. Water Desalination Project at Dahej, Gujarat
DMICDC in partnership with NEDO and HITACHI is setting up 6.00 MWp Solar Photovoltaic (PV) power project and 1 MW Diesel generator power projects in NeemranaIndustrial Park, Japanese Zone, Neemrana, Rajasthan. The project will bring in cutting edge Japanese technology with invertor technology.
8. Water Desalination Project at Dahej, Gujarat
The Project envisages, desalinating seawater to make water available for industrial purpose and with the capacity of 336 Million Litre per day (MLD) and will be Asia’s largest desalination plant. Dahej is India’s fastest growing Industrial Region and is facing severe shortage of water. Any further industrialisation in the Dahej Industrial Region is subject to adequate availability of water. This is Asia’s largest Desalination Project with an outlay of Rs. 3600 crores. The project will be executed by HITACHI of Japan & Hyfluxof Singapore. DMIC Trust will have 15 % equity into the project.
9. Logistic Data Bank Project for Tracking Container Cargo Movement on Integrated Basis
The project developed by NEC Corporation of Japan to address the issue of tracking and viewing the movement of containers across the ports to the ICDs and end users. The LDB would also provide value added services including comparative metric based analysis. This would enable the Government of India, State Governments, importers, exporters and other stakeholders to assess comparative performance; identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks to develop strategies to ensure the development of the sector.
9. Logistic Data Bank Project for Tracking Container Cargo Movement on Integrated Basis
The project developed by NEC Corporation of Japan to address the issue of tracking and viewing the movement of containers across the ports to the ICDs and end users. The LDB would also provide value added services including comparative metric based analysis. This would enable the Government of India, State Governments, importers, exporters and other stakeholders to assess comparative performance; identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks to develop strategies to ensure the development of the sector.
The project will be implemented through a 50:50 JV between DMIC Trust and Japanese Agency NEC.
The LDB would be an overarching solution that will integrate the information available with various agencies across the supply chain to provide detailed real time information within a single window. LDB can help reduce the transportation lead-time by approximately 5 days which in turn would result in savings of USD 3.2 billion annually by 2017 by virtue of lesser Inventory being carried by the industry.
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Categories : Business, Funds, Politics, Trade, Uncategorized, world News
24 senior Indian figures to advise University of Cambridge
12092013
A select group of 24 senior Indian business leaders, government figures and academics has been created to guide and assist the extensive range of existing research collaborations between Cambridge and Indian academics, to foster the establishment of new ones, and to play an ambassadorial role in promoting the University in India.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Circle of Advisors (see full list below) will attend a summit meeting with a delegation from the University of Cambridge, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, in Delhi on 11 September.
Engagement with India is a strategic priority for the University of Cambridge, working in partnership to tackle global challenges through research and education.
Cambridge’s current collaborations with India cover a wide range of disciplines including Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Education and the Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Technology and Business. These diverse interests are reflected in the backgrounds and expertise of the members of the Circle of Advisers.
The University is home to distinguished academics from India, including Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta (Economics), Professor Ashok Venkitaraman (Cancer Research), and Nobel laureate Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (Molecular Biology).
The University of Cambridge has more than 1300 active alumni in India, with particular concentrations in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore, and there are nine active alumni groups and societies in India.
The Vice-Chancellor said:
I am thankful for the warm reception that Cambridge always receives in India: this will be my fifth visit since I was elected Vice-Chancellor in 2010.
Our relationship is close and it is also very practical. There are many challenges that we can meet better together than separately. I am profoundly grateful to my new Circle of Advisors who are generously giving their time and expertise to ensure that our collaborations are as productive as possible for India and for Cambridge.
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UN report on Syrian chemical weapons
12092013
A report by United Nations inspectors probing a chemical weapons attack in Syria will “probably” be published on Monday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Thursday.
“It will say that there was a chemical massacre,” Fabius told French radio. The inspectors left Syria on August 31 after collecting samples as part of their probe into a August 21 chemical weapons attack in a suburb of the Syrian capital.
