Think India Foundation

Indians move from necessities to luxury

MUMBAI: Although consumption is on the rise in India, a shift in pattern is clearly visible. In urban areas, food and beverages (F&B ) is witnessing a declining share of the consumer's wallet, while spends on tourism and health are going up.

Even within categories, there is a shift in consumption. For instance, in foods, people are consuming more fruits and vegetables, meat and milk as compared to pulses and cereals. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Bangalore's oldest Jain temple gets a makeover

Bangalore : The city's oldest Jain temple has received a facelift. The Sri Adinath Jain Shwetambara Temple in Chickpet, which was built in 1918, has been renovated and will be inaugurated on Thursday.

Marking the occasion, the temple has organised a nine-day festival at Freedom Park, culminating with the inauguration. So far, it has seen over 50,000 members of the Jain community joining the festivities. Some of the events included singing competitions and theatre plays depicting the culture of the community. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Tempers flare over temple in Bangalore

Bangalore : Nestled in a quaint little park in Indiranagar is a structure that is giving a handful of its neighbours a bit of grief. The structure in question is a run-down temple, and a few residents who live in and around the area claim that the temple has been erected illegally and ought to be taken down.

“It has been around for five or six years now and it is illegal. Despite my many pleas, the structure remains to this day,” said HM Thimmarayappa, a lawyer who lives near the park. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

HDFC Bank launches premium women’s credit cards

In fact, Solitaire Premium is the first premium women’s card in the country. With Solitaire, INFINIA and a pack of travel cards, HDFC Bank now has an unparalleled premium bouquet of plastics in India.

HDFC Bank, the biggest issuer of credit cards in the country, today launched the most premium bouquet of cards for Indian women. Named ‘Solitaire Premium’ and ‘Solitaire’, the two cards represent an important milestone for the Bank in its efforts to offer premium cards not only for women, but every member of the family. Read more

Source : indiainfoline.com

Asia's students weigh up college options

Families in Asia desperate to get a college education for their children are considering a variety of expensive options - including sending them to a local branch of a British or Australian university.

Places in popular courses such as engineering are keenly contested

"Emotionally it's very taxing," sighed Seema Singh, talking about the All India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE), which more than one million young Indians sit each year. Read more

Source : bbc.co.uk

Children's book project marries tech with storytelling

New Delhi : Information technology and creative writing have come together in a unique project to create literature by children for children.

A project "Write & Read: By Us For Us" - a compilation of short stories - has turned the portable computer printer into a creative device by using computer printing technology to put together an anthology of short stories. Read more

Source : twocircles.net

UTC holds Design Tour in Kolkata

Kolkata (IBNS) : United Technologies Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. (UTC) hosted thought leadership forums for architects in Kolkata on the future of sustainability and its role in new buildings and developing cities to add a positive thrust and impetus to the nation’s real estate market.

The Design Tour featured top architects of international repute, including Karan Grover, Bob Van Bebber from South Africa ,and Minsuk Cho from Korea.

Amongst other speakers were Manoj Chakravoti well known Design Engineer and Krishan Sachdev, Director, Marketing and Strategy, Carrier Airconditioning and Refrigeration Ltd. Read more

Source : indiablooms.com 

WARD 28 IN MYSORE IS A MODEL IN WASTE MANAGEMENT: EX-MLC

Mysore - The Institution of Engineers in association with Mysore City Corporation Wards Parliamentary Committee had organised the second international seminar on 'Zero waste management ( at Ward No. 28 in Kumbarakoppalu) at S.P. Bhat Hall, Institution of Engineers premises in city yesterday.

Five experts expressed their opinions on waste management during the seminar. Read more

 

 

 

Source : starofmysore.com

India in 2025: We desperately need a bridge to the future

What will India look like in 2025?

Formal-sector job growth has been strongest in regions and industries that have exhibited high rates of entrepreneurship and dynamic economies. Reuters

The optimistic outlook is that India, which accounts for 80% of the South Asian regional economic output, is headed towards double digit growth rates. South Asia too will grow rapidly, primarily due to India. Read more

Source : firstpost.com

Mohali striding ahead in Tricity with diverse urban projects

Chandigarh: Mohali is striding ahead in the Tricity in the field of urban development with major projects like Eco City Phase I and II, Medicity, Aerocity, IT City and group housing (about 6,000) flats in its kitty. Over the next few years, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) is coming up with development projects planned over approximately 3,400 acres. Land acquisition for all these projects has been a smooth affair on account of the state’s lucrative policy, which has been friendly to land owners and ensured their complete cooperation.

