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pointoutnews.com september 2014 Vol-1 Issue-8 50<br />
i n s i d e<br />
PICTURE ABHI<br />
BAKI HAI:<br />
Ashish Chauhan<br />
MODI<br />
SETTING THE<br />
TONE<br />
1<br />
RNI NO: DELENG/2014/55786
Point<br />
Out<br />
2<br />
september 2014
RNI NO: DELENG/2014/55786<br />
Point<br />
Out<br />
cover story<br />
MODI SETTING THE TONE<br />
Modi surely knows the burden of expectations he is carrying along and hence he started<br />
with measured steps after assuming office to limit his cabinet council to a small group<br />
and have a bureaucracy that would be efficient and decisive. Though 100 days is...<br />
pointoutnews.com SEPTEMBER 2014 VOL-1 ISSUE-8 50<br />
I N S I D E<br />
P 10<br />
PICTURE ABHI<br />
BAKI HAI:<br />
ASHISH CHAUHAN<br />
1<br />
MODI<br />
SETTING THE<br />
TONE<br />
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P 65<br />
PICTURE ABHI<br />
BAKI HAI:<br />
Ashish Chauhan
Point<br />
Out<br />
• UMA BHARATI<br />
‘The Government<br />
has set in motion<br />
its plan for<br />
interlinking of<br />
rivers with a target of<br />
establishing 30 links<br />
in the next 10 years.<br />
The river-interlinking<br />
plan has been designed<br />
keeping in mind the climate and aqua life<br />
of rivers. Rivers interlinking will help in<br />
controlling floods and drought. We want<br />
to make project Ganga a role model for<br />
all other river development projects in<br />
India and our aim is to make Ganga, a<br />
pollution-free, clean river in the next<br />
three years and work is being done at a<br />
fast pace to achieve the target.<br />
• SIDHARTH BIRLA<br />
‘Pradhan<br />
Mantri Jan<br />
Dhan Yojana<br />
launch has<br />
brought into focus<br />
the subject of<br />
financial inclusion<br />
in a manner not<br />
conceptualized<br />
before. The positive spin-off effects<br />
of extending financial services to<br />
the masses are multifold and would<br />
clearly impact the overall development<br />
trajectory of the nation. The key<br />
distinction from earlier designs is<br />
the introduction of a combination of<br />
savings, loans and insurance products.<br />
This would ensure most base needs of<br />
beneficiaries are taken care of. Linking<br />
financial literacy and direct cash<br />
transfer with this program ensures<br />
demand inducement and sustainability<br />
of this model.<br />
• DR HARSH VARDHAN<br />
‘The National<br />
Health<br />
Assurance<br />
Mission is<br />
a priority for the<br />
Government. Every<br />
Indian should<br />
have access to<br />
knowledge and information on issues<br />
such as preventable diseases; assurance<br />
on availability of essential drugs and<br />
assurance on a package of diagnostics<br />
which are essential. A committee of<br />
experts has been working on this and a<br />
concrete programme is being put in place<br />
for the same. Health insurance will be a<br />
component of health assurance for all.<br />
India lags behind in providing healthcare<br />
services to its people despite being a<br />
signatory to the “Health for All by 2000”<br />
initiative. The time has now come to take<br />
concrete action with all stakeholders<br />
getting together to push in one direction.<br />
• DHARMENDRA PRADHAN<br />
‘By adopting the<br />
energy efficient<br />
equipment and<br />
techniques,<br />
we can save valuable<br />
money, much needed<br />
for the nation’s<br />
development and<br />
providing basic<br />
amenities to the rural masses. Crude<br />
oil worth about Rs 6 lakh crore is<br />
imported annually, and if the energy<br />
efficient techniques could bring down the<br />
consumption by even 10%, it will usher in a<br />
big change. Indian culture and civilization<br />
have always encouraged the spirit of well<br />
being of all, and it is our duty that we<br />
act as trustees for the future generation,<br />
and use the resources sagely. He said that<br />
Your Voice<br />
conservation and efficiency is the only<br />
way forward, and we have to mould our<br />
thinking on these lines, and adopt the<br />
technology in a befitting manner.<br />
• SHEKHAR KAPUR<br />
‘My slogan 'Hum,<br />
Tum, Paani –<br />
Ek Kahaani',<br />
implying that in<br />
our lives everything<br />
revolves around<br />
water and all our life<br />
stories are linked to<br />
water. Today glaciers<br />
are retreating, resulting in flooding<br />
of rivers during monsoon and drying<br />
up of the rivers in other seasons. The<br />
situation, if not controlled now, would<br />
lead to permanent drying up of rivers and<br />
displacing population around the region<br />
which is being supported by such water<br />
sources. This could lead to social disorder.<br />
There is sufficient water for India's<br />
consumption, and the technology and<br />
means to conserve it but what is lacking is<br />
the will to achieve the goal.<br />
• NAINA LAL KIDWAI<br />
‘Inadequate<br />
access to<br />
freshwater is one<br />
of the biggest<br />
limiting factors in the<br />
development process<br />
of any country. India<br />
is facing serious<br />
and persistent water<br />
resource crisis. The simultaneous effects<br />
of agricultural growth, industrialization<br />
and urbanization coupled with declining<br />
surface and groundwater quantity,<br />
intra and interstate water disputes, and<br />
inefficiencies in water use practices<br />
are some of the crucial problems<br />
faced by India's water sector. Effective<br />
water resources management must<br />
be underpinned by knowledge and<br />
understanding of the availability of the<br />
resource itself, the uses to which water it is<br />
put and the challenges facing the users of<br />
water at all levels of stakeholders. This can<br />
be done by creating mass awareness on the<br />
measures that can be taken to address the<br />
challenges affecting every living being.<br />
4<br />
september 2014
Point of View<br />
CAN MODI GET OVER<br />
VOTE-BANK<br />
I<br />
ndia as a nation has a large potential with an ever swelling talent pool of youth waiting<br />
ready to give wings to their dreams and bring about a transformation. However,<br />
the potential have remained captive or on papers only due to the polity and votebank<br />
politics that has eaten up meritocracy and bred nepotism and mediocrity. While<br />
it is easy to blame politicians, the fact is vote-bank politics has turned out to be India’s<br />
biggest bane.<br />
Take for example Indian Railways, an organization that boasts of one of the largest<br />
railway networks in the world carrying daily a population bigger than the population of<br />
Australia. Headed by a veteran and shrewd politician under UPA I Lalu Prasad Yadav,<br />
railways mastered the art to come up with jugglery of numbers. To keep a section happy,<br />
railways operated at costs that were not in sync with times. Fare hike was spiked and<br />
new figures conjured up to show railways was progressing and on way to be world’s best.<br />
A trick that became the order of time as UPA 2 could not muster courage to undo it<br />
under successive railway ministers from Congress to Trinamool. Projects were diverted<br />
on regional bias and trains run on unproductive sectors. In a bid to appease a section<br />
and keep passenger fares static, railways ended up compromising on safety, services<br />
and modernization. So much so that its contemporaries have leapfrogged and regular<br />
hike in freight fares to cross-subsidize operations, railways lost a substantial amount of<br />
freight movement to road and air cargo. Trinamool’s Dinesh Trivedi who took over the<br />
ministry, albeit for a short time, was the only person in UPA rule who understood the<br />
rot and tried to rationalize passenger fares, but he poor man lost his job.<br />
Likewise, vote-bank politics is an albatross stalling India’s take off. After coming to<br />
power on great expectations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet must<br />
understand that this is a vote for change and more than a vote for BJP or RSS it is a vote<br />
for Modi and against Congress. So, Prime Minister must ensure that he is able to take<br />
the challenge and bring about a change. Delivery is the key here and he has to keep in<br />
mind the fact that people’s patience also wear out soon. He has to bring about a change,<br />
a tangible change. Though 100 days is no time to judge performance of any government,<br />
Modi has made some positive beginnings by making the bureaucracy accountable and<br />
responsive. Officials and Union ministers are regularly visiting their offices and putting<br />
in hard work as the Prime Minister has set the pace. Moreover, most ministries have a<br />
task, now. A action-plan for future. Hope this would bring about some tangible changes<br />
that would make life of common man easy. Can he get over vote-bank politics, only<br />
time would tell.<br />
Dr. Shiv Kumar Rai<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
5
Point<br />
Out<br />
TWITTERATI<br />
• Arun Jaitley @arunjaitley<br />
Our jawans are<br />
fully prepared<br />
to respond to<br />
any ceasefire<br />
violations by<br />
Pakistan.<br />
• Smriti Z Irani @smritiirani<br />
Proud of the<br />
achievements<br />
of team IIT<br />
Project<br />
Sandhi,<br />
a science<br />
& heritage<br />
initiative and;sustaining and<br />
developing habitat initiative.<br />
• Anandiben Patel @anandibenpatel<br />
Guj & Japan have<br />
long-standing<br />
relationship.<br />
Inaugurated<br />
Japanese<br />
TOTO<br />
group’s biggest<br />
Ceramics Sanitary Ware<br />
production plant in South<br />
Asia<br />
• Gulzar @GulzarPoetry<br />
naap ke, waqt<br />
bhara jaata<br />
hai, har ret<br />
ghadi mein<br />
ik taraf<br />
khaali ho jab<br />
phir se ulat dete<br />
hain usko umr jab khatm<br />
ho....<br />
• Amit Shah @AmitShahOffice<br />
By working<br />
hard again<br />
, BJP will<br />
achieve 2/3rd<br />
majority<br />
in 2017<br />
Uttar Pradesh<br />
assembly polls<br />
• Farhan Akhtar @FarOutAkhtar<br />
Stand up for<br />
something, even<br />
if it means<br />
standing alone.<br />
Remember, the<br />
one with the<br />
strongest wings has<br />
the courage to fly solo.<br />
• digvijaya singh @digvijaya_28<br />
How we can<br />
improve<br />
Teachers<br />
status in<br />
Society ?<br />
Nation wanted<br />
to know what<br />
were PM's views on these<br />
issues not how long he would<br />
be a PM !<br />
• Chetan Bhagat @chetan_bhagat<br />
I'll tell you what is<br />
stupid. Keeping<br />
an expensive<br />
President's<br />
office with<br />
no real<br />
powers in a<br />
parliamentary democracy.<br />
• Kiran Bedi @thekiranbedi<br />
Will b a unique<br />
experience<br />
for school<br />
children to<br />
hear their own<br />
@PMOIndia on<br />
Sept 5th,Teachers'<br />
Day. Most fondly recall च।च।<br />
Nehru days!!<br />
• PRIYANKA @priyankachopra<br />
Mixed emotions r so<br />
confusing.. Long day..full<br />
of nerves and<br />
bundles of<br />
thoughts.Even<br />
my feet r not<br />
carrying me to<br />
my bed...miss u<br />
dad..<br />
• Subramanian Swamy @Swamy39<br />
Met the Delhi Police<br />
Commissioner and<br />
raised the issue<br />
of Sunanda<br />
murder. Soon<br />
will meet HM.<br />
Then SIT.<br />
• Sadhguru@SadhguruJV<br />
Without<br />
discrimination<br />
by caste,<br />
religion,<br />
gender, or<br />
race, we want<br />
to offer a<br />
spiritual process<br />
to every human being on the<br />
planet.<br />
6<br />
september 2014
Point<br />
Out<br />
BJP-SHIV SENA ALLIANCE ROCKED<br />
In the run up to assembly elections in<br />
Maharashtra, dispute over seat sharing<br />
and chief ministership row have rocked<br />
the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. So much so,<br />
that some senior state BJP leaders said<br />
they want to call the Sena bluff and want<br />
the party should go alone in the polls. Well,<br />
BJP high command is taking stock of the<br />
situation but Uddhav Thackeray has already<br />
made matters worse by throwing his hat in<br />
the ring for the post of chief minister and demanding 119 seats in the state.<br />
On the eve of national Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah’s maiden visit<br />
to Mumbai ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, tension was palpable between<br />
the saffron allies. State BJP chief Devendra Fadnavis skipped an event he was meant<br />
to attend with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Shiv Sena had already set the tone<br />
by publicly criticising the BJP in an editorial in party newspaper Saamna. However,<br />
Saamna pointed to problems within the alliance. It criticised the BJP for supporting<br />
the call for a separate Vidarbha, which the Shiv Sena has always opposed. “Whether<br />
it is the BJP or anyone else, we will not allow anyone to fulfil their dream of dividing<br />
Maharashtra,” the editorial said.<br />
Keeping the alliance on track is a big challenge for Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit<br />
Shah for if they rock the boat by walking out of the alliance it would hurt prospects<br />
of both BJP and Sena badly. The combine was projected to get to power in polls<br />
but in case the saffron parties decide to part way it would make the state contest a<br />
quadrangular one between NCP, Congress, BJP and Sena. Congress-NCP combine is<br />
likely to benefit from the split in saffron ranks.<br />
Congress-NCP alliance is also under strain over failure of both partners to agree on<br />
seat sharing. NCP has made it evident that it would not mind contesting the assembly<br />
elections on its own. Sharad Pawar is said to be wary of carrying the baggage of<br />
UPA-2 scams and non-performance to the state polls. Maharashtra Congress chief<br />
Manikrao Thakre said they had put the ball in NCP's court and said Pawar's party is yet<br />
to give a "positive response" to the former's proposal for seat-sharing.<br />
NATIONAL PANORAMA<br />
WATER SPORT<br />
PROJECT IN<br />
MIRAMAR BEACH<br />
GOA<br />
The Union Minister of State for<br />
Tourism and Culture (Independent<br />
charge ) Shripad Naik has said<br />
that the Central Government gives<br />
more thrust on strengthening<br />
infrastructure for tourism to make<br />
India as tourism hub in the world<br />
and therefore has decided to develop<br />
various ports through which cruise<br />
tourism can be enhanced. Naik<br />
stated this at a function of laying of<br />
foundation stone for New Passenger<br />
Terminal Building at Mormugao Port<br />
Trust Vasco. Naik further speaking<br />
said that the Central Government<br />
realizing the touristic potential of<br />
state and has agreed and Sanctioned<br />
developmental projects like Hotel<br />
Management Institute at Farmagudi,<br />
Water sport project at Miramar and<br />
IIT center, AIMS center, convention<br />
center etc. He assured his full<br />
cooperation for the development of<br />
tourism in Goa.<br />
ANDHRA PRADSH IT REVOLUTION<br />
After bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh,<br />
India's second-largest information<br />
technology hub Hyderabad, now<br />
became part of Telangana state. N<br />
Chandrababu Naidu government<br />
will unleash an IT revolution across<br />
Andhra Pradesh. Information<br />
Technology Minister Palle<br />
Raghunath Reddy said, “We will<br />
develop IT sector in all the regions<br />
of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad will<br />
continue as joint capital of both the<br />
states for 10 years and after that it<br />
will fully become part and parcel of<br />
Telangana state. IT minister said the<br />
Andhra government has envisaged<br />
three missions for the development<br />
of IT, hardware and electronics in the<br />
state.”<br />
Andhra Pradesh has become the first<br />
state where cabinet meetings are<br />
paperless and all ministers use ipads,<br />
notes. Last fortnight state ministers<br />
were invited for the cabinet meeting<br />
with briefs about their departments<br />
but not on papers but on their tabs.<br />
Well, the move has envinced interest<br />
among the Narendra Modi led-NDA<br />
government at the Centre that is also<br />
looking into the details.<br />
8<br />
september 2014
NEW POWER<br />
POLICY ON CARDS<br />
Uttarakhand government is working on a new power<br />
policy which will encourage local entrepreneurship<br />
in the power sector and hand over maintenance of<br />
micro and small hydel projects to the gram sabhas,<br />
Chief Minister Harish Rawat said. Directives have<br />
been issued to the power department to draft a<br />
policy which encourages involvement of locals in<br />
the power sector, especially in micro and small<br />
hydro- electricity projects ranging from 2 mw to<br />
25 mw, Rawat told reporters. Under the proposed<br />
policy, Gram Sabhas will be entrusted with the<br />
responsibility of maintaining hydel projects<br />
with a capacity of producing 2MW of power. To<br />
encourage local entrepreneurship in the power<br />
sector, the new policy will seek to give priority<br />
to locals in allotment of micro and small hydel<br />
projects through competitive bidding, the Chief<br />
Minister who also holds charge of the power<br />
department said. Entrepreneurs in the plains<br />
will have the freedom to use 25% of the power<br />
produced by their projects in the manner they deem<br />
fit while those in the hills will have the liberty to<br />
use 50% of the power produced by them, he said.<br />
Chief minister also announced that a five-member<br />
resource mobilisation committee headed by former<br />
chief secretary Indu Kumar Pandey has been<br />
constituted to explore ways for optimum utilisation<br />
of the state's resources. A three-month timeframe<br />
has been given to the panel to submit its report on<br />
resource mobilisation which may be extended to<br />
six months. Rebutting BJP MP Ramesh Pokhariyal<br />
Nishank's charge of poor arrangements on Nanda<br />
Devi Raj Jat yatra route, Rawat without naming him<br />
said it was no mean achievement that thousands of<br />
people participated in a pilgrimage which passes<br />
through locations situated at a height of 16,700<br />
ft above the sea level. "It is a unique feat which is<br />
bound to impress anyone who hears about it in the<br />
country and abroad," he said.<br />
MADHYA PRADESH LEADING THE PACK<br />
Madhya Pradesh outpaced all the major states to top the economic<br />
growth charts with a scorching 11 per cent growth in 2013-14 - a<br />
year when India recorded its second successive year of sub-5 per<br />
cent growth in the gross domestic product. What is noteworthy<br />
is that high growth in Madhya Pradesh has happened despite the<br />
state’s industrial growth slipping to a new low during the year. Led<br />
by largely an agricultural boost and expansion by the services sector,<br />
Madhya Pradesh’s surge to the top has forced Bihar - which had been<br />
topping the growth charts in the last few years - to the third spot, with<br />
Uttarakhand moving up to second place.<br />
According to CSO data, Madhya Pradesh’s gross state domestic<br />
product (GSDP) registered a double-digit growth of 11.08 per cent at<br />
constant prices, up from 9.9 per cent in 2012-13. In March 2014, its<br />
GSDP stood at Rs 2,38,530 crore. The state has been showing a strong<br />
growth of above nine per cent since 2009-10, most of it on account of<br />
a high growth in the agriculture and allied sector, supplemented by a<br />
modest growth in the services sector.<br />
