What's the overall view on India, what's the stance that you are taking. There have been some upgrades coming in from key brokerages on the growth targets in the region? What are your growth projections and what would they be subject to for revision, what are the factors that you are watching out for? Well, India clearly on the domestic growth momentum has been very robust as reflected in industrial production figures and clearly that has also been filtering through into inflation numbers which we will get later today. I think going forward we see this broadening out of growth from largely the manufacturing also in the service sector going forward and our growth forecast is in the range of 8% to 8.5% and risks would be clearly on the upside. What perhaps are the headwinds at this juncture because we are looking at India being pretty much running its own cost and being one of the top runners in terms of an overall growth projection? What could peg us back? Well like in the current time probably one of the things which the RBI would be looking at quite closely as well is inflation. As I mentioned we get WPI numbers and we think it will probably be about 10.4% which would be the near term PE but clearly rising inflationary pressures and elevated inflation expectations do tend to erode disposable incomes so that is something definitely to worth keep an eye on and I think here the RBI is going to come through and tighten policy. We expect the RBI to hike the reverses as well as the repo rate by 50 basis points next week. What would that lead to in terms of an overall rate tightening projection for the year? We look for another about 125 basis points sort to come through for the year and I think there will also be some CRR tightening to rein in liquidity in the system. What would this mean for the entire banking system in India where there has been much talk about liquidity pretty much playing itself out and being a flush, how do you think these rate hikes would impact credit growth which hasn't really picked up as much as it was expected to over the last six to eight months? Credit growth is picking up gradually and going forward. If you look at the historical relationship of credit growth and industrial production in India, it normally lacks by two quarters. Given the strength that we have seen in the manufacturing and the industrial sector I think there is little doubt this credit growth is going to pick up going forward and clearly that fits in with a strong fundamental growth demand story in India as well.
RAVI NANDAN VERMA
PGDM-II
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
IBM acquires ILOG
IBM announced Monday that it plans to acquire business rules management software maker ILOG in a deal valued at $340 million.
Under the deal, IBM will merge ILOG into its WebSphere brand. This is a move to expand its middleware software footprint. Middleware is a layer of software that helps servers running databases and Web site software talk with servers running applications.
ILOG was founded in 1987 and employs more than 850 people worldwide. Over 2,500 corporations and more than 465 leading software vendors rely on ILOG's market-leading Business Rule Management Systems (BRMS), supply chain applications as well as its optimization and visualization software components, to achieve dramatic returns on investment, create market-defining products and services, and sharpen their competitive edge.
ILOG delivers software and services that empower customers to make better decisions faster and manage change and complexity.
Customers: 2,500 worldwide
Headquarters: France and California
Subsidiaries: UK, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain
Founded: 1987
Chairman and CEO: Pierre Haren
Under the deal, IBM will merge ILOG into its WebSphere brand. This is a move to expand its middleware software footprint. Middleware is a layer of software that helps servers running databases and Web site software talk with servers running applications.
ILOG was founded in 1987 and employs more than 850 people worldwide. Over 2,500 corporations and more than 465 leading software vendors rely on ILOG's market-leading Business Rule Management Systems (BRMS), supply chain applications as well as its optimization and visualization software components, to achieve dramatic returns on investment, create market-defining products and services, and sharpen their competitive edge.
ILOG delivers software and services that empower customers to make better decisions faster and manage change and complexity.
Revenue: $161.5 million for fiscal year 2007
Employees: 850 worldwideCustomers: 2,500 worldwide
Headquarters: France and California
Subsidiaries: UK, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Spain
Founded: 1987
Chairman and CEO: Pierre Haren
By combining technologies with ILOG, IBM is aiming to provide customers with the ability to gather up all relevant information spread throughout their organization in real-time to make faster business decisions.
IBM has been known through most of its recent history as the world's largest computer company; with over 388,000 employees worldwide, IBM is the largest information technology employer in the world. Despite falling behind Hewlett-Packard in total revenue since 2006, it remains the most profitable. IBM holds more patents than any other U.S. based technology company. It has engineers and consultants in over 170 countries and IBM Research has eight laboratories worldwide
IBM has been known through most of its recent history as the world's largest computer company; with over 388,000 employees worldwide, IBM is the largest information technology employer in the world. Despite falling behind Hewlett-Packard in total revenue since 2006, it remains the most profitable. IBM holds more patents than any other U.S. based technology company. It has engineers and consultants in over 170 countries and IBM Research has eight laboratories worldwide
.
IBM's information
Revenue: $98.8 billion USD
Employees: 386,558 (2007)
Subsidiaries: ADSTAR, FileNet, Informix, Iris, Lotus, Rational, Sequent, Tivoli
Founded: 1889 (incorporated 1911)
Headquarters: New York
Chairman & CEO: Samuel J. Palmisano
Subsidiaries: ADSTAR, FileNet, Informix, Iris, Lotus, Rational, Sequent, Tivoli
Founded: 1889 (incorporated 1911)
Headquarters: New York
Chairman & CEO: Samuel J. Palmisano
Monday, March 29, 2010
TECHNO CARNIVAL
On march 26th 2010, Techno carnival was organised in IIMT COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT Gr Noida by BBA and BCA students. In the carnival many companies has came here which related to technology fields like HCL, DELL, COMPAQ, LG, SONY, HP etc. Apart from this some automobiles companies and telecom company has also came here. The college field was decorated very beautifully by the BBA and BCA students with the help of their faculties. Whole function was conducted under the guidance of Prof. Col. V.K. Malhotra, director of BBA/BCA.
The inauguration is done by the M.D. of our college, After that the programme had started. He was happy to see the efforts of the students.
Other programmes was also conducted by the students for entertainment of visitors and faculties. Students has participated in the programme like singing, dancing, mimicry and other games. Students and visitors and faculties had enjoyed a lot by seeing all this.
In the programme students were representing the companies and the giving the proper knowledge about the products to the visitors.refreshment facilities were also provided by the students.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Kolkata Knight Riders beat Kings XI Punjab by 39 runs
MOHALI: After a few stutters, the Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders put their IPL campaign back on track with a convincing 39-run victory over Kings XI Punjab here on Saturday.
Both sides, languishing at the bottom of the table, were desperate for victory but it was the Knights who pulled it off comfortably in the end, first putting up a challenging 183/5 on the board and then successfully stifling the Kings strokeplayers.
Yuvraj Singh, Manvinder Bisla and Kumar Sangakkara all got starts but against a disciplined KKR attack, the Kings innings failed to gather any momentum and they finished at 144/6. It’s a huge blow for the Punjab team, which is struggling for form this season.
KKR, meanwhile, will take heart from the manner in which their bowlers and batsmen rose to the task. Apart from a disciplined performance from Shane Bond and the seamers, their star of the day was Manoj Tiwary, whose whirlwhind 75 off just 47 balls put KKR in a strong position.
Tiwary also hit 21 runs with the help of two sixes and two fours off Irfan Pathan’s last over to perk up the KKR total.
Skipper Sourav Ganguly (50; 40b, 6x4, 1x6) too chipped in as the duo added 50 runs in 42 balls for the third-wicket partnership after two early dismissals. Both found it difficult to get going initially but as it turned out, it was enough to get KKR past the Kings.
With runs not coming at the desired pace, Ganguly tried to accelerate the run rate but after his dismissal, Tiwary upped the ante and the last two overs fetched 30 runs for the visitors.
Chris Gayle (14; 12b, 3x4) gave a rollicking start to KKR as he hit 15 runs off Brett Lee in the very first over. For Punjab, Brett Lee and Vijayant Malik, the two new faces, could not dent the opposition as both of them went wicketless. Sailabh Srivastava, along with Irfan Pathan, scalped two wickets each.
Kolkata Knight Riders: Sourav Ganguly (Capt.), Chris Gayle, Manoj Tiwary, Mandeep Singh, David Hussey, Angelo Mathews, Wriddhiman Saha, Shane Bond, Ajit Agarkar, Ashok Dinda, Iqbal Abdulla.
Kings XI Punjab: Kumar Sangakkara (Capt.), Ravi Bopara, Manvinder Bisla, Yuvraj Singh, Mahela Jayawardene, Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla, Shalabh Srivastava, Brett Lee, Karan Goel, Vikramjeet Malik.
Modi's questioning a 'big step forward': SIT chief Raghavan
GANDHINAGAR: The questioning of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the Gulbarg riots post-Godhra is a "very big step forward" in trying to understand and unravel the mysteries in the case and the SIT will submit its report to the Supreme Court on or before April 30, its head R K Raghavan said today.
Declining to go into details of the questioning of 59-year-old Modi, he maintained that former CBI DIG A K Malhotra, who grilled the Chief Minister in two sessions yesterday, "looks relaxed" and said he has confidence in the officer's abilities.
Raghavan said he was happy that the Special Investigation Team, appointed by the Supreme Court, could get the Chief Minister for questioning and that it will have to appreciate the evidence before making any comments on the issue.
"It is a very big step forward in trying to understand and unravel quite a few mysteries in the matter...I am happy that we were able to get the CM for questioning. I have to appreciate the evidence," Raghavan told a TV channel.
Raghavan said that the petition of Zakia Jafri, wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed along with 68 others in the Gulbarg Housing Society riots in 2002, was the SIT's "bible" and questions broadly related to it.
"I have greatest concern for the victims and I have never failed to take my eye away from justice. I am conscious of the sacred trust given by the Supreme Court," the SIT chief said.
Raghavan said broadly, he and Malhotra had discussed the questions to be put to Modi but he has not yet discussed the answers with him. "He (Malhotra) looks fresh and relaxed. I have not spoken to him (about the answers)."
Asked why he did not question Modi, Raghavan said as the chief of SIT, he does not meet the witnesses or the accused and it is a job done by the investigating officer or the inquiry officer.
"It is a good old practice that is followed by CBI...the director never does the examination. I have brought in this practice here. It is a fair and healthy practice," he said.
Asked whether the SIT will call Modi again for questioning if needed, he said, "I have to look at the evidence that has been collected. I have to look at what he had told Malhotra."
He said the SIT has the right to recall if there were "gaps" and that applied to any witness. "I broadly knew what the questions were going to be. Actually we sat down, had a session. We broadly agreed on what we should quiz him on."
Replying to a question, he said he will not go into details of the questioning. "I respect the functional authority of the investigating officer. I cannot say do this or do that," the SIT chief said.
Asked if the questioning went beyond Gulbarg riots, he said he would not like to go into details. "Our bible is Zakia's petition."
On whether 62 questions were put to Modi, he said it seems an "imaginary figure".
"Let him (Malhotra) give his report. I won't breath down his neck. The fact that I have brought in Malhotra shows I have tremendous respect for him."
To a question about the delay in SIT doing its job and allegations of bias, Raghavan said one must understand that he had kept away all Gujarat officers (in Modi questioning).
"They (the SIT officers) have done a good job. Let the court give its verdict," he said.
Asked when the SIT report would be submitted to the apex court, Raghavan said, "I am reasonably confident that I will meet the deadline of April 30...we will submit it on or before April 30."
Asked whether the Chief Minister fully cooperated in the questioning, Raghavan said, "The fact that he came we are happy. There has been an active dialogue.
"Malhotra seems satisfied. I suppose it was a satisfactory interaction between the Chief Minister and Malhotra," he said.
On whether he was under any political pressure, Raghavan said, "Do I look like a man under pressure? I am relaxed. (I was under) absolutely no pressure. I am doing my duty."
He also declined comment on a question whether an FIR will be registered on the basis of questioning of the Chief Minister on Zakia's petition.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
BANGALORE: Sweden's Gripen NG, the last of the six fighter aircraft that are being evaluated by the Indian Air Force for the $12 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal, left Bangalore on Monday morning for the Air Force Station (AFS) Jaisalmer.
Having gone through a week of performance trials — including a demonstration of air-to-air refuelling and flying manoeuvres — by the IAF's specifically designated MMRCA team here, two Gripens will now complete the remaining part of their flight tests over Pokhran and Leh before heading for the AFS Jamnagar and then to an air base in Sweden.
