SAHAJ Newsletter March, 2012

SetuVol IV • Issue 3 TMBRINGING BUSINESS, EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT TO RURAL INDIAMarch 2012Under the aegis of the National e-Governance Plan of Govt. of IndiaMore value forSahaj’sValuedCustomers

Content02CEO Speaks16 Feature Story18 Capacity Building's Diary19 State Coffer03 Top VLEs03 Other Successful VLEs20 Travellers' Delight22 Sahaj Suswasthya03 VLE Success Story04 News05 Rural News Bulletin06 Cover Story24 Fun Fundaa24 Events initiated by Capacity Building25 Sahaj Scape11 We, the people of Sahaj26 Gladden your taste buds12 Special Coverage27 Horoscope15 Sahaj Triumph28 Chaakri.co.in :List of Job VacanciesHoney is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombsof Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found

SetuVol IV • Issue 3 TMBRINGING BUSINESS, EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT TO RURAL INDIAUnder the aegis of the National e-Governance Plan of Govt. of IndiaHello Readers,EDITORIALWith Holi round the corner, firstly, wishing you a very colourful andhappy Holi.March marks the advent of spring, mother Earth seems to get deckedup in an all new way. It is a time when I am sure everybody would loveto enjoy. But with March comes the ending of a financial year as well.Office hours seem to get longer in order to finish the closing of thebalance sheets and other pending works. With March comes the timeto submit your tax saving documents burning a hole in the pocket.Nevertheless, in this March edition of Setu, we bring you good news aswell. Sahaj introduces Affinity Marketing for its customers. AffinityMarketing is a targeted way of marketing products and services froman organization. Linking complementary services and products undera common banner can develop long lasting relationship between thecustomers and the company. The cover story this times gives you an indepth knowledge about the service offered by us and the excitingfreebies along with it.From this edition, we have a special section concentrating solely onthe happenings of the States. We have termed this new section as“State Coffer”. I am sure that through this section we will be able to getmore close to our readers.Disclaimer :The views expressed through the articles inthis newsletter may not necessarily be thoseof the organization.Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited is not liable forany content and design carried in theadvertisements published in this issue.This edition also brings to you in details the overwhelming responsereceived by the Bima Jagrukta Abhiyan a joint initiative by DPLI andSrei Sahaj e-Village Limited, the felicitation of our VLEs at theprestigious 15th National e-Governance Conference held inBhubaneshwar and a story of the two brothers that I am sure will touchyour soulDo not forget to check out the VLE success story this time as this storyof a girl from a small hamlet in Uttar Pradesh conveys a strong messageto all that no matter how difficult a path may be, one can surelyovercome it if he/she has the conviction to achieve it.All these and much more in store for you in the following pages.Adios till the next edition.Published by :Department of Marketing CommunicationsSrei Sahaj e-Village LimitedHappy reading...We shall wait for you to write back with your comments & suggestionsto debolina.banerjee@sahaj.co.in or bhavna.shah@sahaj.co.inwww.sahajcorporate.comSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 1

CEO SpeaksThe recent mergers and acquisitions have given momentum to the newconcept of Affinity Marketing across the globe. Affinity marketing isnothing but promoting an established brand's products or services to aniche audience which then has a greater propensity to act on themessage.With the introduction of the Sahaj Value Card, we try to bring to ourcustomers a new world of opportunities and benefits enjoyed by urbanIndia. The company has made continuous efforts to know the value ofeach of its customer so that it can focus its loyalty on those customers.Therefore, it was not long that Sahaj decided to shape this behaviour,recognize its customers and offer them the benefits that would makethem a little closer to the facilities that define the modern time.Amidst all this, another news that gives me immense pleasure whilesharing with all of you is that six of our Village Level Entrepreneurs werefelicitated at the prestigious 15th National Conference on E-governanceby the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology,Government of India, for their excellent performance based onMaximum Up Time on OMT and maximum transactions between the period of 1st July 2011 31st December 2011. Thisachievement of our VLEs gives us the confidence that we are advancing in the right path of our Mission.This month brings in good news for the farmers as well. Sahaj has come up with the all new Weather based indexinsurance cover for farmers. The product has been piloted for Maize in the East and West Champaran districts of Bihar forthis late Kharif season. The product takes into account two major aspects of weather i.e. rainfall and temperature. We,however, plan to introduce this product India wide in the next Kharif season.Sanjay Kumar PanigrahiCEO,Srei Sahaj e- Village Limited

AssamBiharOdishaVLE NameKausik SahaAbduljalil SKTamil NaduVLE NameGovardhanan TSuresha GMonowar Hussain KhanBarpeta, AssamMurugesan CKrishnagiri, Tamil NaduVLE NameGyanendra KumarRamsudhir BhagatUttar PradeshVLE NameAdrijesh Ram TripathiVirendra Kumar RajbharShyam Lal SaahuBegusarai, BiharVishanu Kumar PrajapatiChandauli, Uttar PradeshVLE NameSudhir PanigrahiRajibalochan PandaWest BengalVLE NameBijankumar MajiDebapriya PalAjaya Kumar RathCuttack, OdishaRavikumar ShawBurdwan, West BengalTop VLEs Other Successful VLEsThe go-getter of Samshe, Jyoti ChaurasiaShe is one of the youngest in the State and is an example setter for many of the VLEs in terms of howto run a business successfully. Jyoti Chaurasia, a woman Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) from thestate of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.Prior to being associated with Sahaj, Jyoti was a college student from a small village calledSamshe, Block Mohanlal Ganj of Lucknow. In spite of coming from a family wherepoverty and hardships were a regular factor, it could not dither young Jyoti from herambitions of serving the society and her villagers in her own sweet way.It all started in the month of October 2010, when one day Jyoti happened to come toknow about Sahaj and how the company strives to bridge the digital gap betweenurban and rural India by reaching various products and services both governmentaland non governmental right to the doorsteps of the rural masses. It was on that very day that Jyoti decided to serve her villagers bysetting up her own Sahaj Common Service Centre or Jan Seva Kendra as it is known in Uttar Pradesh.Initially after setting up the business, Jyoti had a hard time changing the mindset of the villagers and convincing them of thebenefits offered by Sahaj. But her sheer hard work and determination paved the way for her. From the very first month onwards,she started doing business in Utility Services which included Mobile and DTH recharge, and from second month onwards shehad already customers taking up Life Insurance (DPLI) policies.Jyoti knew that in order to lead a respectable life and to earn a decent livelihood, education was a pre requisite. With an alarmingrate of illiteracy in her village, Jyoti knew that it was a distant dream. In order to educate the villagers and the children, she statedthe e-Learning courses offered by Sahaj in her village. Today, on an average, Jyoti does 3 to 4 admission per month in the variousSahaj e-Shiksha courses.The other services offered by Jyoti from her CSC include PFRDA registration, selling of EccoDiva Solar Lights, booking railway andflight tickets, etc.Her CSC in time has developed into a full fledged computer institute in her village and she dreams of making all the villagerscomputer literates in the days to comeVLE Success Story