CM TAKESS LOKSAMVAD SETU TO<br />
MEET PEOPLE<br />
As a part of the ongoing ‘Loksamvad Setu’<br />
drive, one such programme was organised<br />
in Dhari taluka of Amreli district of Gujarat,<br />
where Chief Minister. Anandiben Patel<br />
directly addressed pubic grievances and<br />
resolved more than 170 issues on the spot.<br />
During this programme Patel stressed on<br />
achieving the goal of 100% in-house toilet<br />
facility in every home. She appealed the<br />
women to take up the responsibility of this<br />
movement and spread awareness about<br />
the same. She said that the news of more<br />
and more women pledging for 100% toilet<br />
facility depicts the success of Loksamvad<br />
Setu initiatives.<br />
VIKRAM VARSITY VC ATTACKED<br />
In a re-run of late Prof HS Sabhrawal case of 2006, workers of saffron<br />
outfits the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal allegedly ransacked<br />
office of Vikram University vice-chancellor Jawahar Lal Kaul and also<br />
misbehaved with him after he made a plea to help flood-hit Kashmiri<br />
students studying at the university. Kaul was taken ill in the commotion<br />
and was rushed to the hospital. It may be recalled that Professor H<br />
S Sabharwal died of cardiac arrest in Ujjain after he was allegedly<br />
manhandled by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers in<br />
August 2006.<br />
Meanwhile, after a 48-hour delay, Ujjain police arrested a dozen<br />
hooligans for ransacking VC’s office. The saffron workers were<br />
protesting against Kaul's statement that people in Madhya Pradesh<br />
should waive-off rent of Kashmiri students studying in the state due<br />
to the flood situation in that state. However, Kaul's statement angered<br />
saffron workers who questioned why people like him did not issue<br />
similar statements when floods hit Uttarakhand and Gujarat states, the<br />
police official said.<br />
9
Point<br />
Out<br />
COVER STORY<br />
10<br />
september 2014
MODI<br />
SETTING THE TONE<br />
Modi surely knows the burden of expectations he is<br />
carrying along and hence he started with measured<br />
steps after assuming office to limit his cabinet<br />
council to a small group and have a bureaucracy that<br />
would be efficient and decisive. Though 100 days is<br />
too little a time to judge anyone’s performance, leave<br />
apart Prime Minister’s working but the fact is Modi<br />
has no luxury of time. At least he has to show some<br />
tangible results sooner than expected.<br />
11
Point<br />
Out<br />
COVER STORY<br />
»»<br />
point out team<br />
Narendra Modi came to power<br />
on great expectations after the<br />
electorate endured a near nonfunctional<br />
UPA 2 government,<br />
especially in its second half that hit<br />
common man with prices of essential<br />
commodities hitting the sky, job<br />
generation down and corruption eating<br />
into available resources and schemes.<br />
The thumping majority BJP-led NDA<br />
received from across the country clearly<br />
suggested that the nation voted for a<br />
change, a change not just in government<br />
or the Prime Minister and his council of<br />
ministers but a change in governance.<br />
Simply speaking people want a<br />
government that is functional, efficient<br />
and not static, where policies are<br />
people-friendly and benefits reach out<br />
to the targeted rather than ending up<br />
in the coffers of select high and mighty.<br />
A government, whose policies provide<br />
equal opportunity for survival and<br />
growth to a landless farmer or labrourer<br />
in the remotest part of the country<br />
to the biggest businessman settled in<br />
India’s metro.<br />
A daunting task easier said than<br />
to achieve, given the limited time,<br />
vast landscape and rich cultural and<br />
linguistic diversity of India.<br />
The thumping majority BJP-led NDA received from across the country<br />
clearly suggested that the nation voted for a change, a change not just in<br />
government or the Prime Minister and his council of ministers but a change<br />
in governance. Simply speaking people want a government that is functional,<br />
efficient and not static, where policies are people-friendly and benefits<br />
reach out to the targeted rather than ending up in the coffers of select high<br />
and mighty. A government, whose policies provide equal opportunity for<br />
survival and growth to a landless farmer or labrourer in the remotest part of<br />
the country to the biggest businessman settled in India’s metro.<br />
But it was Prime Minister Narendra<br />
Modi, who as the leading BJP<br />
campaigner went around re-kindling<br />
hopes of a billion or more people. Now,<br />
he has to live up to their reputation and<br />
cannot falter. Moreover, though he has<br />
five years to deliver his promises and<br />
bring about a radical change who better<br />
than him would know that people’s<br />
memory is short and they want a quick<br />
fix to some of their problems.<br />
Modi surely knows the burden of<br />
expectations he is carrying along and<br />
hence he started with measured steps<br />
after assuming office to limit his cabinet<br />
council to a small group and have a<br />
bureaucracy that would be efficient and<br />
decisive. Though 100 days is too little<br />
a time to judge anyone’s performance,<br />
leave apart Prime Minister’s working but<br />
the fact is Modi has no luxury of time.<br />
At least he has to show some tangible<br />
results sooner than expected.<br />
Realising this he made a reasonable<br />
beginning. His decision to keep a<br />
lean cabinet and to club all similar<br />
functioning ministries makes sense to<br />
cut down time and improve delivery.<br />
Likewise, despite Opposition rants<br />
about the bureaucracy becoming<br />
powerful, the fact that officials have<br />
been shaken from lethargy and forced<br />
12<br />
september 2014
to work at a brisk pace augurs well for<br />
the future. If the government and its<br />
policies have to succeed, bureaucracy<br />
needs to be empowered and motivated.<br />
He has set the pace and tone of working<br />
by reaching office early in the morning<br />
and continuing to work late forcing<br />
ministers and babus to follow.<br />
Likewise, with one of his early decisions<br />
to do away with all 21 group of ministers<br />
(GoM) and 9 empowered group of<br />
ministers (EGoM), Modi has shed the<br />
UPA baggage that often ended holding<br />
up projects rather than ensuring smooth<br />
facilitation.<br />
Some of the initiatives Modi government<br />
took in the last 100 days are as follows-<br />
LOOKING AROUND IN<br />
NEIGHBOURHOOD<br />
Like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari<br />
Vajpayee, who once famously said in<br />
Lahore, "We can change history but<br />
not geography. We can change our<br />
friends but not our neighbours,” the<br />
fact remains India will have to live<br />
with its neighbours. To ensure peace<br />
and prosperity in the region countries<br />
To make a new beginning Modi seized the initiative by inviting heads<br />
of SAARC nations for his swearing-in. Moreover, government’s<br />
efforts have been to bridge the trust deficit and take along<br />
neighbouring countries of Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh<br />
and Maldives. Prime Minister has made successful visits to Bhutan<br />
and Nepal and is expected to visit Sri Lanka while foreign minister<br />
Sushma Swaraj has went around Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in a bid<br />
to improve ties and push development.<br />
in neighbourhood needs to have<br />
confidence and faith in each other. To<br />
make a new beginning Modi seized<br />
the initiative by inviting heads of<br />
SAARC nations for his swearing-in.<br />
Moreover, government’s efforts have<br />
been to bridge the trust deficit and<br />
take along neighbouring countries of<br />
Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh<br />
and Maldives. Prime Minister has<br />
made successful visits to Bhutan and<br />
Nepal and is expected to visit Sri<br />
Lanka while foreign minister Sushma<br />
Swaraj has went around Bangladesh<br />
and Sri Lanka in a bid to improve ties<br />
and push development. His policy to<br />
use Japanese technology to upgrade<br />
skills and shortcomings India and a<br />
successful visit to Japan has set the<br />
tone for a new and challenging foreign<br />
policy change.<br />
On Pakistan, government has shown<br />
some assertiveness by calling off Foreign<br />
Secretary –level talks after Pakistan<br />
High Commissioner to India spoke to<br />
Kashmiri separatists ahead of the talks.<br />
13
Point<br />
Out<br />
COVER STORY<br />
DECISIVE GOVERNMENT<br />
Has abolished the 30 group of ministers<br />
(GoM) to ensure efficient working and<br />
empowering ministries to push and<br />
decide on development agendas. A strict<br />
austerity measure is being followed<br />
whereby foreign travel by ministers and<br />
babus are under check and so are all new<br />
purchases exceeding beyond Rs 1 lakh.<br />
TACKLING BLACK MONEY<br />
A special investigation team headed<br />
by Justice (retired) MB Shah to<br />
unearth black money has been set up.<br />
SIT has prepared a comprehensive<br />
action plan, including creation of<br />
To improve efficiency and safety,<br />
get better trains and to cut<br />
down travel time the government<br />
decided to hike FDI cap in<br />
railways to 100%. A bullet train<br />
on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad<br />
route has been proposed.<br />
an institutional structure that could<br />
enable India to fight the battle against<br />
black money.<br />
UNION, RAILWAY BUDGET<br />
Union Budget presented by Finance<br />
Minister failed to bring out any<br />
major transformation but since the<br />
first quarter of the financial year had<br />
already passed and interim allocations<br />
were already made before the budget<br />
was presented hardly gave him space<br />
to maneuver. One will have to wait<br />
for his second budget for clarity.<br />
Railway budget for a change promised<br />
a lot with minister Sadanand Gowda<br />
hitting at some of ills plaguing the<br />
organization. To improve efficiency<br />
and safety, get better trains and to<br />
cut down travel time the government<br />
decided to hike FDI cap in railways to<br />
14<br />
september 2014
Infrastructure, a sector neglected<br />
in the last 10 years under the<br />
Congress-led UPA rule is all set to<br />
benefit in Modi rule. Government has<br />
attracted large-scale investments<br />
in infrastructural sector by reviving<br />
the Special Economic Zone (SEZ),<br />
streamlining the Public Private<br />
Partnership (PPP) models and<br />
creating Infrastructural Investment<br />
Trusts (InvITs).<br />
100%. A bullet train on the Mumbai-<br />
Ahmedabad route has been proposed.<br />
INFRASTRUCTURAL<br />
DEVELOPMENT<br />
Infrastructure, a sector neglected in the<br />
last 10 years under the Congress-led UPA<br />
rule is all set to benefit in Modi rule.<br />
Government has attracted large-scale<br />
investments in infrastructural sector by<br />
reviving the Special Economic Zone (SEZ),<br />
streamlining the Public Private Partnership<br />
(PPP) models and creating Infrastructural<br />
Investment Trusts (InvITs). Work for the<br />
ambitious Diamond Quadrilateral rail<br />
network — connecting major metros<br />
across the country — is in the full swing.<br />
Government has laid the groundwork for<br />
its ambitious ‘100 smart cities’ project.<br />
To develop infrastructure in rural areas,<br />
the Government has launched Syama<br />
Prasad Mookerjee Rurban Mission and<br />
Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana.<br />
The Government is also working on<br />
strengthening and modernising the border<br />
infrastructure.<br />
SACKING OF GOVERNORS<br />
Not deviating from the tradition of a<br />
shake-up at Raj Bhawans whenever a<br />
new dispensation is in power at the<br />
Centre, Modi government too did its<br />
bid. Some governors have been shunted<br />
out and others transferred.<br />
FINANCIAL INCLUSION<br />
Named Pradhan Mantri Jan Dha Yojna,<br />
this scheme aims to provide banking<br />
facility to every Indian. This will help<br />
people to get benefits of direct transfer<br />
without have to go through middlemen<br />
or making rounds of offices.<br />
15
Point<br />
Out<br />
WHAT<br />
COVER STORY<br />
THEY SAY ?<br />
• Sonia Gandhi, AICC president<br />
Have prices fallen?<br />
“People will give a reply<br />
to whether prices (of<br />
essential commodities)<br />
have gone down or<br />
not,”.<br />
• Anand Sharma, Congress leader<br />
Modi is a dream<br />
merchant, who came to<br />
power by selling false<br />
hopes. “Mr Modi sold<br />
false dreams, that cannot<br />
be realised. He promised<br />
all things to all people.<br />
Rahul Gandhi did not do it. He did not give<br />
false assurances and refused to be a dream<br />
merchant. Rahul is sincere and hence he did<br />
not do all this,”<br />
• Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) leader<br />
Koi lauta de mere beete<br />
huye din, this famous<br />
song of Kishore Kumar<br />
is being hummed<br />
on the streets by the<br />
people after 100 days<br />
of Narendra Modi<br />
government. The 100<br />
days story of this government has proved<br />
to be disappointing, characterized by<br />
non-fulfillment of promises, undermining<br />
of institutions, the compromising of<br />
administration and governance and<br />
promotion of a work culture nurtured by<br />
distrust and fear.<br />
• Tariq Anwar, Lok Sabha MP and<br />
NCP General Secretary<br />
People are not at all happy<br />
with the BJP Government<br />
at the Centre for not<br />
fulfilling the promises<br />
made during the Lok<br />
Sabha polls, particularly<br />
on controlling the rising<br />
prices of essential commodities. Earlier, the<br />
people were forced to listen to achche din<br />
aanewale hain (good days are coming. And<br />
they were made to believe it.<br />
• Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP chief<br />
Always note, the BJP<br />
and Narendra Modi are<br />
experts in making tall but<br />
false promises and lying.<br />
• Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool<br />
Congress chief<br />
Acche din nehi, ronek<br />
a din aa gaya. The<br />
BJP government has<br />
committed no less than<br />
100 mistakes in 100<br />
days. They have sold<br />
the country in 100 days.<br />
Out of 100 days, 90 days have been spent in<br />
foreign trips. He is beating his own drums.<br />
We don't believe in publicity but he is more<br />
into that kind of thing. One thing should be<br />
remembered that this is India and you have<br />
to move with everyone<br />
• Siddharth Birla, president FICCI<br />
Modi’s Independence<br />
Day speech was a<br />
clear enough signal<br />
to investors - both<br />
domestic and global<br />
- to make India a<br />
global manufacturing<br />
and export hub. We<br />
are now confident the 'Make in India' and<br />
'Made in India' vision will be supported by<br />
the requisite policy and implementation of<br />
measures to enhance the competitiveness of<br />
our manufacturing sector.<br />
• Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of<br />
Tata Sons<br />
Modi has a track<br />
record of being a doer.<br />
What he's done in<br />
Gujarat is for everyone<br />
to see. He has a huge<br />
task nevertheless in<br />
turning around the<br />
economy to growthoriented,<br />
rather than control-oriented one.<br />
We'll have to give him a little more time. I am<br />
very hopeful he will turn things around.<br />
16<br />
september 2014
Point<br />
Out<br />
COVER STORY<br />
PICTURE ABHI<br />
BAKI HAI<br />
»»<br />
ASHISH CHAUHAN<br />
It was evident from the beginning that<br />
the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is<br />
going to break many conventions to<br />
do what is right for the country. Even<br />
at the time of his swearing in ceremony,<br />
he invited heads of the neighbouring<br />
countries. It was unprecedented and<br />
was opposed by many within his party<br />
and also from various heads of states.<br />
However, he had realised that if we<br />
need a well functioning democracy and<br />
prosperous high growth economy, we<br />
need to have good relations with our<br />
neighbours.<br />
It is important to take a review of progress<br />
every now and then for any activity.<br />
More importantly for a government<br />
that promised change and from which<br />
expectations are very high.<br />
A society used to waiting for a miracle<br />
cure for all ills is a difficult customer to<br />
service for any government. Moreover,<br />
the myriad channels of formal and<br />
informal communications have made the<br />
environment heavy with expectations.<br />
Therefore taking a stock of achievements<br />
after 100 days of the government is not<br />
an easy task. The question to ask is -<br />
what could a government possibly do in<br />
100 days? and compare to that what the<br />
government has actually done?<br />
In the first few months of its regime,<br />
government can make its priorities<br />
clear either through announcements<br />
or by policy initiatives or both. The<br />
new government seems to have made<br />
its priorities clear especially with the<br />
budget and more importantly during the<br />
Independent Day address of the Prime<br />
Minister.<br />
Given the pronouncements and<br />
subsequent policy and executive actions<br />
including Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojna,<br />
the new government is trying to take up<br />
some extremely ambitious but achievable<br />
projects in a time bound manner.<br />
The opening up of banking sector to entire<br />
population is a welcome step. However<br />
the scale of execution has been mind<br />
boggling. In a single day, on <strong>September</strong><br />
28, on the launch day of Prime Minister's<br />
Jan Dean scheme, more than 1.5 crore<br />
bank accounts were opened. The target of<br />
achieving xx crore accounts is expected<br />
to be completed in 5 months instead of<br />
6 months as originally planned. On its<br />
own, the scheme looks huge. However<br />
18<br />
september 2014
when you look at it as a part of the larger<br />
framework of providing direct subsidies<br />
and help to poor in urban and rural areas,<br />
you start admiring the way the breath<br />
taking vision of reaching out to every<br />
Indian - especially poor and helpless<br />
Indian directly - has been worked out in a<br />
step by step manner.<br />
This approach of breaking down each<br />
large, seemingly humongous activity in to<br />
various sub-activities and work towards<br />
meticulously achieving them to arrive at<br />
the end goal seems to be the hall mark of<br />
Narendra Modi as an administrator. He<br />
achieves what he sets out to do however<br />
arduous the tasks. He did it in Gujarat for<br />
more than a decade. He will do it in India.<br />
The new government therefore looks to<br />
come out with many such schemes one<br />
after another.<br />
One more interesting facet of<br />
management is project management<br />
group. A project management group<br />
seems to have been set up to monitor<br />
projects above Rs 1,000 crore anywhere in<br />
India. A portal has been set up on which<br />
all projects are managed. Everyone can<br />