While one of the Gripens will undertake hot weather trials in and around the AFS Jaisalmer and later take off to perform a dummy run and bomb drop at the Pokhran test range, the other fighter, as part of the cold weather trials, will land in Leh, switch off, refuel and then take off again.
Ministry of Defence officials familiar with the MMRCA trials told The Hindu that while they expect no hiccups during the weapons drop over Pokhran, the Leh exercise proved challenging to the other contenders vying for the MMRCA deal.
The officials confided that four of the five aircraft in the MMRCA competition faced problems starting up in the rarefied atmosphere of Leh, and the IAF had to ask the manufacturers to undertake modifications in the aircraft's fuel systems. The Gripen's evaluation is part of the MMRCA flight trials, which started in August last, when the F/A-18 Hornets arrived here. These were followed by another American fighter, the F-16IN Super Viper. In September, the French Rafale flew over Bangalore. It was followed by Russia's MiG-35 and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space consortium's Eurofighter Typhoon flew in March.
Once the flight trials are completed, the MMRCA evaluation team headed by the Principal Director, Air Staff Requirements, Air Commodore R.K. Dhir will write the technical report, narrowing down the competition to three or four contenders. Thereafter, the commercial bids will be opened, with the lowest bidder — as per India's defence procurement procedures — winning the contract.
Monday, March 22, 2010
ENLATHAN TECHNOLOGY CAME TO IIMT GR. NOIDA
on 19th march 2010, Enlathan Technology Ltd. company had came to IIMT College of management for the placement of some students. That company had came here for taken those students who has specialization of either marketing or IT . Company had taken G.D. and Interview of students and select some students at the package of 3 lacs per annum .
The detail information of Enlathan Company is follows
Elnathan Technologies Limited is a young and promising IT software development company. Elnathan has a presence in 7 countries and further expanding. Our company is not just one of other software outsourcing developers, We are an IT company with a highly experienced background and fully qualified staff. We provide professional IT outsourcing services, Business Solutions and IT services that promote your image and name to keep it known in the web and world market for many years to come. We offer Web designing/development, E-commerce Solutions, Search Engine Optimization, corporate identity, ERP's, CRM's and client-server applications, Engineering Services,Consulting Services etc.You finally found a unique software development company at a competitive market rate. With Elnathan Technologies you reduce cost of software IT services, Business Solutions and outsourcing and enhance revenue's.
Elnathan Technologies provides you with the following services:
Application Re-engineering
System Transformation services
Saturday, March 20, 2010
WASHINGTON: Pakistan is coming up with a bill of $ 35 billion for its efforts in the war on terror and a wish-list that includes a nuclear deal similar to the US-India agreement as it prepares to engage Washington this coming week in what officials from both sides say is the most comprehensive dialogue in their bilateral history.
Turning the US mantra that Pakistan should "do more" in the war on terror, Pakistani officials, in an aggressive turnaround, have said Pakistan has done enough and it is now the United States turn to do more, as they set off to Washington for talks on the heels of what they claim is unprecedented success against the Taliban.
Pakistan has "captured" nearly half the top Taliban leadership, including the organisation's No.2 Mullah Baradar, in recent weeks in the run-up to the talks. Although U.N and Afghan officials accuse the Pakistanis, who were hosting the Taliban leadership, took them in to sabotage peace talks being held outside Islamabad's patronage, U.S officials said on Friday that they were "gratified" by the arrests.
"We are extremely gratified... he is where he belongs," the Obama administration's Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke said about Baradar's arrest by Pakistan as he previewed the upcoming talks with reporters at the State Department on Friday, adding, "And many other people have been picked up or eliminated, and this is putting much more pressure on the Taliban. And this is a good thing for the simplest of reasons: It is good for the military efforts that are underway in Afghanistan."
Holbrooke also endorsed a central role for the Pakistani military at the talks, asking "how can you have a strategic dialogue without including the military?" In a move that has caused some disquiet in Pakistan itself, the country's army chief Pervez Ashfaq Kiyani and spy chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha are members of the delegation, ostensibly led by Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Kiyani is said to have set the agenda for the talks in preparatory meetings in Pakistan.
"If we have a strategic dialogue in our country, we're going to include the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or some other representative. So we are very pleased that General Kayani is part of this delegation. We think that it's one country, one government, one team. It was their decision and we welcomed it," Holbrooke said. Washington in recent weeks has noticeably cooled down its criticism of the over-arching role played by the Pakistan military in the country's affairs.
Pakistan's wish-list for the Obama administration includes not only speeding up disbursements in bilateral aid under the Kerry-Lugar package and Coalition Support Funds, both of which are audited for more precise use and claim, but enhanced support for its economy, particularly in the energy sector. Vast swathes of the country are now under 8 to 12 hour power cuts and Islamabad is presenting this as one reason why Washington should offer a civilian nuclear deal to Pakistan similar to the US-India deal, although experts say Pakistan has no capacity to absorb or implement such an agreement even if it were to pass international scrutiny.
US officials remain non-committal about the deal. "We have a very broad and complex agenda in these talks... and we're going to listen carefully to whatever the Pakistanis say," Holbrooke said cautiously when asked about a possible nuclear deal. In fact, no one in Washington takes Pakistan $ 35 billion claim as its total cost in the war on terror arrived at during internal deliberations in Islamabad last week, seriously.
Friday, March 19, 2010
DA Allowance increase
Cabinet approves 8% rise in dearness allowancePTI, Mar 19, 2010, 03.01pm IST
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday increased the dearness allowance for central government employees and pensioners by eight percentage points to compensate for price rise. The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula based on the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay commission, Union information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni told reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet here. The increase would be eight per cent over the existing rate of 27 per cent of basic pay or pension. The additional installment of dearness allowance would be released with effect from January this year. The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both dearness allowance and dearness relief would be to the tune of Rs 6969.36 crore per annum and Rs 8131.20 crore in the financial year 2010-2011. The DA revision is based on the consumer price index (CPI) for industrial workers, which has been showing a steep increase along with other indices of price rise.
NEW DELHI: The government on Friday increased the dearness allowance for central government employees and pensioners by eight percentage points to compensate for price rise. The increase is in accordance with the accepted formula based on the recommendations of the Sixth Central Pay commission, Union information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni told reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet here. The increase would be eight per cent over the existing rate of 27 per cent of basic pay or pension. The additional installment of dearness allowance would be released with effect from January this year. The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both dearness allowance and dearness relief would be to the tune of Rs 6969.36 crore per annum and Rs 8131.20 crore in the financial year 2010-2011. The DA revision is based on the consumer price index (CPI) for industrial workers, which has been showing a steep increase along with other indices of price rise.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Beijingers get back on their bikes
Competition between bike makers is becoming fierce
Office worker David Dai is one of a growing army of Beijing residents returning to two-wheeled transport.
But the 28-year-old does not rely on his own pedal power - like hundreds of thousands of others, he has bought an electric bike.
These battery-powered, and virtually silent, machines have become increasingly common on the streets of the Chinese capital.
With roads often clogged with cars - there are now four million vehicles in Beijing - they offer a speedy way to get around.
But not everyone seems to like them: government officials are unsure about how to deal with this explosion of electric bicycles.
Congested streets
China used to be known as the "kingdom of bicycles". In the 1980s, four out of five commuters pedalled to work on them in Beijing.
But as the capital's residents became richer following economic development, they ditched their bikes for four-wheeled transport.
Recent statistics suggest that only one in five city residents now use an ordinary bicycle to travel around.
In a matter of just a few years Beijing has gone from a city with few private cars to one where traffic jams are commonplace.
But many Beijing residents are now buying electric bicycles to avoid wasting time on congested streets.
"It takes only 10 minutes to ride my electric bike from home to work," said Mr Dai.
Hundreds of thousands of people have bought electric bicycles
"If I took the bus, I'd have to spend time waiting for it, and then I could be trapped in a traffic jam. It could take me half an hour to make the same journey."
These bikes are on sale everywhere, with shops sometimes clustered together. Their wares are lined up on the pavement in neat rows.
Zhang Zhiyong, the manager of a store selling a brand of electric bike called "Capital Wind", said it is easy to see why sales are booming.
"Beijing is not like other smaller cities - it's big. If people ride their bicycles to work, they get really tired. If they drive to work, the roads are often congested," he told the BBC.
"But an electric bike is environmentally friendly and convenient. Promoting the use of these bikes would benefit us all."
And they are much cheaper than cars. The most expensive model in Mr Zhang's shop is only 2,680 yuan ($390:£260).
Public outcry
But not everyone is convinced by the shop owner's argument.
Many ordinary bike riders complain that the fast, silent electric bikes that now whizz about the city are a menace to other road users.
Late last year the government announced it was going to issue guidelines on what could be considered an electric bike.
Officials initially planned to bring in rules that defined an electric bike as a something weighing less than 40kg and travelling at less than 20kmh.
A bicycle that was heavier and travelled faster would be considered an electric motorbike.
Bicycles once used to rule the roads in central Beijing
The owners of these larger machines would have to get a licence, register their motorbikes and buy insurance.
But the government scrapped the introduction of the new guidelines after a public outcry.
"There's been a big debate in China about exactly how to deal with electric bikes," said Vance Wagner, who works for a transport research centre linked to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection.
But with the number of electric bicycles increasing all the time, the government might find it hard to put off forever a decision on how to classify them.
"Many people don't realise that the population of electric bikes is actually growing way faster than the population of cars," explained Mr Wagner.
The sale of electric bikes has slightly dropped off recently as people wait to see how the government will tackle the problem of how to define one.
But, ultimately, it is something else that might kill off sales.
Some experts believe they are a stop-gap form of transport; a link between an ordinary bike and a car.
As Beijing car owner Richard Liu put it, cars give a clue to a person's status - the more successful they are, the bigger the car they own.
"I think 80% of Chinese people want to have a car, even if they don't have much money they will buy cheaper ones," he said.
So while they are popular now, electric bicycles might one day prove as unwanted as the pedalled variety.
Competition between bike makers is becoming fierce
Office worker David Dai is one of a growing army of Beijing residents returning to two-wheeled transport.
But the 28-year-old does not rely on his own pedal power - like hundreds of thousands of others, he has bought an electric bike.
These battery-powered, and virtually silent, machines have become increasingly common on the streets of the Chinese capital.
With roads often clogged with cars - there are now four million vehicles in Beijing - they offer a speedy way to get around.
But not everyone seems to like them: government officials are unsure about how to deal with this explosion of electric bicycles.
Congested streets
China used to be known as the "kingdom of bicycles". In the 1980s, four out of five commuters pedalled to work on them in Beijing.
But as the capital's residents became richer following economic development, they ditched their bikes for four-wheeled transport.
Recent statistics suggest that only one in five city residents now use an ordinary bicycle to travel around.
In a matter of just a few years Beijing has gone from a city with few private cars to one where traffic jams are commonplace.
But many Beijing residents are now buying electric bicycles to avoid wasting time on congested streets.
"It takes only 10 minutes to ride my electric bike from home to work," said Mr Dai.
Hundreds of thousands of people have bought electric bicycles
"If I took the bus, I'd have to spend time waiting for it, and then I could be trapped in a traffic jam. It could take me half an hour to make the same journey."
These bikes are on sale everywhere, with shops sometimes clustered together. Their wares are lined up on the pavement in neat rows.
Zhang Zhiyong, the manager of a store selling a brand of electric bike called "Capital Wind", said it is easy to see why sales are booming.
"Beijing is not like other smaller cities - it's big. If people ride their bicycles to work, they get really tired. If they drive to work, the roads are often congested," he told the BBC.
"But an electric bike is environmentally friendly and convenient. Promoting the use of these bikes would benefit us all."
And they are much cheaper than cars. The most expensive model in Mr Zhang's shop is only 2,680 yuan ($390:£260).