NewsSahaj launches Weather Based Index Insurance pilotSahaj has launched Weather Based Index Insurance pilotfor Maize in East and West Champaran districts of Biharfor this late Kharif season. The product is meant for thefarmers of these two districts growing maize. Theproduct takes into account two major aspects of weatheri.e. rainfall and temperature. The service will soon belaunched in other states as well based on the analysis ofthe pilot before scaling it for an all India pilot in thecoming Kharif season.Sahaj Vasudha Kendra Tableau presentation onRepublic DayAn impressive Tableau presentation on Sahaj VasudhaKendra was organized on the occasion of Republic Dayin Bihar. The tableau aimed at showcasing the reach andinvolvement of Sahaj in the country's development.Present at the venue were Honourable Chief Minister,Mr. Nitish Kumar, Ministers of various State Affairs,Senior IAS Officials, Government Officials and theresidents. The objective of the display was to increasetheir awareness on the work done by the Sahaj CSCs.The IT Department as well as BELTRON assured ofextending their financial support for the initiative. Thisprovided the opportunity to build a linkage betweenSahaj and the government which will help in scaling upthe Government to Citizen (G2C) Services through theSahaj CSCs.Srei Sahaj conducts Webcasting for LegislativeAssembly Polls in Uttar PradeshFor a second time, Srei Sahaj was given the opportunityto conduct webcasting during the Legislative Assemblypolls. Srei Sahaj bagged the order to conduct webcastingin Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj, Kushi Nagar, Fatehpur,Sobhadra, Raebareli and Kanpur districts. Sahajconducted the live webcast at the polling booths andprovided 140 laptops and web cameras for the elections.The webcast was conducted and managed by the SahajVLEs, IT engineers, managers and executives.Srei Sahaj to sell application forms for admission inthe SRM UniversitySahaj has launched the service for sale of admissionforms of the SRM University in the Tiruvannamalaidistrict of Tamil Nadu. The event was headed by Mr.Muthu Subramanian- Director, Admissions, SRMUniversity, Mr. Srinivas, Mr. Shankar, Group M, Sahajofficials including Mr. Vinod Kuriakose, Mr. R. M.Prasad,Vipul Agarwal, Mr. Ramraj and his teammembers from Tiruvannamalai were present at theevent. The event was also attended by 45 VLEs, whopurchased application forms for admission in the SRMUniversity. SRM University is one of the top rankinguniversities in India with over 20,000 students and1,500 faculty, offering a wide range of undergraduate,postgraduate and doctoral programs in Engineering,Management, Medicine, Health sciences andHumanities.New CSC inaugurated in BiharTeam Bihar inaugurated a new Sahaj Vasudha Kendra atSolra Panchayat of Paraiya Block in the Gaya district ofBihar on the 13th of February 2012. The CSC wasinaugurated by MLA Surendra Prasad Sinha of theBharatiya Janta Party. Business through the CSCcommenced on the launch day itself, with 5 registrationsin Sahaj e-Shiksha courses. On the occasion, ShriSurendra Prasad Sinha appreciated the servicesavailable through the Sahaj CSCs. Also present at theevent was the Mukhiya of the village, Block Pramukh,school teachers etc.Sahaj introduces Sahaj Bandhan for all its MasterVLEsIn order to build possibilities for better business, Sahajintroduced the Master VLE Bandhan for its Master VLEsacross the six states. The programme aims to connect theMaster VLEs from all the six states with the best minds sothat they exchange ideas and create avenues for growth.The Master VLE Bandhan was held at the Sahaj HeadOffice with the valued contributions from all functionalheads. The Master VLEs were aligned with the Visionand Mission of Sahaj, discussed about the true potentialof the CSC business and learnt the skills behind asuccessful business venture.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 4In Peru a single bush may contain more ant species than in the British Isles.

Government may subsidize mobile bills in rural areas:The Planning Commission has proposed that the government pay 20 per cent of all mobile bills that are less than? 300 a month for customers in rural India by dipping into funds set aside for providing subsidized telephony. ThePlanning Commission has also suggested that all rural customers who take up a mobile connection be given a onetimesubsidy of ? 250 from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).Source: The Economic TimesPlan to Extend E-District Project Throughout State:The government has decided to roll out the e-District project in 26 more districts of Chennai following thesuccessful implementation of the project in six districts. According to an order issued by the Information TechnologyDepartment a week ago, the government will ensure that the services are not confined to common services centres.At the district level, a District e-Governance Society (DeGS) has to be formed for implementing the project.Online Agri Tips For Farmers:Source: The HinduFarmers of the state can soon get information on agriculture and other necessary tips just at the click of mouse orthrough SMSes. The Jharkhand government has decided to introduce e-governance in the agriculture sector underthe Centre's National e-Governance Programme in Agriculture. A portal will be floated that will cater allinformation related to the field online. Apart from providing information on soil conditions in the state, the websitewill also offer suggestions on balanced use of fertilizers, organic farming, type of seeds that need to be cultivated onparticular soil, etc, to help farmers get optimum results. Another window will deal with information on goodagriculture practices, prevalent prices, dealer network and quality control.Source: The TelegraphRural News BulletinBusiness correspondent model to be changed to aid inclusion:The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has in principle agreed to permit interoperability of business correspondents (BCs),aimed at helping customers in rural areas access banking services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, remittancesand balance enquiries from anywhere in the country on the lines of ATM facilities available to customers in urbanareas. Interoperability will allow BCs of one bank to service customers of other banks as well, a move that will helpsegments such as migrant labourers access banking services from anywhere in the country and in the processencouraging greater financial inclusion. The banking regulator is expected to issue guidelines soon. Interoperabilitywill be primarily aimed at no-frills accounts as other customers are already connected through ATMs. Theverification of the customers will be either through a PIN or through biometrics.Source: livemint.comCaste Certificates At Your Doorstep:If things go well, people will no more have to go to tehsil offices for getting their caste, income and birth certificatesas they could avail the basic services in their own locality. The Common Service Centre (CSC) project of the ITdepartment, which is being initially implemented in five districts including Indore, is in the final stage ofimplementation. In the initial stages, a total of 7 services including caste certificate, domicile certificate, RTIapplications, copies of Khasra, income certificate, birth certificates and others will be made available at the CSC.Source: Daily BhaskarCompiled by : Deepti Punj, Sahaj - DelhiSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 5A The place uncontrolled called Arica, fishing in Chile, that is is allowed the driest has place reduced on Earth; the amount it gets just of commercial0.03 inches (0.76millimeters) species. Some of rain species, per year. up to At one-tenth that rate, it of would their original take a century population. to fill a coffee cup.

More value forSahaj’sValuedCustomersOrigin of Affinity Marketing:Affinity Marketing (or PartnershipMarketing) is a targeted way ofmarketing products and services. Bylinking complementary brands, it candevelop them into lasting partnershipsand strategic alliances. Modern affinitymarketing traces its roots to the late1970s when credit card interest rateswere skyrocketing. America's largestconsumer association at the time, thenot-for-profit American AutomobileAssociation (AAA), partnered withMasterCard to offer AAA members abranded credit card with lower ratesand special privileges. AAA boostedits members' loyalty (affinity) andreceived revenue shares fromMasterCard. The AAA program expanded to include othercard issuers and remains one of the associations'membership offerings even today.The concept boomed in the 1990s when credit cardcompanies partnered with charities and sports teams toprovide consumers with a branded credit card. Theorganizations benefit from increased brand loyalty andbrand awareness and a boost to revenues; typically throughSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 6Energy saved from one recycled aluminum can will operate a TV set for3 hours, and is the equivalent to half a can of gasoline.

