india e-newsletter

ISSUE NO. 1 ; Vol. XXV Website: http://www.indembassysuriname.com/ August 2011

E-Newsletter of the Embassy of India, Paramaribo

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Prez stresses on credibility

of Parliament Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 14 In her address to the nation on the eve of the 65th Independence Day, the President Pratibha Devisingh Patil said there should be no effort consciously or unconsciously to erode the authority and credibility of institutions like Parliament. She, however, stressed upon the need for eradicating corruption in the country. The President, while pointing out that Parliament represented people from all parts of the country and a broad spectrum of political thought, said: Its legislation is an outcome of collective thinking and application of minds. Many path-breaking laws have been

made by Parliament of our country. New laws will also be formulated by legislative bodies. There can be discussions, debates, discourses among the people of the country for public opinion to emerge, which is an essential input in a true democracy. She was of the view that opinions should be voiced through elected representatives for formulation of necessary legislation and we should not forget that we have to preserve the democratic values of our country and, for this, healthy conventions of parliamentary procedures should be upheld. The government, Parliament, judiciary and society at large should ponder about this, she said while suggesting that it would require preventive and punitive measures as well as adoption of rational approaches. The President said the countrys Constitution had served well. The institutions created by it -- the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary -- have been stable and have achieved much. The separation of powers, the elaborate system of checks and balances, have given our country a governance structure in which equilibrium is maintained, when every institution respects the field of responsibility of the others. Text of the Presidents Address to the Nation.

PM's Independence Day speech at Red Fort The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressed the nation today from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of the 64th Anniversary of Independence of the country. Following is the English rendering of the Prime Minister Speech: My dear countrymen, I heartily greet 120 crore Indians on the 64th anniversary of our independence. I have been addressing you from the historic Red Fort for the last seven years. In these seven years, our country has achieved much. During this period, we have travelled rapidly on the path of development and have seen success in many areas. However, I am also well aware that a lot remains to be done. We have to banish poverty and illiteracy from our country. We have to provide the common man with access to improved health services. We have to provide employment opportunities to each one of our youth. The road ahead is long and arduous. Particularly, the prevailing situation both inside and outside the country is such that if we do not act with understanding and restraint, our security and prosperity can get adversely affected. The world economy is slowing down. The developed countries especially America and countries of Western Europe are facing economic problems. There is unrest in many Arab countries of the Middle East. There are some people who want to create disturbances in the country so that our progress gets stalled. All this can have a negative impact on us. But we will not let this happen. I know that if we work together, we can face any challenge. However, it is necessary that we rise above personal or political interests and build consensus on issues of vital national importance. We are building the edifice of modern India on the foundation of the hard work and sacrifices of our soldiers, our farmers and our workers. We will not let their hard work and sacrifices go waste. We will convert the dreams of our freedom fighters into reality. In the last seven years, our government has strived for political stability and social and economic progress. We have established an environment of communal harmony in the country. In these seven years, the pace of our economic development has been rapid. We have achieved this success

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News about India

Report: Two Indians

amongst Magsaysay

Awardees

Economy &

Investment

Doing Business with

India Sectoral Profile

Tourism in India: Key

Potential and Opportunities

Feature: Inland

Fisheries and Aquaculture

in India

ICC Events

News in Hindi

Trade Enquiries

Bharat Darshan


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despite the global economic slow-down of 2008 and rising prices of energy and commodities in world markets. We have strived for reducing inequalities in the country. In the last seven years, we have taken special care of the needs of our brothers and sisters from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and children. We have enacted laws which would guarantee our people their basic entitlements. After the rights to education, employment and information, we will soon enact a legislation for providing food security to the people. In the last seven years, our relations with various countries of the world have strengthened and deepened. It is only the result of our hard work that today we have much more self respect and self-confidence in ourselves. These successes are not ordinary. Today the world recognizes our potential to be one of the major economic powers globally. But the problem of corruption is a big obstacle in such a transformation. In the last few months many instances of corruption have come to light. In some cases, functionaries of the Central government face allegations of corruption. In other cases, it is the functionaries of various State governments. We are taking the strictest possible action in cases of corruption that have surfaced. These cases are sub-judice and hence I will say nothing more on this subject. It is essential that when we consider these issues, we do not create an atmosphere in which the country's progress comes into question. Any debate on these matters should reflect the confidence that we can overcome these challenges. Corruption manifests itself in many forms. In some instances, funds meant for schemes for the welfare of the common man end up in the pocket of government officials. In some other instances government discretion is used to favour a selected few. There are also cases where government contracts are wrongfully awarded to the wrong people. We cannot let such activities continue unchecked. I believe that there is no single big step which we can take to eradicate corruption. In fact, we will have to act simultaneously on many fronts. We will have to improve our justice delivery system. Everyone should know that quick action will be taken against the corrupt and punishment meted out to them. If our system delivers justice in an effective manner, government officials would think twice before committing a wrong act out of greed or under political pressure. We want a strong Lokpal to prevent corruption in high places. We have recently introduced a Bill in Parliament to achieve this. Now only Parliament can decide what type of Lokpal legislation should be enacted. I am aware of the differences of opinion on some aspects of the Bill. Those who don't agree with this Bill can put forward their views to Parliament, political parties and even the press. However, I also believe that they should not resort to hunger strikes and fasts unto death. It is not appropriate to bring the judiciary under the ambit of Lokpal. We believe that any such provision would go against the independence of the judiciary. However, we do need a framework in which the judiciary becomes more accountable. It is with this aim that we have introduced the Judicial Accountability Bill in Parliament. I am confident that this Bill will be passed soon. An alert press and an aware citizenry can be very helpful in the fight against corruption. The Indian press is known for its independence and activism throughout the world. The Right to Information legislation that we have enacted has enabled our press and people to keep a strict watch on the work of the government. Today many government decisions, which in the absence of this Act would escape public scrutiny, are coming to light. I believe that this is a big step forward in eradicating corruption. Many times, government discretion is misused in allocation of scarce resources and in the grant of clearances. We have examined this issue. We will put an end to such discretionary powers wherever possible. Any government awards contracts worth thousands of crores every year. There are frequent complaints of corruption in these decisions. We had constituted a committee to suggest measures to reduce corruption in government purchases. The committee has recommended that, like many other countries, we should also have a public procurement legislation which lays down the principles and practice with regard to government purchases. We will introduce a Bill in Parliament by the end of this year to enact such a law. In recent years, we have established independent regulatory authorities in many areas. These authorities discharge many responsibilities which were earlier in the domain of the government itself. We have no legislation which would enable monitoring of the work of these regulatory authorities and make them more accountable, without, however, compromising their independence. We are also considering enactment of such a law. I have said so much on corruption because I know that this problem is a matter of deep concern for all of us. However, this is a difficulty for which no government has a magic wand. We are taking simultaneous action on many fronts in our fight against corruption. We want all political parties to stand shoulder to shoulder with us in this fight. To eradicate corruption, we have introduced, and will introduce, many Bills in Parliament. I hope that all political parties will cooperate in the process of converting these Bills into statutes. On the issue of corruption, I would like to say in the end that we can win the fight against corruption only when each and every citizen of India cooperates in it. I congratulate the country's farmers for their achievements this year. The production of foodgrains has been at a record level. Wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds have all seen record levels of production. It is because of the hard work of our farmers that today there are proposals for export of foodgrains, sugar and cotton. We need a second Green Revolution in agriculture. We can tackle the problem of rising food prices only by increasing agricultural production and productivity. We also need to increase agricultural production to implement a food security law. We will accelerate our efforts in this direction in the 12th Plan. Today, I wish to assure our farmer brothers and sisters, particularly those who are small and marginal, that we will continue to take care of their special needs. It will be our endeavour to ensure that our farmers have easy access to fertilizers, seeds and credit. We also want to provide the best possible irrigation facilities to the farmers

Two Indians among

Magsaysay awardees

IBEF:

Manila: Two Indians Nileema Mishra and Harish Hande are among the five individuals and one organisation that have been cited for the Magsaysay Award. The awards, announced by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, are considered the Asian version of the Nobel. Hande, 44, was recognised for "his passionate and pragmatic efforts to put solar power technology in the hands of the poor, through a social enterprise that brings customized, affordable, and sustainable electricity to India's vast rural populace, encouraging the poor to become asset creators". He has a PhD in energy engineering from the University of Massachusetts, and has previously studied at IIT, Kharagpur. He is the Managing Director (MD) and co-founder of SELCO Solar Light Private Ltd, Bengaluru. Mishra, 39, was recognised for "her purpose-driven zeal to work tirelessly with villagers in Maharashtra, organizing them to successfully address both their aspirations and their adversities through collective action and heightened confidence in their potential to improve their own lives". She has a Masters in clinical psychology from the University of Pune, and is the founder of the Bhagini Nivedita Gramin Vigyan Niketan in the village of Bahadarpur in Maharashtra. The Magsaysay Award was established in 1957 to celebrate the memory and leadership of the third Philippine president. The award is given every year to individuals or organisations in Asia who demonstrate the same sense of selfless service as the late Filipino leader.


