Indian IT firms set to move beyond metro cities

–– NEW DELHI

With the metros already having attracted a lot of business, Indian software makers and outsourcing firms are now likely to queue up before smaller cities that offer equally good prospects.

Backed by large pool of human resource, infrastructure and policy support, smaller cities are attracting IT firms like never before, says a study conducted by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom).

The study, conducted jointly with management consultancy major KPMG, says location-wise attractiveness are encouraging technology firms to target cities like Jaipur, Pune, Mohali, Ahmedabad, Vizag and Kochi.

"The framework used for assessment includes human resources, infrastructure, focus on IT enabled services (ITES), support group presence, and geographic location," said the study report.

The study said that a city like Jaipur, hitherto ignored by big IT services and outsourcing firms, might soon emerge as a major hub because of a slew of positive factors and government initiatives.

"Jaipur retains the advantage of a small city ---- lower travel time, real estate and power availability. It has gained global visibility as the tourism hub of Rajasthan and is trying to leverage this for IT and ITES
industry," it said.

The government's move to set up an IT park closer to the main city and favourable power situation with ITES-BPO companies being charged lower rates also makes it an attractive destination for companies.

To further strengthen the IT and ITES industry in Jaipur, the study recommended that IT education should be provided in all government technical institutions, with premises being allowed to be used for IT training.

"Programs to counsel, test and train resources on a standard basis should be undertaken," it said, adding low-cost financing and real estate should be made available to IT and ITES companies.

Similarly, Pune has also the potential to emerge as a preferred destination for software development and outsourcing activities in the country, said the Nasscom-KPMG study report.

The report says Pune was currently ranked attractive on parameters like human resources with more than 190 colleges, providing education in engineering, management and others, producing around 200,000 graduates every year.

"It has long been regarded as a location for industrial engineering and logistics businesses and this has naturally drawn investments from IT and ITES companies in related industries," it said.

Overall cost of living in Pune is 37 percent lower as compared to that in the country's financial capital of Mumbai, impacting the house rent and transport allowances under cost-to-company.

"In terms of future attractiveness, the outlook is fairly positive in terms of infrastructure and ITES-BPO focus but support groups need to strengthen their presence in the city to provide further impetus," said the study.

Wipro, the largest software maker by market capitalisation and which listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is set to unveil a development centre in Kolkata in the current month that would house 5,000 professionals.

Infosys Technologies, India's largest listed software exporter, reportedly plans to set up a 2,400-person centre at the 111-acre software technology park in Chandigarh.

Celebrating 100 years of Indian ads

–– NEW DELHI

Under muted gallery lights, images of Hindu gods and goddess, cartoons, clowns and cinema stars jostle celebrating more than a century of Indian advertising.

Over 100 advertisements, laminated and mounted on white walls, are being displayed at New Delhi's vision Art Gallery depicting the journey of Indian marketing from 1907 till date.

The painting of a young, handsome Lord Krishna smiles from the poster of a gold thread company, Marilyn Monroe smiles in a Lux soap poster and gods Shiva and Parvati bless above Imperial Chemicals.

"I have been collecting rare ads for years. So I decided, why not have an exhibition?" said Bobby Kohli, who has put together the exhibition that is on till Aug 10.

The exhibition, one of the first of its kind in the country, is in two parts –– magazine ads and outdoor advertising. Ads from the early 1900s are hand-painted in watercolour and pastels.

From a calendar advertisement of a royal British durbar in Delhi to black and white pencil sketches of old Indian companies like Amit Ghee, Actualform innerwear and Neemkan toothpaste - the display is a wonderful nostalgia trip to television-less times.

One almost fading magazine advertisement of New Delhi's Ashoka Hotel is a pencil sketch of a couple looking longingly at the regal hotel.

Into the 1990s section of the exhibition and colour blazes out –– flashing bright red and yellow, an ad screams "Kodak Photos."

"I like the mix in this display," said Bimal Sood, a 67-year-old photographer, "there are old black and whites and there's all these coloured, glossy stuff –– nice juxtaposition."

Kohli said his exhibition was drawing many collectors. "People from old companies often come to my exhibitions. They want to collect memorabilia," said Kohli.

"A lot of this stuff will also go as kitsch art in pubs," added Kohli. "Tastes are getting funkier."

Among the old ads are those of many British companies popular during the colonial times. The names of cigarette brands like Lucky Strike and Hesterfield pop up, as do luxury names like Ford and P&O Ocean Cruises.

As times have changed, so have ads and products. If the early 1900s are chock-a-block with Afghan Snow cosmetics posters, the 1990s part is dominated by Lakme.

Bollywood, of course, is an eternal ad favourite. A 1970s poster of actor Dharmendra smiling from a cigarette ad, just a few steps away Aishwarya Rai grins from a Coca Cola hoarding.

 

Indian companies court rural folks to boost sales

–– NEW DELHI

For years, Vishnu Choudhary, a resident of remote Siwan Kala village in Uttar Pradesh, used to trudge 15 km over a dirt track to sell milk in the neighbouring town.

Late last year it all changed, for the better. During a visit to the weekly town market, Choudhary, 46, came across a Hero Honda motorbike displayed on an open truck as part of a road show organised by the company.

"Even today I can't realise that I really own this bike. The company people themselves helped me to get loan from a bank and took care of other formalities," reminisces Choudhary.

Enthused by Choudhary's newly acquired status, his childhood friend and neighbour Hari Singh has acquired a Bajaj scooter to ferry stuff from the town for his grocery shop.

Siwan Kala is not quite a marketing battleground for the country's two biggest two-wheelers makers, but the village certainly is a reflection of the local companies newfound love for rural India.

India's 70 percent population of over one billion lives in rural areas. This translates into a potential consumer base of about 700 million individuals, more than the population of the US and European Union.

"Rural India offers a huge market opportunity for companies of all kinds operating in India," Anil Rajpal, a senior consultant with retail consultancy major KSA Technopak, said.

Experts say growing agricultural prosperity and improved incomes has increased the purchasing power of the rural customer. Today, there are millions of potential customers waiting to become part of the market
economy.

Little wonder then from home grown companies like Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto and consumer foods maker Dabur to multinational firms like Unilever, Procter and Gamble, Coca-Cola and Pepsi are rushing to the villages.

"Semi-urban and rural markets accounts for nearly half of our company's annual sales," said Deepak Mokashi, general manager (sales) of Hero Honda Motors, a joint venture between the Hero group and Japan's Honda Motor.