see what is happening to their project’s<br />
approvals through Center and state-level<br />
agencies.<br />
Automation of work and transparency<br />
has been even enhanced by taking it to<br />
different state-level agencies as well as<br />
the central agencies. As a part of this<br />
framework, the environment ministry<br />
launched its own portal to track the<br />
progress of applications submitted to<br />
it. All the various portals are getting<br />
integrated. Even states are cooperating<br />
not only in projects of more than Rs<br />
1,000 crore monitoring but also are in the<br />
process of setting up their own portals to<br />
monitor Rs 100 to Rs 1000 crore worth<br />
projects. The states are also setting up<br />
their own project monitoring groups.<br />
These projects are not only public sector<br />
projects but also private sector projects.<br />
In future one can expect many such<br />
groups tracking implementation of many<br />
of the development and private activities.<br />
It's a work man like framework taken<br />
from private sector for achieving results<br />
and modified for Government to act as<br />
a catalyst and a service provider. Initial<br />
success of this framework will give a huge<br />
boost to making India the easiest place to<br />
do business rather than one of the most<br />
difficult places to do business. Getting<br />
the dream of make in India can be easily<br />
fulfilled if we are able to implement the<br />
projects. Currently the pmg is monitoring<br />
In the first few months of its regime, government can make its<br />
priorities clear either through announcements or by policy initiatives<br />
or both. The new government seems to have made its priorities<br />
clear especially with the budget and more importantly during the<br />
Independent Day address of the Prime Minister.<br />
more than Rs 6 lakh crore of projects.<br />
Announcement to dismantle Planning<br />
Commission, seen as the architect of<br />
India’s growth and development and<br />
setting up a new framework to monitor<br />
the policies and their implementation<br />
will go a long way in establishing a parity<br />
between center and states in a federal<br />
democracy. We need to wait and watch<br />
the final contours of the new mechanism<br />
and organisation structure being put in<br />
place going forward in this regard.<br />
Swacch Bharat is another ambitious<br />
project that has been announced. I am<br />
sure with the same meticulous planing<br />
and execution framework in a step by<br />
step way, India will be able to achieve<br />
availability of toilets in almost all<br />
households in near future.<br />
Getting different countries like Japan,<br />
China, UK, US, Singapore to invest in<br />
different parts and different projects in<br />
India is expected to be another game<br />
changer. Frequent visit of PM To foreign<br />
shores is perhaps due to the same to<br />
convince the government's and business<br />
community in these countries to take<br />
India as an important destinations to<br />
produce the goods and Services. Foreign<br />
investments upto 49% in defence and<br />
liberalisation of foreign investment in<br />
several sectors including insurance etc<br />
are giving indications of fast moving<br />
policy directions.<br />
Creating 30 crore new jobs in next 20<br />
years in India is the most important<br />
project India has. All the efforts are being<br />
put in place to accelerate and enhance<br />
job creation in near future and sustain it.<br />
Notwithstanding the high expectations<br />
raised by media, Indian public seems to<br />
be in a mood to wait and give him a lot<br />
more time to perform.<br />
There are several other projects and<br />
changes in the way. The big bang<br />
announcements which the western<br />
educated audience is looking for may<br />
not happen in the same way they expect.<br />
However even more ambitious, even<br />
larger, more important to India projects<br />
will be undertaken and executed within<br />
time and cost. That is the promise and<br />
that is what will be delivered.<br />
We have seen a trailer in 100 days. That is<br />
sufficient to convince me to say 'picture to<br />
abhi baki hai mere dost'.<br />
»»(The author is MD & CEO of BSE LTD.<br />
He has over 22 years of experience<br />
in Financial Markets and technology.<br />
Ashish holds a B. Tech in Mechanical<br />
Engineering from IIT Bombay and<br />
PGDM from IIM Calcutta)<br />
19
Point<br />
Out<br />
COVER STORY<br />
STRENGTHENING<br />
THE DEFENCE<br />
The signals have been strong and positive, witness this<br />
statement from Modi: “This Government is not just about<br />
promises.” Suiting action to words he has made some<br />
noteworthy visits, to the new Indian aircraft carrier<br />
Vikramaditya, to Leh where he addressed army units<br />
on the Line of Actual Control and to Mumbai where he<br />
flagged off the first Kolkata class destroyer.<br />
20<br />
september 2014
Point<br />
Out<br />
COVER STORY<br />
»»<br />
SURYA GANGADHARAN<br />
On the surface, there’s nothing to<br />
suggest the Modi Government<br />
is taking defence lightly. The<br />
signals have been strong<br />
and positive, witness this statement<br />
from Modi: “This Government is not<br />
just about promises.” Suiting action to<br />
words he has made some noteworthy<br />
visits, to the new Indian aircraft carrier<br />
Vikramaditya, to Leh where he addressed<br />
Efforts to correct the poor material state are underway but<br />
will take time given the policy and procurement paralysis of<br />
the last decade. The import bill may not see an immediate<br />
decline since Indian industry, whether in the public or<br />
private sector, lacks state of art technology that would<br />
enable India to go it alone in military manufacture.<br />
22<br />
september 2014
The import bill may not see an immediate decline since Indian<br />
industry, whether in the public or private sector, lacks state of<br />
art technology that would enable India to go it alone in military<br />
manufacture.<br />
army units on the Line of Actual Control<br />
and to Mumbai where he flagged off the<br />
first Kolkata class destroyer.<br />
His Finance Minister Arun Jaitley doesn’t<br />
appear to have let the demands of the first<br />
affect his handling of the other portfolio,<br />
Defence. In policy terms he has fixed<br />
49% as the limit for FDI with options<br />
for higher levels in the case of state of<br />
art technology. Private industry could be<br />
finally getting its due: The tender for 197<br />
light utility helicopters was scrapped and<br />
will be re-tendered with private Indian<br />
23<br />
firms getting first shot at it. A Rs 25,000<br />
crore tender for amphibious warfare<br />
vessels will go to private yards L&T, ABG<br />
and Pipavav. He has also cleared the<br />
decks for the navy to go in for maritime<br />
helicopters where Sikorsky is the likely<br />
frontrunner.<br />
But beyond the nuts and bolts of<br />
procurement there are other serious<br />
issues that the government needs to<br />
address, says Commodore Uday Bhaskar,<br />
well known naval and strategic analyst:<br />
“The challenge lies in implementing new<br />
policies in the Ministry of Defence and<br />
addressing the many imbalances that<br />
were inherited from the UPA.<br />
“The spectrum of issues that need urgent<br />
attention,” he says, “range from the poor<br />
material state of all three armed forces,<br />
particularly the shrinking ammunition<br />
stocks of the army, and a burgeoning<br />
import bill with no credible alternative<br />
to frayed civil-military relations and the<br />
disturbing perception of a decline in<br />
moral fibre of the military.”<br />
Efforts to correct the poor material state<br />
are underway but will take time given<br />
the policy and procurement paralysis of<br />
the last decade. The import bill may not<br />
see an immediate decline since Indian<br />
industry, whether in the public or private<br />
sector, lacks state of art technology that<br />
would enable India to go it alone in<br />
military manufacture.<br />
There are however, several projects<br />
underway that currently show promise:<br />
The DRDO is developing a new 155mm<br />
towed artillery gun; a hybrid self<br />
propelled gun called Catapult is now<br />
at an advanced stage of trials; Indian<br />
shipyards have orders totaling over 40<br />
ships of all kinds; the Project 75I line of<br />
indigenous submarines will now be done<br />
at home with a foreign OEM; the LCA<br />
Tejas continues to move ahead although<br />
the Mark-I variant will not fulfill the<br />
IAF’s requirements (but the Mark-II<br />
variant is expected to meet the IAF’s<br />
benchmarks). Tatas has developed an<br />
infantry combat vehicle in collaboration<br />
with a foreign OEM that could meet the<br />
army’s requirements.<br />
The real slog may lie elsewhere: The<br />
moral fibre of the military is under<br />
strain. Rumours and leaks hinted at a<br />
concerted effort by former navy chiefs to<br />
derail Admiral DK Joshi and ensure his<br />
replacement by someone else favoured<br />
because of his “community connections”.<br />
Fingers have been pointed at the former<br />
army chief for some questionable<br />
appointments to key commands. The<br />
officer-jawan relationship is not as<br />
healthy as it should be.<br />
Other issues relate to the Defence<br />
Ministry, which needs a full time<br />
minister. There is a problem here in that<br />
years of being in the Opposition has left<br />
the BJP with limited “bench strength”.<br />
But not all are convinced about that.<br />
"I am not convinced that there is a talent<br />
crunch," said Pratap Bhanu Mehta,<br />
president of the New Delhi-based Centre<br />
for Policy Research. "The question is<br />
whether the government is looking for<br />
something more than talent. Does the<br />
question of loyalty come in, as in, do you<br />
want to avoid people who could turn out<br />
to be a little more independent? This is<br />
what seems to be happening across the<br />
board."<br />
Then there’s the ticklish issue of<br />
transforming the Defence Ministry to<br />
enable it to take on the role where it<br />
provides strategic direction to the men<br />
in uniform. It means integrating the<br />
forces with the MoD vis a vis the current<br />
situation where the Armed Forces are<br />
outside the MoD. Making this happen in<br />
a manner whereby the MoD rises to fulfill<br />
its proper role is easier said than done.<br />
Are India’s politicians and bureaucracy<br />
ready for a Chief of Defence Staff? Will<br />
the nation’s national security get the<br />
attention and priority it deserves? Mr<br />
Modi’s actions will be keenly watched.
Point<br />
Out<br />
BY INVITE<br />
MSME : LIFE LINE OF<br />
ECONOMY<br />
If we take a look globally, MSME density is the highest in<br />
Brunei, Indonesia and Paraguay (as per research figures in<br />
2010-2011) with economies having higher per capita GDP<br />
witnessing more formalized MSME structures and support per<br />
1000 people, Thereby business density having a positive<br />
correlation with per capita income.<br />
»»<br />
MEENAKSHI LEKHI<br />
W<br />
hen<br />
making economic<br />
choices, would you choose<br />
to expand the tax base from<br />
6% to a much larger number,<br />
create enterprise and jobs worth several<br />
crores and ensure financial credit reaches<br />
serious industry? Or would you support<br />
status quo?<br />
As we get into a phase of development,<br />
whether political or economics, but the<br />
choice to support and aid development is<br />
one that determines our actions – and one<br />
of the most crucial industries or sectors<br />
that comes into the picture are Micro,<br />
Small and Medium Enterprise. They are<br />
the lifeline of any economy that is looking<br />
at well-rounded, fast paced and holistic<br />
development as it ushers in new growth<br />
targets and a new dawn.<br />
As per the MSME Development Act of<br />
2006, MSME’s in India were identifiable<br />
solely on initial investment – with different<br />
figures for services and manufacturing. A<br />
micro enterprise is defined as one with an<br />
initial investment of under 25 lacs INR for<br />
manufacturing and under 10 lacs INR for<br />
services. A small enterprise is one with an<br />
investment between 25 lacs and 5 crores<br />
specifically for manufacturing while a<br />
medium enterprise is between 5 and 10<br />
crores. If we take a look globally, MSME<br />
density is the highest in Brunei, Indonesia<br />
and Paraguay (as per research figures<br />
in 2010-2011) with economies having<br />
higher per capita GDP witnessing more<br />
formalized MSME structures and support<br />
per 1000 people, Thereby business density<br />
having a positive correlation with per<br />
capita income.<br />
New Definitions<br />
To create conditions where MSMEs in<br />
India come up to world standards of<br />
efficacy and get the necessary support,<br />
definitions must be looked into going<br />
ahead. Unlike the Indian framework,<br />
EU identifies MSMEs based on turnover<br />
with a check on number of employees.<br />
In such a scenario, an interesting statistic<br />
in the European Union is that 99% of<br />
all enterprise are MSME’s, with the<br />
absolute count at over 20 million. As per<br />
EU standards, micro enterprises have<br />
under 10 employees and upto 16 crore<br />
Euro turnover, small have less than 50<br />
employees with an increased turnover<br />
of under 80 crores Euro and the number<br />
becomes 250 employees and upto 344<br />
crores in the case of Medium Sized.<br />
One look at our neighbour China and<br />
their MSMEs drive 80% of all employment<br />
within the country. India’s statistics on<br />
this are in the gray area with only 6% of<br />
Indians as pan card holders, 3% as tax<br />
paying and a large unregistered set-up<br />
where basics such as electricity, microcredit<br />
and research support cannot make<br />
it to the micro and small enterprises.<br />
Catalog – for best interest of Govt<br />
and MSME<br />
A catalog is essential from the government’s<br />
point of view to create a database that<br />
may then be intelligently studied with<br />
appropriate changes put forward in the<br />
best manner. As per a business article<br />
dated 3rd June 2014, India has one of the<br />
24<br />
september 2014
highest number of ‘Shadow Companies’<br />
- organizations which are not registered<br />
with any government department – and<br />
at 127 shadow companies for 1 registered<br />
company, that number is fairly alarming.<br />
In Germany, every enterprise - MSME or<br />
large – has to register itself before start of<br />
operations declaring type of business, no<br />
of employees, total assets and total sales for<br />
the year, going ahead and compulsorily,<br />
year on year. This data, then needs to<br />
be activated, to understand partnership<br />
companies as well as create opportunities<br />
for loan, support and CSR.<br />
Technology and Credit<br />
Another recommendation is technological<br />
upgradation, to make the MSME Indian<br />
website more approachable, with an ease<br />
of understanding. Presently, classification<br />
and other such details are presented in a<br />
manner complex to even a highly qualified<br />
person and moreover, the absence of<br />
regional language interpretations online<br />
acts as a deterrent especially for micro<br />
and small enterprise. With 22 Indian<br />
languages, a target and timeline must be<br />
set out to reach out to all via translations<br />
– intelligent translations.<br />
The 2006 Act also provisioned that the<br />
advisory committee look into level of<br />
employment, class of enterprise and<br />
international standard linkages. Within<br />
25<br />
the domestic context, upgradation,<br />
enhanced competitiveness and the<br />
possibility of promoting or diffusing<br />
entrepreneurship in such enterprises was<br />
also to be looked into. A catalog would<br />
be an enabling scenario to help reach out<br />
to such enterprises and understand the<br />
nature of support required. A research<br />
paper on MSME in 2010 by World Bank<br />
and International Finance Corporation<br />
indicated that key obstacles to MSMEs<br />
were access to finance at appropriate<br />
times, corruption, inadequately educated<br />
workforce and competitive practices from<br />
the informal/unregistered enterprise.<br />
Skill Building and the Budget’s<br />
provision for Skill India<br />
Towards the same, Skill Building will not<br />
only provide the necessary trained labour<br />
force to MSME, but also build skill within<br />
the youth our country – one of the highest<br />
demographics going into this decade. In<br />
Germany, for example, about 5,00,000<br />
companies are involved to give practical<br />
training to over 30 lac personnel. China has<br />
500,000 Skill Training Centres. with70%<br />
are in Rural China and an estimated 600<br />
lac apprentices at any given time across<br />
urban and rural. In sharp contrast at<br />
home, we had only 5500 centres in 2007<br />
and even the provision to double them<br />
would leave us gapingly short. In parallel,<br />
bringing the Apprentice Act up to date as<br />
well as seriously working on increasing<br />
the no of Apprentices from 2.6 lacs to a<br />
considerable figures are short-run targets<br />
and the creation of Skill India must create<br />
tangible deadlines towards the same.<br />
In India we only have 11,000 ITI’s & ITC’s<br />
and under the previous political regime, we<br />
only had 5,500 centres. While the number<br />
has doubled in the past 7 years, it is still<br />
quite low and also requires corresponding<br />
changes in the Apprentice Act.<br />
Considering the intrinsic nature of<br />
MSME’s to economic development, the<br />
focus on micro and small enterprise is<br />
essential especially with the point of view<br />
of encouraging entrepreneurship in both<br />
the rural and urban context. With the<br />
new government in the centre, the mood<br />
is optimistic that changes will be put<br />
into place and in the necessary areas of<br />
supportive rather than restrictive policies,<br />
youth encouragement (also via setting<br />
up a fund for start-ups) and better credit<br />
and financing mechanisms. And then the<br />
onus will rest upon the youth and such<br />
MSMEs to create self-reliant conditions,<br />
innovative enterprise and best responses<br />
to positive policies.<br />
» » (The author is the Member of parliament<br />
in Lok Sabha from New Delhi & National<br />
Spokesperson of the BJP)
Point<br />
Out<br />
India Japan<br />
FRUITS OF LOOKING EAST<br />
“The personal bonhomie between Modi and Abe is a larger<br />
signal to China about the Delhi-Tokyo potential. Japan’s<br />
commitment to invest $35 bn over five years in India may<br />
even spark a competition with China to India’s benefit.”<br />
26<br />
september 2014
»»<br />
SURYA GANGADHARAN<br />
Was the prime minister eating<br />
shredded dhokla from<br />
a bowl using chopsticks<br />
during his recent visit to<br />
Japan? Or was it some other Gujarati<br />
delicacy? The question remained<br />
unanswered but Modi’s preference for<br />
Gujarati vegetarian fare is well known.<br />
The Japanese on the other hand, are<br />
known to eat anything that moves!<br />
More to the point, what did Narendra<br />
Modi’s visit to Japan achieve? “In<br />
