The State government will implement the Hogenakkal drinking water supply scheme at any cost and it will not be cowed down by threats of some leaders, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here on Sunday.
Inaugurating a flyover linking North Usman Road and Mahalingapuram here, the Chief Minister said the scheme had been cleared by the Centre.
The Karnataka government had also given its clearance.
At this stage, some politicians in Karnataka were trying to “sabotage” the scheme just to gain political mileage. Their attempts would not succeed, he added.
Appealing to the Centre to intervene in the issue, Mr. Karunanidhi said the move by some Karnataka leaders was against the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country. “Let them not act in a manner that would be prejudicial to the unity of the country,” he added.
Site Search
Custom Search
Monday, March 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Airport expansion plan under scanner
It will result in dislocation of 947 houses; High Court verdict on land acquisition soon.
A verdict is expected from the Madras High Court within a week on the Airport Authority of India’s land acquisition plans, but the debate on the merits of its airport expansion project rages on.
While the AAI maintains that the Rs.2,700-crore project, which will result in the dislocation of 947 houses, is crucial to Chennai’s future as a key aviation hub in India and South Asia, experts have raised questions about the necessity and merits of the plan in light of what they perceive to be inefficiencies in airspace use and the cost of displacement.
When the AAI first conceived the plan to expand the airport four years ago, it had forecast that Chennai would need to handle around 50 aircraft movements an hour by 2015. According to the AAI, the expansion plan will enable Chennai to handle traffic growth until 2016. The AAI expects the greenfield airport — Sriperumbudur is the likely location—to be ready by then.
A verdict is expected from the Madras High Court within a week on the Airport Authority of India’s land acquisition plans, but the debate on the merits of its airport expansion project rages on.
While the AAI maintains that the Rs.2,700-crore project, which will result in the dislocation of 947 houses, is crucial to Chennai’s future as a key aviation hub in India and South Asia, experts have raised questions about the necessity and merits of the plan in light of what they perceive to be inefficiencies in airspace use and the cost of displacement.
When the AAI first conceived the plan to expand the airport four years ago, it had forecast that Chennai would need to handle around 50 aircraft movements an hour by 2015. According to the AAI, the expansion plan will enable Chennai to handle traffic growth until 2016. The AAI expects the greenfield airport — Sriperumbudur is the likely location—to be ready by then.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Circular corridor for Chennai
The Tamil Nadu Government has conceived a “farsighted Rs.2,300-crore transportation project” to cater to the increasing traffic in Chennai, Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan said in the Assembly. “Under this project, a circular High Speed Transportation Corridor will be constructed over the banks of water courses in Chennai city such as Adyar river, Buckingham Canal, Cooum river and Mambalam canal and it will be connected to the Chennai bypass road,” he said, adding that this 120-km circular corridor would consist of four-lane and six-lane roads. People who travel from the central parts of Chennai to Tambaram, Rajiv Gandhi IT Corridor and ECR and vehicles from Chennai to cities such as Tirupati, Bangalore and Kolkata will be able to travel much faster.
Vellore to become Corporation
Vellore will be a Municipal Corporation from April, said Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan in the Assembly on Thursday. “In the coming financial year, Vellore, will be upgraded a Municipal Corporation.”
The town will be the ninth Corporation in the State. The government will establish Emergency Trauma Care Centres – with Central aid – in Vellore Medical College at a cost of Rs. 7 crore, in Krishnagiri District headquarters Hospital at a cost of Rs. 3 crore and in Kilpauk Medical College at a cost of Rs. 8 crore.
Vellore would also get a new nursing school, along with Theni.
A leather sector special economic zone will be set up on 260 acres at Ranipet.
The government is also planning an Information Technology park in the district.
The town will be the ninth Corporation in the State. The government will establish Emergency Trauma Care Centres – with Central aid – in Vellore Medical College at a cost of Rs. 7 crore, in Krishnagiri District headquarters Hospital at a cost of Rs. 3 crore and in Kilpauk Medical College at a cost of Rs. 8 crore.
Vellore would also get a new nursing school, along with Theni.
A leather sector special economic zone will be set up on 260 acres at Ranipet.
The government is also planning an Information Technology park in the district.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
TN BUDGET to focus on infrastructure, education
SALIENT FEATURES
* Rs 4,179 crore for the highways development in 2008-09.
* Rs 1,000-crore Tamil Nadu Urban Roads Development Project scheme from coming financial year.
* Interest rates on crop loan from co-operative banks reduced to 4% from 5% earlier.