a combination of fixed commission for each new card anda share of transaction volume on the cards. The credit cardcompany, meanwhile, benefits from increased revenue,generated by more customer accounts and card usage.Affinity marketing has since been evolving far beyond itsoriginal remit; most commonly in direct marketing, in whatis termed as a second affinity boom through the use of dataand customer contact lists. Within this context for example,a famous car repair chain recently partnered with a wellknowninsurance company and was able to mail theinsurance company's database to offer a unique benefit, inthis instance 25 per cent off on a car service. This gave theinsurance company's customers access to a competitivedeal unavailable to the mass market, whilst the car repairchain benefited from access to hundreds of thousands ofcar owners they would otherwise not have been able tomail.To execute an effective affinity marketingprogramme, some of the following factorsneeds to be taken into account:• Business Model. A good business model enablescompanies to stay in the game while exploring thedynamics of their particular niche market. Dedicateresources to finding the appropriate affinity group andthen develop and test messages.What Are The Benefits of Affinity Marketing?Effective affinity marketing delivers significant andtangible benefits for all parties - suppliers, affinity groupsand end-consumers.SuppliersBy marketing via an affinity group (commercial or notfor-profit),supplier benefits can include:• A lower cost of sales (eg via lower marketingexpenses) as one reaches the desired target groupefficiently.• Higher customer lifetime value (eg achieved viabetter retention rates and/or higher purchase levelsor values from affinity-based customers).• Image/brand enhancement, from association withthe affinity partner (whether by virtue of being seento deliver benefits to a deserving cause or fromalignment with an exclusive affinity group and/orpremium quality brand).• Operational efficiencies and benefits, includingmore accurate targeting of marketingcommunications (facilitated by the affinity group'sdata) and a deeper understanding of the targetaudience (facilitated by the affinity group's existingknowledge and the ability to conduct research withits members).Affinity GroupsDifferent types of affinity groups will be looking fordifferent things. However, in general terms, benefits onoffer include the following:• Income, for example in the form of commission orprofit share.• More communication opportunities with members.• Stronger affinity with members, particularly wherethe product or service is perceived as a relevant andadded value proposition.• Brand enhancement / extension on a lower cost andlower risk basis than becoming a true direct supplierof the product or service involved (perhaps as part ofa phased market entry strategy).End-consumersLast, but no means least, the end-consumer benefits inone or more of a variety of ways. Again, benefits willdiffer depending upon the type of affinity partner(charity or not-for-profit) and the type of product orservice involved, but may include:• Personal satisfaction, from knowing that they havetriggered an indirect payment to their cause-relatedaffinity group by virtue of their purchase.• Confidence in their choice of product / service, dueto the affinity group's endorsement or commercialassociation with the supplier.• Direct benefit in terms of enhanced features andbenefits of the product or service, perhaps tailoredto reflect the nature of their affinity.• Direct benefit in terms of preferential price and/orloyalty rewards.• Convenience of the offer, through having the offerbrought to their attention by the affinity group.• Relevance, through better targeted marketing thanthe supplier's open market activities.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 7Every day 50 to 100 species of plants and animals become extinctas their habitat and human influences destroy them.

• Creativity. Marketers need to think of ideas andconcepts that wouldn't necessarily fit the model of massmarketing (e.g., broad messages for a broad audience).With affinity marketing, audiences are more discerningand more knowledgeable of the product and thereforeonly interested in specific types of benefits. Providingexperience-based benefits is a key component toensure real value-delivery and ultimately, success.• Discipline. Good direct response marketersmethodically test and study the data. Trust yourresults—they will ultimately lead you to devise awinning affinity marketing programme.Do Consumers Benefit from AffinityMarketing?What affinity relationships add to the transaction, apartfrom the rebate or special privileges,largely depends on the distance ofthe move and the consumer'sknowledge of the market and otherofferings in the area. Consumers, asa whole, voice favorable opinionsabout affinity relationships. Asatisfied customer, who availed thebenefits, praised the level of service.The customer felt free to comparehis benefits with the others as well.In fact, in that case, he/she woulduse the service again, even if norebates were offered.Consumers place high marks onaccountability. Anytime theyneeded information about aproduct, or other pertinent details, itwas provided in a timely manner. Ofcourse, the customer's ability to rate the sales associate afterclosing heightened accountability.Loyalty to the customers:Every brand – new, established, rising, or mature – urgentlyseeks to “own” a select set of customers be it goodcustomers, high-worth customers and, most importantly,customers prone to bonding and creating loyalty.But not all customers will bond. Achieving this requirescreating a relationship that “connects” – one that stimulatesgenuine interest while forging real and compellingdifferentiation in that customer's mind. In order toaccomplish the goal, the most important aspect is tocement emotional loyalty with the customers. This is thepower-play that affinity marketing affords to savvy brands.How Great Brands Do ItGreat Brands seek to understand their customer's affinities,their respective values and aspirations. They signal theircommitment by crafting and merchandising compellingproducts, services, and experiences – together withevocative imageries, storylines, and ideal distribution – thatengage, connect, and sell. Their goal is to become one withthe affinity, to recognize the affinity, to emulate the affinity,to enhance the sense of community among members, andto project an out-come consistent with the group's values,beliefs, and interest.Great Brands always project and communicate themselvesas an “outcome.” In essence what benefits result from aperson's involvement with the Brand? What is the promise?Benefits of the Loyalty ProgrammeAcquisition ofcustomerRetention ofcustomerCreate profitablecustomersLOYALTYCross sellingRewards toloyal customersMore informationon customersSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 8A study has shown that there are possibly over 30 million species of insectsdwelling in the canopies of tropical forests.

What is the trust? What performance benefits will alwaysbe delivered?Sahaj's way of recognizing its Value CustomersSahaj appreciates the fact that in a country like ours,customers are emotionally connected, sometimes to a veryhigh level, and are often receptive to brand experiences.Sahaj knows that Indian customer, especially thoseconcentrated in the rural parts of the country, do notchange brands frequently: loyalty is imbibed in them. Theyseek value for their money and want more for what theyspend.With affinity marketing as yet another promising service bySahaj, a world of opportunities has been opened for therural customer base, which consists of a population that hashigh aspirations and a strong desire to avail the benefits ofthe modern world.Sahaj's terminology of Affinity Marketing• The programme that rewards customers for makingrepeat purchases.• It may offer prizes, reward points, future discounts andother incentives to attract more customers.• Segmented marketing products and services from anorganization.• Provides greater insights into consumer behavior formeaningful engagement.Objective of the Company• Customer stickiness• Increased Sales Volume / Turnover• Cross Marketing Opportunities• Customer Satisfaction• Customer segmentation MarketingIn all, serving the customer better.New Customer attractionBenefits for the Customer• Free AccidentalDeath InsuranceC o v e r o f₨ 25000.• Opportunity to getP e r s o n a lA c c i d e n t a l /Health / Home /Shop and LifeInsurance for lowpremium.• H a s s l e f r e ei n s u r a n c e a tcompetitive rateright in your village• S p e c i a li n t r o d u c t o r ys c h e m e s f o rmembers for allnew services launchedI am associated with Sahaj rightfrom the beginning and seen itevolving over the years. Then e w a f f i n i t y m a r k e t i n gprogramme introduced byS a h a j h a s b e e n q u i t ewelcoming by the villagers andthe members enrolling for it hasbeen rising with each passingday. Villagers mostly prefer togo with the hospital care policyoffered with this scheme.VLE Name - Santanu KhatuaVLE ID – 1911080900000631Location – MechadaDistrict - Purba Medinipur• Personal intimation on SMS/ Phone/ e-mail about newservices/ offers• Tie-up with retailers, restaurants for additional benefits.The Sahaj Value Card has till date served 3,326 customers.The company has made efforts to bring the best to the citizensof rural India. It makes continuous efforts to know the value ofeach customer so that it can focus its loyalty efforts on thosecustomers.Initially, it focused on freebies that were offered on everyregistration. They were offered a list of free services fromthe organization with an objective of creating good andlong lasting impression.Sahaj started its Affinity Marketing service on 18thOctober, 2011, in West Bengal's Purba Mediniporedistrict as a pilot launch. The occasion was graced by ShriPranab Biswas, Project Director, DRDA, that day itself.The VLEs were quite excited both by the proposition aswell as by the variety of low premium insuranceproducts that were offered through this platform. Just aday after, on 19th October, 2011, Sahaj launched theservice in the Howrah district as well.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 9Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil.