 Take a look at all that GMADA has managed to acquire without causing as much as a ripple, while neighbouring Haryana is still battling land-owners in diverse areas. The highlights of Mohali’s masterplan for development are 800 acres for Aerocity, 419 acres for Eco City Phase I, 375 acres for Eco City Phase II (both at Mullanpur), 1,700 acres for IT City, 97 acres for Medicity, and 680 acres for Sectors 88 and 89. Read more

Source : indianexpress.com

Rapid Metro firm to harvest water table

Gurgaon : In an attempt to improve the water table, the Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon (RMRG) has developed a technique to recharge ground water.

The RMRG has tied up with the NGO, SURGE, in order to tackle the problem of water shortage and depleting water level. Gurgaon has alluvial plain which is considered good for ground water recharge. The first two locations have been identified near Bristol Chowk and Sikanderpur Chowk to carry out the process. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

Holcim Awards to four Indian civic projects

Four Indian civic projects have been awarded at the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition here for innovative sustainable building projects.

The projects were given the awards by Holcim Foundation during an award ceremony last night.

The Holcim Awards is an international competition that recognises innovative construction projects and future-oriented concepts on regional and global levels. Read more

Source : investmoneyinindia.com

Standoff over land acquisition continues

KOCHI: Even as the corporation council remains stubborn against allotting land at Brahmapuram for a private company to set up a sewage treatment plant, the district administration has examined the required land and submitted the report to the village office and the High Court.

“An advisory commission, along with the RDO, had gone and examined the site. A report has been submitted to the High Court regarding the same,” said District Collector PI Sheik Pareeth. He added that the site was found to be acceptable for the construction of the plant. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Aids control agencies to share positive migrants’ data

Mumbai : The drop in the number of HIV cases is little to be happy about. For, the city has seen a steady increase in the number of migrants infected with the virus in the last few years.

The National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has, therefore, decided to focus all its efforts on the migrant communities in the country. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

1lakh illegal structures set to be regularised in Mumbai

Mumbai : How do you get the official nod for an illegal establishment? You can stand on one leg and call upon your personal deities. Or hope that an election is around the corner.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday directed the urban development department to introduce a scheme to regularise 1.10 lakh illegal constructions under the jurisdiction of Pimpri-Chinchwad Corporation in western Maharashtra. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Abdullah to present biomass energy plan to cabinet soon

New Delhi: The government may soon bring out a national mission on biomass, on the lines of the one on solar energy, to promote greater investment into renewable energy sources, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said Tuesday.

"We are working on the National Mission on Biomass, which we will be putting before the cabinet. It will be in the 12th Plan, which is starting now," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of the Bio-Energy Summit 2011. Read more

Source : twocircles.net

Students interact on nuclear energy

LUCKNOW: Nuclear energy is a clean and pollution-free means to generate electricity and India must actively encourage its use to keep pace with the rising energy demand. This was the consensus of students after an interactive quiz session on energy scenario in India. The programme was held at Sevdie Institute of Management and Technology (SIMT) on Tuesday.

A short animation film titled 'Meet Mr Budhiya' which portrays through comic characters the change of heart among villagers who have fears about a nuclear power plant, was screened before a group of more than 100 engineering students of SIMT. After the screening, a few questions were asked about energy and those students who gave correct answers were given prizes. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Gain easy access to education

New Delhi : The open and distance education (ODE) system was introduced in India primarily to meet the aspirations of the young generation of our country. With more than 500 universities and around 30,000 colleges, India at present has the world’s second largest education system. However, a large section of society still remains deprived of higher  education.

It is painful to realise that only about 12% of 18- to 23-year-olds participate in higher education in our country while the corresponding world average is 23%. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

UP: scam in Mayawati's home-for-poor project

Noida: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's biggest project till date, 'Kanshiram Awaas Yojna', is under the scanner. The project is aimed at giving thousands of free low-cost homes to the poor in the cities of Uttar Pradesh. CNN-IBN has learnt that the flats are being handed to millionaires instead.

