WASHINGTON (TIP): The US has recognized Somalia’s government for the first time in more than two decades. Calling it a milestone in the country’s fight against Islamist extremists, secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton made the announcement Thursday alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The US hadn’t recognized a Somali government since warlords toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. American intervention failed two years later after militants shot down two US helicopters and killed 18 American servicemen. Clinton said times have changed, citing the militant group al-Shabab’s retreat from every major Somali city. The U.S. provided $780 million to African forces to help that effort. Recognition will help Somalia receive greater assistance from U.S. and international aid agencies. Clinton also spoke about reestablishing an embassy in Somalia in future.
Month: January 2013
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Indian-American Makes Move To Change California Law On Rape
SACRAMENTO (TIP): Indian-American Attorney General of California Kamala Harris and State lawmakers have joined hands to overturn a 140-year-old law under which a rape would be considered only if the victim is married. The move comes after a three-year-old rape conviction was overturned by a Los Angeles court earlier this month because California’s law would have only considered the woman a victim if she had been married. “This law is arcane and I will work with the Legislature to fix it,” said Harris, the first Indian-American and a woman to have become the Attorney General of California.
“The evidence is clear that this case involved a nonconsensual assault that fits within the general understanding of what constitutes rape,” she said. Appearing on the CNN, Harris said the lawmakers so far had been resisting any move to change this 1872 law — passed seven years after civil war – simply because this would increase the already overcrowded prison population of California. “We will fix the problem. This is about a woman who is raped and deserves justice,” Harris said.
Existence of such an outdated law is quite contrary to the modern law of the State. California was the first American State to specify the use of chemical castration as a punishment for child molestation. Kamla Harris is now joined by the State lawmakers. Assemblyman K H “Katcho” Achadjian, who had unsuccessfully tried to change this law, and California Assembly Speaker John A Pérez, reintroduced a bipartisan legislation yesterday to what they said, close an archaic loophole in state law and expand the definition of rape to include cases where a perpetrator deceives a victim into sexual activity by impersonating the person’s boyfriend or girlfriend.
“Like every Californian, I was deeply disturbed by this decision, and my colleagues and I will work on eliminating this glaring loophole in state law and protect Californians from such a gross violation,” Perez said referring to the case wherein the State Court of Appeals overturned a conviction in a 2009 Los Angeles County case where a perpetrator impersonated his friend and had sex with his girlfriend. The Court earlier this month overturned the initial conviction, pointing to an outdated provision in law in ruling that a person who impersonates someone is guilty of rape only if the victim was married and the person pretending to be their spouse. “Californians are justifiably outraged by this court ruling, and it is important that the Legislature join together to close whatever loopholes may exist in the law and uphold justice for rape victims,” Achadjian said.
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US Faa Grounds Boeing 787s Over Battery Concerns
WASHINGTON/SEATTLE (TIP): The US Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it would temporarily ground Boeing Co’s 787s after a second incident involving battery failures caused one of the Dreamliner passenger jets to make an emergency landing in Japan. The FAA said airlines would have to demonstrate that the lithium ion batteries involved were safe before they could resume flying Boeing’s newest commercial airliner, but gave no details on when that could occur. Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Its shares fell 2 percent in after-hours trading to $72.75 after the FAA announcement. “Ultimately, you can view it as a positive thing if they can resolve what the issues are and give people confidence in the safety of the aircraft. In the near-term, though, it’s a negative. It’s going to force the company to make significant investments,” said Ken Herbert, an analyst at Imperial Capital in San Francisco.
The 787, which has a list price of $207 million, represents a leap in the way planes are designed and built, but the project has been plagued by cost overruns and years of delays. Some have suggested Boeing’s rush to get planes built after those delays resulted in the recent problems, a charge the company denies. The use of new battery technology is among the cost-saving features of the 787, which Boeing says burns 20 percent less fuel than rival jetliners using older technology. Lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if they are overcharged and, once alight, they are difficult to put out as the chemicals produce oxygen, Boeing’s chief engineer for the 787, Mike Sinnett, told reporters last week. He said lithium-ion was not the only battery choice, but “it was the right choice”. In Asia, only the Japanese and Air India have the Dreamliner in service, but other airlines are among those globally to have ordered around 850 of the new aircraft.
Boeing has said it will at least break even on the cost of building the 1,100 new 787s it expects to deliver over the next decade. Some analysts, however, say Boeing may never make money from the aircraft, given its enormous development cost. Any additional cost from fixing problems discovered by the string of recent incidents would affect those forecasts and could hit Boeing’s bottom line more quickly if it has to stop delivering planes, analysts said. Battery problems In the latest incident, All Nippon Airways Co Ltd said instruments aboard a domestic flight indicated a battery error, triggering emergency warnings.
The incident was described by a transport ministry official as “highly serious” – language used in international safety circles as indicating there could have been an accident. That led ANA and Japan Airlines Co Ltd to ground their 24 Dreamliners pending checks. Japanese transportation officials said they could not immediately comment on the FAA decision, as did a spokesman for JAL. Barring a prolonged grounding or a severe and uncontained crisis, aircraft industry sources say there is no immediate threat of cancellations for the plane, even after the FAA’s decision to halt 787 flights. Among other reasons, they cite the heavy costs of retraining and investing in new infrastructure, as well as a shortage of alternatives in an industry dominated by just two large jet suppliers.
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Movie Review-Gangster Squad
Cast: Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone
Direction: Ruben Fleischer
Genre: Action
Duration: 1 hour 53 minutesSTORY: In the late 1940s, post-Second World War, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) will have to do what it takes to tackle the expansion of megalomaniacal boxer-turned-gangster Mickey Cohen’s crime empire in LA. A group of incorruptible officers are given orders to take down the vicious gangster in whichever way possible. The film is inspired by real events.
MOVIE REVIEW: Honest and fearless, John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) of LAPD is assigned the job of taking down gangster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn). He is asked to form his own unit, comprising of like-minded, skilled men who can put an end to Mickey’s growing crime empire. He thus forms his own ‘gangster squad’. The only difference being, his squad will have to violently kill in order to restore order in the city.
When acting heavy-weights like Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling come together, one expects a mind-blowing effect, but that doesn’t really happen. Gangster Squad engages and entertains you with its occasional humor, sleek slow-motion action sequences and stylized gun violence but somewhere falls short of substance and depth. As certain righteous cops fight for honor and justice, you do not feel enough for the characters.
Filmmaker Ruben Fleischer is known for comedy. True to his style, he infuses some good humor in a few scenes. However, in the very next scene, you see extreme bloodshed. The transition doesn’t seem too smooth here. That very style worked in his earlier film Zombieland (2009), owing to its genre, which was a comedy.
Emma Stone as the gangster’s moll gets a weak role. Ryan Gosling as the ladies-man seems repetitive. In spite of drawbacks though, the film is high on style and keeps you hooked, thanks to some superb stunts and performances by Josh Brolin and Sean Penn who looks absolutely menacing as Mickey Cohen, his gaze and body language perfect for his character. Brolin is as brilliant as the heroic cop who relentlessly chases Cohen down. As far as stunts are concerned, car chases and fist-fight scenes are superbly shot.
The 1940’s setting looks authentic too. If you like to witness the battle of good versus evil, mafia and mayhem, Gangster Squad has enough fire, guns and bullets to keep you engaged! But if you seek to explore the criminal underbelly, this may be a tad too simple for your liking.
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US Carries Out First Electrocution Since 2010
WASHINGTON (TIP): An American who murdered two fellow inmates while serving a life sentence was put to death Wednesday by electric chair, a first such execution since 2010, authorities said. Robert Gleason, a 42-year-old former tatoo artist, was declared dead at 9:08 pm local time (0208 GMT), said Larry Traylor, a spokesman for the Department of Corrections in the state of Virginia. Gleason was serving a life sentence for a 2007 murder when he strangled a 63-year-old prisoner in 2009 and another, aged 26, while he awaited sentencing. “Gleason has expressed no remorse for these horrific murders. He has not sought to appeal his convictions and has not filed a petition for clemency,” Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said in a statement earlier.