With the boom inretail industry,Affinity Marketinghas emerged asone of the mostimportant tools tob r i n g b r a n d stogether to sharecustomer data andinsight to open upn e w r e v e n u eopportunities. Thenatural advantagethat we at Sahajenjoy is penetration to the last mile and presence ofentrepreneurs at every location in the market. Fromeach entrepreneur point comes a base of “aware”customers – some steady and some floating. The corethought behind launching an Affinity Marketingprogramme for our customers in rural markets was tomake them a special part of the Sahaj family.The next immediate need was of partners. Analyzingthe most dominant need in the markets we serve, wefound that there is a constant need of insuranceproducts, though the awareness levels were not veryhigh. In partnership with Royal Sundaram Alliance, wetook a bold step in introducing off-the-shelf kind ofinsurance policies for our affinity members atpremiums that would hardly seem a pocket pinch.The Sahaj Value Card has performed steadily so far inthe pilot and beta phases having accrued premium ofover 4 lakhs off over 700 members from low ticketGeneral Insurance products in just a few months. Withthe customers now expecting more from their SahajValue Cards, we are constantly looking out forsymbiotic partnerships with manufacturers and serviceproviders who want to make their mark in the ruralmarkets.Mr. Harsh PatnaikSenior Vice President -Business Development &Emerging Businesses.After the successful pilot launch of theservice in West Bengal's two districts, Sahajlaunched the service in Tamil Nadu'sthThiruvannamalai on 20 December, 2011.The service was launched by Dr. Kanta Rao,IAS (Director, Programmes - NeGP). Theservice was subsequently launched inDharmapuri, Krishnagiri and Velloredistricts of Tamil Nadu.The freebies were strategically designedthat resulted in generating a demand forSahaj Value Card. In just 4 months, 3,326customers have already registered for theSahaj Value Card. The customers wereattracted by the relevance of the servicethat Sahaj Value Card was offering. Thesoon to be launched “On the Spot Beema”for the Sahaj Value Card customers offeredby Bajaj Allianz starts from as low as ? 1 aday to help a person stay protected for ayear. With all these in offering, it would notbe wrong to say that, the rural customers inWest Bengal and Tamil Nadu (states whereSahaj Value Card is offered) havepatronized the products that the SahajValue Card offers.Future of Affinity Marketing1. Promotional offer for all new productsto Loyalty Customers2. Communication campaign directed atend customers to earn a Sahaj ValueCard.3. In the second phase, promote steadilyrevenue generating Loyalty Customersto Gold Customers byissuing plastic cards to them.4. Campaigns directed at cross selling tothe Loyalty Customers in the creamlayer.5. Personalized SMS & Service Calls toLoyalty Customers every time theyspend on a service from a SAHAJ CSC.To conclude, the future initiatives of affinitymarketing include: a Pan India launch ofthe benefits to be enjoyed by residents ofthe other states as well, tie-up with moreretail establishment to enable Sahaj ValueCard holders avail special discount onevery purchase and so on...Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 10Over 100 pesticide ingredients are suspected to cause birth defects, cancer,and gene mutations.

Republic day celebration atvarious CSCs in West BengalFlag Hosting Ceremony onRepublic day at a CSC in BiharRepublic day celebration atvarious CSCs in West BengalWe, the people of SahajVLE Pratap Dalai organizes a Republicday parade at Kandarpur, Odisha.People salute the Indian tricolouron the occasion of Republic dayat a CSC in Tamil NaduChildren celebrate Republic day at aCSC in Uttar PradeshThe winner of the Republic day slogancontest being felicitated by Dr. ChandrimaBanerjee, VP, HR, at the Sahaj HOThe first runners up of the Republicday slogan contest being felicitated byMr. Afaq Shah at the Sahaj HOSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 11Atlantic salmon can jump as high as 4.5 meters out of the water.

Special CoverageSahaj in association with DPLI launchesBima Jagrukta Abhiyaan for rural IndiaA study commissioned by the United NationsDevelopment Programme states that 90 per cent of theIndian population – some 950 million people are not underany kind of insurance cover.Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited in association with DLFPramerica Life Insurance Company Limited (DPLI)organized the Bima Jagrukta Abhijan to create an awarnessamongst the rural citizens of the country on the role ofinsurance in their lives for financial independence in caseof unforeseen events. A mobile van will extensively touraround the villages, educating and sensitising the villagerson the importance of life protection plans. The campaignaims to empower Sahaj Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs)with a comprehensive business proposition on one handand fulfilling the societal needs on the other.The campaign includes mass communication in strategiclocations of the VLEs, pre-publicity in the villages invitingimportant personality as endorsers, a make-believe wishtree -'Kalpavriksha', where people are asked to write theirwish and paste on. There are interactive games andactivities to engage and associate the villagers with thiscampaign. The various benefits of insurance arehighlighted through these interesting initiatives which arefollowed by a Q&A session and gifts will be distributed tothe winners of the activities.Mr. Manoj Agarwal, VP, Financial Services, Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited, commented, “90 per cent of our country'spopulation is either uninsured or underinsured, especiallythe rural population. Our aim through this campaign is tohelp them understand how protection and wealth creationthrough insurance can turn their children's dreams intoTalc is the softest of all minerals found on Earth. It iscommonly used to make talcum powder.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 12

eality. The campaign also focuses on re-establishing VLEstature in the Village by setting up of Kalpavriksha, wherestudents were invited to put forward their individual wishesand paste them on the tree. They had paintingcompetition, debate, etc and their parents were alsoinvited and informed of their child's wish, and how thosewishes could be realized through an insurancesubscription. The campaign also targets to position DLFPramerica Life Insurance as a Protection Partner to all thoserural people residing in these villages. We would continueto do such meaningful events in the rural areas and try tobring awareness on financial literacy with various productofferings.”stThe event was flagged off in West Bengal on the 1 ofFebruary, 2012, by Mr. Sanjay Panigrahi, CEO, Srei Sahaj e-Village Ltd., in the presence of Mr. Manoj Agarwal, VP,Financial Service, Mr. Harsh Patnaik, SVP, BusinessDevelopment (CUPS) and Emerging Businesses and Mr.Nayan Goswami, AVP and Relationship Head, DPLI.thIn Assam, the programme was launched on the 6 ofFebruary 2012. The mobile van along with its crew createda great deal of enthusiasm amongst the employees andVLEs and raised curiosity amongst the citizens. A hoard ofpeople was making a beeline everyday to the streets fromwhere the van is passing to watch and participate in theactivities being conducted during the Abhijan. The Abhijancommenced from Goreswar, in the Baksa district of Assamand was complete its journey at Kakopathar, in the Tinsukiathdistrict of Assam on the 8 of April 2012. During these 60days of fun filled activities the mobile van will cover 50 VLEsand 100 locations.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 13Lake Baikal in the south central part of Siberia is the deepest lake in the world with a depth of 5,712 feet(1.7 kilometers). It's about 20 million years old and contains 20 per cent of Earth's fresh liquid water.

In case of Odisha, during its 60 days journey the van waspass through 16 districts and 200 Gram Panchayats. TheAbhijan commenced from the Sambalpur and SonepurDistrict of Odisha in two units on the 6th of February 2012and will terminate at (Unit I)Koraput District on the 5th ofApril 2012, and (Unit II) Cuttack District on 3rd of April2012. A lot of enthusiasm could be seen among the VLEsand the participants during the various events. Everyone ishopeful that the initiative will garner more pace and fervorin days to come.In West Bengal, the five districts to be covered includeMaldah, Murshidabad, Nadia, Howrah and Burdwan.There have been limited efforts to know and betterunderstand poor people's mechanisms for coping up withrisks. This Abhiyan, therefore, aims to exactly understandthese issues. It helped the common people even a laymanto understand the need of insurance and why it is requiredfor them. VLEs were quite excited on this promotionalactivity as they can encash the new prospects for theirfuture financial benefits.The VLEs are positive about organizing more suchpromotional events in the near future.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 14Already over half of the world's tropical forests have been lost.

