Media Monitor - 18 October 2004

Journalist Ali-Reza Jabari released after more than 18 months in prison

Reporters Without Borders welcomed the release on 14 October 2004 of Ali-Reza Jabari, contributor to several newspapers, after more than 18 months in prison.The worldwide press freedom organisation said that international pressure and a campaign by Chilean author Isabel Allende were responsible for the decision to free Jabari who, despite being more than 60 years old and suffering heart trouble, received 174 lashes in detention.Isabel Allende had lobbied the highest authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran to secure the ailing journalist's early release, said Reporters Without Borders.Jabari was sentenced on 19 April 2003 to four years in prison, 253 lashes and a fine of six million Rials (about 1,000 euros) for "drinking and distributing alcoholic drinks, adultery and incitement to immoral acts", a charge regularly used against secular figures. Jabari is an outspoken commentator who writes for the monthly
Adineh and a member of the Iranian Writers Association.

Gold Jewellery Exports Cross $ 1 billion this year

Exports of gold jewellery from India crossed US $ one billion in five months (April-August) of the current financial year 2004-2005, having increased by a record 141 % to reach a figure of US $ 1007.14 million ( i.e., $ I billion ) as against US $ 416.96 million worth of exports during the corresponding period of the last financial year 2003-2004. This was indicated by Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry, at the inauguration of India’s largest gold and jewellery show – “Festival of Gold 2004” – here today.

The Festival, which will be on for a week (18-24,2004), is being organised by MMTC Limited, India’s leading bullion trader and a Government of India enterprise. Shri S.D. Kapoor, Chairman and Managing Director, MMTC, was present along with senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and MMTC, besides the Bollywood actress, Ms. Dia Mirza, who displayed some of the most vibrant and scintillating creations. The varieties of gold and precious stone jewellery at the exhibition, the seventh in the series, are all hallmarked and certified for purity by MMTC.

Shri S. D. Kapoor said that “the forum provided by the company is a tribute to the famed artisans from different parts of the country with the sole objective of reaching their craft to the customers with the guarantee of purity and trust from MMTC”. The Indian jewellery market is growing at the rate of 15 to 20 % each year. Timed in sync with the festive season, the Festival of Gold is an exciting opportunity for traders and consumers alike to transact in a large range of precious stones and semi-precious jewellery, hallmarked for quality and purity. The exhibition is being supported by the World Gold Council (WGC).

Visit Visa Racket Still Rampant in Dubai : KM Bureau Dubai

Workers of More Safety and Security Want Protection from Company owner More

PASSPORT COLLECTION CENTRE AT JHUNJHUNU, RAJASTHAN

A Passport Collection Centre is to be opened at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. It has been approved by the Central Government. The Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Shri Sis Ram Ola, took the initiative for this. He has described it as a significant step for the inhabitants of Jhunjhunu district in particular from where a large number of labourers go to the West Asian countries for jobs. The educated people from the district also go abroad for trade and higher education. They have to travel to Delhi or Jaipur for passports. Once the Passport Collection Centre becomes operational in Jhunjhunu they would not have to face the ordeal, he said.The proposed Passport Collection Centre at Jhunjhunu would also serve the people living in Churu, Sujangarh and Ganganagar districts of the state.

MAURITIUS MINISTER SEEKS ASSISTANCE FOR PROMOTION OF TAMIL CULTURE

The Mauritius Art and Culture Minister, Mr. Motee Ramdass today called on the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss and sought his help in the promotion of the Tamil art and culture in the island nation. The Mauritius Minister was accompanied by the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of Tamil Cultural Centre Trust. The delegation explained to the Minister that there was a vibrant Tamil population in the island and the younger generation was unaware of the origin of Tamil culture although they were initiated into singing of Tamil kirtans and songs in schools.

The Tamil Culture Trust sought the help of the Minister in promoting Tamil art, culture and language. They wanted that the Tamil music schools should be accredited to a university of Tamilnadu so that proper degrees could be awarded. The delegation also sought the assistance of the Minister in setting up of a world class eye care hospital. Dr. Ramadoss promised the delegation that all assistance would be extended by his party as also the other partners in the DPA Alliance in Tamilnadu. He informed the delegation that the leader of his party organizes a function every year to felicitate Tamil writers and leaders all over the world. The parties in the DPA Alliance in Tamilnadu had convinced the Centre on the importance of Tamil and it had recently been declared as a classical language.

VIETNAM SHOWS KEEN INTEREST IN INDIAN BUDDHIST SITES

Vietnam has shown keen interest in Indian Buddhist sites. To facilitate visit of Vietnamese in larger groups, both the countries will consider possibilities of direct airlink and other measures required. This was decided in bilateral talks between Ms. Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State for Tourism and Ms Vo Thi Thang, Minister for Tourism of Vietnam, here today.

Both the sides also agreed to exchange tour operators, travel writers and expertise in other areas of tourism. Several measures for promotion of bilateral cooperation in tourism were discussed during the meeting. Ms. Renuka Chowdhury said that India gives very high priority to south Asian countries in tourism promotion, as there are strong cultural bonds with these countries. Exchange of tourists will further strengthen these bonds. She said that India has already allowed unrestricted flights from Vietnam to facilitate tourists as a part of initiatives taken to increase connectivity with ASEAN countries. She also announced that India would provide human resource development training and IT expertise to Vietnam in the area of tourism. She expressed desire to have Vietnamese expertise in the area of marine tourism.

