Jalandhar, May 18
Keeping potential of the hand tools industry of Jalandhar in mind, the representatives of Sharjah Airport International Authority Free (SAIF) Zone and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) today invited traders from the city to set up business in the zone.

Addressing mediapersons in Jalandhar today, Humaid Abdullah Al-Khatri, Deputy Commercial Director, marketing and sales department, SAIF Zone, said of in total 4,700 companies (from 92 countries) operating out of the SAIF Zone, 40 per cent were of Indian origin.

Kamna Raj Aggarwalla, vice-president of the Punjab State Council of CII, and Sharad Aggarwal, CEO, Oakay Tools, also addressed the press meet.

Al-Khatri said, “So far, we have Indian companies like Bajaj, Infosys and Godrej as our clients. We look forward to big and small units from the city and elsewhere for setting up warehouses and offices in the free zone. Since the zone is largely export and import duty free with only 5 per cent duty for trade in the local market, it is beneficial for the companies opting to set up establishments over there.”

Supporting Al-Khatri’s claims, Sharad Aggarwal said, “CII has a strong global perspective. Sharjah is a key zone where Indian businessmen can open offices and warehouses. The fact that it has seaports on both the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, provides the SAIF Zone a unique logistical advantage, since it ensures connectivity through land, sea and air links.”

Kamna Raj Aggarwala said, “The SAIF Zone also ensures a closer proximity to the buyer and exposure to a number of clients - from the UAE, Iran and also the West.”Talking about the current charges, Al-Khatri said a business (applicable for two residence visas) can be started at the SAIF Zone for 7,070 US dollars.

“The price would include executive desk facility and commercial trading license fee, including other applicable charges,” Al-Khatri added.

Greg O’ Connor, Commerce Department, American Consulate General, said motive of the visit was to meet and interact with entrepreneurs and industrialists in their own territory. — TNS

Amritsar, May 18
The Syndicate of Guru Nanak Dev University, which met here today under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor, Prof A.S. Brar, accorded its approval to the appointments of nine new heads of various teaching departments of the university for a period of three years or so.

Dr Inderjit Singh, Registrar of the university, presented the agenda of the meeting. Dr Rajinderjit Kaur Pawar, Dean, Academic Affairs, was present in the meeting.

The Registrar said the Syndicate approved the appointment of Dr Adarsh Pal Vig of the Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Dr Shymal Kohley of the Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy Department, Dr Amrit Pal Kaur of the Library and Information Science Department, Dr Aziz Abbas of the Urdu and Persian Department, Dr Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr Vanita of the Human Genetics Department (main campus) and Dr Rajinder Kumar of the Law Department of the GND University Regional Campus, Jalandhar, as heads of their respective departments for a period of three years beginning from July 1.

Similarly, he said, Dr Sukhvinder Singh Sangha had been appointed as head of the Punjabi Department at GND University Regional Campus, Jalandhar, from August 18 to December 31, 2011 and then from January 1, 2012 onwards for a period of three years.

Dr Yubee Gill had been appointed as head of the Department of English on the main campus of the university from June 6 to 30, 2011, and then for a period of three years from July 1, 2011, onwards, the Registrar said.