KM News -Aligarh varsity campus to be set up in Kerala -Petition Against Chidambaram's Election to Parliament Saudis hold 'cross-dressing men' --French head of Qatar media watchdog quits--Kerala Concerned about higher education reforms<
GCC-European Free Trade Association sign free trade agreement
June 27, 2009 -The GCC Secretary-General Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah and Sheikh Ghazi Bin Said Al-Bahar Al-Rawas, Sultanate of Oman, which heads the Council of Ministers of the GCC, signed a free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on June 22, 2009, in the city of Hammer, Norway. The EFTA comprises Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Ministerial Conference of the "EFTA" countries held on the same day.
Commenting on the development, Juma Mohammed Ahmed Al-Kait, Executive Director for Foreign Trade Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade, who headed the trade services negotiations team for the Gulf countries, said that this landmark agreement, which aims to bring in trade liberalization and promote investment opportunities and partnership between the two sides, was signed after a period of extensive negotiations which started in February 2006 and went on till April 2008. He said that the agreement covers areas such as commercial trade, exchange of services, intellectual property protection, governmental purchases, and methodology for arbitrating conflicts. In addition, the agreement seeks economic partnership through investments and the reduction of customs duties on most goods exchanged by both sides, especially agricultural goods.
With regard to the trade in services, the agreement will improve the access to markets and open up sectors that are of interest to both sides. The agreement will also provide an opportunity for companies from both regions to participate in government tenders within a framework of transparency in procedures and in accordance with specific regulations. It should be noted that the UAE is the sixth major partner of the "EFTA" in terms of the volume of bilateral trade, which reached USD 8.7 billion in 2008. It is expected that this agreement will further increase the volume of bilateral trade and investment between the two sides, as the rapid economic growth rates of the Gulf countries will enhance investment opportunities for companies in the two regions.
Priorities : 100 Days projects for foreigners!
India, Germany to form Joint Working Group on Education
India and Germany are proposing to set up a joint working group on education. This was discussed during a meeting between Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development and Professor Max. G. Huber, Vice President of the German Academic Exchange Service. This working group, draft preparation for which will be undertaken immediately, will act as an umbrella organisation which will encompass all areas including research, academic training programmes, setting up of chairs in each other’s countries’, academic and faculty exchange programmes, etc.Shri Sibal pointed out that the area in which India and Germany could work together fruitfully was in skill development. He talked about the HRD Ministry proposal to set up community polytechnics, which will specialise in imparting skills. He cited the example of the several German automobile units in India, for which skilled manpower could be generated through a focussed programme in skill development between India and Germany, which will benefit both countries. The German delegation expressed their interest in the imparting of joint degrees by Germany and India. The HRD Minister stated that the opening up of the education sector in India was proposed in the HRD Ministry’s 100 day plan.
CAG Raps Kerala Government for Financial Mismanagement
The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India for the year ended March 31, 2008 (Civil), Government of Kerala has been laid on the table of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 23, 2009. Summary of the most important points highlighted in the Report:
Financial position of the State Government
The revenue expenditure during the year increased by 19.5 per cent as compared to 16.1 per cent growth in the revenue receipts which resulted in increase of revenue deficit by Rs 1,146.91 crore. Within the non-plan revenue expenditure, four components - Salary, Pension, Interest payments and Subsidy - constitute 75 per cent of non-plan revenue expenditure during the year. Plan expenditure was 16.7 per cent of the total expenditure while the capital expenditure was 5.4 per cent. Fiscal liabilities of the State were 2.8 times of its revenue receipts and its ratio to Gross State Domestic Product was 39.1 per cent. Return on the Government’s investment in Statutory Corporations, Government Companies, Other Joint Stock Companies, Co-operative Banks and Societies was negligible.
Nutrutional Programme for Primary Schools
The enrolment figures reported to GOI for availing assistance under the scheme was inflated which resulted in excess allotment of rice. Out of Rs 11.20 crore released by GOI for constructing kitchen-cum-store, replacement of cooking devices and strengthening management, monitoring and evaluation, Rs 10.97 crore remained unutilised as of June 2008. There was delay ranging from two to twelve months in release of cooking charges to schools. Monitoring committees as prescribed in GOI guidelines were either not constituted or were not meeting as envisaged. Monthly and quarterly progress reports were not sent to GOI by Director of Public Instruction (DPI) during 2003-08.
