FLEXIBLE VISA REGIME TO INCREASE INDO-LIBYAN TRADE
The flexible visa regime between India and Libya will mitigate the problems being faced by the businessmen and will increase the bilateral trade between the two countries. The Libyan side has already prepared a draft agreement regarding the flexible visa regime, which could be signed during the forthcoming meeting of the Joint Commission after concurrence by the Indian side.The Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement (BIPA) between the two countries is also expected to be signed during the forthcoming meeting. This was indicated in the agreed minutes of the preparatory meeting of 9th Session of Indo-Libyan Joint Commission, which were signed here last evening. The Indian side was led by Shri S. Jagadeesan, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and the Libyan side was led by Mr. Jamal El-Barag, Director General of Foreign Office.
The two sides reiterated the commitment to significantly increase the bilateral trade, since it is much below the potential. For this to achieve, it was felt that institutional mechanism would be strengthened and transaction cost of trade has to be lowered. The Libyan leader informed the meeting about the changes taking place in Libya regarding the privatisation of industries and invited the Indian companies to invest in them.
Shri Jagadeesan said that Indian companies had expertise in sectors like Information Technology, Pharma, Biotechnology and Construction and added that these sectors would be key areas for cooperation. The meeting discussed the possibilities of cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, power, hydrocarbons, health etc. Both sides agreed to sign separate agreement for cooperation in the fields of science & technology and culture.
M P Kottappuram from Kuwait
The Labour situation in Kuwait maybe on the verge of momentous change. Kuwait Trade Union Federation (KTUF) confirmed yesterday that it was considering becoming an active representative of expatriate Labour in the country. Recently, KTUF formed a committee and submitted a 10-page report to the Ministry of Labour citing specific problems that they feel need to be resolved. The committee, composed of leaders from the government and private sectors, is named ‘Defense for all Workers’ and is said to be on the final stage of the project at the moment. Until now, foreign workers had no union representation or protection in Kuwait. The KTUF will be the first Labour union to consider representing expatriate workers in their employment arrangements.
Iranian hunted for bid to rape Lebanese womanPolice are looking for an Iranian man, identified only Asad, for allegedly attempting to rape a Lebanese woman insider her apartment in Maidan Hawally. The victim told police the suspect who had been hired to paint the apartment, attempted to rape her after completing the work. She added, when she screamed for help the suspect escaped. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution recently ordered the detention of Guinea Bissau citizen – who claims to be a diplomat – for allegedly selling forged passports to bedouns (stateless persons) reports local daily.
Mobile phone ‘kills’ youth
KOLLAM: A youth was electrocuted while using the mobile phone at Chavara on Monday.
He was identified as K. Viswajith, 31, s/o Dr Krishnakumar of Parabrahmam hospital, Oachira. Viswajith, an MBA holder, was working as the sales manager of a private insurance company in Kollam. He is survived by wife Rejitha and a son.Viswajith was electrocuted when he attended a call on the mobile phone that was put for charging. The body was cremated after conducting the post-mortem. Chavara police have registered a case
Al-Falak envisions real estate boom in Saudi Arabia
Trains real estate clients in maximizing efficiencies and productivity
gains with PeopleSoft's EnterpriseOne Real Estate softwareDUBAI - August 11, 2004 Al-Falak, a leading IT and Communications solutions provider in the GCC
(Gulf Cooperation Council) region recently conducted a specialist training
programme in PeopleSoft's EnterpriseOne Real Estate Module for its clients
in the real estate sector. The programme, held at the company's corporate
headquarters in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, sought to leverage the advantages
of the software in maximising efficiencies and productivity gains for real
estate organisations in the Middle East."The property development sector in Saudi Arabia is thriving and bigger
construction projects are on the drawing board. This has raised the expectations
of both owners and tenants. But the interaction between the two; the management
and maintenance of the properties; and detailed accounting procedures are
exceedingly complex and time consuming. Many organizations face the challenge
of processing transactions and reporting across their real estate portfolios
in an efficient and timely manner. Basic tasks - such as tenant billings
- that have traditionally been processed in a decentralized environment
can be extremely time-consuming. This decentralized processing can also
lead to communication barriers between corporate offices and property sites,"
explained Ahmed Ali Ashadawi, President and CEO, Al-Falak."Such delays can increase operational costs, as well as dull the competitive
edge of an organisation. While, the choice to implement EnterpriseOne Real