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so that their dependence on rains is reduced. Our country is passing through a phase of sustained high inflation. Controlling rising prices is a primary responsibility of any government. Our government fully understands this responsibility. We have continuously taken steps to rein in prices. Some time we have been confronted with a situation in which the reasons for rising prices lay outside the country. The prices of petroleum products, foodgrains and edible oil have risen steeply in international markets in recent times. Since we import these products in large quantities, any rise in their prices adds to inflationary pressure in our country. Sometimes we have been successful too in controlling inflation. But this success has not proved lasting. A few days back, the people's concern at rising prices was also reflected in a discussion in Parliament. I wish to assure you today that we are continuously monitoring the situation to find out what new steps can be taken to arrest rising prices. Finding a solution to this problem will be our top-most priority in the coming months. I am fully aware of the tensions caused in some parts of the country because of acquisition of land for industry, infrastructure and urbanization. Our farmers have been especially affected by such acquisition. Land acquisition is no doubt necessary for projects of public interest. But it should take place in a transparent and fair manner. The interests of those whose livelihoods are dependent on the land being acquired should be fully protected. We will ensure that no injustice is done to anyone in the process of land acquisition. Our government wants to replace the 117 year old land acquisition law by a new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation law which is forward looking and balanced. We have already prepared a draft legislation and have initiated steps to build consensus on it. We will soon introduce a Bill in Parliament to this end. We are satisfied with our achievements in the last seven years in the areas of education and health. Whether it is elementary education, secondary education or higher education we have taken concrete steps for improvements at all levels. This has shown good results. In the last few years, fundamental changes have taken place in the area of education. Today every citizen has a right to elementary education. We are now considering universalization of secondary education. Vocational education and skill development have acquired a new importance. In view of these major changes, it is necessary that we consider all aspects of education in a comprehensive manner. Therefore we have decided to appoint an education commission to make recommendations for improvements at all levels of education. I have often referred to the 11th Five Year Plan as an education plan. We will lay the same emphasis on health in the 12th plan as we laid on education in the 11th plan. I will propose to the National Development Council that the 12th plan should be specially focused on health. I also promise that funds will not be a constraint in the important areas of education and health. For a long time our country had no facility for health insurance for workers in the unorganized sector. In 2008, we began the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana for workers in the unorganized sector who are below the poverty line. In the last year we have covered those getting employment under Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Act and also domestic workers, street vendors and beedi workers under this scheme. Today the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana covers about 2 crore 50 lakh workers. Our government will endeavour to cover as many unorganized sector workers as possible under this scheme. We are continuously strengthening the physical infrastructure in our country. This is an area which requires very large investments. It is for this reason that in the last seven years we have pursued policies which encourage investment in infrastructure. As a percentage of GDP, investment in this area has grown more than one and a half times in the last seven years. There have been improvements in our capacities in the petroleum sector and power generation, and in our airports, roads, especially rural road, and ports. As an illustration, the capacity in power generation that we are going to add in the 11th plan will be twice that of the 10th plan. In the 12th Plan, we will further accelerate investment in infrastructure. We will pay special attention to the remote areas of our country and to rural areas. Connecting such areas by rail and road will get the top most priority. We have taken a major step this year for our poor brothers and sisters living in cities. Recently we have approved the Rajiv Awas Yojana. We want to make India slum free through this scheme. We want the slum dwellers to get ownership of clean houses and have access to basic amenities like water and electricity. We will implement the Rajiv Awas Yojana as a national mission together with the States. Malnutrition in our women and children is a matter of concern for all of us. We have taken a number of steps to tackle this problem, including two new schemes. We have also decided that we will start implementing an improved Integrated Child Development Services scheme within the next six months so that the problem of malnutrition in children can be effectively addressed. The figures of census 2011 show improvements in most areas. But it is a matter of deep regret for us that the sex ratio has shown a decline from the level of the last census. For an improvement in this state of affairs, it is not only necessary to implement the existing laws effectively but it is also essential to change the approach with which our society views girls and women. I would especially appeal to the State governments and social service organizations to take steps for empowerment of women and for improving their status in society. Last month's terrorists attacks in Mumbai warn us that there cannot be any slip up in our vigilance as far as the fight against terrorism is concerned. This is a long battle to be fought jointly by the Central Government, the State Governments and the common man. We have been steadily strengthening our intelligence and security agencies and will continue to do so in the future also. We are also taking all possible steps to overcome the challenge of naxalism. We want to eradicate the very reasons which give rise to this problem. Therefore we have started a new scheme for the accelerated development of 60 backward and tribal dominated districts. An amount of Rs. 3300 crore will be spent on this scheme in a period of two years. Preserving our environment even as we develop rapidly is a huge challenge for us. Climate change poses a threat

India at a Glance India aptly described as a country with unity in diversity has been known for its rich cultural heritage and historic events. The country saw the rise and fall of the Aryans, the Mauryan Empire, the Gupta dynasty and the Mughals before the British empire flourished here. Attainment of independence in 1947 provided wings to the country and eventually it made its presence felt on the world canvas. Where on one hand India is known for its old ayurvedic science and invention of zero, it has the second largest railway and road networks in the world on the other. It is increasingly becoming a hub for foreign investments because of its vast pool of natural resources, talented work force and cost efficient environment. Location: South Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Mynamar and Pakistan. Geographic Coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E Border Countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan to the north-west; China, Bhutan and Nepal to the north; Myanmar to the east; and Bangladesh to the east of West Bengal. Sri Lanka is separated from India by a narrow channel of sea, formed by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Coastline: 7,516.6 km encompassing the mainland, Lakshadweep Islands, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Climate: Mainly tropical in southern India but temperatures in the north range from sub-zero degrees to 50 degrees celsius. There are well-defined seasons in the northern region: winter (Dec - Feb), Spring (Mar - Apr), Summer (May - Jun), Monsoons (Jul - Sep) and Autumn (Oct - Nov). Area: total: 3,287,263 sq km Land: 2,973,193 sq km Water: 314,070 sq km.


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to both our development processes and our natural resources. We have established eight missions on climate change and are working hard to implement these missions. We have set up the National Ganga River Basin Authority for the protection and cleaning of river Ganga. We have also established the National Green Tribunal for quick disposal of cases involving environmental issues. In the coming months, we will constitute an environmental assessment and monitoring authority to streamline the process of environmental clearances. Our society and country are changing rapidly because of our fast economic growth. Today our people look towards the future with new hope. They have higher aspirations. Our young men and women strive for path breaking achievements. We should all build an environment in the country in which the energy and enthusiasm of the people are channelised into activities of nation building. Our institutions should encourage constructive utilization of the potential of our people. Our entrepreneurs and businessmen should not feel constrained in their activities. Our industrialists should have the opportunity to set up new industries so that our youth can get additional avenues for productive employment. We should all stay away from politics that create suspicion or apprehension amongst those connected with industry, business and investment. It is not an ordinary achievement for our democracy with a population of 120 crore and so many religions, languages and cultures to march rapidly ahead on the path of development. I congratulate the people of India on this achievement. But we must ensure that inequalities do not increase even as we develop rapidly. We have embarked on a journey to transform our huge and diverse country through rapid development. A development which benefits every citizen of the country. It is natural that tensions would sometimes arise in this process of change. In a democracy, such tensions also become issues of political polarization. We should endeavour that even as political parties oppose and engage in debate against each other, the pace of our progress does not get affected. We should also have faith that our democracy, our institutions and our social ideals and values have the capacity to deal with any difficulty. We should all have faith in ourselves. The faith that we can build a promising future for ourselves. The faith, that united we can do the most difficult of tasks. Let us all resolve to build a bright future for our country. Dear Children, join me in saying Jai Hind Jai Hind Jai Hind.

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Independence Day Celebrated in Suriname The 65th Independence Day of India was celebrated with traditional enthusiasm at the Embassy of India,

Paramaribo on August 15, 2011. The Ambassador of India,

KJS Sodhi hoisted the Tri-colour followed by the singng of

the National Anthem. The Address to the Nation by

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil was read out on the

occasion. The students of the Indian Cultural Centre,

Paramaribo sang patriotic songs and were joined by all the

members of the Embassy of India. A number of Indian

citizens and friends of India attended the function

including the Embassy of India officers and their families.