Handlook Industries Development
The Industries Department did not have a reliable and accurate database for planning and implementation of various schemes in the handloom sector. During 2005-08, Rs 34.23 crore of budgeted funds remained unspent due to non-availing of Central assistance in full. Under the Central Scheme, Deen Dayal Hatkargha Prothsahan Yojana (DDHPY) Rs 1.01 crore released to 58 Primary Handloom Weaver’s Co-operative Societies (PHWCS) in three test checked districts were diverted for working capital. Training imparted at a cost of Rs 1.70 crore under DDHPY was unfruitful as the weavers were not trained to use Jacquard and Dobby which were essential for weaving design patterns. Out of Rs 2.95 crore given for design input, Rs 1.19 crore had become unfruitful as the societies did not adopt the design supplied by the agencies and Rs 1.76 crore released to the societies did not serve the intended purpose.
Non Conventional Energy Sources
Though Government have formulated Renewable Energy Policy in 2002, no follow-up measures were taken either by Government or the Nodal Agency, Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT). ANERT could spend only Rs 7.72 crore (54 per cent) for implementation of programmes against Rs 14.26 crore received during 2003-08.
As no follow-up action was taken by ANERT, Rs 4.18 crore incurred for installation of Solar Home Lighting System and Solar Street Lighting System under Solar Village Electrification Programme was not reimbursed by Government of India.
Failure to submit timely proposals in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy resulted in loss of Central assistance of Rs 8.31 crore for implementation of Remote Village Electrification Programme in 115 colonies.
Computerisation in Land Department
‘Computerisation of Basic Tax Records’ a Cent per cent Centrally Sponsored Project started in 1991 is still at data entry stage even after 17 years. Issue of computerised Record of Rights, the primary objective of computerisation of land records, could not be achieved for want of amendments to Acts and Rules and Computerised certificates were issued with unvalidated data. Hardware obtained exclusively for Taluk offices at the cost of Rs 3.58 crore were lying idle for more than three years for want of commencement of online operations. Failure to take adequate care while assessing the technical requirements of interfacing software resulted in wasteful expenditure of Rs 1.55 crore.
Livestock Department
The implementation of Central scheme ‘Assistance to State for Control of Animal Diseases’ was poor and Rs 3.39 crore of Central funds was credited to State’s revenue instead of refunding it to GOI. Rupees 4.07 crore of grant released by GOI during 2006-08 towards Cattle Insurance Scheme remained unutilised with the Kerala Livestock Development Board.
Audit of Transactions
Execution of agreements with a contractor firm by Superintending Engineer, National Highway South Circle, Thiruvananthapuram in violation of Government directions resulted in excess payment of Rs 5.50 crore on two road works, Viz., Varkala-Paripally road and Kilimanoor-Varkala road, taken up under ‘Central Road Fund Scheme’.
Central assistance of Rs 4.05 crore released for implementation of four schemes could not be utilised for the past three years due to delay in implementation of schemes.
Central assistance of Rs 31.61 crore released in March 2006 for Micro Irrigation remained unutilized and State Government saved Rs 1.51 crore towards interest on advance/overdraft consequent upon transfer and retention of unutilized Central funds in Government accounts during 2007-08.
Recession Hit Foreign Universities Flock to India as Foreign Direct Investment in Education is Liberalised
Hardly a month after assuming power in New Delhi, the new UPA government is moving very fast to allow foreign direct investment in elementary and higher education. A country which has one third of the all illiterates in the world offers a lucrative market for foreign universities which are hit hard by the ongoing economic crisis. The opening of Indian educational sector for foreigners opens a big untapped multibillion dollar business for the recession hit American Universities and their potential partners, mostly linked to the political parties ruling the center. About 40 per cent of India's 1.1 billion people are under the age of 18, and there is demand to create 1500 new colleges and universities over the next couple of years. Foreign universities are the best methods to introduce neo colonial values and influence the value system and thinking process. A new minister in the UPA Government is aiming to make a fortune by bringing foreign universities to India. In anticipation of the business potential, a leading Minister in the new government has already established his own educational outlets in Kerala.
According to the National Knowledge Commission of India, more than 160,000 Indian students are currently attending colleges and universities abroad, spending roughly $4 billion annually. Indian and Chinese students comprise the largest number of foreign students in America. More than 76,000 of the estimated 580,000 foreign nationals studying at the university level in the United States are Indian.