Noida is witnessing a housing boom but the skyscrapers are beyond the reach of the common man. Mayawati's solution was the Kanshiram Awaas Yojna, named after her mentor and founder of the BSP. 1,000 homes were also built in Noida under this project. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Arsenic contamination of well water in 11 states reported

New Delhi -- Arsenic contamination in ground water has been found in Uttar Pradesh and 10 other states of the country besides sporadic incidents of heavy metal pollution with wells reporting toxicity beyond permissible limit, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

In written replies, Minister of State for Water Resources Vincent Pala gave out details of the states where district authorities had found the presence of arsenic and other heavy metals in the ground water beyond permissible limits. The permissible limit for arsenic was 0.01 Mg a litre. Read more

Source : waterworld.com

Stop blaming rural migration for urban ills: Study

NEW DELHI: Rapid urbanisation of villages and expansion of urban areas pose a more pressing challenge to Indian policymakers and administrators than migration of people from rural areas to the cities, a new report has said.

"A commonly held perception is that explosive rural to urban migration is the primary cause for the state of India's cities. This is not borne out by evidence," says 'Urban India 2011- Evidence', released by the Delhi-based Indian Institute of Human Settlements. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Industries discuss climate change, safety tips in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: Industrialists from various clusters in Ahmedabad met on Tuesday to study how climate change can ruin their businesses if precautions are not taken, even as organizers prepare a vulnerability map of industrial clusters across Gujarat.

The need to prepare businesses for possible impacts of climate change was a pressing concern, given case studies tabled at the meet saying that industrial estates could experience climate change induced floods and a rise in temperature that could make production costlier since much depends on efficient cooling systems. Read more

Source : indianexpress.com

AP govt to announce advt policy soon

HYDERABAD: Advertising hoardings will be banned on heritage buildings, hospitals, schools, religious places, parks and near water bodies soon. Apart from this, hoardings and unipoles will not be allowed at major intersections or merging/diverging lanes.

Municipal corporations and municipalities have been permitting hoardings indiscriminately, causing inconvenience to citizens. As several accidents related to hoardings and unipoles happened in the city due to the negligence of advertising agencies, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) department has decided to frame an advertisement policy for the entire state. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Huda administrator looks to MDI students for solutions to Gurgaon city’s woes

Gurgaon : Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) administrator is now looking to students for ideas to untangle the traffic snarls on city roads.

Speaking at an interactive session organised by the Management Development Insitute (MDI) on Monday, Huda administrator Praveen Kumar urged the students to come up with innovative ways to break the traffic lock jams in a scientific manner. Read more

Source : expressindia.com

Cooperative banks in Nagpur city safe, now

NAGPUR: Depositors in urban cooperative banks (UCBs) in city may rest assured of the safety of their money - at least for now. After prolonged financial crisis resulted in three cooperative banks in city being shut down causing huge loss to depositors, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has declared finally there is no cooperative in the city having a negative networth. This means no bank faces a fate similar to Nagpur Mahila, Samata Sahakari and Parmatma Ek Sevak, which have been de-licensed and facing RBI embargo on withdrawals for more than three years.

Moreover, this situation is not because the weak banks have been wiped out. It is because banks have over time shown consistent improvement in financial parameters, said a source in apex bank. Negative networth means the banks' losses are more than its owned funds that include share capital and profit reserves. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Decoding a hydra-headed monster

BANGALORE: The Rs 1,539-crore tender scam, with massive irregularities like fake bills and illegal tenders floated for civic works in three sub-divisions of BBMP are referred to, is a hydra-headed monster. No wonder within days of a probe being ordered into the scam the city administrative machinery was rankled.

A fire, suspected to be sparked off by vested interests targeting scam files, had many furious corporators seething with rage at the turn of events, engineers on a warpath over colleagues' arrest, saw the transfer of probe to another agency, and finally, the unceremonious exit of commissioner who unearthed the scam are just a few aftershocks of the scam. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Bengaluru going big on home gardening

"Oota from your thota" is an initiative by Garden City Farmers Trust to promote better living by encouraging organic urban farming. The immense popularity of the first attempt at oota from your thota in August at BTM, led to this event. The event was this time held at UAS Alumni Association premises next to Veterinary College, Bellary Road, Hebbal on 27th November 2011. Citizen Matters was the media partner for the event. 

People attending a session on organic farming. Pic: Deepthi Sarma

Spearheaded by Dr Viswanath, the Garden City Farmers are a growing tribe of people who believe in greening the city by growing organic vegetables and fruits, wherever space permits. The idea is to grow more veggies instead of ornamental plants ota from thota is an initiative to create awareness for healthy living by encouraging citizens to grow their own vegetables", believes Jyothi N, Secretary Garden city Farmers. "Our mantra is to find ways and means of growing our own vegetables in urban spaces as nothing can be more organic than that" adds Jyothi who worked in an IT company previously. Read more

Source : bangalore.citizenmatters.in

Police station exclusively to deal with civic offences in Bangalore

The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) is a police station set up to deal exclusively with offences pertaining to civic governance. It is the police station for urban bodies such as BBMP and BDA.

