24 senior Indian figures to advise University of Cambridge

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 13^th where he double-bogeyed after a three-putt. He then got back on track with a chip-in for birdie on the 15^th and a chip-putt from 35 yards for a par-save on the 16^th. The 34-year-old closed the day at one-over after missing an up and down for bogey on the 17^th.

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 23^rdplace at nine-over-149.

Chandigarh golfer Harmeet Kahlon lies in tied 34^th 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 40^th.

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Visit Portugal

12092013

September 2013

Dear travel partner,   Saudacoes from Visit Portugal team in India!   With the ongoing monsoon season, travelers who are looking for an escape from the rains and want to experience romance, adventure, dramatic scenery, fairytale castles and alluring beaches – Portugal offers your clients a wide array of natural settings.   As we go ahead, our newsletter this month focuses on the Centro of Portugal - a region of warm hospitality, offering visitors genuine village tourism. If you like history, you should know that this region is home to many places of interest, be the historical villages, castles and monuments, all of them are well worth a visit.   This issue of September newsletter will provide yet another insight on various festivals, best-loved Portuguese cuisine, historic monuments and the best spas for the treatment of bodily and spiritual ailments. We hope to bring many such delights your way and wish that you will continue to be a part of them.   We look forward to your valuable comments and are ever available to assist you.   Thank you for supporting Portugal. Happy reading & selling!   Sincerely,   Visit Portugal Team India Representative Office

