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Sunday,
July 13, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Aviation policy soon: Rudy
Governor opens TiE chapter
Move to do away with H1-B visas
Kangra tea at its last gasp
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Staff bid for NFL gets no response GRAPHIC: TOURIST ARRIVALS
Govt, industry need
to work in unison
Forex reserves cross $
82b
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Aviation policy soon: Rudy
Mumbai, July 12 “The ministry has already received views and comments on the policy ever since it has been placed on the website for discussions. We intend to freeze the policy now and set up a task force to present its report in one month”, Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters here today. He said the policy would be to ensure a level-playing field for all, including private sector players. Asked whether the government would spell out foreign sector participation in the policy, Rudy said “I will not like to comment at this stage. I will only endeavour that the policy, which has been in the making for quite some time, will see the light of the day”, he added. “My priority will be to increase the capacity of Indian Airlines and Air-India and make them competitive, privatise, modernise and develop Delhi and Mumbai airports as world class hubs and speed up the reform process in the aviation sector”, he added. He said the National Council for Applied Economic Research had been commissioned to provide an outlook on the domestic aviation sector including the issue of “affordability of fares”. Rudy said the issue of the high tax on the aviation turbine fuel had also been taken up with the Finance Ministry as well as with the state governments so that “fares can be affordable”. The Minister, who was here in connection with the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to the Civil Aviation Ministry, also inaugurated Air-India’s international call centre to attend to customers in the USA and the UK. The 24-hour centre would offer a wide range of services, including reservations, and is aimed at improving customer care and ensure speedier handling of calls with minimal waiting time. According to an A-I official, the Centre would be expanded by December once the airline introduces new services. The Minister pointed out that despite these adverse factors affecting the airline industry in general and AI in particular, the international carrier had reported a provisional net profit of Rs 88.55 crore during the period April, 2002, to February, 2003. The passenger growth factor witnessed a 9.4 per cent growth while the overall load factor was 7.6 per cent higher than last year. After successfully carrying out the Haj operations in 2003, AI was gearing up to undertake Haj, 2004, movement with its own aircraft, he informed the meeting. AI had also commenced operations between Lucknow and Jeddah effective May 21 last. The company will commence its fifth flight to Paris/New York and the frequency from Delhi to New York increased to six flights per week effective July 4. Seven new flights between India and West Asia were being operated effective May 25 till September 14 to cater to the peak season demand, he said. —
PTI, UNI
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Governor opens TiE chapter Chandigarh, July 12 Speaking at the launch function at the CII, Justice Verma said although he felt “out of place” in a gathering of technocrats, yet he recognised the importance of technology in development. Without technology, no state, however, rich in natural resources, can move forward. Listing technology initiatives in the UT, the Administrator said Microsoft had entered into an agreement with the UT Administration to set up a centre for excellence. TiE’s President-elect Sridhar Iyengar stressed the need for promoting entrepreneurship. TiE members, a network of individuals with a common vision, played the role of mentors to help young entrepreneurs grow. Punjab Chief Secretary Rajan Kashyap, making a presentation on Punjab’s infrastructure, fiscal position and government reforms, said the state government had levelled the field for entrepreneurs. “Now you have to do the sowing and nurturing work”. Mr Pradeep Gupta, CEO, Cybermedia, highlighted the role of “inspiration, aspiration, perspiration and respiration” in creating a successful venture. He said TiE was not confined to IT professionals. It is focussing on mentoring aspiring young entrepreneurs.
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Move to do away with H1-B visas Washington, July 12 A Republican Congressman from Colorado, Tom Tancredo, has introduced a 15-line Bill proposing to eliminate all visas under the H1-B category, created in 1952 to provide the US economy with technically skilled foreign workers. The Bill comes at a time of slump in the US economy and unemployment, resulting in an outcry against H1-B visas and tech jobs being shipped abroad, particularly to India, via outsourcing. Tancredo, who is the Chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, had earlier also tried to limit H1-B visas without success. Calling Tancredo's latest Bill as "an anti-immigration, anti-tech move disguised as an economic stimulus", Gopal Raju, Chairman of the Indian American Centre for Political Awareness (IACPA), said: "Congressman Tancredo has argued that current unemployment levels in the US warrant an outright cancellation of the H1-B programme in order to save those jobs for American engineers and programmers. "This move is patently unfair and will not help unemployment. Rather it will cripple the high-tech and other technical industries and undercut the American hi-tech industry's ability to be a competitive global leader." In a statement issued in New York, Raju said, "There is little evidence that these jobs can be filled immediately by permanent residents and citizens. These jobs would most likely be outsourced, further hurting the economy by removing a substantial tax base." —
IANS