The US and its allies have said the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad carried out the attack, while Damascus and its ally Russia have said rebels were responsible. Media agencies
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Kareena Kapoor to auction saree for the Tiger Eye Hospital
12092013
Philanthropy at Tiger,despite being in the midst of promotional activities for her upcoming next, Bollywood’s Numero Uno Kareena Kapoor has jetted off to London, where she will join Saif Ali Khan as the duo will together attend an auction hosted by the Pataudi family, to raise funds for the new Tiger Eye Hospital.
The actress will auction her signature Chammak Challo saree from the film Ra.One – proceeds of which will go towards the hospital, whose endeavour has been to help visually challenged people .
The auction, to be held in London, will see author Jeffrey Archer wielding the hammer.Apart from Kareena’s saree, the auction will also see a tee signed by footballer Lionel Messi and a bat autographed by Rahul Dravid to name a few.
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‘A Small History of Health’ by Prof. Susie Tharu,
12092013
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
cordially invites you to a Public Lecture
(in the ‘Rethinking History’ series)
at 3.00 pm on Friday, 13 September, 2013
in the Seminar Room, First Floor, Library Building
on
‘A Small History of Health’
by
Prof. Susie Tharu,
The English and Foreign Languages University,
Hyderabad.
Abstract:
Sequentialist narratives that assume “health” to be an enduring and self-evident concept, tell the story of the development of medicine as a science, and point to the improvement of health in modern societies. The speaker does not want, here, to take issue with either of these claims. Her interest here lies in pointing to what is obscured by this way of telling the story, as the development of a science concerned with healing the sick or promoti8ng individual well-being. What is obscured is the field or the framework (in the arts we speak of frames) in which scientific medicine and health emerged and developed. Both health and medicine take shape/form in the field of statecraft associated with modern government. The size, strength and health of a population were of key import in the defense of territory as well as in the effective exploitation of resources. Information gathering, statistical ideas and calculations, the very idea of risk (and insurance) are formed in this crucible. In India the C19 emergence of modern medicine is focused on governmental concerns such as the control of epidemics, the regulation of the sexual life of the army, sanitation, water supply and salubriousness in cantonments. A secondary task was the discrediting and displacement of competing medicinal services. In brief, health, which today masquerades as a feature of individual well-being, is in fact a concept that is related to territories and populations and renders account to the state. As we who are living through times when universal health insurance is being experimented with by many state governments, know, while welfare medicine does introduce a new idea of health as a right, it also hugely expands the scope of governmental health care and of the markets that attach to it. Today it is this market, a market that feeds on the scope of health as a governmental form, that determines the nature of medicine and health as science, as industry and as user-experience. If in the early and mid years of this century, wave upon wave of public health initiatives—malaria eradication, various vaccines, population control, polio, TB control programmes—hit the common people of this country, but left its elite largely untouched; today the elite have also been swept up in the wave.
Speaker:
Prof. Susie Tharu studied in Makerere University, Uganda and Somerville College, Oxford. She has taught in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur, and since 1973 in EFLU, Hyderabad. She is currently Eminent Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. She is also a founder member of Stree Shakti Sanghatana, Anveshi Research Centre for Women’s Studies, Hyderabad and a member of the erstwhile Subaltern Studies Collective. Her teaching and research interests are in feminism and other issues of minority, aesthetics in the literary and visual arts and the culture of medicine in India. She has given talks at and taught in universities across India and other parts of the world, and published six books including, in the early 1990s, the well-known two-volume anthology, Women Writing in India. Her most recent publications are Towards a Critical Medical Practice: Dilemmas of Medical Culture Today(with Anand Zacaraiah and R. Srivatsan) 2009, No Alphabet in Sight, 2011, and Steel Nibs are Sprouting2013, Dossiers of New Dalit Writing from South India (with K. Satyanarayana).
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Arjun Singh Chaudhri stays three shots clear on day two
12092013
Forest Hills Golf Resort, Karoran, Mohali, September 11, 2013: Arjun Singh Chaudhri of Noida was the round two leader by three shots at the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Forest Hills Golf Resort in Mohali district of Punjab. Chaudhri carded a one-over-71 on Wednesday that took his two-round total to four-under-136. DelhiⳠHoney Baisoya was placed second at one-under-139.