Set up on May 27, 1996, the BMTF tackles offences committed under The Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, The Bangalore Development Authority Act, 1976, The Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964, The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board Act, 1964, The Karnataka Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1973, The Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act, 1961, The Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, Inam Abolition Acts, The Indian Penal Code and The Karnataka Police Act, 1963. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Seek feedback from Twitter: Nagaland Guv to Nitish

Patna: Nagaland Governor Nikhil Kumar today lauded the NDA government for doing good work in Bihar's development but suggested the state should also take the feedback from social networking sites as well.

The state should seek feedback from opinion-makers on the social networking sites like Twitter and incorporate their ideas in the development process, the former MP from Aurangabad constituency, said at a seminar 'Governance in India : Challenges and Responses' here. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

West Bengal Ministers to get daily allowance for attending house sesssions

Kolkata (PTI) : West Bengal cabinet today decided on a daily allowance to ministers, on par with MLAs, for attending assembly sessions. Secretariat sources said ministers, who did not get any such allowance earlier for attending the House sessions, will henceforth get a daily allowance of Rs 1,000. MLAs, who were earlier getting Rs 750 daily for attending the House, will from now on get a daily allowance of Rs 1,000, they said.

'For the ministers, calculation of daily allowance will be made for five days for every day attended. Their monthly income will increase by Rs 28,000 in addition to their present montly salary of Rs 7,500,' the sources said. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Bangalore best Indian city to live: Global Survey

New Delhi: Pipping past the four metro cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, the southern technology hub Bangalore has emerged as the best city to live in India, a global survey said Tuesday.

Despite its top Indian ranking, Bangalore's worldwide rank is very low at 141st position in a list of 221 cities globally in terms of standard of living, compiled by the 'Quality of Living Survey - Worldwide Rankings, 2011' by the global HR (human resources) consultancy major Mercer. Read more

 

Source : zeenews.india.com

APG, IIF and SNC-Lavalin to develop road projects

Mumbai (PTI) : Ashok Piramal Group (APG), India Infrastructure Fund (IIF) and Canada's SNC-Lavalin have entered into a tripartite arrangement to develop road projects in India through a joint venture company, Piramal Roads Infra Private Limited (PRIL). PRIL is a group company of APG and IIF is managed by IDFC Project Equity Company Ltd, a subsidiary company of IDFC Limited. PRIL was formed by APG as part of the group's initiative to pursue opportunities in the infrastructure sector. It is currently developing a road project in Madhya Pradesh, a company statement said here.

IIF is one of India's largest private sector infrastructure equity providers with an existing portfolio of seven road assets, along with its other investments in energy, ports and urban infrastructure sector. SNC-Lavalin is among the world's largest engineering and construction groups and has been active in the infrastructure sector in India for more than a half century. PRIL will have 51 per cent equity interest in this joint venture, IIF 39 percent and SNC-Lavalin 10 percent, the release said. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

New committee to oversee world heritage sites

New Delhi : The government has set up an advisory committee on world heritage matters to review the tentative list of heritage sites from India on the UNESCO list and make suitable recommendations, the Lok Sabha was informed Tuesday.

Culture and Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja said the committee would ensure that the list becomes more representative in the next five to seven years. Read more

Source : twocircles.net

Free medicines for mental patients

BHUBANESWAR: In a major boost to the people suffering from mental illnesses, the State Government on Monday announced free medicines to the patients.

The patients admitted to the Psychiatry wings of SCB Medical, Cuttack, VSS Medical, Burla, and MKCG Medical, Berhampur, will be provided free medication. The medicals have been provided funds to the tune of ` 50 lakh each for the purpose, Health Minister Prasanna Acharya said here. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Orissa pulls up Gopalpur Ports for delay in Phase II work

BS reported that Orissa government has pulled up Gopalpur Ports Ltd for the delay in resuming construction work for second phase of the port project despite obtaining environment clearance for the same nearly eight months back.