geopolitical terms it has considerable<br />
relevance,” says Dr Swaran Singh, Japan<br />
scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University<br />
and a visiting scholar at Hiroshima<br />
University. “The personal bonhomie<br />
between Modi and Abe is a larger<br />
signal to China about the Delhi-Tokyo<br />
potential. Japan’s commitment to invest<br />
$35 bn over five years in India may<br />
even spark a competition with China to<br />
India’s benefit.”<br />
But looking at the fine print, it’s clear<br />
that India and Japan have a long way<br />
to go. As a senior MEA diplomat<br />
put it: “The figure of $35 bn is great<br />
for headlines but we were expecting<br />
something much more given the scale<br />
of our requirements.”<br />
Much of the Japanese investment is<br />
in soft areas: the Shinkansen or bullet<br />
trains, health sector, city modernization,<br />
cleaning of the Ganga and skills<br />
development.<br />
In the “hard strategic sectors” the<br />
Japanese proved cautious and unyielding.<br />
An agreement on cooperation in the<br />
nuclear sector remains unfinished with<br />
both sides committed to continuing<br />
the negotiations. This is a setback as<br />
Japanese industry supplies many of the<br />
special steels and materials that go into<br />
the construction of nuclear reactors.<br />
So if India wishes to operationalise the<br />
nuclear agreements with France (Areva)<br />
and the US (Westinghouse), Japan’s<br />
cooperation is crucial.<br />
Tokyo has muted its insistence on India<br />
signing the Nuclear Non-proliferation<br />
Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban<br />
Treaty. But it wants India to agree to a<br />
moratorium on paper (and is not willing<br />
to accept the indirect formulation<br />
that saw the India-US nuclear deal go<br />
through). Indian diplomats say Modi<br />
was hopeful his personal chemistry<br />
with Abe and a spoken commitment<br />
DEFINING MOMENT IN OUR<br />
RELATIONSHIP : FICCI<br />
Commenting on the visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Japan, Sidharth Birla, President,<br />
FICCI said “This visit marks a defining moment in our relationship and will be registered in history<br />
as one that significantly elevated the level of engagement between India and Japan across<br />
areas. The agreements that have been signed and the understanding achieved under the guidance<br />
and leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister<br />
Abe will bring the two countries closer in both strategic and<br />
economic spheres.” We are particularly enthused about the<br />
launch of the Japan India Investment Promotion Partnership<br />
under which the two sides have agreed to double the flow<br />
of FDI into India and the number of Japanese companies<br />
over the next five years. FICCI firmly believes that we must<br />
encourage greater export oriented FDI from Japan into India<br />
and this visit of PM has laid the groundwork for the same.<br />
Japan has committed to realise total financial flows of close<br />
to 3.5 trillion Yen into India over the next five years in projects<br />
that would form the building blocks of India’s growth<br />
such as smart cities, transport systems, clean energy, skill development and food processing”, added<br />
Sidharth Birla. Besides economic and strategic connects, the two sides have also laid great emphasis<br />
on promoting people to people contact. Promoting tourism, youth exchanges, educational collaboration<br />
and cultural exchanges are integral to the growth of our relationship and our leaders have expressed their<br />
determination to further enhance the same”, he added.<br />
27
Point<br />
Out<br />
India Japan<br />
Modi and Abe’s personal chemistry helps lay the ground in Washington when<br />
Modi visits. It also sends signals to China ahead of President Xi Jinping’s<br />
visit and expect Modi to underscore the “personal equation” when Xi lands in<br />
Ahmedabad on the first leg of his India tour.<br />
from him would see things through but<br />
clearly, there’s work to be done in that<br />
area.<br />
On the US-2i amphibious aircraft, Modi<br />
insisted on co-production, which the<br />
Japanese are yet to accept. There’s also<br />
a point being made internally within<br />
the Indian Navy, that when the Japanese<br />
use few numbers of these admittedly<br />
expensive aircraft, should India jump in<br />
(in fact in 2007, the navy had issued an<br />
RFP for amphibians and seven bidders<br />
responded but the nothing came of<br />
that).<br />
Dr Swaran Singh believes that Modi<br />
sees himself as being around for at least<br />
10 years, giving himself enough time<br />
to lay the ground for a breakthrough<br />
maybe later in his first term or even<br />
in the second. In fact, Modi, and Abe<br />
(also China’s President Xi Jinping<br />
and Australia’s Tony Abbott) are seen<br />
as powerful nationalist leaders, pro<br />
business in outlook, determined to do<br />
what is necessary for their nations to get<br />
ahead.<br />
Modi and Abe’s personal chemistry<br />
helps lay the ground in Washington<br />
when Modi visits. It also sends signals<br />
to China ahead of President Xi Jinping’s<br />
visit and expect Modi to underscore the<br />
“personal equation” when Xi lands in<br />
Ahmedabad on the first leg of his India<br />
tour. Maybe then dhokla diplomacy will<br />
come into its own.<br />
28<br />
september 2014
Point<br />
Out<br />
foreign affairs<br />
LOOKING EAST,<br />
HOLDING FIRM ON THE WEST<br />
30<br />
september 2014
The east is definitely figuring larger in the Indian strategic<br />
calculus but this has been the case since 2009 when then<br />
defence minister AK Antony issued a formal directive to<br />
the armed forces to prepare for a two front war in their<br />
planning and doctrines. The directive was driven by the<br />
deepening nexus between Pakistan and China, the transfer<br />
of nuclear weapons and technologies to Islamabad and<br />
the concern that Beijing might open a front in the event of<br />
another round of India Pak hostilities.<br />
»»<br />
SURYA GANGADHARAN<br />
Asenior Indian journalist invited to<br />
a Track Two seminar featuring a<br />
familiar cross section of the media<br />
and pundits from both sides of the<br />
Radcliffe Line, was jolted by the intensity<br />
of the Pakistani reaction when he observed<br />
that India’s strategic focus increasingly, was<br />
China. In his own words …”the Pakistanis<br />
who included some retired military men,<br />
rather absurdly, rejected my view; to me it<br />
appeared as though they felt betrayed…”<br />
The incident underscores the widely<br />
held perception here that Pakistan’s army<br />
“needs India” if only to ensure its continued<br />
relevance at home. But let’s examine the<br />
larger issue: Is there indeed an Indian<br />
“strategic pivot” taking place, from the west<br />
to the east?<br />
The east is definitely figuring larger in the<br />
Indian strategic calculus but this has been<br />
the case since 2009 when then defence<br />
minister AK Antony issued a formal<br />
directive to the armed forces to prepare<br />
for a two front war in their planning and<br />
doctrines. The directive was driven by the<br />
deepening nexus between Pakistan and<br />
China, the transfer of nuclear weapons and<br />
technologies to Islamabad and the concern<br />
that Beijing might open a front in the event<br />
of another round of India Pak hostilities.<br />
“The last has never happened,” admits Prof<br />
Srikant Kondapalli head of China Studies<br />
at Jawaharlal Nehru University. “It did not<br />
happen in 1971 nor during the Kargil war<br />
in 1999. But China’s strategic intentions<br />
remain unclear, its military infrastructure<br />
along the Line of Actual Control extensive<br />
with a reported five airbases, long range<br />
missiles backed up by nearly 60,000 km of<br />
strategic highways and a fast developing<br />
railway network.”<br />
There’s a lot else happening in the seas<br />
around India’s littoral, he warns, and while<br />
much of this is driven by China’s hunger<br />
for energy, the danger of a “strategic noose”<br />
around India cannot be ignored.<br />
It explains the Indian decision to set up a<br />
new corps headquartered in Panagarh, West<br />
Bengal and fast track a massive highway<br />
running within 100 km of the Line of Actual<br />
Control. Don’t miss the appointment of<br />
former army chief Gen VK Singh who will<br />
drive infrastructure modernization in the<br />
sensitive eastern frontier; also Ladakh MP<br />
Kiran Rijiju who has already signaled his<br />
intention to settle people along the LAC in<br />
his home region ; diplomatically the prime<br />
minister has reached out to Japan with the<br />
implicit warning that if Pakistan is China’s<br />
“all weather ally”, Japan could be the same<br />
for India.<br />
As a senior Indian diplomat put it: “If<br />
China can take on the US, Vietnam, the<br />
Philippines and others simultaneously, we<br />
should be able to do the same. But it will take<br />
31
Point<br />
Out<br />
foreign affairs<br />
An Indian response will be driven by the understanding that<br />
no major attack on India can take place without the Pakistan<br />
army’s sanction, it cannot come from the civilian establishment.<br />
Domestic compulsions may force the army to ratchet up tensions<br />
with India. This could also serve the dual purpose of forcing the<br />
elected civilian government to bow to the army’s wishes.<br />
some time to arrive at a balance because at<br />
this point, we do not pose a military threat<br />
to China. The 5000 km Agni-5 strategic<br />
missile is not yet operational and we have<br />
barely begun addressing infrastructural<br />
deficiencies.”<br />
Some of the above issues are absent<br />
on our western frontier. But there has<br />
also been a growing appreciation of the<br />
multidimensional nature of the threat<br />
from Pakistan. “The most obvious,”<br />
notes Sushant Sareen of the Vivekananda<br />
International Foundation, “is the Pakistani<br />
propensity for ceasefire violations, whether<br />
to keep the Indians unsettled or push in<br />
infiltrators. No one rules out another Kargil<br />
because it can be ruled out only at our<br />
peril. May be Pakistan will rejig the terror<br />
machinery and reignite it, we cannot ignore<br />
the Pakistani army’s motivations.”<br />
Then what happens if a major terror strike<br />
happens in India? Going by 26/11, the<br />
Pakistani army probably believes India<br />
will do nothing, but that may not be the<br />
case under the Modi administration,<br />
believes Sareen. An Indian response will be<br />
driven by the understanding that no major<br />
attack on India can take place without the<br />
Pakistan army’s sanction, it cannot come<br />
from the civilian establishment. Domestic<br />
compulsions may force the army to ratchet<br />
up tensions with India. This could also<br />
serve the dual purpose of forcing the elected<br />
civilian government to bow to the army’s<br />
wishes.<br />
Will the army remove the elected civilian<br />
government of Nawaz Sharif? Sareen says:<br />
“It doesn’t take much to throw out a civil<br />
government, one army chief and two trucks<br />
but I believe that time is now past. The army<br />
would prefer to muddy the waters not jump<br />
in. It would like the ‘pot to simmer’ not boil<br />
over.” he says.<br />
Pakistan may no longer pose a conventional<br />
threat to India but its asymmetric strategies<br />
and instruments (including nuclear<br />
blackmail) leave India with no option but to<br />
retain its present force structures while also<br />
building its sinews on the east.<br />
32<br />
september 2014
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33
Point<br />
Out<br />
GALLERY<br />
GALLA<br />
GALLERY<br />
GALLARY<br />
GALLE<br />
1<br />
Narendra Modi’s<br />
visit to Japan<br />
2<br />
Phir bhi<br />
dil hai<br />
Hindustaani<br />
34<br />
september 2014
RY<br />
GALLA<br />
GALLERY<br />
GALLARY<br />
GALLERY<br />
GALLA<br />
ALLERY<br />
3<br />
4<br />
35
Point<br />
Out<br />
VILLAGE ROOTS<br />
SWACHCH BHARAT<br />
More than six decades after independence, and after spending nearly<br />
US $4 billion on the Total Sanitation Campaign between 1999 and 2010,<br />
more than 600 million Indians do not have access to a toilet either at<br />
home or in their communities, Census 2011 found.<br />
»»<br />
AARTI<br />
More than six decades after<br />
independence, and after spending<br />
nearly US $4 billion on the Total<br />
Sanitation Campaign between 1999<br />
and 2010, more than 600 million Indians do<br />
not have access to a toilet either at home or in<br />
their communities, Census 2011 found.<br />
This bare statistics is what has forced Prime<br />
Minister Narendra Modi to review Nirmal<br />
Bharat Abhiyan introduced by UPA II in<br />
2012. During his Independence Day address<br />
to the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort,<br />
Prime Minister Modi announced that within<br />
one year, every school in the country will have<br />
a toilet and there will be separate toilets for<br />
girl students. He also asked parliamentarians<br />
to use members of parliament local area<br />
development scheme (MPLADS) funds<br />
to build toilets. He also reiterated his<br />
commitment to building a Swachch Bharat<br />
(clean India) by the 150th birth anniversary<br />
of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019.<br />
The new government has announced that<br />
rural households without sanitation facilities<br />
will get Rs.15,000 each, up from Rs.10,000,<br />
for constructing toilets, and schools<br />
36<br />
september 2014
Rs.54,000, an increase from Rs.35,000.<br />
Community sanitary complexes will receive<br />
Rs.6 lakh (instead of Rs.2 lakh) and<br />
anganwadis (child care centres) will get<br />
Rs.20,000 (from Rs.8,000).<br />
Claiming the scheme didn’t work well<br />
under the previous United Progressive<br />
Alliance (UPA) government, the new<br />
regime has decided to delink its toilet<br />
construction programme from the rural<br />
jobs guarantee scheme<br />
THE REALITY<br />
Despite 64 years of rural development,<br />
60 percent of India`s rural population<br />
defecate in the open, either due to lack<br />
of toilets, lack of their operation and<br />
maintenance due to absence of water or<br />
inappropriate technology and with no<br />
scientific mode of digesting the waste,<br />
leading to rural men questioning the<br />
usefulness of toilets.<br />
Only 32 percent of rural families in 2011<br />
(as per census figures) and 40 percent<br />
(National Sample Survey Organisation<br />
figures of 2013) have rural toilets.<br />
From over 12 million toilets to be built<br />
annually prior to 2011-12, the figure has come<br />
down to below five million per year now.<br />
States have also carried out a baseline<br />
survey in 2012-13, from which it is<br />
clear that out of the 171.9 million rural<br />
households in the country, about 111.1<br />
million households do not have latrines.<br />
The fact that 88.4 million are eligible for<br />
the incentives, toilets have not been built.<br />
More than 20 million families who were<br />
given subsidy and financial incentive<br />
under the programme do not have<br />
functional toilets today.<br />
A Unicef-supported study in Odisha<br />
revealed that 50% of households surveyed<br />
knew that water contamination causes<br />
diseases. However, 64% of them continued<br />
to draw water from storage vessels by<br />
inserting a hand. Although 92% considered<br />
washing hands to be important for personal<br />
hygiene, only 29% households had soap or<br />
ash kept at the washing area.<br />
About 56% associated health problems<br />
with open defecation, but nearly 36% didn't<br />
think it important enough to build a toilet<br />
at home. Some years ago, the panchayat in<br />
Waki Bu village of Maharashtra's Buldhana<br />
district resolved that no certificate or ration<br />
shop supply would be given to a family that<br />
didn't construct atoilet. It worked along<br />
with volunteers making predawn dawns<br />
by shining torches and blowing whistles to<br />
expose those defecating in the open.<br />
HEALTH BENEFITS<br />
new study on large-scale rural sanitation programmes in India highlights<br />
challenges in achieving sufficient access to toilets and reduction in open defecation<br />
to yield significant health benefits for young children.<br />
A<br />
Investigators, led by an Indian-origin researcher, conducted a cluster randomised<br />
controlled trial in 80 rural villages in Madhya Pradesh to measure the effect of India's Total<br />
Sanitation campaign (an initiative to increase access to improved sanitation throughout<br />
rural India) on household latrine availability, defecation behaviours and child health.<br />
A total of 5,209 children aged under 5 years and 3,039 households were involved in the<br />
study led by Sumeet Patil from the School of Public Health, University of California at<br />
Berkeley, and the Network for Engineering and Economics Research and Management in<br />
Mumbai.<br />
The researchers found that the campaign intervention increased the percentage of<br />
households in a village with improved sanitation facilities by an average of 19 percent.<br />
In the intervention villages, an average of 41 per cent of households had improved latrines<br />
compared to 22 per cent of households in the control villages. The intervention also<br />
decreased the proportion of adults who self-reported the practice of open defecation from<br />
84 per cent to 73 percent.<br />
37
Point<br />
Out<br />
VILLAGE ROOTS<br />
IMPACT<br />
In response to the direct appeal from the prime minister, some corporate houses are<br />
coming forward to participate in the `Swacch Bharat Abhiyan` through the corporate<br />
social responsibility (CSR) route.<br />
Tata Consultancy Services<br />
One of the largest software services<br />
companies, TCS was the first one to<br />
proclaim its commitment towards<br />
financing hygienic sanitation facilities for<br />
girls. The company has announced that it<br />
has pledged Rs 100 crore to build toilets<br />
in about 10,000 schools.<br />
‘We firmly believe that achieving the<br />
mission of providing hygienic sanitation<br />
for girl students will have a tangible<br />
impact on the level of education<br />
achievement and development of India's<br />
next generation,’ TCS CEO and Managing<br />
Director N Chandrasekaran said.<br />
Bharti Foundation<br />
Another Rs 100 crore commitment came<br />
from Bharti Foundation, the CSR arm of<br />
Bharti Enterprises. The Foundation in a<br />
media release said that over the next three<br />
years it would be constructing toilets for<br />
every rural household in Ludhiana District<br />
lacking such facilities. In addition to rural<br />
household sanitation, the Satya Bharti<br />
Abhiyan will also invest in improving<br />
sanitation facilities in government<br />
schools in rural Ludhiana by building new<br />
toilets for girls.<br />
‘It is our commitment that no single<br />
household or school in rural Ludhiana<br />
will be without a toilet by the end of this<br />
tenure,’ said Bharti Foundation Chairman<br />
Sunil Bharti Mittal, who happens to hail<br />
from Ludhiana. Bharti Foundation Co-<br />
Chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal assured<br />
that he would be personally monitoring<br />