The cut was declared at 12-over-152. Thirty-nine professionals made the cut.
Arjun Singh Chaudhri (65-71), the overnight leader, continued to be on top of the leaderboard after a fighting 71 in round two. Chaudhri picked up his first birdie of the day with a 15-feet conversion on the fourth. He followed that up with a chip-putt for birdie from 50 yards on the fifth. Arjun missed a one-foot putt to drop bogey on the sixth.
Chaudhri suffered a major setback on the 13th where he double-bogeyed after a three-putt. He then got back on track with a chip-in for birdie on the 15th and a chip-putt from 35 yards for a par-save on the 16th. The 34-year-old closed the day at one-over after missing an up and down for bogey on the 17th.
Chaudhri said, ㉊didn’tⴠhit it as close as I had done in round one. I had just 12 greens in regulation and didn’tⴠmake enough birdies. I missed some short putts today. However, I feel my short game is still very sharp and with a three stroke lead heading into the final day I⭠quite well-placed. The chip-in was the highlight of my second round.
Honey Baisoya (71-68) fired the dayⳠjoint best score of 68 to climb from overnight tied fifth to second position. His round featured five birdies and three bogeys.
Ashbeer Saini of Kapurthala and GurgaonⳠShubhankar Sharma were in tied third place at one-over-141.
ChandigarhⳊRanjit Singh occupies tied eighth place at five-over 145 while Angad Cheema of Panchkula is in tied 23rdplace at nine-over-149.
Chandigarh golfer Harmeet Kahlon lies in tied 34th place at 11-over-151. ༯span>
Rookie golfer Rahul Singh Pathania of Chandimandir fired a hole-in-one on the eighth hole. The 19-year-old hit his 5-iron tee shot to perfection as it landed in the hole after the first bounce. Pathania, however, missed the cut by one shot as he totaled 13-over-153 to be placed tied 40th.
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Visit Portugal
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Centre of Excellence to come up at five engineering colleges
12092013
Innovative experiment to take place under PPP mode at engineering colleges of the state
*****
MOUs signed between Siemens Software Company and Department of Industries in presence of CM
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Gujarat Industries Department signed MOUs with Siemens Software Company and other well-known companies for setting up of five centre of excellence in Engineering College for engineering students of Gujarat today in the presence of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The MOUs were signed during a seminar related to qualitative improvements in higher education at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.
The Chief Minister appreciated this project of setting up of centre of excellence on public-private partnership at the cost of Rs. 500 crore. He said that in Gujarat as many as 13 centre of excellence in engineering colleges have been set up so far with the co-operation of private sector. Around 50,000 engineering students will be benefited with the five new centre of excellence.
The MOUs include (1) MOU between Petroleum University, Gandhinagar and Maruti Suzuki and Hero Moto-Corp, (2) MOU between L.D. Engineering College, Ahmedabad and Larsen & Toubro and Tata for the aero space and defense centre of excellence, (3) MOU between IITRam Maninagar and ITI Kubernagar and Siemens and L & T for the centre of excellence in industrial machinery, and (5) MOU between Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara and Siemens for industrial automation.
Giving details of the MOUs Industries Minister Saurabh Patel said the decision of Germany’s Siemens company about setting up of centre of excellence of such a high skill as a part of it’s corporate-social responsibility will be useful in catering to the demand of skilled-man force in rapidly growing industries sector in Gujarat.
He said that an investment of Rs. 489 crore has been made for setting up of these five centre of excellence, in which the state government will provide Rs. 85 crore. Siemens will manage the centre of excellence for two years and then will entrust it to the state government.
Industries Minister expressed faith that the centre of excellence will be instrumental in providing skilled man-power to the industries and employment opportunities to the youths. The engineering students will be provided software training and will be trained for using latest equipments. The concerned industries partners and Siemens will give certificate after completion of the training, which will increase the employment opportunities even outside ofGujarat for engineering students.