The department of commerce & transport has sought up to date report on Phase-II construction work of the all-weather port by end of this month. Read more

Source : steelguru.com

Ktk keen to integrate hawkers in city infrastructure guideline

Bangalore (PTI) : Karnataka government is keen to integrate street vendors and hawkers in formal infrstructure policies like stall and allocation and market or pedestrian and road facility design guidelines, key people behind a study said today. A detailed analysis has already been carried in Bangalore in order to explore integration of the street hawkers and vendors into this formal infrastructure system. Use of pedestrian micro-simulation for arriving at design guidelines for footpaths integrating street vendors and hawkers has been underaken, according to co-investigators of the project -- Dr Ashish Verma and Dr Anjula Gurtoo from CiSTUP (Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation, and Urban Planning) Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

 "The government of Karnataka is keen to pursue a formal integration policy for street vendors and hawkers," Verma told PTI. The two-member team explored pedestrian and facility policy guidelines for Bangalore city that considers and integrates provisions for hawkers and street vendors. The total sample size for street vendors/hawkers was 871 and for the customers was 779. The surveys clearly revealed the pattern of vending, the work related operational issues and concerns, and the 'entrepreneurial nature of their work. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Maharashtra plans to give all city slum-dwellers a house

MUMBAI: All slum families in Mumbai will be eligible for a house, if a proposal moved by the state housing department is approved by the government.

In a move that would make slum cut-off deadlines almost irrelevant, the department has initiated a proposal to allow dwelling rights to all slumdwellers. Slum-dwellers settled prior to January 1, 1995 will be eligible for free houses, while those settled thereafter would be required to bear up to 50% of the construction cost. To make legal provisions for the move, the department has proposed introduction of new chapter in the Maharash tra Slum Act, 1971. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Commuters being taken for a ride by conductors in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Ever dreaded the thought of travelling in city buses without adequate change in your pocket? If so, you are not alone. Conductors of low floor, as well as normal city buses, have been taking commuters for a ride, giving an excuse, that to most commuters sounds as simple as harmless: no change.

“I have many a time ended up not receiving balance for the ticket bought. Conductors cite lack of change, though frankly, most times I feel they are quietly pocketing the extra money, knowing we would not argue over `5 to 6, especially once our stop arrives”, says Naveen, a regular commuter between Ameerpet and Kothaguda. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Low-floor, low returns in Kochi

KOCHI: The lack of co-ordination among various departments is cited as one of the major reasons for the low-floor and semi-low floor buses introduced in Kochi and Thiruvanathpuram under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) not attaining break-even stage, almost two year since they began service.

The much-hyped AC low-floor buses were introduced after a rift between the KSRTC and Kochi Corporation over the formation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for managing the bus services. The state government had given the KSRTC the authority to manage the services and since then the buses were fully operated by the state-run RTC much to the dislike of the Kochi Corporation. Since then, the corporation took a non-cooperative stand against the buses which were made available through them. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Pimpri-Chinchwad metro project takes a backseat

PUNE: The proposed metro project of the PCMC seems to have taken a backseat as the elected representatives and the civic administration are not too enthusiastic about a separate metro project for the twin township.

Municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma has clarified that the metro should be planned after taking into consideration, the needs of the entire area that will come under the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA). "The state government can not consider a metro just for Pune or Pimpri-Chinchwad," he said, indicating that industrial township was not pushing for a metro route limited to its limits. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'Eye' for Kolkata's London dreams

KOLKATA:Cable car rides between one part of the town to another, watching the entire city through the Kolkata eye, modelled in the lines of the London eye, or fascinating monorail journeys may soon be a reality in Bengal. Under the enormous pressure of rapid urbanisation, the state government is looking for solutions that help tackling the pressure and at the same time provide comfortable rides to the people as well as draw tourists.

The state urban development minister Firad Hakim on Monday discussed some of these projects with representatives of over 40 UK based companies at Writers' Buildings. Later, the minister said that the government was keen on implementing urban development projects on public-private-partnership (ppp) basis. "Depending on the requirement of the cities and towns of West Bengal, many projects can be planned if we get funds from private companies," Hakim said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Renewable energy efficiency proposal

Dr Farooq Abdullah minister of new and renewable energy informed the Lok Sabha that his ministry is implementing a program on Energy Efficient Solar/Green buildings which aims to promote the construction of energy efficient solar/green buildings including a green building rating system-Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment.

Further, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency has also developed Energy Conservation Building Code for ensuring energy efficiency in buildings. These are voluntary and are not proposed to be mandatory. However, the Committee of Secretaries has recommended for adoption of GRIHA ratings by Government/PSUs buildings. Read more

Source : steelguru.com

A maternity hospital becomes victim of official apathy

VARANASI: Silver Jubilee Kunj Lal Child Welfare and Maternity Centre is struggling for basic facilities for its patients. The foundation stone of the centre was laid by Vijay Lakshmi Pandit in 1937 AD with the aim to provide proper treatment and offer safe deliveries to pregnant women. It is situated in the heart of the city in Beniabagh. However, the officials are busy figuring out the ownership of years old hospital and are readying to run it on public private partnership (PPP) model.