Public outcry
But not everyone is convinced by the shop owner's argument.
Many ordinary bike riders complain that the fast, silent electric bikes that now whizz about the city are a menace to other road users.
Late last year the government announced it was going to issue guidelines on what could be considered an electric bike.
Officials initially planned to bring in rules that defined an electric bike as a something weighing less than 40kg and travelling at less than 20kmh.
A bicycle that was heavier and travelled faster would be considered an electric motorbike.
Bicycles once used to rule the roads in central Beijing
The owners of these larger machines would have to get a licence, register their motorbikes and buy insurance.
But the government scrapped the introduction of the new guidelines after a public outcry.
"There's been a big debate in China about exactly how to deal with electric bikes," said Vance Wagner, who works for a transport research centre linked to China's Ministry of Environmental Protection.
But with the number of electric bicycles increasing all the time, the government might find it hard to put off forever a decision on how to classify them.
"Many people don't realise that the population of electric bikes is actually growing way faster than the population of cars," explained Mr Wagner.
The sale of electric bikes has slightly dropped off recently as people wait to see how the government will tackle the problem of how to define one.
But, ultimately, it is something else that might kill off sales.
Some experts believe they are a stop-gap form of transport; a link between an ordinary bike and a car.
As Beijing car owner Richard Liu put it, cars give a clue to a person's status - the more successful they are, the bigger the car they own.
"I think 80% of Chinese people want to have a car, even if they don't have much money they will buy cheaper ones," he said.
So while they are popular now, electric bicycles might one day prove as unwanted as the pedalled variety.
Profile: Carlos Slim
Carlos Slim makes his billions from a wide range of investments
He doesn't bother with private jets, shuns flashy offices, and for most of the 1990s made do with a plastic watch.
And while he does have a laptop, he is adamant that he does not use it, saying: "I'm a paper man, not electronic."
Not the kind of attributes you might expect from someone who has now been named the richest man in the world by Forbes magazine.
Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is now worth $53.5bn (£35.8bn). That puts him above Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, but unlike his US rivals, he remains relatively unknown outside of his native Latin America.
Family empire
There, he controls more than 200 companies. These range from telecoms, where he first made his fortune, to infrastructure, banking and retail.
In order to maintain his influence over his expanding empire, his sons and sons-in-law have been put in charge of many businesses.
One of the most significant in Mr Slim's empire is America Movil, Latin America's largest mobile phone company, which operates in 11 countries and serves more than 150 million customers.
His telecoms interests also extend to Telmex - the company he fought to take control of in 1990 when it was nationalised. It now operates around 90% of Mexico's telephone lines.
Mr Slim, whose heavy-set figure belies his name, also owns the Inbursa financial group and the Grupo Carso industrial conglomerate, whose interests range from retail stores to restaurants.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure firm he owns, Ideal, is working on a project to develop a shopping centre, schools and a hospital in Mexico City.
It's... my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending
Carlos Slim
The baseball-mad engineering graduate made enough money from working in property early in his career to invest in the stock market.
By the age of 26, he was worth $40m, but it was during the Latin American economic crisis of the early 1980s that Mr Slim made a name for himself as a man who could make money in a recession.
He was able to buy a number of struggling companies at very low prices before transforming their fortunes.
Like Mr Buffett, Mr Slim has done some canny deals in the stock market - not least, buying shares in Apple when they were $17 each. They are now worth well over $200.
Philanthropy scepticism
The son of Lebanese immigrants, Mr Slim is known for his philanthropy - though not on the scale of Mr Gates or Mr Buffett.
Most recently, he linked up with former US President Bill Clinton and Canadian mining figure Frank Giustra to launch an anti-poverty campaign in Latin America, and in March pledged $6bn for his three charitable foundations.
Wealth is like an orchard - you have to share the fruit, not the trees
Carlos Slim
In Mexico where, according to World Bank data, about 50% of people are living in poverty, many feel that he has not donated enough, especially given how ubiquitous his companies are in day-to-day life.
However his supporters say that some of that criticism is unfair, not least because of his relatively recent elevation to the ranks of the mega-rich.
And Mr Slim, has said he is not convinced that philanthropy is the best way to help people.
"(Bill) Gates has to study how he can (fight poverty) in the same way that Microsoft...succeeded in business, because charity has not solved the problem," he told USA today.
"It's based on my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending, but that you fight it with health, education and jobs."
Still working, the tycoon has indicated he has no desire to retire from business to concentrate more on charitable work, as Mr Gates has done.
As he said in a recent interview: "Wealth is like an orchard. You have to share the fruit, not the trees."
Foreign expansion
If you have yet to hear of Carlos Slim, that may be about to change.
In recent years the tycoon has sought to expand his businesses abroad, including investments in 2008 in the New York Times newspaper and in the struggling bank Citigroup.
In the UK he has been linked with investments in company behind the Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers.
Analysts suggest he is trying to replicate his Latin American success on a global scale. That remains to be seen, but his rise to the number one spot on the world rich list shows that a global economic downturn is unlikely to slow his progress.
sandeep kumar srivastav
PGDM IIsem
Carlos Slim makes his billions from a wide range of investments
He doesn't bother with private jets, shuns flashy offices, and for most of the 1990s made do with a plastic watch.
And while he does have a laptop, he is adamant that he does not use it, saying: "I'm a paper man, not electronic."
Not the kind of attributes you might expect from someone who has now been named the richest man in the world by Forbes magazine.
Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is now worth $53.5bn (£35.8bn). That puts him above Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, but unlike his US rivals, he remains relatively unknown outside of his native Latin America.
Family empire
There, he controls more than 200 companies. These range from telecoms, where he first made his fortune, to infrastructure, banking and retail.
In order to maintain his influence over his expanding empire, his sons and sons-in-law have been put in charge of many businesses.
One of the most significant in Mr Slim's empire is America Movil, Latin America's largest mobile phone company, which operates in 11 countries and serves more than 150 million customers.
His telecoms interests also extend to Telmex - the company he fought to take control of in 1990 when it was nationalised. It now operates around 90% of Mexico's telephone lines.
Mr Slim, whose heavy-set figure belies his name, also owns the Inbursa financial group and the Grupo Carso industrial conglomerate, whose interests range from retail stores to restaurants.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure firm he owns, Ideal, is working on a project to develop a shopping centre, schools and a hospital in Mexico City.
It's... my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending
Carlos Slim
The baseball-mad engineering graduate made enough money from working in property early in his career to invest in the stock market.
By the age of 26, he was worth $40m, but it was during the Latin American economic crisis of the early 1980s that Mr Slim made a name for himself as a man who could make money in a recession.
He was able to buy a number of struggling companies at very low prices before transforming their fortunes.
Like Mr Buffett, Mr Slim has done some canny deals in the stock market - not least, buying shares in Apple when they were $17 each. They are now worth well over $200.
Philanthropy scepticism
The son of Lebanese immigrants, Mr Slim is known for his philanthropy - though not on the scale of Mr Gates or Mr Buffett.
Most recently, he linked up with former US President Bill Clinton and Canadian mining figure Frank Giustra to launch an anti-poverty campaign in Latin America, and in March pledged $6bn for his three charitable foundations.
Wealth is like an orchard - you have to share the fruit, not the trees
Carlos Slim
In Mexico where, according to World Bank data, about 50% of people are living in poverty, many feel that he has not donated enough, especially given how ubiquitous his companies are in day-to-day life.
However his supporters say that some of that criticism is unfair, not least because of his relatively recent elevation to the ranks of the mega-rich.
And Mr Slim, has said he is not convinced that philanthropy is the best way to help people.
"(Bill) Gates has to study how he can (fight poverty) in the same way that Microsoft...succeeded in business, because charity has not solved the problem," he told USA today.
"It's based on my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending, but that you fight it with health, education and jobs."
Still working, the tycoon has indicated he has no desire to retire from business to concentrate more on charitable work, as Mr Gates has done.
As he said in a recent interview: "Wealth is like an orchard. You have to share the fruit, not the trees."
Foreign expansion
If you have yet to hear of Carlos Slim, that may be about to change.
In recent years the tycoon has sought to expand his businesses abroad, including investments in 2008 in the New York Times newspaper and in the struggling bank Citigroup.
In the UK he has been linked with investments in company behind the Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers.
Analysts suggest he is trying to replicate his Latin American success on a global scale. That remains to be seen, but his rise to the number one spot on the world rich list shows that a global economic downturn is unlikely to slow his progress.
sandeep kumar srivastav
PGDM IIsem
PCB bans Younus and Yousuf
ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captains Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf have been banned from the national cricket team after the recent catastrophic tour of Australia, the cricket board said on Wednesday.
Two other players Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik were banned for a year by the six-man committee set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to investigate the December-February tour, in which Pakistan lost the Test series 3-0, the one-day matches 5-0 and the only Twenty20 match.
The committee blamed infighting between Yousuf and Younus for the disastrous results, and recommended they “should not be part of the national team in any format.”
PCB's legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi explained the ramifications for Khan and Yousuf.
“They will not be part of any Pakistan team in any format from here on,” he said, adding that the PCB had stopped short of imposing a so-called life ban.Two other players Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik were banned for a year by the six-man committee set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to investigate the December-February tour, in which Pakistan lost the Test series 3-0, the one-day matches 5-0 and the only Twenty20 match.
The committee blamed infighting between Yousuf and Younus for the disastrous results, and recommended they “should not be part of the national team in any format.”
PCB's legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi explained the ramifications for Khan and Yousuf.
“A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad.
Malik and Naved were also fined (P) Rs. 2 million, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was handed a fine of (P) Rs. 3 million and Umar Akmal was fined (P) Rs. 2 million. Shahid Afridi was fined (P) Rs. 3 million for ball-tampering during the one-day series against Australia.
The Inquiry Committee comprised PCB Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari, Board member Wazir Ali Khoja, Director of Cricket Operations Zakir Khan, and team managers Yawar Saeed and Rizvi.
The players who were handed suspensions and fines appeared before the committee while other team officials — coach Intikhab Alam, assistant coach Aaqib Javed, the then manager Abdul Raqeeb, physiotherapist Faisal Hayat and analyst Mohammad Talha — were also interviewed.
The committee also looked into the manager and coaches reports of Pakistan's tour last year to the UAE for a one-day series against New Zealand, its Test series in New Zealand and the disastrous tour of Australia.
BJP denies divisions over Women's Reservation Bill
The Bharatiya Janata Party denied today that it was divided over the women's bill that seeks to reserve a third of all seats in the country's legislatures for women.
Govt ready for all-pary meet
Profile: Carlos Slim
Carlos Slim makes his billions from a wide range of investments
He doesn't bother with private jets, shuns flashy offices, and for most of the 1990s made do with a plastic watch.
And while he does have a laptop, he is adamant that he does not use it, saying: "I'm a paper man, not electronic."
Not the kind of attributes you might expect from someone who has now been named the richest man in the world by Forbes magazine.
Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is now worth $53.5bn (£35.8bn). That puts him above Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, but unlike his US rivals, he remains relatively unknown outside of his native Latin America.
Family empire
There, he controls more than 200 companies. These range from telecoms, where he first made his fortune, to infrastructure, banking and retail.
In order to maintain his influence over his expanding empire, his sons and sons-in-law have been put in charge of many businesses.
One of the most significant in Mr Slim's empire is America Movil, Latin America's largest mobile phone company, which operates in 11 countries and serves more than 150 million customers.
His telecoms interests also extend to Telmex - the company he fought to take control of in 1990 when it was nationalised. It now operates around 90% of Mexico's telephone lines.
Mr Slim, whose heavy-set figure belies his name, also owns the Inbursa financial group and the Grupo Carso industrial conglomerate, whose interests range from retail stores to restaurants.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure firm he owns, Ideal, is working on a project to develop a shopping centre, schools and a hospital in Mexico City.
It's... my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending
Carlos Slim
The baseball-mad engineering graduate made enough money from working in property early in his career to invest in the stock market.