ABOUT CENTRO DE PORTUGAL The Centro de Portugal is full of warm hospitality, offering visitors genuine village tourism. The charm of the people is to be seen in the authenticity of their rituals, and their popular religious festivities, such as Easter. It is also found in their cuisine, with its cheeses, sausages and mountain honey.   Aveiro: on board of a typical “moliceiro” boat along the Ria waters, by BUGA (Aveiro free bikes) or simply on   foot   through   the   paths of   Art Nouveau or of Contemporary Architecture – Aveiro University.   Bucaco Luso Curia: These localities are famous for their gastronomy, especially the renowned roasted suckling pig and wine production, either table wine or sparkling   wine. This region is known as Bairrada, combining gastronomy with a century-old tradition of thermal stations. Some of the most appealing Portuguese thermal stations can be found here, such as Termas da Curia, north form Mealhada, andTermas do Luso, in the middle of the hill of Bucaco Mountain. Your visit should also include the breathtakingBussaco Forest with its century-old trees, extremely rare species.   Coimbra: One of Europe’s most ancient university cities has plenty to offer: century-old University of Coimbra, Joanine Library, the magnificent Botanical   Garden,   Santa Cruz Monastery. It is a modern city with exciting icons such as Mondego Green Park, Pedro & Ines pedestrian bridge and several cool shops.   Viseu: is a region of Dao wine and a rich gastronomy steadily dominated by the creativity of a new generation of chefs. In the surrounding area of Viseu, you can’t possibly miss Caramulo Car Museum.   Serra da Estrela: is Portugal’s highest peak and you have a multiplicity of landscapes, such as Serra da Estrela Nature Park and the glacial   valleys of Zezere, Loriga and Unhais da Serra. In this region, you’ll find a wide range of hotels and pousadas that stand out for their quality in a remarkable landscape setting.   Tejo Internacional: Here nature is sovereign and you can enjoy truly unique wild landscapes. Visit Termas de Monfortinho    which    offers   exceptional waters along with the most modern hydrotherapy techniques.   Cherry Paths: The city of Fundao stands out for the enormous quality of a unique product: the cherry, the main ingredient of the Cherry Festival which occurs annually in June. Fundao offers countless events throughout the year, such as the Transhumance Festival – Chocalhos.   Historical Villages: are absolutely unique and inviting! Discover them: Almeida, Belmonte, Castelo Mendo, Castelo Novo, Castelo Rodrigo, Idanha-a-Velha, Linhares   da   Beira, Marialva, Monsanto, Piodao, Sortelha e Trancoso.   Whether you want to experience Portugal’s breath-taking landscapes, its historic fortresses, or the warmth of its people, the villages offer it all.   Schist Villages: Discover the breathtaking Schist Village and twenty four villages scattered across the Centre of Portugal: a land of immense beauty offering unique experiences. Whether it’s the food, accommodation, cultural events or simply arts & crafts you’re after, you’ll find the network of Schist Villages offering you products and services by professionals of excellence. You’ll find the purest, unspoiled river beaches, monuments, castles, and museus to visit.   Border castles: The frontier castles have stood since the birth of the Portuguese nation. There’s so much to enjoy: from the castles of Alfaiates, Sortelha, Vilar Maior, Sabugal,   Castelo   Mendo,   Castelo   Bom, Castelo Rodrigo, Penamacor, Monsanto and Pinhel, to the fortress of Almeida.   MUST VISIT BIOLOGICAL PARK OF SERRA DA LOUSA Serra da Lousa offers authentic landscapes and historic monuments along with excellent facilities for adventure sports or for just enjoying nature.     In winter, it snows in the Serra da Estrela hills offering an alternative range of activities, from traditional skiing to the more recent phenomenon     of     snowboarding. Come to the Biological Park of Serra da Lousa that has a lot to offer you: a learning farm, a wild life park, a rose park and much more! Bring your friends along!   BUSSACO NATIONAL FOREST The most beautiful forest in Portugal, for sure!   This is the perfect scenery for a walk with your soul mate, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of charismatic forest Mata Nacional do Bussaco containing about 700   tree exotic and local tree species. At the heart of this forest, you will find a jewel of Portuguese architecture and History:Palace Hotel do Bussaco.   TERMAS DE MONFORTINHO Situated in an absolutely paradise-like place, Termas de Monfortinho will seduce you completely. Surrender to the several   wellness programmes and take the chance to visit the remarkable surrounding area: Historical Villages of Monsanto and Idanha-a-Velha, Geopark Naturtejo or Natural Park of Tejo Internacional.   ILHAVO MARITIME MUSEUM  is one of the most outstanding museums of Centro de Portugal! This amazing museum tells the story of high sea fishing   in   the Newfoundland and in Greenland, as well as in the “ria” of Aveiro. The Sea Room presents an interesting collection of nautical instruments and miniatures of ancient boats.   SAINT MARY’S CHURCH in Covilha is a true masterpiece of this city, beautifully located at the foothill of Serra da Estrela. The facade is covered   by   beautiful   tiles depicting life scenes of the Virgin Mary. Absolutely magnificent!.   VILA COVA DO ALVA This is a noble village with an outstanding dignity, famous for its beautiful buildings, its welcoming people and its public spaces. The limpid river that calmly flows in the distance is a reason of joy and pleasure, along with the freshness and the surrounding beauty. The river beach is particularly appealing in summer time.   DID YOU KNOW   √ Turismo de Portugal wins Today’s Traveller Award 2013 for ‘Outstanding International Showcase of Art & Culture’ “Outstanding International Showcase of Art & Culture” Award was presented to    Turismo de Portugal at the “Today’s Traveller Award 2013 held in New Delhi. The award was presented by Mr. Oscar Fernandes, Honorable Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India and Mr. Ramesh Sippy who is one of India’s leading film producer. UPCOMING EVENTS CARAMULO MOTORFESTIVAL  Friday, 6th – Sunday, 8th September, 2013   The Caramulo Motor festival is the first big event dedicated to classic sport automobiles and motorcycles in Portugal that combine the competition side, rally and a hillclimb,  with a vast number of other events such as the automobile fair, the Luso-Caramulo Historic Rally. The event will take place in the center of Portugal, Caramulo – capital of the Portuguese classic automobile – it is considered an international event, attracting pilots, participants and exhibitors from various countries.   