Half of the worlds top 200 Universities and Colleagues are from the USA and a number of American Universities have their sight on the Indian education sector. Many of these universities --California State University, Long Beach; Cornell University, Rice University, Champlain College, Columbia University, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Ohio University - have started their fully owned operations in India or planning partnerships with other universities.
The Government is removing all major rules and regulations for foreign universities. Senior US Education Department officials visited India with the presidents of several universities. Steven J White, US Deputy Chief of Mission, American Chamber of Commerce said in New Delhi during the annual general meeting that the economic crisis has hit American universities very hard. He said on April 24 2009: "Public institutions are straining under reduced budgets from revenue strapped state governments and private institutions have seen a plunge in the value of their endowments. For the time being, American higher education leaders are scaling back their global expansion plans to focus on their core businesses. Although Indian students represent the largest community of overseas students at American colleges and universities, the recession may affect the ability of many families to afford American education costs this year - as well as the ability of the institutions to offer generous scholarships."
He said education is a very important element of the Obama Administration's platform for American renewal. As we look beyond the economic downturn, we can see that in both countries there is a serious need to expand the number of qualified trained engineers and computer scientists. "We will urge your next government to actively promote cooperation between Indian and American educational institutions, because current restrictions have done much to discourage the kinds of linkages that will increase mutually beneficial research and contribute to the supply of highly qualified graduates so desperately needed for growth in India," Steven said.
According to one report, student enrollments in India have grown to over 12 Million, from just 0.1 Million in 1947. There are a whole new class of education providers, including private institutes, distance education providers, self-financing courses in public institutions and foreign education providers. India has over 400 universities and nearly 21,000 colleges serving the current student base. In order to achieve its target of 21 Million students annually going for higher education by 2012, India needs to invest huge amounts on its higher education infrastructure development and deployment. According to the UNESCO ranking, India is home to one in every three illiterate persons in the world. With 34% of the illiterate population in the world, India has the largest number of illiterates by far, with second-placed China at 11%.--Keep watching for new schools, education companies and private universities mushrooming.....
India USA to fight Terrorism
US National Security Adviser General James L Jones (retd.) visited New Delhi at the invitation of Shri M. K. Narayanan, National Security Adviser on June 25-26, 2009. This was General Jones' first visit to India. Dialogue between the National Security Advisers of India and the USA is one of the several bilateral mechanisms in the India-US relationship. The visit provided an opportunity for both sides to review the current state and future growth of the India-US partnership. General James Jones conveyed President Obama's commitment to expanding bilateral relations in all areas, and the importance attached by the US Administration in working with India in shaping events in the twenty first century at the regional and global level. Shri M.K. Narayanan conveyed the desire of the Government of India to build a wide-ranging and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States, based on the successes of the past, our shared values and converging interests. Apart from bilateral issues, the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and global issues such as terrorism were discussed. During his visit, General James Jones also called on the Prime Minister and Defence Minister.
India and the US have called upon the International community to jointly fight terrorism. These views were expressed during a meeting between the visiting US National Security Advisor General James Jones and the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony here today. The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress in various aspects of bilateral relations. The US National Security Advisor said that Washington was eager to consolidate its relations with New Delhi in all spheres. Terming India as an emerging global power, General Jones said that the Indo-US partnership will be crucial to regional and global peace and stability. General Jones was accompanied by the US Embassy’s Charge d’ Affairs and Acting Ambassador Mr. Peter Burleigh and Mr. Don Camp, Senior Director for South Asia. The Indian delegation included the Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor and the Defence Secretary Shri Vijay Singh.
Government Committed to Improve Higher Education: Kabil Sabil
The Indian Government is committed towards improving the education system in the country, Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Human Resource Development when Prof. Yashpal presented to him the final report of the Committee on ‘Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education’(Prof. Yashpal Committee Report). The Minister underlined that a single day cannot be wasted towards enabling the right for children to be educated. This education must be inclusive and with quality he added. Shri Sibal emphasized the three principles of access, equity and excellence which will not be compromised while implementing the educational reform agenda.
The Minister said that he was already aware of the interim report of the Yashpal Committee and that he was committed to implement the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission and the Yashpal Committee which would be pivotal towards the reforms in the educational sector in the country. Shri Sibal said that the Ministry of Human Resource Development would like to place on record deep appreciation for the document which is a road map for the education for the future in the country. He said that the Yashpal Committee has done extensive dialogue with all stakeholders, and it will thus, be acceptable to the nation.