By the age of 26, he was worth $40m, but it was during the Latin American economic crisis of the early 1980s that Mr Slim made a name for himself as a man who could make money in a recession.
He was able to buy a number of struggling companies at very low prices before transforming their fortunes.
Like Mr Buffett, Mr Slim has done some canny deals in the stock market - not least, buying shares in Apple when they were $17 each. They are now worth well over $200.
Philanthropy scepticism
The son of Lebanese immigrants, Mr Slim is known for his philanthropy - though not on the scale of Mr Gates or Mr Buffett.
Most recently, he linked up with former US President Bill Clinton and Canadian mining figure Frank Giustra to launch an anti-poverty campaign in Latin America, and in March pledged $6bn for his three charitable foundations.
Wealth is like an orchard - you have to share the fruit, not the trees
Carlos Slim
In Mexico where, according to World Bank data, about 50% of people are living in poverty, many feel that he has not donated enough, especially given how ubiquitous his companies are in day-to-day life.
However his supporters say that some of that criticism is unfair, not least because of his relatively recent elevation to the ranks of the mega-rich.
And Mr Slim, has said he is not convinced that philanthropy is the best way to help people.
"(Bill) Gates has to study how he can (fight poverty) in the same way that Microsoft...succeeded in business, because charity has not solved the problem," he told USA today.
"It's based on my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending, but that you fight it with health, education and jobs."
Still working, the tycoon has indicated he has no desire to retire from business to concentrate more on charitable work, as Mr Gates has done.
As he said in a recent interview: "Wealth is like an orchard. You have to share the fruit, not the trees."
Foreign expansion
If you have yet to hear of Carlos Slim, that may be about to change.
In recent years the tycoon has sought to expand his businesses abroad, including investments in 2008 in the New York Times newspaper and in the struggling bank Citigroup.
In the UK he has been linked with investments in company behind the Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers.
Analysts suggest he is trying to replicate his Latin American success on a global scale. That remains to be seen, but his rise to the number one spot on the world rich list shows that a global economic downturn is unlikely to slow his progress.
sandeep kumar srivastav
PGDM IIsem
Carlos Slim makes his billions from a wide range of investments
He doesn't bother with private jets, shuns flashy offices, and for most of the 1990s made do with a plastic watch.
And while he does have a laptop, he is adamant that he does not use it, saying: "I'm a paper man, not electronic."
Not the kind of attributes you might expect from someone who has now been named the richest man in the world by Forbes magazine.
Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is now worth $53.5bn (£35.8bn). That puts him above Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, but unlike his US rivals, he remains relatively unknown outside of his native Latin America.
Family empire
There, he controls more than 200 companies. These range from telecoms, where he first made his fortune, to infrastructure, banking and retail.
In order to maintain his influence over his expanding empire, his sons and sons-in-law have been put in charge of many businesses.
One of the most significant in Mr Slim's empire is America Movil, Latin America's largest mobile phone company, which operates in 11 countries and serves more than 150 million customers.
His telecoms interests also extend to Telmex - the company he fought to take control of in 1990 when it was nationalised. It now operates around 90% of Mexico's telephone lines.
Mr Slim, whose heavy-set figure belies his name, also owns the Inbursa financial group and the Grupo Carso industrial conglomerate, whose interests range from retail stores to restaurants.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure firm he owns, Ideal, is working on a project to develop a shopping centre, schools and a hospital in Mexico City.
It's... my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending
Carlos Slim
The baseball-mad engineering graduate made enough money from working in property early in his career to invest in the stock market.
By the age of 26, he was worth $40m, but it was during the Latin American economic crisis of the early 1980s that Mr Slim made a name for himself as a man who could make money in a recession.
He was able to buy a number of struggling companies at very low prices before transforming their fortunes.
Like Mr Buffett, Mr Slim has done some canny deals in the stock market - not least, buying shares in Apple when they were $17 each. They are now worth well over $200.
Philanthropy scepticism
The son of Lebanese immigrants, Mr Slim is known for his philanthropy - though not on the scale of Mr Gates or Mr Buffett.
Most recently, he linked up with former US President Bill Clinton and Canadian mining figure Frank Giustra to launch an anti-poverty campaign in Latin America, and in March pledged $6bn for his three charitable foundations.
Wealth is like an orchard - you have to share the fruit, not the trees
Carlos Slim
In Mexico where, according to World Bank data, about 50% of people are living in poverty, many feel that he has not donated enough, especially given how ubiquitous his companies are in day-to-day life.
However his supporters say that some of that criticism is unfair, not least because of his relatively recent elevation to the ranks of the mega-rich.
And Mr Slim, has said he is not convinced that philanthropy is the best way to help people.
"(Bill) Gates has to study how he can (fight poverty) in the same way that Microsoft...succeeded in business, because charity has not solved the problem," he told USA today.
"It's based on my conviction that poverty is not fought with donations, charity or even public spending, but that you fight it with health, education and jobs."
Still working, the tycoon has indicated he has no desire to retire from business to concentrate more on charitable work, as Mr Gates has done.
As he said in a recent interview: "Wealth is like an orchard. You have to share the fruit, not the trees."
Foreign expansion
If you have yet to hear of Carlos Slim, that may be about to change.
In recent years the tycoon has sought to expand his businesses abroad, including investments in 2008 in the New York Times newspaper and in the struggling bank Citigroup.
In the UK he has been linked with investments in company behind the Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers.
Analysts suggest he is trying to replicate his Latin American success on a global scale. That remains to be seen, but his rise to the number one spot on the world rich list shows that a global economic downturn is unlikely to slow his progress.
sandeep kumar srivastav
PGDM IIsem
Emissions: China joins India on scrutiny
China supports India in opposing any international “scrutiny” of voluntary actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said the country's top climate change negotiator on Wednesday.
China also sought to continue and expand cooperation with India as negotiations between the developing world and the West headed towards the climate change conference in Mexico later this year, said Xie Zhenhua, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission and one of China's lead negotiators at December's Copenhagen conference.
“China and India have a common position on major issues on climate change and we are willing to step up cooperation in forestry, energy efficiency and renewable energy,” he said. “We face common challenges, such as the task of developing our economy, eliminating poverty, improving people's livelihood, reducing emissions and protecting the environment.”
On Wednesday, Mr. Xie also lent support to India's opposition to any international scrutiny of voluntary actions to reduce emissions, which the United States and some European countries are calling for. That, Mr. Xie said, was out of the question, being “an issue of sovereignty”.
“Autonomous efforts must not be subject to MRV [Measurement, Reporting and Verification],” he stressed.
He, however, added that China had agreed to “verification that is non-intrusive” in the interest of advancing negotiations at Copenhagen, and to “reduce mistrust” with the West.
While China and India had initially been opposed to any MRV of voluntary projects, they had agreed to “consultations and analysis” in the negotiations but not to “scrutiny”.
Developed countries, Mr. Xie said, “should be subject to MRV in emission reductions and also in providing technological, financial and capacity building support to developing countries”.
The question of international scrutiny of developing countries' mitigation actions remains a crucial sticking point in talks between the West and the developing world. In its submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last month, the U.S. reiterated its call for “scrutiny” of voluntary actions, though it later changed its position following opposition from India, as The Hindu first reported on February 28.
China and India this week formally “listed” their names as parties to the Copenhagen accord, though many differences still remain in the positions of developing countries and the West.
Mr. Xie called on the U.S. to help bridge the gap and work towards an agreement in Mexico.
He said the U.S “should do more in terms of providing technology and capacity building support”, and its commitments “fell short of UNFCCC requirements and expectations of developing countries”.
“We hope the U.S. will not shift responsibility to other countries,”
ANSHU KUMAR
PGDM 2nd sem
China also sought to continue and expand cooperation with India as negotiations between the developing world and the West headed towards the climate change conference in Mexico later this year, said Xie Zhenhua, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission and one of China's lead negotiators at December's Copenhagen conference.
“China and India have a common position on major issues on climate change and we are willing to step up cooperation in forestry, energy efficiency and renewable energy,” he said. “We face common challenges, such as the task of developing our economy, eliminating poverty, improving people's livelihood, reducing emissions and protecting the environment.”
On Wednesday, Mr. Xie also lent support to India's opposition to any international scrutiny of voluntary actions to reduce emissions, which the United States and some European countries are calling for. That, Mr. Xie said, was out of the question, being “an issue of sovereignty”.
“Autonomous efforts must not be subject to MRV [Measurement, Reporting and Verification],” he stressed.
He, however, added that China had agreed to “verification that is non-intrusive” in the interest of advancing negotiations at Copenhagen, and to “reduce mistrust” with the West.
While China and India had initially been opposed to any MRV of voluntary projects, they had agreed to “consultations and analysis” in the negotiations but not to “scrutiny”.
Developed countries, Mr. Xie said, “should be subject to MRV in emission reductions and also in providing technological, financial and capacity building support to developing countries”.
The question of international scrutiny of developing countries' mitigation actions remains a crucial sticking point in talks between the West and the developing world. In its submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) last month, the U.S. reiterated its call for “scrutiny” of voluntary actions, though it later changed its position following opposition from India, as The Hindu first reported on February 28.
China and India this week formally “listed” their names as parties to the Copenhagen accord, though many differences still remain in the positions of developing countries and the West.
Mr. Xie called on the U.S. to help bridge the gap and work towards an agreement in Mexico.
He said the U.S “should do more in terms of providing technology and capacity building support”, and its commitments “fell short of UNFCCC requirements and expectations of developing countries”.
“We hope the U.S. will not shift responsibility to other countries,”
ANSHU KUMAR
PGDM 2nd sem
All parties to be consulted on Women's Bill: Govt to Yadavs
A breakthrough on the Women's Reservation Bill was made after Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and Sharad Yadav met Pranab Mukherjee. The govt has assured them the Bill would be brought in Lok Sabha only after consultations with all parties.
Samsung unveils world's first 3-D LED TV sets
With the star power of hip-hop group The Black Eyed Peas and Avatar director James Cameron, South Korea's Samsung Electronics unveiled the world's first 3-D TV technology aimed at revolutionizing the home viewing experience.
At a glitzy ceremony in New York's Time Warner Centre on Wednesday, the leading consumer electronics maker announced the launch of a broad lineup of new sets, beginning with 46-inch and 55-inch C7000 models this month, showcasing the LED-lit TVs' 3-D picture quality with incredible depth and perfect clarity.
Viewers will have to wear electronic glasses that open and close rapidly in time, with images designed for the right and left eye, creating a three-dimensional effect.
Samsung also announced the expansion of its strategic alliance with DreamWorks Animation, the US maker of Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and other hit movies to speed up the worldwide deployment of in-home 3-D to mainstream consumers.
This will include a first-time feature-length, 3-D Blu-ray version of DreamWorks Animation's 2009 release, Monsters vs. Aliens.
Growth of 3-D has been slow because of a lack of programming, the need to wear special glasses and the higher prices of 3-D sets, but the recent release of science fiction blockbuster Avatar, a 3-D film by Titanic director Cameron, has renewed interest in the medium.
SURBHI SINGH
PGDM IInd sem
At a glitzy ceremony in New York's Time Warner Centre on Wednesday, the leading consumer electronics maker announced the launch of a broad lineup of new sets, beginning with 46-inch and 55-inch C7000 models this month, showcasing the LED-lit TVs' 3-D picture quality with incredible depth and perfect clarity.
Viewers will have to wear electronic glasses that open and close rapidly in time, with images designed for the right and left eye, creating a three-dimensional effect.
Samsung also announced the expansion of its strategic alliance with DreamWorks Animation, the US maker of Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and other hit movies to speed up the worldwide deployment of in-home 3-D to mainstream consumers.
This will include a first-time feature-length, 3-D Blu-ray version of DreamWorks Animation's 2009 release, Monsters vs. Aliens.
Growth of 3-D has been slow because of a lack of programming, the need to wear special glasses and the higher prices of 3-D sets, but the recent release of science fiction blockbuster Avatar, a 3-D film by Titanic director Cameron, has renewed interest in the medium.
