സൗദിയിലെ സ്വദേശിവത്കരണം: മലയാളികള്‍ക്ക് കോടികളുടെ സാമ്പത്തികനഷ്ടം
27 Mar 2013
മലപ്പുറം: സൗദിയില്‍ സ്വദേശിവത്കരണത്തിനുള്ള നിതാഖത്ത് നടപ്പാക്കുമ്പോള്‍ തൊഴില്‍നഷ്ടപ്പെടുന്നവരിലേറെയും മലയാളികളായ പ്രവാസികള്‍. ജോലി പോകുന്നതോടൊപ്പം കോടിക്കണക്കിന് രൂപയുടെ സാമ്പത്തികനഷ്ടവും ഉണ്ടാകും. വിവിധ സംരംഭങ്ങള്‍ക്കായി മുതല്‍ മുടക്കിയ കോടിക്കണക്കിന് രൂപ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് നാട്ടിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങേണ്ടിവരും. ഏതാണ്ട് ഒന്നരലക്ഷത്തോളം മലയാളികളെ ഇത് ബാധിക്കും. അറബിയുടെ സ്‌പോണ്‍സര്‍ഷിപ്പില്‍ സ്വന്തമായി ബിസിനസ് നടത്തുന്നവരെയും തൊഴിലാളികളായാണ് പരിഗണിക്കുക.
ഏഴ് ലക്ഷത്തിലധികം മലയാളികള്‍ ഗള്‍ഫ് നാടുകളിലുണ്ടെന്നാണ് കണക്ക്. അതിലേതാണ്ട് പകുതിയോളംപേര്‍ സൗദിയിലാണ്. അവിദഗ്ധ മേഖലയിലും സാങ്കേതിക മേഖലയിലെ താഴേത്തട്ടില്‍ ജോലിചെയ്യുന്നവരുമാണിവര്‍. ചെറിയ കഫേകള്‍ (ബൂഫിയ), ഹോട്ടലുകള്‍ എന്നിവ നടത്തുകയും ഇവിടങ്ങളില്‍ ജോലിയെടുക്കുന്നവരും ഒട്ടേറെയാണ്. മലയാളികള്‍ ഒറ്റയ്ക്കും കൂട്ടമായും ചെറുകിട ഹോട്ടലുകള്‍ നടത്തുന്നവരും ഏറെയാണ്.
ഇവിടങ്ങളില്‍ മലയാളികളാണ് ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്നവരില്‍ കൂടുതലും. അഞ്ഞൂറും അതിലധികവും കാറുകള്‍ ടാക്‌സിയായി സര്‍വീസ് നടത്തുന്ന കമ്പനികളിലെ ഡ്രൈവര്‍മാരേറെയും മലയാളികളാണ്. വെല്‍ഡിങ്, ഫിറ്റര്‍, വര്‍ക്ക്‌ഷോപ്പ്, ചെറുകിട വ്യവസായ ബിസിനസ് സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളില്‍ ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്നവരെയാണ് ഈ നിയമം ബാധിക്കുക. ഉന്നത വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം നേടിയവരും പ്രൊഫഷണലുകളും ദുബായ്, കുവൈത്ത് രാജ്യങ്ങളെ ജോലിക്കായി ആശ്രയിക്കുകയാണ് ചെയ്യുന്നത്. മറ്റ് ഗള്‍ഫ് രാജ്യങ്ങളെ അപേക്ഷിച്ച് വേതനം കുറവാണെങ്കിലും സമ്പാദ്യം സ്വരൂപിക്കാന്‍ സൗദിയാണ് നല്ലതെന്ന കാര്യവും ഇവിടേക്കുള്ള ഒഴുക്ക് കൂട്ടുന്നു.
നിയമം പ്രാബല്യത്തിലാകുന്നതോടെ 20 ലക്ഷത്തോളം വിദേശികള്‍ സൗദി വിടേണ്ടിവരുമെന്നാണ് കണക്ക്. പത്തില്‍താഴെപേര്‍ ജോലിചെയ്യുന്ന സ്ഥാപനത്തില്‍ ഒരു സ്വദേശിയെ ജോലിക്ക് വെക്കണമെന്ന ഉത്തരവ് നടപ്പാക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള സമയപരിധി ബുധനാഴ്ച അവസാനിക്കും. രണ്ടരലക്ഷത്തോളം ചെറുകിട സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളെ പുതിയ ഉത്തരവ് ബാധിക്കും
Article credits Mathrubhumi Daily
A Gulf without Keralites could soon be a reality
News Report of October 18, 2012
For those reading this article in the Gulf region, conduct this little exercise – take a quick look around you and count the number of Keralites you spot. Now, try to imagine your surroundings (workplace, grocery store, the Metro, etc.) void of all Keralites. Impossible? That’s what we thought, but a new survey begs to differ.
Gulf nations may soon see less of the ubiquitous Keralite (a.k.a. Malyali due to the language connection) as the migration trend of Keralites from their native town to Gulf nations seems to be peaking, and may reverse soon.
According to the latest iteration of the Gulf Migration Survey, the number of Keralites in the UAE has declined about 4 per cent in five years – from 918,122 in 2008 down to 883,313 in 2011. This decline is in sharp contrast to the 37 per cent growth that UAE saw in migrants from Kerala in the preceding five-year period – from 670,150 in 2003 to 918,122 in 2008.
The principal countries of destination of Kerala emigrants have remained more or less unchanged over these years, with 90 per cent of the Kerala emigrants going to one or other of the Gulf countries.
