India 'Cruises' into Indian Ocean, govt to promote cruise tourism

New Delhi, Nov 28 (UNI) With the year nearing an end and vacation plans on the anvil, one need not cross the Seven Seas to soak oneself in the leisurely experience of a cruise ship.

Incredible India, in collabration with Louis Cruises, is launching India's first cruise ship, Aquamarine, on December 1.

The four-star cruise will soon anchor at the port of Cochin and will be cruising between India, Maldives and Sri Lanka providing rich experience of a culturally affluent region.

On the occasion, Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja said with such a long and scenic coastline India would be a fabulous destination for cruise tourism. ''Our people used to go abroad to enjoy the cruise ships but now it is available here. Even foreigners can also enjoy the virgin coasts of India.'' India announced cruise tourism policy last year only and 'Aquamarine' would be the first cruise ship to anchor the Indian coast. Earlier, a river cruise ship, Pandava, sailed between Kolkata and Varanasi for a brief period.

The Tourism Ministry also provided funds to the Cochin port to develop the required infrastructure to host the cruise ships. ''Since Indian coasts are meant for cargo services only, there is a need to upgrade them for the cruise ships,'' said Ms Selja.

She added, ''We are offering assistance to the port authorities to upgrade the ports and make them comfortable for the tourists.'' Cruise shipping is swiftly growing as a new marketable product with the growth rate of around 12 per cent per annum.

Emphasising the importance of cruise Tourism Industry in providing employment, Managing Director, Louis Cruises India Oneil Khosa said it had generated around 350 million jobs in the United States.

He also informed that the crew of the ship would consist of 40 per cent Indian nationals in order to make customers comfortable in conversing with the crew.

Giving details about the on board facilities Country head, Sales and Marketing Vijay Puthran said Aquamarine would have facilities like spa, gym, swimming pool, duty-free shops, beauty salon, bar and restaurants and specially installed bowling machines to target the cricket crazy people of India.

Links to the story:

http://topics.treehugger.com/article/0cW7bmGcp61rK?q="beauty+treatment"+OR+"beauty+products"+OR+"spa+treatment"+OR+spa+OR+"beauty+salon"+OR+"hair+salon"+OR+manicure+OR+pedicure+OR+facial

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20091128/1394016.html

Cope India-09 Begins: IAF, USAF Come Closer

By Amit Chaudhary

Agra, Oct 19 (UNI) C-130 H, C-130 J and C-17 planes of the US Air Force and AN-32 and IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force soared in tandem into the clear blue skies today as India and United States initiated five-day long joint exercises at Air Force Station (AFS) Agra.

The COPE India- 09 has been planned in pursuance of the broad objective of increasing cooperation among the defence forces of the two countries.

The director of the exercise representing India, Group Captain Mathews Mammen said, ''The exercise will see the two Air Forces working to enhance their knowledge levels and understand the employment philosophies of both tactical and heavy lift platforms of USAF and IAF in joint operations.'' The main objectives of this exercise are to know each other’s operational aspects through joint planning and execution of missions and to train and expose exercise personnel for joint operations in a simulated hostile scenario.

Col Raymond Le Marche of USAF, the exercise director representing US, said this exercise would increase cooperation, friendship and understanding between the two forces as well as countries.

The US contingent comprised C-130 H, C-130 J and C-17 carriers, while IAF contingent included An-32 and IL-76 mainly.

Around 160 USAF and 250 IAF personnel are participating in the exercises. IAF is fielding its Rapid Action Medical Team and Special Forces Garuds.

US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer, present on the occasion said, ''The healthy and growing defence relationship between India and United States is part of a broader strategic partnership that derives from common principle and shared national security interests.'' These exercise will help the two forces to improve their performance in handling the disaster situations. The focus will be on humanitarian relief, casualty management and rescue operations.

As part of the exercise the Para-troopers from both the air forces performed Para jumping from different heights and with different parachutes. ''The use of different parachutes and different planes, as C-130 J and C-17 are new planes to us, helps us learning and experience new and better technologies,'' one of the para jumpers told reporters.

India is in talks with USAF for the purchase of one C-130 carrier plane and is also contemplating to buy C-17 carrier. This purchase, if it materialises, will give a great boost to the IAF in terms of rescue and relief missions.