* Allocation of Rs 40 crore towards crop insurance for 25 lakh farmers with government bearing 50% of the insurance premium.
* Crop loans to the tune of Rs 1,177 crore disbursed during as of March 20 this year.
* Public sector cement plant at Alangulam to be modernised at a cost of Rs 82 crore.
* Additional incentive price of Rs 50 per quintal for paddy over and above the incentive price of Rs 100 per quintal announced by the central government thus enhancing the procurement price of fine variety of paddy to Rs 825 per quintal.
* Incentives given to investments above Rs 350 crore in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts extended to investments above Rs 250 crore for industries set up in other parts of the state.
* 10,000 farmer self-help groups (SHGs) to be formed consisting of one lakh farmers who are availing crop loans from primary agricultural co-operative banks. They will act as joint liability groups and will be able to access credit from co-operative and public sector banks. These groups will be provided with Rs 10 crore revolving fund through co-operative banks.
* Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) to be implemented at a cost of about Rs 800 crore in the coming year. State's share of SSA will be Rs 280 crore.
* Siddha medicine exempt from tax.
* Rs 4,179 crore for the highways development in 2008-09.
* Rs 1,000-crore Tamil Nadu Urban Roads Development Project scheme from coming financial year.
* Interest rates on crop loan from co-operative banks reduced to 4% from 5% earlier.
* Allocation of Rs 40 crore towards crop insurance for 25 lakh farmers with government bearing 50% of the insurance premium.
* Crop loans to the tune of Rs 1,177 crore disbursed during as of March 20 this year.
* Public sector cement plant at Alangulam to be modernised at a cost of Rs 82 crore.
* Additional incentive price of Rs 50 per quintal for paddy over and above the incentive price of Rs 100 per quintal announced by the central government thus enhancing the procurement price of fine variety of paddy to Rs 825 per quintal.
* Incentives given to investments above Rs 350 crore in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur districts extended to investments above Rs 250 crore for industries set up in other parts of the state.
* 10,000 farmer self-help groups (SHGs) to be formed consisting of one lakh farmers who are availing crop loans from primary agricultural co-operative banks. They will act as joint liability groups and will be able to access credit from co-operative and public sector banks. These groups will be provided with Rs 10 crore revolving fund through co-operative banks.
* Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) to be implemented at a cost of about Rs 800 crore in the coming year. State's share of SSA will be Rs 280 crore.
* Siddha medicine exempt from tax.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
NRIs setting up manufacturing unit
U.S.-based firm Signet Solar Inc. on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State government to set up a Rs.2000-crore manufacturing facility near Chennai.
The firm’s chairman, Prabhu Goel, signed the MoU with Industries Secretary M.F. Farooqui in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Mr.Raja and a host of officials. “We are planning an initial investment of at least Rs.2,000 crore,” said Dr.Goel, in response to questions from presspersons.
The plant will come up at the SIPCOT Sriperumbudur Hi-Tech Special Economic Zone and will boost Tamil Nadu’s chances of attracting investment in high-technology electronic manufacturing industry, according to government officials. About 1,500 persons would be directly employed while another 3,000 are expected to find indirect employment.
When Signet Solar Inc., a firm run by NRIs with experience in semiconductor manufacturing, wanted to set up a manufacturing base in India, it considered all options and studied the offers made by many States.
They met Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja and discussed their project to manufacture solar and silicon-based photovoltaic modules and thin technology products.
The firm’s chairman, Prabhu Goel, signed the MoU with Industries Secretary M.F. Farooqui in the presence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Mr.Raja and a host of officials. “We are planning an initial investment of at least Rs.2,000 crore,” said Dr.Goel, in response to questions from presspersons.
The plant will come up at the SIPCOT Sriperumbudur Hi-Tech Special Economic Zone and will boost Tamil Nadu’s chances of attracting investment in high-technology electronic manufacturing industry, according to government officials. About 1,500 persons would be directly employed while another 3,000 are expected to find indirect employment.
When Signet Solar Inc., a firm run by NRIs with experience in semiconductor manufacturing, wanted to set up a manufacturing base in India, it considered all options and studied the offers made by many States.
They met Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja and discussed their project to manufacture solar and silicon-based photovoltaic modules and thin technology products.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Don`t serve biscuits in anganwadis: Amartya Sen
Pressure is building on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and the Ministry of Women and Child Development to ensure cooked meals in pre-school centres under the central programme of anganwadis.