the progress of the project.<br />
L&T Public Charitable Trust<br />
L&T Public Charitable Trust, the CSR<br />
arm of Larsen & Toubro group, has<br />
unveiled plans to build 5,000 toilets.<br />
Group Executive Chairman AM Naik<br />
announced a major CSR initiative that<br />
would add traction to the Swachh Bharat<br />
Abhiyan programme. The company’s<br />
statement read that the investments from<br />
L&T Public Charitable Trust would cover<br />
water supply and distribution, sanitation<br />
facilities, healthcare and skills training.<br />
Vedanta<br />
Vedanta Hindustan Zinc has joined<br />
hands with the Rajasthan government to<br />
construct toilets for 20,000 households<br />
in Rajasthan. Initially, these toilets will<br />
be constructed in the three panchayat<br />
samities of Bhilwara and Chittorgarh<br />
districts. With a CSR fund of about Rs<br />
25 crore, the project will be completed in<br />
three years. Hindustan Zinc has already<br />
constructed nearly 1,750 toilets in<br />
collaboration with DRDA-Total Sanitation<br />
Project.<br />
Sulabh International<br />
NGO Sulabh International recently<br />
handed over 108 low-cost toilets to<br />
villagers at Katra Sadatganj in Badaun<br />
and adopted the hamlet as model village<br />
for a nationwide ‘Toilets for Every House’<br />
campaign. The sanitation drive was<br />
launched in the wake of alleged gangrape<br />
andmurder of two sisters in Katra in<br />
May. The NGO said the campaign was<br />
in furtherance of women’s right to safe<br />
toilets and it plans to make the village free<br />
of open defecation in phases with 300<br />
more Sulabh toilets in the pipeline.<br />
Defence Research and<br />
Development Organisation<br />
Speaking at a function at Defence<br />
Research and Development Organisation<br />
(DRDO) research centre in Hyderabad,<br />
Union Urban Development Minister<br />
Venkaiah Naidu put the spotlight on the<br />
DRDO-developed bio-toilets (called biodigesters)<br />
that have been set up for the<br />
army in certain areas. Naidu noted that<br />
the toilets could be replicated for the<br />
civilian population as well, saying, ‘The<br />
The Ministry for Drinking Water and<br />
Sanitation has prepared a Cabinet note<br />
for enhancement of monetary support<br />
for building different categories of rural<br />
toilets in the country. Under the new<br />
proposal, rural households without<br />
sanitation will get Rs 15,000 each for<br />
constructing toilets, while schools will<br />
get Rs 54,000 for the same.<br />
prime minister has already declared<br />
that under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan,<br />
India should become Swachh Bharat<br />
by 2019. For that, you need to provide<br />
a toilet to each household in rural and<br />
urban areas. This bio-toilet is something<br />
that is affordable and nature-friendly.’<br />
Human Resources Ministry<br />
Addressing a conference for state<br />
education secretaries in New Delhi,<br />
Human Resources Minister Smriti Irani<br />
directed departments to ‘prepare an<br />
action plan for construction of toilets in<br />
all government schools so that the goal<br />
set by the prime minister for providing<br />
all these schools with toilets within one<br />
year becomes a reality.’ The minister<br />
said that states should meet the target<br />
by July 2015.<br />
Ministry for Drinking Water and<br />
Sanitation<br />
The Ministry for Drinking Water and<br />
Sanitation has prepared a Cabinet note<br />
for enhancement of monetary support<br />
for building different categories of rural<br />
toilets in the country. Under the new<br />
proposal, rural households without<br />
sanitation will get Rs 15,000 each for<br />
constructing toilets, while schools will<br />
get Rs 54,000 for the same.<br />
38<br />
september 2014
LIJJAT PAPAD:<br />
FROM RS 80 TO 80 CRORE SET UP<br />
SUCCESS MANTRA<br />
»»<br />
AARTI<br />
A<br />
business<br />
model started on a<br />
borrowed Rs 80 in 1959 by<br />
seven women has today grown<br />
into a brand with over 43,000<br />
members and a multi-crore cooperative<br />
empowering women, across India. This<br />
is the story of Sri Mahila Griha Udyog<br />
Lijjat Papad.It is one on those success<br />
ventures of India that is being talked<br />
about and studied across various top<br />
business schools.<br />
It all began on March 15, 1959, where<br />
in a majority of women inhabitants of<br />
an old residential building in Girgaum<br />
(a thickly populated area of South<br />
Bombay), were busy attending their<br />
usual domestic chores. A few of them,<br />
seven to be exact gathered on the terrace<br />
of the building and started a small<br />
inconspicuous function. The function<br />
ended shortly, the result - production of<br />
4 packets of Papads and a firm resolves<br />
to continue production. This pioneer<br />
batch of seven women had set the ball<br />
rolling.<br />
As the days went by, additions to this<br />
initial group of 7 was ever-increasing.<br />
The institution began to grow. Early<br />
days were not easy and institution had<br />
The faith and patience of the members were put to test on several occasion<br />
- they had no money and started on a borrowed sum of Rs 80. With quality<br />
consciousness as the principle that guided production, Lijjat grew to be the<br />
flourishing and successful organisation that it is today.<br />
its trials and tribulation. The faith and<br />
patience of the members were put to<br />
test on several occasion - they had no<br />
money and started on a borrowed sum<br />
of Rs 80.<br />
Self-reliance was the policy and no<br />
monetary help was to be sought (not<br />
even voluntarily offered donations). So<br />
work started on commercial footing.<br />
With quality consciousness as the<br />
principle that guided production, Lijjat<br />
grew to be the flourishing and successful<br />
organisation that it is today.<br />
Shri Mahila Griha Udyog has diversified<br />
its various activities. Besides it's world<br />
famous papads it also currently has a<br />
Flour Division at Vashi (Mumbai)<br />
where flour is milled from Udad Dal<br />
39
Point<br />
Out<br />
SUCCESS MANTRA<br />
and Moong Dal, a Masala Division<br />
at Cottongreen (alongwith a Quality<br />
Control Laboratory) at the same place<br />
where different kinds of spice powders<br />
like Turmeric, Chillies, Coriander<br />
and ready mix masala and like Garam<br />
Masala, Tea Masala, Pav Bhaji Masala,<br />
Punjabi Chole Masala etc. are prepared<br />
and packed in consumer packs, a<br />
printing division also at the same place.<br />
Lijjat Advertising Division at Bandra<br />
(Mumbai), Chapati Divisions at<br />
Bandra, Wadala, Mulund & Kandivali,<br />
A Polypropylene set-up at Kashi-<br />
Mira Road and detergent powder and<br />
cakes manufacturing unit at Pune<br />
(Sanaswadi).<br />
The institution has adopted the concept<br />
of business from the very beginning. All<br />
its dealings are carried out on a sound<br />
and pragmatic footing - Production of<br />
quality goods and at reasonable prices.<br />
It has never and nor will it in the future,<br />
accept any charity, donation, gift or<br />
grant from any quarter. On the contrary,<br />
the member sisters donate collectively<br />
for good causes from time to time<br />
according to their capacity.<br />
Besides the concept of business, the<br />
institution along with all it's member<br />
POWER BRAND<br />
l Lijjat Papad has been chosen as a Power Brand 2010-2011 by the Indian<br />
Consumer and received the Award on 4th February 2011 in New Delhi by<br />
our President Smt. Swati R. Paradkar.<br />
l The Economic Times Award given to the Institution for Corporate<br />
Excellence "Business Woman Of the Year" on 6th <strong>September</strong> 2002<br />
l At the National Convention on "Rural Industrialisation", held by Khadi<br />
& Village Industries Commission along with Ministry of Agro and Rural<br />
Industries at New Delhi on 14th March 2003, Institution recevied the "Best<br />
Village Industry Institution" award from Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Atal<br />
Bihari Vajpayee.<br />
l Received "Brand Equity Award" at the hands of Hon'ble President of India<br />
Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.<br />
sisters have adopted the concept of<br />
mutual family affection, concern and<br />
trust. All affairs of the institution are<br />
dealt in a manner similar to that of<br />
a family carrying out its own daily<br />
household chores.<br />
But the most important concept<br />
adopted by the institution is the<br />
concept of devotion. For the member<br />
sisters, employees and well wishers,<br />
the institution is never merely a place<br />
to earn one's livelihood - It is a place<br />
of worship to devote one's energy not<br />
for his or her own benefits but for the<br />
benefit of all. In this institution work<br />
is worship. The institution is open for<br />
everybody who has faith in its basis<br />
concepts.<br />
40<br />
september 2014
Point<br />
Out<br />
IN FOCUS PSUs<br />
5 STATES CLAIM HALF OF PSUS INVESTMENT;<br />
MAHARASHTRA AT TOP: ASSOCHAM<br />
»»<br />
BUSINESS BUREAU<br />
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,<br />
Tamil Nadu, Odisha and<br />
Uttar Pradesh were the major<br />
investment destinations for<br />
the Central Public Sector Enterprises<br />
(CPSEs) claiming 50 per cent of their<br />
total investment of Rs 5.5 lakh crore<br />
between 2008-09 ad 2012-13.<br />
Maharashtra alone claimed 20 percent<br />
in the total gross block, followed<br />
by Andhra Pradesh (8.4 percent),<br />
Tamil Nadu (8.1 percent), Odisha<br />
(6.7 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (6.2<br />
percent).<br />
The investment would have been much<br />
more with improved employment<br />
generation had there not been delays<br />
in execution and implementation of the<br />
new projects, the ASSOCHAM study<br />
said.<br />
There were altogether 582 projects<br />
under implementation in the central<br />
sector as on June, 2013. Out of these,<br />
311 projects reported a time over run<br />
ranging from one month to 240 months<br />
which could have had a negative impact<br />
on employment.<br />
“Investment is a function of the<br />
state of economy, historical base<br />
of the concerned CPSE, industrial<br />
environment and the push factor of<br />
the states besides priorities of the<br />
Central Government. Despite talks of<br />
autonomy, the public sector investment<br />
decisions are influenced by several<br />
factors other than pure commercial<br />
considerations,” ASSOCHAM<br />
Secretary General D S Rawat said.<br />
Besides the top five states receiving the<br />
maximum of CPSE investment, other<br />
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh were the<br />
major investment destinations for the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)<br />
claiming 50 per cent of their total investment of Rs 5.5 lakh crore between 2008-<br />
09 ad 2012-13. Maharashtra alone claimed 20 percent in the total gross block,<br />
followed by Andhra Pradesh (8.4 percent), Tamil Nadu (8.1 percent), Odisha (6.7<br />
percent) and Uttar Pradesh (6.2 percent).<br />
major beneficiaries included West<br />
Bengal (5.3 percent), Chhattisgarh<br />
(4.8 percent), Assam (3.9 percent),<br />
Madhya Pradesh (3.8 percent), and<br />
Himachal Pradesh (3.4 percent), adds<br />
the ASSOCHAM paper.<br />
Interestingly, those which are at the<br />
bottom of the investment destinations<br />
include some of the developed states<br />
like Gujarat, Karnakata and Haryana.<br />
The bottom states in terms of CPSE<br />
investments are: Bihar (3.2 percent),<br />
Gujarat (2.8 percent), Karnataka (2.5<br />
percent), Jharkhand (1.9 percent),<br />
Kerala (1.5 percent), Rajasthan (1.1<br />
percent), Jammu & Kashmir (1.1<br />
percent), Arunachal Pradesh (0.9<br />
percent), Uttaranchal (0.8 percent),<br />
Punjab (0.7 percent) and Haryana (0.6<br />
percent), highlights its paper.<br />
“The CPSEs investment growth rate<br />
was recorded at 9.05 percent in 2012-<br />
13 on year on year basis as compared to<br />
13.42 percent in 2011-12, 9.48 percent<br />
in 2010-11 and 15.52 percent in 2009-<br />
10”, adds the paper.<br />
To be fair to them, the CPSEs managed<br />
to rake in a smart growth in net profit<br />
despite difficult years in the global and<br />
domestic economy. Overall net profit of<br />
all 229 CPSEs during 2012-13 stood at<br />
Rs. 1.15 lakh crore compared to Rs. 0.98<br />
lakh crore during 2011-12 showing an<br />
increase of 17.36 percent.<br />
42<br />
september 2014
NTPC TO PAY TOTAL DIVIDEND OF<br />
RS. 5.75 PER SHARE<br />
T<br />
he new Government's vision of<br />
providing power 24X7 to each<br />
household translates into robust<br />
growth opportunities amid challenges<br />
for the sector. The decision to put<br />
coal, power and renewable energy under<br />
one Minister also results in an integrated<br />
energy approach, strong focus on tapping<br />
all the possible sources also opens<br />
up new business opportunities for your<br />
Company said Dr. Arup Roy Choudhury,<br />
CMD NTPC addressing the shareholders<br />
at the 38th Annual General Meeting of<br />
the Company held in New Delhi. All the<br />
functional and Independent Directors of<br />
the company were present with him on<br />
the occasion.<br />
Speaking about performance of the<br />
company he said that during year the<br />
Company crossed 43,000 MW capacity<br />
and the current installed capacity is 43,128<br />
MW. 1,835 MW new capacity was added<br />
during the financial year 2013-14. NTPC<br />
ARUP ROY CHOUDHURY<br />
CMD NTPC<br />
has awarded work for 4,150 MW capacity<br />
and exceeded the capex target of Rs.<br />
20,200 crore during the year.<br />
He informed that the capex of the<br />
company has been increasing steadily<br />
since 2011-12 with an exceptional and<br />
unprecedented feat of exceeding targets by<br />
about 7.5% in 2013-14. The adjusted profit<br />
increased by 16.44% reaching Rs. 10,562<br />
crore and the total income increased by<br />
8.5% reaching Rs. 74,708 crore. During the<br />
AGM shareholders gave consent for a total<br />
dividend of Rs. 5.75 per share for the year.<br />
Regarding the growth of the sector he<br />
said India currently has one of the lowest<br />
annual per capita power consumption<br />
of 917.18 kwh in the world which is the<br />
lowest among BRICS nations. Demand,<br />
supply and consumption trends will be<br />
the key to the growth of the sector. He<br />
said I am confident that the future will<br />
see growth in the economy, fuelling more<br />
demand for power.<br />
ONGC BOARD APPROVES INVESTMENT<br />
OF RS. 5,219 CRORE<br />
O<br />
NGC will be investing Rs. 5219<br />
crore towards Daman Development<br />
project to enhance production<br />
of Natural Gas and Condensate<br />
in its Tapti Daman Block in Arabian<br />
Sea. The investment decision has been<br />
approved by the ONGC Board in its 260th<br />
Meeting here today. The project is located<br />
about 90-100 Km from Daman coast and<br />
includes additional development of C-24<br />
field and monetization of B-12 marginal<br />
fields (B-12-11, B-12-13 and B-12-15).<br />
The production is expected by July<br />
2016 with peak production rate of 8.35<br />
MMSCMD of gas and 9,286 barrels of<br />
condensate per day. The cumulative<br />
production till 2034-35 is pegged at 27.67<br />
Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) of gas and<br />
5.01 Million Cubic Meters (MMm3) of<br />
condensate. The gas and condensate will<br />
be evacuated to Hazira through Tapti<br />
Process facilities of Tapti-JV.<br />
The project envisages installation of seven<br />
Well Head Platforms, one riser Platform<br />
with associated pipelines and drilling<br />
of 28 wells. The project is scheduled for<br />
completion by pre-monsoon 2019.<br />
Coming close on the heels of the Mumbai<br />
High South Redevelopment project<br />
(Phase-3) approved in the last Board<br />
meeting earlier this month for Rs. 5,813<br />
crore, this approval flags the oil major’s<br />
aggressive investment posture to ramp up<br />
production from the Western Offshore.<br />
43
Point<br />
Out<br />
Govt Watch Movers & Shakers<br />
• VL Joshi is secretary, Ministry of<br />
Drinking Water<br />
Senior IAS officer Vijay Laxmi Joshi has<br />
been appointed as Secretary in Ministry<br />
of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Joshi,<br />
a 1980 batch IAS officer of Gujarat<br />
cadre, is presently working as Secretary,<br />
Ministry of Panchayati Raj.<br />
She will take over the charge from<br />
Pankaj Jain, a 1978 batch IAS officer of<br />
Jammu and Kashmir cadre, who retires<br />
on <strong>September</strong> 30, said an official order<br />
issued by the Department of Personnel<br />
and Training (DoPT).<br />
Joshi has been appointed as Officer on<br />
Special Duty in the Ministry of Drinking<br />
Water and Sanitation in the rank and<br />
pay of Secretary with immediate effect,<br />
it said.<br />
• Aruna Sundararajan Administrator,<br />
USOF, DoT<br />
Aruna Sundararajan, a 1982 batch<br />
IAS officer of Kerala cadre, has been<br />
appointed as Administrator, Universal<br />
Service obligation Fund under<br />
Department of Telecommunications.<br />
She is presently serving in her cadre<br />
state.<br />
Her batchmate Neeraj Kumar Gupta<br />
44<br />
september 2014<br />
has been appointed as Secretary, Board<br />
for Reconstruction of Public Sector<br />
Enterprises under Department of Public<br />
Enterprises. Gupta is presently serving<br />
in his cadre state, Uttar Pradesh.<br />
• Tapan Ray appointed Additional<br />
Secy, IT<br />
In another appointment, Tapan Ray has<br />
been appointed as Additional Secretary<br />
in Department of Electronics and<br />
Information Technology. Ray, a 1982<br />
batch IAS officer, is serving in his cadre<br />
Gujarat.<br />
• Sinha is Additional Secy, Higher<br />
Education<br />
Amarjeet Sinha, a 1983 batch IAS officer<br />
of Bihar cadre, has been appointed as<br />
Additional Secretary in Department of<br />
Higher Education. Sinha is presently<br />
serving in his cadre.<br />
• Malik is CEO, FSSAI<br />
Yudhvir Singh Malik has been appointed<br />
as Chief Executive Officer, Food<br />
Safety and Standards Authority of<br />
India, Department of Health and Family<br />
Welfare. Malik is presently serving in his<br />
cadre state, Haryana.<br />
• Ramanujam to head committee<br />
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has<br />
set up a Committee to be headed by<br />
R Ramanujam to review, identify and<br />
recommend amendment in obsolete<br />
laws to further smoothen and simplify the<br />
governance. A 1979 batch IAS officer of<br />
Madhya Pradesh cadre Ramanujam is<br />
presently Secretary to Prime Minister.<br />
• Pushpendra Rajput appointed as<br />
Director, Steel in GoI<br />
Pushpendra Rajput has been appointed<br />
as Director in the Ministry of Steel in<br />
Government of India. He is a 1999 batch<br />
IAS officer of Himachal Pradesh.<br />
• Rakesh Singh is new Secretary Steel<br />
Rakesh Singh has been appointed new<br />
Secretary Steel in the Government of<br />
India. He is 1978 batch IAS officer of<br />
Punjab cadre.<br />
• Ashok Lavasa is new Secretary<br />
Forests and Environment<br />
Secretary Civil Aviation Ashok Lavasa<br />
has been moved as Secretary Forests<br />
and Environment. He is 1980 batch IAS<br />
officer of Haryana cadre.