Special mobile hospital recently procured from American company Alaska Structures Ltd was also displayed at the air base. This mobile hospital consists of 25 beds including Operation Theatre.

Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT) Commanding Officer A Mukherjee said,''These mobile hospitals can easily be transported and be set up with in six to eight hours, which is much less than the older ones. It will help in providing instant relief to the victims.'' He added that it can only be used to perform limb and life saving surgeries only.

The cost of this fully air conditioned mobile hospital is around two million dollar.

Joint defence exercises between India and the US will help the establishment of a cordial relationship between the two countries besides India getting a new dimension in its defence power, Mr Roemer said.

He said the US was committed to increasing the strength of the Indian Air Force.

'' This joint exercise would stress upon crisis management, ground warfare, air combat training and will promote ways and means to establish peace'', he added.

This was the sixth such joint Indo-US exercise in the country and will continue till October 23.

The US Ambassador also stressed that these exercises would certainly draw both the countries closer.'' Both the countries would have better relationship in culture, industry and on the economic front besides in the field of crisis management and human relief'', Mr Roemer said.

He said by such joint exercises the US has given recognition to the Indian Air Force.

'' It is an honour for both the countries to go for such a joint exercise'', he added.

Links:

http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-134055.html

http://topics.treehugger.com/article/09vH9SU2Kn17q

http://www.newstin.co.uk/tag/uk/151619892

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20091019/1364336.html

Scrap CWG if it deprives people of their livelihood: CPI(ML)

New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) The Delhi unit of CPI(ML) today held a demonstration demanding rollback of bus and Metro fares hike.

Addressing the protestors at ITO, CPI(ML) Secretary (Delhi) Sanjay Sharma alleged that the Delhi government is burning a hole in the common man's pocket for meeting the expenses of organising Commonwealth Games.

He also alleged that government has been working as an ''agency'' to guarantee profit to private investors through the taxpayers' money.

''Sheila Dikshit government has reduced DTC into a revenue collecting agency for TATA company. Government is purchasing buses from TATA at a price two to three times higher from actual price,'' Mr Sharma said.

''The same ''corporate appeasement'' policy is being implemented against roadside vendors. Around five lakh vendors will be evicted from Delhi by July next year. If organising CWG means depriving people of their livelihoods than we should scrap the games,'' he told UNI.

CPI(ML) Delhi Office Secretary Govind Uniyal said, ''We condemn the Chief Minister's statement that citizens have to pay for development.''

Pension scheme for auto drivers in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 9 (UNI) In a unique and first of its kind initiative, Nyaya Bhoomi, an NGO, and Invest India Micro Pension Services (IIMPS), today launched a pension scheme for the autorickshaw drivers at the 9th IIEF Annual Pension Conference at India Habitat Centre.

The Secretary of Nyaya Bhoomi, Rakesh Agarwal presented the cheque of Rs 60,000 on behalf of 200 autorickshaw drivers to the Director of IIMPS Renana Jhabvala.

The Micro Pension model is designed in such a way that the driver is encouraged to invest more and more of his savings into pension schemes. ''We are contributing Rs 300 per month for each auto driver, under the aegis of ''Auto Star Club'', towards pension fund and if any driver voluntarily contributes any amount over and above the said amount that will be matched by Nyaya Bhoomi,'' Mr Agarwal said.

He added that after 25-30 years, the driver would receive, depending on his age at the time of joining, around Rs five to 15 lakh, which would be enough for him to get a monthly income of around Rs six thousand. The NGO has taken an innovative approach to generate revenues for the pension scheme, Mr Agarwal said, adding the autorickshaws have been specially modified for display of advertisements so that the brand can get maximum visibility, while the vehicles look aesthetically appealing.

The space has been sold to companies like Tata Indicom, Chhabra Triple Five Fashions and Reliance Communications. Under the Micro Pension model developed by IIMPS, the pension savings of auto drivers would be invested in a Central Government-notified Pension Scheme managed by UTI Asset Management Company called UTI Retirement Benefit Pension Fund.

The scheme, according to the Managing Director of IIMPs, Ashish Aggarwal, is providing an average return of 11.5 per cent for the last three years.

There are around 80,000 auto drivers in Delhi and IIMPS and Nyaya Bhoomi plan to cover at least 20,000 drivers under the scheme within the next six months.

In addition to pension, the drivers would also be provided health and accidental insurance, cash incentives and many other benefits soon.