The latest to take up the matter and join issue with the ministry is none other than Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, who sent a message from Kolkata to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week, asking him not to allow a proposal to serve biscuits and pre-packaged food to pre-school children.
Sen also asked the PM to prevent the move to replace cooked food with packaged food as part of the mid-day meal scheme in elementary schools.
The message followed a meeting of the Kolkata Group chaired by Sen under the sponsorship of his Pratichi Trust and Harvard’s Global Equity Initiative.
The meeting, which included 40 people from different fields, expressed shock over a proposal of the Ministry of Women and Child Development “to serve pre-packaged food and biscuits under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme and possibly in the mid-day meal programme in elementary schools”.
The proposal by the ministry headed by Renuka Chowdhury has been facing criticism from various quarters with the minister supporting processed food sourced from contractors in anganwadis.
Participants took note of the efforts and positive outcomes across the country to provide cooked mid-day meals. They felt that any change, especially under pressure from commercial interests, would be a regressive step against the best interests of children.
The resistance of the ministry to having cooked meals served locally by anganwadis has led to a reduced allocation to the scheme in the Budget, as against what has been allocated in the Eleventh Plan.
The minister’s sympathy for packaged food and a centralised distribution system has been a source of conflict with the Planning Commission as well as with some officials in her own ministry.
Incidentally, Secretary Chaman Kumar and Joint Secretary Deepa Jain Singh (of the ministry) were removed overnight last year.
Speaking at a seminar on nutrition last year, organised by the steering committee of the government-backed Coalition for Nutritional Security in India, Renuka Chowdhury publicly expressed her stand on not having cooked food in anganwadis.
She said it was not feasible for the anganwadi centres to provide hot cooked meals as the centres are not equipped for this. Thus, these meals would become a “substitute” and not a “supplement” for the family meals.
The latest to take up the matter and join issue with the ministry is none other than Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, who sent a message from Kolkata to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week, asking him not to allow a proposal to serve biscuits and pre-packaged food to pre-school children.
Sen also asked the PM to prevent the move to replace cooked food with packaged food as part of the mid-day meal scheme in elementary schools.
The message followed a meeting of the Kolkata Group chaired by Sen under the sponsorship of his Pratichi Trust and Harvard’s Global Equity Initiative.
The meeting, which included 40 people from different fields, expressed shock over a proposal of the Ministry of Women and Child Development “to serve pre-packaged food and biscuits under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme and possibly in the mid-day meal programme in elementary schools”.
The proposal by the ministry headed by Renuka Chowdhury has been facing criticism from various quarters with the minister supporting processed food sourced from contractors in anganwadis.
Participants took note of the efforts and positive outcomes across the country to provide cooked mid-day meals. They felt that any change, especially under pressure from commercial interests, would be a regressive step against the best interests of children.
The resistance of the ministry to having cooked meals served locally by anganwadis has led to a reduced allocation to the scheme in the Budget, as against what has been allocated in the Eleventh Plan.
The minister’s sympathy for packaged food and a centralised distribution system has been a source of conflict with the Planning Commission as well as with some officials in her own ministry.
Incidentally, Secretary Chaman Kumar and Joint Secretary Deepa Jain Singh (of the ministry) were removed overnight last year.
Speaking at a seminar on nutrition last year, organised by the steering committee of the government-backed Coalition for Nutritional Security in India, Renuka Chowdhury publicly expressed her stand on not having cooked food in anganwadis.
She said it was not feasible for the anganwadi centres to provide hot cooked meals as the centres are not equipped for this. Thus, these meals would become a “substitute” and not a “supplement” for the family meals.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
H-1B professional visas creating jobs in US: study
American businesses are finding it hard to fill skilled positions even as H-1B visas that bring in foreign professionals, including a large number from India, are creating jobs in the US, shows a new US study.
Confirming Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' contention that an arbitrary cap on H-1B visas is forcing them to outsource jobs, the study shows major US technology companies today average more than 470 job openings for skilled positions in the US while defence companies have more than 1,265 each.
A second complementary study by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) found after examining H-1B filings and year-by-year job totals for the technology companies in the Standard & Poor (S&P) 500 that hiring skilled foreign nationals on H-1B visas is associated with increases in employment at US technology companies.
The data collected by the Arlington, Virginia-based policy research group, on 'H-1B Visas and Job Creation' show that for every H-1B position requested with the Department of Labour, US technology companies increase their employment by five workers.
For technology firms with less than 5,000 employees, each H-1B position requested in labour condition applications was associated with an increase of employment of 7.5 workers.