SURBHI SINGH
PGDM IInd sem
Implementation will take over two years: Moily
It will be more than two years after the Women's Reservation Bill is passed in Lok Sabha for it to be implemented because of the long subsequent legislative and other processes associated with it.
“It will take a minimum of two years. Just like the delimitation process... a commission or a committee it will take two to two-and-a-half years from now. The process is such,” Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily told PTI.
However, he expressed confidence that the reservation of seats and the identification of 181 of the 543 seats for women in the Lok Sabha would be in place “definitely” before the next Lok Sabha elections due in 2014.
Apart from reserving seats in the Lok Sabha, the Constitution Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, seeks to provide reservation for women in 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in 28 Assemblies.
The principle of reservation of seats for women will also apply to seats reserved for the SC/ST candidates.
The Bill provides for rotation of seats reserved for women every Lok Sabha at the end of the term.
Explaining the process, Mr. Moily said that once the Lok Sabha passed the Bill and the President signed it, it would be sent to all the States for ratification.
At least 14 of the 28 States would have to ratify the legislation for it to become a law. This process, Mr. Moily said, might take about nine months.
Once the States ratified the Bill, Mr. Moily said, the government would have to enact an ordinary legislation — something on the lines of a delimitation law for charting the roadmap of how to go about the process.
The Election Commission would be brought into the picture, and a commission constituted to go about the job of drawing the parameters for delineating the constituencies and earmarking them for women.
ANSHU KUMAR
PGDM 2nd sem
“It will take a minimum of two years. Just like the delimitation process... a commission or a committee it will take two to two-and-a-half years from now. The process is such,” Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily told PTI.
However, he expressed confidence that the reservation of seats and the identification of 181 of the 543 seats for women in the Lok Sabha would be in place “definitely” before the next Lok Sabha elections due in 2014.
Apart from reserving seats in the Lok Sabha, the Constitution Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, seeks to provide reservation for women in 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in 28 Assemblies.
The principle of reservation of seats for women will also apply to seats reserved for the SC/ST candidates.
The Bill provides for rotation of seats reserved for women every Lok Sabha at the end of the term.
Explaining the process, Mr. Moily said that once the Lok Sabha passed the Bill and the President signed it, it would be sent to all the States for ratification.
At least 14 of the 28 States would have to ratify the legislation for it to become a law. This process, Mr. Moily said, might take about nine months.
Once the States ratified the Bill, Mr. Moily said, the government would have to enact an ordinary legislation — something on the lines of a delimitation law for charting the roadmap of how to go about the process.
The Election Commission would be brought into the picture, and a commission constituted to go about the job of drawing the parameters for delineating the constituencies and earmarking them for women.
ANSHU KUMAR
PGDM 2nd sem
BJP denies divisions over Women's Reservation Bill
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied on Thursday that it was divided over the women's bill that seeks to reserve a third of all seats in the country's legislatures for women.
A day after the media quoted one of its MPs, Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, as saying that he would vote against the bill in the Lok Sabha, he reversed his reported stand Thursday.
"When the BJP is in favour of the bill, when I am in the BJP, when the BJP asks me to vote for it, I will vote for the bill," Yadav told reporters here.
The BJP's chief whip, Ramesh Bais, who had said Wednesday that there was great resentment against the proposed legislation, added that his MPs would not defy the party's fiat to pass the bill in the lower house.
"Whatever the individual opinions of MPs, all MPs will go with the party decision if it comes up in the Lok Sabha," he said.
"They (some MPs) may have personal reservations against it, but they will go by the party decision."
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar spoke on similar lines.
"Ours is a democratic party. People may have different views. But once the party takes a decision, everyone falls in line.
"So, to say that the party is divided over the women's bill, is a rumour. We condemn this rumour."
The women's reservation bill was passed by an overwhelming majority in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday after two days of uproarious scenes caused by politicians ranged against it.
The Congress, the BJP and the Left parties were the leading backers of the bill in the Rajya Sabha, and they have pledged to see it through in the Lok Sabha as well.
A day after the media quoted one of its MPs, Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, as saying that he would vote against the bill in the Lok Sabha, he reversed his reported stand Thursday.
"When the BJP is in favour of the bill, when I am in the BJP, when the BJP asks me to vote for it, I will vote for the bill," Yadav told reporters here.
The BJP's chief whip, Ramesh Bais, who had said Wednesday that there was great resentment against the proposed legislation, added that his MPs would not defy the party's fiat to pass the bill in the lower house.
"Whatever the individual opinions of MPs, all MPs will go with the party decision if it comes up in the Lok Sabha," he said.
"They (some MPs) may have personal reservations against it, but they will go by the party decision."
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar spoke on similar lines.
"Ours is a democratic party. People may have different views. But once the party takes a decision, everyone falls in line.
"So, to say that the party is divided over the women's bill, is a rumour. We condemn this rumour."
The women's reservation bill was passed by an overwhelming majority in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday after two days of uproarious scenes caused by politicians ranged against it.
The Congress, the BJP and the Left parties were the leading backers of the bill in the Rajya Sabha, and they have pledged to see it through in the Lok Sabha as well.
SURBHI SINGH
PGDM II nd sem
AP STEAMING AHEAD: A truck runs at Yangshan deep-water port in Shanghai, China. China's exports rise in February is a new sign of growing global demand.
BEIJING: China's exports grew by 46 per cent in February, its biggest rise in three years, signalling a revival in global demand following months of steep declines as a result of the financial crisis.
China's exports, down by 16 per cent last year on account of falling demand from the West, have now grown for three straight months, the country's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday. While exports were up 46 per cent to $ 94.5 billion, imports also rose by 45 per cent, driven by rising oil demand on account of the government's continued stimulus spending on infrastructure projects.
Over the first two months of 2010, China's trade surplus has fallen by more than 50 per cent to $22 billion, the GAC said. Wednesday's data showed a revival in demand from the European Union and the United States, China's two biggest trade partners. Trade with the EU grew 35 per cent to $66 billion in the first two months of this year, while trade with U.S. was up 25 per cent to $49 billion. China's trade with India was up by 55 per cent to $9 billion, following a year which saw India's trade deficit with the country widen to a record $ 16 billion.
Trade between the two countries was down by 16 per cent last year from a record high of $52 billion in 2008, when China became India's largest trade partner. Indian exports to China, largely driven by iron ore, faced the brunt of the decline, down 32 per cent last year. But encouragingly for Indian exporters, China's imports from India were up 75 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the GAC's figures. China's export revival is, however, likely to strengthen calls for Beijing to appreciate its yuan currency, which, some countries say, has been artificially kept low to support China's exporters. The yuan has been kept pegged at about 6.83 to the dollar since mid-2008. But Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Saturday the yuan would be kept “basically stable” in the coming year, and China would be “very cautious” about revaluing it.
BEIJING: China's exports grew by 46 per cent in February, its biggest rise in three years, signalling a revival in global demand following months of steep declines as a result of the financial crisis.
China's exports, down by 16 per cent last year on account of falling demand from the West, have now grown for three straight months, the country's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday. While exports were up 46 per cent to $ 94.5 billion, imports also rose by 45 per cent, driven by rising oil demand on account of the government's continued stimulus spending on infrastructure projects.
Over the first two months of 2010, China's trade surplus has fallen by more than 50 per cent to $22 billion, the GAC said. Wednesday's data showed a revival in demand from the European Union and the United States, China's two biggest trade partners. Trade with the EU grew 35 per cent to $66 billion in the first two months of this year, while trade with U.S. was up 25 per cent to $49 billion. China's trade with India was up by 55 per cent to $9 billion, following a year which saw India's trade deficit with the country widen to a record $ 16 billion.
Trade between the two countries was down by 16 per cent last year from a record high of $52 billion in 2008, when China became India's largest trade partner. Indian exports to China, largely driven by iron ore, faced the brunt of the decline, down 32 per cent last year. But encouragingly for Indian exporters, China's imports from India were up 75 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the GAC's figures. China's export revival is, however, likely to strengthen calls for Beijing to appreciate its yuan currency, which, some countries say, has been artificially kept low to support China's exporters. The yuan has been kept pegged at about 6.83 to the dollar since mid-2008. But Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Saturday the yuan would be kept “basically stable” in the coming year, and China would be “very cautious” about revaluing it.
AP STEAMING AHEAD: A truck runs at Yangshan deep-water port in Shanghai, China. China's exports rise in February is a new sign of growing global demand.
BEIJING: China's exports grew by 46 per cent in February, its biggest rise in three years, signalling a revival in global demand following months of steep declines as a result of the financial crisis.
China's exports, down by 16 per cent last year on account of falling demand from the West, have now grown for three straight months, the country's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday. While exports were up 46 per cent to $ 94.5 billion, imports also rose by 45 per cent, driven by rising oil demand on account of the government's continued stimulus spending on infrastructure projects.
Over the first two months of 2010, China's trade surplus has fallen by more than 50 per cent to $22 billion, the GAC said. Wednesday's data showed a revival in demand from the European Union and the United States, China's two biggest trade partners. Trade with the EU grew 35 per cent to $66 billion in the first two months of this year, while trade with U.S. was up 25 per cent to $49 billion. China's trade with India was up by 55 per cent to $9 billion, following a year which saw India's trade deficit with the country widen to a record $ 16 billion.
Trade between the two countries was down by 16 per cent last year from a record high of $52 billion in 2008, when China became India's largest trade partner. Indian exports to China, largely driven by iron ore, faced the brunt of the decline, down 32 per cent last year. But encouragingly for Indian exporters, China's imports from India were up 75 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the GAC's figures. China's export revival is, however, likely to strengthen calls for Beijing to appreciate its yuan currency, which, some countries say, has been artificially kept low to support China's exporters. The yuan has been kept pegged at about 6.83 to the dollar since mid-2008. But Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Saturday the yuan would be kept “basically stable” in the coming year, and China would be “very cautious” about revaluing it.
BEIJING: China's exports grew by 46 per cent in February, its biggest rise in three years, signalling a revival in global demand following months of steep declines as a result of the financial crisis.
China's exports, down by 16 per cent last year on account of falling demand from the West, have now grown for three straight months, the country's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday. While exports were up 46 per cent to $ 94.5 billion, imports also rose by 45 per cent, driven by rising oil demand on account of the government's continued stimulus spending on infrastructure projects.
Over the first two months of 2010, China's trade surplus has fallen by more than 50 per cent to $22 billion, the GAC said. Wednesday's data showed a revival in demand from the European Union and the United States, China's two biggest trade partners. Trade with the EU grew 35 per cent to $66 billion in the first two months of this year, while trade with U.S. was up 25 per cent to $49 billion. China's trade with India was up by 55 per cent to $9 billion, following a year which saw India's trade deficit with the country widen to a record $ 16 billion.
Trade between the two countries was down by 16 per cent last year from a record high of $52 billion in 2008, when China became India's largest trade partner. Indian exports to China, largely driven by iron ore, faced the brunt of the decline, down 32 per cent last year. But encouragingly for Indian exporters, China's imports from India were up 75 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the GAC's figures. China's export revival is, however, likely to strengthen calls for Beijing to appreciate its yuan currency, which, some countries say, has been artificially kept low to support China's exporters. The yuan has been kept pegged at about 6.83 to the dollar since mid-2008. But Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Saturday the yuan would be kept “basically stable” in the coming year, and China would be “very cautious” about revaluing it.
AP STEAMING AHEAD: A truck runs at Yangshan deep-water port in Shanghai, China. China's exports rise in February is a new sign of growing global demand.
BEIJING: China's exports grew by 46 per cent in February, its biggest rise in three years, signalling a revival in global demand following months of steep declines as a result of the financial crisis.
China's exports, down by 16 per cent last year on account of falling demand from the West, have now grown for three straight months, the country's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday. While exports were up 46 per cent to $ 94.5 billion, imports also rose by 45 per cent, driven by rising oil demand on account of the government's continued stimulus spending on infrastructure projects.