He added that he “found no compelling reason to intercede.”In press interviews, Gleason even asked to be executed quickly to keep from killing and, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, told the court at his trial that he wanted the death penalty. His defense team, however, had sought to save his life, highlighting his traumatic childhood, psychiatric woes, and history of drug and alcohol abuse. Gleason, whose only visitor Wednesday was a chaplain, chose death by electrocution instead of lethal injection, according to Traylor. His execution was the first by electric chair in the United States since that of Paul Powell in Virginia on March 18, 2010, according to the DPIC.
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US Favours A Democratically Elected Government In Pakistan
WASHINGTON (TIP): The United States has said it favours a democratically elected civilian government in Pakistan and noted it is for the people of the country to determine their future in a just and transparent manner. “Our view is that internal political issues in Pakistan need to be resolved by Pakistanis in a just and transparent manner that accords with the rule of law. “We stand strongly in favour of a democratically elected civilian government in Pakistan,” the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters on Tuesday at her daily news conference when asked about the current atmosphere of political instability in that country.
“We’re obviously not taking a position with regard to the march and all of those —the various issues —political issues that the marchers are out in the streets for,” she said in response to a question. “What we have said is, as we say around the world, we want to see any kind of demonstration remain peaceful and that the government protects the right of people to a peaceful protest and that the protesters remain peaceful in the way they approach things,” Nuland said. “But with regard to the larger question of political future of Pakistan, that’s an internal issue for Pakistanis to resolve, as long as it is resolved in a just and transparent manner that protects the constitution, protects the rule of law,” the State Department spokesperson said.
Pak foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar who is in New York to attend a meeting of the UN Security Council met the US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice. As a precautionary measure, Nuland said the US Embassy in Islamabad has been closed for public services on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. “The State Department refrained from making any comment on the order of the Pakistan Supreme Court to arrest the Prime Minister of the country. “Our understanding is that this was rooted in a long case based on charges that were made some time ago. We are not in a position to evaluate the merits of the case one way or the other,” Nuland added.
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In Space, A Room That Can Be Folded Like A Shirt
NORTH LAS VEGAS (TIP): An inflatable space pod to be attached to the International Space Station in a couple of years will be like no other piece of the station. Instead of metal, its walls will be made of floppy cloth, making it easier to launch (and then inflate). Nasa said it had signed a $17.8 million contract with Bigelow Aerospace to build the module, which could reach the space station as soon as 2015.
That is a bargain-basement price compared with most equipment the US and other countries send into space, and the Bigelow agreement could serve as a model for how Nasa puts together missions at lower costs by using a Kmart strategy: buying offtheshelf pieces instead of developing its own designs. “This programme starts a relationship that we think, and we hope, is going to be meaningful between Nasa and ourselves,” Robert T Bigelow, the chief executive of Bigelow Aerospace, said at a news conference here at the company’s headquarters.
Low-Earth orbit, he said, is the “first target,” but larger modules could be used for stations in deep space or for habitats on the Moon. “We have ambitions to get to the Moon someday, to have a base there,” Bigelow said.The fold-up , blow-up approach solves the conundrum of how to build something voluminous that can be packed into the narrow payload confines of a rocket.
The soft sides of the module , called the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, or Beam, will allow it to be scrunched like a Tshirt in a suitcase. At the space station, it will be attached to an air lock and then inflated like a balloon and expanded by a factor of 10 to its full size — about 13 feet long and 10 feet in diameter, with about 560 cubic feet of space inside.
At least initially, it will remain empty as Nasa gathers data about its characteristics, including temperature and protection against micrometeorites. The balloonlike structure is carefully designed not to pop.
The fabric walls will consist of several layers including Vectran , a bulletresistant material. Even if punctured by a highspeed meteorite, the fabric does not tear. A hole in a metal structure in space, by comparison, can cause explosive decompression as air rushes out. When the Beam module reaches the space station, astronauts might go to it to seek solitude: engineers expect it will be the quietest spot there.
The fabric walls absorb sound vibrations instead of transmitting them. Beam revives a concept that Nasa developed more than a decade ago for an inflatable four-story crew quarters on the space station. Congress halted the work as the station’s construction costs grew sharply.
Bigelow licensed the technology from Nasa and set up his factory in North Las Vegas, investing over $250 million of his own money. The company has already launched two unmanned prototypes into orbit, showing that they can remain inflated for years.
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India-US Economic Ties Not Realized: US Think Tank
WASHINGTON (TIP): The full potential of India-US economic relationship is far from being realized, chiefly due to the actions and inactions of the two governments, according to a US think tank. “Progress will be faster and broader if the focus on government-to-government negotiations is replaced with an emphasis on cooperation at the level of individual companies and states,” suggests the report by the Asian Studies Centre of The Heritage Foundation. Much of the hope for progress on India-US economic issues has been put on the prospects and scope of a bilateral investment treaty (BIT), it says in the first part of the report on “Unleashing the Market in the India-US Economic Relationship”.
“A BIT may be useful,” the report said. “But only a high-quality BIT-which includes sensitive topics, such as mining and intellectual property rights-can achieve the necessary progress on these and other critical bilateral economic issues.” Current government-to-government talks are nowhere close to realizing such a BIT and the historical record indicates that a high-quality BIT is unlikely in the near future, the Heritage report said. “Even if a sound BIT is eventually achieved, progress should not wait. There is much to be gained for India and the US in the interim,” it said. In investment, individual US states should be more active in marketing to Indian companies, the report said.
It suggested that “it would be helpful if the Indian government were to remove various restrictions on multinational corporations”. “Even if that does not occur, Indian states can greatly improve their local investment climates,” it said. As mining in particular is largely a state matter in India, American companies can assist the process by demonstrating their record in environmental protection and social remediation of mined areas, it said. In labor, American companies and universities should prod the federal government to roll back recent increases in visa fees and effective reduction in visa quotas, the report suggested. Indian firms should enhance credibility by doing a better job of self-policing, and New Delhi should look at its own restrictions on foreign labor. Noting that in intellectual property, international negotiations have led to progress and enforcement is the most pressing issue, it said: “For that, Indian states are well positioned.”
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Indian-American Guns Down Father In US
WASHINGTON (TIP): In a ghastly act, a 28-year-old Indian-American has killed his father in a North Carolina city, following a dispute between them. Jiten Ashwin Patel, 28, is charged with first-degree murder of his father Ashwin Patel, 62, and is being held without bond at the Gaston County Jail, police said. The incident happened in the Mount Holly city, a suburb of Raleigh. The Mount Holly Interim Police Chief David James said police found Jiten Patel driving the Camry in nearby Gastonia, N.C. Jiten was arrested after he was on the run for more than 12 hours.
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Curiosity Set To Drill First Martian Rock
LOS ANGELES (TIP): Nasa’s Curiosity rover is preparing to drill the Martian surface and is driving towards a flat rock with pale veins that may hold clues to a wet history on the Red Planet. It’s the most highly anticipated milestone since the sixwheel, nuclear-powered rover landed near the Martian equator five months ago on its two-year prime mission, investigating whether the planet ever offered an environment favourable for microbial life.
If the rock meets rover engineers’ approval when Curiosity rolls up to it in coming days, it will become the first to be drilled for a sample during the mission, Nasa said. “Drilling into a rock to collect a sample will be this mission’s most challenging activity since the landing. It has never been done on Mars,” said Mars science laboratory project manager Richard Cook. “The drill hardware interacts energetically with Martian material we don’t control. We won’t be surprised if some steps in the process don’t go exactly as planned the first time through,” Cook said in a Nasa statement. Curiosity first will gather powdered samples from inside the rock and use those to scrub the drill. Then the rover will drill and ingest more samples from this rock, which it will analyse for information about its mineral and chemical composition.
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Indian American Hoteliers Looking At Big Investments In India
NEW YORK (TIP): Hoteliers of Indian origin, who independently own over 8,000 properties in America valued at around $54 billion, are now keen on investing in various sectors in India including hospitality, healthcare and education. “Hospitality is where our members see the biggest value when making investments in India. For us, it will be very easy to replicate the business model that we have followed successfully in America for so many years. There is a huge requirement of rooms in India and the budget hotel model that we are looking at is different from the ones already there in India.