Global cooperation

vital to tackle cyber

terrorism: Speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar recently said that there was a need to develop a culture of cooperation among the governments and law enforcement agencies to deal with cyber terrorism. Addressing the 57th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference on Technological Threats to International, National and Personal Security on July 29, Kumar pointed out that our increasing dependence on technology had made it more vulnerable to misuse by terrorists. Parliamentarians must encourage the governments across the world to create a culture of collaboration and cooperation among the law enforcement and investigation agencies in order to create a common platform for better understanding of advancing technologies and for sharing best practices, especially in the context of protecting sensitive networking systems, she said. Speaker Kumar said terrorists had access to the same technology as the one meant for the common mans use. This, she said, was being put to use in the cases of cyber terrorism.

PTI


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India to be second largest steel producer by 2013

The Hindu Business Line: India will emerge as the second largest steel producer by 2013 with an installed capacity of 120 million tonnes, said the Steel Minister, Mr Beni Prasad Verma, on Tuesday. At present, India is the fourth largest steel producer with a capacity of 80 million tonnes, while China tops the list. By 2013, India will be the second largest steel producer in the world, riding on the high levels of growth, construction, housing, real estate, automobiles and agriculture, Mr Verma told the 5th India Steel Summit. The steel demand in the country is growing at an average of 10 per cent, which may exceed even 12 per cent in the near future. In order to meet the domestic demand, steel production capacity must increase at an average of 10-15 per cent, Mr Verma said. Various government social schemes such as NREGA and Indira Awas Yojana are expected to bring about development resulting in increased steel consumption, Mr Verma said. The Steel Secretary, Mr P.K. Misra, said capacity addition should be fast tracked to make the country self reliant in meeting future demand. The greenfield projects in the pipeline have not taken off as per expectations due to issues relating to land acquisition and resource allocation. Land acquisition has of late become the most contentious and challenging issue. The Government has been weighing various options and we are expecting a policy directive anytime soon, Mr Misra said. However, Mr Misra suggested that the industry should look at acquiring the land directly from the owners. Land acquisition at market rate through direct negotiations should be accepted as a reality, where the role of the Government may be limited only to providing regulatory and statutory assistance, Mr Misra said. Considering the challenges faced by the industry, the Government is planning to come out with a New Steel Policy by the year-end. The New National Policy and vision document on Steel Sector will project a medium-term horizon of 10 years and also a long-term vision of 25 years, Mr Misra said. The Ministry has set up four task forces to look into the issues relating to demand, technology, transportation and infrastructure issues. These task forces are expected to submit their reports by December.

Starting a business in India to take less than a day Business Standard: India will soon join an elite group of countries where starting a business will take less than a day. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has simplified the procedures for incorporation to enable promoters to get their companies incorporated within 24 hours. The new procedure to issue online certificate of incorporation will be implemented from August 11. Earlier, officials at the Registrar of Companies used to go through the available list of names and approve all documents manually. Incorporation took anywhere between four days to two weeks, depending upon individual issues. Under the new procedure, the promoters need to get the application and other relevant documents certified by a practising professional and the applications will be processed electronically. In case the e-forms 1, 18, 32 and e-form for Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association have been certified by the practising professional regarding the correctness of the information and declarations given by the subscribers, the application shall be processed electronically and the digital certificate of incorporation shall be issued online immediately by the Registrar of Companies, the ministry said in a circular dated July 23. Starting business is the first of the 10 sub-indices that form the Ease of Doing Business Index of the World Bank. India has consistently been placed at around 130 among the 183 countries ranked. According to the Doing Business 2010 report, New Zealand, Canada and Australia bagged the top three rankings on the first sub-index, Starting a business. For example, in Australia, there are two procedures required to start a business which take on average two days to complete. The official cost is 0.8 per cent of the gross national income per capita. There is no minimum capital requirement. By contrast, in Guinea-Bissau which ranked among the worst (183rd) on the same sub-index, there are 16 procedures required to start a business, taking 213 days to complete. The official cost is 323 per cent of the gross national income per capita. A minimum capital investment of 1,006.6 per cent of the gross national income per capita is required. Pawan K Vijay, CEO, Corporate Professionals Pvt Ltd, said the move would go a long way in improving Indias rankings in ease of doing business globally. It is very positive. Earlier, it used to take 8-10 days. Getting it down to 24 hours will be a big boost. While fewer and simpler regulations often imply higher rankings, putting adequate safeguards is also crucial, feel experts. While the ministry officials used to intrepret rules conservatively, professionals may take risk. Therefore, it is important for the ministry to explain the guidelines more explicitly, said Vijay.

Millionaire households in India growing The Hindu Business Line: The number of millionaire households in India will grow from 2.86 lakh to 6.94 lakh between 2011 and 2020, a growth rate of 143 per cent, said a study by the Deloitte Center for Financial Services. The growth in millionaire wealth in India is expected to vary across different wealth groups. The $5-30 million group in India is likely to see the biggest growth rate at 161 per cent, followed by the $1-5 million group at 142 per cent and the over $30 million group at 115 per cent. The $1-5 million segment is likely to be largest, with 73 per cent of the millionaire households belonging to this group in 2020. Over the next decade emerging markets will see a significantly higher growth rate in millionaire households compared to developed markets. India is likely to experience the largest growth in total millionaire wealth (405 per cent). Among other BRIC nations, China's wealth among millionaires will grow by 394 per cent, followed by Brazil at 257 per cent and Russia at 241 per cent. However, only 0.3 per cent of households in India would hold more than $1 million in wealth, in 2020, the study points out. Wealth drivers Among emerging markets, India is likely to have the highest per capita wealth among millionaires with $4.25 million placing it ahead of the US. While some of the wealth creation in India will be continue to be driven by old wealth drivers such as real estate, family business and so on, a sizeable portion is also expected to

Page 1 India 2nd fastest

growing market for

domestic air travel

The Hindu Business Line Domestic tariff grows 14%

in June Mumbai: India's domestic air traffic grew at the second highest rate after Brazil, according to global figures for June compiled by the International Air Transport Association. The country's domestic traffic grew by 14 per cent during the month as against Brazil's 15.1 per cent. This happened even as demand for air travel and freight softened globally. Brazil led domestic growth with a 15.1 per cent demand expansion over the previous year, propelled by strong growth in household incomes. Brazil was followed by India at 14 per cent, the latest traffic figures published by the association stated. China's growth slowed down as compared to June 2010 and May 2011. Domestic air-passenger traffic in China grew by only 5 per cent as against 14.6 per cent in June 2010 and 10.4 per cent in May 2011. The association also added that the slow down in international markets reflects a squeeze on consumer spending by tighter economic policies. Japan continued to reel from the effects of March's tsunami and earthquake and recorded a 24.6 per cent fall in air-passenger traffic for June 2011 as compared to the same month last financial year. The association said this was a slow improvement from May when air-passenger traffic fell 27.8 per cent year-on-year. Domestic air-passenger traffic grew by 1.3 per cent in the US, which represents over 50 per cent of the global domestic-travel market.


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come from new wealth drivers like investment, salary income, equity stakes and new business, the study states.

Focus: Mobile Phones

The number of subscribers using their mobile phones to access Internet will touch 46 million in September 2011, according to a report published by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and market research firm IMRB. There are about 40 million mobile Internet users as of June 2011 of which about 30 million are termed as active users. Further, Apple Inc has launched its B2B App Store in India, allowing businesses to make volume purchases of applications (apps). Companies can now deploy their own custom-made apps on iPad and iPhone devices for employees. On the other hand, Hyderabad-based IMImobile, which remotely delivers mobile data infrastructure services to companies such as MTN, Vodafone Plc and Deutsche Telekom, is in advanced talks to buy a US mobile data company for about US$ 80 million.

Investors to get SMS, email alerts from stock exchanges Business Standard: Mumbai: To prevent unauthorised trading, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Tuesday asked stock exchanges to send details of transactions in equity cash and derivatives segments to investors through text messages and emails by the end of every trading day. Stock exchanges would have to provide a platform to stock brokers to upload the details of their clients, Sebi said in a circular. Stock brokers will be required to upload clients details name, mobile number, correspondence address and email address. They would have to ensure that mobile numbers/email addresses of their employees/sub-brokers/remisiers/authorised people are not uploaded on behalf of clients, the market regulator said. Stock Brokers would also have to ensure that a separate mobile number/email address is uploaded for each client. Under exceptional circumstances, the stock broker might, at the specific written request of a client, upload the same mobile number/email address for more than one client, provided such clients belong to one family, Sebi said. Family, for this purpose, would mean self, spouse, dependent children and dependent parents. According to the Sebi circular, stock exchanges would have to put in place necessary infrastructure and implement the SMS and email alert facility within the next four months. After uploading of details by stock brokers, the stock exchanges would take necessary steps to verify the details by any mode they consider appropriate. This may include sending SMS and email directly to investors at the numbers/email addresses uploaded by stock brokers and sending letters to the address of investors uploaded by stock brokers. Upon receipt of confirmation from investors, exchanges would start sending transaction details generated on the basis of investors PAN, directly to them. If stock exchanges observe any discrepancy in the details such as non-confirmation by investors, bounced emails, undelivered SMSes/letters, etc the stock broker concerned would be informed of this. To meet the expenses of providing this facility, the stock exchanges might use the amount set aside from the listing fees for providing services to the investing public, Sebi said.