The company, which sold over two million motorbikes in the country in the fiscal year 2003-04, has devised innovative strategies to push its sales in remote parts of the country that doesn't even have concrete roads.

"Our campaigns in the rural areas are very different from what we do in big cities," said Mokashi.

"In the villages, we tell them basically that our bikes are designed to take on the rigours of what rural India refers to as roads and has a low running cost since cost is a major factor there."

Hindustan Lever Ltd., India's largest consumer products company and a unit of Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever Plc., is one of the first companies to rush to the countryside to tap its vast potential.

The company, which makes soaps, detergents, personal care products and processed foods, has unveiled a number of products at different price points and innovative marketing strategies to woo the rural customer.

The company sells Lux shampoo in a 4 ml sachet priced at 50-paisa and a 6 ml sachet priced at one rupee. According to industry estimates, Hindustan Lever has a presence in 100,000 of the 638,000 Indian villages.

"Rural India is a big market for us. We generate 50 percent of sales in certain product segments from the rural market," said Debasis Roy, a corporate communications manager at Hindustan Lever.

Companies of all hues, even multinationals, are abandoning old ways of doing business here and adopting new ones to get a foothold in the rural market.

Finland-based Nokia recently launched a mobile handset in India that is "dust resistant" and has a mini flashlight added to it that acts as a torch. The Nokia 1100 model is one of the largest selling handsets today.

Electrolux Kelvinator has launched a refrigerator that keeps the ice frozen even after a six-hour power failure.

"The penetration levels of refrigerators, especially in rural markets, are extremely low due to poor electrification and inadequate infrastructure," said Rajeev Karwal, CEO of Electrolux Kelvinator Ltd.

"Hence we developed innovative products such as Bijlee, world's first refrigeration that works even without electricity, targeted specifically at rural and semi-urban markets."

20 percent increase in foreign tourist arrival

–– NEW DELHI

Foreign tourist arrival in India registered a growth of 20 percent in June over the same period in the previous year, said an official statement said. India received 206,056 foreign tourists in June this year as compared to 171,571 logged in the corresponding period last year.

In the January-June period of the current year, foreign tourist arrival witnessed a growth of 24.3 percent to 1.6 million. Nearly 1.3 million foreigners had visited India in the first six months of 2003.

During January-June, 2004, foreign exchange earnings through tourist arrival also registered 35.7 percent increase over the earnings of corresponding period last year to $2.17 billion.

As many as 2.75 million foreign tourists visited India in 2003 registering a growth of 15.3 percent over the previous year.

The government said it would spend Rs. 900 million in the current fiscal year to promote India as a preferred tourism destination.

Mainstream English film from Mira Nair

–– LOS ANGELES

Mira Nair's first mainstream English film, based on the William Thackeray classic ‘Vanity Fair’ and starring Reese Witherspoon, is scheduled to hit the U.S. on September 1.

Popularly touted by critics as a likely contender for the annual Golden Globe awards this year, the film made by the Indian origin director has been scripted by Matthew Faulk, Mark Skeet and Oscar winner Julian Fellowes.

The director of the acclaimed films such as ‘Monsoon Wedding,’ ‘Kama Sutra’ and ‘Salaam Bombay’ has this time around focussed on a classic 19th century-English theme.

It revolves around Becky Sharp, a lower class girl who despite the conventions of her day is determined to achieve a more glamorous life, using her wit, guile and sexuality as her key tools in trying to conquer English society of the time.

The only Indian connection throughout the whole theme is Thackeray's penchant for "using India as a way for expressing his opinions about the Empire," Fellowes was quoted as saying by www. hollywoodreporter.com.
 

No exemption from fingerprinting, says US

–– NEW DELHI

The U.S. has firmly rejected India's request to exempt ministers and MPs on a personal visit to that country from biometric registration that requires them to be fingerprinted and digitally photographed.

Confirming that the U.S. had turned down India's request, a senior Rajya Sabha official said Monday that the MPs had been informed about the decision through a bulletin.

"The U.S. Embassy has clearly stated that it is not possible for them to make any exceptions for any category of persons other than those already made," he said, quoting from a communiqué circulated by the Ministry of External Affairs.

At present, only children under the age of 14 and adults above 79 as well as people visiting the U.S. for official purposes on official and diplomatic passports are exempt from the new visa regulations.

Though ministers and MPs would be exempt from being fingerprinted or photographed for visas during official visits to the U.S., they would be required to follow the procedure on a personal visit.

Ministers and MPs were earlier exempted from personal interview or visit to the U.S. Embassy/consulate.

The government's request followed pressure from ministers and MPs to have them granted exemption from personal appearance for the registration, an official said.

"The U.S. embassy has advised us that the entire process may not take more than 30 seconds and that they were taking steps to ensure that there was no hardship and delays," Rajya Sabha secretary general Yogendra Narain said in a bulletin circulated to the MPs.

Introduced in India on July 26, the biometric registration procedure applies to residents of all countries.

Even Indians holding 'E' (traders and investors), 'H' (professionals), 'I' (journalists), 'L' (corporate workers), 'O' (people with particular skills) and 'P' (entertainers, artists, athletes) categories of visas in the U.S.
have to be fingerprinted before their visas are renewed.

A kitchen museum in Rashtrapati Bhavan

–– NEW DELHI

A veritable treasure trove of copper plates, sparkling glasses and silver utensils once used by British colonial rulers has been found in India's presidential palace. And the eclectic crockery and utensils will soon be showcased at a delectable "kitchen museum" in Rashtrapati Bhavan! The museum, the first of its kind in India, will be a delight for anyone interested in bygone days, promise officials at the presidential palace. The idea was mooted by none other than President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam himself. The story goes like this. Sometime ago, Kalam asked his staff to clean the basements where boxes full of old and used stuff were dumped. During this cleanup, the staff discovered antique crockery, some nearly 100 years old.

The president did not think twice on allowing the public a chance to see them.

"There are hundreds of copper plates, dozens of stock pots in different size, large light-weight glasses, baking trays, moulds, saucepans, etc. We will not be able to use them as most of them are very heavy," a staff member at the presidential estate said.

The museum will exhibit copper utensils and crockery, which carries "the star of India" sign --- a symbol of British colonial rulers.

Another attraction will be a unique plate that is supposed to break if poisoned food touches it, and a "sick pot" which was meant for serving soups and juices to the colonial rulers when they were unwell.

"There are around 100 glasses and they are amazing. If you wash them, the sparkle can light up an entire room. They are big but very light," the staff added.