For us budget properties mean quality hotels, which are safe, secure and clean and the opportunity in India, especially smaller cities, is huge,” Alkesh Patel, chairman of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) of America, said at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event in Kochi. Patel is president of the familyowned Trupadi Inc., in Washington state, which manages branded and boutique properties and strip malls. “This is a very good time for Indian origin hoteliers in America to diversify their portfolio and enter the Indian market. In fact, it’s also a good time for business persons in India to tap opportunities in the US in the hospitality sector for a good return on investment through partnerships with us,” Patel added.
Indian American hoteliers are looking at entering the Indian hospitality market through five-star management deals, new builds and conversions of old properties, both in smaller cities and metros. “Some of our members, such as the Lords Hotels group, have already made significant investments in India over the last couple of years. We are looking at more investments running into millions of dollars in the coming months. We run thousands of properties in America and have also been promoting the larger theme of tourism in India at our hotels to our guests in America,” Patel said. While many of the AAHOA members, who have their roots in Gujarat, have already started ventures in their home state, they are looking at investment opportunities all across India.
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Liu hails Judge Shira Scheindlin’s January 8 Stop-and-Frisk Ruling
NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Comptroller John C. Liu has hailed federal Judge Shira Scheindlin’s ruling, January 8, on Stop-and-Frisk. Liu, who has been fighting for the rights of common people, particularly the immigrants, said in a statement, “Judge Scheindlin today (January 8) ruled what many of us already felt in our hearts – that police subjecting so many people to ‘stop and frisk,’ almost all of whom did nothing wrong, is unbecoming of the free and democratic society that New York City represents. On this basis alone, even without addressing the racial profiling nature of NYPD stop and frisk, the practice must be abolished. It’s time to restore trust between the community and police so that New York’s Finest can best keep our City safe, while maintaining the public’s interest in liberty and dignity, as described by Judge Scheindlin.”
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Indian Researcher Bags Award For Alzheimer’s Drug
LONDON (TIP): London-based Indian researcher Mahaveer Golechha has been selected for an award for his work on a drug to cure Alzheimer’s . The 27-year-old will be travelling to San Francisco to receive the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s ‘Young Investigator Scholarship Award’ at the 7th Annual Drug Discovery for Neurodegeneration Conference to be held next month. “I feel very proud that I have proved world class research in the area of medicine can be done in India,” Dr Golechha said on Thursday. He has been recognized for his outstanding research on ‘naringin’ , a bioflavonoid found in grape fruits and citrus fruits.
In his study, he found that naringin possesses significant “anti-Alzheimer activity” and will form the basis of further research to develop as a cure for the degenerative disease in old age, which worsens as it progresses. “Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that generally affects the elderly population. Till date the treatment was symptomatic but naringin will act at pathological level and have lesser side effects,” he said. “I hope this award creates further avenues for budding scientists in my country to be recognized for their work and facilitated to follow their dreams,” said Golechha, who completed his Master’s and PhD from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, where he was involved in research on Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. His work on naringin has also been included for a poster presentation at the San Francisco conference.
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Trichy rich in heritage and history
From the pages of literature to the minds of historians, Trichy occupies a special place. Here’s a look at all the things that our city can call its very own…
Trichy is a city of a million sounds and sights. From the picturesque banks of Cauvery to the grand old Trichinopoly cigars, from the natural wonder Rockfort to religious shrines aplenty, there’s something for everyone who visits the city…
Rockfort
A 3,800 million year old rock structure with a shrine on top is considered to be older than the Himalayas and is the pride of the city. It is visible for miles around the city and a view from the top, is mesmerizing either by sunrise or sunset.River Cauvery
The town is on the banks of the River Cauvery making it one of the most fertile regions in the state. A walk on the Cauvery bridge, a dip in the river and some classical music – this would make a perfect outing for most Trichiites.Trichinopoly Cigar
Winston Churchill has claimed to have a long standing affair with this; Sherlock Holmes has said to have mentioned it in his books and Trichinopoly is synonymous with Cigar in the Oxford Dictionary – that is how world famous the cigar of the region is.Grand Anicut
One of the oldest dam built around 2000 years is said to be a symbol of Dravidian engineering. Built by Karikala Cholan, it is used a model for building modern day architecture – probably one of the oldest used dams in the world.Srirangam temple
The biggest functioning Hindu temple in the world Srirangam, is the sacred amongst the Vaishnavites. The temple is on the island, Srirangam and the mythological stories that surrounds the history of the temple is fascinating.The Southern Railways
Established in 1890 with its headquarters at the city, The Southern Railways played a prominent role during the British Raj. However, now it has been shifted to Chennai – the Golden Rock Workshop is still one of the three mechanical workshops serving the Southern railways till date.Natharvalli Dargah
A 1000 year old mosque once an Easwaran Temple – it is the tomb of Baba Natharvalli. It stands as a symbol of how the Trichiites are a group of peace loving people who accept all religions and co exist in harmony throughout the years!!Lady of Lourdes church
A replica of the Lourdes Church in France is situated within St. Joseph’s Ccollege compounds. Gothic architecture, intricately stained glass panels with its towering spire makes it remarkable of Indian craftsmanship. -
Gun Found In 7-Yr-Old’s Backpack At New York City School
NEW YORK (TIP): A handgun was found in the backpack of a 7-year-old boy at a New York City public elementary school on January 17, triggering a brief lockdown amid heightened concern about gun violence in U.S. schools, officials said. New York City Police Department spokesman John Grimpel said authorities are investigating how the unloaded .22-caliber handgun ended up in the child’s backpack. Police also found an ammunition clip and a flare gun in the bag belonging to the second-grade student, Grimpel said.
Officials locked down the Wave Preparatory Elementary School, located in Queens, for an hour, the New York City Education Department said. In December a gunman killed 20 first-graders along with six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. President Barack Obama launched the biggest U.S. guncontrol push in generations, urging Congress to approve an assault weapons ban and background checks for all gun buyers to prevent mass shootings like the Newtown massacre.
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Top U.S. Leaders to Attend First Indian-American Inaugural Ball
NEW YORK (TIP): The ‘Indiaspora 2013 Inaugural Ball’ is expected to be a huge one with the presence of several governors, lawmakers and government officials. The function, which will be held on January 19, is organized by the Indian-American community to rejoice the re-election of Obama. More than the entertainment part, the ball will help to develop an institutionalized approach that supports Indian American candidates and will also raise awareness and resources, which are required to take care of the underprivileged and “invisibles” in the community, reports PTI. New York based Lal Motwani who is mobilizing Indian Americans for the Indiaspora ball said that the event will enhance the image of Indian Americans.
“We want the Indiaspora ball to be more than a fantastic party. Many of Indiaspora’s leaders have called for us to raise our voices together with the aim of setting an Indian- American policy agenda,” California-based M R Rangaswami. “With hundreds of influential community members in the same room as local, state and national political officials, there will be no better time to start a national conversation,” he said. Accordion to Rangaswami, the interest level of the community is very high and he also adds, “People are excited and enthusiastic about getting together this coming weekend in Washington DC.”
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India’s First Dinosaur Fossil Rediscovered
MUMBAI (TIP): More than a century after it went missing, the fossil of what has been regarded as India’s first recorded dinosaur has been rediscovered in Kolkata, according to a top scientific journal. The recovery of Titanosaurus Indicus, or the Indian Tital reptile, was possible due to a collaborative programme between the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the University of Michigan, according to the latest issue of Current Science (Vol. 104, No. 1, Jan. 10, 2013, Pg. No. 34), brought out by the Bangalore-based Indian Academy of Sciences. The missing dinosaur, untraceable for nearly a century, was finally found at the GSI headquarters in Kolkata, says the magazine. The fossil was originally discovered by WH Sleeman in the Jabalpur area of central India in 1828. However, it was only half a century later – in 1877 – that its importance came to light as a new genus and species of sauropod dinosaur known as Taitanosaurus Indicus, first identified by Richard Lydekker.
