JANUARY 26, 2015

3

AMBASSADOR’S MESSAGE

CHAIRMANSheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani

CEOAbdul Latif Al Mahmoud

ACTING EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr Khalid Al Jaber

ACTING MANAGING EDITORHussain Ahmad

ADVERTISING MANAGERAli Wahba

SUPPLEMENT EDITORMohammed Salim Mohammed

ADVERTISING COORDINATORRenu Malhotra

DESIGN / LAYOUTAbraham Augusthy

PRODUCTIONViswanath R Sarma

SCANNINGMohammed Sahir

TYPESETTINGDeepak John

India is celebrating its 66th Republic Day on 26 January, 2015. It was on

this historic day 65 years ago that a newly independent India adopted its

Constitution enshrining the same ideals and aspirations that guided India’s

peaceful freedom movement in which millions of Indians participated under

the most inspirational leadership of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.

The people of India resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular

Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens: Justice - social, economic

and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; and Equality

of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all Fraternity, assuring

the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.

My family and colleagues join me in conveying our warmest greetings and best

wishes to all fellow Indians in the State of Qatar on India’s 66th Republic Day.

India, a country of over 1.2 billion people, the world’s largest democracy and

the third largest economy on purchasing power parity terms, is on a cusp of history. Following

an overwhelming mandate given by the people of India in the last General Elections concluded

in May, 2014, the Government led by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India has

launched major new initiatives and taken several measures to re-energize the Indian economy

and make India a preferred destination and partner for business and tourism. Prime Minister’s

visionary initiatives such as the launch of ‘Make in India’ campaign on 25 September, 2014,

inviting businessmen from other countries to collaborate with Indian corporates, and ‘Swachh

Bharat’ (Clean India) campaign on the 145th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on 2 October,

2014, and ‘Digital India’ and ‘Smart Cities’ missions, are inspiring Indians and India’s global

diaspora, and enhancing the attractiveness of India for businessmen, investors and tourists

from around the world.

On this joyous celebration of our Republic Day in Qatar, let us also celebrate the deep-rooted

ties and time-tested friendship between India and Qatar, and renew our sincere thanks to His

Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar; His Highness Sheikh Hamad

bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Emir; His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, the

Deputy Emir; His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and

Minister of Interior; and the Government and people of Qatar for their steadfast commitment to

nurturing the centuries old friendship and multi-dimensional partnership between our two great

countries, and for their hospitality to the large, diverse, accomplished and highly regarded Indian

community in Qatar.

India-Qatar cooperation in diverse sectors is flourishing within an excellent framework provided

by historic relations and regular and substantive engagement, including at the highest levels of the

two Governments. In his tweet conveying thanks to HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser bin Khalifa

Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar for his gracious congratulatory phone

call on the day the results of General Elections in India were announced, Prime Minister Shri

Narendra Modi stated: “We will take India-Qatar ties to newer heights”. Both sides are working

closely to schedule high level visits and other exchanges in the coming months.

The Government and people of India greatly admire the strides being made by Qatar in

education and research; infrastructure; business, finance and investments; sports; travel and

tourism; and other areas, and are keen to expand collaborations to the mutual benefit of both

sides. Besides official interactions, people-to-people contacts and initiatives by private sector

are energising dialogue and cooperation in various sectors.

With its huge and growing energy needs, India greatly values Qatar’s vital partnership in the

energy sector. Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India. There is a large and expanding market

for Qatar’s LNG, oil and petrochemical sectors in India.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has been steadily growing, reaching

nearly $17 billion in 2013-14. Indian companies are pursuing collaborations in

infrastructure, communications and information technology, energy and other

areas in Qatar, to the mutual benefit of both sides. The extensive infrastructural

development in Qatar as it prepares to host the prestigious FIFA World Cup in

2022, and the world class competences and competitiveness of India’s corpo-

rate sector, offer attractive opportunities to both sides. The huge potential for

significantly increasing Qatar’s investment in India, especially in view of the new

initiatives of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Government, also presents a

win-win situation for both countries.

There have been several important developments in our bilateral coopera-

tion with Qatar since we celebrated our last Republic Day. HE Sultan Al Khater,

Undersecretary in Ministry of Economy & Commerce led an 18 member com-

posite delegation, focused on economic partnership, to New Delhi on 25-26 March. 45 Indian

companies participated in Project Qatar Exhibition in Doha from 12-15 May. ‘Vibrant Gujarat’

business delegation visited Doha from 3-5 September. Three business and investment events

were organized in Doha on 25 September coinciding with the launch of ‘Make in India’ campaign.

There has been encouraging participation from Qatar at major business and diaspora conferences

in India - the 4th India-Arab Partnership Conference in New Delhi on 26-27 November, 2014;

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 7-9 January

and 11-13 January, 2015, respectively; and the Partnership Summit 2015 in Jaipur, Rajasthan

from 15-17 January, 2015, among others.

Assistant Foreign Minister HE AI Rumaihi visited India for Foreign Office Consultations with

Shri Anil Wadhwa, Secretary (East) on 5 June, and the latter visited Doha on 9 July. Indian Coast

Guard Ship VIJIT visited Doha from 20-23 December, in conjunction with the celebrations of

Qatar’s National Day. The 4th meeting of the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee was held

in Delhi on 6-7 January, 2015.

A popular photo exhibition on ‘Islamic Monuments of India’ was displayed at KATARA from 23

September - 18 October, 2014. An event to promote Indian tourism was organised on 27 October.

I am glad to announce that the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), apex organization of sociocultural

associations of the Indian community in Qatar, functioning under the aegis of Embassy of India,

Doha, will be organizing the next ‘A Passage to India’ Community Festival at KATARA on 19-20

March, 2015. We are grateful to KATARA management for their support.

Ensuring the well being and welfare of Indian nationals in Qatar is the highest priority for

Embassy of India. We have a regular, active and inclusive outreach to the Indian community.

In this context, we are particularly mindful of our responsibilities towards the large number of

Indian workers who are making a vital contribution to the progress of Qatar with the sweat of

their brows. We remain in close contact with the authorities concerned in Qatar regarding the

well being of our workers and other nationals, and appreciate their cooperation and support. We

welcome the process of labour reforms undertaken by Government of Qatar, and look forward

to the implementation of further steps being considered. As we celebrate our 66th Republic

Day, I warmly congratulate the Indian community in Qatar for all that they do for the develop-

ment and progress of their host country, and for further strengthening the strong ties between

India and Qatar.

Sanjiv AroraAmbassador of India

to the State of Qatar

4

BY GURJIT SINGH

THE new government in India was

elected in June last year under

the leadership of Prime Minister

Narendra Modi. The government

has emerged with an absolute par-

liamentary mandate through the

hope and aspirations of the people of India and had

undertaken to prepare a road map for India’s devel-

opment, keeping in view a new focus on “minimum

government and maximum governance”.

The slogan of Modi — Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas, or

All Together, Development for All, is a new call for

inclusive development among people, among states

and in the entire country.

In the first 100 days some important initiatives

were taken to bring the economy back on track and

put more focus on infrastructure development. The

government introduced a scheme called Pradhan

Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna, which is a comprehen-

sive financial inclusion scheme, which opens bank

accounts for all those who are outside the reach of

the banking system. So far more than 30 million

new accounts have been opened.

The government also works towards reform-

ing the working of the cabinet system through

groups of ministers, unleashing the dynamism of

the bureaucracy, seeking a replacement for the

Planning Commission with a new initiative and has

undertaken fast-track diplomacy both bilaterally

and multilaterally.

In his first Independence Day address to the

nation last year, Modi also announced an initia-

tive for strong infrastructure to empower India;

an initiative for clean India (Swach Bharat) which

was launched on October 2 (Mahatma Gandhi’s

birthday) as well as initiatives to improve sanitation

facilities in schools, to have model villages as well

as to empower common people to further realise

the potential of India’s youth. A nationwide “Skill

India” movement will be initiated to improve skills

and increase employment.

From the ramparts of the Red Fort on

Independence Day, the Prime Minister also

announced the “Make in India” campaign, inviting

manufacturers to invest in India and utilise India’s

strengths and capabilities to boost India’s indus-

trial growth. In his view, the Make in India label

could become a synonym of excellence and with

the current changes in the policies towards foreign

investment and joint ventures, this can strengthen

the Indian economy. With initiatives to increase

investment and to create employment, the growth

rate has returned to a positive direction.

Among the efforts made by the new government

to improve the growth rate, are measures taken

to ease the business atmosphere and also to dis-

courage red tape; some of the efforts are to boost

business practices in all of India’s states, indus-

trial licensing brought under the e-biz portal, the

process of applying for industrial licenses and the

industrial entrepreneurs memorandum has been

brought online and the service is now available to

entrepreneurs on 24/7 basis at the e-Biz website,

without human interface. Visa on arrival for busi-

ness entrepreneurs is also under consideration.

With greater emphasis on Foreign Direct

Investment, the government has allowed 100 per-

cent FDI in the railway sector and 49 percent in the

defence industry. FDI in the construction sector is

being liberalised particularly to focus on the devel-

opment of smart cities and to provide affordable

housing for all.

By bringing together the manufacturing sector,

industrial corridors and smart cities under the

Delhi-Mumbai corridors, implementation is being

hastened. New cities are emerging in Dholera

Special Investment Region in Gujarat, Shendra-

Bidkin Industrial Park in Maharashtra, Integrated

Industrial Township in Madhya Pradesh and Global

City in Gurgaon, Haryana and Integrated Industrial

Township in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The

Perspective Plan for Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial

corridor has been completed and three new indus-

trial cities have been identified for development —

Ponneri in Tamil Nadu, Krishnapatnam in Andhra

Pradesh and Tumkur in Karnataka — which are

receiving positive attention.

The Prime Minister is keen to push connectivity

with the Southeast Asian region, and the emphasis

is now set to shift to how the connectivity corri-

dors, when ready, can be transformed into zones

of vibrant economic activity that would benefit

both sides. There is keenness to transform these

connectivity corridors, like the 3,200km Trilateral

Highway linking India, Myanmar and Thailand and

the Kaladan Multi-modal transit project — that

would link Kolkata port with landlocked Mizoram

via Myanmar — into economic highways with special

economic zones set up along the way.

A new National Industrial Development Authority

will take charge of these plans. These corridors will

facilitate the manufacturing and service sectors and

help to create a global manufacturing and trad-

ing hub. The government will create employment

opportunities through these processes.

The Indian Leather Development programme has

emerged as the best skill-development programme,

training 50,000 youth in the last 100 days with an

employment rate of 83 percent. Due to these various

measures, FDI inflow in India in June and July has

increased by 74 percent, manufacturing growth has

increased by 3.4 percent, growth in capital goods has

increased by 23 percent. Twenty-one new industrial

clusters were approved in the first 100 days of the new

government and these would have their own supply

chains, responsive administration, lower logistic costs,

and labour availability, and will provide technology

upgradation. These clusters are expected to provide

cost-effective productivity gains and give a further

fillip to the Make in India campaign.

The Make in India initiative has a raft of pro-

posals designed to get foreign companies to set up

business and make the country a manufacturing

powerhouse by expanding its global partnership.