Dulsco disburses workers' salaries through Cash Machines
June 25, 2009 -Dulsco, the region's largest human resource solutions and waste management service provider, has announced that in 2008 it began deploying an electronic cash payment facility for its employees, becoming one of the first organisations in the region to implement this pioneering payment scheme. The new initiative, which is in line with Dulsco's corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, is benefiting over 4,500 workers based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah, who are receiving their monthly salary through cash dispensing machines (CDM) that have been installed at the Dulsco employee camps.
Dulsco has appointed Workers Equity Holding (WEH), a UAE-based company approved by the Ministry of Labour to provide electronic wage payment solutions, to install the CDMs. WEH has also provided the relevant web-based software applications that automatically load monthly salary information provided by Dulsco into the CDMs. Moreover, Dulsco has revealed that the new salary distribution scheme has been configured to ensure greater corporate transparency as the Labour Ministry also has access to Dulsco's account with WEH to check if wages are disbursed in a timely manner to the employees.
Prakash Mahadalkar, Director of Finance and Administration, Dulsco LLC said: "The new payment facility reinforces Dulsco's commitment to promoting the welfare of its employees as they are the core assets of our organisation. Employees no longer have to stand in long queues in the time-consuming process of manually receiving salaries in cash. The new initiative also greatly improves the employees’ ability to save as they now have a convenient and secure place for safekeeping of their money through the CDMs, where they can now simply withdraw any
amount they require as the need arises. Moreover, Dulsco is taking care of the entire cost of administration, so employees do not have to pay anything to enjoy this special privilege."Mr. Ibrahim Darraz, General Manager, WEH commented: "The new payment facility eliminates the lengthy process of distributing salary by cash to each employee, which has been a source of various problems and is a major inconvenience. The CDM has also emerged as a popular payment solution in view of the difficulties companies encounter when opening bank accounts for employees. Dulsco has been quick to appreciate the merits of this ground-breaking solution, which we believe underscores the company's foresight and commitment to protecting the interest of its workers. WEH will soon introduce new services such as automated remittances and a mobile top-up service which will further assist Dulsco employees to make remittances to their home country.”
Saudi Police Arrest 67 men for Cross Dressing
June 25, 2009 The arrests of 67 men in Riyadh on June 13, 2009, reportedly for wearing women's clothing, violate basic human rights to privacy and freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on Saudi authorities to drop charges against the men, most of them from other countries, and release any they are still holding.
"If the police in Saudi Arabia can arrest people simply because they don't like their clothes, no one is safe," said Rasha Moumneh, researcher in the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch.The episode was reported by the Saudi daily Al-Riyadh on June 16 and corroborated by independent sources contacted by Human Rights Watch who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisal. The newspaper reported that several men outside a private party, held in an east Riyadh neighborhood to celebrate the Philippines' Independence Day, were arrested for what the police told them was "suspicious behavior" because they were wearing women's clothing.
The police questioned the men, then raided the party, arresting 67 men in all, including one Yemeni and numerous Filipinos, Al-Riyadh reported. The police said they found more women's clothing, cosmetics, and alcohol. While Saudi law prohibits possession of alcohol, the reports indicated that it was the men's dress that prompted the police to conduct the raid and make the arrests.Roussel Reyes, the vice consul of the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, told Human Rights Watch that the men face charges of "imitating women" and possession of alcohol. The Filipino men were released after their respective work sponsors posted bail. Human Rights Watch could not discover the whereabouts of the Yemeni national.
Shari'a law, as interpreted and enforced in Saudi Arabia, remains uncodified; no written and accessible legal standards exist that criminalize the wearing of women's clothing by men. Nevertheless, Saudi judges have in the past imposed sentences, ranging from imprisonment to flogging, on men accused of behaving like women.In recent years, Saudi authorities have periodically raided parties and gatherings where men allegedly wore women's clothing. In March 2005, over 100 men were arrested for imitating women and sentenced in unfair trials to imprisonment and flogging after police raided a private party held in a rented hall in Jeddah. In July of that year, all of the men were pardoned and released.
How persons choose to dress and present themselves is integral to their free expression and privacy. These rights are set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which reflects customary international law. Any interference by the state in these rights should be only on the basis of clear and accessible domestic law, and then is only permitted to the most limited extent possible to meet a legitimate aim."Arresting and charging people simply because the police decide that their appearance is unacceptable strikes at the heart of human freedom," said Moumneh.