At that time, the world had identified only 115 dinosaur species or less than 10 percent of the 1,401 species known by 2004. Passing safely through many hands for over half a century, it suddenly went missing though a cast of the specimen was in London’s Natural History Museum. Later, in the early 1900s, many more discoveries of dinosaur fossils were made by scientists such as Charles Metley and Durgasankar Bhattacharji around the original site in Jabalpur excavated by Sleeman.
The magazine says there are many Indian dinosaur specimens that are missing, including both large and small specimens of sauropod and theropod dinosaurs. Prime among the missing specimens include the head and skeletal parts of the stocky-limbed large Theropod Lametasaurus Indicus, Indosaurus Matleyi, Indosuchus Raptorius, parts of Jainosaurus Septentrionalis and the small Noasaurid Theropod Laevisuchus Indicus and many Theropod limb bones.
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India Rejects Pakistan demand for UN probe
NEW DELHI (TIP): India has rejected Pakistan’s demand that the UN be asked to probe allegations that Pakistani troops killed and beheaded two Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir as Indian political parties called for “tough” action against Pakistan. “That (Pakistan’s) demand is rejected out of hand. We will not internationalize the issue nor go to the United Nations,” Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
He said the cabinet committee on security was briefed about the January 8 killings near the Line of Control (LoC). “Our report is that the Indian forces did not violate the ceasefire (in place in LoC since 203),” he said. In Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar reiterated the demand for a third party enquiry into ceasefire violations on the LoC. Khar, addressing a news conference, said Islamabad abides by the 2003 ceasefire. She added that Pakistan has also contacted UN Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to probe the killing of one of its soldiers Jan 6 in alleged firing by Indian troops. She had a day ago denied the killing of Indian soldiers was a “tit-for-tat” reaction.
According to Radio Pakistan, a Pakistani soldier was killed when “Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing at Tatta Pani Sector in Kotli on January 10”. Hamid Mir of Geo TV said in a tweet: ‘Tatta Pani sector of Kashmir became another battlefield, one Pakistani soldier Havaldar Mohyudin martyred by Indian shelling.’ Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the heightened border tensions will not to come in the way of a liberalized visa agreement between India and Pakistan. ‘The visa agreement (inked last year) will be carried out as scheduled, there is no rethink on it,’ Shinde told reporters. National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon noted that ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the LoC had increased last year. ‘There has been an increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistan and in infiltration attempts in 2012 over 2011.’ The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party said it would organize nation-wide protests Friday over the killings of the two soldiers. ‘People are very angry over this matter,’ BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitaraman said, adding: ‘We hold the Pakistan government and army accountable for breaking the ceasefire.’ ‘We should give proof, name and shame Pakistan for having done this… we can’t afford to have our goodwill misused,’ she added.
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the party would support the UPA government if it takes ‘tough’ decisions against Pakistan for the killings. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray demanded that India should ‘take revenge’ against Pakistan for the brutal killing of the two soldiers.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati asked the government to take ‘strong action’ to ensure that such brutalities are not repeated and that India-Pakistan relations did not suffer. The US has asked India and Pakistan to talk to each other to improve relations. ‘We’re urging both sides to take steps to end the violence.
We continue to strongly support any efforts to improve relations between the two countries,’ State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters in Washington. The UNMOGIP has asked India and Pakistan to respect the ceasefire and de-escalate tensions. The UNMOGIP said it has received an official complaint from the Pakistan Army to probe the Jan 6 killing of a Pakistani soldier. But Martin Nesirky, spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said no official complaint had been from India or Pakistan on the second ‘alleged incident’ of Jan 8 for a probe.
Indian Army sources have denied a media report linking the current border skirmishes to an elderly Kashmiri woman crossing into Pakistani Kashmir to be with her children. The sources also denied the Indian Army had transgressed the LoC on Jan 6, and said soldiers had only carried out ‘controlled retaliation’ in response to a ceasefire violation by Pakistan.
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As I See It : Is it time for India to inject greater realism into its Pakistan policy?
“Regrettably, no policy lessons were drawn by New Delhi from the Mumbai terrorist siege, which occurred because India presented itself as a weak and tempting target. The latest episode â ” one of the worst acts of Pakistani savagery in peacetime ever â ” has followed a dozen Pakistani violations of the line of control in the past one month. The question to ask is what has prompted the Pakistani military establishment to adopt an overtly aggressive posture visa-vis India of late”, says the author.
Words like “brutal”, “heinous” and “savage” aptly describe the way a Pakistani army unit raided Indian territory and chopped two soldiers, taking away one severed head as a “trophy”. The Indian outrage, however, must not blind us to the unpalatable truth: India is reaping what it sowed. New Delhi is staring at the bitter harvest of a decade-long policy seeking to appease a recalcitrant neighbor with unilateral concessions and gestures. The “peace-at-any-price diplomacy” was started by prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in an abrupt policy U-turn in 2003, and has been pursued with greater vigor by his successor, Manmohan Singh, interrupted only by the Pakistan-orchestrated Mumbai terrorist rampage of 2008.
Regrettably, no policy lessons were drawn by New Delhi from the Mumbai terrorist siege, which occurred because India presented itself as a weak and tempting target. The latest episode, one of the worst acts of Pakistani savagery in peacetime ever, has followed a dozen Pakistani violations of the line of control in the past one month. The question to ask is what has prompted the Pakistani military establishment to adopt an overtly aggressive posture visa-vis India of late. The Pakistani military is drawing encouragement from two factors. The first factor is that the US-Pakistan relationship, after being on the boil for more than a year, has gradually returned to normalcy. That the USPakistan rift has healed is apparent from Washington’s resumption of large-scale military aid and its coddling of the Pakistan army and ISI.
US aid to Pakistan is now at a historic high â ” at more than $3 billion a year. US policy, because of the exigencies of an exit strategy from Afghanistan, has permitted political expediency to trump long-term interests vis-a-vis Pakistan. The US has allowed even a key issue to fade away: how was Osama bin Laden able to hide deep inside Pakistan? The reason for that is the same as to why the US didn’t pursue the AQ Khan case. The second factor is the series of unilateral political concessions by India, including delinking dialogue from terrorism, and recognizing Pakistan, the sponsor of terror, as a victim of terror. Whereas US policy has increased the Pakistani military’s room for maneuver against India, Indian policy has both solidified Pakistani reluctance to bring the Mumbai-attack masterminds to justice and emboldened the Pakistani military to commit yet another act of aggression.
India has considerably eased pressure on Pakistan, both on the Mumbai-attack issue and on Hafiz Saeed, the militant leader who still preaches terrorism against India. India has also pursued a host of goodwill gestures, including resuming high-level political exchanges and cricketing ties and introducing a lessrestricted visa regime for Pakistanis. All these moves, unfortunately, have sent the wrong message to Islamabad. Being nice with a determined adversary in the hope that this will change its behavior is not strategy. With Singh dreaming of open borders with terror-exporting Pakistan, India’s Pakistan policy remains driven by hopes and gushy expectations, not statecraft.
In fact, some of the public statements Singh has made in recent years have not only been insensitive in relation to those slain by Pakistantrained terrorists but may also have inadvertently encouraged Pakistani intransigence and aggression. Consider the following examples: “We both [Pakistani Prime Minister Gilani and myself] recognize that if there is another attack like Mumbai, it will be a setback to the normalization of relations”. In other words, if there were another Mumbai style terrorist attack, it will merely be a “setback” to ties â ” that, too, a temporary setback followed by Indian concessions. “India-Pakistan relations are prone to accidents.”
Were the attacks on the Indian Parliament and Red Fort, the Mumbai terrorist strikes, and the myriad other Pakistan-scripted outrages just “accidents”? Will the latest savagery also be treated as another “accident” after the current public indignation fades? “We cannot wish away the fact that Pakistan is our neighbor”. And, therefore, “a stable, peaceful and prosperous Pakistan” is in India’s “own interest”. But the breaking away of South Sudan, East Timor, and Eritrea and the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia since the 1990s have shown that political maps are not carved in stone.