Sahaj participates at the prestigious15th National e-Governance ConferenceThe 15th Nationale - g o v e r n a n c eConference was heldon the 10th of February,2012, at Bhubaneswar,O d i s h a . T h ep r o g r a m m e w a sinaugurated by theh o n o u r a b l e C h i e fMinister of Odisha,Mr Naveen Pattnaik.Also present at theoccasion were eminentministers like Mr SachinPi l o t , M i n i s t e r o fInformation Technologyand Communicationsa n d M r . V .N a r a n y a n s w a m y,Parliamentary AffairsMinister,.Six of our Village LevelEntrepreneurs wereSahaj Triumphfelicitated at the event by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India, for theirexcellent performance based on Maximum Up Time on OMT and maximum transactions between the period of 1st July2011 31st December 2011.The event drew a lot of attention from the e-GovernanceCommunity and the IT sector. Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited, aparticipant in the conference is mandated to roll out 2,566 CommonService Centre in the three zones of Odisha to provide the people aone stop solution for different B2C and G2C services. The vision ofthe company and the initiatives taken to bridge the digital gapbetween the urban and the rural population was showcased in thestalls put up by them at the venue. While interacting with the visitingdelegates, the company expressed their hope that this conferencewill help them in expediting the process of delivering more and morePublic Services to the rural masses through the IT enabled CSCplatform.Earth is 2/3 water, but all the fresh water streams onlyrepresent one hundredth of one per cent.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 15

Feature StoryThe retail evolution of India andthe changing consumer data baseAs the Indian economy is growing ata decent pace in all sectors, metrosand other tier-I cities are inundatedwith huge investments both inindustrial and service sectors. Retailmarket is also taking its share ofbenefits. The Indian retail sector isthe fifth largest global retaildestination. The share of retail inIndia's GDP is a mind boggling 22 percent with 8 per cent share of the totalemployment in the country.Retailing in India is at an inflectionpoint, poised for significant growth.Burgeoning middle and uppermiddle classes with growingspending powers, coupled with proliferation of domestic and international brands, have propelled the retail growth in thecountry over the past few years. The spectacular growth in top cities has infused confidence in local and internationalplayers to expand into newer markets and capture a larger base of consumers in the country. The continued stellarperformance of the Indian economy with increasing urbanisation is pushing organised retailing deeper into the country.There is much written about the Indian middle class, relatively younger and English speaking population that is the focus ofmost India-related business strategies for a number of firms across sectors. All these factors point to development and ascaling up of quality of life. What makes the picture near perfect is the likelihood that this growth is going to be more evenlyspread than ever before and will certainly not be concentrated and restricted to the tier I or the metro cities.If the media is anything to go by, most of the development isexpected in the tier II and III cities, which is really where theteaming Indian middle class lives. So buckle up and getready to take off on a trip to the “real” India.With the growing purchasing power in combination with thenational and international brands pouring in, retail markethas received an impetus to grow at large in the country.Trends are showing that after establishing their niche in thetier I cities, these national and international retail brands aretreading on to tier II and tier III cities to tap the opportunities.With the opening up of FDI, more international brands aregoing to make a beeline for such non-metros. After focusingand pioneering in the metro cities and other tier I cities, thebig brands like Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop, Tommy Hilfiger,Giovanni, Gili, Metro Shoes, etc are leveraging on otherlocations to expand their consumer base. The other majorfactors luring these top retailers to forge into the interiorsinclude- low real estate cost, less competition, and packagefrom the government to develop these areas.A snapshot of a few non-metrosChandigarh: Highest number of cars per person.Per capita expenditure of its target income groupor TIG (number of households with income ofmore than ? 5,00,000) is second only to Vadodara.High retail penetration.Surat: The heart of the Indian diamond industry. Avery young population thanks to large-scalemigration. Sixth in mall space per capita.Nagpur: Ninth most populous city in India andhence home to the ninth smost households.Lucknow: The second highest proportion ofthgraduates after Kolkata. Lucknow ranks 16 on percapita expenditure of TIG.Ludhiana: Ranks high on consumerism. Highermigration rate will keep its retail spaces buzzing.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 16More than anything else, rainforest is destroyed by peasant farmers.

Tier II and tier III cities are gaining momentum at arapid pace and it makes sense to increase the brandvisibility in these cities,” says Shawn D Cutinha,Head Retail, Tommy Hilfiger in an interview.“Our prior expansions in Tier II and III cities havebeen very successful and profitable considering ahost of factors. First is the availability of primelocations for retail at reasonable prices. Second, isthe brand conscious consumer; who is ready to payfor quality and style. Third, is the lack ofcompetition, thereby, providing us a greater share ofthe pie as well as an early mover advantage,” assertsFarah Malik Bhanji, Executive Director, MetroShoes Limited.With the aim to capture the customer base to themaximum, retailers do the complete recee of thelocations in the cities, which play an important role to start up the business. The retailers keep the account of major statisticslike total population, catchment area, details of the near-by shops etc. As Cutinha clarifies “We conduct stringent survey ofthe city before opening our outlet in the area. We consider emphasize on high footfall, high streets etc.”The marketing strategies are also playing a vital role to create awareness among the customers. Standardized marketingstrategies are employed in general by major brands with some differences depending on the specific region. Since tier II andtier III cities carry immense potential due to the heavy real estate development, the top brands are finding them to be thefavorable regions to invest heavily and expect fruitful returns. In the coming times, investors would fetch multiplier effect forthe money invested in these regions, further making these markets lucrative.The Tier II cities are driven by public and private industries ranging from software services and financial services toeducation and manufacturing to trading and small-scale industries are poised to witness the multiplier effect of the retailrevolution. And that suits real estate developers. Of the 700 upcoming malls in India, almost 40 per cent will come up in tierII and III cities, which also account for large chunk of the approximate new retail supply of 20 million square feet a year.The consumer demographics and socio-economic profile of some of these Tier II and Tier III cities is quite encouraging.Many of them are seeing an increasing proportion of young, income-generating population and growing per capitahousehold incomes.In some cities like Guwahati, growth in organised shoppingspaces has taken place only over the last couple of years. Today,more and more retail brands are entering these cities, with BigBazaar, Pantaloon, Westside and Levi's having paved the way.Finally, growth will happen in phases. All tier II and tier III citiesare not at par in terms of demand and growth drivers and thereexists a great deal of variation in the purchasing power andaffluence level of these markets. Nevertheless, we are nowlooking at a new age in Indian retail, where enormousopportunities in smaller towns will open up and new retailconcepts will evolve in the new retail landscape of India.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 17Large areas of South and Central America are cleared and burned for cattle ranching.This is so that farmers can provide cheap beef to consumers in the West.