Over the first two months of 2010, China's trade surplus has fallen by more than 50 per cent to $22 billion, the GAC said. Wednesday's data showed a revival in demand from the European Union and the United States, China's two biggest trade partners. Trade with the EU grew 35 per cent to $66 billion in the first two months of this year, while trade with U.S. was up 25 per cent to $49 billion. China's trade with India was up by 55 per cent to $9 billion, following a year which saw India's trade deficit with the country widen to a record $ 16 billion.
Trade between the two countries was down by 16 per cent last year from a record high of $52 billion in 2008, when China became India's largest trade partner. Indian exports to China, largely driven by iron ore, faced the brunt of the decline, down 32 per cent last year. But encouragingly for Indian exporters, China's imports from India were up 75 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the GAC's figures. China's export revival is, however, likely to strengthen calls for Beijing to appreciate its yuan currency, which, some countries say, has been artificially kept low to support China's exporters. The yuan has been kept pegged at about 6.83 to the dollar since mid-2008. But Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Saturday the yuan would be kept “basically stable” in the coming year, and China would be “very cautious” about revaluing it.
BEIJING: China's exports grew by 46 per cent in February, its biggest rise in three years, signalling a revival in global demand following months of steep declines as a result of the financial crisis.
China's exports, down by 16 per cent last year on account of falling demand from the West, have now grown for three straight months, the country's General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Wednesday. While exports were up 46 per cent to $ 94.5 billion, imports also rose by 45 per cent, driven by rising oil demand on account of the government's continued stimulus spending on infrastructure projects.
Over the first two months of 2010, China's trade surplus has fallen by more than 50 per cent to $22 billion, the GAC said. Wednesday's data showed a revival in demand from the European Union and the United States, China's two biggest trade partners. Trade with the EU grew 35 per cent to $66 billion in the first two months of this year, while trade with U.S. was up 25 per cent to $49 billion. China's trade with India was up by 55 per cent to $9 billion, following a year which saw India's trade deficit with the country widen to a record $ 16 billion.
Trade between the two countries was down by 16 per cent last year from a record high of $52 billion in 2008, when China became India's largest trade partner. Indian exports to China, largely driven by iron ore, faced the brunt of the decline, down 32 per cent last year. But encouragingly for Indian exporters, China's imports from India were up 75 per cent in the first two months of this year, according to the GAC's figures. China's export revival is, however, likely to strengthen calls for Beijing to appreciate its yuan currency, which, some countries say, has been artificially kept low to support China's exporters. The yuan has been kept pegged at about 6.83 to the dollar since mid-2008. But Zhou Xiaochuan, the Governor of the People's Bank of China, said on Saturday the yuan would be kept “basically stable” in the coming year, and China would be “very cautious” about revaluing it.
business news
Thermax-Babcock venture to make supercritical boilers
Special Correspondent
MUMBAI: Thermax, the Pune-based energy and environment solutions company has entered into 51:49 joint venture with U.S.-based Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group (B&W PGG), a global leader in power generation. The joint venture will make subcritical boilers of over 300 MW in size.
The joint venture will bring to the Indian power sector Thermax's expertise of integrating energy and environment solutions and B&W's track record of providing proven power generation technology and world-class project management capabilities.
The joint venture will entail an investment of Rs. 700 crore in a 1:1 debt-equity ratio. Thermax's equity investment of just over Rs. 175 crore will be funded from its reserves. The supercritical boilers will be made in a new facility that is still being planned. The plant will have an annual capacity of 3000 MW equivalent in the first phase and will indigenise the technology and contribute to local component development.
“We are proud to offer the services of this joint venture to support the government's initiatives to improve the power scenario. And we are happy that in B&W, we have a global technology leader whose boilers generate over 300,000 MW of power around the world,” said M. S. Unnikrishnan, Thermax Managing Director & CEO.
R&D facility
Thermax has a well established technology R&D facility with 120 patents.
B&W pioneered the development of supercritical boilers and this technology will allow the new joint venture to contribute to efficient power generation in the mega thermal plants planned to meet the huge energy requirements of the country. Supercritical boilers operate at higher pressures than subcritical boilers, increasing efficiency and producing more energy from the same amount of fuel. The new venture is being established at a critical time when India's ambitious growth plans and its dependence on coal-fired power plants for power throw up tremendous energy and environment challenges. In the context of emission reduction and the need to conserve fossil fuel, energy-efficient power generation is a critical requirement and the joint venture will help meet these challenges. Thermax and B&W have had a business relationship for over 20 years, and in February 2008,
Thermax signed a technology transfer agreement with B&W PGG for manufacturing subcritical power boilers. “This joint venture presents substantial opportunities for both B&W PGG and Thermax,” Richard Killion, President and COO, B&W PGG, said.
Special Correspondent
MUMBAI: Thermax, the Pune-based energy and environment solutions company has entered into 51:49 joint venture with U.S.-based Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group (B&W PGG), a global leader in power generation. The joint venture will make subcritical boilers of over 300 MW in size.
The joint venture will bring to the Indian power sector Thermax's expertise of integrating energy and environment solutions and B&W's track record of providing proven power generation technology and world-class project management capabilities.
The joint venture will entail an investment of Rs. 700 crore in a 1:1 debt-equity ratio. Thermax's equity investment of just over Rs. 175 crore will be funded from its reserves. The supercritical boilers will be made in a new facility that is still being planned. The plant will have an annual capacity of 3000 MW equivalent in the first phase and will indigenise the technology and contribute to local component development.
“We are proud to offer the services of this joint venture to support the government's initiatives to improve the power scenario. And we are happy that in B&W, we have a global technology leader whose boilers generate over 300,000 MW of power around the world,” said M. S. Unnikrishnan, Thermax Managing Director & CEO.
R&D facility
Thermax has a well established technology R&D facility with 120 patents.
B&W pioneered the development of supercritical boilers and this technology will allow the new joint venture to contribute to efficient power generation in the mega thermal plants planned to meet the huge energy requirements of the country. Supercritical boilers operate at higher pressures than subcritical boilers, increasing efficiency and producing more energy from the same amount of fuel. The new venture is being established at a critical time when India's ambitious growth plans and its dependence on coal-fired power plants for power throw up tremendous energy and environment challenges. In the context of emission reduction and the need to conserve fossil fuel, energy-efficient power generation is a critical requirement and the joint venture will help meet these challenges. Thermax and B&W have had a business relationship for over 20 years, and in February 2008,
Thermax signed a technology transfer agreement with B&W PGG for manufacturing subcritical power boilers. “This joint venture presents substantial opportunities for both B&W PGG and Thermax,” Richard Killion, President and COO, B&W PGG, said.
SAIL to raise capacity to 26 mt
The second phase of expansion to cost about Rs. 10,000 crore
NEW DELHI: State-owned steel maker Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) on Wednesday said it would increase its annual production capacity in a phased manner, taking it to 26 million tonnes by 2014.
“At present, the company produces about 13.82 million tonnes of hot metal every year. In the first phase of expansion, by the end of 2012, it will be taken up to 23.46 million tonnes and in the second phase it will be increased further to 26.18 million tonnes by 2014,” SAIL General Manager (Materials Management) R. N. Rawat said at a conference organised by mjunction here. The second phase of expansion programme is likely to cost the steel maker about Rs. 10,000 crore. At present, SAIL is undertaking a Rs. 70,000-crore expansion programme to raise its capacity to about 23 million tonnes by 2012.
The PSU had earlier envisaged to double its capacity to 26 million tonnes by 2012, but later revised the target downwards to 23 million tonnes due to global economic slowdown.
The second phase of expansion to cost about Rs. 10,000 crore
NEW DELHI: State-owned steel maker Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) on Wednesday said it would increase its annual production capacity in a phased manner, taking it to 26 million tonnes by 2014.
“At present, the company produces about 13.82 million tonnes of hot metal every year. In the first phase of expansion, by the end of 2012, it will be taken up to 23.46 million tonnes and in the second phase it will be increased further to 26.18 million tonnes by 2014,” SAIL General Manager (Materials Management) R. N. Rawat said at a conference organised by mjunction here. The second phase of expansion programme is likely to cost the steel maker about Rs. 10,000 crore. At present, SAIL is undertaking a Rs. 70,000-crore expansion programme to raise its capacity to about 23 million tonnes by 2012.
The PSU had earlier envisaged to double its capacity to 26 million tonnes by 2012, but later revised the target downwards to 23 million tonnes due to global economic slowdown.
PCB BANS YOUSAF AND YOUNUS
ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captains Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf have been banned from the national cricket team after the recent catastrophic tour of Australia, the cricket board said on Wednesday.
Two other players Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik were banned for a year by the six-man committee set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to investigate the December-February tour, in which Pakistan lost the Test series 3-0, the one-day matches 5-0 and the only Twenty20 match.
The committee blamed infighting between Yousuf and Younus for the disastrous results, and recommended they “should not be part of the national team in any format.”
PCB's legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi explained the ramifications for Khan and Yousuf.
Two other players Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Shoaib Malik were banned for a year by the six-man committee set up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to investigate the December-February tour, in which Pakistan lost the Test series 3-0, the one-day matches 5-0 and the only Twenty20 match.
The committee blamed infighting between Yousuf and Younus for the disastrous results, and recommended they “should not be part of the national team in any format.”
PCB's legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi explained the ramifications for Khan and Yousuf.
They will not be part of any Pakistan team in any format from here on,” he said, adding that the PCB had stopped short of imposing a so-called life ban.
“A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad.
Malik and Naved were also fined (P) Rs. 2 million, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was handed a fine of (P) Rs. 3 million and Umar Akmal was fined (P) Rs. 2 million. Shahid Afridi was fined (P) Rs. 3 million for ball-tampering during the one-day series against Australia.
The Inquiry Committee comprised PCB Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari, Board member Wazir Ali Khoja, Director of Cricket Operations Zakir Khan, and team managers Yawar Saeed and Rizvi.
The players who were handed suspensions and fines appeared before the committee while other team officials — coach Intikhab Alam, assistant coach Aaqib Javed, the then manager Abdul Raqeeb, physiotherapist Faisal Hayat and analyst Mohammad Talha — were also interviewed.
The committee also looked into the manager and coaches reports of Pakistan's tour last year to the UAE for a one-day series against New Zealand, its Test series in New Zealand and the disastrous tour of Australia.
“A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad.
Malik and Naved were also fined (P) Rs. 2 million, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was handed a fine of (P) Rs. 3 million and Umar Akmal was fined (P) Rs. 2 million. Shahid Afridi was fined (P) Rs. 3 million for ball-tampering during the one-day series against Australia.
The Inquiry Committee comprised PCB Chief Operating Officer Wasim Bari, Board member Wazir Ali Khoja, Director of Cricket Operations Zakir Khan, and team managers Yawar Saeed and Rizvi.
The players who were handed suspensions and fines appeared before the committee while other team officials — coach Intikhab Alam, assistant coach Aaqib Javed, the then manager Abdul Raqeeb, physiotherapist Faisal Hayat and analyst Mohammad Talha — were also interviewed.
The committee also looked into the manager and coaches reports of Pakistan's tour last year to the UAE for a one-day series against New Zealand, its Test series in New Zealand and the disastrous tour of Australia.
SURBHI SINGH
PGDM IInd sem
Monday, March 8, 2010
Job offers aplenty at IIMs this year
Students and India [ Images ] Inc alike are closely following the placements season at various Indian Institutes of Management this year, which is supposed to provide an indicator of improvement in the economy.
Every IIM has 250-300 students for final placements this year. At IIM Calcutta, for instance, the final placement for 280 students started on March 6. Close to 120 companies confirmed their participations this year for final placements.
"Like all years, finance would be the dominant sector during placements," says Praful Agnihotri, chairman-placements of IIM-C.
The mood on the campus is one of optimism on the back of a good response to lateral placements, which is for students with prior work experience. The institute witnessed 50-80 per cent hike in salaries this year for its lateral placements over the previous year.