Vietnamese Minister said that Indian Buddhist sites are very popular destination. Vietnam is looking up at more tourism opportunities with India by increase connectivity and exchange of tourism expertise, she added. She announced that very soon Vietnam would hold road shows in various Indian cities and invite travel writers. She said that her country has decided to give high focus to India in its tourism promotion plans.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

BROADBAND: ALWAYS-ON DATA CONNECTION

Broadband servicehas enabled one to lead better quality of life through various applications such as tele-education, tele-medicine, e-governance, entertainment as well as employment generation . The service has made the growth of GDP possible through high-speed access to information and web-based communication. Keeping this in view, the Government has finalised ‘Broadband Policy – 2004’ to accelerate the growth of Broadband services. The key reflections of the Policy have been - affordability and reliability of Broadband services, incentives for creation of additional infrastructure, employment opportunities, induction of latest technologies, national security and bring in competitive environment so as to reduce regulatory interventions.

The demand for Broadband is primarily conditioned and driven by Internet and Personal Computer (PC) penetration. The level of Internet and Broadband access in the country is low as compared to many Asian countries. Currently, high speed Internet access is available at various speeds from 64 kilobits per second (kbps) onwards and presently, an always-on high speed Internet access at 128 kbps is considered as ‘Broadband’. There are no uniform standards for Broadband connectivity and various countries follow various standards. Therefore, the Government envisions an accelerated growth in Internet penetration and PC as the success of Broadband would largely be dependent on their spread.

Broadband Policy 2004

Broadband has been defined as an always-on data connection supporting interactive services including Internet access with minimum download speed of 256 Kbps per subscriber. The service providers are encouraged to select technologies and equipments offering higher data rate. The new broadband policy aims to target three million broadband subscribers and six million Internet subscribers with a timeframe of December 2005. By the end of year 2010, the policy aims to target 20 million broadband subscribers and 40 million Internet subscribers.

The policy encourages creation and growth of infrastructure through various technologies that can mutually co-exist like optical fibre technologies, digital subscriber lines on copper loop, cable TV network, Satellite and terrestrial wireless technologies. The choice is left to the service provider.

Copper loop using Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) can provide Broadband services. The age and the condition of copper loop in the country may at best provide 6 million broadband connections. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.(BSNL)/Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd.(MTNL) along with other owners of copper loop are expected to provide about two million connections by the end of 2005. Further recognising that last mile copper loop is not a ‘bottleneck facility’ for broadband services, access providers shall be free to enter into mutually agreed commercial arrangements for utilisation of available copper loop for expansion of broadband services including content. Use of brand name being treated as a part of the value shall be permitted in such commercial arrangement.

With the new policy in place, the Government intends to make available transponder capacity for Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) services at competitive rates after taking into consideration the security requirements. The Department of Telecom (DoT), in consultation with the concerned Ministries, would soon be proposing additional measures with regard to Open Sky Policy for VSAT operators. VSAT operators would be closely associated while determining the transponder usage charges.

The service providers shall be permitted to enter into franchisee agreement with cable TV network operators. The licensee, however, shall be responsible for compliance of the terms and conditions of the licence. Further in the case of Direct-to-Home (DTH) services, the service providers shall be permitted to provide Receive-Only-Internet Service after obtaining ISP licence from DoT. The DTH Service providers will also be permitted to provide bi-directional Internet services after obtaining VSAT and ISP licence from the DoT.

Significance

The New Broadband Policy is multi-faceted. With the new policy in force, the spread of fibre networks shall be emphasised keeping in view the long term perspective as they are able to provide huge amounts of bandwidth in the last mile as well as provide a true IP and converged network that can deliver high quality voice, data and video.

It has been decided to de-license 2.40-2.48 GHz band for low power outdoor use on non-protection, non-interference and non-exclusive basis. The 5.15-5.35 GHz band shall be de-licensed for the indoor use of low power Wi-Fi systems. For outdoor use, the band 5.25-5.35 GHz shall be de-licensed in consultation with Department of Space while delicensing in the band 5.15-5.25 GHz would be considered after the process of vacation.

To simplify Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations (SACFA)/Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) clearance, the VSAT operators shall be allowed to start the installation process for VSAT terminals after a period of one month of submitting all relevant documents to WPC for SACFA/WPC clearance wherever the total height of such installation is less than 5 meters above the rooftop of an authorised building. In the case of Receive-Only VSAT terminals and DTH with Receive-Only-Internet, no SACFA/WPC clearance will be required wherever the total height of such installation is less than 5 metres above the rooftop of an authorised building.

A transparent scheme is being outlined separately for time-bound frequency allocation, siting clearance and wireless licensing by removing the cumbersome procedures, computerization and by setting predetermined standards. To keep pace with technological advances, throughput and antenna size for VSATs are proposed to be reviewed periodically.

Commercial VSAT service providers having ISP licence shall be permitted use of same hub station and remote station to provide internet service directly to the subscribers. Further this remote stations shall be permitted to be used as a distribution point to provide Internet services to multiple independent subscribers.

The role of other facilitators such as electricity authorities, various departments of State governments such as IT, Local Self Governments, Panchayats, Health and Family Welfare and Education is very important to carry the advantage of broadband services to the users particularly in rural areas.

The Government has assigned high priority to indigenous manufacture of broadband related equipments and shall endeavour to work closely with the concerned ministries and manufacturers’ associations so that the equipments are made available at an affordable price.

Another milestone for KM reporting - Visa Agent involved in the case below is n Police Custody at Kanooor --KM Special watch this space.