In fact, the most profound global events in recent history have been the fragmentation of several countries. Didn’t Indira Gandhi change political geography in 1971? India and Pakistan are locked by a “shared destiny”, and thus “our objective must be a permanent peace with Pakistan, where we are bound together by a shared future and a common prosperity”. How can a plural, inclusive and democratic India share a common destiny with a theocratic, militarized, fundamentalist and failing Pakistan?
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A Barbaric Act
The world community needs to get together to condemn the barbaric brutality of Pakistani soldiers in mutilating the bodies of Indian soldiers. It is rather surprising that Pakistan continues to be in the denial mode perpetually for all that emanates from its heartland. . Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has come out with an illogical explanation on expected lines: “No Pakistani troops were involved in any incident on the night that the alleged incident took place.” Suggesting an enquiry by the United Nations Military Observer Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to find out the truth behind the highly deplorable incident, Ms Khar stated that “Pakistan remains committed to the ceasefire agreement” that was reached back in 2003. Whatever Pakistan may say, the brutal treatment meted out to the killed Indian soldiers, with the decapitation of one of them, after what happened at the Line of Control (LoC) on January 8 indicates a clear design behind the gruesome incident.
Linking it with a minor happening at the LoC on January 6 or the crossing of the border by an old woman from India to live with her sons and grandchildren settled in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is not fair. That no one in Pakistan has shown the guts to express disapproval of the brutal treatment of the bodies of the killed Indian soldiers cannot be without reason. Of course, nobody would expect Pakistan to admit the perfidy of its troops, but it could have come out with a statement to save the situation from taking a turn that may threaten the peace dialogue between the two countries.
The brutality perpetrated by Pakistani soldiers seems to have the imprint of seniors in the Pakistan Army. Perhaps, General Headquarters in Rawalpindi believes that India and Pakistan are slowly but surely moving towards a situation when they may use their geographical location to have greater stake in economic growth. This may pose a threat to the dominance of the Pakistan Army in the scheme of things in that country. The Pakistan Army’s position has already been affected adversely by its unsuccessful Waziristan drive against the Taliban. The emergence of the India factor in a big way in Pakistan’s politics may also go in favor of the party or the leader having the blessings of the army in the coming elections there. But playing politics by coming to this deplorable level will ultimately harm Pakistan considerably.
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Rapes In India
“Women are part of the human body. If one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. The main source of rapes in India is the electoral practice. Democracy in India is mainly by the elite and for the elite”, says the author, a celebrated Canadian writer.
The rape on the 16th of December 2012 in New Delhi has shocked India. The victim, a 23 year old medical student, was brutally beaten and molested by six men. She was raped in New Delhi in a moving bus that had tinted windows. She and her male friend were beaten up with iron rods, and thrown off the bus on a highway. She received injuries on her face and stomach. When doctors could not stabilize her condition, she was airlifted to a hospital in Singapore where she died. She was able to give her statement twice before death.
Her death prompted soul-search in a nation where sexually assaulted victims are condemned. This stigma discourages victims from going to receive justice for fear of exposing their families to ridicule. Under such circumstances, police are also to be blamed because they shirk their duty of registering cases. Police often let the victims and families sit in their stations for hours day after day which is disgraceful after going from one hospital to another for examinations, finding lawyers and facing the shame. Police officers in India expect bribes just to register a case.It is widely known in India that police officers normally arrest innocent persons and use the tactics of falsehood and torture to get consent from them. These improperly trained and improperly educated police officers usually have the backing of people in power.
This corruption and attitude of society forces women to be silent. If any case of any brave woman reaches court, she gives up in frustration because such cases drag on for years. Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress, the ruling party of India, demanded speedy action in this case. The Government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is to be congratulated for setting up a toll free hotline to give fast help to rape victims. India needs also fast-track courts for rape-related victims because the judicial system is notoriously slow and discouraging. Indian culture puts women on a pedestal of goddesses, but the streets and work places of these goddesses are not safe.
Kavitha Rao from Canada on January 2, 2013 in The Nation states that “Every Indian woman has one thing in common: they have almost certainly experienced some kind of sexual harassment. If you are an Indian woman in a public place, you are forever on edge, looking out for men standing too close, wondering if that grope on a crowded bus was accidental. ” There is also violence against women in dowry related cases. Only a few such domestic violence incidents are reported.Then there are incidents of kidnapping, and acid attacks. It is estimated that in India every 22 minutes a woman is raped and every 58 minutes a bride is burnt in dowry matters. Associated Press states that “women face daily harassment across India, ranging from catcalls on the streets, groping and touching in public transport to rape”. It was reported in the media about “A global poll by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in June found that India was the worst place to be a woman because of high rates of infanticide, child marriage and slavery.” Faiz Jamil, a reporter with the BBC from Delhi writes for CBC News of January 4, 2013 that “since 2009 when I started my work, I’ve read almost daily about these kinds of crimes happening around the country, and these are just the ones that are reported.” It has been pointed out that just New Delhi, where 18 million live, a little more than half of the population of Canada, has the highest number of sex crimes in comparison with other cities of India. Rape cases are reported on average one in every 18 hours.
Delhi is said to have earned the title of the rape capital of India. Indian media reports such cases nearly every day. It is noted that one in three rape cases is a child. Asia News of December 30, 2012 reports that the possibility of a rapist being convicted is less likely in India. Moreover rape is on the increase in the country A latest rape has caused epilepsy to a child.
This case from Ahmedabad is affirmed by the The Times of India of January 2, 2013. The victim was brutally assaulted by her neighbor when she was only ten years old. Her rapist was sent to a ten year jail sentence but the trauma did not leave her. “Three to four times a week, she suffers from epileptic attacks after which she remains unconscious for a long time.
It is difficult to imagine that just two years back she was a bright, happy child who used to love going to school.” The Hindu of January 2, 2013 informs that “The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Superintendent of Police of Karnataka’s Bidar district, returnable in four weeks, on the rape of a five-year-old girl allegedly by two men who are yet to be arrested.” It is stated that “She was sleeping in her house when two unidentified persons took her away to a farm land and sexually assaulted her.” There was an attempt to rape a sixteen year old girl in another part of the country. She was burnt by the rapist on the day when attackers in Delhi were being driven to court.
Days after this brutality, another woman was raped in a neighboring state and dumped in Delhi. However, police is a cog in the wheels of corruption. The main source is the body of law-makers. This toxin organ of the nation’s body needs healing badly that can be done easily through ballots, and the implementation of laws.
Corrupt and convicted citizens should not be allowed to run for public offices. To change it, the country needs a revolution and that revolution can be by women themselves. Several law-makers and others in public offices are the gods of corruption. One way to make the streets and working places free from danger for women is to deny criminals the ability to contest elections. Indian parliaments have criminals who know how to exploit police for their own benefit.The Canadian Press reported on January 6, 2013:
“On Friday, the court dismissed a petition asking it to suspend Indian lawmakers accused of crimes against women, saying it doesn’t have jurisdiction, according to the Press Trust of India. The Association for Democratic Reforms, an organization that tracks officials’ criminal records, said six state lawmakers are facing rape prosecutions and two national parliamentarians are facing charges of crimes against women that fall short of rape.” “According to the Election Commission, every one of India’s leading political parties has fielded candidates accused of sexual crimes against women in the past five years. and two members of India’s parliament are facing rape charges.”. It is also important to hire more women police officers.At present there are hardly any women seen in police uniforms on the streets of India. Women feel more comfortable in making a report to female officers. Charanjit Kaur, the sister of another rape victim in another part of India said that the male police officer on duty asked vulgar questions when they approached him for help. He asked her to describe graphically what and how it happened in detail. The victim committed suicide because there was no one to listen to her. There is a long list of victims who committed suicide because of the justice system that causes shame and frustration.
Rape is a terror and terror is the extreme form of fear. Rapists should be treated like any other terrorist. Raping women is terrorism and terrorism is a mindless attack on humanism.
The rape of Mathura in the late 1970s is a classic example of injustice. The constable who raped her in the police station was acquitted because he said that she had consented that was manifested by lack of injuries and her alarms within the police station.Just to rape a victim in a police station under such circumstances is the misuse of authority, but the law did not take this fact into account. Asian Centre for Human Rights has urged the government to declare the 29th of December as the National Day on violence against women to bring more awareness in society. It is not the time for India to hide its weaknesses. Rather this is the time to bring this growing cancer in society onto the table of the public view to get rid of this toxin. There should not be any shame in discussing this subject publicly.