The museum will also display old-fashioned candle stands, silver utensils, cutlery sets and heavy fruit stands.

The staff members said some of the crockery had developed cracks, some had got chipped while a few others had been broken.

"The museum will be proof of our interest in respecting other cultures and traditions. Though these are remnants of the colonial period, we have been preserving it carefully," said an official at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

However, the presidential palace has not yet identified the exact location of the museum.

"It could be inside the presidential palace or outside the building, but it will definitely be within the premises of the estate," the official said.

Manmohan Singh to address Harvard University

–– NEW DELHI

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address Harvard University during his visit to the U.S. in September.

"The prime minister has received an invitation from the president of Harvard University and I think he has accepted it," Sanjaya Baru, Manmohan Singh's media advisor, said.

Manmohan Singh will visit the U.S. to address the U.N. General Assembly on September 23.

Sources said Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, a member of Harvard's faculty, and Larry Summers, head of the university, had personally called Manmohan Singh with the invitation to address the institution.

Baru said details of the prime minister's other itinerary in the U.S. were still being worked out.

India, Pakistan to continue disputed Sir Creek talks

–– NEW DELHI

India and Pakistan on August 7 agreed to continue discussions on defining the maritime boundary in the strategic Sir Creek area between Gujarat in India and Sindh province in Pakistan.

The agreement was reached at the two-day talks on demarcating the frontier of the 60-km Sir Creek, believed to hold oil and gas deposits, which concluded on August 7.

"It was agreed that early resolution of the issue would be in the interest of both countries. The two sides agreed to continue the discussions," said a joint statement.

The talks are a part of an eight-point composite dialogue process the two countries have initiated to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

Prithvish Nag, the surveyor general of India, led the Indian delegation and the Pakistan team was led by Rear Admiral Ahsan ul Haq Chaudhry, additional secretary in the Ministry of Defence.

"The talks were held in a frank and friendly atmosphere," said a joint statement. "The two sides elaborated upon their respective positions and had a detailed and useful exchange of views on the various issues involved."

India, Pakistan for easing Siachen standoff

–– NEW DELHI

India and Pakistan Friday agreed to discuss the possible demilitarisation of Siachen, the world's highest battlefield where their troops have been engaged in a standoff since 1984.

The significant agreement was reached after two days of talks between the countries that concluded here on August 6.

"Military experts of the two sides... met to discuss modalities for disengagement and redeployment of troops, and agreed to have further discussions," said a joint statement issued after the talks.

"The two defence secretaries agreed to continue their discussions with a view to resolving the Siachen issue in a peaceful manner," it said.

Defence secretaries Ajai Vikram Singh of India and Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Hamid Nawaz Khan of Pakistan led the two delegations at the talks.

The statement described the talks as "frank and candid" and said they were held in a "cordial and constructive atmosphere aimed at taking the process forward.

"Both sides assessed positively the ceasefire that has been in effect since November 25, 2003," it said, referring to the truce that came into force along the frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir last year.

Defence sources, however, said the Indian Army's top brass had advised the government that it was against any troop redeployment on Siachen if Pakistan did not agree to a "joint authentication" of the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line, the ceasefire line on the glacier.

Indian troops, deployed at heights of up to 6,000 metres, hold dominating and advantageous positions along the Saltoro Ridge on Siachen that overlook Pakistani posts.

Indian Army officials admit that the maintenance of its positions on Siachen requires a huge logistical exercise, including daily airdropping of supplies.

But they say this is a better option than vacating posts during any redeployment, which could then be occupied by Pakistani troops.

Significantly, the surveyors general of India and Pakistan, P. Nag and Jamiul Rahman Afridi, took part in the two days of talks here, and sources said the two sides would have used the opportunity to exchange maps of their respective positions on Siachen.

Both sides have lost more soldiers to adverse weather conditions on the glacier than in actual hostilities. India alone has lost over 500 soldiers over the past 20 years.

The talks on Siachen were part of an eight-point composite dialogue process the two countries have initiated to resolve all bilateral issues, including Jammu and Kashmir.

During the visit here, the Pakistani delegation leader called on Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and National Security Advisor J.N. Dixit.

 

'U.S.-India ties outlook bullish'

–– NEW DELHI

The "tremendous expansion" that U.S.-India relations have witnessed in recent years will continue under the present government as the two countries move towards sealing a strategic partnership, says a senior U.S. diplomat.

"I am pretty bullish about things," said Robert Blake, charge d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy here.

He was speaking to a group of six interns of the Washington Leadership Programme of the Indian American Centre for Political Awareness (IACPA) at Roosevelt House, the ambassador's residence.

Blake gave an overview of U.S.-India relations, the Pakistan factor and the role of the embassy in moulding and implementing Washington's policies.

He readily admitted in response to a question that the U.S. could have handled "better" the announcement of Pakistan being granted the "Major Non-Nato Ally" status during Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to the region in June.

"Probably, we could have done a better job of it," Blake said, referring to India's angry reaction to Powell's surprise announcement in Islamabad a day after he had held high-level talks in New Delhi.

Blake said Pakistan's attitude towards terrorism had changed after the two abortive attempts on President Pervez Musharraf's life.

"Attempt on Musharraf's life had a big impact," he said and noted that for the first time Pakistan had given an undertaking to India that its territory would not be allowed to be used by terrorists to carry out their activities.

He was referring to the January 6 joint statement by India and Pakistan following talks between former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Musharraf on the sidelines of the SAARC summit.

"They have realised that you can't play games with Al Qaeda," Blake said.

He said India's impressive economic growth, expansion of US-India cooperation touching various aspects - from climate change to HIV/AIDS, environment to alternative energy and defence --- and the shared values like democracy and an open society were driving bilateral ties like never before.

Despite the "short-term political opposition" to outsourcing of jobs to India in the U.S., the process would continue as the U.S. faces a net labour deficit by the year 2020, when India would be one of the few countries with a labour surplus because of its young population, he said.

"One of the ways to bridge this deficit is through outsourcing, another is through immigration," he added.

He said unlike the previous Indian government, the present one headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be more "internally and inward looking" but, like its predecessor, it is positive about relations with the U.S., he said.

He referred to the new steps towards strategic partnership initiated by the two countries and said the greater understanding and cooperation between the two countries would continue to grow in the years to come.

IACPA is a non-profit organisation based in Washington and has for many years done a programme of placing young Indian Americans as interns with influential Congressmen and Senators.