'Indian banking sector to be third-largest by 2025' Business Standard: The Indian banking sector is poised to become the world's third-largest in terms of assets over the next 14 years, according to a report by The Boston Consultancy Group (BCG). The domestic banking industry is set to see exponential growth in the coming years, with its assets poised to touch $28,500 billion by 2025, compared with the current $1,350 billion (2010), says the report by Indian Banks Association (IBA), Ficci and BCG titled Being five-star in productivity Roadmap for excellence in Indian banking, prepared for the IBA. The report was released on the eve of the three-day IBA-Ficci-BCG bank summit. The summit would be inaugurated by Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao and would be attended by the heads of banks and the four central bank deputy governors. The report adds China would overtake the US as the worlds largest banking industry by 2015. It is expected the asset size of Chinese banks would be nearly $30,000 billion, while that of the US would be around $28,000 billion.

India 2nd fastest growing market for domestic air travel The Hindu Business Line: Domestic tariff grows 14% in June Mumbai: India's domestic air traffic grew at the second highest rate after Brazil, according to global figures for June compiled by the International Air Transport Association. The country's domestic traffic grew by 14 per cent during the month as against Brazil's 15.1 per cent. This happened even as demand for air travel and freight softened globally. Brazil led domestic growth with a 15.1 per cent demand expansion over the previous year, propelled by strong growth in household incomes. Brazil was followed by India at 14 per cent, the latest traffic figures published by the association stated. China's growth slowed down as compared to June 2010 and May 2011. Domestic air-passenger traffic in China grew by only 5 per cent as against 14.6 per cent in June 2010 and 10.4 per cent in May 2011. The association also added that the slow down in international markets reflects a squeeze on consumer spending by tighter economic policies. Japan continued to reel from the effects of March's tsunami and earthquake and recorded a 24.6 per cent fall in air-passenger traffic for June 2011 as compared to the same month last financial year. The association said this was a slow improvement from May when air-passenger traffic fell 27.8 per cent year-on-year. Domestic air-passenger traffic grew by 1.3 per cent in the US, which represents over 50 per cent of the global domestic-travel market.

Solar parks to get high

priority: Farooq

Abdullah The Economic Times: New Delhi: The government plans to accord high priority to developing large "solar parks", or clusters of units that can generate a total of up to 5,000 megawatts, to help cut costs, Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah said. Solar parks would be built in the second phase of the National Solar Mission. The mission aims to generate 20,000 mw of power from sunlight in the next decade. Speaking at The Energy and Resources Institute, Abdullah said that solar parks would comprise 25% of the total target capacity under the second phase of the mission. India plans to add 4,000 mw of grid connected solar power in the second phase between 2013 and 2017. A 'solar park' is a concentrated zone of solar energy development, targeting 3,000-5,000 mw of generation over time, facilitating reduction in costs of the nascent technology. The ministry plans to launch a scheme providing central financial assistance to the states for site and soil survey, preparing detailed engineering reports as well as infrastructure development including evacuation facilities. The minister emphasised on the need to bring down the cost of solar power to be competitive with coal-fired power plants. "For this to happen , solar plants have to be built at an adequately large scale and in clusters, deployed in sufficient volume to spawn a local equipment and manufacturing industry, and receive initial financing at lower than current commercial rates, "said Abdullah, on the sidelines of an event organized by TERI. He added the need to provide intelligently designed subsidies and a policy framework facilitating large initial deployment of technology and cost reduction.


8

Tourism in India: Key Potential and Opportunities

OIFC: Tourism in India The Indian Tourism sector is one of the largest service industries in the country in terms of its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE), as well as for providing employment to millions. The sector in fact is expected to generate around US$ 42.8 billion (INR 1,897.7 billion) by 2017, according to an industry research note by auditing and consulting firm Deloitte Touche. Significantly, the Tourism and the Hospitality sector generated a total of US$ 2,468.39 billion (INR 1,094, 48.4 billion) in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during April 2000-April 2011, according to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Further, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) are expected to grow to 10 million by 2010-12 and the domestic tourism is expected to increase by 15 per cent to 20 per cent over the next five years as per the Ministry of Tourism. Tourism in India is witnessing widespread growth on the back of increasing inbound tourism by the burgeoning Indian middle class, rising inflow of foreign tourists and successful government campaigns for promoting Incredible India. Infrastructure development holds the key to Indias sustained growth in the Tourism sector. Therefore, Ministry of Tourism has made consistent efforts to develop quality tourism infrastructure at tourist destinations and circuits. Further the government has also allowed 100 per cent foreign investment under the automatic route in the Hotel and Tourism related industry. Also, according to Mr Subodh Kant Sahay, Minister of Tourism, "Government is embarking upon the policy of developing integrated perspective investment plans for key circuits and destinations in each state and Union Territory." He said these investment plans would identify components requiring investments through the Centre, the state governments, public private partnership and private sector. Significantly, the country has the potential to become a major global tourist destination, with the Tourism sector expected to contribute around INR 3,414.8 billion (US$ 77.0 billion*) by 2021, according to a report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). India is currently ranked 12th in the Asia Pacific region and 68th overall in the list of the world's attractive destinations, according to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2011 by the World Economic Forum (WEF). According to the Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research, released by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and its strategic partner Oxford Economics in 2011:

The direct contribution of Travel &Tourism to GDP is expected to be INR 1,570.5 billion (US$ 35.4 billion) (1.9 per cent of total GDP) in 2011, rising by 8.1 per cent per annum (pa) to INR 3,414.8 billion (US$ 77.0 billion*) (2.0 per cent) in 2021

The total contribution of Travel &Tourism to GDP, including its wider economic impacts, is forecast to rise by 8.8 per cent pa from INR 3,680.4 billion (US$ 83.0 billion) (4.5 per cent of GDP) in 2011 to INR 8,523.1 billion (US$ 191.2 billion*) (4.9 per cent) by 2021.

Total Contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP

Source: World Travel & Tourism Council The TSA research also states that the sector is expected to support directly 24,931,000 jobs (5.0 per cent of total employment) in 2011, rising by 2.0 per cent pa to 30,439,000 jobs (5.2 per cent) by 2021. Investment Opportunities The Tourism sector is expected to perform very well in future and the industry offers an interesting investment opportunity for long-term investors. According to the TSA research, the sector is expected to attract capital investment of INR 1,233.0 billion (US$ 27.8 billion), rising by 8.7 per cent pa to INR 2,827.5 billion (US$ 63.7 billion). This means that the sectors share of total national investment will increase from 4.7 per cent in 2011 to 4.8 per cent in 2021.

Capital Investment in Travel and Tourism

Source: World Travel & Tourism Council


9

The Tourism industry in India provides opportunities in diverse fields such as tours and travel circuit, hospitality and hotel sector and development of specialised tourisms such as medical tourism, rural tourism, golf tourism, cruise tourism, adventure tourism, eco tourism and wellness tourism. The Tourism sector is witnessing fast growth due to the ever-growing number of participants in allied businesses such as hotels, tour operators, airlines, shipping lines, among others. Therefore, the sector is expected to witness high growth in the near future and offer varied opportunities to the investors in all these areas of businesses. In fact, the hotel industry is one of the major areas wherein investors can look for long-term opportunities. Hotel Industry Due to increasing number of foreign tourist arrivals, together with the growth of domestic tourism in the country, the hotel industry is also witnessing continued momentum. The Indian Hospitality industry contributes around 2.2 per cent of Indias GDP. The industry is expected to reach INR 230 billion (US$ 5.2 billion*) by 2015, growing at a robust CAGR of 12.2 per cent. India will be investing around INR 448 billion (US$ 10.1 billion*) in the hospitality industry in the next five years, according to a report The Indian Hotel Industry Report - 2011 Edition by CYGNUS Business Consulting & Research Firm. The industry also witnessed an increase in the number of hotel rooms with a growth of 5 per cent during the last three to four years. In the next two years, a total investment of US$ 12.2 billion (INR 545.2 billion*) is expected that will add over 20 new international brands in the hospitality sector. Rise of budget hotels in the country, like Ginger Hotels, Lemon Tree, Sarovar Hotels, Fortune Hotels, Ibis and Choice Hotels clearly suggest a huge growth potential in the sector. The Growth Path Foreign tourist arrivals in the country have increased substantially during the past decade motivated by both, business and leisure needs and are further expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 8 per cent during 2010-2014, as per a research report Indian Tourism Industry Analysis by research firm RNCOS. In fact, the Tourism sector enjoyed strong growth during 2010, as indicated in the data released by the Ministry of Tourism in January 2011. As per the data, in 2010, the country experienced a strong rebound in the Tourism industry. Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs)

FTAs in India during 2010 were 5.58 million with a growth rate of 8.1 per cent as compared to the FTAs of 5.17 million and growth rate of (-)2.2 per cent during 2009.