Estate Module would be the first step to ameliorating the situation; optimum
benefits can only be derived from effective implementation. This is where
training plays such an important role. Al-Falak's decision to organise
this training programme is part of the company's commitment to its large
client base in the Middle East real estate sector. The objective is to
maximise benefits for existing clients, as well as deliver information
to potential clients in search for the right solution for their real estate
management," said Ashadawi.PeopleSoft's EnterpriseOne Real Estate Module offers a highly scalable,
web-based processing engine with a high degree of functionality that can
be used to enhance productivity and promote collaboration among employees,
tenants, and owners. Using any web browser, from any location in the world,
at any time of day or night, the software enables real estate professionals
and owners to access critical real estate information in real time from
a single database in a centralized environment.Al-Falak's training programme sought to detail the processes in the software
that would economically resolve operational inefficiencies in diverse activities
such as advanced retail CAM (Client assistance Memo) billings, retail sales
forecasts, occupancy reporting, FASB 13 (Accounting for lease) entries,
late fees and processing cash receipts. The training highlighted processes
involved in automation of all tenant CAM, percentage rent, CPI or late
fee billings, as well as ensuring accuracy of calculations.The training also detailed procedures for absorption of massive growth
in portfolio size while incurring minimal increases in overhead costs;
deployment of roles-based portals and web applications to encourage remote
processing in a single database and centralized environment; and reduction
in processing time for transactional processing and real estate reporting.Besides Al-Falak's existing and potential clients, the staff of the company
also attended the training programme, which served as a skill enhancement
session for the employees. The company will be implementing the EnterpriseOne
Real Estate Module within its corporate structure, thus complimenting the
existing PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne Enterprise Resource Planning module in
use."With over ten years in partnership with JD Edwards-PeopleSoft, Al-Falak
has the in-depth experience to help clients implement the EnterpriseOne
Real Estate Module. This training is part of a detailed programme that
the company has put into place to enable maximum return on investment for
its clients," said Ashadawi.CABE SETS UP SEVEN COMMITTEES TO ADDRESS CRITICAL ISSUES ON EDUCATION
NEW DELHI - August 10 2004 The two-day meeting of Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) ended this evening with a decision to set up seven committees to look into critical issues on education. Announcing this in his concluding remarks, the Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Arjun Singh said that the first committee on Free and Compulsory Education Bill will address issues connected with elementary education and will be headed by the Minister for Science & Technology, Shri Kapil Sibal The second committee on Girl Education and Common School System will be chaired by the Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi. The third committee on universalisation of secondary education will be headed by the Education Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ghanshyam Tiwari.The Education Minister of West Bengal, Shri Kanti Biswas will chair the fourth committee on autonomy of higher education institutions. Shri Arjun Singh said that culture should find its rightful place in our education system and that is why a committee on integration of culture in education in the school curriculum is being set up to be headed by noted litterateur Prof. U.R. Ananthamoorthy. The HRD Minister felt that the text books of NCERT which were changed in recent years had created large scale controversy in the country and said that it has become imperative to have a committee on regulatory mechanism for text books and parallel text books taught in school outside the Government system. This committee will be co-chaired by Prof. Zoya Hassan and Prof. Gopal Guru. The seventh committee on financing of higher and technical education will be chaired by Prof. Bhalchandra Mungekar, Member, Planning Commission. The Minister said that the other members of these committees will be announced by him later and some experts will also be co-opted to these committees. All the committees will give their preliminary reports within six months.
Shri Singh said that the national education policy drawn up in 1986 provided the right direction for education in the whole country and time has now come for its review. He said that a consensual approach will be followed while drawing up the new policy and the advice of the Prime Minister will be taken.
The HRD Minister said that India is a pluralistic country and narrow thinking and partisan views will not be allowed to creep into our education system. He expressed confidence that the CABE which was re-constituted and had its first meeting after a decade will be able to draw a new roadmap in education for the whole country taking into account contemporary needs and realities.