On the other hand, it is a shame to hide it and let it develop further to eat into the bones of peace of nearly half of the population.The sad part is that there are hardly any debates on the family environment in which rapists are nourished. It is also sad that no one talks and takes action for reforming the political system to get rid of criminal law-makers. It is again sad that there is no talk of reforming the judicial system, except that the justice should be fast and more reachable.
All these reforms are left to the elected politicians and convicted law-makers who find ways to remain in power. What India needs is the implementation of the laws. It is a question of human rights. Women deserve to be treated equally before laws. They have every right to be peaceful and free to move around the streets safely. Representatives are elected and governments are formed to save the citizens from external aggressions as well from internal fears.
These women who are attacked have the right to take their governments or elected leaders to court for their physical and emotional damage from sexual assault. There must be ways to hold the government or the state responsible and accountable for failing to protect citizens. Movies are also to be blamed for portraying women as sex objects, and providing violence for entertainment. It includes stories as well as photography and songs. There are then videogames. Another culprit is the family environment. To raise a family couples are not required to read even a single pamphlet about parenting. There are laws for teachers, babysitters, for adopted parents, but nothing for the spouses who want to have children.
Rape is a terror and terror is the extreme form of fear. Rapists should be treated like any other terrorist.
What India needs is to bring down the status of women as goddesses to the status of a human. Women are human who also feel pain when they are tortured. It has been hinted that the glorification of a violent masculinity is largely responsible for attacks on women, though I don’t see any heroism in rapes. Raping women is terrorism and terrorism is not heroism, but a mindless attack on humanism.Women are part of human body. If one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. There is no peace in personal life as well as in the life of a nation if any part would suffer. The main source of this suffering is the electoral system that suffers from elitism. Presently, India has more or less the democracy of the elite. To change this elitism it is necessary to eliminate the law-makers who use their caste, religion or language to come to power. The electorate should elect those who are the best for the job, not because of their affiliation to the same cast or religion. The electorate should read the pages of their past to know if they were involved with corruption, particularly with sex-related scandals. The step that the Government of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has taken by establishing a toll-free hotline is the first and the right step in the right direction. Every child in every family and school should be encouraged to memorize the toll free number, and the steps to take in an emergency. However, for a lasting health of the nation, the electorate should be careful in electing the candidates who are involved with rape-related cases. If somehow they get elected, they should be forced to resign through peaceful public demonstrations, and any available legal way.
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States Showcase Their Strengths To Woo Investments By Overseas Indians
KOCHI (TIP): Ten states of India showcased the multifarious investment opportunities for the Indian Diaspora with a view to identifying areas for forging partnerships with overseas Indians at the concluding day of the 11th Bharatiya Pravasi Divas here on Wednesday, January 9th. Kerala, the host state for the three-day event, presented to the delegates its developmental agenda and looked for investment, support and the talent of overseas Indians in helping the State to realize its vision. The multi-point program envisioned for Kerala was spelt out by Mr. Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information, Infrastructure and Innovation.
The program envisages connectivity through coastal waterways for movement of goods, building knowledge cities in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, integration of all ayurveda activities in the state, egovernance, waste management through green technologies, skill development, promotion of traditional industries and creating high-speed rail corridor. Among those who invited overseas Indians to invest in Kerala included Mr. Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala; Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs; Mr. K V Thomas, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Mr. K C Joseph, Minister for Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department & Culture, Government of Kerala.
The north Indian state of Punjab prides itself in having a strong agriculture base, high consumer index, best infrastructure index, best industrial and agri work culture, high per capita income, highest agriculture output, best human resource and an enterprising populace. According to S. S. Channy, Principal Secretary, Department of Technical Education & Industrial Training & Cultural Affairs and NRI Affairs, the mission was to make Punjab a top-notch state in terms of being surplus in power, best air connectivity, finest road network, futuristic town planning, upgraded transport facilities, maximum emphasis on education, health for all, engaging youth through sports, make Punjab an industry & IT destination, social development, employment generation, heritage preservation and governance reforms.
On the industrial front, the state’s fiveyear mission is to create a textiles hub at Ferozepur, Barnala, Mansa, Bathinda; food hub (Amritsar, Ferozepur); IT hub (Mohali, Amritsar); petro park (Bathinda); automobiles hub (Patiala); sugar hub (Amritsar, Gurdaspur); hosiery, garments, knitting, weaving (Ludhiana); hand tools (Jalandhar); sports goods (Jalandhar) and leather goods (Jalandhar). Mr. Rajendra Pareek, Industries Minister, Government of Rajasthan, spelt out the reasons to invest in the state. These include a conducive business environment, strategic location and market accessibility, large land bank, strong backbone of industrial power, availability of skilled manpower at low cost, booming automotive sector, consistently growing IT/ITes industry, home to leaders in ceramic and glass, ever-expanding horizons in tourism, seamless possibilities in non-conventional power generation, rich mineral and oil wealth, active institutional support, a destination favored by corporate and a great place to live.
“The business friendly initiatives of the Government of Rajasthan, such as Rajasthan Investment promotion Scheme 2010 and Rajasthan Enterprises Single window Enabling and Clearance Act 2011, have attracted leading companies from various sectors. JCB, Honda, Lafarge, Saint Gobain, Infosys, Deutsche Bank, Hero Motorcorp and Petro are some of the prominent companies that have chosen Rajasthan for their operations,” he says. The State of Gujarat holds many records in India for economic development: It boasts of 16% of the country’s industrial output, 22% of India’s exports, 35% of the country’s pharma products, 51% of chemical products and 62% of India’s petrochemical production.
According to Mr. Arvind Agarawal, Principal Secretary, NRI, Government of Gujarat, the percentage of working days lost in Gujarat due to industrial strife is 0.42%, the lowest in India. And even during the worst years of recession, Gujarat registered double-digit industrial growth over the last seven years. Further, Gujarat is the only Indian state with an integrated state-wide gas grid. It has an extensive transmission network of almost 2200 km. Odisha enjoys its own prominence in the form of agriculture, industries, infrastructure developments, corporate hubs, top-tier educational institutes, good career opportunities, ports for exports and imports, investment avenues and natural beauty.
Mr. Surya Narayan Patro, Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Odisha mentioned that the Odisha Government was trying to create a favorable environment for attracting investment by streamlining the process for regulatory clearances through Single Window System approach, for which Clearance Authorities and Level Nodal Agencies at state and districts level were functional. The agencies provide facilitation and infrastructural support services to investors under the aegis of ‘Team Odisha’. The state is rich in minerals, agriculture and other natural resources. Odisha has 33% of iron ore, 55% of Bauxite, 95% of Chrome, in addition to large reserves of Coal, Dolomite, Graphite and Manganese in the country.
Odisha has a large number of large, medium and small-scale enterprises in Steel, Aluminium, Chrome, Power, Textile, Handicrafts and IT/ITES. To accelerate the industrial progress in Bihar, the Government has adopted a number of measures. As many as, 939 proposals have been approved and Rs. 300807.45 crore is to be invested, of which investments worth Rs. 502120 crore has already been made. It is also estimated that 229641 job opportunities would be created. The areas of opportunities for investment were food processing, service sector, textile sector, sugar sector, information technology, leather, biotechnology, drug and pharmaceuticals. has strategic locational advantage in Eastern India and is close to Kolkata, Haldia and Paradeep Ports.
Ranchi, the capital, is well connected by air, rail and road. Industrial towns have excellent Rail and Road connectivity with major market places of the country. Golden Quadrilateral Super Highway passes through Jharkhand. Jharkhand is an ideal location for EOUs interested in emerging markets of South East Asia, because of the freight advantage. According to Mr. D Gupta, Development Commissioner, Government of Jharkhand, the state offers significant opportunities in tourism, building power generation capacity, establishment of quality engineering and Medical Institutes (IITs/Polytechnics/Medical Colleges etc) and setting up of cold chains.