The programme aims to sensitise Indian-American youths about the nature of American politics and motivate them to consider taking up politics a career. Well-known Indian American publisher Gopal Raju is chairman of IACPA.

The programme to bring interns to India for an orientation programme was started last year in association with the New Delhi-based Contemporary Studies Society with a view to sensitising them about issues that impact on India's interests.

The three young men and three women currently here under the programme are interning with political leaders like Reps. Frank Pallone, Garry Ackerman, Marty Meehan, Jim Gevian Langevin and Marcy Kaptur.

Besides Blake, the interns also met Chief Election Commissioner T.S. Krishna Murthy, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, National Security Adviser J.N. Dixit, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia among others.
 

'Best Indian contingent to Olympics, but no promises on medals'

–– NEW DELHI

New India is fielding its "best ever" contingent at the Athens Olympic Games later this month, but the sports official who said this hedged his bets on the number of medals the country could hope for.

"This is the best ever team India is fielding. We are looking forward to best performances from them," Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi said at a press conference here on August 6.

"In the last 50 years, we have won a maximum of one medal at an Olympics. We are hoping for more medals but don't expect too much," Kalmadi contended, even as he mentioned athletics, archery, women's weightlifting, wrestling tennis "and, of course, hockey" as disciplines from which there were "great
hopes". IOA secretary general Randhir Singh had said earlier this week India would win a "few" medals at the Olympics.

"We will win not just one but a few medals," he declared. Pressed to state a figure, he added: "We can win four or five medals."

A 75-member contingent will represent India in 12 disciplines at the Olympics. The team will be accompanied by 30 coaches, six doctors and an equal number of IOA officials, including chef-de-mission Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi.

"We have done well at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games but the Olympics are a completely different cup of tea," Kalmadi maintained.

He disclosed that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had already provided Rs.15 million ($323,173) for training some of the Indian participants and would also meet the airfare and boarding and lodging costs of the contingent at Athens.

The hockey team had received Rs. 7 million, shooters Abhinav Bindra and Anjali Bhagwat Rs. 2.2 million and Rs. 850,000, respectively, weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari Rs. 800,000 and long jumper Anju Bobby George Rs. 600,000, Kalmadi said.

The money comes from the IOC's solidarity fund which aims at improving sports standards in countries where these are lacking.

Anju George flag bearer of Indian Olympic contingent

–– NEW DELHI

In an "acknowledgement of woman power in athletics," long jumper Anju Bobby George was Friday named flag bearer of the Indian contingent at the August 13 opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Athens.

"Our women --- be they athletes, archers or weightlifters --- have been in the forefront of late. By naming Anju as the flag bearer of the Indian contingent, it is an acknowledgement of women's power in athletics," Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi announced at a press conference here.

"We hope this serves as an inspiration for her and she comes back with a medal," he added.

Anju, currently the world number four, had won a bronze at the June 2003 World Championships in Paris, the first Indian to do so. She is considered a medal prospect at Athens, even as some experts caution against expecting too much for her.

The flag bearer issue had generated considerable heat in the run up to the games with many contending the honour should once again go to Leander Paes, widely considered a medal prospect along with Mahesh Bhupathi for the tennis men's double event.

Paes had won a bronze in the men's singles at Atlanta in 1996 and had led the contingent at Sydney four years later.

Kalmadi said he had held "wide consultations" with IOA officials before deciding on Anju as the flag bearer.
 

Punjab is best state, Bihar the worst: Survey

–– NEW DELHI

Punjab has been ranked as India's best performing state on the basis of its achievements in a wide spectrum of sectors such as agriculture, consumer market and investment scenario, said a survey on August 6.

Punjab bagged the top rank in a list of 20 big states of India evaluated on 49 parameters, said the survey conducted by economists Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari for India Today weekly magazine.

The second annual ‘The State of the States’ study report unveiled by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam covered 30 states and five union territories, divided into big and small states category.

In the big states category, while Punjab bagged the top slot, Bihar was ranked as the worst performing for the second consecutive year.

In the small states category, Pondicherry emerged as the best Indian state, followed by Delhi, Mizoram and Goa. Meghalaya figured at the end of the list of 10 small states.

Among five Union territories, while Chandigarh was adjudged number one, Dadra and Nagar Haveli featured at the bottom of the list. The states were ranked on the basis of their performance in eight broad
categories -- agriculture, consumer market, education, law and order,health, infrastructure, investment environment and budget and prosperity.

In agriculture, Punjab ranked as the best performing state while Jharkhand was the worst in the big states category. Pondicherry emerged as number one in the small states group.

Punjab also ranked the top in consumer market, infrastructure, budget and prosperity and investment scenario.

"The signs of affluence (in Punjab) are all over --- luxury cars, glitzy malls, express flyovers, upmarket motels, five-star marriage palaces and resorts," said the India Today report.

"Punjab's relative prosperity has much to do with the head start it gained with the much-trumpeted green revolution," it added.

According to the survey, Kerala is the best performing state among all big Indian states in terms of law and order, health and education.

In the small states category, Delhi has been ranked as the best state on parameters of consumer market, infrastructure and budget and prosperity.

The survey said laggards like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had been more efficient in distributing poverty than in generating prosperity.

"Both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh could do with a higher level of inequality if that is the only way they can come out of poverty," it said.

Bihar has been ranked as the worst performing state in six out of eight categories --- consumer market, health, education, infrastructure, investment scenario and budget and prosperity.

In the big states category, Punjab is followed by Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.

Other states listed as per their rankings are Assam, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar.

In the small states category, Pondicherry is followed by Delhi, Mizoram, Goa, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya. In the Union territories group, the best performing Chandigarh is followed by Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar islands, Daman and Diu and Dadra and
Nagar Haveli.

Kalam calls for developing village clusters

–– BHOPAL

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on August 10 called for developing village clusters with quality infrastructure.

The facilities available in urban areas should be extended to rural areas also, Kalam said inaugurating a three-day seminar on "Alternative strategies for development".

He pointed out that about 700 million people lived in 600,000 villages of the country.

"We need innovation to increase connectivity among villages and develop clusters of villages. Connectivity of village clusters through quality roads, information technology and education is the need of the day," Kalam said.

Kalam said that emphasis should be on full utilisation of natural and human resources to meet the demands of the modern society.

"We should remember that about 50 percent of our population are young people with aspirations for better living.

"Value addition to agriculture, manufacturing and service sectors, building the regions' core competence and technologies will lead to additional high income employment potential," the president said.

