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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 />

www.pointoutnews.com<br />

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Point Out Gallery<br />

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LINE OF<br />

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THE YEAR<br />

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

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