The UAE, in fact, is home to the maximum number of Keralites outside Kerala, followed by Saudi Arabia (574,739 Keralites in 2011), Oman (195,300), Qatar (148,427), Kuwait (127,782) and Bahrain (101,556). Outside of the Gulf, the most number of Keralites can be found in the US (68,076) and the UK (44,640).
“Nearly 40 per cent of Kerala’s emigrants live in the UAE and 25 per cent in Saudi Arabia. In the last three years, especially, after global crisis, Saudi Arabia has gained about 2 percentage points and UAE has lost out by the same proportion,” the report points out.
While it will be tough to not find a Keralite within any given square kilometre in the Gulf region (no, uninhabited desert doesn’t count!), the survey points out that the growth in number of migrants from Kerala is declining and if this trend continues, within a few years, the number of migrants returning to their homeland may outnumber those leaving in search of new opportunities.
According to the survey, the number of Kerala emigrants living abroad in 2011 was estimated to be 2.28 million, up from 2.19 million in 2008, 1.84 million in 2003 and 1.36 million in 1998. This data clearly shows that the number of Keralites leaving their hometown annually for a job abroad is on a steady decline. “The increase could vanish much before 2015 and the migration trend could very well slope downward,” the survey points out.
However, the survey also points out that the money that Keralites are remitting back home is on a much steeper rise than the number of migrants. “Remittances from emigrants abroad to Kerala in 2011 were estimated to be approximately Rs49,695 crore [Dh35.5 billion] compared with Rs43,288 crore [Dh30.92 billion] in 2008. Remittances were Rs63,315 [Dh4,523] per household in 2011 compared with Rs57,227 [Dh4,088] in 2008,” the report states.
“Increase in remittances during 2008-11 (15 per cent) was much larger than increase in the number of emigrants (4 per cent),” it elaborates. The report goes on to state that the macro-economic impact of emigration and remittances are very significant, and they remain the single most dynamic factor in Kerala’s economic scenario.
“Remittances were 31 per cent of the state’s domestic product. The per capita income in the state is Rs52,000 [Dh3,714] without taking into consideration remittances, but would be Rs68,000 [Dh4,857] if remittances were taken in to consideration,” reckons the report.
Nevertheless, notwithstanding the increase in remittances, the report concludes that emigration from Kerala may be approaching an inflexion point in history. “Kerala’s Gulf connection is edging towards a turning point,” states the report.
“Emigration from Kerala in 2011 is more or less at the same level it was in 2008, indicating that 2011 is not far from the inflexion point in the history of emigration from Kerala. Many of the major centres of emigration in Kerala are already experiencing a decline in the number of emigrants and/or emigrants per household,” it highlights.
The report provides statistics from one of Kerala’s districts – Patahanamthitta – as supporting evidence and as how things may eventually pan out throughout the South Indian state. “The experience of Pathanamthitta district could be seen as forerunner of things to come in Kerala. In Pathanamthitta district, the number of emigrants was 98,000 in 1998, 134,000 in 2003, and 121,000 in 2008 but only 91,000 in 2011 – lower than the number in 1998.
“Emigrants per household was 33.1 per cent in 1998, 44.3 per cent in 2003 and 37.4 per cent in 2008 but only 28.4 per cent in 2011. The point of inflexion in emigration trend in Pathanamthitta district was as early as 2003,” it says.
The report attributes this decline to many things, key among them being dwindling wage differentials between Kerala and the Gulf region, competition from other Indian states in India and other countries abroad, and above all, the rapidly increasing cost of emigration.
“All these trends point towards emergence of an era of decreasing trend in emigration from Kerala. Kerala’s Gulf connection could reach its inflexion point in a matter of 4-5 years,” the report concludes.
Are you a Keralite or know one in the Gulf? What do you think are the reasons behind the shrinking numbers of Keralites coming to the Gulf? Let us know in comments below.
Migration Survey shows overseas Keralites remitted approx. Dh35.5 billion in 2011
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Gujarat's power sector turnaround story -A case study for Kerala
Executive Summary: Gujarat's power sector was in a shambles in 2001, when Narendra Modi became chief minister. A decade later it is in the forefront of states that have carried out sweeping power reforms, as a result of which it now has surplus power. This case study details the key steps the government took to bring about the change, which was carried out in a manner fair to all stakeholders.
When Narendra Damodardas Modi took over as chief minister of Gujarat in October 2001, he found the state's power situation grim. The Gujarat State Electricity Board, or GSEB, had posted a loss of Rs 2,246 crore for 2000/01, on revenues of Rs 6,280 crore. Interest costs alone were Rs 1,227 crore. Transmission and distribution, or T&D, losses were a substantial 35.27 per cent, and load shedding was frequent. GSEB had no funds to add generation capacity on its own, nor was it able to persuade the private sector to invest.
Reforming the GSEB, thus, became one of Modi's top priorities. "He feared that a bankrupt power utility could derail his vision for the state," says Saurabh Patel, Gujarat's Industries and Power Minister, then as now. "He knew electricity is crucial for growth."
Modi's first step was to identify a bureaucrat capable of taking on the enormous challenge. He chose Man- jula Subramaniam, a Gujarat cadre officer, who had been joint secretary in the prime minister's office from 1993 to 1998, playing a key role in the country's liberalisation, and appointed her Chairperson of GSEB and Principal Secretary, Energy and Power.