The engines for growth, Kalam said, would be the five national missions viz., water, energy, education and skills, infrastructure and employment generation that will enable achievement of 10 percent GDP growth rate per annum which has to be sustained for a minimum period of 10 years.

He said Madhya Pradesh has the capacity and resources to become one of the most prosperous states of the country.

"Optimum harnessing of the resources would enable it to emerge as a model of development in the country," Kalam said.

Government scarps anti-terror law

–– NEW DELHI

The government on August 10 approved the repealing of a the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). The law will be repealed during the current session of Parliament, said Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. A team of experts from the ministries of home affairs and law will draft thebill to scrap POTA, Reddy told reporters, adding the act for countering terrorist activities had major flaws.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil had in an interview to a TV channel said that repealing POTA, which was to lapse in October, was a priority for the government.

Patil had indicated that the act, which was enforced by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, could be repealed sooner than expected.

Home Ministry officials said while repealing the law was part of the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance coalition's Common Minimum Programme of governance, many of its provisions were necessary to deal with the terror menace.

Among them are steps to monitor money laundering and agencies funding terrorists.

The government is also inclined to retain special powers to tap telephones under the Telegraph Act and to ensure the admissibility of electronic evidence in court.

Security agencies have made out a case for retaining powers to make arrests and present evidence such as wiretaps and to use satellite intercepts not admissible under ordinary criminal laws.

It has also been pointed out that countries such as the U.S. have more stringent anti-terror laws in the post 9/11 scenario.

According to the Home Ministry, 702 people have so far been arrested under POTA across the country. The most high profile detention under POTA was that of MDMK leader and MP V. Gopalasamy, also known as Vaiko.
 

India gives list of 25 wanted men to Pakistan

–– NEW DELHI

India is now seeking the extradition of 25 “most wanted” fugitives from Pakistan and feels that action on this front will be the "litmus test" of Islamabad's sincerity in dealing with terrorism.

Official sources said the Indian delegation to the secretary-level talks with Pakistan on "terrorism and drug trafficking" that began in Islamabad on August 10 would raise the issue of the wanted men.

Of the original list of 20, that was handed over some years ago, two have died while seven more were added to the wanted list recently.

"Action on this front will be the real test of Pakistan's sincerity and the progress of the talks will largely hinge on this," an official said.

The updated list includes hijackers of an Indian airliner to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in December 1999 and others wanted for various terrorist acts. New Delhi says all of them are living in Pakistan.

The original list was handed over to Pakistan on December 31, 2001, in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Indian parliament some days earlier.

That list included Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of the Jaish-i-Mohammad and Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, co-founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba --- both blamed for the attack on Parliament --- Dawood Ibrahim, alleged underworld don accused of masterminding the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai that claimed 300 lives,
his key associate Chhota Shakeel and some Sikh separatists. The talks are part of an eight-point composite dialogue process the two countries have initiated to resolve outstanding bilateral issues, including
Jammu and Kashmir.

Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh led the eight-member Indian side while his counterpart Tariq Mehmud heads the Pakistani delegation. The Indian delegation includes Joint Secretary L.C. Goyal, in charge of internal security in the home ministry, and officials of the external affairs ministry, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Intelligence Bureau and the Narcotics department.
 

Two POWs return home after release

–– AMRITSAR

Two Indian soldiers held captive for five years in Pakistan on August 8 crossed over to their homeland at the Wagah border near here to an emotional welcome by family members.

Lance Naik Jasgeer Singh and Sapper Mohammed Arif, held by Pakistan for the last five years, were repatriated in exchange for four Pakistani prisoners, including one soldier, in India.

Pakistani Rangers garlanded and gifted sweets to Singh and Arif, dressed in traditional Pathan suits, before they were handed over to India's Border Security Force (BSF).

The Indian Army had declared the duo as deserters after they reportedly strayed into Pakistani territory in September 1999 following the Kargil conflict between the two countries. It was only in December 2003 that the Indian Army learnt that they were lodged in a Pakistani prison.

After a brief but emotional reunion with their family members, Singh and Arif were whisked away by BSF personnel for a debriefing session.

Senior Indian Army and BSF officers attended the handing over ceremony of Singh from Muktsar in Punjab and Arif from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.

The Indians also handed over four Pakistani nationals, including Sepoy Salim Ali Shah to the Pakistani Rangers.

Manmohan Singh vows to pursue peace process with Pakistan

–– NEW DELHI

In his maiden Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to carry forward the peace process with Pakistan and called for a model code of conduct to enforce probity in public life.

In a 45-minute address to the nation, Manmohan Singh also said that his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government would crush terrorism with an iron fist but was also ready for talks with terrorist groups, in Jammu and Kashmir and the restive Northeast, if they gave up arms.

Drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi and India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the 72-year-old Singh, who became prime minister on May 22, largely dwelt on the vision he has for a new India and his concerns on a range of issues, than unveil welfare packages.

"Today, I have no promises to make, but I have promises to keep," said Singh in the speech in Hindi before an impressive gathering at the heavily protected Red Fort that was broadcast live to millions across the country and abroad.

Among the dignitaries at the majestic 17th-century red sandstone fort were Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, cabinet ministers and diplomats.

Earlier, the prime minister visited the Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, as well the memorials to four other former prime ministers, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri,
following which he inspected a guard of honour at the Red Fort and unfurled the Indian tricolour to the strains of the national anthem by armed forces bands.

In many ways, Singh's speech was a continuation of where he left his first address to the nation June 24, a month after he became prime minister at the head of a Congress Party-led coalition government.

Singh also used the opportunity to spell out the seven priority areas for his government, which he listed as agriculture, water, education, health care, employment, urban renewal and infrastructure.

"These are the seven pillars of the development bridge we must cross to ensure higher economic growth and more equitable social and economic development," the prime minister said.

On relations with neighbours, Singh minced no words in saying India was committed to carrying forward the peace process with Pakistan but cross-border terrorism and violence were making the task difficult.

"We have always been in favour of a purposive bilateral dialogue with Pakistan to resolve all outstanding issues. It is our intention to carry forward with firm resolve and sincerity the composite dialogue process with Pakistan. The edifice of peace that we wish to build must stand on the twin pillars of mutual trust and confidence. Of course, trends of cross-border terrorism and violence make our task more difficult and complex," said Singh.

He also promised to strengthen India's ties with China. "The positive trends which commenced with (former prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China in 1998 have provided a sound basis for later trends in our bilateral ties."