A partnership between Indian and Indonesian

companies could thus lead to positive resilience not

only in terms of sales to the Indian market but

also further expand India-Indonesia business coop-

eration. Indonesian companies who are supplying

palm oil, rubber and coal to the Indian market could

find more opportunities to utilise their experience

for downstream business opportunities in India.

Indonesian companies in the service sector, particu-

larly in construction, can find tremendous opportu-

nities in cooperation with Indian companies in the

increasingly vibrant Indian infrastructure sector.

The government in India has brought a new dyna-

mism and direction which has created a momentum

for a vibrant manufacturing sector. In the years ahead,

India will fully tap its competitive strengths and con-

tinue to build partnerships with friendly countries and

tap the business acumen across the board.

This is an important time for Indian and

Indonesian companies to come together to take

advantage of these opportunities. Our bilateral

engagements of a trade of $20bn and Indian invest-

ment of approximately $15bn and strong people-to-

people links provide a good framework to create

partnerships which could lead to a greater oppor-

tunity for Indonesian companies in India as well

as Indian companies in Indonesia. Together they

could then also look at new opportunities which

will emerge through India-Asean connectivity and

the Asean Economic Community.

(Gurjit Singh is the Ambassador of India to

Indonesia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

and Timor Leste).

Modi is getting India going

6

BY AMBASSADOR NAVDEEP SURI

THERE is something refreshing

about an old friendship that is

renewed and rekindled. New vistas

of opportunity open up and there is

renewed warmth. Like with indi-

viduals, so with civilizations — the

story of India and the Arab world is an ancient

one, but that which bears value in repetition. India

and the Arab world gained immeasurably from our

historical interaction — thinkers, philosophers,

traders traversed the seas bearing knowledge and

merchandise.

Emperor Ashoka is believed to have sent Buddhist

scholars to Egypt and Syria, and this interaction

would continue over millennia. These exchanges

would result in advances in astronomy, medicine,

mathematics, and agriculture, even as the mutual

trade enriched both civilizations.

The Sanskrit book on Astronomy Surya Sidhhanta

was translated into Arabic and spread across the

Arab world, as did works by famous Indian phy-

sicians, the Charaka Samhita, and the Susrud.

Conversely, Arab influences on India, in architec-

ture, philosophy, music and the arts are well known.

As the ancient and the medieval spilled into the

modern, anti-colonialism became a rallying point

for emerging nationalist leaders. Finding common

cause, the founding fathers of the Indian Republic

built relationships with nationalist leaders like Saad

Zaghloul, sharing and learning from each other in

their common struggles.

Over time, and with the growth of technology and

transportation systems the interactions intensified

— today India can no longer talk about its foreign

relations, or mention international trading links

without the Arab world featuring prominently.

The numbers say it all — trade with the Arab

world stands at over $180bn (2012-13), ranging from

every possible product and service. The Gulf region

accounts for more than 60 percent of India’s oil and

gas imports, but we have also found new comple-

mentarities in pharmaceuticals, automobiles, infra-

structure, power and renewable energy.

The Maghreb region is a major source of phos-

phatic and other fertilisers, a significant factor

in our food security. The economic linkages also

encompass Indian companies that have invested

heavily in the Gulf, West Asia and North Africa.

Straddling the Arabian Sea, multinational com-

panies from both jurisdictions recognise the value

of reaching out to a combined market of 1.6 billion

people, almost a third of humanity.

The movement of goods and services has also

meant the movement of a large workforce. The Arab

world is home to a majority of Indians abroad —

more than 7 million Indians work and live in the

Gulf and other Arab countries, sending home remit-

tances of more than $40bn annually. These close

ties have blurred the boundaries between home

and away, especially when one factors in the great

love for Indian culture in the Arab world. India’s

diaspora in the Gulf provide a critical bridge and an

economic link — many of them have found entre-

preneurial success, re-importing to India the brands

they established abroad.

As economic relations flourished at a bilateral

level with individual countries, there was a felt need

to engage at a broader political level between India

and the League of Arab States.

The process of dialogue began in 2002 with a

series of political consultations that resulted in a

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) where reg-

ular meetings were envisaged between the External

Affairs Minister (EAM) of India and the Arab

League Secretary General (ALSG) either in New

York (during the General Assembly) or in Cairo or

New Delhi. This institutional relationship got a fur-

ther impetus during Dr Amr Moussa’s visit to India

in December 2008, during which a Memorandum

of Cooperation (MoC) was signed for the establish-

ment of Arab India Cooperation Forum (AICF).

The MoC heralded the beginning of a broad

based cooperation between the two sides with regu-

lar political consultations (the establishment of a

High Level Joint Committee in which a ‘troika’ of

the League would meet with the EAM), an Arab

India cultural festival, and most significantly, a

Partnership and Investment Summit that would

bring together Minsters of Commerce and Trade,

leading business houses, to share knowledge and

experience on selected themes.

When the MoC was reviewed in 2013, both sides

agreed that it was imperative to raise the level of

engagement. The political landscape of the Arab

world had significantly altered on account of the

events since 2011, and there was a felt need to insti-

tutionalize consultation between all the members of

the League rather than merely with the Secretariat

or the ‘troika’ formula.

Renewed consultations culminated in a new MOC

and an Executive Programme that were signed in

New Delhi during the visit of Secretary-General

Dr Nabil El Araby in December 2013. A format

of biennial ministerial and annual senior officials

meetings involving all the member states and the

Arab League Secretariat was adopted, and the new

Executive Programme (EP) of the Arab-Indian

Cooperation Forum for 2014-15 includes specific

cooperation in a number of fields, including media,

energy, education, and agriculture.

Today, the Ministry of External Affairs is engaged

with member states of the League in broad based

cooperation. On November 7, 2014 the first Senior

Officials meeting took place in New Delhi. This was

a precursor to first Ministerial between India and

the League member states due this year. The Senior

Officials Meeting will also set the stage for the 4th

India-Arab Partnership Conference in Delhi.

Along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of

Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Ministry has

held three Partnership and Investment Conferences,

two in Delhi, in April 2008 and February 2010, and

the third in the United Arab Emirates, in May 2012,

with the participation of large delegations led by

the Ministers of Commerce/Trade, and significant

contributions from prominent business houses.

As the fourth Partnership Conference in Delhi

got under way on November 27-27, 2014 there

was a buzz on the air – an Indian economy on the

upswing will give a fillip to renewed investments

and forge creative partnerships. The Partnership

Conference identified key areas in manufacturing,

services, human resources, and the energy sector

as the focus.

More events — a University Presidents

Conference, an Energy Partnership — are tak-

ing shape. But beyond the nuts and bolts of visits

and engagements, beyond this renewed enthusi-

asm, lies the firm conviction that India and the

Arab World have much to learn and share for

the future, even as we celebrate our historical

friendship.

Old friends, new partnersIndia-Arab relations in an emerging new world

8

BY C RAJA MOHAN

AS Prime Minister Narendra Modi

surprised the world with his pas-

sion for foreign policy, Asia has

inevitably taken the centre-stage

in the conduct of his government’s

diplomacy. It was widely expected

that the emphasis of Modi, when he became the

Prime Minister of India at the end of May 2014,

would be on reviving India’s economic growth that

had slowed down in the first years of this decade.

For Modi though diplomacy and economic develop-

ment are deeply interconnected.

Summing up the government’s expansive dip-

lomatic activism in the second half of 2014, the

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told the

parliament at the end of the year that the “Prime

Minister has consistently advocated a proactive and

innovative approach to foreign policy that is aligned

with our Government’s primary goal of accelerating

national economic development. India needs access

to capital, technology, resources, energy, markets

and skills, a secure environment, a peaceful neigh-

bourhood and a stable global trading system”.

Once Indian diplomacy was put at the service

of India’s development, Asia with its economic

dynamism has become a major priority presented

for the Foreign Office. In the early 1990s, the then

prime minister Narasimha Rao unveiled the Look

East Policy to reconnect with Asia as part of India’s

economic globalisation. Nearly quarter of a century

later, Modi has again turned to Asia to improve

India’s economic fortunes. The policy of ‘Acting

East’ is about injecting new vigour and purpose

into India’s Asia policy.

In the intervening decades India’s economic

engagement with the region has grown considerably

and Delhi is very much part of the regional institu-

tions led by the ASEAN (the Association of South

East Asian Nations). Yet there was no denying the

sense that India had not realised the full potential

of its partnerships with the Asian nations.

Modi was in a good position to change this, given

his personal interest in the region. As the chief min-

ister of Gujarat for more than a decade, Modi had

travelled the region extensively. His destinations

included China, Japan, Singapore and Australia,

where he had actively sought investments from

the region into Gujarat. Leading businesses in the

region were impressed by the level of development

and the ease of doing business in the state. East

Asia, the region, therefore was quick to welcome

the arrival of the Modi government and embrace

its agenda for economic development.

During his visit to Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo

Abe, promised to mobilise nearly $35bn of aid and

investment into India in the next five years. The

Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to

India set an investment target of about $20bn in the

coming years. As the business and economic envi-

ronment improves under Modi, more investments

are likely from across East Asia, including Korea,

Australia and the South East Asian nations. A sig-

nificant part of these investments, Delhi hopes, will

be directed at the modernisation of India’s physical

infrastructure.

Modi has tapped into the interest in both Japan

and China in the development of high speed railways

in India. Tokyo and Beijing have ambitious plans

to build trans-border transport corridors between

India and East Asia. China is pressing for the Indian

participation in the the development of the so-called

BCIM corridor that will connect China’s south west-

ern province of Yunnan with Myanmar, Bangladesh

and India. Tokyo has promised to modernise road

networks in the north eastern provinces and con-

tribute to the development of maritime corridors

between peninsular India and South East Asia.

Connectivity — over land and sea — is also a major

priority for the new government in its engagement

with the ASEAN.

Modi has also significantly expanded the geo-

graphic scope of India’s Look East policy. He has

become the first prime minister in 28 years to visit

Australia that has emerged as a major partner for

India. Modi also became the first Indian PM in 33

years to travel to Fiji, which has a sizeable popula-

tion of Indian origin. Modi also took the opportunity

to host a meeting in Fiji with all the leaders of the

Pacific Islands Forum. Modi and Swaraj have put a

special emphasis on promoting India’s soft power in

the region — through a vigorous engagement with

the diaspora and a strong commitment to build on

shared civilisational bonds. For the new government

renewing cultural and spiritual connectivity with

Asia are as important as physical connectivity.

The Modi government is also fully engaged with

the emerging political challenges in East Asia. Modi

has reaffirmed the centrality of ASEAN in building

a stable and prosperous order in East Asia and the

Pacific. He cautioned the region, where territorial

disputes are threatening peace, against the expan-

sionist concepts of the 19th century and sustain the

focus on development. On the territorial disputes

in the South China Sea, Modi was firm in stating

India’s deep interests in the freedom of navigation

in sea and air. He underlined the importance of

all parties abiding by the principles of the United

Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas.

Under the previous governments, Delhi’s Look

East Policy did recognise the centrality of maritime

security and the need to expand India’s defence

partnerships with Asia. The Modi government’s

Act East Policy is pursuing these objectives with a

new sense of urgency. Amidst a historic power shift

in the region and the increasing uncertainty in the

relations among the major powers, including the US,

China and Japan, there has been a growing demand

for a larger Indian security role in the region.