Subramaniam quickly realised that GSEB was too large an entity to be managed effectively. But she did not rush into unbundling it. Instead, she initially concentrated on two areas: bolstering the power utility's finances and building employee morale. Discovering that GSEB had secured loans at interest rates of 18 per cent or more, she sought debt restructuring, convincing banks and financial institutions to lower their rates, which resulted in savings of Rs 500 crore in 2002/03.
Her next step was more radical. Rarely before had electricity boards renegotiated power purchase agreements, or PPAs, already signed with private players. But having examined the PPAs her board had entered into, Subramaniam felt the heat rate - a measure of generator efficiency - had been inflated by the power suppliers, who were consequently charging more than they should have.
Though the private players initially resisted, the government-constituted committee set up for the process stood firm, and ultimately, after more than 18 months of hard bargaining, got the rates lowered, leading to a further saving of Rs 675 crore in 2002/03 and Rs 1,000 crore in 2003/04.
Simultaneously, Modi's government began plugging the leakages in distribution. Power thefts in Gujarat then ranged between 20 per cent in urban areas and 70 per cent in rural regions. It passed a law against power thefts and set up five police stations across the state, solely to nab such thieves. Stringent action began against those who ran up large power bill arrears, including disconnecting their supply.
Unmetered power supply, which some rural areas were getting was stopped altogether, with GSEB entering into a structural loan re-adjustment with Asian Development Bank to fund the installing of meters.
Subramaniam also found that many employees, disturbed by widespread talk of power reforms, feared for their jobs, and were feeling somewhat alienated from GSEB. She appointed a consultant to suggest ways to win back their loyalties.
From mid-2002, armed with the consultant's suggestions, the board began its special effort to reach out to employees. It started training programmes at all levels to reassure them that while people may be redeployed, no one would be laid off. Senior officials increased their interactions with the staff, including holding 'town hall' meetings where they shared details of the board's financial position and encouraged employees to ask questions. An internal newsletter was also started.
Once assured of retaining their jobs, the employees themselves began discussing possible reforms. A 'reforms progress management group', comprising GSEB employees, was also set up.
It was now time for the unbundling. In May 2003, the Gujarat government passed the Gujarat Electricity Industry (Reform and Reorganisation) Act, which divided the GSEB into a holding company, a power generation company, a power transmission company and four distribution companies. This enabled better management and more efficient operations.
Another key reform was the separation of the feeder line that supplied power to the rural areas into two: one to supply power for agricultural needs and other for household and other needs. This was part of the Jyoti Gram Yojna, a scheme Modi announced in 2003 to supply round-theclock power to villages.
"A single feeder has its limitations," says Mukesh Puri, Managing Director of the holding company, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam. "The villages got power for only 12 to 15 hours a day, often of poor quality and at odd hours."
Since the tariff for power used for agricultural purposes was much lower, many used this subsidised supply for their household needs as well, resulting in huge losses for GSEB.
"The chief minister asked us to have separate feeders, which was a path-breaking step no state had attempted before," Puri adds, "The results were good." Though many rural residents had higher power bills to pay than in the past, they cooperated with the government, once they found they were assured of uninterrupted, better quality power.
A study by Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad has estimated that the project saved the state capital expenditure of around Rs 23,000 crore, or about 5,000 megawatts, or MW.
The Modi government has also taken scrupulous care to ensure that the state electricity regulator - unlike in most states - remains truly independent of political pressures. The regulator has, thus, been able to revise power tariffs every year, which ensured the state bridged the gap between the average cost of supply and what users paid for it.
The result? The state electricity board posted its first profit of Rs 203 crore - after tax - in 2005/06. By 2010/11, net profit had risen to Rs 533 crore, while T&D losses had fallen to 20.13 per cent. Tariff collection efficiency is close to 100 per cent. Private players, once reluctant to invest in Gujarat's power generation, are now rushing in: of the power plants with a total installed capacity of 16,945 MW coming up in the state, 6,864 MW - or roughly, a third - is by the private sector. "Abundant power is a major USP of our state today," says minister Patel.
A few worries remain. Though T&D losses have fallen, they are still higher than those of the southern states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The cost of power in Gujarat has been traditionally high, and remains so.
"Our share of hydel power is very low and our power plants are very far away from coalfields," says Puri. "At times the cost of transporting coal equals the cost of the coal." A sizeable proportion of its power - around 29 per cent - also comes from gas-based plants, and the high cost of gas has forced scaling down the operations of some of them.
But ultimately, it is a remarkable transformation for a state which was power deficient barely a decade ago, but now has a surplus of 2,114 MW and a vibrant energy sector. Article credits N. Madhavan BI
When Narendra Damodardas Modi took over as chief minister of Gujarat in October 2001, he found the state's power situation grim. The Gujarat State Electricity Board, or GSEB, had posted a loss of Rs 2,246 crore for 2000/01, on revenues of Rs 6,280 crore. Interest costs alone were Rs 1,227 crore. Transmission and distribution, or T&D, losses were a substantial 35.27 per cent, and load shedding was frequent. GSEB had no funds to add generation capacity on its own, nor was it able to persuade the private sector to invest.
Reforming the GSEB, thus, became one of Modi's top priorities. "He feared that a bankrupt power utility could derail his vision for the state," says Saurabh Patel, Gujarat's Industries and Power Minister, then as now. "He knew electricity is crucial for growth."
Modi's first step was to identify a bureaucrat capable of taking on the enormous challenge. He chose Man- jula Subramaniam, a Gujarat cadre officer, who had been joint secretary in the prime minister's office from 1993 to 1998, playing a key role in the country's liberalisation, and appointed her Chairperson of GSEB and Principal Secretary, Energy and Power.