The 8.1 per cent growth rate in FTAs for 2010 over 2009 for India is much better than UNWTOs projected growth rate of 5 per cent to 6 per cent for the world during the same period.

FTAs during the month of June 2011, was 3.96 lakh as compared to FTAs of 3.70 lakh during the month of June 2010 and 3.52 lakh in June 2009. There has been a growth of 7.2 per cent in June 2011 over June 2010 as compared to a growth of 4.9 per cent registered in June 2010 over June 2009. FTAs during the period January-June 2011 were 29.19 lakh with a growth of 10.9 per cent, as compared to the FTAs of 26.32 lakh with a growth of 8.9 per cent during January-June 2010 over the corresponding period of 2009.

FEE from Tourism in INR terms during 2010 were INR 648.8 billion as compared to INR 549.6 billion during 2009 and INR 507.3 billion during 2008. FEE from tourism in US$ terms during 2010 were US$ 14.2 billion as compared to US$ 11.4 billion during 2009 and US$ 11.7 billion during 2008.

The growth rate in FEE in INR terms during 2010 was 18.1 per cent as compared to the growth rate of 8.3 per cent in 2009 over 2008.Therefore, the growth rate observed in 2010 over 2009 was substantially high. The growth rate in FEE in US$ terms during 2010 was 24.6 per cent as compared to a decline of 3 per cent in 2009 over 2008. Therefore, in US$ terms, also growth rate observed in 2010 was positive and substantially high.

FEE in INR terms during the month of June 2011 were INR 54.4 billion as compared to INR 47.5 billion in June 2010 and INR 38.0 billion in June 2009. FEE in US$ terms during the month of June 2011 were US$ 1.2 billion as compared to FEE of US$ 1.0 billion during the month of June 2010 and US$ 0.7 billion in June 2009.

The growth rate in FEE in INR terms in June 2011 over June 2010 was 14.5 per cent as compared to 25.0 per cent in June 2010 over June 2009. The growth rate in FEE in US$ terms in June 2011 over June 2010 was 18.9 per cent as compared to the growth of 28.1 per cent in June 2010 over June 2009.

FEE from Tourism in INR terms during January-June 2011 were INR 351.6 billion with a growth of 12.1 per cent, as compared to the FEE of INR 313.7 billion with a growth of 27.1 per cent during January-June 2010 over the corresponding period of 2009.

FEE from Tourism in terms of US$ during January-June 2011 were US$ 7.8 billion with a growth of 14.2 per cent, as compared to US$ 6.8 billion with a growth of 36.6 per cent during January-June 2010 over the corresponding period of 2009. Visitor exports are a key component of the direct contribution of the sector. According to the TSA research, India is expected to attract 6,179,000 international tourist (overnight visitor) arrivals in 2011, generating INR 678.6 billion (US$ 15.3 billion) in visitor exports (foreign visitor spending, including spending on transportation). By 2021, international tourist arrivals are forecast to total 11,149,000, an increase of 6.1 per cent pa generating expenditure of INR 1,344.7 billion (US$ 30.3 billion*).

Visitor Exports and International Tourist Arrivals

Source: World Travel & Tourism Council


10

Drivers behind increase in Tourist Traffic The main reason for increase in tourist traffic to India has been the following factors: Domestic Tourist Traffic

Rapidly increasing purchasing power of the middle class

Better road connectivity

Evolving lifestyle International Tourist Traffic

Value for money/Economical destination

Business cum pleasure destination

Development of Kerala and Rajasthan as the most acclaimed tourist destinations in India with their distinctive brand image

Opening of the sectors of the economy to private sector/foreign investment

Reform in the aviation sector such as Open Skies Policy has led to better connectivity with many countries with India

Success of Incredible India campaign and other tourism promotion measures Tourism Products India offers various tourism options due to its vastness and diversity, attracting tourists from all over the world. The country boasts of natural treasures like mountains, ocean, seas, deserts, rainforests, valleys etc. on one hand, while world-class healthcare infrastructure on the other, which provides varied kinds of tourism options such as adventure and rural tourism, sustainable tourism/eco-tourism, cruise tourism, golf tourism and medical tourism to the travellers. Rural Tourism The Ministry of Tourism started the scheme of rural tourism in 2002-03 with the aim to showcase art, rural life, and culture and heritage to the tourists at various rural locations and villages. The Ministry intends to help the local community economically and socially, together with facilitating interaction between the local population and tourists, through this scheme. As on 28 February 2011, 169 rural tourism sites in 28 States/Union Territories have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism. This segment has also been winning accolades in the international circuits as well. For instance, the Rural Tourism Project at Hodka village in Kutch District of Gujarat won the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) award for the year 2010 under the Heritage category. Golf Tourism The Ministry of Tourism organised a workshop Promotion of Golf Tourism in New Delhi in January 2011 for developing golf as a niche tourism product and attracting both international and domestic tourists. The aim of the workshop was to create strategies to develop and promote golf tourism in the country. The workshop was attended by golf clubs, corporate, travel trade representatives, professional golfers, golf event managers, etc. Cruise Tourism Cruise tourism is emerging as one of the most dynamic segments of the leisure industry globally. India with its vast and beautiful coastline, forests and undisturbed idyllic islands, rich historical and cultural heritage, can be a fabulous tourist destination for cruise tourists. The Cruise Shipping Policy of the Ministry of Shipping was approved by the Government of India on June 28, 2008. The objectives of the policy are to make India an attractive cruise tourism destination with the state-of-the-art infrastructural and other facilities at various parts in the country; to attract the right segment of the foreign tourists to cruise shipping in India; to popularise cruise shipping with Indian tourists. Adventure Tourism Adventure travel involves exploration or travel to remote, exotic areas. Adventure tourism is rapidly growing in popularity as a tourist seeks different kinds of vacations. Some of the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Tourism to promote adventure tourism include:

Giving special attention for the development of Adventure Tourism in the country, as per the policy for the diversification of tourism product of India. The Ministry of Tourism has also issued Guidelines for Approval of Adventure Tour Operators, which is a voluntary scheme, open to all bona fide adventure tour operators.

Formulation of a set of guidelines on Safety and Quality Norms on adventure tourism as basic minimum standards for adventure tourism activities. These guidelines cover Land, Air and Water based activities which include mountaineering, trekking, hand gliding, paragliding, bungee jumping and river rafting.

Extension of the Central Financial Assistance to various State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations for development of Tourism Infrastructure in destinations including adventure tourism destinations. Sustainable Tourism/Eco Tourism The Ministry of Tourism in its initiative to achieve Sustainable Tourism growth is in the process of evolving the Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India. In recent years tourism industry in India has registered a considerable growth. A Steering Committee with representatives from all the sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry of India has been constituted to develop draft Sustainable Tourism Criteria which would eventually be adopted by the different sectors of the industry. Wellness Tourism Wellness tourism is about travelling for the primary purpose of achieving, promoting or maintaining maximum health and a sense of well-being. Health Tourism holds immense potential for India. The Indian systems of medicine that is Ayurveda, Yoga, Panchakarma, Rejuvenation Therapy etc. are among the most ancient systems of medical treatment of the world. Consequent to a series of meetings organised by the Ministry of Tourism with the State Governments, Department of AYUSH, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) and stakeholders, national guidelines for accreditation of wellness centres have been developed by NABH in consultation with Department of AYUSH. This is important breakthrough as uniform standards and service qualities will be in place for the wellness centres in India. Further, the Ministry of Tourism has included the promotion of Wellness Tourism as new initiatives. The Marketing Development Assistance Scheme (MDA), administered by the Ministry of Tourism provides financial support to Wellness Tourism Service providers (WTSP) accredited by State Governments, till the Guidelines of AYUSH-NABH for accreditation are finalised. Once these guidelines are operationalised, then wellness centres accredited by AYUSH-NABH will be considered under MDA Scheme for undertaking following tourism promotional activities abroad :-