CHOCALHOS – TRANSHUMANCE FESTIVAL Friday, 13th – Sunday, 15th September, 2013   From September 13th to 15th, the charming village of Alpedrinha will host Chocalhos – Transhumance Festival that will fill this village with Mediterranean sounds. There will be workshops, exhibits and conversations involving shepherds’ universe and secrets made of wool.   SKY ROAD ALDEIAS DO XISTO  Saturday, 12th October, 2013   The Granfondo SKY ROAD Schist Villages is a road bike event, designed for all cycling enthusiasts. It’s  an endurance challenge, given its distance (approximately 150 km) and its cumulative gap (approximately 3,500 m), simulating a mountain stage of one of the big races. The basis of this event type “GranFondo,” the SPIRIT ULTRA aims to bring sports to Portugal is to give all athletes the experience of living the sensations of a real mountain stage, supported by an appropriate logistics for this event.   MISCAROS – MUSHROOM FESTIVAL Friday, 15th – Sunday, 17th November, 2013   The Mushroom Festival Miscaros will be held from November 15th to 17th in Alcaide, in Fundao council. There will be workshops, handicraft, gastronomy,       local       products’ presentation, concerts and much more! Culinary fans are free to join the workshops and watch live cooking sessions led by renowned chefs in the main square while adrenaline junkies abseil down the clock tower of the church.   A TASTE OF CENTRO DE PORTUGAL   Centro de Portugal is home to some of the best-loved specialties in Portuguese cuisine. Start on a highpoint in Centro de Portugal cooking: Bairrada suckling pig accompanied by a regional sparkling wine. The coastline provides fresh shellfish and fish, often served up as ‘caldeirada’ stews and the bread based ‘ensopado’. Such dishes are also prepared with freshwater fish from the region’s many rivers and lakes, all well accompanied by a glass or two of Bairrada white wine.   Smoked meats common to inland regions include ‘maranhos’, the rice based black pudding ‘morcelas de arroz,’ among many others. Each has their   own   distinctive   taste   usually rendered by a particular combination of herbs and spices.   There are certified producers of the famous Serra da Estrela, Castelo Branco, Alcains andRabacal cheeses. Soft   or   cured, they are all excellent. Of the sweets, we would suggest the eggy sweet ‘ovos moles de Aveiro’ and ‘pao-de-lo de Ovar’ sponge cake. Both are certain crowd pleasers.   ENHANCE YOUR PORTUGAL TOURS For this month, we have provided a few ideas to enhance your tour itineraries for Centro de Portugal:   Bike tours in Serra do Caramulo:Serra do Caramulo mountain is enchanting and one of the best ways to   discover   it is   to engage   in   an exciting bike expedition full of adrenaline! You won’t stop riding your bike!   SPA: The Centro de Portugal was favored by the Romans for the purity of its waters and it was that here they built spas for the treatment of bodily and spiritual ailments. The spas of Sao Pedro do Sul,   Curia,   Luso and Monfortinho are the most well known. All of these spa towns also provide complementary entertainment and activities, both in the towns themselves and in the surrounding countryside.   Birdwatching In Granja De Sao Pedro: A lot of birds are waiting for you to come along: black storks, black wheatears, griffon vultures, harrier eagles, woodchat shrikes.   Trekking In Serra Da Estrela:Serra Da Estrela mountain is the place to be for a trekking expedition. Climbing the mythical “Cantaro Magro” is worth highlighting for all the surrounding landscape, absolutely breathtaking!   Walking in Quinta Das Lagrimas Gardens: Portugal’s most romantic place!  No other place in Portugal is so deeply charged   with   love   as   Quinta   das Lagrimas in Coimbra, where the forbidden love of Pedro and Ines took place. This was an enormous, but also tragic love. Take a walk in the gardens that have witnessed Portugal’s History most famous love and let yourself be seduced by the magic of the Love Fountain.   Curia Golf: Designed by Jorge Santana da Silva, Curia Golf Club is an executive 9-hole golf course, located a high quality thermal   station   that   benefits from a recognized historical legacy. It is 20 km away from the cities of Coimbra and Aveiro.   Paragliding: Linhares da Beira, a small village in the heart of the Serra da Estrela mountain range, offers paragliding trips that will stay with you forever. Take deep breaths of these pure airs   and   stroll   the   Serra   da  Estrela Natural Park. Roam the glacial valleys and lakes and visit the picturesque source of the Mondego river.   STAY UPDATED   √ The University of Coimbra, the uptown (“Alta”) and Sofia were classified by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. √ Quinta de Bispos was awarded European Union Eco-Label becoming the first Rural Hotel that has won this prize, which means respect for the environment through sustainable procedures, the usage of photovoltaic modules and the efficient management of energy and water. √ Discover Coimbra on board of an environmentally friendly mini-bus. Coimbra’s    electric    mini-bus    called   “Slippers” is an excellent option for discovering the city centre.

For further information, please contact: Turismo de Portugal – India Representative Office  c/o Charson Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd. 1104, Arcadia, 11th Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021  Tel: 91-22-6517 2273  Fax: 91-22-22828835 Email: exec.office@charsonadvisory.com

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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

*****

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

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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.

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

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.

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