Subramaniam quickly realised that GSEB was too large an entity to be managed effectively. But she did not rush into unbundling it. Instead, she initially concentrated on two areas: bolstering the power utility's finances and building employee morale. Discovering that GSEB had secured loans at interest rates of 18 per cent or more, she sought debt restructuring, convincing banks and financial institutions to lower their rates, which resulted in savings of Rs 500 crore in 2002/03.
Her next step was more radical. Rarely before had electricity boards renegotiated power purchase agreements, or PPAs, already signed with private players. But having examined the PPAs her board had entered into, Subramaniam felt the heat rate - a measure of generator efficiency - had been inflated by the power suppliers, who were consequently charging more than they should have.
Though the private players initially resisted, the government-constituted committee set up for the process stood firm, and ultimately, after more than 18 months of hard bargaining, got the rates lowered, leading to a further saving of Rs 675 crore in 2002/03 and Rs 1,000 crore in 2003/04.
Simultaneously, Modi's government began plugging the leakages in distribution. Power thefts in Gujarat then ranged between 20 per cent in urban areas and 70 per cent in rural regions. It passed a law against power thefts and set up five police stations across the state, solely to nab such thieves. Stringent action began against those who ran up large power bill arrears, including disconnecting their supply.
Unmetered power supply, which some rural areas were getting was stopped altogether, with GSEB entering into a structural loan re-adjustment with Asian Development Bank to fund the installing of meters.
Subramaniam also found that many employees, disturbed by widespread talk of power reforms, feared for their jobs, and were feeling somewhat alienated from GSEB. She appointed a consultant to suggest ways to win back their loyalties.
From mid-2002, armed with the consultant's suggestions, the board began its special effort to reach out to employees. It started training programmes at all levels to reassure them that while people may be redeployed, no one would be laid off. Senior officials increased their interactions with the staff, including holding 'town hall' meetings where they shared details of the board's financial position and encouraged employees to ask questions. An internal newsletter was also started.
Once assured of retaining their jobs, the employees themselves began discussing possible reforms. A 'reforms progress management group', comprising GSEB employees, was also set up.
It was now time for the unbundling. In May 2003, the Gujarat government passed the Gujarat Electricity Industry (Reform and Reorganisation) Act, which divided the GSEB into a holding company, a power generation company, a power transmission company and four distribution companies. This enabled better management and more efficient operations.
Another key reform was the separation of the feeder line that supplied power to the rural areas into two: one to supply power for agricultural needs and other for household and other needs. This was part of the Jyoti Gram Yojna, a scheme Modi announced in 2003 to supply round-theclock power to villages.
"A single feeder has its limitations," says Mukesh Puri, Managing Director of the holding company, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam. "The villages got power for only 12 to 15 hours a day, often of poor quality and at odd hours."
Since the tariff for power used for agricultural purposes was much lower, many used this subsidised supply for their household needs as well, resulting in huge losses for GSEB.
"The chief minister asked us to have separate feeders, which was a path-breaking step no state had attempted before," Puri adds, "The results were good." Though many rural residents had higher power bills to pay than in the past, they cooperated with the government, once they found they were assured of uninterrupted, better quality power.
A study by Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad has estimated that the project saved the state capital expenditure of around Rs 23,000 crore, or about 5,000 megawatts, or MW.
The Modi government has also taken scrupulous care to ensure that the state electricity regulator - unlike in most states - remains truly independent of political pressures. The regulator has, thus, been able to revise power tariffs every year, which ensured the state bridged the gap between the average cost of supply and what users paid for it.
The result? The state electricity board posted its first profit of Rs 203 crore - after tax - in 2005/06. By 2010/11, net profit had risen to Rs 533 crore, while T&D losses had fallen to 20.13 per cent. Tariff collection efficiency is close to 100 per cent. Private players, once reluctant to invest in Gujarat's power generation, are now rushing in: of the power plants with a total installed capacity of 16,945 MW coming up in the state, 6,864 MW - or roughly, a third - is by the private sector. "Abundant power is a major USP of our state today," says minister Patel.
A few worries remain. Though T&D losses have fallen, they are still higher than those of the southern states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The cost of power in Gujarat has been traditionally high, and remains so.
"Our share of hydel power is very low and our power plants are very far away from coalfields," says Puri. "At times the cost of transporting coal equals the cost of the coal." A sizeable proportion of its power - around 29 per cent - also comes from gas-based plants, and the high cost of gas has forced scaling down the operations of some of them.
But ultimately, it is a remarkable transformation for a state which was power deficient barely a decade ago, but now has a surplus of 2,114 MW and a vibrant energy sector. Article credits N. Madhavan BI
Power to the Masses - Narendra Modi initiative luded by the World
Gujarat’s success in the power sector universally lauded- amid gloom Gujarat sets an example says one newspaper!
Wall Street Journal lauds Gujarat’s reforms in power sector. Says it’s the only state that consumes less than it produces.
From international and Indian media to netizens, immense praise for Shri Modi’s handling of the power sector over the last decade.
A sector that was previously facing problems was successfully turned around and his now winning awards from the Government of India.
For two days, starting 30th July 2012 a large part of India including the national capital Delhi plunged into darkness due to a massive power grid failure. On 31st July, it was not only the Northern Grid but also the Eastern Grid that failed leaving more than 60 crore people and 19 states in the dark. Experts have called it India’s worst power crisis.The crisis once again brought to the forefront some elementary lessons that were often repeated but scarcely followed by most states vis-à-vis the power sector. However, one state that remained totally unaffected from the massive power crisis across more than half of India was Gujarat.