In the last few months, India has begun to deepen

defence ties with the United States, Japan, Australia

and Vietnam. Delhi does not however, view its

defence diplomacy in the region as part of an align-

ment with one great power against another. The

objective of India is to engage all powers, strengthen

the regional institutions and contribute effectively

to maintenance of a stable balance of power in Asia

and its waters.

(C Raja Mohan is a distinguished fellow at the

Observer Research Foundation and a contributing

editor for The Indian Express)

From Looking East to Acting East

9

10

BY SHYAM SARAN

OUR globalised and inter-connected

world today revolves around con-

nectivity in the broadest sense of

that term. It includes physical

infrastructure in terms of roads,

railroads, waterways and sea ports

that enable the carriage of goods, services, peoples

and ideas both within and across national borders.

In our digital age, there are also virtual high-

ways that enable the efficient movement of physical

goods and services. They additionally serve as trans-

mission channels for provision of services and the

exchange of ideas which create value. But putting

in place physical or digital infrastructure is not

enough. We need accompanying software including

policy, regulatory and procedural regimes to facili-

tate quick movement within the country as well as

across national frontiers.

Connectivity enables proximity and proximity

is an asset which generates prosperity. Within

national boundaries, connectivity is indispensa-

ble to the creation of a national market. Nations

which are connected with each other in this larger

sense are then able to participate in the regional

and global value chains which are the hallmark of

modern global economy. If connectivity is missing

or is inefficient, then the comparative advantage a

country may have in producing certain goods and

services would be reduced or even wiped out because

of higher transaction costs.

There is no doubt that India has made signifi-

cant progress in recent years in linking different

parts of the vast country through a more extensive

and efficient transport infrastructure. For example,

total length of roads in the country increased from

400,000km in 1951 to over 4.6 million kilometres in

2013. This is the second largest road network in the

world. However the quality of the roads is extremely

varied with national highways constituting less than

one-third of the total.

Furthermore, cargo traffic on the highways is

held up at a number of octroi stations at inter-

state crossing points. A cargo truck travelling from

Mumbai to Kolkata has to negotiate 36 checkpoints

along the route. In the US, there is only one barrier

to cross in the journey from San Franscisco to New

York. While rail freight in our country is subject

to fewer interruptions and volume wise cheaper,

the rail network has grown much less than road

transport and feeder services have not kept pace.

The proposed high speed freight corridor which

will run across the country from Mumbai to Delhi

and then east to Kolkata is likely to bring about a

major and significant improvement in rail trans-

portation within the country.

Water borne transportation has fallen into disuse

in our country though it is being revived. There is

a World Bank-assisted project to establish modern

river transport in the Brahmaputra basin which

would also reconnect Bangladesh and India.

In this context one should note the communi-

cation revolution which the mobile telephone has

brought about in India. There are now over 900

million mobile subscribers in the country and this

number continues to grow each year. They also

constitute a platform for connectivity, creating new

markets, connecting producers to consumers more

efficiently and enabling vast amounts of data to

flow seamlessly across communities. This can and

is having a multiplier effect on economic activity

through the closer proximity it creates.

Moving on to our sub-continental neighbour-

hood, it remains true that our countries are even

less connected with each other today than in 1947.

Several major transport arteries, including rail, road

and water transport, were all interrupted after the

partition of India in 1947. Even though some cross-

border transport linkages are being re-established

with both Bangladesh and Pakistan, they are not

generating the benefits they should because of cum-

bersome customs, immigration and security proce-

dures at border crossing points.

Cargo movement is also held up due to lack of

accompanying banking, testing and inspection

facilities. These issues are now being addressed

through an ambitious Indian plan to set up a net-

work of Integrated Checkpoints (ICP) on borders

with neighbouring countries. These ICPs which are

being set up by the newly constituted Land Port

Authority of India (LPAI), will incorporate, at one

location, immigration, customs, security, warehous-

ing, phyto-sanitary testing facilities as also banking

and exchange facilities.

There would be adequate parking, boarding and

lodging and health facilities for the welfare of trad-

ers, truckers and other categories of travellers. One

such ICP has already been set up at Attari on the

India-Pakistan border. Several others are in various

stages of implementation on India’s borders with

Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The ICP at the Tamu-Moreh border point on the

India-Myanmar border is already under construc-

tion. The back-end linkages in terms of modern

highways and, where necessary railway connections

are also being put in place with these countries

mainly through Indian funding.

Of special note in this regard are the proposed

Trilateral Highway connecting India, Myanmar and

Thailand and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transport

project linking the Myanmar port of Sittwe with

Mizoram in our North-East and with Kolkata

across the Bay of Bengal. Several highways across

the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan borders are being

upgraded and new rail links are planned.

These transport links will bring closer the vision

of a South Asia where there is a free flow of goods,

peoples and ideas transcending political boundaries.

Leaders of South Asia have declared the decade

of 2010-2020 as the Decade of Connectivity in the

region. That in itself is a major step forward because

it represents a political consensus on the impor-

tance of connectivity for shared prosperity.

Two landmark agreements have been negoti-

ated and are ready for adoption. One is the Motor

Vehicles agreement and the other is a Railways

agreement. When implemented, these agreements

will go a long way in enabling the smooth movement

of goods and peoples across national boundaries.

India has also given priority to its connectivity

with ASEAN countries. The India-Myanmar trans-

port projects are important because Myanmar is

India’s gateway to South-East Asia. ASEAN has its

own connectivity plan and India is working to align

its own transport infrastructure development plans

with ASEAN. These include cross-border rail and

road connectivity, maritime , air and digital connec-

tivity. These must be accompanied by better logistics

and efficient border clearances. Only then would it

be possible for India to participate in the regional

and global value chains which are already highly

developed in ASEAN and Asia-Pacific in general.

Ultimately what is required is a mind-set change

in India. We must start looking at national bounda-

ries not as impenetrable walls behind which we must

protect ourselves from hostile influences beyond, but

rather as “connectors”, bringing India closer to its

neighbours and through them, the region and world .

Cross- border links then become transmission belts

for the free flow of development impulses. Transport

corridors thus become economic corridors. Through

much of its history, India was a flourishing civilisation,

leveraging its geographical location at the cross-roads

of the ancient caravan routes connecting to Central

Asia. Thanks to its peninsular character, lying astride

the Indian Ocean, India was also at the centre of the

monsoon-driven ocean routes both to the East and

the West. India flourished because it was a connected

nation. India’s future lies in learning the lessons from

its own cosmopolitan past.

(Shyam Saran is a former foreign secretary, is cur-

rently Chairman of the National Security Advisory

Board and RIS, as well as a senior fellow at the Centre

for Policy Research in New Delhi.)

From proximity to prosperityConnectivity as a resource for development in a globalised economy

11

BY SACHINDER MOHAN SHARMA

With growth in the world

economy, the demand for

energy and transportation

has been increasing. The BRICS

nations have been growing and China

and India today are consuming higher

levels of fuel to sustain their growing

economies.

The overall energy requirement in

India is likely to increase from 549

million tonnes oil equivalent (mtoe)

in 2011-12 to 1,433 mtoe by 2031-32,

a 2.6-fold increase. The transport

sector, which currently consumes

86 mtoe which is about 16 percent

of the energy consumption, is likely

to increase to 360 mtoe by 2031-32

and would be 25 percent of the total

energy consumption.

The transport sector consumed 57

percent of the oil in 2011-12 and this

would go up to 73 percent by 2031-32

as usual scenario. About 97 percent

of the fuel basket for transportation

is based on petroleum and the

balance 3 percent is equally shared

by CNG, bio-fuels and electricity.

As per the current trends this mix

would continue even in 2031-32. If

we look at the consumption pattern

in the transport sector, road vehicles

consume 93 percent of the oil, 3

percent each is consumed by Railways

and Airways and the balance 1 percent

by waterways.

Indian Railways (IR) today has the

largest passenger operation in the

world and carries about 23 million

passengers every day. Recently it has

also entered the billion tonne club and

is expected to carry more than 1,100

million tonnes of freight traffic in the

current year.

For providing transport services

Indian Railways consumes 2.7 billion

litres of high speed diesel and 13.9

billion units of electricity. Most of the

electricity consumed is also produced

using fossil fuels like coal, diesel etc.

Higher use of fossil fuels means higher

carbon foot prints in transpiration.

It is in this context that IR has

envisaged, in its vision 2020, to ensure

that 10 percent of its energy needs

are met through renewable energy.

Bio-diesel is a substitute for diesel

and can be sourced from various raw

materials. It is green and renewable

and can be blended with diesel and

used without any modification to

the locomotives. Use of B5 blend

translates into a requirement of about

0.13 billion litres. However, volatility

of the oil market also impacts the

demand/supply of bio-diesel since it

is a substitute for diesel.

In this context, a bio-fuels 2014

conference which was held in New

Delhi on November 5, 2014 was

relevant for the transport sector.

The theme of the conference was

“Energise Growth & Business

Opportunities in Bio-diesel Sector

in India”. It provided an opportunity

for policy makers, researchers,

consultants, industry professionals,

consumers, manufacturers and sellers

from both private and public sector

to interact and share their views

on a common platform. Officials

stressed the importance of alternate

fuels especially bio-fuels to reduce oil

imports and carbon emissions.

Indian Railways has already

conducted trials with 20 percent

blending on diesel engine test bed

at RDSO. Field trials have also been

done with B5/B10 and many units like

Shakurbasti, Kharagpur, Perambur

etc. have manufactured bio-diesel

using small plants of up to 2000 litres

per day. The IR also tried to plant

Jatropha trees along the tracks but

were not very successful.

Issues of transportation, blending,

storage and dispensing were

deliberated during the conference. The

manufacturers gave their prospective

on raw material, bio-diesel plants and

technology for production. Singapore-

based manufacturers JOil provided

ideas on how to improve the yield and

adopt best practices in production

of seeds. Bio Cube from Australia

showcased their technology for off

grid bio-diesel production with zero

discharge. The socio-economic impact

of bio-diesel was also deliberated by

looking at linking science, living hoods

and polices for sustainable bio fuels.

The conference tried to outline the

road ahead for proliferation of bio-fuel

in the transport and railway sector.

Railways being the single largest

bulk consumer have to set an example

Indian Railways going green the bio-diesel way

in the use of green fuels for sustainable transportation. These efforts are

essential as it is estimated that climate change mitigation and adaptation

measures will cost around 5 percent of the world GDP and the developing

countries would be worst affected.

(Sachinder Mohan Sharma is Director E&R, Railway Board)

12

BY S Y QURAISHI

THINK India, and two words spring up

in mind — Democracy and Republic.

That India is the world’s larg-

est republic is common knowledge.

What, however, is lesser known is

that republic is in India’s DNA.

We had republics in India prior to the oldest

known republics like classical Athens (508–322

BC) and Roman Republic (c.509–27BC). Many

Indian republics preceded these, most notably the

Vaijjian confederacy in Vaishali (in Bihar) around

600BC in the times of Buddha. Since then, we have

recurring evidence of republics in India. In 1830,

Sir Charles Metcalfe, the then acting Governor

General of India wrote: “The village communities

are little republics, having nearly everything they

want within themselves and almost independent

of any foreign relations.” It is these self contained,

self governing village republics that have ensured

the continuity and survival of the the great Indian

civilisation which even the mightiest of empires

could never penetrate.