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Orientation Workshop for Traders to encourage Digital Literacy and enabling of ICT Services
12092013
The Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Government of India in partnership with Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the apex body of the trading community of the Country, has decided to sensitize the trading community of the Country and encourage the traders to use Information Communication Technology services in their existing trades, besides upgrading their skills. To begin a joint initiative by way of an Orientation Workshop for Traders to encourage Digital Literacy and enabling of ICT Services is being organized on 18th September, 2013 at New Delhi. The Hon’ble Union Minister for IT & Communication, Shri Kapil Sibal has been requested to inaugurate the workshop which will be also addressed by Secretary IT and other senior officials of the Ministry.
Dr. Ashwini Kumar Sharma, Managing Director, National Institute of Electronics & Information (NIELIT), Ministry of IT & Communication and Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, National Secretary General, CAIT addressed the Press Conference. Mr. Basab Dasgupta, Dy. Director, NIELIT, CAIT Delhi State President Shri Ramesh Khanna, Chairman Shri Narender Madan, Delhi General Secretary Shri Vijay Pal and Shri Rajesh Goyal, Chairman of E-Governance Committee of CAIT and Shri Virender Gehlot, Research Fellow, CAIT were present at the Press Conference.
The Government is emphasizing the need of e-Governance in administration and taxation system, therefore the issue regarding adoption of appropriate skills and technologies among the business community needs to be addressed. As per an estimate so far only about 12% traders across the Country have adopted computerization in their existing business format.
In such a scenario, effective steps are required to encourage the vast Indian retail trade sector to adopt IT literacy programs. More than 5 crore business enterprises are working in unorganized sector which contributes about 15% to GDP with an average annual growth of about 15%. The adoption of IT skills will not only upgrade and modernize the retail trade but shall benefit the Country in terms of the national economy.
The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), being the nodal department of the Government for furthering the cause of computerization and IT literacy in the country, in association with CAIT, is working towards promoting the said initiative. The Deity is in the process of drawing up suitable pilot programs for rolling out Retail Management System with appropriate levels of contribution from CAIT, through a nominal user charge to be identified by CAIT in consultation with its members. Very soon a comprehensive program will be developed for imparting IT technology education among traders across the Country.
This Workshop is being organized by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), a 100% owned organization of DeitY, engaged in the development of qualified human resources in the areas of IT; Electronics; Communication technologies; Hardware; Cyber Law; Cyber Security; IPR; GIS; Cloud Computing; e-Governance; and related verticals. NIELIT also has vast experience in conducting online examinations and third party assessments in skill and employment related courses and also offers IT Literacy courses for the masses. The immensely popular NIELIT CCC (Course on Computer Concept) and BCC (Basic Computer Course) programs are designed to equip a person to use computers for day-to-day use. As on date more than 10 Lakh candidates have opted for these programs.
For the ensuing workshop, three sessions have been planned which would address issues related to (a) e-Governance initiatives for Traders including development of Retail Management System; (b) Skill Development initiatives by Deity; and (c) Enabling Digital Literacy for Traders through NIELIT’s IT Literacy programs. A special provision has been made available at the NIELIT Website (www.nielit.in) wherein the participants from the trading community can register themselves for the Workshop by following the simple steps provided therein.
It is expected that one of the outcomes of the Workshop, which is being conducted jointly by NIELIT and CAIT, on behalf of DeitY, would be to encourage the trading community for upgrading their skills through NIELIT IT Literacy programs. In this regard, CAIT is impressing upon its members to proactively participate in such initiatives and obtain the NIELIT certification. A proposal for rolling out training programs in IT Literacy, specifically for the trading community, with the financial support from the Government, shall also be explored.
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Maharashtra eyes to boost tourism in the State through ‘CII Tourism Fest’
12092013
Tarun
9888330980
Maharashtra eyes to boost tourism in the State through ‘CII Tourism Fest’
Punjab to be the Principal Partner State – VB Kumar
India’s Financial Capital to woo tourists at ‘CII Tourism Fest’ to be held in December at Chandigarh
Popularly known as the Financial Capital of the country, Mumbai is now all set to woo global and domestic tourists at CII Tourism Fest from 5 – 7 December 2013 at Chandigarh. This is first of its kind mega event, being organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), supported by Ministry of Tourism (GoI), to promote India as an attractive tourist destination amongst global tourist fraternity.