Earlier KM Report about a Related Event
Missing Malayali Returns home
Madhu Unnikrishnan has come back to his house by noon today. The family , his wife Latha and daughter, were relieved to see him coming back after a gap of three days driving his own car. He seems to be disturbed and did not want to disclose details about his disappearance. Apparently he is depressed and did not speak to the media. It is learned that another staff of the same company and same division was missing for a few days last month and he also came back dramatically. While the company officials are till tight lipped, KM is not venturing into any more speculation. It was another story a few years back when one of the executives was found spending lavishly in one of the ladies bear bars in town and was caught for some dubious deals. However, nothing of that sort is suspected now as Madhu is said to be a loyal and sincere worker of the group. There is no question of harassmen of any sort, claimed senior officials. However, other junior level staff are tightlipped and appears to be fearing to speak out to the press.
Earlier Report There is no trace of Madhu Unnikrishnan, NTT senior manager, on the third day of his disappearance as family members and NTT officials continue the frantic search. It is learned that he had left the collection money from ticket sales in the residence and did not carry much cash. Company officials are examining the amount of cash left at home. Just before disappearing, Madhu was dealing with some of the Indian schools. Indian Schools ticket sales involves huge amount of cash, said sources.
750 RESIDENTIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO BE SET UP FOR BACKWARD AND MINORITY GIRLS IN DIFFICULT AREAS
16:39 ISTThe Government of India has approved a new scheme called Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) for setting up upto 750 residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas. The scheme will be coordinated with the existing schemes of Department of Elementary Education & Literacy viz. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) AND Mahila Samakhya (MS).
The scheme would be applicable only in those identified Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) where, as per census data of 2001, the rural female literacy is below the national average and gender gap in literacy is more than the national average. Among these blocks, schools may be set up in areas with:
* Concentration of tribal population, with low female literacy and/or a large number of girls out of school;
* Concentration of SC, OBC and minority populations, with low female literacy and/or a large number of girls out of school;
* Areas with low female literacy; or
* Areas with a large number of small, scattered habitations that do not qualify for a school.
The criteria for eligible EBB will be the same as in the NPEGEL scheme of SSA.
The objective of KGBV is to ensure access and quality education to the girls of disadvantaged groups of society by setting up residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level.
Between 500 to 750 residential schools will be opened in a phased manner over the Xth Plan period at an estimated cost of Rs. 19.05 lakh as recurring cost and Rs. 26.25 lakh as non-recurring cost, per school. Initially, the proposed schools shall be opened in rented or other available Government buildings after deciding the location.
Such residential schools will be set up only in those backward blocks that do not have residential schools for elementary education of girls under any other scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This shall be ensured by the district level authority of SSA at the time of actual district level planning of KGBV initiatives by co-ordinating with the other Departments/Ministries.
The components of the scheme will be as follows:
1. Setting up of residential schools where there are a minimum of 50 girls predominantly from the SC, ST and minority communities available to study in the school at the elementary level. The number can be more than 50 depending on the number of eligible girls.
2. To provide necessary infrastructure for these schools
3. To prepare and procure necessary teaching learning material and aids for the schools
4. To put in place appropriate systems to provide necessary academic support and for evaluation and monitoring
5. To motivate and prepare the girls and their families to send them to residential school
6. At the primary level the emphasis will be on the slightly older girls who are out of school and were unable to complete primary schools (10+). However, in difficult areas (migratory populations, scattered habitations that do not qualify for primary/upper primary schools) younger girls can also be targeted
7. At the upper primary level, emphasis will be on girls, especially, adolescent girls who are unable to go to regular schools
8. In view of the targeted nature of the scheme, 75% girls from SC, ST, OBC or minority communities would be accorded priority for enrolment in such residential schools and only thereafter, 25% girls from families below poverty line
9. Established NGOs and other non-profit making bodies will be involved in the running of the schools, wherever possible. These residential schools can also be adopted by the corporate groups.
The scheme will be implemented by State Governments through the Mahila Samakhya (MS) Society in MS states and through the SSA society in case of other states. Funds will be released as per SSA pattern to the State SSA societies. The monitoring and evaluation at the State and district level will be undertaken by the MS State Resource Centres and in non-MS states, through the committee created for the National Programme for Education of Girls at the Elementary Level in the SSA society.