Capacity Building's Diary“The Art of Making Money- enKASH it!!!”It has often been said that cash is king.Usually when someone utters those words it is because theythink money moves mountains. Money doesn't movemountains, people do…people with KASH. What is KASHand how do you get it? KASH is Knowledge -Attitude -Skills-Habits.Knowledge: Knowledge is what you know. Peak Performersknow what it takes to win. Knowledge, however, is highlyoverrated. The difference between peak performers andunder-performers is the methods through which, peakperformers SKILLFULLY IMPLEMENT more of what theyknow. Knowledge without activity doesn't make a difference.The second AND MOST CRITICAL ingredient to the KASHmodel of success is Attitude. Attitude isn't about “good” or“bad,” but it describes how an employee thinks. Peakperformers think alike. They have the same attitudes andoutlooks about their customers, products and services, thestakeholders, and their future as other peak performers.Actions drive results. Underperformers typically have thesame self-limiting beliefs as other underperformers.The third ingredient to the KASH model of success is Skill. In order for employees to win, they must exhibit polished onthe-jobbehaviors. However, sadly many employees do not conduct enough skills training. They knowingly orunknowingly expect others to acquire the necessary skills on their own through trial and error. Some think “practicemakes perfect.” Skillful employeesunderstand “practice makespermanent,” only perfect practicemakes perfect.The last ingredient is Habit. Peakperformers spend a large percentageof their day engaged in the activitieswhich produce the greatest results.Underperformers spend most oftheir day engaged in meaninglessbusywork which doesn't make adifference. The main obstacle inacquiring KASH is that newemployees don't know what theydon't know. To overcome theseobstacles new employees need tosurround themselves with peoplewho already have the necessaryKASH and know how to spend it.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 18The world's per capita grain production has been on the downfall sinceAlready over half of the world's tropical forests have been lost.1985 despite the use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Customer Connect at Melamati CSC, JorhatA customer connect meet was conducted in Jorhat district on 19thFebruary, 2012. VLE, Kushal Handique and the Sahaj Assam Teamhad arranged the meet in association with DPLI and the Lions Club.A drawing competition for school children and an awarenessprogramme on environment followed by followed by planting ofsaplings was conducted. The total participant along with studentwas 150 people.The programme started with the students gathering at the PranabSaikia Jatiya Vidyalaya which was followed by planting of saplings bymember of Lions Club, Jorhat Dissoi Valley and the participatingstudents. This was followed by an awareness programme onenvironmental conservation. The Honourable President of theLions Club of the Jorhat Dissoi Valley, briefed the students about the good effects of environmental conservation.Mr. Ratan Dutta, Zonal Manager, East Zone and Mr. Spandan Barthakur, Capacity Building Manager, East Zone, fromSahaj distributed gifts to the winners of the drawing competition as well as to all the participants. An awarenessprogramme about Srei Sahaj e-Village Limited, its products and services was also organized.The audiences were thoroughly enthralled by the event. Team Assam has really done a commendable job inorganizing such programmes that is sure to boost the morale of the VLEs.State Coffer : AssamThe story oftwo brothers who saw without sightChess Champions.Completely blind since birth, Prachurya and Soundarya didn't let it affecttheir passion. Despite suffering from congenital blindness the brothers hadthe urge to learn Chess and by the age of four, they had developed the skill.Their blindness hasn't prevented them from accomplishing their goals.Both the brothers had their share of frustrations too; they just had to keeppracticing. It took long before they mastered the skill perfectly. But the twobrothers finally made it. It's a big accomplishment. Being blind andachieving such feats is truly magnificent. At the age of 14 years and 12years, the two brothers have achieved great milestones.When we hear the word “Chess”, the things that automaticallycomes to our mind is the careful moves, the calculation, thestrategy to checkmate the King and much more! In short, thegame is all about tactics and strategies. But imagine playing thegame in complete darkness!This is how Prachurya Kumar Pradhan and Soundarya KumarPradhan, two brothers from Odisha's Nawapara district play thegame of Chess. “I see and understand the game by feeling thechess board, hearing the moves of the other side and stuffs likethat,” said Prachurya. Today, both the brothers are National LevelState Coffer : OdishaSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 19Madagascar is the home to a rainforest where 60 percent of it's12,000 different plant species are unique to that island.

Travellers' DelightThe ethereal beauty of the desert citadel,The golden city - Jaisalmertogether leave a lasting impression on the visitors.Jaisalmer FortThe magic of vibrant Rajasthan - its heritage, culture, safaris, sanddunes, lush forests and wildlife-makes it destination nonpareil.Located just 575 kilometres west from the state capital Jaipur andright in the heart of the Thar Desert, stands the Golden City on aridge of yellowish sandstone. The name Jaisalmer itself evokes theutter magic and vibrancy of the desert. It's straight out of anArabian Nights fable. The hostile terrain notwithstanding thewarmth and colour of people is simply overwhelming. Feast youreyes on the spectacular sand dunes or just sit back and relax.Ages have gone by and the monuments of Jaisalmer havewithstood the buffeting winds of the desert all through. Jaisalmer isa paragon of beautiful culture and harsh climatic conditions; thesethOne of the main draws of the city is the daunting 12 century Jaisalmer Fort. Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal,Jaisalmer Fort is situated on Trikuta Hill and had been the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawnylion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. Famous film director Satyajit Ray wrote adetective novel and later turned it into a film Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. TheJaisalmer fort, known as Sonar Quila or the Golden Fort, rises from the sand and merges with the golden hues of thedesert ambience. The setting sun in its most colourful shades gives it a fairy tale appearance. It is simply magical as thebastions envelop a whole township that consists of the palace complex, the intricately carved havelis of rich merchants,several temples and the residential complexes of the armies and traders placed strategically on the trade route. It is anarchitectural purity that cannot be seen elsewhere. The desert citadel is truly a golden fantasy in the Thar Desert.Government MuseumEstablished by the Department of Archeology and Museum, it is another prime attraction for the visitors to Jaisalmer. Thetrophy of the state bird Godawan - the great Indian bustard, is the most eye catching spot. Traditional house-hold items,th throck-cut crockery and jewellery recreate the atmosphere of a by-gone era. A look at the statues of 7 -9 century ADcreates a scenario of rich cultural heritage of the time.Deewan Nathmal Ji Ki HavelithTwo architect brothers built it in the 19 century. Interestingly, while one concentrated on the right, the otherconcentrated on the left and the result is a symphony epitomizing the side-by-side symmetry during construction.Paintings in miniature style monopolize the walls in the interior. Mighty tuskers carved out of yellow sandstone standguard to the haveli. It is a private property.Deewan Salim Singh Ki HavelithThis haveli is actually worth seeing from outside only. It was built in the first half of the 18 century and a part of it is stilloccupied. The mansion has a beautifully arched roof with superb carved brackets in the form of peacocks. It is said thatonce it had two additional wooden storeys in an attempt to make it as high as the Maharaja's palace, but the Maharajahad the upper storey demolished.Patwon-Ki-HaveliA group of apartments, this is one of the largest and most elaborate of Havelis in Jaisalmer and stands in a narrow lane. Itis five storey high and is extensively carved. A part of this beautiful building is owned by the Department of Archaeologyand Museum. There are remnants of some paintings on the walls inside as well as some mirror work. This has been thestar attraction of JaisalmerMandir Palace(Badal Mahal)The delicate pagoda like Tazia Tower rises from Badal Mahal (Cloud Palace). Rising in its five-tiered splendour, with eachWhen you visit a pharmacist, one in every fourpurchases will have come from a tropical forest.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 20

storey graced by a delicatelycarved balcony, the tower isof historical significance.Muslim craftsmen built it inthe shape of a Tazia assymbol of their religion inthe town for royal patrons.Desert national parkThe Desert National Park isan excellent example of theeco-system of the TharDesert and its rich fauna.The Sudashri forest post isthe most ideal place forobserving wildlife in theDesert National Park. Sanddunes form less than 20 percent of the park, whichconsists of craggy rocks,pavements and compactsalt lake bottoms, intermedialareas and fixeddunes.Gadsisar LakethThis is a rain water conservation lake built by Maharawal Gadsi in the 14 century. It was once the main source of drinkingwater for the entire town of Jaisalmer. Now a tourist spot, there are many small temples and shrines around it. A widevariety of water birds can be seen here especially during the winters.Sam Sand Dunes and Camel RideDesert Festival, JaisalmerOnce a year during the month ofJanuary or February in the middle ofthe continually rising and falling starkyellow sands of the great TharDesert, the empty sands aroundJaisalmer come alive with thebrilliant colour, music and laughterof the Desert Festival. The festival isorganized by the Department ofTourism. The rich and colourfulRajasthani folk culture is on showhere for three days. Men andwomen dressed in their bright costumes dance and sing lingering ballads of valour, romanceand tragedy. Traditional musicians attempt to outdo each other in their musical superiority.The high points of the festival are - puppeteers, acrobats, camel tattoo show, camel races,camel polo, traditional procession, camel mounted band, folk dances, etc. Proud mustachedvillagers, dressed in their ethnic best come astride their picturesquely caparisoned camels tojoin in the camel dances and competitions of camel acrobatics. Tug of war and Panihari Matkarace are the events where visitors to the fair can participate and enjoy the thrill and taste oftraditions.The turban tying competitions are big draws.Some 45 kilometers towards the west of the Jaisalmer city are located the barren yet beautiful shifting sand dunesadjoining the village Sam. Here one can have a ride on camel the ship of desert in the desert sea. Beautiful folk dancersenrich the visitor's experience with traditional flavour of joy.