11

Participation in Wellness Conferences/ Fairs

Participation in the Road Shows Medical Tourism India is one of the most lucrative medical tourism markets in the world, according to a research report, Booming Medical Tourism in India released by RNCOS. The sector is witnessing remarkable growth on the back of Government support through policies and initiatives, low cost, less waiting time and healthcare infrastructure. The growth in Indias medical tourism market will be a boon for several associated industries, including hospital industry, medical equipments industry and pharmaceutical industry. Overall, numbers of foreigners seeking healthcare services in India are expected to surge at a CAGR of around 19 per cent during the forecasted period 2011-2014. Further, with the increase in number of medical tourists, the sector is also witnessing growth in segments such as spas, dentistry, and cosmetic surgeries. With large number of tourists opting for relaxation and healing activities, spa centres have continued to evolve in the country. Similarly, the number of dentists and dental clinics has also been growing due to low-cost treatments attracting foreign visitors. Domestic medical tourism in the country has also seen growth in the recent years. As per the report Domestic Tourism in India, 2008-09 released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) on October 20, 2010, trips for health and medical purposes formed 7 per cent of overnight trips in the rural population and about 3.5 per cent in the urban population. Health and medical purposes accounted for 17 per cent of same-day trips in rural India and 8 per cent in urban India. Expenditure on medical trips accounted for 30 per cent of all overnight trip expenditure for rural India and 15 per cent for urban. Recently, the Union Ministry of Tourism has included Medical Tourism under the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme. The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned INR 1.2 million (US$ 0.03 million) as MDA to 10 Medical Tourism Service Providers during 2010. Government Initiatives According to the Consolidated FDI Policy, released by DIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, the government has allowed 100 per cent foreign investment under the automatic route in the Hotel and Tourism related industry. The terms hotel includes restaurants, beach resorts and other tourism complexes providing accommodation and /or catering and food facilities to tourists. The term tourism related industry includes:

Travel agencies, tour operating agencies and tourist transport operating agencies

Units providing facilities for cultural, adventure and wildlife experience to tourists

Surface, air and water transport facilities for tourists

Convention/seminar units and organisations As a facilitative measure to make Tourism sector in India more attractive the following initiatives are taken by Government:

The Government has launched a Scheme of Visa on Arrival (VoA) from January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The Government has now extended this Scheme for the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos and Myanmar from January 2011. During the period January-June 2011, a cumulative figure of 5774 VoAs were issued, with a total of 865 & 770 VoAs issued in the months of May & June respectively.

The Ministry of Tourism has launched a scheme for development of nationally and internationally important destinations and circuits through Mega Projects. As on 4.2.2011, 38 mega projects have been identified, out of which 26 projects have already been sanctioned.

To overcome the bottlenecks of multiple inter state road transport barriers, Ministry of Tourism has been advocating implementation of seamless travel for commercial tourist vehicles. This would facilitate smooth movement of tourist traffic and avoid delays and inconvenience to tourists. Going Forward The Tourism sector in India is providing an important contribution towards the growth of the countrys economy, with the sector recording double digit growth in FEEs and FTVs in the recent past. Further, the Government measures such as promoting India through Incredible India project is not only providing a holistic experience to the tourists visiting India but is also showcasing the opportunities to the investors in the tourism sector. The sector is further expected to gain through the development of a comprehensive and coordinated framework, by capitalising on the existing infrastructure and building upon the strength of Indias position as the fastest growing free market economy.

OIFC:


12

Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture in India

Inland fisheries resources of India are noted as much for their heterogeneity in composition as for their rich production potential. India is bestowed

with vast and varied inland fisheries resources comprising rivers and canals, reservoirs, ponds and tanks, floodplain lakes and wetlands and

brackish-waters. Besides, substantial area amenable for coldwater fisheries exists in the medium and higher-altitudes of the Himalayan belt. Inland

fisheries including aquaculture have been a vital source of food, nutrition, employment and economic gain for humanity, since ancient times.

However, the sector has assumed more significance in recent years, especially in developing countries like India, due to the large contributions to the

overall fish production, nutritional security and gainful employment generation.

India is the second largest producer of fish in the world contributing to 5.5 per cent of global fish production. India is also a major producer of fish

through aquaculture and ranks second in the world after China. The total fish production achieved during 2010-11 (provisional) is at 8.03 million

metric tonnes and the contribution of fish from inland sector alone is at 5.07 million metric tonnes which is about 63% of overall fish production. As

per the estimates of Central Statistical Organization (CSO), the values of output from fisheries sector at current price during 2009-10 was 67,913

crore which is 4.9 per cent of the total output of Agriculture and allied sectors. It is one of the major contributors to Indias exports. During 2010-11

(Provisional) the volume of fish and fish products exported was 7,52,791 tonnes worth 12,100 crore.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing food production sector with an annual growth of around 7 per cent. It has been estimated that by the end of XI

Five Year Plan (2011-12) the demand for fish and fish products would be around 9.74

million tons, and this increase has to be mostly met from aquaculture and culture based

captured fisheries in reservoirs. Taking into consideration the vast aquatic resources in

the country, the target seems achievable.

Although, it has long been recognized that fish production from inland waters can play a

definite role in mitigating the protein deficiency in India, this resource is not

contributing to the nutrition requirement of Indian masses to the extent that it should

have been .This has been mainly on account of more emphasis on marine fishery in the

past and due to lack of awareness and proper training skills for fishing community.

Recognising the economic, social, nutritional, environmental and aesthetic importance

of inland fisheries and aquaculture, the Government through several measures have

aspired to introduce buoyancy in the inland fishery sector .Therefore, to draw the

economic, social and nutritional benefits from inland fisheries and aquaculture in a

sustainable manner, it has been perceived to adopt a judicious combination of

implementation and effective regulatory framework, eco-friendly fishing and

aquaculture practices with the larger involvement of the fisher communities and fish

farmers.

With this objective in mind, the Government recently drafted model guidelines on Inland fisheries and aquaculture, which has been circulated to all

State Governments for effective implementation. Through these guidelines, the Government intends to ensure sustainable fish productive to meet

the needs of food and nutritional security, generation of gainful employment in rural sector and to improve the socio-economic condition of the

target groups.

The Government recognizes the need for availability of quality seed and feed if the growth in inland fish production has to be sustained in the long

run. Therefore, the Government circulated guidelines to all the State Governments for establishment of a seed certification and accreditation system

in their respective States. These guidelines, inter-alia, provide procedures for accreditation of hatcheries and seed farms, quality benchmarks, seed

certification process and the structure of the implementing agency.

It has been observed that inland fishery today is dominated mainly by the freshwater fishery. In order for enhanced production, there is a need for

diversification of fish production in other areas like integrated fish farming, cold water fisheries, riverine fisheries, capture fisheries, brackish water

fishery etc. The recent measures therefore have targeted Intensive Aquaculture in ponds and tanks through integrated fish farming, carp polyculture,

freshwater prawn culture, running water fish culture and development of riverine fisheries. The reservoir fisheries is being promoted through cage

culture and pen culture and by setting up fish rearing units on large scale.

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture provide assistance to fish farmers through State Governments,

with the objective of developing various components of inland fisheries and aquaculture that include development of freshwater, brackish water,

cold water, reservoir fisheries and also to encourage integrated fish farming.

A new mission mode scheme called National Mission for protein Supplements (NMPS) was launched very recently with an outlay of Rs 100 crore

for undertaking cage and pen culture in reservoirs and for intensive aquaculture in ponds and tanks in 12 identified States with an objective of

enhancing the fish production and productivity of reservoirs and ponds and tanks.

All these measures are expected to improve the fisheries and aquaculture sector further and will consolidate the position of India in the Global fish

production and aquaculture. (PIB Features)

*Inputs from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries

Page 6


13

Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo

INDIAN CULTURAL CENTRE

PARAMARIBO CALENDAR

for SEPTEMBER 2011

DANCE WORKSHOP AT ST. LUCIA At the request of the Rituals Carnival Cultural Organization of Saint Lucia and with the approval

of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi, ICC Dance Teacher, Ms. Namrta Rai conducted a workshop in St. Lucia from 3rd to 5th July 2011 to guide and assist the Rituals Carnival band for the authentic and accurate representation of Indian traditional and modern dance, in the 2011 Carnival depiction of Glory of the Ganges, a celebration of Indian culture and influence on Caribbean life.

TEACHERS DAY Monday 5th September 2011

(1800 to 1900 hrs.) Venue: Yoga Hall, ICC, Paramaribo

TALK ON AYODHYA KAND RAMAYANA

Friday 9th September 2011 (1700 to 1830 hrs.)