The institute, however, has not disclosed what the current salaries are, but more than 40 companies turned up for lateral placements this year at IIM-C, informed a source close to the development. While this is a significant improvement compared to last year, the institute is looking forward to a better placement season ahead.
The recruiters who made lateral offers included Cognizant Business Consulting, Deloitte, Hinduja Group, Aditya Birla Group, Accenture Business Consulting, Mahindra & Mahindra, Virtusa, Essar and Bristlecone.
From consulting to general management, there has been a greater variety of roles on offer this year as compared with last year. IIM-C also witnessed an increase in the packages offered to the students for lateral placement this year, with a few offers above Rs 20 lakh per annum being made.
Students and institute officials are expecting a better response for final placements. For PGP placements, the highest pre-placement-offer so far has been around Rs 60 lakh (Rs 6 million). And the tone remains positive.
Nomura Securities, for instance, has picked up 10 students from IIMs this year - two students from IIM-A, four from IIM-B and another four from IIM-C. Out of the 10, eight students are for Nomura Global for investment banking profile, informed sources.
IIM-B
Meanwhile, IIM Bangalore, which started its final placements process on March 4, has seen traditional recruiters like investment banks and consultancies back on the campus. Recruiters have reportedly offered an increase of 10-20 per cent in average salaries, depending on the student's work experience and profile.
Boston Consulting Group set the tone for the placement season at IIM-B this year and offered jobs to close to 10 graduates, even as consulting giants like McKinsey, Bain & Co and AT Kearney and financial heavyweights like Nomura, Bank of America Merrill Lynch India offered salaries 15-20 per cent higher than the previous year.
Sources at IIM-B informed Business Standard that investment banks offered salaries in the range of Rs 60-70 lakh (Rs 6-7 million) per annum. The average domestic salaries offered were in the Rs 13-24 lakh (Rs 1.3-2.4 million)-per-annum range, mainly by consulting firms.
"We are expecting more overseas offers compared with last year," said a student who is up for placements this year. He said some investment banks are also expected to offer international salary packages in the range of Rs 80 lakh-1 crore (Rs 8-10 million).
IIM-A
IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), which is conducting a cohort-based placement process this year, has seen an increase in the number of offers from companies this year. A student from the institute has reportedly been offered a record Rs 1.44 crore (Rs 14 million) plus package from Deutsche Bank, while a student from IIM Lucknow [ Images ] has bagged the highest offer of Rs 75 lakh (Rs 7.5 million) from Olam International.
ICICI Bank [ Get Quote ] emerged as the biggest recruiter during the third cluster of cohort-based final placements at IIM-A by offering over 10 jobs to the students, while regular recruiters such as ICRA, KPMG, Essar Group and Philips offered jobs to the IIM-A students in finance, consulting, sales and marketing fields.
For lateral placements, around 60 per of the batch at most IIMs have prior work experience.
IIM-K
At IIM Kozhikode, over 25 companies have participated in the lateral placement this year and have hired around 80 students. Some of the key recruiters are Goldman Sachs, Deloitte and Cognizant.
"The information technology sector seems more bullish this year. The number of banks that have confirmed participation this year is also greater than the number last year," says Keyoor Purani, chairperson (placements) of IIM-K.
About 15 companies are participating in the lateral placements at IIM Indore. Some of the key recruiters have been Cognizant Business Consulting, Infosys [ Get Quote ], Wipro [ Get Quote ], TCS [ Get Quote ], Syntel, Genpact and Jindal Steel & Power.
IIM-L
At IIM Lucknow, the tilt towards the IT sector is obvious. "Participation has improved sharply among IT companies and those from the financial services sector. We have also consciously targeted the IT space, given that two-thirds of the batch has IT experience," said RL Raina, placements coordinator at the institute. Here, the batch size is close to 320, of which nearly 200 students have prior work experience.
Every IIM has 250-300 students for final placements this year. At IIM Calcutta, for instance, the final placement for 280 students started on March 6. Close to 120 companies confirmed their participations this year for final placements.
"Like all years, finance would be the dominant sector during placements," says Praful Agnihotri, chairman-placements of IIM-C.
The mood on the campus is one of optimism on the back of a good response to lateral placements, which is for students with prior work experience. The institute witnessed 50-80 per cent hike in salaries this year for its lateral placements over the previous year.
The institute, however, has not disclosed what the current salaries are, but more than 40 companies turned up for lateral placements this year at IIM-C, informed a source close to the development. While this is a significant improvement compared to last year, the institute is looking forward to a better placement season ahead.
The recruiters who made lateral offers included Cognizant Business Consulting, Deloitte, Hinduja Group, Aditya Birla Group, Accenture Business Consulting, Mahindra & Mahindra, Virtusa, Essar and Bristlecone.
From consulting to general management, there has been a greater variety of roles on offer this year as compared with last year. IIM-C also witnessed an increase in the packages offered to the students for lateral placement this year, with a few offers above Rs 20 lakh per annum being made.
Students and institute officials are expecting a better response for final placements. For PGP placements, the highest pre-placement-offer so far has been around Rs 60 lakh (Rs 6 million). And the tone remains positive.
Nomura Securities, for instance, has picked up 10 students from IIMs this year - two students from IIM-A, four from IIM-B and another four from IIM-C. Out of the 10, eight students are for Nomura Global for investment banking profile, informed sources.
IIM-B
Meanwhile, IIM Bangalore, which started its final placements process on March 4, has seen traditional recruiters like investment banks and consultancies back on the campus. Recruiters have reportedly offered an increase of 10-20 per cent in average salaries, depending on the student's work experience and profile.
Boston Consulting Group set the tone for the placement season at IIM-B this year and offered jobs to close to 10 graduates, even as consulting giants like McKinsey, Bain & Co and AT Kearney and financial heavyweights like Nomura, Bank of America Merrill Lynch India offered salaries 15-20 per cent higher than the previous year.
Sources at IIM-B informed Business Standard that investment banks offered salaries in the range of Rs 60-70 lakh (Rs 6-7 million) per annum. The average domestic salaries offered were in the Rs 13-24 lakh (Rs 1.3-2.4 million)-per-annum range, mainly by consulting firms.
"We are expecting more overseas offers compared with last year," said a student who is up for placements this year. He said some investment banks are also expected to offer international salary packages in the range of Rs 80 lakh-1 crore (Rs 8-10 million).
IIM-A
IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), which is conducting a cohort-based placement process this year, has seen an increase in the number of offers from companies this year. A student from the institute has reportedly been offered a record Rs 1.44 crore (Rs 14 million) plus package from Deutsche Bank, while a student from IIM Lucknow [ Images ] has bagged the highest offer of Rs 75 lakh (Rs 7.5 million) from Olam International.
ICICI Bank [ Get Quote ] emerged as the biggest recruiter during the third cluster of cohort-based final placements at IIM-A by offering over 10 jobs to the students, while regular recruiters such as ICRA, KPMG, Essar Group and Philips offered jobs to the IIM-A students in finance, consulting, sales and marketing fields.
For lateral placements, around 60 per of the batch at most IIMs have prior work experience.
IIM-K
At IIM Kozhikode, over 25 companies have participated in the lateral placement this year and have hired around 80 students. Some of the key recruiters are Goldman Sachs, Deloitte and Cognizant.
"The information technology sector seems more bullish this year. The number of banks that have confirmed participation this year is also greater than the number last year," says Keyoor Purani, chairperson (placements) of IIM-K.
About 15 companies are participating in the lateral placements at IIM Indore. Some of the key recruiters have been Cognizant Business Consulting, Infosys [ Get Quote ], Wipro [ Get Quote ], TCS [ Get Quote ], Syntel, Genpact and Jindal Steel & Power.
IIM-L
At IIM Lucknow, the tilt towards the IT sector is obvious. "Participation has improved sharply among IT companies and those from the financial services sector. We have also consciously targeted the IT space, given that two-thirds of the batch has IT experience," said RL Raina, placements coordinator at the institute. Here, the batch size is close to 320, of which nearly 200 students have prior work experience.
What's the Women's Reservation Bill all about?
March 08, 2010 10:46 IST
The Women's
CommentThe Women's Reservation Bill has been a political raw nerve for nearly a decade now. It has always triggered heated debates in Parliament and outside.
Its advocates say the Bill is essential for active political participation of women.
Opponents argue that reservation would only help women of elitist groups gain political power, aggravating the plight of the poor and deprived sections.
If you are wondering just what the Women's Reservation Bill is and why it is so controversial, read on.
How did the Women's Reservation Bill originate?
The proposed legislation to reserve 33.3 percent seats in Parliament and state legislatures for women was drafted first by the H D Deve Gowda-led United Front government. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 12, 1996. Though it has been introduced in Parliament several times since then, the Bill could not be passed because of lack of political consensus.
What does the Bill provide?
Reservation for women at each level of legislative decision-making, starting with the Lok Sabha, down to state and local legislatures.
If the Bill is passed, one-third of the total available seats would be reserved for women in national, state, or local governments.
In continuation of the existing provisions already mandating reservations for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes, one-third of such SC and ST candidates must be women.
What is the argument in favour of the Bill?
Its proponents say it would lead to gender equality in Parliament, resulting in the empowerment of women as a whole. Historically, the Bill's supporters say, women are deprived in India [ Images ]. Increased political participation of women will help them fight the abuse, discrimination, and inequality they suffer from.
Does reservation for women exist in panchayat elections?
Yes, 33.3 per cent seats in panchayat elections have been reserved for women already. The experience of women's reservation at the panchayat level has been very encouraging. A million women are being elected to the panchayats in the country every five years. This is the largest mobilisation of women in public life in the world.
Then why is there opposition to the Bill?
Various political parties have staunchly opposed it because they fear many of their male leaders would not get a chance to fight elections if 33.3 percent seats are reserved for women. The Bill has also been opposed by politicians from the socially and economically backward classes. They argue that reservation would only help women of the elitist groups to gain seats, therefore causing further discrimination and under-representation to the poor and backward classes.
Who are the main political opponents of the Bill?
From day one, Lalu Prasad Yadav [ Images ] of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Mulayam Singh Yadav [ Images ] of the Samajwadi Party have been the main political forces opposed to the Bill.
Why?
The SP and RJD are opposed to the bill in its present form and want a quota within quota for women from backward classes.
Lalu says the Bill 'would deny adequate representation to other sections of society.' He favours 10 to 15 percent reservation for women. 'My party is not opposed to women's reservation, but the case of Dalits, backward classes, Muslims and other religious minorities should not be overlooked,' is his argument.
"I want to see women like Kalawati and Bhagwati Devi to be included in the quota. There should be reservation within reservation," said Lalu.
Mulayam favours making it mandatory for political parties to give 10 percent of election tickets to women.
His argument is that if inadequacy of representation is the issue, why not reservation for Muslim women (there are only two in the present Lok Sabha)?
If 33.3 per cent reservation for women is added to the already existing 22.5 percent for scheduled castes and tribes, more than 55 per cent of seats in Parliament would be reserved. This would not be fair to other sections of the population, he says.
Those who oppose the bill are saying that by asking for reservation women are perpetuating unequal status for themselves. But, then supporters argue that provision of reservation for women is only for 15 years. The idea of reservation is to create a level playing field so that women can raise their share in politics and society and then, look for equal status.
Most members opposing say that it is better to create reservation of women in political parties than in Parliament. The provision of rotation of reserved states is also debated. It can reduce the incentive of the elected MPs to spend energy because he or she may not be able to re-seek the mandate from the same constituency.
What is the status of the Bill now?
The Bill had been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, and Personnel, which gave its report in December 2009.
It recommended passage of the Bill in its present form and suggested that the issue should not be left to the discretion of political parties.
The central government cleared the Bill on February 25, 2010. For such a bill to pass, the Constitution has laid out an elaborate procedure. So, even if the Rajya Sabha passes the bill its real impact will be felt only when it passes through the Lok Sabha.