Sahaj SuswasthyaCandy-coated delights - a treat ora forbidden enticement?Diabetes is a diseasethat has ruined the livesof many people andforced them to lead acompromised lifestyle.It can lead to manycomplications in laterlife, such as diabeticretinopathy, diabeticneuropathy, diabeticn e p h r o p a t h y ,glaucoma, etc. As thenumber of diabeticcases continues to rise,it could soon becomeone of the highestcauses of death in theworld.Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But yourefforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious even life-threatening complications.While there are effective medications to treat diabetes, the best way to avoid diabetes is to bring about some not-sodifficultlifestyle modifications. Not everything, it seems, needs to be treated with a pill. New research suggests thatwhen it comes to lowering your risk of diabetes, the more changes you make to your diet and lifestyle, the better.Once you realize you are pre-diabetic (having slightly elevated blood sugar levels) or if you have a family history ofdiabetes, it is time to take positive action to prevent diabetes. Here are a few tips to get you started:Weight managementObesity is ranked as the highest risk factor for diabetes, so strive to maintain a healthy weight. According to an estimatefor every 20 per cent increase in your weight over desirable body weight, the chances to develop diabetes doubles.Experts are of the opinion that losing even 5 per centof weight will tip the scale in your favour towardsprevention of diabetes. Therefore, follow a strict dietchart and a regular exercise routine that can bringdown your weight and help you maintain it.Active lifestyleA sedentary lifestyle increases your chances of gettingdiabetes manifold. Get physically active andstrengthen your body for utilizing the hormone insulinmore efficiently. Increasing your daily levels ofphysical activity can go a long way in preventing theonset of diabetes.Avoid red meats and processed meatsThe cholesterol content in these can put you at ahigher risk of developing diabetes. A study conductedat a hospital found that women who ate red meatdaily were at 29 per cent higher risk of developingdiabetes compared to women who ate less than onceHomeowners use up to 10 times more toxic chemicalsper acre than farmers.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 22

a week. Similarly, eating processed foods like salami,bacon, sausage, nuggets, ham and meat balls raised therisk by 43 per cent.Cinnamon powderScientists believe that compounds present in cinnamonpowder can activate the enzyme that stimulates insulinreceptors. Cinnamon also helps in loweringcholesterol, triglycerides, and fats present in the blood,thus, lowering the risk of developing diabetes.Enjoy caffeineAbout 4 to 5 cups of coffee intake has actually shown toreduce the risk of diabetes by as much as 29 per cent.Scientists are of the opinion that caffeine may helpboost the metabolism. Also, caffeine containsantioxidants, potassium, and magnesium that help with the absorption of sugar by the cells.Stress managementStress is a major contributor of high blood sugar levels apart from raising your heart beat and respiratory rates preparingyour body for the fight-or-flight mode.To take control, set limits. Prioritize your tasks. Teach your body to relax throughout the day irrespective of what activitiesyou are engaging in. Teach yourself some stress management techniques like yoga or meditation and start your day withthese. Practice deep breathing techniques whenever you find yourself a little stressed. Get plenty of sleep. When thisbecomes a way of life, you can prevent the onset of diabetes.Low carb dietIt is a well known fact that high carbohydrate intake is contraindicated for people who have diabetes. Now, researchindicates that high carbohydrate intake can put pre-diabetics at an increased risk of developing diabetes as well. In orderto prevent diabetes, go slow on carbohydrate foods.Ditch fast foodFast foods contain refined carbohydrates, excess sugar and salt, and trans-fats, hence regular intake could 'fast-track' youinto the 'danger-zone.' Keep an 'emergency hunger pack' of nuts or fruits rather than stop at one of the fast-food jointswhen hunger strikes.Add fiberEnrich your diet with high-fiber foods. Avoid or reduce foods that have refined flours considerably. While shopping, lookout for terms like 'high fiber' and 'whole grains.' Include brown rice, unrefined wheat products, barley, oats, etc. Opt forwhole wheat bread.Exercise your way to healthA Finnish study found that people who exercised for about 35 minutes a day had 80 per cent less risk of developingdiabetes compared to who did not. Experts are of the opinion that exercise helps increase the number of insulin receptorsin the cells, thereby, enabling them to utilize the hormone insulin more efficiently and helping the blood sugar move intocells.Everyone who is above 45 years of age, and youngsters who have a family history of diabetes, should have once in 2 yearsblood sugar levels tested, so that you can take precautionary measures aggressively if you happen to fall in the pre-diabetescategory.Above all, stay positive. Diabetes care is within your control. If you are willing to do your part, diabetes won't stand in theway of an active, healthy life.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 23A study has shown that there are possibly over 30 million speciesof insects dwelling in the canopies of tropical forests.

Fun FundaaCrossword1 2 34 5 689 1011 127Across1 Air-filled liquid globule (6)4 Noise as of mouse (6)9 Important town (7)10 Warwickshire forest (5)11 Did little or nothing (5)12 All come (anag) —Down1 It carries wound yarn (6)2 Girl’s name (5)3 Wash (clothes or money)(7)5 Game bird — cower (5)6 Belonging to a particular13purgative (7)area (7)13 141516 1718 19 20 21222313 Part of warship used byofficers (11)18 Thane of Fife (7)20 Greek letter (5)22 Piece of paper, linen, orwater (5)23 Efface (7)7 Set alight (6)8 What poultry get! (7,4)14 (Ritually) tainted (7)15 Receptacle for use withhand brush (7)16 Entertained (6)17 Cheerfulness —Solution at page no 2924 Hang provocatively (6)merrymaking (6)24 2525 Difficult to unravel (6)19 Up to the time when (5)21 French writer, Jean,d. 1986 (5)Events initiated by Capacity BuildingLaunch of Affinity Marketing in Dharmapuri, Tamil NaduTraining for sale of SRM University admission form inDharmapuriCustomer Connect Meet in Ternamallur PACS ofTV Malai districtTraining for sale of SRM University admission form inTV MalaiSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 24The uncontrolled fishing that is allowed has reduced the amount ofcommercial species. Some species, up to one-tenth of their original population.

MLA Surendra Prasad Sinha inaugurates a Sahaj CSCin Gaya, BiharDuring a Sports and Cultural Programme in West BengalSahaj ScapeCEO addressing the audience during Master VLE BandhanA Master VLE questioning on of the HoDs during theMaster VLE Bandhan at the Sahaj H.O.Dr. Jayanta Madhab, Former Economic Advisor toGovernment of Assam, visits Assam State Head OfficeTata AIG Claim settlement in Nuapada, OdishaSaraswati Puja celebrations at aSahaj Common Service Centre in West BengalTableau presentation on the occasion of the63rd Republic Day in Bihar.