Since the last three days, there has been renewed focus on Gujarat’s success in the power sector. From international media houses, the Indian mainstream media to the netizens on Twitter, Gujarat’s “brightness” in the time of Delhi and other part’s “darkness” became the hot topic of discussion.
Yet again, Gujarat established itself as a benchmark of development and transparent governance. Dated 1st August 2012, leading international newspaper Wall Street Journal carried a story titled “More Power to India’s States” in which it critiqued the lack of reforms in the Indian power sector for the last few years. Wall Street Journal however notes Gujarat’s success in the power sector as a major exception. It writes, “But perhaps the greatest display of political gumption and policy creativity comes from Gujarat in the west.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s first victory was curbing the theft of power, one reason for transmission and distribution losses.” WSJ notes that Gujarat’s biggest innovative zeal has been to establish a parallel distribution network that has led to stability in supply along with giving farmers competitive prices.
It acknowledges Gujarat as, “…the only Indian state that generates more power than it consumes.” But WSJ notes that while all states may not be as bold as Gujarat, the real scope for power reforms comes from the states Shri Narendra Modi is a stark contrast to the Centre and could be an inspiration for other states.
Similar praise for Gujarat’s power sector turnaround has come from leading international brokerage firm CLSA. CLSA noted how Gujarat made 100% power in the villages a reality ending a history of power theft and poor management.
The Indian media has been equally forthcoming in praising Gujarat’s power successes. The Times of India carried a story with a catchy title, ‘Power grid failure: Amid gloom, Gujarat sets an example.’ The story notes how it is not only the big cities of Gujarat but also the 18,000 villages of the state that are beneficiaries of uninterrupted electricity.
It also notes the success of the Jyotigram Yojana in this commendable transformation.Gujarat’s power sector turnaround is the result of a determined effort that began approximately a decade ago.
In February this year, leading business magazine Business Today did a comprehensive narrative of what Gujarat did differently that led to this amazing turnaround.
Till a decade ago, Gujarat’s power sector was in urgent need of reform. The state electricity board GSEB was incurring heavy losses, interests were rising and transmission losses were frequent. These were exactly the things Shri Modi altered when he took charge. Beginning with restructuring finances, Shri Modi went on to unleash other reforms including renegotiating power purchase agreements and controlling leakages.
An act passed in 2003 even enabled better management. The rest of course is history…Today not only has the power sector witnessed a complete turnaround but also Gujarat’s power companies are winning awards at the national level. In March this year, 3 companies of the Gujarat Government were awarded for their outstanding performance in the power sector.But, if you thought Gujarat was content with these advances you may want to think again. Despite being a power surplus state, Gujarat is looking at making wide scale advances in renewable sources of energy.
Shri Modi began with solar power and is now moving towards wind, thermal and tidal energy.
In April this year he inaugurated Asia’s largest solar park at Charanka in Mehsana. Days later he dedicated India’s first canal top solar power project to the nation.
All these advances have received praise from none other than UPA Cabinet Minister for Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah. Thus, as India plunged into darkness clamour for asking the other states and particularly the Centre to emulate Gujarat’s model of power reforms is only increasing. Shri Modi himself came down heavily on the Centre’s mismanagement of the power sector.
Expressing his views on Twitter, he said, “Pradhan Mantri ji, 60 cr people & 19 states are in darkness. Country wants to know is there any coalition dharma you are following here too?” He added, “With poor economic management UPA has emptied pockets of common man; kept stomachs hungry with inflation & today pushed them into darkness!”
The power is the lifeline of any nation’s growth. Such blackouts do not augur well for an aspiring superpower likes India. In such a time, it was heartening to see Gujarat’s power sector turnaround being appreciated across various sections of the national and international media, thinkers and netizens. When Shri Modi assumed office, the request people made to him was to give them as much electricity that they can enjoy their evening meal.
Today, the entire Gujarat is covered by brightness, every single day of the year!
Wall Street Journal lauds Gujarat’s reforms in power sector. Says it’s the only state that consumes less than it produces.
From international and Indian media to netizens, immense praise for Shri Modi’s handling of the power sector over the last decade.
A sector that was previously facing problems was successfully turned around and his now winning awards from the Government of India.
For two days, starting 30th July 2012 a large part of India including the national capital Delhi plunged into darkness due to a massive power grid failure. On 31st July, it was not only the Northern Grid but also the Eastern Grid that failed leaving more than 60 crore people and 19 states in the dark. Experts have called it India’s worst power crisis.The crisis once again brought to the forefront some elementary lessons that were often repeated but scarcely followed by most states vis-à-vis the power sector. However, one state that remained totally unaffected from the massive power crisis across more than half of India was Gujarat.
Since the last three days, there has been renewed focus on Gujarat’s success in the power sector. From international media houses, the Indian mainstream media to the netizens on Twitter, Gujarat’s “brightness” in the time of Delhi and other part’s “darkness” became the hot topic of discussion.
Yet again, Gujarat established itself as a benchmark of development and transparent governance. Dated 1st August 2012, leading international newspaper Wall Street Journal carried a story titled “More Power to India’s States” in which it critiqued the lack of reforms in the Indian power sector for the last few years. Wall Street Journal however notes Gujarat’s success in the power sector as a major exception. It writes, “But perhaps the greatest display of political gumption and policy creativity comes from Gujarat in the west.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s first victory was curbing the theft of power, one reason for transmission and distribution losses.” WSJ notes that Gujarat’s biggest innovative zeal has been to establish a parallel distribution network that has led to stability in supply along with giving farmers competitive prices.