Venue: Hindi Class, ICC,

Paramaribo

LECTURE ON PRESENT STATUS OF HINDI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

Tuesday 13th September 2011 (1730 to 1830 hrs.)


Paramaribo

TALK ON AYODHYA KAND

RAMAYANA ICC Hindi Teacher, Dr. S.K. Jha, delivered a talk

on Ayodhya Kand Ramayana on 8 and 29 July. Around 35 students and Pandits attended the programme, which included recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, Chaupaiyans, Ram Bhajans and Dohas, short stories on moral values, etc. The topic of Ram-Bharat Milan at Chitrakoot is ongoing - the best example of unity in Indian culture. Poetic pronunciations of Shlokas (mantra) were also taught to the students.

DANCE WORKSHOP

(On Different Type of Costumes) A workshop on 8 different classical dance costumes was organized by the Dance department on 12 July with the help of power point presentation. This workshop of one hour where the dance students of ICC and enthusiasts were made familiar with Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Kathakali,

Mohiniattam and Sattriya Classical dance Costumes, Jewellery and dance styles.

DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES

(Conducted by Mr. Ranjan Akloe)

Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo started a new activity i.e. Drawing & Painting classes, conducted by a local renowned artist Mr. Ranjan Akloe from 13 July 2011 on every Wednesday of the month. Director, ICC, Mr. Sunil Bhalla explained that the drawing and painting is one of the interesting activities for children and ICC has taken the initiative to engage the young children during their summer holidays to participate in its activities. On the opening day, around 40 new students attended/registered with class. Mr. Akloe regularly conducted the drawing classes and around 20 to 25 childrens attended the drawing class.

GURU POORNIMA

Guru Poornima was celebrated at Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo at Dance Hall, ICC on Thursday 14th July 2011 by the Dance Department, wherein the students followed the ritual of Ghungroo and Guru Pooja/ Worship followed by the cultural program which was attended by the Director and ICC staff as well.

WORKSOP FOR MUSIC, DANCE AND YOGA AT NICKERIE

Saturday 17th September 2011 (1100 to 1600 hrs.)

Venue: Ramdew Dhaam,

Corantijnpolder Serie A2, Nickerie

WORKSHOP ON SAREE WRAPPING Wednesday 21st September 2011

(1700 to 1800 hrs.) Venue: Hindi Room, ICC,

Paramaribo

TALK ON AYODHYA KAND RAMAYANA

Friday 23rd September 2011 (1700 to 1830 hrs.)


Paramaribo

DIFFERENT STYLE OF INDIAN MUSIC

(Classical, Semi Classical, Light) Friday 23rd September 2011

(1900 to 2030 hrs.) Venue: Yoga Hall, ICC, Paramaribo

LECTURE ON IMMIGRATION AND DIASPORA

By Prof. Badri Narayan Tiwari from India

Tuesday 27th September 2011 (1900 to 2000 hrs.)

Venue: Yoga Hall, ICC, Paramaribo

Page 8


14

INDIAN COOKERY CLASS

(LOCAL PAKORA SEHENA ) A demonstration of a local dish Sehena was given by

Mrs. Soesheela Baldew-Malhoe, at the monthly cookery class organized at the Indian Cultural Centre on 20th July. Around 40 local ladies attended the class and appreciated the preparation. The recipe and method of preparation were explained and the dish was served to all the invitees.

PROJECTION OF FEATURE FILM

WRITTEN BY

RABINDRANATH

TAGORE

KABULI WALA As a tribute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, a Hindi Feature film Kabuli Wala written by Rabindranath Tagore was projected at Yoga Hall, Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo on Sunday 24th July 2011

PRESENTATION OF

RAMCHARITMANAS ON TV On Tulsi Jayanti the Ramayana students of Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo, organized a Ramcharit Manas presentation on Radika TV. On this occasion, the students recited the Ram Janam (birth) episode from Balkaand and later ICC Hindi Teacher, Dr. S.K. Jha, explained it in simple language. The programme was telecasted on 30th July 2011 and on fifth of August 2011.

YOGA WORKSHOP ON

DIABETES ICC Yoga teacher, Ms. Suchint Kaur Sodhi conducted a workshop on diabetes at Indian Cultural Centre Paramaribo on Friday 29th July 2011 in which she made participants aware about ailments - its causes, symptoms and how Yoga practises can be helpful. Further she also explained about Yoga as a

YOGA WORKSHOP ON OBESITY ICC, Yoga teacher, Ms. Suchint Kaur Sodhi conducted a workshop on Obesity at Indian Cultural

Centre Paramaribo on Wednesday 27th July 2011. In which she informed people about causes, symptoms, and other complications related to obesity along with how Yoga and other methods, can help overcome Obesity. She also demonstrated the Yoga posture related to Obesity. Fifty-five students attended the workshop.

YOGA SESSION A Yoga lecture cum Session was conducted at Yoga Niketan Centre, Paramaribo by ICC Yoga

teacher Ms. Suchint Kaur Sodhi on 28 July, 2011 wherein 50 students participated. In this session various Yoga practices like Kapalbhati, Crocodile variations, Surya Namaskar, Cobra Pose, Vakrasana, Gaumukh Asana, Uttan Manduk Asan and the basic breathing techniques were explained along with warming and stretching practices. One lecture was also given on lifestyle.

TALK ON SPIRITUALISM IN INDIA Swami Pragyanandji Maharaj, the founder patron of Vishwamata Gayatri Trust, Pragya Sailok Kalayan Nyas, Pragya Mission International, Sai Pragya Dham, Saket New Delhi and President, Delhi Sant Maha Mandal visited Suriname and on Thursday 28th July he delivered a Talk on Spiritualism in India. In his Talk, while explaining about spiritualism in India, he described the relation between science and the norms of religion with examples. Vandana & Bhajans were also presented by the Vocal Music teacher/students of ICC.

HINDI CLASS AT

COMMEWIJNE

In district Commewijne, Hindi

classes for Praveshika (level IV)

and Parichay (level 5) are being

organised by ICC, Paramaribo as

a new activity. Hindi Teacher of

Indian Cultural Centre,

Paramaribo, Dr. S.K. Jha, visits

Commewijne twice a month from

July onward to conduct the

classes. The total numbers of

students in Praveshika are 12

while there are 6 students in

Parichay. The coordinator of this

Hindi class Mr. Naveen

Ghisyawan is a local Hindi

teacher in Commewijne.

LECTURE ON BHAKTI KE SWAROOP A lecture on the topic Bhakti ke Swaroop in

Hindi literature was delivered by Hindi Teacher,

Indian Cultural Centre, Dr. S. K. Jha, on 20 July in

Hindi room. In above lecture the various aspects

of Bhakti adopted in Hindi literature from

different face like Sagun and Nirgun and its

branches like Ram Bhakti Dhara, Krishna Bhakti

Dhara, Gyan Margi Dhara and Prem Margi Dhara

(Sufi) and its representative poets, their

contribution to the Bhakti movement were

explained. This was appreciated by the present

local Hindi students/teachers and they

demanded for more lectures like these.


15

preventive science.

CELEBRATION OF MUNSHI

PREMCHAND JAYANTI Indian Cultural Centre, Paramaribo with the collaboration of Suriname Hindi Parishad at their premises on 31st July 2011, organized Hindi Upanyas/Katha Samrat (King of Novels and Stories) Munshi Premchand Jayanti. On this occasion, the Viyaktitva & Kratitva (life and work) of Munshi Premchand was remembered. Shri Janki Persadsing Ex-President of Suriname Hindi Parishad presented a speech regarding the life of Munshi Premchand and Dr. S.K. Jha, Hindi Teacher, ICC described why Munshi Premchand a great poet in Hindi literature that he is called the King of Hindi Novel/Stories and Kalam ka Sipahi. The local Hindi students and vocal music students of ICC in this programme also recited some Bhajan/Poetry.

COLLABORATION WITH VILLA ZAPAKARA

(Inauguration of Childrens Museum)

(Ster in De Stand Bombay) Villa Zapakara, a children Museum in Paramaribo organized an exhibition on the life in Mumbai, on 30 July, 2011. The exhibition will run for 18 months. At the exhibition, various aspects of life and culture at Mumbai are displayed. The organizers also displayed an old Mumbai Taxi and a three-wheeler which were specifically imported from India. The Embassy has provided a set of videos produced by PD Division to the organizers for showing to the visitors. The Exhibition was inaugurated by the Minister of Education of Suriname. On this occasion, H.E. Windson Lakin, Minister for Foreign Affairs and his spouse, the Ambassador of India, Mr. K.J.S. Sodhi and many renowned personalities/diplomats were present on inauguration. ICC students presented a Kathak dance performance on this occasion.