Mr. Ponnala, Lakshmaiah, Minister for IT & Communication, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said, “I am happy to say that the state of Andhra Pradesh continues to be a favorite destination for industrial investment from all over the world. Industrial investment in the state is consistently growing and the investments received during 2010-11 stands at Rs 29,995 crore recording a growth of 67% over 2009- 10. The state is home to 4416 large industries and 180000 MSMEs, giving employment to nearly 25 lakh people. Today, Andhra Pradesh stands at the forefront of key manufacturing sectors, including cement, paper, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, textiles, steel, light and heavy engineering products, leather and food processing sectors.”
Andhra Pradesh has emerged as the most ideal destination for ICT sector in India. It has the largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies based in AP. It is home for Indian and foreign IT majors such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Mahindra Satyam, Cognizant, Patni, Tech Mahindra, Sonata, Infotech, and Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft, Google, IBM, Oracle, DELL, Motorola, Deloitte, Convergys, UBS, Bank of America, HSBC, Honeywell, Siemens, JP Morgan, United Health Group, Facebook and so on. The Maharashtra Government’s policy and reforms driven initiatives are demonstrated by its policies on Biotech, IT & ITES, SEZ, Grapes Processing Industry, Tourism and Greenfield Port.
Some key initiatives of the Government include stateof- the-art infrastructure, development of thrust industries, human resource development, labor laws reforms, cluster development – SME sector, provide information and facilitation, single window clearance portal, capital incentives for SSI and regional development. According to Mr. Vijay Suryawanshi, Joint CEO, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, some of the key policy initiatives of the state government are 5% subsidy on capital equipment for technology upgradation limited to Rs 25 lakh, 50% subsidy on the expenses incurred for quality certification limited to Rs 1 lakh, 25% subsidy on cleaner production measures limited to Rs 5 lakh and 50% subsidy on the expense incurred for patent registration limited to Rs 5 lakh.
Madhya Pradesh has witnessed rapid industrialization. The major clusters in the state where industrial activity has been observed are regions in and around Gwalior, Jabalpur, Bhopal and Indore. The state has been proactive in adopting a seamless approach across sectors to promote sustainable growth resulting in fructification of investments over Rs. 7 lakh crore in the state. As many as 562 projects worth INR 3,57,558 crore in manufacturing, mining, power, services and infrastructure sector are being set up of which 206 projects costing Rs. 1,55,149 crore are in advance stages of completion and projects worth Rs. 39,000 crore are in various stages of execution.
According to Arun Kumar Bhatt, Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd., the Government of Madhya Pradesh decided to create a ‘Land Bank’, parcels of government land at various places suitable for industrial use. Such land parcels have been identified and are in the process of being transferred to Industries Department. Regional AKVNs have been entrusted with the responsibility of creating basic enabling infrastructure in such industrial estates or regions. The State Government has created a land bank of about 20,000 hectares across the state, which is being offered to various investors. Further consolidation of government land holdings with various departments that are suitable for industrial use is being carried out to identify more land and provide industries an impetus to set up base in the state.
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Prime Minister Inaugurates 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas At Kochi
KOCHI (TIP): Prime Minister, Dr. Mamohan Singh declared his government’s unequivocal commitment to deepen the connection of expatriate Indians with their country of origin and advance their interests. “While honoring their achievements, we will also seek to facilitate their travel, business and education and make it easier for them to be a part of life of India, enjoy due rights and participate in India’s economic development,” he said while inaugurating the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on Tuesday, January 8.
The Prime Minister said that the challenges to achieve an annual growth rate of 8% as set out in the 12th Plan were enormous, adding that “We will require enormous resources, reforms in policies and institutions, new models of public private partnership and community participation and innovation-driven science and technology.” Apart from the focus on rural areas, there is an urgent need to pay greater attention to our expanding cities and towns, the Prime Minister said, for which, new approaches would be needed to address challenges in areas like infrastructure, education, energy, water and agriculture.
The Prime Minister observed that across India, there are also countless inspirational stories of innovation, enterprise and leadership by citizens and communities that are transforming lives and generating hope for millions of our citizens. “There is now a surge of expectation from an increasingly empowered and articulate public, for more responsive, transparent, participative, clean and efficient governance. The Government is determined to turn any setback into an opportunity to improve legal and regulatory frameworks. I have no doubt that the energy and the passions of our citizens, particularly our youth, will be a force of positive change in our country,” he declared.
He invited the overseas Indian community to be a strong and vital partner and participant in India’s social and economic development. “Whether you wish to invest or share your knowledge, technology and skills, whether your enterprise takes you to the cities or your compassion brings you to a remote village, I assure you of our continuing effort to support your endeavors,” Dr. Singh said. The Prime Minister assured the Indian expatriate community that their safety and security was uppermost in the government’s mind. “We derive comfort from the assurances that we have received from governments in the countries of your residence that they will do everything for your safety and security.
We recognize that the primary responsibility rests with the host countries, but when needed, as was the case last year in Libya, our government will provide prompt and necessary assistance.” “Apart from physical safety, we are also concerned with the social and emotional well-being of our overseas brethren. We have therefore launched an insurance scheme for workers, established welfare funds in our embassies for distressed Indians, and created mechanisms to help vulnerable women abroad,” he pointed out. He said that the protection and promotion of the rights and interests of Indian businesses, professionals and workers abroad is also a key task for our Missions in various countries.
India’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements and Social Security Agreements with a number of countries play an important role in this regard. On the occasion, the Prime Minister released a stamp on ‘Gadar Movement’ and two publications, namely, ‘India Supports’ and ‘Handbook for Emigrants’. Mr. Rajkeswur Purryag, President of Mauritius, the Chief Guest at this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, declared, amid huge applause, that “We take pride in the rise of India… we share common values, a common heritage and we are grateful to India for its selfless support to Mauritius in its social and economic development process.”
The Indian Diaspora, he said, needed to capitalize on India’s growth story and seek active partnerships with Indian companies is areas such as science & technology, education and other hard and soft infrastructure sectors. Mauritius, he said, offered a great opportunity for Indian companies to reach out to the entire African market, now dubbed as the continent of the century. The President of Mauritius also pledged his country’s support for India’s permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, announced that the emigration system was being amended to keep in step with the needs all concerned with the process of emigration.
“We have worked on a law in this regard and we hope to finalize it soon,” he said. Mr. Ravi announced that the merger of the OCI and PIO cards would soon be done to create a single OCI card. He said that his Ministry had widened the scope of the Indian Community Welfare Fund to include payment of penalties to release Indian nationals who are in prisons for no fault of their; support to local overseas Indian associations to establish Overseas Indian Community Centers and support to start and run overseas Indian community-based student welfare centers.
Mr. Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala, in his address, pointed out that he expected the Planning Commission, Government of India, to respond positively to his suggestion to formulate a Centrally-sponsored scheme to supplement the efforts of the State Government in the rehabilitation of returning migrants. Some of the major concerns still being faced by Indian expatriates in their host countries, especially in the Gulf, related to issues of job security, reasonable living conditions and legal protection for the unskilled and semi-skilled workers. These, Mr. Chandy said, needed to be addressed by the Union Government.
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A Unique Saint Soldier Guru Gobind Singh
Nature has its own ways to establish equilibrium in the universe. Otherwise, the powerful will always prevail and vanquish the weak. At about the time Guru Gobind Singh was born in the winter of 1666 A.D., India was passing through a period of extreme religious bigotry.
A home grown centuries old religion- Hinduism- was the faith of the majority of Indians. They were subjugated and ruthlessly ruled by a far fewer number of Sunni Muslim conquerors hailing from Afghanistan. The Sunni Muslim Afghan conquerors wanted to propagate and spread only their form of religion in India.
Guru Gobind Singh was vehemently opposed to such dictats. The founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak was the first high profile social reformer in India, who was a witness to the cruelty and tyranny of the first Mughal Emperor Zahir-Ud-Din Babar. Guru Nanak was briefly imprisoned by Babar, but soon Babar realized his folly, apologized to Guru Nanak and released him from the prison. Babar’s grandson Jalal-Ud-Din Akbar was more tolerant and just to the people of all faiths and he befriended the successors of Guru Nanak.