Turning to the areas of concern, the prime minister said his government would crush terrorism with an iron fist but was ready to hold talks with terrorist groups if they gave up arms.

Terrorism, he said, had become a major hindrance to development as well as day-to-day life and called on the people to join hands with the government in the fight against terrorism and communalism.

"There is no doubt that we will put up a tough fight against terrorist forces. But if any group is willing to the give up the path of violence and hold talks, we are prepared to engage them in a dialogue," he said.

Referring to Jammu and Kashmir and the troubled states in the country's northeast, he said: "These states will continue to receive special treatment from the central government for development."

Singh also expressed distress over the decline in ethical values in public life, and suggested evolving a code of conduct for all politicians and political parties.

The prime minister, whose government has been under attack for accommodating ministers facing criminal charges, said people were agitated over the lack of ethics in public affairs.

"The time has come for us to consensually evolve a code of conduct for all political parties, a code of ethics for all individuals in public life, and a code of best practices for the government at all levels."

Such a code would help uphold the values enshrined in the Constitution, he said, adding: "We must also look within our parties, and ourselves and ask ourselves what is the root cause of the decline in values in public life?"

In the speech, Singh also paid rich tributes to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, saying it was his farsightedness that had made India an information technology superpower.

He also called for the promotion of scientific temper, which he added must become a "national movement" and not become a prisoner of bureaucracy or ideology.

"The enthusiastic manner in which young people of our country have participated in the IT revolution, turning India into an IT super power is a tribute to the farsightedness of Rajiv Gandhi."

In the speech, where he sought to connect with "countrymen, brothers, sisters, and dear children," Singh also spoke about kind of India he wished to build.

"A Bharat (the ancient name for India) that is just and humane. A Bharat that treats all its citizens as equals. A Bharat that is prosperous. A Bharat that that lives in peace. A Bharat in which every person is literate
and healthy," he said.

He went on to say that he wanted his country to become a nation where everyone who seeks work is able to find it, and works for a brighter future for every individual.

"Our nation is what we are. It will become what we make of ourselves. It is one brick after another that helps make a building. Millions of bricks go to make a great building. In the same manner, the efforts of millions of people go into the formation a nation."

Singh also spoke at length about the need to reform government, empower people, resolve the problem of reaching drinking water, eradicate illiteracy and address stark poverty, among a host of issues.

While admitting the onerous task ahead, he ended his speech with confidence that the vision he has for India was within reach.

"Our government will do all that lies within its power to convert this dream into a living reality so that this ancient land of Bharat once again becomes a major powerhouse of both knowledge and creativity," he said.

"I commit our government to the fulfilment of this sacred national task."

 

Illiteracy hampering India's growth: Kalam

–– NEW DELHI

On the eve of India's 58th Independence Day, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam expressed anguish over high illiteracy in the country and said only major reforms in education can make it grow and prosper.

In a 20-minute address to the nation on August 14, the technocrat-president dwelt on a range of issues from India-Pakistan relations to contemporary domestic concerns on inflation, drought, floods and economic growth.

Yet, a major chunk of his speech was devoted to education, where he wanted at least that seven percent of the country's gross domestic produce to be reserved for sweeping reforms in the sector to eradicate illiteracy.

"India is in the process of transforming itself into a developed nation by 2020. Yet we have 350 million people who need literacy and many more who have to acquire employable skills to suit the emerging modern India and the globe," he said.

"If we have to achieve nearly 100 percent literacy, it is necessary to increase expenditure on education to about six to seven percent of the GDP," he said in his third address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day.

On India-Pakistan relations, Kalam expressed satisfaction at the sustained progress of the peace process between the two nuclear neighbours and advocated a multi-polar world that respected sovereignty, freedom and democracy.

"I note with satisfaction of our continuing efforts towards good neighbourly relations, particularly the sustained progress of the peace process between India and Pakistan," Kalam remarked.

According to him, India's "effective, firm and fair" handling of a series of internal low intensity conflicts and the proxy war (describing cross-border terrorism that India blames on Pakistan) was a measure of the nation's strength.

"With the rapidly changing global security environment, our nation's domains of security concerns have greatly expanded from what they were after Independence," noted the president.

He said while India was steadily strengthening its presence in regional and international institutions including the U.N., it realised the importance of strengthening and restructuring the U.N. to make it more purposeful.

"We cherish and advocate multi-polarity in the world order that respects the principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, freedom and democracy."

On the domestic front, he described sustainable growth and inflation as major challenges for India, and prescribed a sharp increase in public spending in education, health and job growth. The president also stressed on the need for revenue enhancement and expenditure management in the central
and state governments.

"Sustaining our growth, containing the annual inflation rate, containing the revenue deficit through prudent revenue enhancement and expenditure management are other challenges for the centre and the states."

On the recurring problem of drought and floods, the president mooted the idea of interlinking regional rivers and setting up underground water systems to tackle the issues.

"There is a need to find a long-term solution to control floods and to store and utilise surplus water for usage during the dry season and also the linking of regional river basins," Kalam said. "A water mission has been rightly identified as a priority area by my government."

Fond of children, with whom he enjoys a good chemistry, Kalam also sought strict safety measures to prevent tragedies like the school fire in Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu in which nearly 100 people, mostly children, were killed.

"It is the responsibility of sponsoring organisations to see that their schools maintain basic minimum norms both in the academic field as well as in the physical facilities which they provide on their campuses."
 

President pens ode to soldiers

–– NEW DELHI

His love for poems is well known and it is poetry that President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has used to convey his appreciation and respect for the soldiers whom he commands.

In a tribute to the men in uniform on the occasion of the country's 58th Independence Day on August 15, Kalam, who is the supreme commander of the country's armed forces, unveiled a poem titled 'My dear soldiers,' which has been published in a periodical -- Poet.

"O defenders of borders, you are great sons of my land. When we are all asleep, you still hold on to your deed... Wind chimes of my land vibrate your feet. We pray for you brave men. May the Lord bless you all."

He had originally written the poem in June and was intended to invigorate the soldiers posted on the country's borders, a presidential aide said.

Copies of the poem were distributed to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of State for Defence B.K. Handique, Defence Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh and the chiefs of the three services after Kalam paid homage to departed soldiers at the martyrs' memorial at India Gate.
 

National awards for Munnabhai MBBS, Shwas, Pinjar

–– NEW DELHI

Rib-tickling satire “Munnabhai MBBS’ and brooding 1947 partition saga ‘Pinjar’ are among the films that have bagged 51st national film awards for 2003 announced here on August 14.