Today the biggest republic of the world envelops

in itself half a million tiny village republics man-

aging their affairs through self governance called

the Panchayati Raj ( the rule of the village com-

munity). India now basks in 64 years of republican

glory. It will be interesting to retrospect over these

momentous years.

A vibrant electoral democracy has been India’s

most enduring and endearing identity ever since

India adopted a great constitution that made it a

democratic republic with universal adult suffrage.

This was considered by the developed countries

as a foolhardy misadventure. Their scepticism was

based on the ground realities of the time. India

had just got devastated by a deadly partition in

which millions of lives were lost. It was an unequal,

fractured caste based hierarchical society with 84

percent illiteracy and extreme poverty. How will

they rule themselves?

The prophets of doom were silenced before long.

India took to democracy like fish takes to water.

Adjusting itself to the new environment of freedom

and democracy in no time. India went on to prove

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen’s famous statement

that a country does not become fit for democracy,

it becomes fit through democracy.

Over the past 64 years, the Election Commission

of India has delivered sixteen elections to the Lok

Sabha (the House of the People) and over 360

elections to State Legislative Assemblies without

missing a single deadline. Peaceful, orderly and

democratic transfer of power has been the envy

of the entire democratic world.

The outgoing prime minister (or chief minister)

offering the chair to the incoming one with humil-

ity and folded hands has been a sight which many

democracies only long to see.

The 14th General Election in May 2014, was the

biggest election in world history. As many as 554

million of 834 million registered voters exercised

their franchise at 931,986 polling booths on 1.8 mil-

lion electronic voting machines (EVMs). In sheer

size, the Indian electorate is bigger than the com-

bined voter population of each continent. In fact, it

is like 90 countries rolled into one, not just in terms

of numbers alone but the complexities as well.

And the numbers are always growing. GE 2014

saw the addition of over 118 million voters since

the last General Election in 2009. In terms of the

voting population, this is like adding an entire

Pakistan, or South Africa and South Korea com-

bined, or three Canadas, or four Australias, or 10

Portugals or 20 Finlands!

India is undoubtedly the most diverse country in

the world — multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-

lingual, and multi-ethnic, besides geographical diver-

sity (deserts, mountains, plains, forests, islands, and

The wonder republic @ 65

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on the outgoing premier Manmohan Singh just after taking his oath of office.

coastal areas). We have the world’s all the major

religions, 22 official languages and 780 spoken lan-

guages. The demands of this diversity can be mind

boggling. Equally difficult are the other challenges

of fighting terrorism, security threats, adjusting to

globalisation and rising expectations of IT savvy

growing middle class.

Elections can be truly free and fair only if these

are inclusive, socially just and participative. During

the 64 years of our democratic history, the voter

turnout has remained around 55-60 percent, defi-

nitely far less than what ECI aspires to achieve.

To address this, ECI came up with a Systematic

Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation

(SVEEP) wing that rolls out multi-media cam-

paigns to bring all citizens, especially the urban

upper and middle class, the youth and women,

into electoral participation. Dramatic results fol-

lowed. During the last four years every state and

the national election saw record turnouts, in most

cases highest in history!

National Voters Day was one of the highlights

of the programme focussing on the youth turn-

ing 18. A drive was launched to locate such youth

well in advance and on January 25 (the founding

day of the ECI) at felicitations organised at all

the 800,000 polling stations to be celebrated as

the National Voters Day (NVD). The first NVD

was inaugurated by the President of India on

January 25, 2011 in the presence of Chief Election

Commissioners of over 30 countries.

We have the world’s all the major religions, 22 official languages and 780 spoken languages.

13

The beauty of the programme is that for this

countrywide celebration, not a single extra rupee

was demanded. We used the normal funds for elec-

toral registration activities but converted it into

a major national ‘event’. Many countries evinced

interest in this unique, zero cost but effective model

and some subsequently adopted it.

USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Managing elections in a country of subconti-

nental dimensions cannot be done easily with-

out the application of every possible technology.

This has brought great efficiency in the electoral

process. These technologies are rigorously field-

tested before adoption to ensure absolute reli-

ability. We have seen many elections in several

countries collapsing because of hasty introduction

of untested technology.

EVMS: The Wonder Machine of Indian Democracy: EVMs have been used in all elec-

tions to Parliamentary and Legislative Assembly

constituencies since November 1998. It has revolu-

tionised counting, making it quick, peaceful, effi-

cient and free from invalid votes. The counting day

disputes and tensions have just disappeared. No sur-

prise that it has come to be described as a wonder

machine of Indian democracy. Many countries have

adopted these like — Bhutan, Nepal and Namibia

with many more studying it in depth.

EVMs have undergone frequent updation. The lat-

est innovation is the addition of a voter verifiable paper

audit trail (VVPAT). VVPAT allows voters to verify

that their vote was cast correctly, and to provide a

means to audit the stored electronic results. Now we

have the most transparentand credible voting system

in the world. Four hallmarks characterise the way in

which the ECI handles the mammoth task: independ-

ence, transparency, neutrality and professionalism.

That ensures full public trust in the Commission. A

distinctive new feature of the last general election was

the significant role played by the New Media, including

mobile telephony and social media, in any election for

the first time. Some went so far as to call social media

the new election ‘battleground’ and GE 2014 the first

social media election.

CONCLUSION

One of the secrets of the success of the Election

Commission of India is its openness to new ideas

and to learning from its mistakes and achieve-

ments. We, therefore, expect that every election

is better than the previous best. EC’s efforts in

pursuit of excellence must go on. Not just India

but the world has a great stake in the success of

democracy in the region.

Realising that the aspiring democracies around the

world look forward to sharing the knowledge, skills

and expertise at ECI’s disposal, the Commission set

up the India International Institute of Democracy

and Election Management (IIDEM), as a training

and resource centre in elections and democratic

processes for both national and international par-

ticipants. In just three years of its existence, the

institute has imparted training to election managers

of over fifty Afro Asian and Commonwealth coun-

tries, besides thousands of domestic master trainers.

The Institute has now become a training hub for

assisting representative democracy worldwide. A

stage has come in India when holding a free and fair

election is taken for granted. In fact not holding one

would be news. We must not let that happen. This is

India’s promise to its own people and to the world.

(S Y Quraishi, a former civil servant, was the 17th

Chief Election Commisssioner of India. His earlier post-

ings included Secretary Ministry of Sports and Youth

Affairs, DG, National AIDS Control Organisation

(NACO), DG, Doordarshan, the world’s largest

national broadcaster, et al.)

14

BY M RAJENDRAN

GLOBALLY governments have

to communicate regularly with

citizens. Efficient and effective

communication was, is and will

remain as one of the key vehicles

to achieve good governance for

any government. Instruments like drums were a

medium that governments used to reach out to peo-

ple, that have been now replaced by Internet. The

power of Internet and information technology has

helped hasten the speed of communication, resulting

in information reaching out to the targeted group

seamlessly.

Information Technology has ensured that a policy

decision taken by the government can be quickly

executed and implemented at multiple locations,

across the length and breadth of the country. It

also ensures transparency, accountability — while

assuring quick and effective responsiveness of gov-

ernment, to citizens’ problems and suggestions.

A SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities

and threats) analysis of Information Technology’s

role in improved governance, throws light on the

benefits citizens enjoy from good governance. It also

indicates that India as a country has not yet fully

benefited, from the power of IT in achieving good

governance. There are only islands of success.

But the success stories, howsoever modest,

have demonstrated that each one of them carry

a huge potential, for it to be replicated in a large

scale, across state and nation — to achieve good

governance. Take the example of Government of

Chhattisgarh that used ICT-based module to reform

to improve its Public Distribution System (PDS)

that also ensures a transparent and accountable

delivery mechanism.

To address the leakages in PDS, Chhattisgarh

implemented an end-to-end information technology

solution in 2007. Operations at every level of the

scheme - from procurement of produce to storage

and transportation to state warehouses and Fair

Priced Shops - have been computerised.

There is continuous monitoring of operations

at all levels via reports uploaded onto the web in

real time. Web management has led to enhanced

accountability of operations. The online platform

provides an account of commodity stocks which

helps decision makers in utilising the inventory of

commodities with greater efficiency.

A unique feature of PDS in Chhattisgarh is the

innovative citizen interface portal through which

citizens can track the movement of PDS commodi-

ties and also register their grievances. The ICT

solution being used in Chhattisgarh is showing very

encouraging results and states like Orissa, Uttar

Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have showed interest

in rolling out a similar procedure

Then there is Karnataka state government that

has successfully eradicated corruption in getting

land records. Bhoomi is the land records compu-

terisation effort by the government of Karnataka.

Work on the project launched in 1999. In 2001, the

first online services were provided to the citizens

and other stakeholders of the project. Bhoomi has

not only sustained its commendable levels of service

achieved in 2006, but has also made very significant

progress. Currently, as many as two and half crore

of property records are being issued to citizens every

year under the Bhoomi programme.

The Record of Rights (ROR) is now made avail-

able at the doorsteps of farmers through as many

as 800 tele-centres, in addition to the erstwhile cen-

tres at the taluka level. The process has now been

extended to the village as a unit from the erstwhile

sub-taluka level unit.

Similarly, the Gujarat government’s e-Dhara,

(renamed e-Jamin), the computerised system of

land records, has been a tremendous success. All

225 talukas of 26 districts are connected by Gujarat

state wide area network (GSWAN). The number of

property records issued from e-Dhara has gone up

from 1.58 crore to more than 3 crore per year as

per the last estimates.

In 2007-08, these RORs started getting issued

from e-Gram centres at village panchayats and peo-

ple did not have to go to talukas. Through centrali-

sation of all the 227 land record databases, which

was effected in 2010, the RORs can now be delivered

from anywhere.

e-Dhara incorporated a feature to capture photo-

graphs and finger prints of owners to enable secured

transactions under registration. Finger Print

Scanners have been provided at the taluka level

for verification by the Deputy Mamlatdar. These

and other measures have increased the security of

data manifold.

In 2011, all transactions were centralised by

bringing data from all the 227 e-Dhara centres to

a central server. This increased central control over

data. The project is also financially self sustaining,

by generating about Rs2 crore per month from the

fees charged for the ROR copies being issued from

the e-Jamin system.

The above three cases illustrate how good govern-

ance can be achieved and also sustainable with help

of Information technology. A number of government

services that were out of reach for people due to

red tape are now operating successfully after IT

was introduced. Securing a passport and driving

licence were a major project for an individual. The

use of IT in booking of railway tickets has ensured

more transparency and comfort for the traveller.

The emphasis laid by Prime Minister Narendra

Modi ensures that more success stories of good

governance using IT are assured, when he said:

“E-governance is easy governance, effective govern-

ance and also economic governance. E-governance

paves the way for good governance.”

Good governance is not an exclusive agenda of a

political party, a leader or one state in India. It is

the way that everyone responsible for governance

has to deliver. It is an assurance to the people who

have chosen their representative, to make policies

and also execute them, efficiently.

Various leaders, political, spiritual, academic and

corporate, have spoken about the need to have good

governance as an essential tool for development of

a nation. Mahatma Gandhi said: “We must become

the change we want to see.” This is the message

for all those who wish to achieve good governance.