It acknowledges Gujarat as, “…the only Indian state that generates more power than it consumes.” But WSJ notes that while all states may not be as bold as Gujarat, the real scope for power reforms comes from the states Shri Narendra Modi is a stark contrast to the Centre and could be an inspiration for other states.
Similar praise for Gujarat’s power sector turnaround has come from leading international brokerage firm CLSA. CLSA noted how Gujarat made 100% power in the villages a reality ending a history of power theft and poor management.
The Indian media has been equally forthcoming in praising Gujarat’s power successes. The Times of India carried a story with a catchy title, ‘Power grid failure: Amid gloom, Gujarat sets an example.’ The story notes how it is not only the big cities of Gujarat but also the 18,000 villages of the state that are beneficiaries of uninterrupted electricity.
It also notes the success of the Jyotigram Yojana in this commendable transformation.Gujarat’s power sector turnaround is the result of a determined effort that began approximately a decade ago.
In February this year, leading business magazine Business Today did a comprehensive narrative of what Gujarat did differently that led to this amazing turnaround.
Till a decade ago, Gujarat’s power sector was in urgent need of reform. The state electricity board GSEB was incurring heavy losses, interests were rising and transmission losses were frequent. These were exactly the things Shri Modi altered when he took charge. Beginning with restructuring finances, Shri Modi went on to unleash other reforms including renegotiating power purchase agreements and controlling leakages.
An act passed in 2003 even enabled better management. The rest of course is history…Today not only has the power sector witnessed a complete turnaround but also Gujarat’s power companies are winning awards at the national level. In March this year, 3 companies of the Gujarat Government were awarded for their outstanding performance in the power sector.But, if you thought Gujarat was content with these advances you may want to think again. Despite being a power surplus state, Gujarat is looking at making wide scale advances in renewable sources of energy.
Shri Modi began with solar power and is now moving towards wind, thermal and tidal energy.
In April this year he inaugurated Asia’s largest solar park at Charanka in Mehsana. Days later he dedicated India’s first canal top solar power project to the nation.
All these advances have received praise from none other than UPA Cabinet Minister for Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah. Thus, as India plunged into darkness clamour for asking the other states and particularly the Centre to emulate Gujarat’s model of power reforms is only increasing. Shri Modi himself came down heavily on the Centre’s mismanagement of the power sector.
Expressing his views on Twitter, he said, “Pradhan Mantri ji, 60 cr people & 19 states are in darkness. Country wants to know is there any coalition dharma you are following here too?” He added, “With poor economic management UPA has emptied pockets of common man; kept stomachs hungry with inflation & today pushed them into darkness!”
The power is the lifeline of any nation’s growth. Such blackouts do not augur well for an aspiring superpower likes India. In such a time, it was heartening to see Gujarat’s power sector turnaround being appreciated across various sections of the national and international media, thinkers and netizens. When Shri Modi assumed office, the request people made to him was to give them as much electricity that they can enjoy their evening meal.
Today, the entire Gujarat is covered by brightness, every single day of the year!
RTI applications for NRIs simplified
The Government of India took a major step forward in enabling Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to file applications under the Right to Information Act this week, announcing that it has launched a service called “elPO,” or Electronic Indian Postal Order. Using this, NRIs across the world may now be in a position to file RTI applications conveniently via direct payment of fees for the same.
According to an Office Memorandum put out on Friday by the government’s Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, the Department of Posts service will permit NRIs to purchase an Indian Postal Order electronically by paying a fee on-line through e-Post Office Portal i.e. http://www.epostoffice.gov.in. It could also be accessed through India Post website www.indiapost.gov.in, the memorandum explained.
Lokesh Batra, a retired commodore and an RTI activist who was said to be one of the principal campaigners behind the move, said, “At last eIPO launched today. Indian Citizens Abroad can now file RTIs and participate in Nation Building. The Journey that started for me in October 2008 in the U.S. (Boston) 54 months ago has reached its destination today.” He was also quoted as saying that the eIPO would allow Indians abroad to enjoy the same rights as those living in the country."
According to reports it was his frustration with the difficulties in filing an RTI application from the U.S. during a two-month visit there to see his daughter four years ago that led Mr Batra to start an online petition to make it easier for to buy IPOs or demand drafts in Indian rupees. He was said to have moved the Central Information Commission which in 2010 reportedly ordered that a system be put in place to make it possible for Indians living abroad to file RTIs.
The Ministry’s note clarified that at present the facility was provided only for Indian citizens abroad across the globe to facilitate them to seek information from the Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) under the RTI Act, 2005, and debit and credit cards could be used to purchase the elPO.
In terms of process users are required to get themselves registered at the website, select the Ministry or Department from whom they desire the information under the RTI Act and then elPO so generated can be used to seek information from that Ministry or Department only. Further, the memorandum explained, a printout of the elPO is required to be attached with the RTI application, or if the RTI application was being filed electronically, the elPO must be attached.
As a caveat it should be noted that all the requirements for filing an RTI application as well as other provisions regarding eligibility, time limit and exemptions, as provided in the RTI Act, 2005 will continue to apply. CPIOs are required to maintain a record of the elPOs so received from Indian citizens abroad, but eIPO details can be verified from the website of India Post.