Mr Arun Srivastava, Regional Director for Central & Western India Tourism, Government of India, while addressing during the announcement of the Fest said, “To revamp its image and come out as the one of the most attractive global tourist destinations, Maharashtra and other states are participating actively in the CII Tourism Fest to reach out to the world. There is a vast tourism potential in the country as the industry has still to come at par with the growth figures of world average. This provides a great scope to national and international tourism stakeholders to expand businesses, bring more investments and play a pivotal role in the growth.”
He added, “The key highlight of this event would be good quality buyers, sellers, Chief Ministers’ Forum and ideation platforms in addition to showcasing of various projects under PPP mode by different states. In the present scenario, with rupee weakening against dollar, In-bound tourism in India has a huge scope. This must be capitalised by our tour operators as an opportunity to promote India as a globally competitive and diverse tourist destination by passing the monetary benefits to clients.”
Calling for a coordinated action, he shared that “Travel and Tourism is 3 times bigger than manufacturing and communications sectors, so one can imagine the immense untapped potential of tourism in India, if it is harnessed well. In 2012, tourism contributed 6.6 trillion USD to the world economy, created 300 million jobs and 800 billion USD investments. India accounts for 0.06% of world’s tourism share which speaks volume of the scope for business.”
“To showcase India as a Global Tourist Destination by creating synergies between various stakeholders, creating enabling policies and desired infrastructure, CII Tourism Fest would bring together on one platform, various State governments, central Tourism Agencies and senior representatives from Travel, Tourism and Hospitality industry like the Hotels & Resorts, Hospitals, Tour Operators, Airlines, Airport authorities, Air Charter Companies, Tourism Boards of various Countries, City Transport Providers, academia, policy makers and Industry experts”, highlighted Mr Arjun Sharma, Chairman, CII Tourism Fest 2013 & Managing Director, Le Passage to India.
“Synergy between various state governments and centre is the key to promote the region as a Tourism Hub. There is also a need for better coordination, enhanced Liaisoning, aggressive B2B tie ups and strong networking amongst key stakeholders from all across the world in order to put India on World map on tourism front. The CII Tourism Fest would comprise a lot of Buyer Seller Meets; deliberations on required Policy initiatives; International Dance Shows; National and International Food Festivals, Golf Tournament; International Chef Meets; Leisure & Excursion Trips etc. CII Tourism Fest would act as an integrated program for growth of tourism in the India. To showcase the best of Punjab to the world, Punjab is participating as a Principal Partner State”, highlighted Mr V B Kumar, State Executive Director, Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB), Government of Punjab.
While applauding the CII for taking this unique initiative, Mr Abhijeet Patil, President, Maharashtra Chapter, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) said, “CII Tourism Fest would bring about a healthy dialogue and interstate co-operation that is of utmost importance to attract tourist to the Western India. We would take a structured delegation from Maharashtra & Gujarat to the fest and would also present a White Paper on the Roadmap to promote tourism in this region. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) would also attend the World Travel Mart in London, as well as other fairs in Switzerland, France and Dubai to promote Maharashtra”.
Mr Iqbal Mulla, Member, CII Tourism Fest Core Group on Travel Agents & Tour Operators & President, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) called for portraying India as a continent to the tourism world, considering our diversities. CII Tourism Fest would be an ideal platform to showcase India’s beautiful heritage and serene beauty to the world. I call upon all stakeholders to actively participate in this mega fest and harness India’s full tourism potential where Canada, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Malaysia, and Macau have confirmed to participate and countries like Abu Dhabi, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Germany, Mauritius, Egypt, Kenya are also likely to participate in the fest.
Mr Rahul Himalian – Additional General Manager – IRCTC Western Region informed that “IRCTC would actively partner in the CII Tourism Fest and provide all possible support to promote tourism in India. IRCTC now understands the customer and is more than willing to work with all stakeholders to contribute to tourism growth in India.