Point<br />
Out<br />
TEST DRIVE<br />
THE NEW STYLISH SEDAN ‘ZEST’<br />
»»<br />
BUSINESS BUREAU<br />
T<br />
ata<br />
Motors announced the<br />
commercial launch of the Zest, the all<br />
new, sub-four metre compact sedan<br />
with a start price of Rs. 4.64 Lakhs,<br />
ex-showroom, New Delhi, for the petrol<br />
Revotron 1.2T model and Rs. 5.64 Lakhs,<br />
ex-showroom, New Delhi, as the start price<br />
for the diesel variant. Zest from Tata Motors,<br />
clearly showcases the three key vectors<br />
of DesigNext, DriveNext and ConnectNext<br />
to deliver best-in-class performance with<br />
unparalleled driving pleasure in a spacious,<br />
dynamic, comfortable and stylish sedan. The<br />
company also launched an industry first<br />
service offering with the 333 Confidence.<br />
This unique programme offers best-in-class<br />
warranty of 3 years or 1 lakhs Kms (whichever<br />
is earlier), an Annual Maintenance Contract<br />
(AMC) of 3 years/ 45000 kms (whichever is<br />
earlier) and a free 24X7 Roadside Assistance<br />
service for 3 years. With this, Tata Motors<br />
is offering its customers high reliability,<br />
reduced cost of ownership and great resale<br />
value for the Zest.<br />
Key Highlights:<br />
»<br />
» The Zest base variant in petrol<br />
starts at Rs.4.64 Lakhs and the<br />
base variant, in Diesel starts at<br />
Rs. 5.64 Lakhs, ex-showroom,<br />
New Delhi<br />
»»<br />
Zest comes loaded with 29<br />
segment leading features<br />
»»<br />
Available in four trims in Petrol<br />
and five trims in Diesel<br />
»»<br />
Range will come in six exciting<br />
colours<br />
»»<br />
On sale in over 470 Tata Motors<br />
passenger vehicle sales outlets<br />
»»<br />
Technology-enabled dealerships<br />
46<br />
september 2014
Ranjit Yadav,<br />
President Passenger<br />
Vehicles Business<br />
Unit, Tata Motors<br />
"We at Tata Motors<br />
are delighted to<br />
launch the much-awaited Zest. It has<br />
been engineered for global customers,<br />
by global teams across India, UK, Italy<br />
and Korea to offer a car that matches<br />
refinement with performance - from the<br />
engine, to suspension & braking, the<br />
NVH or premium materials. All this has<br />
brought elegance to life in this segment.<br />
With 29 segment-first features, Zest<br />
from Tata Motors is the first all-new<br />
vehicle in the Horizonext journey with<br />
our commitment to bringing disruptive<br />
innovation to this segment of car-buyers.<br />
Both the petrol and diesel versions come<br />
with their unique segment-firsts and we<br />
are confident it will delight our consumers<br />
with its design, driving pleasure and great<br />
connectivity features."<br />
with new retail identity for<br />
enhanced purchase experience<br />
»»<br />
Introducing 333 Confidence, an<br />
industry first service offering<br />
Riding on Tata Motors DNA of being spacious<br />
and safe, a greater attention to detail towards<br />
the vehicle's interiors is another defining<br />
factor of the Zest's design. The Zest will come<br />
with the Revotron 1.2T, the first engine from<br />
the new family of gasoline engines from Tata<br />
Motors and will be India's first Turbocharged<br />
Multi-point Fuel Injection (MPFi) Petrol<br />
engine. It has been developed in conjunction<br />
with global consultancies and suppliers to<br />
deliver world-class performance in<br />
terms of power, torque and efficiency.<br />
COMPACT, SPORTY AND<br />
PROGRESSIVE AUDI A3<br />
T<br />
he leading luxury car manufacturer,<br />
announced the launch of the Audi A3 Sedan.<br />
“The launch of the Audi A3 Sedan, the<br />
first compact luxury sedan in India, is yet<br />
another first from Audi. In line with our customercentric<br />
approach, we decided to launch the sedan<br />
version of the Audi A3 which is a segment up from<br />
the compact luxury hatchback. Sporty, stylish and<br />
path-breaking, the Audi A3 Sedan showcases Audi’s<br />
‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ in every single aspect,<br />
especially in the areas of design, ultra-lightweight technology, efficient drivetrains, high-end<br />
multimedia and infotainment systems. We are confident that the Audi A3 Sedan is the right<br />
product at the right time and will set new benchmarks,” said Joe King, Head, Audi India.<br />
»»<br />
Audi A3, win the prestigious ‘World Car of the Year 2014’<br />
»»<br />
Powerful and efficient Petrol (40TFSI) & Diesel (35TDI) engines<br />
»»<br />
Best in class fuel efficiency figure of 20.38 kmpl<br />
»»<br />
Accelerates 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds (40TFSI) and 8.6 seconds (35TDI)<br />
»»<br />
Prices start at INR 22,95,000/- ex-showroom Delhi<br />
Audi A3 Sedan has a distinctive, coupé-like design, together with the dynamic shoulder line,<br />
distinctive wider wheel arches, striking side sill and the much narrower rear lights, the Audi<br />
A3 Sedan exudes sportiness from every angle.<br />
The Audi model range includes the Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi A6, Audi A7 Sportback, new Audi<br />
A8L, Audi Q3 S, Audi Q3, Audi Q5, Audi Q7, Audi S4, Audi S6, Audi RS 5 Coupé, Audi RS<br />
7 Sportback, Audi TT Coupé, the super sports car Audi R8, Audi R8 Spyder and the Audi<br />
R8 V10 plus available across the country: in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar,<br />
Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi Central, Delhi South, Delhi West, Goa, Gurgaon,<br />
Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Karnal, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mangalore,<br />
Mumbai South, Mumbai West, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Noida, Pune, Raipur, Surat,<br />
Udaipur, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam.<br />
47
Point<br />
Out<br />
GADGETS<br />
SAMSUNG: ‘WORLD GREATEST<br />
SCREEN’ ON A TAB<br />
»»<br />
BIPIN<br />
Samsung has come up with their<br />
new series of Tab. Samsung<br />
Galaxy tab S, claiming ‘world<br />
greatest screen’ on a tab. Tab<br />
S is slim and light in weight and has a<br />
screen with the ratio 16:10 almost as a<br />
widescreen T.V. it’s also having AMOLED<br />
technology and Side sync quality but it is<br />
only effective if you’re having Samsung<br />
Smartphone. Having 7900 mAh battery<br />
life saves your time by charging again<br />
and again like other Samsung phones.<br />
It comes with:<br />
n 10.5 and 8.4 inch screen<br />
n Multi window<br />
n Bluetooth 4.0 & GPS<br />
n 16 to 32 GB memory<br />
n 8Mp camera & 2.1 mp front<br />
n Android 4.4.2 kitkat<br />
n 11 ac wifi<br />
n Resolution 280 PPi<br />
n 1.9 GHz & four 1.3 GHz core processor<br />
APPS<br />
FREE FILE MANAGER<br />
FOR NOKIA<br />
Nokia has come up with the modern way to manage<br />
your file system using copy, move and rename<br />
features and also supports bulk operations, share and<br />
open with. It also helps you to pick more folders to<br />
manage your PC. I<br />
Features<br />
n Browse files and folders<br />
n Core file operations: copy, move, rename and delete for files<br />
and folders<br />
n Bulk operations<br />
n Create new folders and open with<br />
n Share support to and from other apps<br />
n It is available in English (United States) and 3 other languages.<br />
48<br />
september 2014
SONY SELFIE<br />
CAMERA<br />
Features<br />
n 180 degree tilt<br />
n 19.2mbps sensor &<br />
23mm quivilant f/2<br />
wide range angle<br />
prime lens<br />
n LED flash on the top<br />
n 3.3 type OLED screen<br />
with approx 1,299k<br />
dots<br />
n Beauty effects:<br />
n Skin toning<br />
n Skin Smoothing,<br />
n Eye Widening,<br />
n Face Slimming,<br />
n Shine Removal<br />
n Can create self timer<br />
by tapping their<br />
finger<br />
n Available in: violet,<br />
pink, green and<br />
white.<br />
UNIVERSAL<br />
REMOTE CONTROL<br />
Universal Remote Control for TV, can easily make turn your<br />
Android smart phone or tablet into a Universal remote<br />
control for all tvs. It is easy to set up and the operation<br />
is simply the same as the real TV control remote. The<br />
difference between "Control Remote for TV Universal" and other<br />
applications of this style is that it is compatible with almost all<br />
TV manufacturer and all models and it is truly easily to use.<br />
.Connect your smartphone pr tablet through your wifi (for<br />
better download speed)<br />
This app is not currently compatible with all TVs on the<br />
market, if it does not work, please be patient and report us<br />
your TV Model and we will try to update our app to increase<br />
our compatibility. We will welcome any feedback and is<br />
appreciated as well.<br />
49
Point<br />
Out<br />
TAROT FORECAST<br />
»»<br />
Nandita Pandey<br />
ARIES: (22nd March- 21st April)<br />
Professionally this is an excellent time for you to indulge into fresh projects and<br />
expand your business. You will witness subtle positive changes in your<br />
money matters during this phase of your life. Avoid any transitions in<br />
matters of heart. Also outings and journeys along with your loved one<br />
might create further anxieties in life during his month. You shall come<br />
across a number of opportunities as the month comes to its close.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Green.<br />
TAURUS: (22nd April - 21st May)<br />
Professionally, you will witness a lot of positive changes in life. You shall<br />
contemplate your past achievements and work towards future ones.<br />
This is the time to explore new opportunities and indulge into fresh<br />
projects. Financial matters will be tough to handle as situations and<br />
circumstances might not be as favourable as expected. A woman with<br />
excellent PR skills might be a cause of stress in matters of heart. A dominating<br />
elderly man will be very demanding by the end of the month.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Deep blue.<br />
GEMINI: (22nd May- 21st June)<br />
This is the month when wisdom and patient attitude will sail you through your<br />
obstacles that you might have to face in life. Avoid any new financial<br />
dealings in this month as it might not give you expected results. In<br />
matters of heart, you might have to deal resistance from a man who<br />
has a practical outlook in life. Professionally, there will be issues that<br />
would need a calm and patient approach. Subtle property related problems at the<br />
work front might arise during this week. Doing charity and service to humankind<br />
creates abundance of good fortune in life as the month progresses.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Green<br />
CANCER: (22nd June - 21st July)<br />
Matters of heart shall be romantically inclined and you will feel blessed by<br />
the way situations turn up for you during this phase of your life.<br />
Journeys and outings along with your loved one shall be pleasant<br />
and successful. Professionally, growth patterns emerge bringing you<br />
laurels and appreciations from your colleagues and contemporaries.<br />
Financially too this will be an excellent time for you to explore new opportunities<br />
and make fresh investments. However, there will be subtle anxieties that you<br />
might have to face as the month comes to its end.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Red.<br />
LEO: (22nd July - 21st August)<br />
Financial dealings need better communications and flexible approach to<br />
achieve desired success. There are possibilities of a joint investment<br />
not giving due returns. Professionally, one needs to be more<br />
proactive and decision oriented. Any form of carelessness can cause<br />
you further anxieties in this front as well. The cards guide you to<br />
avoid any professional or personal outings or journeys in this phase of your<br />
life. However, this is just a very transient phase which shall ease out by the<br />
month end.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Peach.<br />
VIRGO: (22nd August- 21st <strong>September</strong>)<br />
Professionally, you will witness a lot of positive changes in life. Good news<br />
follows at the work front and any targets are achieved in time. Matters<br />
of heart might be a bit disappointing. You might feel ignored or left out<br />
on certain issues related to your love life. A balanced outlook towards<br />
your finances creates further growth opportunities in this front. You<br />
might think about shifting to a better place or buy a new property as the month<br />
comes to its close.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Green.<br />
LIBRA: (22nd <strong>September</strong>- 21st October)<br />
Professionally, projects bring in huge returns and rewards as the month<br />
progresses. This is an excellent time for you to expand your base.<br />
Projects done in partnerships shall be favourable and positive. Sudden<br />
problems might arise related to your investments. There are property<br />
issues or renovation that might turn out to be more expensive that your<br />
desired budget. A youngster might be a cause of a lot of attention in life. News<br />
related to matters of heart will be disappointing. Your partner might also be very<br />
demanding in this phase of your life in matters related to heart. Slow and subtle<br />
changes take place as the month comes to its end.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Soft Pink.<br />
SCORPIO: (22nd October- 21st November)<br />
You are being blessed and guided by a fatherly figure in money related matters during<br />
this month. This is a progressive month as far as your investments are<br />
concerned. Professionally you will come across a lot of new acquaintances<br />
and networking of any kinds will boost your professional growth<br />
possibilities. Any outings in matters of heart are best avoided in this phase<br />
of your life. The cards advice you against any journeys or outings during month end.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: White<br />
SAGGITARIUS: (22nd November- 21st December)<br />
Good news in professional area will be growth oriented and shall be rewarding.<br />
A youngster who has a dynamic personality with a go getting attitude<br />
helps you in your endeavours in the work front. Friends and family<br />
support you in your monetary endeavours the whole month through.<br />
Matters of heart whoever, might turn out to be very demanding and<br />
you might feel that you are being misunderstood or ignored in love life. A woman<br />
with a practical mindset helps you in your endeavours by the end of the month.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Orange.<br />
CAPRICORN: (22nd December- 21st January)<br />
Professionally there will be issues that might need to be dealt with carefully. Applying<br />
enough wisdom and patience towards issues related to your projects will help<br />
you sail through them easily and effortlessly. A junior in your office might<br />
be very demanding in this phase of your life. Your attention will be diverted<br />
towards a motherly figure which might affect your love life adversely. Financial<br />
expenses are on the higher side due to a youngster being over demanding. A little bit of<br />
risks in life helps you in overcoming your anxieties by the end of the month.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Dark Green<br />
AQUARIUS: (22nd January- 21st February)<br />
Matters of heart shall be extremely pleasant and enjoyable. Blessings from the<br />
elders and high above and also celebrations at home front create a<br />
positive aura all around you. Wedding celebrations for some of you<br />
is a strong likeability as the month progresses. Professionally, there<br />
are two or more projects that might create insecurities in life. Finances<br />
need a lot of effort and focused attitude from your end in order to get you desired<br />
results. The cards guide you to keep a check on your emotional outbursts as the<br />
month comes to its end.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: White.<br />
PISCES: (22nd February- 21st March)<br />
Professionally, this is a good time for you as most of your projects gets completed<br />
in time. You will relax and enjoy the fruits of your hard work in this<br />
month. Financial investments shall give you results and yet there will be<br />
a feeling of sadness as few obligations have to still be fulfilled. Matters<br />
of heart indicate soft and subtle romance in life. Having a diplomatic<br />
and patient attitude saves you from a lot of troubles by the end of the month.<br />
LUCKY COLOUR: Green/ Yellow.<br />
(Nandita Pandey is an internationally renowned and acclaimed Astro Vaastu Tarot Consultant, Spiritual healer and Past Life Regression Therapist based at Delhi. Email soch.333@gmail.com )<br />
50<br />
september 2014
51<br />
touching every aspect of the nation
Point<br />
Out<br />
health<br />
VEGETARIAN DIET IN DIABETES<br />
India is facing an “Epidemic” of diet-related non-communication<br />
diseases including obesity and related comorbidition. The prevalence of<br />
diabetes, specifically Type 2 Diabetes has also seen a magnificent<br />
rise in both rural as well as urban India. Type 2 diabetes mellitus<br />
accounts for approximately 95% of all diabetes and is associated with<br />
severe complications.<br />
»»<br />
PROF. ANOOP MISRA & DR SWATI<br />
BHARDWAJ<br />
T<br />
he<br />
metabolism of Indians is<br />
inherently abnormal, conducive<br />
to development of diabetes and<br />
cholesterol disorders. Simple shift<br />
in diets, choosing low glycemic index foods<br />
with high fibre and omega-3 fatty acids,<br />
could tilt metabolism in such a manner<br />
that blood sugar and cholesterol get<br />
metabolized more efficiently. The message<br />
of this article for every Indian, starting<br />
from childhood, correct diets and physical<br />
activity should be at the top of daily agenda.<br />
India is facing an “Epidemic” of diet-related<br />
non-communication diseases including<br />
obesity and related comorbidition. The<br />
prevalence of diabetes, specifically Type<br />
2 Diabetes has also seen a magnificent<br />
rise in both rural as well as urban India.<br />
Type 2 diabetes mellitus accounts for<br />
approximately 95% of all diabetes and is<br />
associated with severe complications like<br />
nephropathy (damage to the kidneys),<br />
neuropathy (damage to the nerves)<br />
retinopathy (damage to the retina of the<br />
eyes), stroke(blockage in the blood vessel<br />
of the brain) and coronary heart diseases<br />
(CHD; blockage/hardening of the arteries).<br />
These complications not only reduce<br />
quality of life for those affected but also lay<br />
an economic burden on the individual as<br />
52<br />
september 2014
well as the nation.<br />
Nutrition has known to play an important<br />
role in the prevention of Type 2 Diabetes,<br />
managing existing diabetes (type1, type<br />
2 and gestational diabetes) as well as in<br />
preventing or reducing the progression<br />
of diabetes-related complications. There<br />
have been several nutritional approaches<br />
suggested for prevention and management<br />
of diabetes. Since consumption of red-meat<br />
has been found to be strongly associated<br />
with higher risk of developing diabetes,<br />
a higher risk of developing diabetes, a<br />
vegetarian diet with increased intake of<br />
fruits and vegetable, decreased levels of<br />
total, saturated and trans fats may help in<br />
preventing diabetes as well as achieving<br />
good glycemic control. Displacement<br />
of saturated fat and increased intake of<br />
fibre have been seen as general reasons<br />
for increasing fruit and vegetable<br />
consumption. Further, increased fibre<br />
intake may improve glycemic control<br />
diabetes. Vegetarianism is the practice of<br />
abstaining from consumption of meat,<br />