By far the most intolerant Mughal Emperor was Aurangzeb Alamgir. He was determined to convert every well-meaning Indian to his Sunni Muslim faith. He picked up the affluent and fair colored and blue eyed Brahmins living in the Northern most hilly areas of Kashmir for forcible conversion into Sunni Islam. Guru Gobind Singh’s father, Guru Tegh Bahadur the ninth “Jyot” of Guru Nanak was on a gospel tour of North Eastern India, when Guru Gobind Singh was born in an ancient city of Patna on “Poh Sudi Satween” (according to the Christian Calendar in 1966). Guru Gobind Singh’s early childhood was spent in the North Eastern areas of India consisting of the present states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh.
As a child, he developed a strong inclination to play with bows and arrows. At his early age before ten, the family moved to a small hamlet in the lower Shivalik Himalayas in Punjab. This place later on became famous as Anandpur Sahib in Ropar district of Punjab. One fine autumn morning in 1675 A.D., a group of Kashmiri Brahmins came to see Guru Gobind Singh’s father Guru Tegh Bahadur at Anandpur Sahib. From their grim faces it could be made out that they were quite a frightened lot. Soon they started narrating their tales of utter despair and miseries. According to their version, they were being coerced to convert to Islam.
Guru Tegh Bahadur was not opposed to conversion by logic and persuasion, but he was fiercely opposed to all forms of forced conversion. On hearing their tales of horror, while Guru Tegh Bahadur was absorbed in thoughts, his nine year old son Gobind Rai came there. Seeing his father immersed in deep thoughts, he asked him about the reason for his being so immersed in thoughts. When Guru Tegh Bahadur told him the story of the Kashmiri Brahmins and asked for his son’s advice, the son surprised everyone when by advising his father to offer his own supreme sacrifice to awake the conscience of the nation.
This is how Guru Tegh Bahadur made up his mind to offer himself to be beheaded in the national capital, Delhi. The place where Guru Tag Bahadur was beheaded is now a sacred Sikh temple. After Guru Tegh Bahadur’s merciless beheading, his son Gobind Rai made up his mind to fight the Sunni Islamic tyranny of Emperor Aurangzeb with an army of highly motivated saint soldiers. For years, young Gobind Rai struggled consistently against the far superior Mughal Armies. During the spring harvest season in 1699, Gobind Rai gave a call to his “Sikhs” to congregate at Anandpur Sahib in big numbers. In this very congregation he established the order of the “Khalsa” (the pure) and he changed his as well as his male followers’ last name to “Singh” and the last names of the females were changed to “Kaur”. Thus was created the bearded and turbaned “Khalsa”.
From 1699 to 1907 A.D., Guru Gobind Singh fought a relentless series of battles against the imperial forces of Auranzeb Alamgir and scores of his subject Rajas of small hill area principalities. In the process of fighting the tyranny of Emperor Aurangzb Alamgir, Guru Gobind Singh lost all four of his sons and his mother. Thousands of his saint soldiers, including his five most favorite disciples and forty of his choicest soldiers died in the battlefields.
Aurangzeb died in 1707. His son Bahadur Shah abandoned his father’s bigotry and coercive policies and befriended Guru Gobind Singh. A meeting marking a period of peace and harmony was arranged between Guru Gobind Singh and Emperor Bahadur Shah in 1707 A.D., after which Guru Gobind Singh moved to the Southern Peninsular India and started living at a place called Nanded (Sri Huzoor Sahib).
Here he was assaulted with sharp edged weapons by two Muslim assassins. Guru Gobind Singh died at the age of forty two in 1708. Due to Guru Gobind Singh’s relentless military campaign against Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the Mughal Empire’s power base started eroding. After the death of Guru Gobind Singh, even the dreaded Mughal Empire saw its slow disintegration. Guru Gobind Singh was a great soldier, a great linguist and a brilliant scholar of theosophy.
He composed volumes of spiritual verses. His poetry was composed in a number of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic meters, unmatched by any other poet. The line by line weight in his poetry is so well balanced that it is a treat to sing his poetry in classical Raagas. He was so humble that he did not include his own poetry in the Sikh holy book “Sri Guru Granth Sahib”, although he did include some “Baani” of his illustrious father Guru Tegh Bahadur in the final version of “Sri Guru Granth Sahib”.
Guru Gobind Singh very well knew that the time to end the practice of living Gurus has arrived. He had a group of fifty two celebrated poets in his court, who used to admire his poetry and likewise the Guru used to enjoy their poetry. Before his death, Guru Gobind Singh most respectfully placed the final version of holy “Sri Guru Granth Sahib” on a higher pedestal and then bowed his head before it.
This gesture contained a message to his followers to take all spiritual and worldly guidance from the holy book and not to believe in any living Guru henceforth. He believed in a classless society and he created it amongst his followers. He always helped and never abandoned the poor and the downtrodden.
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Government Makes Many Commitments To NRIs
KOCHI (TIP): Better air connectivity to Kerala, Voting rights in local bodies, Liberal baggage & gold allowance to NRIs in Gulf
The Government of India and the Government of Kerala assured NRIs in the Gulf, particularly, Malayalis, that their demands for better air connectivity to Kerala, grant of voting rights in local bodies, and liberal baggage and gold allowance, would be addressed on priority. Inaugurating a pre-PBD seminar on NRIs in the Gulf organized on the occasion of the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) here on Monday, January 7, Mr. Vayalar Ravi, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, said, “I am deeply aware of the problems faced by Malayalis settled in the Gulf and I assure you that I will take up your suggestions with the Prime Minister and my Cabinet colleagues for expeditious redressal of your problems.”Alluding to the problems and the alleged opposition by Air India to the State Government’s proposal to launch ‘Air Kerala’, a state airline to improve connectivity between the Gulf region and India, Mr. Ravi said that the Union Government would try to sort out the issue on priority. In his keynote address Mr. Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister, Kerala, expressed gratitude to non-resident Keralites in the Gulf who annually remit foreign exchange worth Rs. 60,000 crore, a fifth of the State’s Domestic Product. He assured the delegates that the issue of voting rights in local bodies raised by Malayalis, would be addressed in the next session of State Assembly as the Government had decided to amend the Representation of Peoples’ Act and the Kerala Panchayath Act.
Voting rights in Parliamentary and Assembly Elections have already been granted to NRIs. Earlier,Mr. Ravi and Mr. Chandy inaugurated the exhibition and released, two reports at the seminar — ‘Connecting with Indian Diaspora’ and ‘India Migration Report 2013’. Mr. K C Joseph, Minister of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department (NORKA) & Culture, Government of Kerala, urged the Central Government to allow NRI women and men to bring in 100 gms and 50 gms of gold, respectively, into the country from the present allowance of Rs. 10,000 worth of gold for women and Rs. 20,000 for men. He suggested to the Ministry of External Affairs that to address the problems faced by NRIs, the staff strength of Indian embassies should be substantially strengthened and called for the appointment of a senior Malayali-speaking officer in the embassy so that their problems are better understood and corrective actions taken expeditiously.
Mr. E Ahamed, Minister of State for External Affairs, Government of India, pointed out that according to the World Bank report, India has received remittances of $70 billion in 2012, the highest in the world followed by China. The sharp increase in remittances to India has come from Gulf countries where mostly the unskilled and semi-skilled workers are remitters. He assured the delegates that the Central Government was alive to the problems faced by overseas Indians and offered all help in finding solutions to these issues.
Other speakers who addressed the delegates were Mr. K Babu,Minister for Excise & Ports, Government; Mr.M I Shanavas, Member of Parliament; Mr.M K Raghavan, Member of Parliament and Mr. Yusuffali M A, Vice Chairman, NORKA ROOTS. In the panel discussion with NRIs,Mr. Hibi Eden, Member of Legislative Assembly, Kerala; Mr. Issac Thomas, President, Kerala Pradesh Pravasi Congress; Mr. A R Ghanashyam, Joint Secretary (Gulf), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India; Mr. V Vumlunmang, Joint Secretary (Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and India’s Ambassadors from the GCC countries, shared their perspectives and sought to allay the apprehensions of the NRIs.