According to CII release “Chandigarh (India) is the Host City and Punjab is the Principal Partner State, while Maharashtra, HP, Uttarakhand are the focus states. Other Participating States include- Gujarat, Goa, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Pondicherry, Delhi, Tamil Nadu”
“Various associations like Outbound Tour Operators Association of India, Le Passage to India, India Golf Tourism Association, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Northern India, Indian Federation Associations of Culinary World Association of Chefs Societies, Trav Talk -DDP Publications are supporting the event”, said the CII release.
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6000 MW Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant of Gujarat, India
12092013
Urgent Appeal from people of Gujarat, India
Affected people of the proposed 6000 MW Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant of Gujarat, India need your support and solidarity.You can organize a meeting on or before September 23, 2013 within your group, city and pass a resolution in support of the struggle and if you are in USA then you may try to organize protest in New York during the meeting of the Indian Prime Minister with USA authorities to finalize the Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant project.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a 6000 MW Nuclear Power plant in village Mithi Virdi, Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, was signed by the Government of Gujarat (GOG) with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) a Government of India company in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ summit in 2007. The exact location of the Nuclear Power Plant (Westinghouse, USA AP1000) is just a few kms away from ALANG Shipbreaking Yard. Five villages Jaspara, Mithi Virdi, Mandva, Khadarpar and Sosiya (http://wikimapia.org/#lat=21.4839805&lon=72.2368455&z=16&l=0&m=a&v=2 ) stand to lose 777 hectares of their fertile land to the proposed nuclear power plant.
The site selection committee for the Nuclear Power Plant constituted in 2005 had short listed Mithi Virdi and submitted its report on 28th June 2007.
AP1000 is an untested reactor technology. USNRC had raised several technical doubts about the reactors, which were given a nod to by non-technical committee members of the NRC.
The villages of Mithi Virdi, Jaspara, Mandva, Khadarpar and Sosiya are blessed with fertile land. Of the five villages, three villages Mithi Virdi, Jaspara and Sosiya are situated along the coastline. Most of the land proposed to be acquired falls under Jaspara village. There are total 152 villages in 30 Kms radius of the proposed nuclear power plant.
The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. The rich alluvial soil here supports, crops like Ground Nut, Wheat, Bajra, Cotton, etc and fruits like Mangoes (Mangoes from Sosiya are very famous across the India and they are also exported), Chickoos, Coconut, etc. This area also grows and supplies vegetables like Onion, Brinjal, Gourd, Tomatoes, Drumsticks, etc. Also the agriculture department has found the climate and soil suitable for cashew nuts.
People of the area were blissfully unaware of the proposed nuclear project when Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (a voluntary organisation) activists visited Mithi Virdi area. They had no idea of the impending threat to their land, livelihood and the environmental & health hazards of nuclear energy.
Since 2007 the Bhavnagar Jilla Gram Bachao Samiti, Anu Urja Abhyas Juth, Gujarat Anu-urja Mukti Andolan and Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti conducted awareness programmes. As a result the villagers with the supports of number of organisations in Gujarat and across India started agitation against the proposed 6000 MW Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant. The slogan of the struggle today is ㎯ Nuclear Power Plant in Mithi Virdi, not anywhere in the world伯b>.
Two years after the Fukushima disaster, its impact on the global nuclear industry has become increasingly visible. Global electricity generation from nuclear plants dropped by a historic 7 percent in 2012, adding to the record drop of 4 percent in 2011. This is according to World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013 (WNISR) which provides a global overview of the history, the current status and the trends of nuclear power programs worldwide.
Two years after the Fukushima disaster, its impact on the global nuclear industry has become increasingly visible. Global electricity generation from nuclear plants dropped by a historic 7 percent in 2012, adding to the record drop of 4 percent in 2011. This is according to World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2013 (WNISR) which provides a global overview of the history, the current status and the trends of nuclear power programs worldwide.
This report looks at nuclear reactor units in operation and under construction and provides 40 pages of detailed country-by-country information. The 2013 edition also includes an update on nuclear economics as well as an overview of the status, on-site and off-site, of the challenges triggered by the Fukushima disaster. However, this reportⳠemphasis on recent post-Fukushima developments should not obscure an important fact. The world nuclear industry already faced daunting challenges long before Fukushima, just as the U.S. nuclear power industry had largely collapsed after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident. The nuclear promoters⠩nvention that a global nuclear renaissance was flourishing until 3/11 is equally false. Fukushima only added to the already grave problems, starting with poor economics.