The hospital, owned by Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) since 1940 AD, has been devoid of basic necessities like water, food and drugs. Dr Rita Ballani, the only doctor appointed at the hospital, says: "On an average, 20 patients visit the hospital daily and most of them come from poor economic background. The medicines, injections, nutrition are supposed to be distributed to them on payment of just Rs 1. However, the medicines are not being made available to hospital, which is why most of the poor patients have stopped coming here. They find other government hospitals more efficient. Otherwise the hospital was a trusted destination for women and their infant's health." Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delhi government opens up water sector for private players

NEW DELHI: After privatisation of power distribution, Delhi government today initiated the much-waited reforms in water sector by opening doors for private entities in management, maintenance and distribution of water in several areas of the city.

A board meeting of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), chaired by chief minister Sheila Dikshit, approved a long-pending proposal to involve private sector in command areas of Malviya Nagar, Vasant Vihar and Nangloi under ground reservoirs and water treatment plants. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Beautification of riverside to begin shortly in Kolkata

As part of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s plans to turn Kolkata into London, the beautification of the riverside will begin shortly. The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) is all set to start a survey to prepare the detailed project report (DPR).

“The KMDA will conduct the study and prepare the DPR in 45 days. In the first phase, the beautification would be done on both sides of river Hooghly. On the Kolkata side, the stretch between the second Hooghly bridge and the Nimtolla Ghat will be beautified, while on the Howrah side the work will start from the railway museum area,” state urban development and municipal affairs minister Firhad Hakim said. Read more

Source : asianage.com

Information Technology all set to alter political landscape

LUCKNOW: The emergence of Information Technology has undoubtedly added a new dimension in the history of Indian politics. Whether it is the national parties or the regional players, no one can afford to ignore its importance especially in terms of vast reach and potential to open new political vistas and fronts with new voters.

While, the national parties have already taken a substantial lead over their regional counterparts by setting up dedicated cells, whose sole responsibility is to look after the information technology aspect of the party's website and other related functions, the small players too are joining the IT bandwagon after realizing its reach and popularity even among the people of the remote hinterland. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

'Entertainment mart to grow 14% in South India'

Chennai : The south Indian media and entertainment market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14 per cent for the next four years to cross Rs 32,140 crore by 2015, according to a joint report of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and research firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt Ltd. It is presently estimated at Rs 18,740 crore.

The film industry, which is at Rs 2,110 crore at present, is poised to grow at 11 per cent per annum for next four years, to reach Rs 3,170 crore by 2015, states the FICCI-Deloitte report on Media and Entertainment in South India. Read more

Source : business-standard.com

HC notice to Gujarat govt on petn against regularisation act

Ahmedabad (PTI) : Gujarat High Court today issued notices to the state government and the Advocate General on a petition challenging the act which provides for regularisation of unauthorised constructions. Gujarat Regularisation of Unauthorised Development (GRUD) Act, 2011, which seeks to regularise several lakhs of unauthorised constructions by charging "impact fee", was passed for the second time during the state assembly's session in September, and approved by the Governor last month.

Governor, Dr Kamla, had returned it to the assembly earlier, saying that some provisions of the bill were not appropriate, when it was passed for the first time. Raj Prajapati from Gandhinagar has filed a petition demanding GRUD Act be scrapped as it violates Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to life) of Constitution. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Cable digitisation bill introduced in parliament

NEW DELHI: The second major step to end the era of analog transmission in the cable television was taken today with the introduction of an amended Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 in the Lok Sabha to make digitalisation mandatory.

The Bill aims to digitise the cable sector in the country by December 31, 2014. The Government had earlier announced a timetable for complete digitisation of cable television in the four metros by 31 March, 2012, but this was put off to June 2012 in a notification issued subsequently. Read more

Source : indiantelevision.com

In India,40% of search and 67% of e-commerce is mobile,says Google

An astounding 40 percent of all Google searches in India are conducted using mobile phones, according to Google India managing director Rajan Anandan, and 67 percent of e-commerce happens on mobile devices, reports the Business Standard.

These numbers were revealed by Anandan during Confluence 2011, a three-day business seminar organised by the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Ahmedabad. The 40 percent figure is especially striking, in light of the fact that only 14 percent of search queries in the USA, 11 percent in Russia and 6 percent in the UK are run from mobile phones. Read more

Source : thenextweb.com