Information Technology is a powerful tool that

this generation of policy makers and executers are

blessed with. The opportunity to use it for good

governance exists, so does the danger of losing it. It

will be an interesting journey, amidst fast growing

number of mobile devices, broadband, new operating

systems and ingenious applications. Each of them is

a platform to achieve good governance.

(M Rajendran is a Senior Journalist)

Harnessing IT for good governance

15

BY HUMA SIDDIQUI

IN A bid to boost investment relations

with the Gulf countries, India is all set

to extend a hand of friendship towards

them. According to sources, the ministry of

external affairs has mandated the industry

ministry to chalk out areas and define poli-

cies, which can help improve the investment flow.

“We are looking at promoting a multi-directional

flow of investment and facilitating investment

projects across various sectors to strengthen the

Indo-Arab partnership,” an official said.

For the Arab world, there is much to be gained

from India’s proven capabilities in information

technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals,

health and environmental protection and con-

servation. India’s role in developing scientific and

technological capabilities, especially in the knowl-

edge-based industries, can also be duly harnessed.

Investors from India have already identified sev-

eral of these sectors for investment.

To seek investments from the region, especially

for the infra projects, the South Block is working on

programmes for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s

visit to the region this year. According to an Arab

diplomat based in New Delhi: “The success of such a

visit is expected to lead to long-term strategic deals

with the regional governments. Interestingly, some

countries even seek MRO facilities from India for

their defence platforms.”

Most of the six-million expatriate Indians are in

the Gulf countries. Together they remit annually

close to $20bn-$30bn — almost half of the $70bn in

total yearly remittances by Indian workers abroad.

This is an important fillip for Indo-GCC economic

links. Several business delegations from countries,

including Qatar, Bahrain, Brunei, Jordan, Kuwait,

Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE,

sent delegations to participate in the 4th India-

Arab partnership conference which was held in

New Delhi from November 26.

The two-day conference was organised by

MEA and the Arab League, Federation of Arab

Businessmen (FAB) and General Union of

Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry and

Agriculture (GUCCIA). Apart from a review of

preparations for major events on the bilateral front,

the conference sought for a greater cooperation

in the field of energy, environmental protection,

trade and investment, food security, science and

technology and human resource development.

The conference provided a platform for Indian

and Arab businessmen to interact and explore new

opportunities for investment and business, with a

focus on mega-investment opportunities in India to

potential Arab investors.

Boosting investment ties with Gulf

Most of the six-million expatriate Indians are in the Gulf countries.

Together they remit annually close to $20bn-$30bn —

almost half of the $70bn in total yearly remittances by

Indian workers abroad.

16

Events organised by Indian embassy in Doha from August 2014 till datePromoting Vibrant Gujarat

A SIX-MEMBER business delegation led by Gujarat Industrial

Development Corporation (GIDC) Vice Chairman and Managing

Director Bidyut Behari Swain visited Doha September 3-5 to promote

the 7th ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ Global Summit, which was held in Gandhinagar from

January 11-13, 2015 in Gujarat. The Embassy prepared a substantive programme

for the visiting delegation including business events at Qatar Chamber of

Commerce & Industry (QCCI) and Doha Bank, and meetings with Sultan bin

Rashid Al Khater, Undersecretary, Ministry of Economy & Commerce, CEO

of Muntajaat and senior officials of Qatar Investment Authority, Hassad Food

and Qatar Petroleum. A memorandum of understanding of cooperation was

signed between QCCI and Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The

delegation held a well attended road show before their departure from Doha.

FREE MEDICAL CAMP: The Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), a community organisation functioning under the aegis of Embassy of India, Doha, for the welfare of workers, organised a free medical camp for low income workers on September 5, 2014 for all nationalities in Doha’s Industrial Area. The medical camp benefitted over 1,300 workers and was inaugurated by Minister of Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr Abdullah Saleh Mubarak Al Khulaifi and the Ambassador. This was the first ever ministerial level participation from Qatar government at an event of ICBF.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION: The Embassy organised, in cooperation with Katara (the Cultural Village Foundation), a photographic exhibition on ‘Islamic Monuments in India’ sent by ICCR at Katara from September 21 until October 4, 2014. The exhibition comprising of 45 photographs by the renowned pho-tographer Benoy K Behl was inaugurated by Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara and Ambassador Sanjiv Arora.

‘MAKE IN INDIA’ CAMPAIGN EVENTS: The Embassy organised three well-attended business and investment events to mark the launch of ‘Make in India’ campaign by Prime Minister, on September 25, 2014 in cooperation with Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), Indian Business and Professional Network (IBPN), and Doha Bank. The ambassador presented the Prime Minister’s speech on the occasion, followed by a film on major investment opportunities and initiatives taken by the new government and two power point presentations sent by DIPP. The meetings ended with inter-active Q&A sessions. The events were attended by Qatari businessmen and investors, senior representatives of foreign companies based in Qatar, NRI professionals, businessmen and entrepreneurs.

Know India Seminar

THE India Tourism, Dubai, in cooperation with Embassy of India in

Doha, organised “Know India Seminar” at Hotel Radisson Blu (Doha)

on October 27, 2014 with a view to promoting India Tourism and the

range of options available in the country. The event was part of a three-country

show organised in the GCC region and included Oman (October 26), Qatar

(October 27) and Kuwait (October 29). The seminar was inaugurated by Sanjiv

Arora, Ambassador of India to Qatar, and Manas Pattanaik, Regional Director,

India Tourism (Dubai).

The Ambassador gave an overview of bilateral relations highlighting the

growing economic, trade and tourism opportunities between both the coun-

tries, steps being taken to further encourage tourism, Qatar’s importance as

an important market for Indian tourism in the Gulf and Middle East region,

increasing number of tourist, business and other visas being issued by E/I,

Doha, and how Qatar can be a major contributor to India’s tourism.

Manas Pattanaik, Regional Director of India Tourism in Dubai, in his audio-

visual presentation, elaborated on the complete spectrum of tourism opportuni-

ties in India, particularly highlighting the new International Campaign ‘Find

What You Seek’, in which tourists from the world over can find the destination

or product of their desire in India, be it heritage sites, forts, beaches, backwaters,

lakes, mountains, adventure, wildlife, culture, festivals, medical, wellness, MICE,

religion or shopping. The event was attended with over 100 representatives

from travel and tourism industry, business organisations and media based in

Qatar, including Qatari dignitaries like Muhammed bin Ahmed bin Towar Al

Kuwari, Vice-Chairman, Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Nasser

Darwish of Darwish Travels and sponsor of Air India.

17

4TH INDIA-ARAB PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE:

A FOUR-MEMBER delegation from Ministry of Economy

& Commerce of Qatar led by Sultan Rashid Y Al Khater,

Undersecretary, and comprising of Ahmed Essa M H Al

Sulaiti, International Cooperation & Trade Agreements

Researcher, Mohammed Saeed M F Al Hajri, Consultant and

Saeed Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Public Relations Representative

visited New Delhi from November 25-28, 2014 to attend the

‘4th India-Arab Partnership Conference: New Horizons in

Investment, Trade and Services’, a flagship event organised

under Memorandum of Cooperation signed between India and

the Arab League in December 2013. The conference was organ-

ised by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with the

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

(FICCI), the Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the

Arab industry. The Partnership Conference was inaugurated

by Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State of Commerce &

Industry on November 26, 2014.

SWACHH BHARAT: On the occasion of the launch of ‘Swachh Bharat’ mission on Gandhi Jayanti, the Ambassador administered the Swachh Bharat pledge to all Embassy officials and led them in collective cleaning of the public areas of the Mission.

PRAVASI BHARATIYA DIVAS:

THE EMBASSY, in cooperation

with the three apex organisa-

tions of the Indian community in

Qatar — Indian Cultural Center,

Indian Business Professionals

Network and Indian Community

Benevolent Fund — organ-

ised an event focused on the

13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

(January 7-9, 2015) at the ICC

premises in Doha on December

16, 2014 to mobilise the par-

ticipation of NRIs from Qatar.

At this event, attended by a

large number of NRIs, excerpts

focussing on PBD from PM’s

address to Overseas Indians

during his visit to New York in

September 2014 were shown.

The Ambassador made a

detailed power-point presen-

tation on PBD and responded

to several questions from the

participants.

ICGS VIJIT VISIT:

INDIAN Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Vijit’ paid a friendly visit

to Doha Port from December 20–23. Addressing a media brief-

ing onboard ICGS Vijit, the Ambassador said the visit had

been planned in honour of Qatar’s National Day on December

18 and was a reaffirmation of India’s strong ties with Qatar

and other countries in the Gulf region. On December 21, a

reception was hosted by Ambassador and the Commanding

Officer DIG Rakesh Pal onboard ICGS Vijit that was attended

by several Qatari dignitaries including Brigadier Mohammed

Al Suwaidi, Director, International Cooperation, GHQ (General

Headquarters), Qatar Armed Forces; Brigadier Tariq Al Obaidi,

Director, Education & Courses, QENF (Qatar Emiri Naval

Forces) and other officers from Qatar Armed Forces; Hassan

Jassim Darwish, Chairman, Kassem Darwish Fakhroo & Sons;

Yousuf bin Jassim Al Darwish, Chairman, Al Darwish United

Co; Heads of Mission; Defence Attaches; representatives of the

Indian community; and other invitees.

18

BY NIRENDRA DEV

A HIGH spot of the economic scene

in a normal circumstance in a

parliamentary democracy is the

presentation of the budget. But

last year, the major highlight was

the launching of ‘Make in India’

campaign by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi

on September 25. The initiative basically promises

the investors – both domestic and overseas – a con-

ducive environment to turn 125 crore population

strong-India a manufacturing hub that will also

create job opportunities.

That’s in effect a plunge into a serious business

but it is also punctuated with two inherent ele-

ments in any innovation – new avenues or tapping

of opportunities and facing the challenges to keep

the right balance. The political leadership is widely

expected to be populist; but ‘Make in India’ initia-

tive is actually seen as a judicious mix of economic

prudence, administrative reforms and thus catering

to the call of people’s mandate – an aspiring India.

In the words of the Prime Minister Narendra

Modi: “The biggest requirement is trust, confidence.

I don’t know how we have run our country that we

have doubted our own countrymen at every turn.

I need to change this vicious cycle. We should not

start from distrust, we should begin with trust.”

And then he adds on rather aptly: “The government

should intervene only if there’s some shortcomings.”

True to the spirit of this visionary statement, the

‘Make in India’ policy programme also commits that

the campaign “represents an attitudinal shift in how

India relates to investors: Not as a permit-issuing

authority, but as a true business partner.”

Modi first made the pitch for ‘Make in India’

during his maiden Independence Day speech from

the ramparts of Red Fort. “If we have to put in use

the education, the capability of the youth, we will

have to go for manufacturing sector and for this

Hindustan also will have to lend its full strength,

but we also invite world powers. Therefore I want

to appeal to all the people world over, from the

ramparts of the Red Fort, ‘Come, make in India’,

‘Come, manufacture in India’. Sell in any country

of the world but manufacture here. We have got

skill, talent, discipline, and determination to do

something. We want to give the world a favour-

able opportunity that come here, “Come, Make in

India” and we will say to the world, from electrical

to electronics, “Come, Make in India”, from automo-

biles to agro value addition “Come, Make in India”,

paper or plastic, “Come, Make in India”, satellite or

submarine “Come, Make in India”.