Marathi film ‘Shwas’ by Sandeep Sawant has won the national award for ‘Best Film’ of 2003 for its moving portrayal of the relationship between a man and his grandson who is about to lose his vision.

The award carries a Swarna Kamal (or Golden Lotus) and cash prize of Rs. 50,000.

The film's young star Ashwin Chitale shares the ‘Best Child Artiste’ award with Kalidasan, who has portrayed a complex role in the Malayalam ‘Ente Veedu Appoontem.’

‘Munnabhai MBBS,’ a satire on the medical profession centred on a lovable vagabond and his quirky sidekick, won the award for ‘Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.’

The film has not only enjoyed commercial success but also earned plaudits at home and abroad for its theme that patients can be cured with love and humour.

‘Pinjar,’ a realistic portrayal of the trauma of communities and families ripped apart during the partition of the subcontinent in 1947, bagged the ‘Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National Integration.’

Its director, Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, will receive the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus) and Rs. 30,000 cash.

Rakesh Roshan's alien fantasy extravaganza ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ bagged the award for ‘Best Film on Other Social Issues Such as Prohibition, Women and Child Welfare, Anti-Dowry, Drug Abuse, Welfare of Handicapped.’

The film tells the tale of a mentally challenged young man who develops a unique bond with a visitor from outer space with magical powers. It was also chosen for ‘Best Special Effects’ and ‘Best Choreography.’

Malayalam film ‘Maargam’ won the ‘Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film.’

Manoj Bajpai has won the ‘Special Jury Award for Best Actor’ for his performance in ‘Pinjar.’

Bajpai, known to bring a unique intensity to his screen characters, played the complex role of a Muslim man who kidnaps and marries a Hindu girl to spite her family.

Critically acclaimed actor Gautam Ghose won a Swarna Kamal and Rs. 50,000 as ‘Best Director’ for his Bengali film ‘Aabar Aranye,’ which explores human relationships. He also won the award for ‘Best Screenplay.’

The top acting awards in the popular category eluded the Hindi film industry this time and regional stars walked away with more honours. Hindi actors, however, won in the supporting categories.

Kerala actress Meera Jasmin was named ‘Best Actress’ for her role in ‘Padam Onnu Oru Vilapam,’ where she plays a young woman trapped in a polyandrous marriage. She won a Rajat Kamal and Rs. 10,000.

Tamil star Vikram was named ‘Best Actor’ of the year 2003 for his powerhouse performance in ‘Pithamagan.’ He, too, received a Rajat Kamal and Rs. 10,000. Actress Sharmila Tagore was chosen ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for her graceful portrayal in Ghose' film ‘Aabar Aranye.’ She won a Rajat Kamal and
Rs.10,000.

The award for ‘Best Aupporting Actor’ went to Pankaj Kapoor for his riveting yet understated performance as a mafia don in ‘Maqbool,’ loosely based on Macbeth. He will receive the same prize as Tagore.

The national awards acknowledged some 50 films in various languages.

Singer Sonu Nigam was adjudged best male playback artiste for his splendid rendition of the title song in ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ that beautifully captures the spirit of the film. He won a Rajat Kamal and Rs. 10,000.

The film's music also earned plaudits for ‘Best Music Direction, which went to the popular trio Shankar Mahadevan, Aloysis Mendonsa and Ehsaan Noorani.

Tarali Sarma was named the ‘Best Female Singer’ for a song in ‘Akashitorar Kothale’ that she renders sans any instrumental accompaniment.

Rituparno Ghosh's ‘Chokher Baali’ starring Aishwarya Rai missed out on the main categories, but won awards for ‘Best Feature Film in Bengali,’ ‘Best Art Direction’ and costume.

‘Raghu Romeo,’ a humorous yet sensitive take on an ordinary man nursingdreams of becoming a hero, was named the ‘Best Feature Film in Hindi.’

Celebrated Assamese director Jahnu Baruah's ‘Tora’ was named ‘Best Children's Film’ for its moving depiction of a child bringing down walls and barriers created by grown-ups.
 

India can generate $5 billion through health tourism

–– NEW DELHI

India has the potential to attract one million health tourists every year and this will contribute up to $5 billion to the economy, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said on August 15.

India must leverage its competitive edge, especially its cost advantage, to attract a large number of medical tourists to the country, the CII study report said.

A heart surgery in the U.S. costs $30,000 while the same would incur $6,000 in India. Similarly, bone marrow transplant in the U.S. costs $250,000 while it is $26,000 in India, said the CII report.

"With yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other systems of medicine, India offers a unique basket of services to an individual that is difficult to match by other countries," it said.

"Also, clinical outcomes in India are at par with the world's best centres, besides having internationally qualified and experienced specialists." The lobby group said it was working with the Indian Healthcare Federation (IHCF) and tour operators to promote attractive packages for medical tourism
in the country.

India attracted approximately 150,000 patients to the country in the last year.

Thailand with a population of 60 million has been successful in attracting one million health tourists last year because of the development of world-class infrastructure.

According to the CII, the reason behind Thailand managing to tap the health tourism market successfully was aggressive international marketing in conjunction with the tourism authority.

"It has also integrated with traditional medicine and service integration with tourism," it said, adding India should also replicate the Thai model and capitailise on its strengths to become a world player in medical
tourism.

CII said the government should encourage medical tourism by increasing air connectivity linking major cities like News Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata and create health support infrastructure.

It is also essential to establish the Indian healthcare brand as synonymous with safety, trust and excellence.

"There is a need to undertake an international marketing campaign targeted at select countries, besides establishing one-stop centres in key markets to facilitate the inflow of foreign patients," said the report.

"There is also a need to streamline immigration process for medical visitors.

"If India develops its infrastructure to international levels, it will be able to benefit medical services sector and moreover help the world access the Indian medical services."

 

4.5 mn new phones added in April-June quarter

–– NEW DELHI

India added 4.5 million new telephone connections in the first quarter of the current fiscal, mainly on the back of a sharp surge in mobile phone customers' base.

Over 90 percent of the phones added during April-June were accounted for by mobile telephone connections, reveal figures released by the Ministry of IT and Communications on August 13.

Of the 4.5 million new telephones, 4.1 million were mobile phones and the remaining 400,000 were fixed-line and wireless in local loop connections.

Private sector mobile phone operators like Bharti Tele-Ventures and Hutch sold 3.4 million new lines while public operators' share was a marginal 720,000.

The sector has 81 million phones taking the tele-density from 7.08 percent at the end of the last fiscal year to 7.49 percent as on June 30, 2004.