Let us look at what the report has to say about operations. There are 31 countries operating nuclear power plants in the world. A total of 427 reactors have a combined installed capacity of 364 GWe. These figures assume the final shutdown of the ten reactors at Fukushima-Daiichi and -Daini. It should be noted that as of 1 July 2013 only two (Ohi-3 and -4) of the 44 remaining Japanese reactors are operating and their future is highly uncertain. In fact, many observers believe that a large share of the suspended Japanese units will likely never restart.
The nuclear industry is also in decline. The 427 operating reactors are 17 lower than the peak in 2002, while, the total installed capacity peaked in 2010 at 375 GWe before declining to the current level of 364 GWe, which was last seen a decade ago. Annual nuclear electricity generation reached a maximum in 2006 at 2,660 TWh, then dropped to 2,346 TWh in 2012 (down 7 percent compared to 2011, down 12 percent from 2006). About three-quarters of this decline is due to the situation in Japan, but 16 other countries, including the top five nuclear generators, decreased their nuclear generation too.
The nuclear share in the worldⳠpower generation declined steadily from a historic peak of 17 percent in 1993 to about 10 percent in 2012. Nuclear powerⳠshare of global commercial primary energy production plunged to 4.5 percent, a level last seen in 1984. Only one country, the Czech Republic, reached its record nuclear contribution to the electricity mix in 2012.
The report also points out that two-thirds (44) of the units under construction are located in three countries: China, India and Russia.
The Government of India is aggressively pursuing its nuclear programmes in spite of people from Koodankulam (Tamil Nadu), Jaitapur (Maharashtra), Mithi Virdi (Gujarat), Kovvada (Andhra Pradesh), Gorakhpur (Haryana), Chutka (Madhya Pradesh) and Haripur (West Bengal) waging relentless struggles against these anti-people and unsafe nuclear power projects promoted by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). Their massive peaceful protests have mostly been met with callousness and brutal repression on the part of the governments. Communities near the existing nuclear facilities in Tarapur, Rawatbhata, Kalpakkam, Kaiga, Kakrapar and Hyderabad have also been raising voices against radiation leaks and their harmful effects, which are often hushed up by the authorities. Existing and proposed new uranium mines in Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Meghalaya have also met with massive protests.
The Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh is visiting USA from 20 to 28 September 2013. During the visit, there is a possibility of the meeting between Westinghouse and NPCIL to finalise the deal for the Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant.
The affected people are planning to organise massive rally on 23 September 2013 from Mithi Virdi to Bhavnagar (40Kms) and meeting at Bhavnagar to register their protest.
To have some idea about the ongoing struggle against the propsed 6000 MW Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant you can look at
FACEBOOK PAGE - https://www.facebook.com/GujaratAnuUrjaMuktiAndolan
FACEBOOK PAGE - https://www.facebook.com/GujaratAnuUrjaMuktiAndolan
EPH VIDEO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny4uiz1njHI
VILLAGE VIDEO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q4lhm0Y4XA
We need your support. You can organize the meeting on or before 23 September 2013 in your group, city and pass a resolution in support of the struggle and if you are in USA then you may try to organize protest in New York during the meeting of Indian Prime Minister with the USA authorities to finalize the Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant.
We need your support. You can organize the meeting on or before 23 September 2013 in your group, city and pass a resolution in support of the struggle and if you are in USA then you may try to organize protest in New York during the meeting of Indian Prime Minister with the USA authorities to finalize the Mithi Virdi Nuclear Power Plant.
Send us copy of resolution, meeting details, audio-video solidarity messages torohit.prajapati@gmail.com, tokrishnakant@gmail.com, and swati43@gmail.com on or before the 23 September 2013 so that we can play or read your solidarity statements in the meeting.
Bhavnagar Jilla Gram Bachao Samiti,
Gujarat Anu-urja Mukti Andolan
Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti
–
Krishnakant
Gujarat , India
Ph: ++91- 9427849310
Krishnakant
Gujarat , India
Ph: ++91- 9427849310
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