“Our country is powerful. Come, I am giving you

an invitation. Brothers and sisters, I want to call

upon the youth of the country, particularly the small

people engaged in the industrial sector. I want to

call upon the youth working in the field of techni-

cal education in the country. As I say to the world

“Come, Make in India”, I say to the youth of the

country – it should be our dream that this message

reaches every corner of the world, “Made in India”.

This should be our dream. This is a path-breaking

venture. In fact, the vision statement of official web-

site, www.makeinindia.gov.in commits to achieve for

the country, among other things:

• An increase in manufacturing sector growth to

12-14 percent per annum over the medium term.

• An increase in the share of manufacturing in

the country’s Gross Domestic Product from 16 per-

cent to 25 percent by 2022.

• To create 100 million additional jobs by 2022 in

manufacturing sector.

• Creation of appropriate skills among rural

migrants and the urban poor for inclusive growth.

• An increase in domestic value addition and

technological depth in manufacturing.

• Enhancing the global competitiveness of the

Indian manufacturing sector.

• Ensuring sustainability of growth, particularly

with regard to environment.

Now let us look at the opportunity. The initia-

tive can actually benefit India from the ground

reality, especially when Chinese manufacturing

leaps have come under strain. There are already

reports that several western manufacturing play-

ers operating in China want to move away from

the world’s largest manufacturing hub.

Analysts say, Chinese wages are going up and

the labour market is getting more challenging and

that is driving away investors. Thus companies

with operating factories in China should look for

other alternatives in the region, such as Vietnam,

Indonesia and of course India.

What are the advantages Indian business and

especially manufacturing sector actually offer?

• India has already marked its presence as one of

the fastest growing economies of the world.

• The country is expected to rank among the

world’s top three growth economies and among

the top three manufacturing

destinations by 2020.

• Favourable demographic

dividends for the next 2-3

decades. Sustained avail-

ability of quality workforce.

• The cost of manpower is

relatively low as compared to

other countries.

• Responsible business

houses operating with cred-

ibility and professionalism.

• Strong consumerism in

the domestic market.

• Strong technical and

engineering capabilities

backed by top-notch scien-

tific and technical institutes.

• Well-regulated and sta-

ble financial markets open to

foreign investors.

Various speakers at the

launch of Make in India

programme on September

25 also spoke about robust technical and engineer-

ing capabilities backed by top-notch scientific and

technical institutes as other positive offerings on

the table.

The government has also pledged other focused

approaches. Among other things, it intends to leverage

the existing incentives/schemes to boost manufactur-

ing. A technology acquisition and development fund

has been proposed for the acquisition of appropriate

technologies, the creation of a patent pool and the

development of domestic manufacturing of equipment

used for controlling pollution and reducing energy

consumption, official sources in New Delhi said. This

fund will also function as an autonomous patent pool

and licensing agency. It will purchase intellectual

property rights from patent holders.

In his speech, Modi had a vital point to make

when he said incentives or tax-free announcements

do not win over investors. It is obvious there’s need

to create development and growth-oriented envi-

ronment. The government has also to deal with an

existing menace in bureaucratic functioning. The

bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder ease of doing

business need to be removed.

The manufacturing sector cannot develop on its

own without skilled labour force and in this context it

is heartening to note the government’s initiatives for

skill development. The creation of appropriate skill

would definitely set rural migrants and the urban poor

on a track towards inclusive growth. That would be a

vital step for boosting manufacturing.

The New Ministry for Skill Development and

Entrepreneurship has initiated the process of

revising the National Policy on Skill Development.

It is significant to note that under the Rural

Development ministry, the Modi government has

undertaken another new initiative for skill develop-

ment under a recast programme named after BJP

icon Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya. The new training

A lion’s step to boost manufacturing

19

programme envisages setting up of at

least 1,500 to 2,000 training centres

across the country and the entire

project would result in an estimated

expenditure of Rs2,000 crore and will

be run on PPP model.

The new training programme would

enable the youth to get jobs in demand-

oriented markets like Spain, US, Japan,

Russia, France, China, UK and West

Asia. The government proposes to train

about 3 lakh youth annually in first two

years and by the end of 2017, it has set

a target of reaching out to as many as

10 lakh rural youth.

As part of other steps, there is need

to address other issues too like adequate

development of basic infrastructures

– the roads and the power. For long,

MNCs and software service companies

have relished doing business in India

due to a robust market with enhanced

purchasing ability of the citizens but

in terms of building up ‘manufacturing

facilities’, India has been a case of also-

ran. In this context it is worth pointing

out that a strong political will, business-

like approach of bureaucrats and the

entrepreneurs, skilled of workforce

along with investment friendly policies

can unleash the nation’s potential.

It is in this context the govern-

ment’s efforts to develop an “industrial

corridor” between Delhi and Mumbai

needs to be appreciated. The govern-

ment is also working on multi-pronged

strategies like development of infra-

structure linkages including pioneer

plants, assured water supply, high

capacity transportation and logistics

facilities.

Carrying on the good works on these

fronts, the government also has begun

the process of reviving five ailing public

sector units (PSUs). Of the 11 PSUs, the

government also feels that for six other

units that needs to be closed, it is work-

ing on one-time settlement involving

voluntary retirement scheme entailing

a cost of Rs1,000 crore for employees.

The state-run units which have been

identified by the government for revival

include HMT Machine Tools Ltd; Heavy

Engineering Corporation; NEPA Ltd;

Nagaland Paper & Pulp Co Ltd and

Triveni Structurals.

(Nirendra Dev is a Special

Representative with The Statesman

and has written books including ‘Modi

to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth)

20

BY SARITA BRARA

OVER 2.5 billion

people mostly

in rural areas

across the world

do not have

proper sanita-

tion facilities and over one billion

people defecate in the open due to

lack of proper toilet facilities. The

situation is no better in our coun-

try where more than half of the

population defecates in the open.

It is well known that countries

where open defecation is most

widely practiced are the same

countries with the highest numbers

of under-five child deaths, high lev-

els of under-nutrition and poverty,

and large wealth disparities.

Realising that the large scale

population was exposed to various

kinds of diseases due to lack of san-

itation facilities, the government

of India has advanced the earlier

target of making India free from

open defecation by 2022 to 2019

by launching a massive Swachh

Bharat Mission. The year 2019 coincides with the

150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi who

considered sanitation more important than even

Independence.

An action plan has been drawn up to make India

Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2019, to keep vil-

lages clean through construction of individual,

cluster & community toilets and through solid and

liquid waste management with active participation

of village Gram Panchayats (GPs). It also aims at

enabling water tap connections to households on

demand by 2019. The action plan is centred around

two the major issues:

1. Strengthening delivery mechanism by creating

necessary infrastructure and

2. Launching a massive awareness programme

involving all stake holders to make the Swachh

Bharat Mission a mass movement.

NATIONAL REACHOUT CAMPAIGN

What is really of prime importance is chang-

ing the mindset of people who are habituated to

defecate in the open, even those who have toilets.

To bring in behavioural change is the biggest chal-

lenge before the government. A National Reachout

Campaign has been launched towards this end. The

measures include:

• A continuous door-to-door contact with every

rural household in the country on the lines of Pulse

Polio campaign so that the people can be made

aware of the importance of using a toilet and the

consequences of not doing so.

• Launching of a National and state-level media

campaign making use of audio visual, mobile teleph-

ony and local outreach programmes to communicate

the message.

• Involvement of social, local, sports or movie

icons in spreading sanitation message. Already

cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and many movie

stars have joined the campaign.

• Community mobilisation is an important step to

turn the campaign into a mass movement. It is not

just the involvement of ASHA workers, Self Help

Groups and other NGOS which is already being

done but also using school children as a medium to

influence families.

• Involving school children as messengers of

change on ‘WASH’ – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

and including inputs in the school curriculum till

Class X. Holding of rallies, walk/run for sanitation,

seminars, painting competitions & other activities

in schools to disseminate the sanitation message are

being organised in a big way. The Facebook pages of

‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ and Ministry of Drinking

Water and Sanitation provide a glimpse of all these

activities.

• Getting doctors, teachers, local political and

religious leaders involved in the sanitation com-

munication is also part of the approach. In fact,

it involves using every tool available to spread the

message of sanitation including fitting vehicles with

publicity material on sanitation and drinking water

supply; showing short films on sanitation as well as

best practices.

• Vehicles like trucks could also carry models of

twin pit latrines; rural sanitary pans with P-traps

and models for water supply schemes.

• Wall Paintings, shows during weekly haats/

market/ school/ chaupals through Self Help Groups

(SHGs). Also making use of the popular folk media

like puppet shows and nukkad nataks to create

awareness.

• Involvement of various organisations in the

mass communication plan like the Unicef, WSP,

WATERAID, WHO, ADB, Rotary India, Sulabh and

the vast network of non-governmental workers as

well as corporate sectors. The assistance of some of

these institutions has successfully been utilised in

the Pulse polio campaign.

Anther important step proposed in the action

plan is setting up of at least one model Community

Sanitary Complex (CSC) to begin with, in each of

the 6,000 blocks in the country as an IEC tool.

S T R E NGT H E N I NG D E L I V E RY MECHANISM: While mass media can create

awareness and bring changes in attitude, what

Turning Swachh Bharat Mission into a mass movement

21

is significant is the creation of necessary infra-

structure for construction of toilets in villages

and laying of pipelines for supply of water in a

time bound manner and this involves the provi-

sion of material and adequate funding.

The Action plan proposes the use of Revolving

Funds in construction linked-installments to

provide advance to poor households who can-

not afford initial construction cost or to Gram

Panchayats in construction linked installments

to be finally recouped against incentives released

on completion of the toilets.

Increased Finance Commission transfers for

this purpose may be considered to ensure main-

tenance of School, Anganwadis and Community

Sanitation Complexes, which is very poor due to

paucity of O&M funds.

Linkage of funds released to GPs under all

programmes, could be linked with coverage and

usage of toilets in the GP, to use it as a leverage

to ensure Swachh Bharat by 2019.

Steps proposed for supply of material for con-

struction include:

1. Ensuring availability of sanitary hardware

suitable for rural areas in adequate quantity and

in reasonable prices. Availability of Deeper angle

rural pans with water seal p-traps which consume

lesser water shall be ensured.

2. Creation of Rural Sanitary Marts/ Production

Centres in every Block in the country.

3. Completing the supply of material like

cement, pan, bricks etc through provision of

exchangeable coupons, with labour contribution

by beneficiaries.

4. Training of Masons in the construction of

sanitary toilets across the country to be taken

up in a focused manner. For this leading NGOs

could be roped in sanitation, ITIs/ Polytechnics

who could create an Army of trained Masons spe-

cialising in sanitation construction.

5. Involvement of Corporate sector to assist

in covering the GPs in their Catchment areas

for sanitation especially Community Sanitary

Complexes, either directly or through CSR fund-

ing. The corporate may also look after O&M for

a couple of years.

6. To ensure the interest of the District, Sub-

district and Block Level Government officers

beginning from District Magistrates in sanita-

tion, the achievements of their areas under sani-

tation may be included in their APRs (Annual

Performance Reports).