Training for teachers and staff at the residential schools will be coordinated by the District Institutes of Educational Training, Block Resource Centres and the Mahila Samakhya Resource Groups.
An Advisory State level coordination committee as approved under the NPEGEL scheme, shall provide direction and support to the programme. This group will consist of nominees from relevant State Governments Departments, Government of India, experts in the field of girls education, educationists etc. The selection of an appropriate model of the school and its location would be done by this Committee based on the recommendation of the district committee implementing the NPEGEL and the new proposed scheme.
The National Resource Group (NRG) created under the Mahila Samakhya programme at the National level shall provide inputs on conceptual issues and concerns arising in the programme, and advice GOI on policy matters concerning the education of girls. This group will provide the interface with research and training institutions, women’s movement, educationists and non-governmental institutions and also bring in other experiences of educating girls.
Since the NRG consists of a small number of persons and meets only two to three times in a year, smaller sub committees of the NRG created for specific inputs, like gender training of teachers, development of gender based teaching learning material, development of audio visual programmes etc. will co-opt additional persons from relevant institutions or experts for the purpose.
Based on the number of girls and the type of residential school to be provided, the selection of the model of the school to be selected would be done by a State Level Committee based on the recommendation of the District Committee for the purpose. The proposal shall be forwarded to the Cell at the National level who shall appraise them with the help of external agencies/consultants, where necessary. Finally, the Project approval Board of SSA will approve these plans.
Financial Norms under KGBV
The SSA pattern of financing with a 75:25 ratio of sharing between the Centre and the States during the Tenth Five Year Plan, and 50:50 thereafter, will be adopted for KGBV as well. Commitments regarding sharing of cost would be taken from the State Governments in writing.
The provisions for KGBV will be in addition to the provisions already made under SSA and for NPEGEL. The SSA Society shall ensure convergence of KGBV with NPEGEL and Mahila Samakhya Programme. It shall also ensure that funds allocated are appropriately invested and there is no duplication of activities.
The Government of India would directly release funds to the SSA State Implementation Society. The State Government will also release its share to the State Implementation Society. Funds will be released thereafter to the Mahila Samakhya Society wherever applicable. In States where MS is not being implemented, the implementation of this scheme will be through the ‘Gender Unit’ of SSA Society and existing mechanism used for implementation of SSA will be followed.
The State Society should open a separate Savings Bank Account for operating the funds of KGBV. State Government should also release its matching share to the State SSA Society through a separate budget head. Separate accounts will have to be maintained at district and sub-district structures, accordingly.
Emirates Post endorses the ICDL program for enhancing IT skills
of its employeesThe Training & Testing will be provided at Emirates Post's Training & Development Centre
August 10, 2004 Emirates Post, the national postal corporation of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it is endorsing the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) program making it an integral part of the training courses conducted by its state-of-the-art Training and Development Centre. The move, under which the ICDL certification would be made mandatory for all existing and prospective employees of Emirates Post, is designed to enhance the computer skills of employees working at all levels.
Mr. Abdullah Al Daboos, Director General, Emirates Post, said: "Emirates Post is providing its customers with a range of quality services and is constantly introducing new services in addition to enhancing the existing ones by leveraging the best of breed technologies and IT systems. It is therefore imperative that every employee is thorough in basic computer skills, to ensure the success of our service proposition. The ICDL model was selected because of its proven success in delivering computer training to all segments, irrespective of their levels of computer knowledge."
"More than 600 employees of Emirates Post have been trained in several skill enhancement programs related to postal services at our Training and Development Centre. Delivering ICDL training for our employees through the centre is a key step we have taken in support of the integration of POS services in the corporation. We expect around 300 employees to be ICDL certified in the first year," said Al Daboos.
"Our Training and Development Centre is staffed with professional trainers and has excellent facilities, including conference rooms and advanced computers. The Centre is now fully equipped to extend ICDL training and testing to employees of other local or international corporations paving the way for all postal and non postal employees to gain ICDL certification," he added.