red meat, poultry and seafood. It may also<br />
include abstention from by-products of<br />
animal slaughter, such as animal-derived<br />
rennet and gelatin. There are several type<br />
of vegetarianism, which exclude or include<br />
various foods.<br />
Indian population is going through a phase<br />
of dietary transition; leaving the traditional<br />
diets, people have now started opting for<br />
commercially available packaged foods<br />
or quick home-made foods. These snacks<br />
often regarded as ‘‘comfort foods’’ are<br />
quickly prepared or are easily available<br />
commercially and include fried foods<br />
that are high in energy and fats (saturated<br />
and trans fats) but low in nutrients. The<br />
increase in the intake of energy dense foods<br />
together with low levels of physical activity<br />
level is leading to increased incidence of<br />
obesity and other related lifestyle diseases<br />
like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular<br />
disease and the metabolic syndrome.<br />
Sedentary habits, especially watching TV,<br />
are associated with significantly higher<br />
risks for obesity and type 2 diabetes.<br />
Given the current dietary patterns<br />
of Indians and increasingprevalence<br />
of lifestyle diseases like diabetes,<br />
cardiovasculardiseases, etc., it is important<br />
to generate awareness through awareness<br />
programs to spreadhealthy messages<br />
on good nutrition and good health for<br />
theprevention of obesity and diabetes.<br />
These shall not only promote good health,<br />
but shall also help inthe prevention of noncommunicable<br />
diseases such as diabetes,<br />
53<br />
A balanced vegetarian diet with<br />
emphasis on plat foods such as<br />
fruits, vegetables, whole grains,<br />
legumes and nuts, can easily meet<br />
the nutritional recommendations<br />
and may have a number of benefits<br />
over a meat-based diet for the<br />
prevention and management<br />
of diabetes and its related<br />
complications.<br />
heartproblems, and other related diseases.<br />
On the long run, suchprograms shall act<br />
to reduce the burden on economic growth<br />
ofthe nation.<br />
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most<br />
common non-communicable diseases<br />
(NCDs) globally. Over the past 30 years, the<br />
status of diabetes has changed from being<br />
known as a mild disorder of the elderly to<br />
one of the major causes of morbidity and<br />
mortality affecting the youth and middle<br />
aged people. It is the fourth or fifth leading<br />
cause of death in most high-income<br />
countries and there is substantial evidence<br />
that it is epidemic in many economically<br />
developing and newly industrialized<br />
countries.<br />
Diabetes represents a group of chronic<br />
metabolic disorder characterized by<br />
abnormally high blood sugar levels<br />
(hyperglycemia) caused by decreased<br />
insulin secretion (a hormone secreted<br />
by pancreas, which metabolizes glucose;<br />
controls blood sugar levels), resistance to<br />
insulin action, or a combination of both.<br />
Prolonged untreated diabetes leads to<br />
severe complications. The complications of<br />
diabetes are:<br />
»»<br />
Damage to the kidneys (Diabetic<br />
nephropathy)<br />
»»<br />
Damage to the nerves (Diabetic<br />
neuropathy)<br />
»»<br />
Damage to the retina of the<br />
eyes (Diabetic retinopathy)<br />
»»<br />
Coronary Heart Diseases (CHD;<br />
Blockage/ hardening of the<br />
arteries)<br />
»»<br />
Stroke (blockage in the blood<br />
vessel of the brain)<br />
A balanced vegetarian diet with emphasis<br />
on plat foods such as fruits, vegetables,<br />
whole grains, legumes and nuts, can easily<br />
meet the nutritional recommendations<br />
and may have a number of benefits over<br />
a meat-based diet for the prevention and<br />
management of diabetes and its related<br />
complications.<br />
»»(Dr. Anoop Misra is Chairman, Fortis-C-<br />
DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes,<br />
Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology &<br />
Dr. Swati Bhardwaj is Head, Nutrition and<br />
Fatty Acid Research, National Diabetes,<br />
Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation )
Point<br />
Out<br />
spOrTS<br />
FOOTBALL FEVER IN INDIA<br />
Indian Super League is all set to<br />
make some positive growth in Indian<br />
Football. Social media sentiment<br />
for the tournament is very positive<br />
- with fans eagerly awaiting the<br />
start of the tournament and football<br />
action in India!<br />
»»<br />
RANJITH<br />
Hero Indian Super League, the<br />
most anxiously awaited football<br />
extravaganza in the country,<br />
unveiled its’ official emblem in a<br />
grand fanfare event, thus presenting India<br />
with its very own first ever, high-profile<br />
footballing competition. Indian Super<br />
League is all set to make some positive<br />
growth in Indian Football.The Leaguehas<br />
54<br />
september 2014
‘Let’s football’ – the League’s official line is an apt fit to its ambition in<br />
connecting with today’s youth and creating interest in millions to play the<br />
sport professionally. The emblem with hexagons combined to form a football<br />
symbolises collaboration of passion, energy and enthusiasm among its<br />
stakeholders.<br />
also launched its official TV campaign<br />
titled 'C'mon India, Let's football', kickstarting<br />
an extensive marketing campaign<br />
in the run-up to the football tournament's<br />
inaugural game on October 12. Social<br />
media sentiment for the tournament is<br />
very positive - with fans eagerly awaiting<br />
the start of the tournament and football<br />
action in India!As a show of strength<br />
behind the Hero Indian Super League,Mrs.<br />
Nita Ambani, Founding Chairperson,<br />
Football Sports Development led the eight<br />
League Partners to a pledge – committing<br />
to the League’s vision in bring a footballing<br />
revolution across the country.<br />
Joining her on stage were Sachin Tendulkar<br />
(Kerala Blaster FC), Ranbir Kapoor<br />
(TeamMumbai), AbhishekBachchan<br />
(Team Chennai), Samir Manchanda<br />
(Delhi Dynamos), John Abrahim<br />
(NorthEast United), KapilWadhawan (FC<br />
Pune City), VarunDhawan (FC Goa) and<br />
Utsav Parekh (Atletico de Kolkata) along<br />
with Sanjay Gupta, COO, Star India and<br />
Praful Patel, President AIFF.<br />
‘Let’s football’ – the League’s official line<br />
is an apt fit to its ambition in connecting<br />
with today’s youth and creating interest in<br />
millions to play the sport professionally.<br />
The emblem with hexagons combined to<br />
form a football symbolises collaboration of<br />
passion, energy and enthusiasm among its<br />
stakeholders. Colours chosen to represent<br />
the League convey the values and emotions,<br />
with red signifying the energy, passion<br />
and action, while blue exudes confidence,<br />
trust and responsibility; both seamlessly<br />
combining to represent the League’s values.<br />
Speaking on the occasion, Mrs Nita Ambani<br />
said, “It’s a momentous day for us as we set<br />
ourselves in building a grand coalition<br />
among all stakeholders to develop football<br />
in the country and take it to its deserving<br />
space in the Indian sports.ISL hope to act<br />
as a foundation in creating an eco-system to<br />
nurture talent and make our own national<br />
football heroes, through its ambitious<br />
grassroots development programme.<br />
“It’s a beginning of a long journey and<br />
today we have taken baby steps. I am<br />
happy to have equally enthusiastic League<br />
Partners’, committed to the League’s vision.”<br />
Commenting on the official launch of the<br />
league, Sanjay Gupta, COO, Star India,<br />
said, “Football is much more than a sport.<br />
It is an international phenomenon. And<br />
yet, India as a country has not joined this<br />
global community. Which is why, today<br />
marks a historic turning point for the<br />
future of football in this country. With the<br />
launch of the Hero Indian Super League<br />
we take our first steps to join the world<br />
community. This I believe is the birth of a<br />
footballing nation.<br />
“We plan to attract and nurture the best of<br />
Indian talent to play with marquee players<br />
selected from 20 countries, spanning 5<br />
continents. What you will experience is<br />
a world-class spectacle – in stadia, on<br />
television, on your mobile screen and<br />
across all digital devices,” further added<br />
Mr. Gupta<br />
Andy Knee, VP, Football at IMG: “We<br />
are delighted to mark the official launch<br />
of the Hero Indian Super League. The<br />
potential for football in India is truly<br />
immense, and the ambition for the League<br />
is to spark a revolution for the game in this<br />
great country—to encourage tens, even<br />
hundreds of millions of Indians to start<br />
playing, following and watching the sport.”<br />
“Certainly, the world of football has<br />
started to take notice. Since the League<br />
first became known, IMG has received<br />
expressions of interest and support from<br />
players, managers and administrators at<br />
the highest levels. The global game wants<br />
India as a major footballing power,” further<br />
added Mr. Knee.<br />
Scheduled for kick off on 12thOctober<br />
2014, the Hero Indian Super League will see<br />
some of the greatest players in action from<br />
the world of football.The league is already<br />
generating a lot of buzz and has struck the<br />
right cord with most of its team owners<br />
being the youth icons and renowned faces<br />
globally. The Hero Indian Super League<br />
will be telecast internationally and may<br />
just mark the beginning of the new era in<br />
Indian Football.<br />
55
Point<br />
Out<br />
BOOK REVIEW<br />
POLITICS TRUMPS ECONOMICS:<br />
THE INTERFACE OF<br />
ECONOMICS AND POLITICS IN<br />
CONTEMPORARY INDIA<br />
A<br />
n India a globally impressive talent pool co-exists with the<br />
highest incidence of poverty in the world. The engaged citizen<br />
is aware of this situation, wants to know how it has come to<br />
be, and what can be done to improve it. That the country’s<br />
full potential is not being realized to make for a dynamic economy and<br />
acceptable living conditions for her people points to something beyond<br />
economics being at play. And this is the ever-present politics.<br />
In this volume, edited by Bimal Jalan and Pulapre Balakrishnan, twelve<br />
professionals illuminate the interface between politics and economics in the<br />
country, illustrating in the process how their interaction will determine the<br />
path that India will take. Among the subjects discussed are the implications<br />
of the emergence of coalition governments as the norm, the rise of civic<br />
activism, the tension between identity politics and development, and<br />
the nature of the discourse on the informal sector. The essays also offer<br />
possible solutions to end corruption in administration, and identify the<br />
strategic factors in achieving inclusive growth.<br />
• By Bimal Jalan and Pulapre<br />
Balakrishnan<br />
• Publisher : Rupa Publication<br />
• Price: Rs 500<br />
With contributions from Meghnad Desai, Dipankar Gupta, Poonam Gupta,<br />
Ashima Goyal, Ravi Kanbur, Sunil Mani, T.T. Ram Mohan, Deepak Mohanty,<br />
Samuel Paul and M. Govinda Rao, Politics Trumps Economics is an<br />
incisive comment on how politics can influence the outcome of the most<br />
well-intentioned of economic policies.<br />
Author Bio:<br />
Dr Bimal Jalan was Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1997 to<br />
2003 and a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha during 2003–2009.<br />
Earlier he was Finance Secretary and Chairman of Economic Advisory<br />
Council to the Prime Minister. He epresented India on the Boards of IMF<br />
and World Bank. His recent books include The Future of India: Politics,<br />
Economics and Governance;India’s Politics: A View from the Backbench;<br />
and Emerging India: Economics, Politics & Reforms.<br />
Dr Pulapre Balakrishnan is Professor, Centre for Development Studies,<br />
Thiruvananthapuram. He is the author of Pricing and Inflation in India and<br />
Economic Growth in India: History and Prospect. He has served as Country<br />
Economist for Ukraine at the World Bank and has been a Senior Fellow of<br />
the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. He has been a recipient of the<br />
Malcolm Adiseshiah Award for Distinguished Contribution to Development<br />
Studies (2014).<br />
56<br />
september 2014
• Sub title: A Memoir<br />
<br />
• Price: Rs. 699<br />
<br />
• Author: Naseeruddin Shah<br />
• Publication-Penguin<br />
And Then One Day<br />
A<br />
nd Then One Day tells a compelling tale,<br />
written with rare honesty and consummate<br />
elegance, leavened with tongue-in-cheek<br />
humour. There are moving portraits of family<br />
members, darkly funny accounts of his school days, and<br />
vivid cameos of directors and actors he has worked with,<br />
among them Ebrahim Alkazi, Shyam Benegal, Girish<br />
Karnad, Om Puri and Shabana Azmi. The accounts of his<br />
struggle to earn a living through acting, his experiments<br />
with the craft, his love affairs, his early marriage, his<br />
successes and failures are narrated with remarkable<br />
frankness and objective self-assessment. Brimming with<br />
delightful anecdotes as well as poignant, often painful<br />
revelations, this book is a tour de force, destined to<br />
become a classic of the genre.<br />
Author Bio:<br />
Naseeruddin Shah has been an actor in films since 1975,<br />
and an actor–director–teacher in theatre almost as long,<br />
having played the lead in over two hundred feature films<br />
and more than sixty professional theatre productions,<br />
both in India and abroad. A first-time writer, he is<br />
passionate about playing and watching tennis, cricket<br />
and movies, in that order. The recipient of numerous<br />
awards which he neither treasures nor cares to mention,<br />
he lives in Mumbai with his wife, Ratna, their three<br />
children and a cat.<br />
• Author- S.B. Pillay<br />
• Price-Rs.995<br />
• Publication-Rupa<br />
THE COMPLETE<br />
MAHABHARATA VOLUME<br />
6: DRONA PARVA<br />
T<br />
he Mahabharata of Veda Vyasa is the longest recorded epic of the world.<br />
With almost 100,000 verses, it is many times as long as the Iliad and<br />
the Odyssey combined and has deeply influenced every aspect of the<br />
Indian ethos for some 4,000 years. The main theme is the Great War<br />
on Kurukshetra, but the epic teems with smaller stories, and other stories within<br />
these, all woven together with a genius that confounds comparison. As its heart, it<br />
contains Krishna’s immortal Bhagavad-Gita, the Song of God.<br />
The Mahabharata embodies the ancient and sacred Indian tradition, in all its<br />
earthy and spiritual immensity. Famously, ‘What is found here may be found<br />
elsewhere. What is not found here will not be found elsewhere.’ Many believe this<br />
most magnificent epic to be the greatest story ever told. Yet, the only full Indian<br />
translation of the Mahabharata into English is the 19th century one by Kisari Mohan<br />
Ganguli. More than a hundred years have passed since Ganguli accomplished his<br />
task, and the language he used is now sadly archaic. This new 12 volume series<br />
retells the great epic, line by line, in fresh, easily readable English prose. With it, we<br />
hope to bring the Mahabharata alive again, for the contemporary and future reader.<br />
Author Bio:<br />
Born in 1951, S.B. Pillay is a retired Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer.<br />
He was educated at St Xavier’s High School (Delhi), Loyola College (Kolkata), and<br />
received his master’s degree from Loyola College in Chennai. He went on to study<br />
Law at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai.<br />
During an illustrious career in the IA&AS, he worked all over India and abroad, as<br />
well, and has a deep insight of Indian life. He was director general of the NAAA in<br />
Shimla and retired as additional deputy CAG in 2011. He has always been an avid<br />
reader and is the author of several comic and satirical pieces.<br />
57
Point<br />
Out<br />
ART & CULTURE<br />
CREATOR<br />
OF THE<br />
MOHAN VEENA<br />
Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has attracted international attention by his successful<br />
indianisation of the western Hawaiian guitar with his perfect assimilation of<br />
sitar, sarod & veena techniques, by giving it a evolutionary design & shape and by<br />
adding 14 more strings helping him to establish the instrument MOHAN VEENA to<br />
unbelievable heights.<br />
Creator of the MOHAN VEENA<br />
and the winner of the GRAMMY<br />
AWARD, Vishwa Mohan has<br />
mesmerized the world with his<br />
pristine pure, delicate yet fiery music. It<br />
is due to Vishwa's maiden mega effort<br />
that he rechristened guitar as MOHAN<br />
VEENA, his genius creation and has<br />
established it at the top most level in the<br />
mainstream of Indian Classical Music<br />
scenario, thereby proving the essence of<br />
his name VISHWA (meaning the world)<br />
and MOHAN (meaning charmer) and<br />
indeed , a world charmer he is.<br />
Being the foremost disciple of Pt. Ravi<br />
Shankar, Vishwa Mohan belongs to that<br />
elite body of musicians which traces its<br />
origin to the Moughal emperor Akbar's<br />
court musician TANSEN and his guru<br />
the Hindu Mystic Swami Haridas.<br />
Vishwa Mohan Bhatt has attracted<br />
international attention by his successful<br />
indianisation of the western Hawaiian<br />
guitar with his perfect assimilation<br />
of sitar, sarod & veena techniques,<br />
by giving it a evolutionary design &<br />
shape and by adding 14 more strings<br />
58<br />
september 2014
helping him to establish the instrument<br />
MOHAN VEENA to unbelievable<br />
heights. With blinding speed and<br />
faultless legato, Bhatt is undoubtedly<br />
one of the most expressive, versatile<br />
and greatest slide player s in the world.<br />
Being a powerhouse performer,<br />
Vishwa's electrifying performance<br />
always<br />
captivates the audience whether in<br />
the United States of America, Europe,<br />
Gulf countries or his motherland India.<br />
Vishwa Mohan has become the cultural<br />
ambassador of India by carrying<br />
the Herculean task of glorifying and<br />
popularizing Indian culture and music<br />
throughout the world.<br />
Outstanding features of Bhatt's baaj<br />
(style) are his natural ability to play<br />
the 'Tantrakari Ang' and incorporate<br />
the 'Gayaki Ang' on Mohan Veena<br />
which is the greatest advantage of this<br />
instrument over traditional Indian<br />
instrument like sitar, sarod and<br />
veena. It was no surprise that Vishwa<br />
Mohan with his sheer virtuosity and<br />
limitless supply of melodies won the<br />
highest music award of the world, the<br />
GRAMMY AWARD IN 1994 along<br />
with Ry Cooder for their World Music<br />
Album, 'A MEETING BY THE RIVER'<br />
enhancing his celebrity status not<br />
only as a star performer but also as an<br />
improviser and a soulful composer.<br />
Vishwa Mohan has performed<br />
extensively in the USA, USSR, Canada,<br />
the Great Britain, Germany, Spain,<br />
France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium,<br />
Scotland, Switzerland, Denmark, then<br />
scaling the Gulf of Dubai, Al-Sharjah,<br />
Bahrain, Muscat, Abu Dhabi etc. and<br />
throughout India.<br />
to a piece of wood added to the side<br />
of the neck. The melody strings are on<br />
what we would consider the treble side<br />
of the neck, and the drone strings are<br />
on the bass side. The drone strings are<br />