It was in 2013 that the UN officially recognised

November 19 as World Toilet Day to make sani-

tation for all, a global development priority to

promote public awareness of the need for adequate

toilets in order to improve health of people and

save lives.

Describing the practice of open-air defecation

as “extremely harmful” to public health, the UN

says that the lives of more than 200,000 children

could be saved with the provision of proper toilets

facilities.

The 2014 campaign of World Toilet Day is cen-

tred around the theme of “Dignity and Equality”

because women and girls bear the greatest bur-

den of lack of toilet access throughout all life

stages; Lack of toilets in schools leads to increase

in dropout rates amongst girls and open defecation

by girls exposes them to sexual harassment, assault

and violence.

So in order to save millions of lives, to provide

dignity girls & to women the need is to ensure that

men and women have equal right over sanitation

and water facilities.

A momentum in the Swatchh Bharat Mission

has already been created across the country, the

need is to sustain it, ensure that the campaign

becomes a movement of the masses, translated

into action and a Swatchh Bharat becomes a real-

ity by 2019 as a tribute the Father of the Nation

Mahatma Gandhi.

(Sarita Brara is a dreelance journalist.)

22

BY PALLAVA BAGLA

THE SUCCESS of India’s maiden

mission to Mars is hailed as a glo-

bal landmark as it paves the way for

cheap and reliable inter-planetary

travel, this has been possible only

because of a robust high technol-

ogy infrastructure that has been put in place by

the country. The same is also true in the sector of

atomic energy where India’s prowess is slowly being

recognized so much so that in the world’s only fusion

energy reactor being constructed in France, India

is a full member. Today, the country’s Mars Orbiter

Mission (MOM) truly symbolises ‘Make in India’.

Speaking at the ‘Make in India’ workshop on

December 29 last year, Prime Minister Narendra

Modi said “Human Resource Development,

Innovation and Research should become part of the

Government’s DNA. He said these should be aligned

to the nation’s overall goals in various sectors.”

Modi called upon all sectors of manufacturing in

India to take inspiration from the “Space” sector,

and the achievements of India’s space scientists.

On his recent visit to New York the Prime

Minister had the crowd in raptures as he repeat-

edly brought up India’s success of reaching Mars.

“Everything about Mangalyaan is indigenous… made

in small factories. We reached Mars at a smaller

budget than a Hollywood movie,” he said adding

“India is the only country to reach Mars on its first

attempt. If this is not talent, then what is?’

Not many know that the darling of the masses,

Mangalyaan is truly also the flag bearer for Modi’s

‘Make in India’ campaign where he is pitching for

India becoming the hub for making ‘satellites to sub-

marines’. India Incorporated a website dedicated to

promoting India’s strengths highlighted that ‘some

40 industries are directly involved in the making of

the spacecraft itself that was put together by the

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). From

small firms like Sangvi Aerospace Pvt Ltd from

Ahmedabad that supplied the wires and cables to

giants like L&T and Godrej, to Technocom in Rajkot

India’s highly successful maiden mission to Mars, is the cheapest inter-planetary mission till date costing less than $75m and truly a remarkable example of ‘Make in India’. Seen here is the lift off of the Mangalyaan on November 5, 2013 using the indigenously made Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) sent into space from spaceport at Sriharikota on the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

India’s satellite that orbits Mars, seen here when it was being integrated. Mangalyaan hit bull’s eye and created world history making India the first country to reach Mars in its debut attempt.

which helped with the camera that gave MOM its

first view of Mars. All truly symbolise the humble

‘Make in India’ tag that Mangalyaan carries.”

‘Space is the last frontier so push and push some

more’ was part of Modi’s pitch to India space sci-

entists when he came to the partake in the joys

and sorrows of the 16,000-strong space community

that made India proud by hitting bull’s eye in the

very first attempt of reaching planet Mars. A feat

not achieved even by great space powers like USA.

Acknowledging India’s achievement, Nasa adminis-

trator Charles Bolden called it ‘an impressive engi-

neering feat’.

Another 100 or so industries are directly involved

with the making of the rocket that launched MOM

into space on November 5, 2013. What caught the

attention of the world was the relatively small cost

of the mission Rs450crore or about $75m, which is

ten times cheaper than the Nasa’s latest mission

that reached Mars two days ahead of India’s. This

was undoubtedly the lowest cost inter-planetary

mission ever to be undertaken in the twenty-first

century. As ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan says

‘modularity’ of sub-systems helps reduce costs and

the low wage bills alongside the long hours put in

by ISRO’s 500 workforce that worked on the Mars

satellite helped keep the cost very low.

On June 30, Modi watched the majestic lift-off of

the 114 Indian mission of the Indian space agency the

launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle that has

till date launched 40 satellites from as many 19 dif-

ferent countries. ISRO’s commercial arm the Antrix

Corporation Ltd has an annual turnover of about

Rs15,000m and it has already procured orders for

three more dedicated commercial launches using the

PSLV, which will place in orbit another 14 foreign

satellites in the coming years. V S Hegde, Chairman

and Managing Director of Antrix Corporation says

“we are already a force to be reckoned with and we

are definitely going to grow”.

Reaching for the stars is not the only frontier

where India’s efforts are bearing fruit, tapping

nuclear energy is also a big aspirational dream for

India. India today is contributing actively in world’s

largest science project to generate fusion energy.

Evergreen atomic energy a possibility! A star is set to be born in southern France. A

$20bn effort is being made to make a nuclear reac-

tor like never before, a special steel cauldron where

fusion energy could be tapped and it is called the

International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor

(ITER). Ratan Kumar Sinha Chairman of the

Atomic Energy Commission, says “fusion energy

holds the promise of becoming an unlimited source

of environment friendly energy for the world”. This

is till date the world’s largest scientific project ever

to be undertaken and it is getting off the ground in

Europe, a mammoth project that experts say will

pave the way for generating unlimited clean nuclear

Reaching for the stars through ‘Mangalyaan’

23

energy by fusing atoms, a process not very dif-

ferent from what happens on the Sun. The reac-

tor will weigh about 23,000 tonnes the equivalent

of the weight of 3 Eiffel Towers in Paris. Some

80,000km of special super conducting wires will

be used.

Six nations India, China, South Korea, USA,

Japan, Russia and the European Union have joined

hands as equal partners to see if they can jointly

harness the power of the Sun by literally confining

it in a steel bottle.

Within the massive steel frame gas will be

heated to over 150 million degrees temperature

and it will be confined into a limited space using

giant magnets, some atoms will then fuse together

releasing huge amounts of heat which can then be

directed to run turbines to generate electricity. In

the first instance, it is hoped the fusion reactor

will produce ten times more energy than what is

used to initiate the reaction estimated to produce

the equivalent of 500MW of power.

But it is easier said than done since taming the

power of the Sun is a Herculean task and for the last

half a century scientists have dreamt about this feat

but it was only in 2006 that the ITER organisation

come into being when things started become real.

INDIA’S ROLE

India is a full member of this enterprise providing

about 10 percent of the components for the massive

nuclear complex unfolding at Cadarache in France.

New Delhi is contributing what would when com-

pleted in 2021 would be world’s largest refrigerator.

It also acts like a thermos flask but operates at

some of the coldest temperatures ever seen in the

universe working at minus 269 degrees Celsius (-269

degrees Celsius) and technically called a ‘cryostat’,

it is being made to order for the Department of

Atomic Energy by L&T Industries.

M V Kotwal, President, Heavy Engineering

L&T industries, Mumbai. says “manufacture &

installation of the cryostat has been entrusted to

L&T. Work on this project is already in progress

in our Hazira Manufacturing Complex. We have

also constructed a special workshop at the site in

Cadarache, France to enable site assembly of the

large & complex stainless steel structure from

components which will be supplied from Hazira

in India”.

India will make in-kind investment probably

totalling about Rs9,000 crore over the next decade

thus contributing about 9.1 percent of the share

of the total costs.

Sinha says “participation of India in the ITER

project, with its immense scientific talent and

industrial competence, has provided an opportu-

nity to India to master the cutting edge technolo-

gies manifest in this massive project. In the near

term, it has facilitated a huge impetus to scientific

research, manpower development and building

an internationally competitive industrial capa-

bility within Indian private sector in the highly

advanced field of fusion energy”.

Once the proof is established that mankind can

harness the power of the Sun, India could well

build its own fusion reactors possibly very soon

after 2050, thus providing unlimited energy.

Modi said ISRO has made it a habit of ‘making

the impossible possible’. So could India, literally pave

the way for cheaper, durable and reliable satellites in

the ‘Make in India’ movement that Modi has flagged

off. A multi-billion dollar space and nuclear energy

market is waiting to be tapped.

In this bold new initiative, Modi called for making

a globally recognised “Brand India” famous for

“Zero Defect, Zero Effect” Manufacturing – free

from defects, and with no adverse impact on the

environment.

(Pallava Bagla an eminent science writer is co-author of

the book ‘Reaching for the Stars: India’s Journey to Mars and

Beyond’ published by Bloomsbury India. He can be reached

at pallava.bagla@gmail.com and Twitter: pallavabagla)

24

TOURISM researcher Sumesh

Mangalasseri (pictured) wants

to make tourism in India more

sustainable. His company offers

homestays in villages. In a question-

answer session with a magazine he

tells why he doesn’t believe tourism can alleviate

poverty. Excerpts.

What is eco-tourism?Sumesh: Eco-tourism involves travel to natural

destinations. It ensures and raises awareness of

biodiversity conservation. It also ensures commu-

nity development and employment opportunities

for local communities through tourism.

Why is this type of tourism important?India, like any other third-world country, is also

taking tourism as a development model. If you do

that, tourism should contribute to a community’s

development, and it should support local economy.

But India’s current tourism programs are promot-

ing mass tourism, which is not at all supporting the

local economy in a meaningful way. That’s where

I think people like us and our company’s work is

relevant.

What does your company, Kabani Community Tourism and Services, do?

Kabani Tours is social entrepreneurship that is

facilitating community tourism in Indian villages.

We offer travellers a sustainable way of travel

throughout India. We are also enhancing the skills

of villagers through our training programs, and are

creating awareness.

Tell us about your sustainable tourism projects!We have a project in Kerala where we work with

farmers. They take on tourism as an additional

source of income. They’re doing it side by side with

their agricultural work. This way, tourism is not

creating any dependencies for these communities.

After all, we don’t believe that tourism can allevi-

ate poverty. In our experience, it’s one of the most

vulnerable industries in the world.

What exactly does Kabani Tours do — what can guests expect from one of your trips?

We are trying to develop homestays in villages.

A spare room of the farmer will be provided to

the guest, and they can stay with a local family,

experience their food, their culture. For this, we

facilitate training programs for homestay providers

and develop local guides. Whenever a guest comes

to the village, we introduce them to our culture, our

environment and things like that. And then, we also

train local service providers, such as taxi drivers.

What are the environmental advantages of eco-tourism?

As I said, if you manage properly, eco-tourism can

generate awareness of conservation and enhance

financial support. It can also offer local communities

the opportunity to participate in tourism manage-

ment and planning. The moment you bring commu-

nity involvement into tourism, locals will definitely

care about the environment. So if they’re involved

in tourism, it will definitely be better than tourism

managed by outsiders.