In emailed comments to The Hindu, Somu Kumar, a volunteer with the AID NGO based in Washington said that an activist, Vishal Kudchadkar, conducted the first transaction using the ePIO facility and filed an RTI immediately.
Regarding his experience on using the system Mr. Kudchadkar said, “The ePIO system was very simple and straightforward. It will be nice to have all PIO email IDs also in the list so that we can easily mail the RTI application along with ePIO transaction.”
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Lulu Mega shopping mall opened in Kochi, Kerala
Monday, March 11, 2013
KOCHI: Billed as India's biggest, the LuLu Shopping Mall in Kochi was yesterday inaugurated by Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala. Non-resident Indian businessman and UAE-based EMKE Group/LuLu managing director Yusuffali M A was also present. Developed by the EMKE Group at the cost of about $300 million, the mall is spread over 2.5m square feet, over three levels. A spokesman for LuLu Group said the mall, set to house the best of luxury and lifestyle brands, will redefine the shopping experience. Located at Edappally, at the intersection of NH-47, 17 and the Kochi by-pass, the mall is easily accessible from the Cochin International Airport as also the railway station. The food court has a capacity for 3,500 people and 18 food counters. The first McDonald's restaurant in Kerala will also open at the mall. The entertainment zone spread over 22,000 sq/ft includes a 5,000 sq/ft skating rink, a 5-D cinema hall, bowling alleys, water rides and gaming arcade.
LuLu Hypermarket, LuLu Celebrate, LuLu Connect, Westside, PVR Cinemas are the anchor stores of the mall. Nine cinema screens with a total capacity of 2,250 seats will open in the mall by early April.
Also, within the mall is The Marriott - a 300 room five-star hotel.
Designed by UK-based consultants WS Atkins, the mall has a parking facility for 3,000 cars with access from all the main roads.
The other facilities include ATMs, money exchange services, pharmacies, a travel and holiday desk and a Federal Bank branch. The mall is expected to generate 8,000 jobs directly and more than 20,000 indirectly, a LuLu Group spokesperson said. Nearly 300 national and international brands will have their outlet in the Lulu Mall. A 3500 seat restaurant area, bowling alley, ice skating rink, rides and computer games and a 9 screen multiplex are the other important features of the Lulu Mall. The Mall will also have bank counters, ATMs and money exchange centres.
India’s biggest one-stop shop for everything.
The Edappally Junction became a cobweb of people and vehicles on Sunday evening, as people from the city and faraway places thronged the Lulu mall premises on the day of its inauguration . The junction often came to a standstill, leaving serpentine queues of vehicles in four directions. Even pedestrians found it tough to inch their way forward through the huge crowd here. For a moment, the unprecedented turnout of people forced the mall’s security staff to close the gates. Many tried to scale the compound walls.
Huge crowds
The teeming crowd spilled over into the highway, holding up traffic in the Palarivattom-Kalamassery stretch. The traffic police had a tough time as they attempted to create space for at least one row of vehicles. Even this seemed tough as the two lanes on the northern side of NH 47 and the median was packed with people. All this while, single-lane traffic proceeded at a snail’s pace along the highway’s southern side. Still, the queue of vehicles extended as far as the Palarivattom Bypass Junction, located three km away. Even the service roads and side roads were packed with vehicles, choking them.
Crucial location
The mall’s location – at the meeting point of NH 47 and NH 17, compounded matters as traffic along both the highways halted for a few hours. Fed up with the snarls, the humid atmosphere, toxic automobile exhaust and the sound of engines, many motorists switched off the engines. Vivekananadan, a two-wheeler rider said that he saw a few vehicle owners make frantic attempts to move their vehicles to a side as they ran out of fuel after being caught in the snarl.
Parking problems
Vehicles parked indiscriminately on the road in front of another mall in the vicinity made matters worse. This has given rise to the widespread demand that mall owners make their own arrangements for parking vehicles of customers. Many people caught in the traffic rued about why government agencies – especially the NHAI and Kochi Corporation did nothing to widen Edapally Junction, in anticipation of the mall’s opening. They also demanded that the traffic police ban parking all along the highway and the NH bypass.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Gujarat riots: IUML MLA gives clean chit to Narendra Modi
Watch the Speech of Muslim League MLA K.M.Shaji who visited Gugarat
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 8: An MLA of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) that is part of the Congress-led UDF government in Kerala has absolved Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of any blame whatsoever in the post-Godhra riots.
Addressing a IUML meeting at Panoor in Kerala on Wednesday, the legislator KM Shaji said that Modi has not tried to implement the BJP's Hindutva agenda in Gujarat.
According to Shaji, Modi cannot be held guilty of killing Muslims. Nor did he have a role to play in the destruction of any masjid, Shaji averred.
The MLA quoted human rights activists as saying that some leading businessmen engineered the Gujarat riots.
Shaji noted that big industrial houses set up shop in Gujarat not too long after violence ravaged the state in 2002.
Pointing to the harmony between Gujarati Muslims and Hindus, he said that members of the minority community have welcomed Modi's good governance.
Gujarat has witnessed rapid development over the past one decade and the steps taken by the BJP regime should be emulated by other states in order to achieve similar growth, the MLA stressed.
Incidentally, several IUML leaders were present on the dias while Shaji gave a clean chit to Modi but none of them objected to his praise of a political rival.
The surprising aspect is that IUML never misses a chance to target the BJP.
Now that Modi is emerging as the clear frontrunner in the race for the prime minister's post and more than one stalwart in the main opposition party has already endorsed his candidature, it looks like IUML is looking to mend fences with him.