lower in height than the melody strings<br />
to allow for unrestricted playing of<br />
the melody strings. The sympathetic<br />
strings run underneath the melody and<br />
drone strings to yet another level in the<br />
bridge. The instrument has a carved<br />
spruced top, mahogany back and sides,<br />
a mahogany neck, and a flat, fretless,<br />
rosewood fingerboard.<br />
The Mohan Veena is under tremendous<br />
tension; the total strings pull to be in<br />
excess of 500 pounds. It is due to this<br />
high tension the tone tuns incredible<br />
with the sympathetic ringing out and<br />
strengthening each note played. This is<br />
a loud instrument made to cut through<br />
with low amplification<br />
Apart from being a star<br />
performer , Vishwa is a<br />
master collaborator too and<br />
with his highly inventive<br />
nature, he did a historic<br />
jugalbandi with a Chinese<br />
Ehru player Jei Bing<br />
Chang and Vishwa has<br />
become the first ever Indian<br />
to strike a jugalbandi with<br />
a Chinese artist. Vishwa<br />
has also combined<br />
with ace American<br />
Dobro guitar<br />
player Jerry<br />
and a rare combination with the<br />
Arabian Oudh player Simon Shaheen .<br />
All these recordings have been released<br />
in U.S.A. & Europe and are setting new<br />
sales records. ‘Tabula Rasa’ an album<br />
with Bela Flek, the most regarded Banjo<br />
player, & Chinese Erhu Jei Bing Chang<br />
was nominated for the Grammy award<br />
in 1997.<br />
Composing has been in his nature<br />
too. He has come in this arena by<br />
composing "Music for Relaxation" for<br />
Music Today. This album is creating<br />
new records all over the world. "Megh<br />
Dootam" a Sanskrit epic poem has been<br />
composed and recorded for the first<br />
time by Vishwa, and top-notch Indian<br />
film singers like Kavita Krishnamoorty<br />
and A. Hariharan have sung his<br />
compositions.<br />
To top it all he has recently<br />
recorded a project for the<br />
ace film director MANI<br />
RATNAM ‘s Hindi<br />
-Tamil bilingual<br />
film the famous<br />
music director<br />
A.R.RAHAM.<br />
Mohan Veena<br />
Indian stringed instruments have<br />
undergone many changes throughout<br />
history . Many western musical<br />
instruments like violin, harmonium,<br />
mandolin, archtop guitar and electric<br />
guitar have come to be accepted in<br />
Indian classical music. Vishwa Mohan<br />
Bhatt developed and named this hybrid<br />
slide guitar and has been added to the<br />
list of Indian classical instrument.<br />
The Mohan Veena is a highly modified<br />
concord archtop, which Bhatt plays<br />
lap-style. It has 19 strings: three melody<br />
strings and four three drone strings<br />
coming out of the peg heads, and 12<br />
sympathetic strong to tuners mounted<br />
59<br />
Douglas, with the<br />
American country music Taj Mahal
Point<br />
Out<br />
Point<br />
Out<br />
A conscious attempt to not just call attention to the ills<br />
around us but also to seek solutions from the stakeholders<br />
&<br />
salute where the credit is due<br />
A magazine that touches every aspect of the nation<br />
60<br />
september 2014
pointoutnews.com SEPTEMBER 2014<br />
50<br />
VOL-1 ISSUE-8 I N S I D E<br />
PICTURE ABHI<br />
BAKI HAI:<br />
ASHISH CHAUHAN<br />
1<br />
MODI<br />
SETTING THE<br />
TONE<br />
RNI NO: DELENG/2014/55786<br />
61
Point<br />
Out<br />
MARY KOM : THE REAL LIFE STORY<br />
T<br />
his month's release, Omung Kumar's<br />
MARY KOM is one such film which<br />
is a biopic on one of India's most<br />
illustrious sports personalities, Mary Kom,<br />
who, despite all her hardships, put our<br />
country on the international map with<br />
her achievements. The film goes on<br />
to show the real life story of this<br />
sports star, which not many are<br />
aware of. The film serves as an<br />
eye opener not just on the fact that<br />
India can produce international<br />
'gold medal winning' boxers, but<br />
also that Manipur is very much<br />
a part of India! The movie is less<br />
about the sport ‘Boxing’ and more<br />
about the sports person. The film is<br />
important in that it makes a worthy<br />
hero out of a woman boxer who<br />
struggled against the odds.<br />
Reality films are getting popular these<br />
days and there are many filmmakers<br />
out there who have and are waiting<br />
in wings to try their hand at making<br />
movies based on the real life<br />
stories of iconic personalities. A<br />
few examples (read 'testimony')<br />
in the past have been films like<br />
BOSE: THE FORGOTTEN HERO,<br />
GURU, GANDHI MY FATHER,<br />
THE LEGEND OF BHAGAT<br />
SINGH, PAAN SINGH TOMAR and<br />
not forgetting the controversial<br />
film THE DIRTY PICTURE.<br />
Interestingly, films on sports<br />
personalities are picking up with<br />
CHAK DE INDIA and more recently<br />
BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG winnings the<br />
audience's heart.<br />
The irony of the film is that, while it starts<br />
off with a pregnant Mary Kom (Priyanka),<br />
who later goes on to 'deliver' a performance<br />
of a lifetime. Mary and her ever-so-supportive<br />
husband OnlerKom (DarshanKumaar) fight<br />
against all odds in a curfew stricken Manipur<br />
to ensure the safe delivery of Mary. Hereon,<br />
the viewers are subjected to a series of<br />
flashback events which lead to the making<br />
of the star pugilist 'Mary Kom'. Delving into<br />
her upbringing, the film explores her past<br />
that includes her father's strict opposition<br />
to boxing during her childhood and Mary's<br />
62<br />
september 2014
undying spirit and love for the sport.<br />
Omung does a great job of building up the<br />
climax with heart wrenching scenes where<br />
Mary chooses to box over spending a<br />
blissful life with her family. Post her opting<br />
to box, Mary accidentally lands up at the<br />
boxing training academy of her coach Narjit<br />
Singh (Sunil Thapa), who, after seeing her<br />
persistence, teaches her that 'the world maybe<br />
round for everyone, but her world should<br />
be the shape of the boxing ring, a Square'!<br />
Mary's talent for the sport combined with her<br />
coach's training form a deadly unbeatable<br />
lethal combo who go on to win international<br />
competitions galore.<br />
However, things come to standstill when<br />
Mary marries OnlerKom, despite her coach's<br />
firm opposition, and Mary's subsequent<br />
pregnancy, and her delivering twin children,<br />
thus bidding adieu to her long cherished<br />
game of boxing, something which her coach<br />
had always feared for. Resigned to live the<br />
life of a commoner finding it difficult to<br />
survive with two kids, Mary applies for a job,<br />
but the job she gets is that of a 'hawaldaar',<br />
something that slaps her from within. Unable<br />
to continue with a mundane existence, Mary<br />
vows to make a comeback in the ring, this<br />
time round, minus the support of her coach, a<br />
63<br />
decision which proves wrong in the long run.<br />
Now, after serious losses in the ring, the<br />
absence of her coach and the unbending<br />
politics of the boxing federation, Mary faces<br />
an uphill task. Will she manage to convince<br />
her coach to train her again and will she<br />
manage to overcome the boxing federation<br />
forms the rest of the film. Omung Kumar<br />
certainly deserves an ovation for having<br />
shown the guts to make a biopic on Mary<br />
Kom, something which will surely go down<br />
in the history of exemplary biopics on Indian<br />
celluloid. He has managed to achieve the task<br />
of making Priyanka refrain from imitating the<br />
real Mary Kom, at the same time managed<br />
to show her inimitable love for the sports<br />
and her spirit to fight against all odds. The<br />
film definitely serves as an eye opener to all<br />
those who were ignorant about Mary and her<br />
contributions to the sports arena.<br />
As far as the performances are concerned,<br />
it is indeed Priyanka Chopra who steals the<br />
show. She does total justice to this author<br />
backed role. One just cannot but miss the<br />
transformation of 'Marte Chun Chun Kong'<br />
to MC Mary Kom and also the scene when<br />
she confronts the boxing federations' chief.<br />
When you have a role that's tailor made for the<br />
heroine, it leaves us with no doubt about the<br />
screen space for the hero. But, in this film, it's<br />
the 'hero' DarshanKumaar, who exhibits good<br />
screen presence and holds his ground firm,<br />
despite Priyanka's towering performances.<br />
Full marks go to Sunil Thapa, who shows his<br />
emotional, professional and rational sides<br />
with equal ease. He is exactly what the highly<br />
ranked coaches are made up of. Same applies<br />
to the couple playing Mary's parents. The<br />
rest of the cast help the film to move forward<br />
without any glitches or flaws.<br />
The music of the film (ShashiSuman, Shivam)<br />
is just not upto the mark, but its shortcoming is<br />
overshadowed by the film's background score<br />
(Rohit Kulkarni) and the film's crisp editing<br />
by the man himself Sanjay LeelaBhansali,<br />
who also is the producer of the film.<br />
Brownie points go to SaiwynQuadras for his<br />
screenplay and story, Karan Singh Rathore-<br />
RamendraVashishth for their dialogue and<br />
dialect. The film's cinematography by Keiko<br />
Nakahara is totally at par with costume<br />
designer IshaMantry.<br />
On the whole, MARY KOM is definitely<br />
worth a watch and entertaining but most of<br />
the audience have compared the movie with<br />
“BhagMilkaBhag” and thinks that it should<br />
have aspired to be more. The icing on the<br />
cake is that the film has been made tax free,<br />
something that should help the film in pulling<br />
the audiences to the theatres, besides the<br />
word of mouth. Go for it.<br />
A<br />
CINEMA<br />
TWITTERATIS<br />
AGGRESSIVE OVER<br />
RAM GOPALVERMA<br />
case has been filed against Filmmaker<br />
Ram GopalVerma for hurting the religious<br />
sentiments of Hindus by insulting Lord<br />
Ganesh through his series of tweets. In the<br />
midst of his objectionable tweets, he even<br />
mocked the practice of Ganesh Chaturthi<br />
and tweeted, ""Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.<br />
May this day, August 29, bring happiness to<br />
everybody so that there will be no problems<br />
from August 30." His tweets seemto project<br />
his inner frustration and failure in life. The<br />
filmmaker was booked under four sections<br />
of the Indian Penal Code – sections 153 A<br />
(promoting enmity between different groups),<br />
504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke<br />
breach of peace), 505 (statements conducing<br />
to public mischief), and 298 (hurting religious<br />
feelings). A group of Ganesha devotees burnt<br />
Ramu's effigy in his home-town Hyderabad.<br />
However, Ramu has considerable support<br />
within the Telugu film industry, unlike the<br />
Mumbai film industry which has completely<br />
disowned Ramu and dissociated itself from his<br />
controversial antics. As the twitteratis started<br />
to get aggressive over his ungodly tweets,<br />
Ram GopalVarma tried to defend himself<br />
and apologized for hurting the sentiments of<br />
people, "All tweets I put on Ganesha were in<br />
my usual manner but unintended by me to<br />
hurt anyone's sentiments...but if they did I<br />
sincerely apologize", he tweeted. A filmmaker<br />
who has earlier directed a film for RGV says,<br />
"Ramuji is isolating himself from everyone.<br />
This time he has gone too far and is unlikely<br />
to get any support fromBollywood. People are<br />
disgusted by his gimmicks." Meanwhile, back<br />
in Mumbai, the law enforcement is geared up to<br />
protect RGV's home.So far, Ramu has not had<br />
a visit from any cops, nor has he received any<br />
summons to present himself in a police station.<br />
He is not the least shaken or nervous."
Point<br />
Out<br />
CINEMA<br />
MOVIES CLASHING IN 2014<br />
Creature 3D<br />
(Horror)<br />
Vikram Bhatt<br />
BVG Films<br />
Bipasha Basu, Imran Abbas<br />
64<br />
september 2014
E 12TH Sep<br />
Creature 3D (Horror)<br />
Vikram Bhatt<br />
BVG Films<br />
Bipasha Basu, Imran Abbas<br />
Finding Fanny<br />
(Comedy/Drama)<br />
Homi Adajania, Maddock Films<br />
Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia,<br />
Pankaj Kapur, Deepika Padukone, Arjun<br />
Kapoor (15 crore)<br />
E 19th Sep<br />
Dawaat-e-ishq<br />
(Comedy/Drama)<br />
Habib Faisal, Yash Raj films<br />
Aditya Roy Kapur, Parineeti Chopra,<br />
Anupam Kher<br />
Khoobsurat-<br />
(Romance/comedy)<br />
Shashanka Ghosh<br />
UTV Motion Pictures & Anil Kapoor<br />
Films Company<br />
Sonam Kapoor, Fawad Afzal Khan<br />
Ugly (Drama/Thriller)<br />
AnuragKhasyap<br />
DARR Motion Pictures Phantom Films<br />
Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy<br />
E 2nd October<br />
Bang Bang (Action/Comedy)<br />
Siddharth Anand<br />
Fox Stars Studio<br />
Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif<br />
Haider<br />
Vishal Bhardwaj<br />
Drama VB Pictures<br />
Tabu, Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor<br />
E 7th Nov<br />
Action Jackson<br />
(Comedy)<br />
Prabhu Deva<br />
Baba films<br />
Ajay Devgan, Sonakshi Sinha<br />
The Shaukeens<br />
(Comedy)<br />
Abhishek Sharma<br />
Grazing Goat Pictures<br />
Akshay Kumar, AnupamKher, Annu<br />
Kapoor<br />
E 19th December<br />
P.K (Comedy/Drama)<br />
RajKumarHirani<br />
Vinod Chopra Films,<br />
Rajkumar Hirani Films,<br />
UTV Motion Pictures<br />
Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma, Sushant<br />
Singh Rajput<br />
Welcome Back (Comedy)<br />
Anees Bazmee<br />
Base Industries Group<br />
John Abraham, Nana Patekar, Anil<br />
Kapoor, PareshRawal, ShrutiHaasan<br />
ALIYA-GENIUS OF THE YEAR<br />
W<br />
hen Alia came on the show ‘Koffe with Karan’ ,she gave us<br />
quite a shocker concerning her general knowledge. When<br />
asked who the President of India is, Alia promptly replied<br />
with PrithvirajChavan.In the fourth season of the show , When Karan<br />
asked Pariniti and Alia the full form of BJP, Parineeti promptly replied<br />
with BhartiyaJanta Party, while Alia did nothing else but sheepishly<br />
smile at Karan. She has been popular on social media apps like What’s<br />
App for her Dumbo jokes.<br />
Recently a new viral video title : Genius Of The Year, created by funny<br />
portal AIB and directed by ShakunBatra of Ek Main AurEkTu fame,<br />
announces that Bollywood's Gen-Next glam brigade has grown up<br />
and is gradually learning to take jokes on them.The video seems to<br />
project her as a brainy babe.<br />
“So, after the ‘Alia Bhatt jokes’ thing… I decided to fix my brain!”<br />
Alia posted on Twitter along with a YouTube link to the video. A<br />
brief description of the video uploaded by comedy collective AIM,<br />
reads: “What did Alia Bhatt do after the internet turned her into the<br />
butt of all jokes? A documentary crew found out…”. It has taken the<br />
virtual world by storm and has received more than 20 lakh hits in less<br />
than two days.Alia's fans have applauded the actress' guts to come<br />
on screen to narrate her journey "From DolceGabbana to smart like<br />
Shabana". In the video, she is seen talking about how “hurt” she was<br />
when instead of searching for “Alia Bhatt hot pics” on Google, people<br />
started looking for “Alia Bhatt jokes.”The Bhatt family, including Alia's<br />
dad and film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, joins in to read out an SMS joke:<br />
"Alia Bhatt thinks the national animal is Tiger Shroff". "The new crop<br />
of actors is a far more chilled out lot, who enjoy and connect with<br />
the online crowd," adds Bhatt, profusely applauding Batra for making<br />
the film in a shoe-string budget.At the gym, she reads newspapers,<br />
her diet is “three portions of newspapers in the morning” and she is<br />
instructed to “skip Page 3.” She is made to brush up her knowledge<br />
via music and lands on Koffee with Karan again, stunning the host<br />
Karan with her answers.<br />
The video has brought to light Alia’s sportsmen spirit and has<br />
her trending on social media with this video. All the stars have<br />
applauded her sense of humour and AIM has gained much<br />
recognition.<br />
Alia has definitely proved she is not just beauty with an<br />
”enlarged brain”, she has the attitude to be one of the<br />
coolest leading actresses of all time.<br />
65
Point<br />
Out<br />
IT IS THE YOUTH WHO WILL<br />
SPIRITUAL TOUCH<br />
TRANSFORM THIS NATION<br />
»»<br />
SWAMI VIVEKANAND<br />
My hope of the future lies in the youth<br />
of character- intelligent, renouncing all<br />
for the service of others, and obedientwho<br />
can sacrifice their lives in working<br />
out my ideas and thereby do good to<br />
themselves and the country at large.<br />
My faith is in the younger<br />
generation, the modern<br />
generation, out of them will<br />
come my workers. They will<br />
work out the whole problem, like lions. I<br />
have formulated the idea and have given<br />
my life to it. If I do not achieve success,<br />
some better one will come after me to work<br />
it out, and I shall be content to struggle.<br />
Where are the men? That is the question.<br />
Young men, my hope is in you. Will you<br />
respond to the call of your nation? Each<br />
one of you has a glorious future if you<br />
dare believe me. Have a tremendous faith<br />
in yourselves, like the faith I had when I<br />
was a child, and which I am working out<br />
now. Have that faith, each one of you, in<br />
yourself-that eternal power is lodged in<br />
every soul- and you will revive the whole<br />
of India. Ay, we will then go to every<br />
country under the sun, and our ideas will<br />
before long be a component of the many<br />
forces that are working to make up every<br />
nation in the world. We must enter into the<br />
life of every race in India and abroad; shall<br />
have to work to bring this about. Now for<br />
that, I want young men. “It is the young,<br />
the strong, and healthy, of sharp intellect<br />
that will reach the Lord” , say the Vedas.<br />
My hope of the future lies in the youth of<br />
character- intelligent, renouncing all for<br />
the service of others, and obedient- who<br />
can sacrifice their lives in working out my<br />
ideas and thereby do good to themselves<br />
and the country at large. Otherwise, boys<br />
of the common run are coming in groups<br />
and will come. Dullness is written on their<br />
faces- their hearts are devoid of energy,<br />
their bodies feeble and unfit for work, and<br />
minds devoid of courage. What work will<br />
be done by these? If I get ten or twelve boys<br />
with the faith of Nachiketa, I can turn the<br />
thoughts and pursuits of this country in a<br />
new channel.<br />
Among those who appear to me to be<br />
good caliber, some have bound themselves<br />
by matrimony; some have sold themselves<br />
for the acquisition of worldly name, fame,<br />
or wealth; while some are of feeble bodies.<br />
The rest, who form the majority, are unable<br />
to receive any high idea. You are no doubt<br />
fit to receive my high ideas, but you are<br />
not able to work them out in the practical<br />
field. For these reasons sometimes and<br />
anguish comes into the mind, and I think<br />
that taking this human body, I could not<br />
do much work through untowardness of<br />
fortune. Of course, I have not yet wholly<br />
given up hope, for, by the will of God, from<br />
among these very boys may arise in time<br />
great heroes of action and spirituality who<br />
will in future work out my ideas.<br />
66<br />
september 2014
Point<br />
Out<br />
68<br />
september 2014