On March 8, it's difficult to say how the government will manage order in the Upper House so that members favouring the bill can vote without disruption or chaos created by opposing members.
Political pundits, sociologists, political scientists, feminists and historians and almost everybody has said that if the bill becomes an act then it will be the biggest socio-political news since independence.
The Women's
CommentThe Women's Reservation Bill has been a political raw nerve for nearly a decade now. It has always triggered heated debates in Parliament and outside.
Its advocates say the Bill is essential for active political participation of women.
Opponents argue that reservation would only help women of elitist groups gain political power, aggravating the plight of the poor and deprived sections.
If you are wondering just what the Women's Reservation Bill is and why it is so controversial, read on.
How did the Women's Reservation Bill originate?
The proposed legislation to reserve 33.3 percent seats in Parliament and state legislatures for women was drafted first by the H D Deve Gowda-led United Front government. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 12, 1996. Though it has been introduced in Parliament several times since then, the Bill could not be passed because of lack of political consensus.
What does the Bill provide?
Reservation for women at each level of legislative decision-making, starting with the Lok Sabha, down to state and local legislatures.
If the Bill is passed, one-third of the total available seats would be reserved for women in national, state, or local governments.
In continuation of the existing provisions already mandating reservations for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes, one-third of such SC and ST candidates must be women.
What is the argument in favour of the Bill?
Its proponents say it would lead to gender equality in Parliament, resulting in the empowerment of women as a whole. Historically, the Bill's supporters say, women are deprived in India [ Images ]. Increased political participation of women will help them fight the abuse, discrimination, and inequality they suffer from.
Does reservation for women exist in panchayat elections?
Yes, 33.3 per cent seats in panchayat elections have been reserved for women already. The experience of women's reservation at the panchayat level has been very encouraging. A million women are being elected to the panchayats in the country every five years. This is the largest mobilisation of women in public life in the world.
Then why is there opposition to the Bill?
Various political parties have staunchly opposed it because they fear many of their male leaders would not get a chance to fight elections if 33.3 percent seats are reserved for women. The Bill has also been opposed by politicians from the socially and economically backward classes. They argue that reservation would only help women of the elitist groups to gain seats, therefore causing further discrimination and under-representation to the poor and backward classes.
Who are the main political opponents of the Bill?
From day one, Lalu Prasad Yadav [ Images ] of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Mulayam Singh Yadav [ Images ] of the Samajwadi Party have been the main political forces opposed to the Bill.
Why?
The SP and RJD are opposed to the bill in its present form and want a quota within quota for women from backward classes.
Lalu says the Bill 'would deny adequate representation to other sections of society.' He favours 10 to 15 percent reservation for women. 'My party is not opposed to women's reservation, but the case of Dalits, backward classes, Muslims and other religious minorities should not be overlooked,' is his argument.
"I want to see women like Kalawati and Bhagwati Devi to be included in the quota. There should be reservation within reservation," said Lalu.
Mulayam favours making it mandatory for political parties to give 10 percent of election tickets to women.
His argument is that if inadequacy of representation is the issue, why not reservation for Muslim women (there are only two in the present Lok Sabha)?
If 33.3 per cent reservation for women is added to the already existing 22.5 percent for scheduled castes and tribes, more than 55 per cent of seats in Parliament would be reserved. This would not be fair to other sections of the population, he says.
Those who oppose the bill are saying that by asking for reservation women are perpetuating unequal status for themselves. But, then supporters argue that provision of reservation for women is only for 15 years. The idea of reservation is to create a level playing field so that women can raise their share in politics and society and then, look for equal status.
Most members opposing say that it is better to create reservation of women in political parties than in Parliament. The provision of rotation of reserved states is also debated. It can reduce the incentive of the elected MPs to spend energy because he or she may not be able to re-seek the mandate from the same constituency.
What is the status of the Bill now?
The Bill had been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice, and Personnel, which gave its report in December 2009.
It recommended passage of the Bill in its present form and suggested that the issue should not be left to the discretion of political parties.
The central government cleared the Bill on February 25, 2010. For such a bill to pass, the Constitution has laid out an elaborate procedure. So, even if the Rajya Sabha passes the bill its real impact will be felt only when it passes through the Lok Sabha.
On March 8, it's difficult to say how the government will manage order in the Upper House so that members favouring the bill can vote without disruption or chaos created by opposing members.
Political pundits, sociologists, political scientists, feminists and historians and almost everybody has said that if the bill becomes an act then it will be the biggest socio-political news since independence.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The shocking picture of inflation in India!
Today, the biggest concern facing the country is rising prices. There is uproar in Parliament as political parties jostle to grab as much mileage as possible from the government's apparent failure to curb runaway inflation, as they try to sidle up to the aam aadmi who has been worst hit by skyrocketting prices.
Food inflation is hovering near 20 per cent. Everyone is facing the brunt of rising prices. Food prices are soaring. . . all essential items like vegetables, oil, milk, sugar are getting costlier. Rentals and real estate rates have almost doubled in just a few months in most cities. The real estate prices are at record highs making life miserable, especially for people who have migrated to cities for jobs.
Inflation hits you badly as prices keep rising. You end up spending more money for things that you could buy for les earlier. What you could buy for Rs 100, some months ago, would now cost you nearly double. As a result, your savings will come down. As prices rise, the purchasing power of money goes down too.
Inflation hits retired folk and people with fixed incomes very badly. Inflation destablises the economy as consumers and investors change their spending habits.
Economists attribute inflation to a demand-pull theory. According to this, if there is a huge demand for products in all sectors, it results in a shortage of goods. Thus prices of commodities shoot up.
Another reason for inflation is the cost-push theory. It says that labour groups also trigger inflation. When wages for labourers are increased, producers raise the prices of products to make up for salary hike.
The rising prices of food products, manufacturing products, and essential commodities have pushed inflation rate further in India [ Images ].
Check out the table below to see how inflation has spiralled out of control over the last few years.
Inflation in Food and Non-food Commodities during 1994-95 to January 2010(Based on WPI with base 1993-94) and Growth Rate in Food Output (%)
Item
1994-95 to 2004-05
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010 January
Average 2006-09
1. All commodities
5.90
4.74
4.82
4.82
9.12
2.01
8.54
5.19
2. Non-food commodities
6.02
5.37
4.72
4.54
9.55
-1.76
4.53
4.27
3. Food articles
5.91
3.94
6.83
7.02
6.64
12.32
17.41
8.20
4. Food products
5.33
1.58
2.55
3.43
9.80
13.79
22.55
7.39
5. Food commodities (3 and 4)
5.64
2.97
5.09
5.60
7.87
12.90
19.42
7.86
Foodgrains
5.54
3.83
9.71
6.27
6.37
14.14
17.89
9.12
Cereals
5.57
3.68
6.63
6.97
7.20
12.96
13.69
8.44
Pulses
5.46
5.04
32.05
2.14
1.30
21.81
45.62
14.33
Rice
5.00
4.01
2.13
6.05
8.97
15.96
12.02
8.28
Wheat
5.93
1.08
12.99
6.77
5.06
6.83
14.86
7.91
Oilseeds
5.89
-6.11
-3.96
26.58
17.46
0.92
10.05
10.25
Fruits and vegetables
7.47
7.51
2.24
6.49
5.94
11.77
8.33
6.61
Dairy products
5.20
0.11
4.20
6.08
8.38
6.12
12.87
6.19
Milk group
5.57
0.73
4.48
8.17
7.87
8.93
13.99
7.36
Egg, fish and meat
6.46
9.46
6.72
6.38
3.75
14.44
30.71
7.82
Edible oils
4.85
-7.19
1.23
13.11
12.52
-6.59
-1.17
5.07
Sugar
4.06
15.09
4.83
-14.69
5.62
36.34
58.94
8.02
Growth in food output (%/a year)
2.39
0.55
5.87
4.10
5.39
1.60
-02 AE
4.24(1) AE stands for Advance Estimate provided by CSO. (2) Growth rates in last row refer to financial year ending with, like 2005 stands for 2004-05.Sources: (1) Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GOI, New Delhi [ Images ]. (2) National Accounts Statistics, CSO. (3) Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, GOI, New Delhi.Source: Ramesh Chand, "Understanding the Nature and Causes of Food Inflation", EPW, February 27, 2010
Today, the biggest concern facing the country is rising prices. There is uproar in Parliament as political parties jostle to grab as much mileage as possible from the government's apparent failure to curb runaway inflation, as they try to sidle up to the aam aadmi who has been worst hit by skyrocketting prices.
Food inflation is hovering near 20 per cent. Everyone is facing the brunt of rising prices. Food prices are soaring. . . all essential items like vegetables, oil, milk, sugar are getting costlier. Rentals and real estate rates have almost doubled in just a few months in most cities. The real estate prices are at record highs making life miserable, especially for people who have migrated to cities for jobs.
Inflation hits you badly as prices keep rising. You end up spending more money for things that you could buy for les earlier. What you could buy for Rs 100, some months ago, would now cost you nearly double. As a result, your savings will come down. As prices rise, the purchasing power of money goes down too.
Inflation hits retired folk and people with fixed incomes very badly. Inflation destablises the economy as consumers and investors change their spending habits.
Economists attribute inflation to a demand-pull theory. According to this, if there is a huge demand for products in all sectors, it results in a shortage of goods. Thus prices of commodities shoot up.
Another reason for inflation is the cost-push theory. It says that labour groups also trigger inflation. When wages for labourers are increased, producers raise the prices of products to make up for salary hike.
The rising prices of food products, manufacturing products, and essential commodities have pushed inflation rate further in India [ Images ].
Check out the table below to see how inflation has spiralled out of control over the last few years.
Inflation in Food and Non-food Commodities during 1994-95 to January 2010(Based on WPI with base 1993-94) and Growth Rate in Food Output (%)
Item
1994-95 to 2004-05
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010 January
Average 2006-09
1. All commodities
5.90
4.74
4.82
4.82
9.12
2.01
8.54
5.19
2. Non-food commodities
6.02
5.37
4.72
4.54
9.55
-1.76
4.53
4.27
3. Food articles
5.91
3.94
6.83
7.02
6.64
12.32
17.41
8.20
4. Food products
5.33
1.58
2.55
3.43
9.80
13.79
22.55
7.39
5. Food commodities (3 and 4)
5.64
2.97
5.09
5.60
7.87
12.90
19.42
7.86
Foodgrains
5.54
3.83
9.71
6.27
6.37
14.14
17.89
9.12
Cereals
5.57
3.68
6.63
6.97
7.20
12.96
13.69
8.44
Pulses
5.46
5.04
32.05
2.14
1.30
21.81
45.62
14.33
Rice
5.00
4.01
2.13
6.05
8.97
15.96
12.02
8.28
Wheat
5.93
1.08
12.99
6.77
5.06
6.83
14.86
7.91
Oilseeds
5.89
-6.11
-3.96
26.58
17.46
0.92
10.05
10.25
Fruits and vegetables
7.47
7.51
2.24
6.49
5.94
11.77
8.33
6.61
Dairy products
5.20
0.11
4.20
6.08
8.38
6.12
12.87
6.19
Milk group
5.57
0.73
4.48
8.17
7.87
8.93
13.99
7.36
Egg, fish and meat
6.46
9.46
6.72
6.38
3.75
14.44
30.71
7.82
Edible oils
4.85
-7.19
1.23
13.11
12.52
-6.59
-1.17
5.07
Sugar
4.06
15.09
4.83
-14.69
5.62
36.34
58.94
8.02
Growth in food output (%/a year)
2.39
0.55
5.87
4.10
5.39
1.60
-02 AE
4.24(1) AE stands for Advance Estimate provided by CSO. (2) Growth rates in last row refer to financial year ending with, like 2005 stands for 2004-05.Sources: (1) Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GOI, New Delhi [ Images ]. (2) National Accounts Statistics, CSO. (3) Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, GOI, New Delhi.Source: Ramesh Chand, "Understanding the Nature and Causes of Food Inflation", EPW, February 27, 2010
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