Whether this is a pointer of things to come remains to be seen. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has repeatedly hinted that Janata Dal (United) could walk out of the NDA if his Gujarat counterpart is projected as the BJP's choice for the top post. Shaji's comments show that there are no lifelong enemies in politics. Probably Modi may one day get Kumar's backing too.
Article Credits.Sreekumar Oneindia March 8, 2013
Muslims won't mind if Modi is elected PM: Vastanvi- Former vice chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband
PTI , Ahmedabad, March 03, 2013
Former vice chancellor of Darul Uloom Deoband, Ghulam Muhammad Vastanvi on Sunday said that Muslims should not have any problem if people of the country elects Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister. "If our country makes him Prime Minister, there is no reason for us to have any objection (Agar apna mulk unko PM banata hai to hamari taraf se koi inkaar to ho hi nahi sakta)," Vastanvi told reporters in Ahmedbad on Sunday when he was asked him about his views about Modi as prime ministerial candidate.
He was here in the city to attend a 'samuhik nikaah' or mass marriage function organised by the Gujarat Sarvajanik Welfare Trust where 162 Muslim couples tied the knot on Sunday.
When asked about his take on the plight of minorities particularly Muslims in Gujarat, he said, "For the past 10 years there is BJP rule in the state. If the BJP government works for Muslims, then Muslims will support it and if it does not, then they will move away."he said at the function which was also attended by Dariyapur's Congress MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh and local councillor Badarudding Shaikh.
For Gujarat Muslims, it is all about development
Salaya, where the BJP fielded 24 Muslim candidates, besides three candidates from the reserved category, and won all 27 seats, is not an isolated case. The saffron party had fielded 140 Muslim candidates in 75 municipalities, of which 85 were victorious. In the polls held in October 2010 and February 2011 for 53 and 27 municipalities respectively, the party had given tickets to 325 Muslims, of whom 192 won.
There are pockets in many of these municipalities, where non-Muslim candidates fielded by the BJP have won from Muslim-dominated wards. The results not only indicate the party’s acceptability among the community, it is also helping it to promote the development agenda. “Results show that the Muslim community wants development. Apart from Salaya in Jamnagar, Kodinar in Junagadh district also got eight municipal councillors elected on BJP tickets. The Congress had fielded six candidates and the BJP had given tickets to Muslim candidates in Kodinar, which is dominated by Muslims. There are Hindu candidates who have won from the wards, which are dominated by Muslim voters,” said Mahebubali Bava, president of the BJP Minority Morcha. “This shows that the community wants development and they have understood that they have been treated only as vote-bank,” he added.
Citing the instance of a civic body in Navsari district, Bava said, “I visited a Muslim locality Gandevi in 2011. I found that after so many years of independence and despite Gandevi having a municipality, the locality didn’t have proper roads, drinking water supply and streetlights. I talked to the people and promised them that if BJP came to power, the face of the area would change. We gave tickets to four Muslim candidates, all of whom won and now the area has a water filter plant, an RCC (reinforced cement concrete) road and automatic streetlights.”
“Development is all about delivery of services and satisfying people’s need. So now a big section of the Muslim community, which is still deprived of basic facilities, is experiencing the delivery of such public amenities and trusting BJP’s development agenda. This is not only helping the party in municipal elections but also in the assembly elections,” Bava said.
Asifa Khan, spokesperson of BJP, who recently shifted to the saffron party from the Congress, agrees with Bava’s views. “Look at the results of Vagra and Bharuch assembly constituency. Vagra has 44% Muslim voters of which 34% had voted in the election and yet BJP’s Hindu candidate won against Congress’ candidate,” she said, adding, “The government’s development work is reaching out to the people without any distinction of religion or caste. As a result, along with all other communities of the state, Muslims are also benefiting.”
“As our chief minister (CM) Narendra Modi talks about all the six crore Gujaratis, government designs schemes and programmes to fulfil people’s need and the CM personally ensures their effective implementation. The perception of the Muslim community has changed; earlier, it was believed that it would vote only for the Congress. They are now happily voting for the BJP,” Khan added.
Regarding absence of Muslim candidates in the assembly polls, Khan said, “It was never a demand from the Muslim community for assembly tickets. Even if there would have been tickets for Muslims, the number would not have been more than two or three. Now these few MLAs cannot help the whole community to develop. If it would be the case, there are 69 Muslim MLAs in Uttar Pradesh; look at the condition of Muslims there! Today, the community has far important issues than assembly tickets, such as development and education.”
Commenting on the Congress’ defeat in municipal elections, Khan said, “Had Muslim councillors of the Congress worked in their areas, they would have never faced such a situation. They don’t function for the people of their own community, whereas a Hindu councillor of the BJP helps Muslims to get the signature of a BJP MLA for his Haj pilgrimage. It seems a small gesture, but it creates a big change in the community’s perspective.”
The reason for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar disliking Narendra Modi doesn’t seem to work among Gujarat’s Muslims. Keeping Hindu and Muslim identities aside, doesn’t everybody need water taps, good roads and streetlights? Modi knows it, BJP’s grassroots-level municipal councillors understand it and his administration delivers it.
Gujarat's Industrial investment has grown from Rs 66,000 crore in 2000 to Rs 2,40,000 crore in 2010 at a compounded annual growth rate ( CAGR) of 22%. Gross output, too, has grown at a handsome rate of 22%. There were about 1,000 medium and large factories added during this period. According to data available with Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation.
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