Mrs.Wiaam Shihab Ghanem, Manager, Training and Development Centre, Emirates Post, said: "Today, success in any organisation is linked to the constant appraisal of the employee skill levels. We have been assessing the ICDL program for some time and are impressed by its results internationally and in the Middle East. From a training perspective, the ICDL program has proved to be highly effective because of its comprehensive syllabus and the modular approach to training that addresses different learning styles and caters to all IT skill levels. We have also seen that the ICDL program motivates learners to put to use their newly acquired skills in real situations. The Centre is also assessing the quality of other international certificates which will add value to the range of training programs that we offer."
Mr. Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation, said: "Our partnership with Emirates Post demonstrates the key role ICDL plays in developing an organisation's capacity to meet new challenges through advancing IT skills of personnel at all levels. ICDL program is the most practical way of learning, testing and certifying basic computer skills required in the everyday professional and personal use of computers."
"The adaptation of ICDL program to enhance the IT capabilities of its work force is a further evidence of Emirates Post's leadership in postal industry and vision of continuous modernization in its services" added Ezzo.
ICDL is an internationally recognised computer proficiency standard, governed by the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL), the not-for-profit global regulatory body of the ICDL member countries, and administered by the ICDL GCC Foundation the regional governing body of the ICDL GCC member countries. The ICDL programme has been recognised by international organisations worldwide, and has achieved remarkable success in the Middle East, with government and private organizations including education ministries and academic institutions in the region adopting it as a benchmark for their personnel skills in an IT environment.
Mr. Rich Maclaren, Program Director, ICDL GCC Foundation, said: "The ICDL certificate has in the past to led to tangible economic gains in the regions where it was administered. By endorsing ICDL certification, organisations in the region are taking the right steps in equipping themselves with the skills that drive the engine of economic progress."
The ICDL is a vendor neutral certification program, covers the key concepts of computing, its practical applications and its use in workplace and society. The program teaches participants basic concepts of IT, using the computer and managing files, information and communication and provides in-depth training in word processing, spreadsheets, databases and presentation.
Emirates Post came into existence following the revamp of the General Postal Authority through a Federal Decree in May 2001. It provides a whole range of domestic and international postal services to individuals, businesses, educational institutions and the government bodies in the UAE. Emirates Post is diversifying its range of offering, setting up joint partnerships with local and international players, creating new-look post-offices that offer retail services, expanding the network of post offices and examining the implementation of a door-to-door mail delivery service in the UAE.
The Training and Development Center, which is located at the Karama Main Post Office in Dubai is already providing training for Emirates Post employees in postal services, customer service and training in up and coming services of the corporation. Recently, the center concluded a training program in postal services for the employees of Qatar Post.
Kuwait Monitor by M.P.Kottappuram.
Illegal Entry of Indians to Iraq
It has come to the notice of this Embassy that some Indian nationals have attempted to enter Iraq from Kuwait for taking up jobs there in an unauthorised and illegal way. Some of the Indian Nationals, in the process, have been detained by the Kuwaiti Authorities. It is reiterated that the Government of India has banned Emigration clearance for Iraq and it would be in the best interest of the members of the India community not to attempt to cross the border between Kuwait and Iraq in an unauthorised and illegal manner.
held for conning Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh Asians
Police have arrested three unidentified bedoun (stateless persons), for allegedly impersonating police, waylaying Asians in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and stealing their money, reports local daily. Acting on complaints, security men conducted intensive investigations and arrested the suspects. The complainants recognized the impersonators form a legal line-up. The suspects have been referred to the authorities.
Kuwait Amir pays for repatriation of 509 Sri Lankan maids
Two hundred and ninety Sri Lankan maids were repatriated by the Kuwaiti immigration authorities on a special chartered Amiri plane Tuesday, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Kuwait Abdulrazak Munsoor informed the press. The ambassador said another 219 maids who are currently housed at the Sri Lankan embassy in Jabriya will be repatriated Friday on the Amiri flight. He added that all the formalities to this end have been completed. Most of the maids residence has expired or their passports are still in possession of their sponsors, a source at the embassy told the reporters. The source added that most of these maids have been issued temporary travel documents as their sponsors refused to hand over their passports to the embassy.