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TRADE ENQUIRIES

List of Commercial Inquiries Received from India, in April 2011

Name of the Company Product

1. Alfakrina Exports

E-mail: [email protected] Handicraft

2. Binay Gupta Director Bhadani Export Inc. Tel.: +91-33-2430-6468 ; Fax: +91-33-2430-6468 Mob:+91-9433279540/ 8100946861 E-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected] Skype: binaygupta3 Website: www.bhadaniexport.co.in/ www.bhadaniexports.com

Ladies Kurtis, Salwar Suits, Indian Sarees

3. Anubhav Kr. Sengar Export Marketing Manager Sarweshar Exports Mob: +91-9899044147 E-mail: [email protected]

Basmati Rice

4. Abron Export 105, Industrial Estate; Ambala Cantt Mob: +91-9416020018; Fax: +91-171-2698459 E-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected] Website: www.abronexports.com

Scientific Equipment & Instruments/ Surgical, Medical & Hospital Items

5. Arpit Tatiwala Tatiwala Jewels Emporium 81, Gopal Ji Ka Rasta, Jhori bazar Jaipur Rajasthan -302003 Mob:-+91-98290 51767 E-mail:[email protected]/ [email protected] Website: www.tatiwalaje.com

Coloured Gem Stones Both Precious and Semi Precious/ Gold and Diamond Jewellery

6. J.P. Bindal General Manager (Export-Import) Shri Lal Mahal Ltd. Shri Lal Mahal House B-16 Bhagwan Dass Nagar, New Delhi-110026 Mob: +91-9899653536 E -Mail: [email protected]

Basmati Rice & Agri Commodities

7. Eng. Bhavesh Patel Manager Exports Chamunda Pharma Machinery Pvt.Ltd Mob: +91-9376828883 E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.cm1981.com

Pharmaceutical Machinery

8. RPH. Sandeep Kumar Mishra Executive - International Drug Regulatory Affairs United Biotech (P) Limited FC/B-1 (Extn), Mohan Cooperative Ind. Estate, Mathura Road, New Delhi-44 Tel: +91-11-40651371/ 40651100 Fax: +91-11-66605681 Mob: +91-9971303060

Pharmaceutical

9. Arpit Tatiwala & Sushil Agarwal Overseas trading company B-122(B) Mangal Marg, Bapu Nagar, Jaipur; Rajasthan 302015 Mob:-+91-9829051767 E-mail: [email protected]

Agro and Herbal Products & Spices


19

10. Girish Jaggi Vice President International Operations Rasna Group Rasna Centre, Gulbai Tekra, Ahmedabad 380015, Gujarat Tel.: +91-79-26449603/4 Fax: +91-79-26449610 Mob: +91-7600026719 Skype: girishjaggi Yahoo Messenger: jaggigirish MSN Messenger: girishjaggi Web: www.rasnainternational.com

Instant Drink Powders

11. Sunil Goel G.M. Exports E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.warrior.co.in/ www.libertyshoes.com

Safety Shoes

12. S. Karnani VP - Technical Sales and Support Chemtex Speciality Ltd. Tel: +91-33-7111-1111 #154 ; Mobile: +91-9830006666 E-mail: [email protected] Skype ID: chemtex.shubham BBM PIN: 231DD93E Website: www.chemtexlimited.com

Speciality Cleaning and Hygiene Chemicals used by Beverage, Breweries, Dairy and Meat Processing Industry.

13. Manohar Bhojwani Director Maninder Kaur Marwah Export Manager Echo Green Farms N Crafts Exports Pvt Ltd. Plot No. 94, E.I.A. Kalamna Nagpur - 440 035 Maharashtra - India Tel: +91-712- 2790599/ 2790614 Fax: +91-712-2775777 Mob: 91-9823011926 E-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected] Skype: manohar.bhojwani

Handicraft

14. Rahul Soni Director - International Business Soni Polymers Pvt. Ltd., E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.soniofficemate.com

Stationery Products Brand Soni Office Mate

15. Purshottam Das Patodia E-mail: [email protected]

Yarn

16. Swapnil Gaikwad Dorizoe Lifesciences Ltd. Old Premchandnagar Road, Opp. Satyagrah Chhavani, Bodakdev,Ahmedabad-380054 Tel: +91-79-66197777/ 66311114 Fax: +91-79-66309341 Mob: +91-9924587567 E-mail: [email protected]

Pharmaceutical & Veterinary Products

17. Shakeel Akhter Manager Business Development Guru Nanak Auto Enterprises LTD GT Road,Jamalpur,Phagwara, Punjab-144635 Tel.: +91-1826-270111/ 262301 Fax: +91-1826-270003/ 262306 Mob: +91-8427488991 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.gnaent.com

Auto components/ Hand tools and Hardware Items / Tyres & Tubes

18. Mukesh Sharma E-mail: [email protected]

Synthetic and Cotton Yarns

19. Tejas Shah Satellite Communications / Cable TV &


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MCBS Pvt Ltd B-138/139, GIDC Electronic Estate, Sector-25, Gandhinagar-382025, Gujarat Mob: +91-9662261960 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mcbsintl.com/ www.mcbsbroadband.com/ www.settopboxindia.com/ www.mcbscctv.com/ www.apnadth.com

Network Equipment/ DTH antennae/ CCTV Security Systems

20. Anil Kumar Soni Jagat Narayan Jewellers 41, ghee Walon Ka Rasta, Johari Bazaar, Jaipur, Rajasthan Mob: +91-9587436195/ 9828817798 E-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected]/ [email protected] Skype: jagatnarayanjewellers Website: www.diamondngoldjewellery.in/ www.colouredgemstonessupplier.in

Emeralds and Diamonds

21. Prasanna Sundar Rajan Managing Director, Bharti Exports, E-mail: [email protected] SkypeL prasannasq MSN: [email protected] Website: www.bhartiexports.in

Coco Peat (used for cultivation and fertilizing), Potato Starch (used for food products), Cotton Seed Hull (healthy animal feed)

22. Vikas Prajapati Ravish Arts Plot no.211; Near Post Office, Phagi Road, Chaksu; Jaipur; Rajasthan Tel: +91-1429-243609 Mob: +91-9460554672/ 9829162408 E-mail: [email protected]

Wall Hangings, Handicrafts, Garments. Home Furnishing Items, Textile, Marble, Sand Stone and Wooden Handicrafts

23. Vipul Bhavsar Prachi Exports 25 Gopinath Nagar; Jagatpur Gam Road, Chandlodia; Ahmedabad-382481; Gujarat Tel: +91-79-65100001 Mob: +91-8866021440/ 9723821440 E-mail: [email protected]

Household Aluminium Foil and Bear foil for Pharma Industry

24. Vimall Arumugham Executive Director & Vice President Arumuga Group of Industries 636/15, Rajapalayam Road, Chatrapatti 626102, Tamil Nadu Tel: +91-4563-257569/ 79 Fax: +91-4563-257430/ 340 Mob: +91-98943-77722 E-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected] Website: www.arumuga.com

Co t to n Y a rn/ C o t to n G re y a nd B le a c he d G a u ze C lo th i n ro l ls / Co t to n A bd o mina l Swa bs a nd Sp o nge s ( u se d in ho sp i ta ls f o r d re ss ing) / Co t to n Fa b ric s/ o t he r Co t to n G a u ze P ro d u c ts

25. Randhir Joshi Mob: +91-9717453456 E-mail: [email protected]

M.S., ERW, Galvanised/ Black Steel Tubes, API Pipes, Hollow Sections, Sheets (Gal. Plain/ Gal. Corrugated), Colour Coated Coils/ Sheets/ Strips, C.R. Strip and CRCA Coils

26. Sanghi Overseas 1-2 Turf View, Opp. Nehru Centre, Seth Motilal G. Sanghi Marg, Worli, Mumbai - 400 018 Tel: +91-22-2494-5464 (12 lines) Fax: +91-22-2494-7052

Industrial Gas Plants for Oxygen, Nitrogen, Acetylene and Nitrous Oxide Gases.

27. Vikas Uthaman Silicones/ Textiles Manufacturers,


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Elkay Silicones J-152/3, MIDC Bhosari, Pune, Maharashtra 411026 Tel: +91-20-3063-5300 Mob: +91-9823441858 Skype : Vikas.V11 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.elkaysilicones.com

Agrochemicals Manufacturers (Pesticides, Fungicides, Fertilizers, etc.), Construction Chemicals & Product Manufacturers (Gypsum Boards, Tiles, Cement, Sealants, etc.), Petrochemical Manufacturers, Refineries, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, Rubber Product Manufacturers

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