This is particularly remarkable since the actual number of people hired on H-1B visas is likely to be much lower than the total number of applications filed with the Department of Labour, said NFAP, focussing on trade, immigration and related issues.
'Combined, these two studies show that US employers continue to need skilled labour, including individuals not born in the United States who, the empirical evidence indicates, are creating new opportunities for US workers,' said NFAP Executive Director Stuart Anderson.
'While every H-1B hired may not necessarily lead to five to seven Americans being hired, the data does strongly imply, at minimum, that new H-1B professionals are complementing other US hires, rather than displacing them, as critics allege.'
According to 'Talent Search: Job Openings and the Need For Skilled Labour in the US Economy', a number of companies have thousands of skilled positions open, with this level of openings persisting for a year or more.
This is part of a longer-term trend that threatens to harm America's economic future, with US companies lacking access to the skilled professionals needed to grow and innovate inside the US.
More than 140,000 job openings for skilled positions are available today in the 500 companies that make up the S&P 500. S&P 500 companies employ only about 14 percent of individuals working in the US, so the overall demand for skilled labour in the US economy is much greater.
The Department of Labour's JOLTS survey indicates that there are approximately four million job openings in the US every month at all skill levels.
The S&P 500 companies with the most job openings as of January 2008 are Microsoft (4,005), Northrup Grumman (3,925), Lockheed Martin (3,901), General Electric (3,078), Countrywide Financial (2,415), JPMorganChase (2,164), Tenet Healthcare (2,050), United Health Group (1,927), Raytheon (1,694), IBM (1,670), Computer Sciences Corp. (1,666), Cintas (1,664), L-3 Communications (1,618), Bank of America (1,600), US Bancorp (1,562) and Cisco Systems (1,504).
These are openings for jobs in the US requiring a BA, professional degree or higher. The NFAP study also found that even employers that reduced employment reduced it less if they had filed for H-1Bs visas.
Confirming Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates' contention that an arbitrary cap on H-1B visas is forcing them to outsource jobs, the study shows major US technology companies today average more than 470 job openings for skilled positions in the US while defence companies have more than 1,265 each.
A second complementary study by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) found after examining H-1B filings and year-by-year job totals for the technology companies in the Standard & Poor (S&P) 500 that hiring skilled foreign nationals on H-1B visas is associated with increases in employment at US technology companies.
The data collected by the Arlington, Virginia-based policy research group, on 'H-1B Visas and Job Creation' show that for every H-1B position requested with the Department of Labour, US technology companies increase their employment by five workers.
For technology firms with less than 5,000 employees, each H-1B position requested in labour condition applications was associated with an increase of employment of 7.5 workers.
This is particularly remarkable since the actual number of people hired on H-1B visas is likely to be much lower than the total number of applications filed with the Department of Labour, said NFAP, focussing on trade, immigration and related issues.
'Combined, these two studies show that US employers continue to need skilled labour, including individuals not born in the United States who, the empirical evidence indicates, are creating new opportunities for US workers,' said NFAP Executive Director Stuart Anderson.
'While every H-1B hired may not necessarily lead to five to seven Americans being hired, the data does strongly imply, at minimum, that new H-1B professionals are complementing other US hires, rather than displacing them, as critics allege.'
According to 'Talent Search: Job Openings and the Need For Skilled Labour in the US Economy', a number of companies have thousands of skilled positions open, with this level of openings persisting for a year or more.
This is part of a longer-term trend that threatens to harm America's economic future, with US companies lacking access to the skilled professionals needed to grow and innovate inside the US.
More than 140,000 job openings for skilled positions are available today in the 500 companies that make up the S&P 500. S&P 500 companies employ only about 14 percent of individuals working in the US, so the overall demand for skilled labour in the US economy is much greater.
The Department of Labour's JOLTS survey indicates that there are approximately four million job openings in the US every month at all skill levels.
The S&P 500 companies with the most job openings as of January 2008 are Microsoft (4,005), Northrup Grumman (3,925), Lockheed Martin (3,901), General Electric (3,078), Countrywide Financial (2,415), JPMorganChase (2,164), Tenet Healthcare (2,050), United Health Group (1,927), Raytheon (1,694), IBM (1,670), Computer Sciences Corp. (1,666), Cintas (1,664), L-3 Communications (1,618), Bank of America (1,600), US Bancorp (1,562) and Cisco Systems (1,504).
These are openings for jobs in the US requiring a BA, professional degree or higher. The NFAP study also found that even employers that reduced employment reduced it less if they had filed for H-1Bs visas.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