YOUNG MIDDLE EAST ACADEMICS AND SCIENTISTS
INVITED TO ENTER BMW GROUP SCIENTIFIC AWARD
70,000 euros prize money on offer
11/08/04 Middle East-based college graduates and young scientists are invited to apply for the international BMW Group Scientific Award 2005, which has total prize money of 70,000 euros.
Young academics from all areas of science can submit a summary of their dissertation, masters or doctoral thesis via their professors. Bachelor and master?s degrees can also be submitted. The application period ends on January 7th, 2005.
The motto of the BMW Group Scientific Award 2005 is ?Passion for Innovation?. The award, which will be presented for the eighth time, addresses young scientists who want to shape the future with their trailblazing ideas and passionate curiosity.
The work submitted must have been completed between 1st January 2003 and 31st December 2004. It will be evaluated by an international jury consisting of representatives from science and business. Decisive criteria will be innovation potential, realistic chances for implementation, benefit for the environment and society as well as efficiency. Authors of the best scientific papers as well as their professors will be awarded at the prize-giving ceremony to be held in autumn 2005.
?The spirit of invention and scientific curiosity needs to be fostered more than ever before?, explained Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Burkhard G?schel, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG and patron of the BMW Group Scientific Award 2005.
"With this award, the BMW Group is also creating an interdisciplinary worldwide network: prize-winners and their professors meet at alumni meetings and come into contact with kindred spirits, as well as representatives from the world of science and business. In addition the BMW Group intensifies its dialogue with universities and colleges, creating a basis on which experiences can be exchanged between business, science and society.?
The BMW Group Scientific Award was inaugurated in 1991 and takes place every two years. There have been 39 prize-winners so far. Two hundred participants from more than 20 countries took part in 2003. Dissertations from 16 different specialist areas were submitted
DTH TO REVOLUTIONISE INDIAN TV BROADCASTING
S.C. Pandya*
16:43 ISTDirect-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting services are a relatively recent development in the world of television (TV). In early 1980’s, the development and use of DTH satellite receivers became a popular alternative for people in rural areas, not served by broadcasters or cable network, to receive TV programmes which were earlier available in urban areas only.
The Government, however, permitted DTH broadcasting in India on November 02, 2000. The primary reason for the Government to have permitted DTH broadcasting seems to be its proven capability of serving rural areas as well as population scattered over vast distances in remote and inaccessible hilly terrains.
Policy Framework
After a long wait of nearly four years, DTH broadcasting seems to be knocking on our door. It is a question of any day, any time. Right now, the Government is busy in finalizing a long term DTH policy to regulate broadcasters, in consultation with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) , which is also the regulatory body for broadcasting industry, in addition to telecommunications.
While finalizing the policy framework, the Government has kept the interest of the consumer in prime focus. That is why; the Government wants to include certain key points in the policy. For example, the pricing of the channels as well as the price of the bouquet of programmes to be offered by each channel should be "reasonable". In addition, the proposed policy should have a mandatory clause of "must sharing of channels" with an affordable price tag to restrain broadcaster from charging exorbitant rates for their channels. This clause will also ensure that DTH does not become monopoly of a few broadcasters only.
In fact, in its recommendation made to the Government, TRAI has very clearly stated that ‘in the unified license regime, subscribers will be able to get all types of telecommunication and broadcast services from a single pipe. In other words, subscribers would not need separate connection for services like cable TV, DTH or broadband’. This is one of the reasons for TRAI to recommend DTH as an alternative platform to offer broadband services.
Technology
Distribution of multi-channel TV programmes directly through satellites is commonly referred to as Direct-to-Home broadcasting services, and is offered in Ku ("kay-you") band. This band refers to a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies i.e., from 11.7 to 12.7 GHz. This segment is used primarily for satellite communication because of its superior quality of transmission and stereo quality audio.
The question often asked is ‘what is the big difference between DTH and a cable network which has become a household name in big as well as small cities and towns’. We all know that it was the cable TV, which made possible for subscribers to view programmes from distant stations, which could not be received by outdoor antenna, which had become the defining skyline of every city. For a monthly subscription, the cable company gave their subscribers the choice of many more channels than was possible earlier.