Farmers, labourers urge PM for food security to all

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) Amid growing concerns about 'hunger deaths'

and Genetically Modified (GM) seeds, hundreds of farmers and

labourers today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure food

security to all the people in the country.

A rally under the banner of Steering Group of the Right of Food
Campaign was organised at Jantar Mantar here to demand legislation
of the Food Entitlements Act (FEA) and immediate attention towards
continuous reduction in food production in the country.

The Right to Food Campaign demands an Act that would deal with at
least some of the causes of hunger and will provide each and every
citizen of this country with food entitlements.

One of the agitators from Bihar Rahul, who is also associated with
an NGO Koshish, told UNI, ''Around 125 people have died of
hunger in Bihar this year but neither the Union nor state government
is interested in providing food to us. We are aggrieved from this
apathetic attitude of the government.''

Sharing his experience of dealing with the administrators, he
said, ''We contacted several officials including District Magistrate
but nobody paid attention to our problems. Corruption is present at
every level of administration.''

Reiterating Rahul's anguish towards the government, Steering Group
convenor Kavita Srivastava said, ''this misappropriation of funds is
not restricted to Bihar only. It is prevailed in all the states of
the country.''

A charter of demands was unanimously adopted and given to the PMO
after the rally. Universalisation of Public Distribution System,
effective grievance redressal system, special measures in disasters
were demanded in the charter besides several other demands, including
enactment of FEA.

If enacted, the FEA entitles each and every adult of 14 kg of
cereals per month along with 1.5 kg of pulses and 800 gm of cooking
oil at affordable prices.

Addressing the agitators, National Federation of Indian Women
(NFIW) national joint secretary Rashpal Kaur alleged that Indian
Government is working under the influence of International Monetary
Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organisation.

''We need to understand the conspiracy of these international
organistations. They are working for Multinational Companies who
only look for their profit,'' Ms Kaur opined.

''We are being advised to use GM seeds to get higher production
but the question is how can poor farmers afford to purchase such
expensive seeds,'' she questioned.

National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) representative
Bhupender Rawat said in spite of increasing the land for
aggriculture, government is allocating agricultural land to the industries and business houses.

Lawyers demand separate bench of HC for West UP

New Delhi, Nov 20 (UNI) After farmers, it was the turn of lawyers

from Western Uttar Pradesh to register their protest for ignoring

their 40-year-old demand for a separate High Court Bench in the

western region of the state.

Hundreds of lawyers from UP today held a demonstration at
Jantar Mantar asking the Union and UP government to stop passing
the buck and take concrete steps to give respite to lakhs of
people residing in the western UP.

Chairman of High Court Bench Establishment G S Dhama said, ''It
is not just lawyers who are demanding the separate bench, it is the
demand of people.''

He alleged that both the Centre and the state government were
passing the buck and not paying heed to the problems of the people.

People have to travel 800 km to reach Allahabad. The long
distance adds to the already high cost of pursuing a case in High
Court. Poor people cannot afford to pursue their case for a longer
period. So it is a kind of impediment in the way of justice, Mr
Dhama noted.

Former Union Minister Oscar Fernandes went to meet the agitators
and said it was a genuine demand and the Centre government also
considers it but until the state government does not put the demand
on table, nothing can be done.

Around 14 lakh cases were pending in the Allahabad High Court out
of which, around eight lakh were from Western UP and 16 districts
fall in this region.

Something should be done for farmers' welfare: Digvijay

New Delhi, Nov 20 (UNI) All India Congress Committee (AICC)

general secretary Digvijay Singh today said ''something should be

done for the welfare of farmers.''

He was addressing the farmers from Uttar Pradesh, particularly
from national capital region (NCR), demanding immediate annulment of
Land Acquisition Act, 1894 and enactment of Land Acquisition
Amendment Act, 2007, which is pending for a considerable time.

Mr Singh said the UPA government was mulling over this and has
had several discussion with the ministers concerned, but Railway
Minister Mamata Banerjee had objected to some of the provisions.

''We are in talks with Ms Banerjee and will come to some common
ground with her very soon,'' he said.

Rapping the Mayawati government for ignoring farmers, he asserted
that if Haryana government could secure the land of its farmers, why
cannot UP government.

''India is a democratic state and one should have the right to
sell one's property (land) on the price one wants to,'' Mr Singh
said.