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Kangra tea at its last gasp Palampur, July 12 Kangra tea, whose exquisite aroma had once placed it alongside the Darjeeling tea in international acceptance, is virtually gasping for survival. Desolation and despair are writ large over the picturesque valley, where tea plantations not only enhanced its natural grandeur but also provided succor to thousands. If it was the great 1905 Kangra earthquake, which made all European tea planters desert their estates, it is the recession in the market which is forcing the planters to stop cultivation and close down production. Some of these tea gardens are more than 120 years old. The Kangra tea can be cited as the most glaring example of the new WTO regime playing havoc with the local industry. With tea imports getting cheaper and low-priced foreign tea from Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam and Kenya flooding the Indian market, the Kangra tea is finding it hard to get buyers in the international market. As tea prices crashed, the industry is no longer viable for the planters, who are finding it difficult to compete due to the increased cost of inputs. No wonder three tea factories at Baijnath, Bir and Sidhpur, operating in the cooperative sector, have been forced to down shutters in the valley. Until 1905, Kangra tea was rated the finest in the world for its quality and flavour. In 1993, Kangra tea fetched Rs 215 per kg, which is the highest price so far fetched by it in the Kolkata market. It was awarded a Gold Cup at an exhibition in London in 1886. The lopsided government priorities have compounded the problems of the planters as they have failed to grasp the ground realities. Virtually flying off on a different tangent, the previous BJP government sought to bring private investment for enhancing the area under tea cultivation. “Instead of ameliorating the condition of the existing planters of a failing industry, it is amazing how the government thought of giving land on lease to private investors under the pretext of extending area under tea to non-traditional areas,” quips Mr Navin Bhandari, owner of Drang tea estate and who was heading the now-closed Sidhpur tea industry. Though the move to lease out land to private investors in the non-tea growing areas of Chamba, Baijnath and Mandi had been mooted by the previous BJP regime, but it is only now that the case is being pushed forward. “We identified 2,742 hectares in Chamba, 1,169 hectares in Kangra and 1,126 hectares in Mandi and divided it into zones, for being leased out to private parties,” informed Mr Surinder Thakur, Tea Technical Officer here. On the other hand, the Cooperative Minister, Mr Kuldeep Kumar, said the government’s policy of inviting private investment would be reviewed. “We will ensure that this invitation to private parties to extend tea to non-traditional areas does not become a backdoor entry for those who are otherwise barred from buying land in Himachal, as per the law,” he clarified. Another contentious issue among the tea growers is the selective permission being granted for the sale of land under tea. The Sibhpur cooperative tea factory, which closed more than a year ago, owes more than Rs 60 lakh to growers and workers. The position in other closed tea factories is more or less the same. While there are more than 1,600 tea planters in Kangra district, the total area under the crop is estimated to be 2,063 hectares. More than 15,000 persons in Kangra are dependent on the tea industry. Tea growers are eagerly awaiting incentives or financial package from the state government to revive the ailing tea industry.
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Staff bid for NFL gets no response Ropar, July 12 Earlier a condition of five years was laid for private buyers for closing or selling off the NFL plants or properties. Mr Gurmail Singh, coordinator of the Coordination Committee of the NFL Employees Union here today alleged that by taking the decision the government had illustrated that it was playing in the hands of the corporates. The Nangal and Bathinda plants of NFL had old fuel-oil based technology. The cost production in these plants was much higher than new gas-based plants. With the efforts of Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Sukhdev Singh a condition was added that any buyer of NFL would have to run the old plants for five years. The condition was added to protect the interests of the workers of the company. However, now the condition has been waived. Any new buyer would not run the loss-making Nangal and Bathinda plants. Mr Gurmail Singh also alleged that the Ministry of Disinvestment was not giving any response to the bid of workers of NFL for its stake. The workers had submitted their expression of interest to the Ministry on May 22. Along with the expression of interest, the workers had demanded the information about the company that had been supplied to the private bidders and the rules and regulations for bidding. However, till date the ministry had not supplied them any information.
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by K.R. Wadhwaney Govt, industry need to work in unison To stablise the twin industries of aviation and tourism following terrorism, war and SARS, the Foundation for Aviation and Sustainable Tourism (FAST) has recommended that the government, regulatory agencies and the industry must work in unison. They should weigh the problem, determine its reach and agree on measures to minimise deficiencies. Working in isolation is counter-productive of growth of civil aviation. The FAST is of the belief that men and machinery have to work in harmony where safety and security aspects are concerned. Exemptions and exceptions from the security should be minimised. The use of the invisible eye or close circuit TV to monitor the movements of persons in sensitive areas will be rewarding only when men are performing their duties in accordance with the standards that have been laid down. Because of unstable scenario and enhanced security, the passengers are called upon to spend more time in terminal buildings before boarding the plane. In view of this development, authorities like the Airports Authority of India have to take adequate measures so that the passengers are able to spend time in terminal buildings without getting bored or irritated. Security, safety and facilitation are key factors in the present day aviation. It is, therefore, imperative for the Civil Aviation Ministry to speed up its decision-making procedures.
British Airways British Airways has unveiled its newly-designed terminal building at New York’s JFK International Airport. The £160-million terminal is ultra modern, aimed at giving passengers a smoother travel experience. Several other carriers have upgraded their system and facilities to woo passengers. India is still caught at the drawing board. There is more talk than action. British Airways Chairman Lord Marshall remarked: “The new state-of-the-art terminal marks airline’s significant investment in and commitment to air travel on both sides of the Atlantic”. British Airways is also trying to increase its schedule of flights ex-India, particularly from South India. In contrast, India’s progress in this regard is negligible, if at all. |
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