For the uninitiated, it will be sufficient to know that, in most respects, DTH programmes reach the subscriber in much the same way as cable programmes except that the subscribers are not forced to get a cable connection from an intermediary known as the cable operator. Like cable operators, DTH programme suppliers also package a variety of programmes and market them to their subscribers by charging a monthly fee. But, the similarity ends here. The two systems differ basically in the technology, which is used for transmitting signals from the broadcaster and later receiving the same back to be sent to the subscriber’s TV set. While the cable subscribers access their programmes from terrestrial stations, DTH subscribers receive the programmes directly from high-powered telecommunications satellites stationed in geosynchronous orbit nearly 36,000 km above the earth.
Geosynchronous Orbit
When a satellite is placed in geosynchronous orbit, it appears to be stationary in relation to the earth with the result that it would always seem to be at the same point vis-à-vis any place on the earth. That is why, this is the most preferred orbit for satellite broadcasters as well as subscribers who have to install a small dish antenna, measuring about 18 inches or even less in diameter, for receiving programmes directly from the satellite. Because of the satellite being in a geosynchronous orbit, the direction of the antenna has not to be adjusted every now and then.
But, a dish antenna alone is not enough for availing of the facility of DTH programmes. In addition, the subscriber requires a set-top box as well. While the dish antenna is fixed on the roof, the set-top box is placed directly above the TV set. Once these two are in place, the subscriber can choose and receive the channel of his choice. This is its real cutting edge. Depending upon the capability of the programme provider, the number of channels can theoretically go up to 300 or more if the TV set is tuned to receive such large number of channels.
Set-top-Box
It is an integrated receiver and decoder contraption, which, in fact, is the heart of the DTH system at the receiving end.The broadcaster transmits (technically called uplinking) audio and video programmes in the form of signals in a digital format to a designated transponder already fitted inside a designated satellite.
The transponder amplifies and changes that signal to a different format so that it does not interfere with the signals leaving the transponder (technically called downlinking) on their return journey to earth. This signal is captured by the dish antenna that feeds the same to the set-top box which coverts the signal back to its original format for all of us to enjoy it on the TV set.
Pros and Cons!
The number of channels offered by DTH service is no doubt its most appealing feature, but its major drawback is the initial cost of getting this system. Depending upon the service provider and the brand of equipment, it may not be within the reach of common man who can very well afford cable services.
Another drawback will, however, be faced by people living in Himalayan region and in areas like Cherrapunji which experience world’s heaviest rainfall throughout the year. DTH signals in these areas, as in similar areas in Europe and the US, often suffer from fading of signals due to snow fade and rain fade interference.
But the biggest drawback, according to experts, is that in about 80 million TV homes in the country, nearly one-third of the television sets are so outdated that they can receive just about 10 channels. In addition, these sets do not have the state-of-the-art technology compatible with that of a set-top box. Subscribers having these ‘outdated’ sets will, therefore, have to invest not only in a dish antenna and a set-top box but also in a new TV set, which only well-to-do households can afford. To enjoy DTH services, the common man will, willy-nilly, have to wait till the prices come down, which will, in any case.
*Freelance WriterT. R. BAALU MEETS NATWAR SINGH TO SECURE RELEASE OF FISHERMEN ABDUCTED BY THE SRI LANKAN NAVY
The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Shri T. R. Baalu today said that all efforts are being made to secure an early release of the fishermen abducted by the Sri Lankan Navy. About 25 fishermen belonging to the Akkaraipettai village of Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu were abducted by the Sri Lankan Navy along with their boats on August 4, 2004.Shri Baalu met the External Affairs Minister, Shri Natwar Singh this morning and requested for his personal intervention in securing the immediate release of fishermen. Shri Baalu handed over a copy of the letter of Dr. Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi, President, DMK, conveying the deep concern of President of DMK over the unfortunate incident along with the request for necessary steps to avoid such incidents in the future. The people of Tamil Nadu State, especially the families of the fishermen, are waiting anxiously for their release, the Minister emphasised. Shri Natwar Singh assured him that the matter is being taken up on an urgent basis with his counterpart in Sri Lanka and expected an early end to the agony of the abducted fishermen and their families.