Member of Parliament Vasudev Acharya condemned the government for
acquiring the land from farmers on very low prices and re-selling it
to the businessmen and builders on higher prices. ''There is no
rehabilitation policy for the farmers,'' he added.

Zameen Adhigrahan Pratirodh Andolan coordinator Sardaram Bhatti
said land was being acquired on agriculture rates and were sold to
builders on market rate which was ten times higher than the
agriculture rate.

''We demand that the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 be annulled
and Land Acquisition Amendment Act, 2007 be enacted with immediate
effect,'' Mr Bhatti said.

Twenty five per cent land should also be returned to the farmers
for residential purposes, he added.

The agitators also handed over a memorandum to Mr Singh urging
him to look into the matter.

Farmers demand fair price for sugarcane

New Delhi, Nov 19 (UNI) Thousands of sugarcane farmers from Uttar Pradesh today staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar here, decrying the Centre's move to fix the sugarcane prices without coordination with the Sugarcane Committee and Mill owners.

The farmers have been demanding that prices should be fixed after talks with their representatives so that they get a fair price of their produce. The Central government had given a fixed price of Rs 129.85 per quintal for sugarcane for the year 2009-10 crushing season under the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) system.

Thousands of farmers influxed to city from the neighbouring state under the aegis of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) and Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan. However, the leadership looked divided as RLD and BKU were protesting at different places and asking others to join for the bigger good.

Addressing the protestors, RLD supremo Ajit Singh said the prices should be decided in coordination with the Sugarcane Committee and Mill owners. ''We will not accept the unfair prices fixed by the government,'' Mr Singh exhorted.

Earlier, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav said, ''Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar are responsible for the sugarcane crisis,''

Mr Yadav said he would lead a movement of the farmers of the country whose condition, according to him, was the worst in the world.

SP general secretary Amar Singh opined that the UPA government was not bothered about the condition of the farmers and has been importing raw sugar from Brazil on higher prices, but reluctant to give fair price
to the farmers for their produce.

BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the farmers and are now ready to fight for their rights and have come here for their problems and not for any party.

''The farmers in Haryana are getting Rs 210 per quintal, whereas we are offered only Rs 170. The prices of sugar have doubled as compared to last year, but look at the prices of sugarcane, just Rs 20 have been increased,'' Mr Tikait complained.

BKU has demanded a price of Rs 280 per quintal for the sugarcane, saying its prices should increase in proportion to
that of sugar.

The executive order would affect around 40 lakh farmers in UP alone.

''The government wants to ruin the farmers but we will not act as sitting ducks. We can stop the supply of essential goods, including milk and vegetables, as well as buses and trains. We can also stop the supply of water to Delhi and for all that we need not come to Delhi,'' Mr Singh warned.

UP State Advisory Price (SAP) had been set between Rs 165 and Rs 170 per quintal and the Centre had given a
fixed price of Rs 129.85 per quintal for sugarcane for the year 2009-10 crushing season under the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) system.

In case, a state government fixed SAP higher than the FRP, it would have to pay the difference.

Anganbadi workers demands govt employee status

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) Anganbadi workers from across the country today protested at the Jantar Mantar demanding government employee status and minimum wage be given to them. Anganbadi state president Girish Pandey said minimum wages and government employee status should be given to all the Anganbadi workers. He demanded that until they were not made government employees, they should be given Rs 5,000 as stipend and after getting government employee status, minimum wages should be given. ''They are just getting Rs 1,500 per month which comes around Rs 50 per day, whereas, NAREGA workers get Rs 100 per day for just digging a hole. Our workers are indulged in mental work and their's include only physical work, Mr Pandey told UNI. Around 28 lakh Anganbadi workers in the country are facing this extremely difficult situation and finding it hard to survive with such a low earning, Hind Majdoor Kissan Panchayat Vice-president Vijay Narayan said. Mr Pandey said low wages were also affecting the real aim set out by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as it was quite de-motivating for the workers and they were getting indulged in pilferage. ''Four years ago we met with Ms Sonia Gandhi and had discussed the issues in details. She assured us of appropriate steps in this direction but nothing has been done so far,'' Mr Narayan lamented. The agitators were also demanding retirement benefits and pension facility for the all Anganbadi workers.