What environmental problems come with eco-tourism?

Today, eco-tourism is just bringing mass-tourism

to protected, or ecologically fragile, areas in India.

That creates a lot of problems: The large flow of

tourists consumes a lot of resources — like water,

for example. This in turn creates water scarcity in

these regions, which affects wildlife. Construction

of facilities like hotels and other tourist infrastruc-

ture also creates problems for wildlife. Wild animals

could then come into residential areas, which cre-

ates a kind of man/animal conflict.

Another issue is the large number of vehicles

entering the forest, which poses various problems

like noise pollution and disturbing animals.

Has there been a boom in eco-tourism?Well, there is a considerable increase in eco-

tourism for one major reason: More and more city

people want to come to areas like forests and relax.

So India is building airports in every city - that is

a government policy. But when you just look at the

aviation policy in India and the eco-tourism concept,

you can see that they are highly contradicting. On

one hand, they are talking about sustainability and

sustainable tourism development. But in reality, you

can see that this talk is highly contradictory to what

they’re doing on the ground. I can’t see a sincere

effort to bring sustainable tourism to India so far.

(Sumesh Mangalasseri, 38, is a tourism researcher

focusing on the negative impact of tourism on commu-

nities and natural resources. He is also the director of

Kabani Community Tourism and Services that offers

homestays in the Indian state of Kerala.)

Promoting community tourism in villages

25

BY BHASWATI MUKHERJEE

INDIA’S intangible cultural heritage flows

from her 5,000-year-old culture and civi-

lisation. Dr A L Basham, in his authorita-

tive Cultural History of India, has noted that

“While there are four main cradles of civili-

sation which, moving from East to West, are China,

India, the Fertile Crescent and the Mediterranean,

specially Greece and Italy, India deserves a larger

share of credit because she has deeply affected the

cultural life of most of Asia. She has also extended

her influence, directly and indirectly, to other parts

of the World”.

The civilisation that developed in the Valleys

of our two great river systems, the Indus and the

Ganges, although in a sharply demarcated geo-

graphical region due to the Himalayas, was complex,

multi-faceted and was never an isolated civilisation.

The notion that before the impact of European

learning, science and technology, the ‘East’ including

China and India changed little if at all, over the cen-

turies is false and should be rejected. Indian civilisa-

tion has always been dynamic, not static. Settlers

and traders came to India from the land and sea

routes. India’s isolation was never complete, from

the most ancient times. This resulted in the devel-

opment of a complex pattern of civilisation, demon-

strated so clearly in the intangible art and cultural

traditions ranging from Ancient to Modern India,

whether in the dancing Buddhas of the Gandharva

school of art which was strongly influenced by the

Greeks, to the great tangible heritage seen in the

temples of North and South India.

It is no surprise that India’s diversity has inspired

many writers to pen differing perceptions of the

country’s culture. These writings paint a com-

plex and often conflicting picture of the culture

of India. The best definition has been provided by

Dr Amartya Sen, the Indian Nobel Laureate in

Economics. According to him, the culture of mod-

ern India is a complex blend of its historical tradi-

tions, influences from the effects of colonialism over

centuries and current Western culture — both col-

laterally and dialectically. Western writers usually

neglect, in important ways, crucial aspects of Indian

culture and traditions and its diversities.

The deep-seated heterogeneity of Indian tradi-

tions, in different parts of India, is lost in these

homogenised descriptions of India. India is not and

can never be a homogenous culture. The best exam-

ple is her intangible heritage.

A pen sketch on this subject cannot be complete

without recalling E H Carr’s chapter 1 on ‘What is

History’. Carr pointed out that facts do not speak

for themselves. They speak only when the histo-

rian calls on them to speak. It is the historian who

decides which fact to give and therefore the histo-

rian is necessarily selective. Thus Carr concludes

that “History is a continuous process of interaction

between the historian and his facts, an unending

dialogue between the present and past, a dynamic,

dialectical process, which cannot be limited by

mere empiricism or love of facts alone”. This dem-

onstrates the complexity of the task of interpret-

ing this intangible heritage historically and in an

objective manner.

It is clear that Intangible Cultural Heritage

such as the Indian example, is difficult to explain

or interpret, because of its complexity. Tangible

heritage on the other hand, being more visible is

much better understood. The best definition of

Intangible Cultural Heritage is contained in the

2003 Unesco Convention on ICH which defines it in

a manner broad enough to include diverse experi-

ences and expressions across the globe such as “the

practices, representations, expressions, knowledge,

skills as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts

and cultural spaces associated therewith — that

communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals

recognised as part of their cultural heritage”. This

is an excellent definition of India’s great spiritual

and cultural intangible heritage.

DEFINITION OF ICHWhat is Intangible Cultural Heritage? Heritage

does not end at monuments or collection of objects of

arts. It also includes traditions or living expressions

inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our

descendents, such as oral traditions, performing arts,

religious and cultural festivals and traditional crafts.

This Intangible Cultural Heritage, by its very nature,

is fragile and needs protection and understanding

since it is an important factor in maintaining cul-

tural diversity in the face of growing globalisation.

Developing understanding of the ICH of different

communities, such as in India, helps the process of an

international, inter-cultural dialogue and promotes, in

the long run, international peace and security.

ICH is best defined as: • Traditional, contemporary and living at the

same time, since it is a dynamic process;

• Inclusive since it contributes to social cohesion,

encourages a sense of identity and helps to preserve

communities and community life;

• Representative since it prospers on oral skills

passed on from generation to generation;

• Community based since it can be defined as

heritage only when it is recognised as such by the

communities, groups or individuals that create,

maintain and transmit it.

ICH therefore, based on the above definition, is

important not as a cultural manifestation as such

but rather on the wealth of knowledge and skill

that are transmitted through it from one genera-

tion to another. The social and economic value of

this transmission of knowledge is as significant for

developed countries as for developing countries.

HOLI: A CASE STUDY OF ICHHoli’s historical origins date back to pre-Chris-

tian times. Paganism and Pagan festivals, based on

pre-Christian rituals and ‘Bacchus’ traditions were

frowned upon by the earliest Christians and soon

disappeared. Only the Christian mistletoe traditions

have survived. Similarly, the rituals of Holi date back

to the earliest times based on social traditions. Hindu

rituals, myths and legends came later. Religious and

cultural festivals, such as Holi, express the heart

of the people, reflecting their culture and identity.

Several of the world’s best known festivals exist in

India. Many of them are rooted in India’s diverse

culture and civilisation. Thus the historic origins

of Holi, originally known as ‘Holika’, find detailed

description in India’s earliest religious epics and

works such as Jamini’s Purvamimamsa-Sutras and

Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Eminent Indian historians

believe that Holi was celebrated by Aryans who

came to India from Central Asia in 5000 BC. Thus,

Holi existed several centuries before Christ. There

are also many references to Holi in India’s ancient

archaeological remains.

Since ICH is a dynamic process, the meaning of

the Festival has changed over the years. All over

India, the festival celebrates the victory of good

over evil. Holi is thus linked with folklore and folk

culture and binds communities together.

SOME CONCLUDING REFLECTIONSIn India, we are the repository of an astounding

wealth of living patterns and modes of heritage.

With about 1,400 dialects and 18 officially recognised

languages, several religions, various styles of art,

architecture, literature, music and dance, and sev-

eral lifestyle patterns, India represents the largest

democracy with a seamless picture of diversity in

unity, perhaps unparalleled anywhere in the world.

Through a history of changing settlements and

political power, India’s living cultural heritage was

shaped by centuries of adaptation, re-creation

and co-existence. The intangible cultural heritage

of India finds expression in the ideas, practices,

beliefs and values shared by communities across

long stretches of time, and form part of the collec-

tive memory of the nation. India’s physical, ethnic

and linguistic variety is as staggering as its cultural

pluralism, which exists in a framework of inter-

connectedness. Underlying the diversity of India’s

heritage is the continuity of its civilization from the

earliest times to the present and of the later addi-

tions by different influences.

In concluding, it may be pertinent to recall that

Swami Vivekananda had said: “If anyone dreams of

the exclusive survival of his own religion and culture,

I pity him from the bottom of my heart and point

out that upon the banner of every religion and cul-

ture will soon be written in spite of resistance, “Help

and not Fight; Assimilation and not Destruction;

Harmony and Peace and not Dissension”.

This symbolises what India brings to the world, its

living intangible heritage which is its global civilisa-

tional heritage. This heritage would help to maintain

a cultural and civilizational dialogue between peoples

and societies and cultures. This in its turn would be

a powerful lever for renewing the international com-

munity’s strategy towards development and peace.

{Bhaswati Mukherjee is a former diplomat was

Permanent Representative of India to Unesco

(2004-2010).]

ICH: A civilisational legacy to the world

26

IN AN overwhelming response to Prime

Minister Narendra Modi’s call for commem-

orating an International Day of Yoga, about

130 countries have joined as co-sponsors to an

India-led UN General Assembly resolution recognis-

ing yoga’s benefits.

The draft resolution for an ‘International Day

of Yoga’ was prepared by India and informal

consultations were convened in October by the

Indian mission in the UN General Assembly where

views on the topic were expressed by other

delegations.

The draft resolution, known as the ‘L Document,’

was finalsed with 130 countries co-sponsoring it, an

all-time record for a resolution of such kind. The

draft resolution would recognise that “yoga pro-

vides a holistic approach to health and well-being”,

echoing Modi’s remarks in his maiden address to

the 193-member body in September.

Modi had asked world leaders to adopt an

International Yoga Day, saying that by changing

lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us

deal with climate change.

“Yoga embodies unity of mind and body;

thought and action; restraint and fulfillment;

harmony between man and nature; a holistic

approach to health and well being,” he had said.

The resolution would also proclaim June 21 as

the ‘International Day of Yoga’.

It would recognise that wider dissemination of

information about the benefits of practising yoga

would be beneficial for the health of the world pop-

ulation and invite all member and observer states,

organisations of the United Nations system and

other international and regional bodies to observe

the International Day in order to raise awareness

of the benefits of practising yoga.

It would also note the importance of individu-

als and populations making healthier choices and

following lifestyle patterns that foster good health.

The resolution would underscore that global

health is a long-term development objective that

requires closer international cooperation through

the exchange of best practices aimed at building

better individual lifestyles devoid of excesses of

all kinds. Significantly, overwhelming support for

the Modi’s initiative is reflected in the various key

nations that have come on board to co-sponsor the

resolution including the five permanent members

of the Security Council China, France, Russia, UK

and the United States.

Several Asian, European and Latin American

countries and nearly 60 percent of African nations

are also co-sponsors including Afghanistan,

Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh,

Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, Central African Republic,

Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Iran,

Iraq, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar,

Nepal, New Zealand, South Korea, South Africa,

Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, the UAE, and

Vietnam.

Noting that Yoga is “an invaluable gift of our

ancient tradition”, Modi had said in the UN

General Assembly that yoga is not about exercise

“but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself,

the world and the nature”.

Yoga is the 5,000-year-old Indian physical, men-

tal and spiritual practice that aim to transform

body and mind. “By changing our lifestyle and

creating consciousness, it can help us deal with

climate change,” he had said.

130 countries back UN resolution on yoga day