Chicken kali mirch is a hot non-vegetarian dish. The dishis suitable for any grand occasion and not to forget, agood antidote for anyone suffering from cold and flu.Cooking time: 20 minsPreparation time: 15 minsServes: 4Ingredients:Chicken ½ kgOil 2 tablespoonsRed chilly powder - 1 tablespoonCoriander powder - 1 tablespoonTurmeric powder ¼ teaspoonBlack pepper powder - 1 teaspoonGaram masala powder ½ teaspoonGinger paste - 1 tablespoonGarlic paste - 1 tablespoonGladden your taste budsChicken Kali MirchOnion (chopped) - 2Khus khus or poppy seeds 1 teaspoonCashew nuts (soaked) 25gramsTomatoes (chopped) 2Coriander leavesSalt to tasteMethod:•Boil khus khus and chopped onion in a cup of water.•Grind the combination of soaked cashew nuts, boiledonion and khus khus to make a paste. Keep the pasteaside.•Also mix a part of the coriander leaves, tomatoes andblack pepper powder and grind the mixture to a finepaste. Keep this paste aside as well.•Heat oil in a pan. Add rest of the coriander leaves,turmeric powder and red chilly powder and sauté untilthe rawness vanishes.•Then add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for sometime.•Add the chicken pieces and sauté for 5 minutes.•Then add ½ cup of water in the pan, cover and cook.•When the chicken becomes a little tender, add garammasala, the onion khus khus paste and cook on a lowflame.•In another pan, heat oil, add the tomato coriander pasteand sauté for sometime.•When oil leaves the side of the pan, pour the cookedchicken along with the gravy into the pan and mix well.•Your chicken kali mirch is ready to serve.Serving instructions: Serve piping hot with rice, pulao orparatha. and black pepper powder and grind the mixtureto a fine paste. Keep this paste aside as well.•Heat oil in a pan. Add rest of the coriander leaves,turmeric powder and red chilly powder and sauté untilthe rawness vanishes.•Then add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for sometime.•Add the chicken pieces and sauté for 5 minutes.•Then add ½ cup of water in the pan, cover and cook.•When the chicken becomes a little tender, add garammasala, the onion khus khus paste and cook on a lowflame.•In another pan, heat oil, add the tomato coriander pasteand sauté for sometime.•When oil leaves the side of the pan, pour the cookedchicken along with the gravy into the pan and mix well.•Your chicken kali mirch is ready to serve.Serving instructions: Serve piping hot with rice, pulao orparatha.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 26More than anything else, rainforest is destroyed by peasant farmers.

Prediction of the monthAries (March 21-April 20): Communications from friendsand relatives stuff your mail boxes this month. Short trips canbe fun and functional and you'll make many. Try to avoid aconfrontation with a sibling on the 12th. You'll see you'reown worst habits in this person and you may not like whatyou see. Time to make some changes. A nagging homeproblem will hang like a sword over your head until the 24thof the month. Fixing the problem until then will only make itworse so wait until then to make a move on it.Taurus (April 21-May 21): You cash situation looks great thismonth. The money could be just pouring in. If there is aproblem with this it will most likely occur on the 20th when aromantic interest or a child could make an outlandishdemand for cash that you may well regret saying YESto. Also this month you may find yourself holdingyour tongue regarding something you knowabout, but are afraid to say.Gemini (May 23-June 20): The Sun andVenus are in your 1st House of Self at thistime giving you vitality and beauty toattract the opposite sex. Mercury will passthrough this house as well this month andyou'll most like hear about how great youlook. Pay close attention on the 12th, whenmeaningful relationship issues may require youto make personal changes for your partner.Cancer (June 21-July 20): This is a month to slow down andjust take it easy. Part of you will want to go and the other partwill want to stay and be still. It's a tough call; just remembernot to over commit on the job or to your friends. You'll feelmore like socializing after the 24th. Avoid an argument thismonth with a sibling. Pay attention to your health cues allmonth. A romance on the job could be taxing you in waysyou're unaware of and it could make you upset.Leo (July 21-Aug. 22): It could be safe to say that your friendscould be planning ways to ruin your love life this month as aprank. Or it could be the other way around. Either way, beaware that there will be friction. You could also be feelingsome restrictions that rub you the wrong way, too. Patienceis a virtue. Don't go ballistic until you have all the facts. Afterthe 24th, it would be a good time for you to find a solitaryoutlet for you energies.Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Much is happening in your careersector this month. You could be the shining employee of themonth and it may surprise you. Look for ways to improveyou current career situation and put those plans into actionaround the middle of March. Learning to say No, as well asYes, to your friends will be the people exercise you learn thismonth.Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your vacation takes center stage thismonth. Try to go before the 11th or after the 13th when pressurecould come from your employer to stay on the 12th. Your careerand job will still be there when you get back. There could also beinteresting news regarding your position when you do get back.That information will set the tone for the remainder of themonth. Changes will test your resolve but also allow you tocontribute to your future wherever you are employed.Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Jointly held assets are the center ofattention for you this month. Changes and decisions will requiresome deep thought and major commitment on your part. Onething will be assured; the 12th will have the truth about theseassets revealed for better or worse. These changes in fortunecould have you looking for greener pastures at a distance. Somewill appeal, some won't. Best not to make anydecision until the 24th when Mars moves out ofyour House of Distant Matters and enters yourHouse of Career.Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 20): Yourcommitted relationship boat sails on quietseas this month until the 12th. On that dayyou both become mirrors for each other'sbehavior and you may not like the view.Personal changes may be necessary tomaintain that relationship past that day. Strongones will weather the storm, weak ones will not.This will be for the best. There could be major issuesover jointly held assets as well.Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 20): The job scene is popping withexcitement this month. New challenges and opportunities couldbe right around the corner. If you have any suggestions, writethem down and hand them in to the boss. They'll be wellreceived. A long-term relationship issue could require yourattention this month, as well. Patience is the answer as you workthrough the problems. The pressure is relieved towards the endof the month.Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 18): Your romantic life is going to be awhirlwind this month. Avoid a major confrontation of the 12th,but take notes for later. There may be clues all month that don'tset right and those hard questions may need to be asked of yourlover before month's end. Employment issues have you torn intwo directions this month.Pisces (Feb. 18-March 20): The home front could have youpicking colors and fabrics for a redo. This is an excellent time forhome improvement projects, inside or out. Ideas seem to flow induring the last three weeks of the month. Be careful on the 12thnot to neglect your career, as there could be some fallout there. Aromantic partner could be giving you mixed signals all month. Bepatient and wait this person out until the 24th. The reason for thisflip-flop maneuvering will be revealed after that date.Source: www.ehoroscope2012.netHoroscopeWhen you visit a pharmacist, one in every fourpurchases will have come from a tropical forest.Sahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 27

Chaakri.co.in : List of Job VacanciesSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 28Earth is 2/3 water, but all the fresh water streams onlyrepresent one hundredth of one percent.

Business Trivia• The Swedish retailer who has decided not toenter India because of the 30 per cent sourcingnorm is Ikea• After meeting Mickey Mouse, President Obamasaid, “Happy to meet a world leader who has anear bigger than mine.”• The major data sharing site on the net that hasshut down after its founder was arrested isMegaUpload• The new owner of the men's hair cream brandBrylcream that changed hands in India fromGodrej Sara Lee recently is Hindustan UnileverLimited.• Moheet Nagrath, an Indian from Hyderabad,heads the Global HR of the famous MNC giantProctor and Gamble.SolutionsCrossword SolutionB U B B L E S Q U E A KO E A C U N IB O R O U G H A R D E NB Y N I I E DI D L E D C A L O M E L13N E K I EQ U A R T E R D E C KA N N U GM A C D U F F S I G M AU L N E T E IS H E E T E X P U N G EE A I D A E TD A N G L E K N O T T YSahaj Setu • March 2012 • Page 29Each year billions of used batteries are thrown away in the United States. This constitutes88 per cent of the mercury and 54 per cent of the cadmium deposited into our landfills.