Ensure food security for all, universalise PDS: RTF Steering Grp

New Delhi, Nov 24 (UNI) The National Steering Committee for Right to Food Campaign today rejected the Government's plan to enact National Food Security Act (NFSA), which would entitle every Below Poverty Line (BPL) household to a certain amount of monthly ration on subsidised prices.

Committee convener Kavita Srivastava said, ''We demand a much broader based Food Entitlements Act.''

Stating that in the face of spiralling prices, drought and deepening hunger, the effort to entitle each BPL household to a monthly ration of 25 kg of foodgrains at Rs 3 per kg was meaningless, Ms Srivastava said, ''The Act should deal with at least some of the causes of hunger and provide each and every resident of this country with food entitlements.''

Amid the ruckus created by the unverifiable statistics providing different figures for the number of people living below poverty line, economist Jean Dreze emphasised, ''For achieving long-term food security for all, a comprehensive approach including a universal public distribution system is needed so that no one is left behind in contrast with the current targeted approach which is both unreliable and divisive.''

Stating that majority of poor people did not have BPL cards, he said giving subsidised food to some people who did not need it was better rather than leaving needy poor people without food.

National Federation of Women (NFW) general secretary Annie Raja opined that no private player should be allowed in Public Distribution System (PDS).

''The law should allow accessiblity, both economic and social and availability of food to each and every resident of this country,'' Ms Raja said.

''To ensure availabilty of food, the Government should not turn to imports. It should make arrangements to improve food production and Genetically Modified food is a big no-no,'' she opined.

She added that profitable supportive price for farmers' produce should be given along with limiting imports to emergency periods only to boost their confidence.

Pressing for the provision of ration cards to the female head of the house, Ms Raja said it would help in improving the health of the child as well as women.

Rubbishing the Government's reiteration about the unavailability of funds to launch a huge project of ensuring food to all citizens, National Trade Union Initiative vice-president D Tahnkappan said, ''We are of the mind that if there is a political will then funds will not be a problem.'' He questioned the Government on its lax attitude in food provision at a time when it was providing a tax rebate of Rs 4 lakh crore to industries.

Emphasising that food should not be exported till malnutrition was eradicated, National Conference of Dalit Organisation's (NACDOR) national coordinator Ashok Bharti said the residents of the country had the first right on the food produced here.

The National Steering Committee also demanded a greivance redressal mechanism to deal with the complaints and check misappropriations.

They also advocated total overhaul of the PDS.

Employees demand quashing of PSUs disinvestment plans

New Delhi, Nov 25 (UNI) Hundreds of Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees from across the country today assembled at Jantar Mantar here under the banner of Public Sector Employees National Cofederation (PSENC), an industrial unit of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), demanding scrapping of disinvestment and selling out plans of PSUs besides immediate revision of the wages of its employees.

PSENC also demanded revival of the sick PSUs like HMT and NEPA. The protestors submitted a charter of demands to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to give respite to the thousands of PSU employees.

Addressing PSU workers, BJP MP Rudra Narayan Pany criticised the Centre's plans to sell out and disinvest in PSUs and said the Government's policies are not aimed at reducing inequality.

He said around 77 per cent people in the country were living on less than Rs 20 per day and the disinvestment policy will only add to the already high percentage.

It was the Government's duty to reduce such a huge inequality, he underlined.

Pointing towards the Rs four lakh crore bailout package given to the private sector, PSENC President Virjesh told UNI, ''The government is giving Bailout to Private Sector and Sellout to Public Sector.'' ''We cannot figure out the logic for this decision as most PSUs are earning huge profits and have been filling Government's coffers for a very long period,'' he added.

Explaining the disadvantages of disinvestment and selling out of PSUs which would increase exploitation of the employees, concentration of finances in the hands of a few people, Mr Upadhyay opined, ''It is also very critical from the national security point of view as it can provide access to significant information about country's defence plans to the private players.''

Criticising the Government's indifference towards the PSU employees, Mr Upadhyay lamented that despite announcement of Sixth Pay Commission almost a year ago, the employees had not received the revised salary as yet.

''All the Central Government employees have even recieved second installment of their arrears but nothing has been done for the PSU employess,'' he said.

Coal Mine Workers Federation president Surender Kumar Pandey said the disinvestment policy was against the aims of PSUs as outlined by late Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru who said PSUs were the real temples of the country as they would provide employment to the people.