India's mobile phone market has grown rapidly in the last couple of years on the back of spiralling income levels and falling phone tariffs and handset prices, making it one of the fastest growing markets globally.

The country of over one billion people has over 38 million mobile phone users, up from just 10 million a couple of years ago.

India, Asia's third largest economy, is adding at least one million new mobile phone users every month.

The official statement said the growth of connectivity in rural areas also showed a remarkable improvement with the total number of village public telephones at 521,998 as on June 30.
 

Mantra for farmers --- grow, cure and make money

–– RANCHI

Farmers in Jharkhand are being encouraged to grow rare medicinal plants to not only preserve precious biodiversity and promote alternative medicines but also transform their economic status.

The Forest Department has drawn up a list of 25 such plants that can be grown easily in the state. The state's hilly terrain often makes it difficult to grow other crops.

Forest officials are at hand to brief farmers on the economic benefits, financial requirements and potential of the plants.

Officials estimate that a farmer with one acre of land can manage to earn hundreds of thousands of rupees if he grows medicinal plants.

For instance, safed (white) musali has a high demand as an alternative to Viagra. Experts say that it can be used to counter impotency, diabetes, increase mental alertness and immunity.

To grow this plant, a farmer needs 2.5 acres of land and one tonne of seeds that will produce four times the amount. The market price of one tonne of safed musali is Rs. 300,000.

Likewise, Pamarosa grass can be grown to great cost effectiveness. Oil from the plant is used to cure joint pains and sprains. It is also used in making soap, incense sticks and mosquito repellents. A farmer has to spend Rs.42,500 in three years to grow the plant and it can fetch up to Rs. 50,000 per annum.

Another plant with medicinal and economic value is sarpagandha that is used to treat high blood pressure, eye infections and epilepsy. It is estimated that an investment of Rs. 21,000 could generate revenues of Rs. 60,000-Rs. 70,000 a year.

"The state Forest Department will help farmers grow the medicinal plants and maintain them in different seasons. If a farmer needs financial assistance, we will also help them in getting loans from banks," said a department official.

"The idea was mooted to preserve medicinal plants as the Forest Department finds it tough to grow them in botanical gardens," he said.

If implemented effectively, the proposal could be a real boon for farmers in the drought stricken hilly state. Those with small land holdings of one or two acres are unable to grow crops as they need yearly investments and the land anyway doesn't yield much.

The government could start procuring medicinal plants and appoint a nodal agency for marketing them to generate resources, officials suggested.

When the state was formed in 2000, there was a suggestion to create a herbal park to preserve and grow medicinal plants found in the state. Indifference has ensured that the proposal is yet to get off the ground.

 

Renuka to promote cruise, medical tourism

–– NEW DELHI

Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury is out to woo high-spending, affluent tourists across the globe with special emphasis on cruise, health and other kinds of niche tourism.

She plans to promote, among other things, cruise tourism and medical tourism --- areas that were given much importance by her predecessors --- targeting high-end tourists, especially from European countries and the Middle East.

The Tourism Ministry has already taken steps to ensure that international cruise liners frequent the warmer Indian waters in winters when the waterways in many parts of the world are frozen.

"Also we will encourage the small private boats owned by well-heeled Europeans to come to our shoreline. Cruise tourism has a whole new potential, which nobody has yet explored here," Chowdhury said in an
interview.

"We should also look at the cruise ships from Hong Kong and Bangkok. We should make them come to this side. There is a whole new potential into that market," she added.

Though there is a long legal process involved in this to make her dream real, the minister was "very optimistic."

"I am sure it will work soon. After all everyone wants India to come up in a big way in the tourism sector," she added.

Chowdhury is gung-ho as she talks about her ideas to market 'Incredible India' --- the Tourism Ministry's catchline --- to the world.

"So far we have been projecting a state or a location. Never was the country branded as one destination and offered it to international tourists. India as a whole would be a magnificent product to be marketed," she said.

To promote the India brand, the minister will travel to countries like Germany, France, Italy and other European countries. There would be roadshows and massive campaigns to project India as a hot spot for all kinds of tourism, be it culture, historic, religious, adventure and sports.

For the Middle East, Chowdhury wants to present a different India. "We found there are lots of people coming from the Middle East for treatment to Indian hospitals. Because we have English-speaking medical staff and modern facilities available at a cheaper rate. So we decided to project medical tourism to the Middle East."

The minister has already held one meeting of selected doctors and top officials to identify hospitals and doctors. "There would be a list of accredited hospitals and doctors, who would be working for promoting India as the best medical tourism spot," Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury, who calls herself an "action queen," swears that her new efforts will make a lot of difference to the country's tourism sector.

 

India strikes oil in Gujarat onshore block

–– NEW DELHI

State-owned Gujarat Petroleum Corp (GSPC) has struck oil in an onshore exploration block in Gujarat with an estimated reserve of 50 million tonnes.

"The total in-place reserve is 50 million tonnes, out of which 10-20 percent is expected to be recoverable," GSPC said in a statement on August 11.

Awarded to GSPC in 2001 in the second round of the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP), state-run gas major GAIL (India) Ltd. is an equal partner in the block near Pisawada village of Ahmedabad district, 70 km from Gandhinagar.

"This is a significant discovery though not as large as Cairn Energy's discovery in Rajasthan where the in-place reserves are estimated to be 150 million tonnes, with expectations of more discoveries," said G.C. Saxena, in-charge at the Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH).

DGH, which oversees all exploration activities in the country, is still awaiting details of the discovery from GSPC to make its assessment.

For India, which depends on imports for 69 percent of its crude requirement, this new discovery is another step towards reducing imports.

According to GSPC, 1,000 barrels per day (bpd) of good quality crude is being pumped from its first discovery.

The company expects the output to rise to 10,000 bpd with the drilling of 10 more wells. So far GSPC has spent about Rs.360 million on seven exploration wells in the block spread over a 10-km area.

A senior GSPC official said nearly 20 percent of the crude was recoverable.

"The drilling of 10-15 more wells could yield up to 10,000-15,000 barrels of oil a day," he said.

GSPC also holds 66.67 percent stake in a gas-producing field at Hazira, Gujarat, in association with Canada's Niko Resources and an offshore exploration block in the Krishna-Godavari Basin off the Andhra Pradesh coast.

At Hazira, which has a huge gas reserve of 20 billion cubic metres (BCM), the company is producing about 3.8 million standard cubic metres of gas per day.