I feel very happy with the resounding success achieved by you in the last six years through hard work and sincerity. Congratulations once again.

Rajgopal

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INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK

By show casing Sikkim as the ultimate Eco Tourism destination & by launching new projects efforts are being made to augment flow of inbound tourists round the year, said G.P.Upadhyaya Commissioner & Secretary Tourism to Sikkim Government.

In an interview to <whispersinthecorridors.com>he unveiled how the Sikkim was doing aggressive marketing to ensure constant traffic of tourists.Upadhyaya said even setting up of casinos is on the anvil. According to G.P.Upadhaya "Government has also permitted running of casinos in 5-star hotels by law to attract investment in 5-star hotels. We have received offers from reputed groups who have evinced keen interest in setting up such properties with casino." Replying to a question he said "Sikkim is giving tremendous emphasis to promotion of adventure and eco-tourism." Here goes his interview:

1/What are new projects that Sikkim tourism is contemplating to take?

A-The new projects planned are- 95 ft tall metal statue of Lord Buddha, World's largest metal bell weighing 100 tonnes, hanging bridge on a cliff, amusement parks, mono rail, Ropeways and various trekking trails through dense and virgin forests. I also envisage flow of tourists through Nathula trade route between India and China in next 2-3 years. Sikkim has taken several initiatives in the recent past to create several new tourism products. Notable among them are 135 ft. high statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse, beautification of a large number of water falls of stunning beauty, ropeways at various places, rock gardens and river bank developments, view points and way-side amenities, a large number of trekking trails through dense and virgin forests, several lakes with boating facilities and a several eco-friendly resorts. Projects in the pipeline are a 95ft high metal statue of Lord Buddha, World's largest metal bell weighing around 100 tonnes, Jurassic park, amusement park at the river bank, hanging bridge, underground laser show in abandoned mining tunnel, cultural village and several other ropeways. Sikkim is being helped generously by Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of DoNER (Department of Development of North Eastern Region) along with the state govt. All this is being done while preserving the ecology and environment of Sikkim by banning plastic bags and fitting all commercial vehicles with dust bins.

2/What steps are being taken to have constant traffic of inbound tourists from India & abroad?

A-Creation of new tourist attractions and products helps us to keep interest alive in Sikkim. Further, Sikkim's peaceful atmosphere (perhaps the most peaceful place on earth) and political stability also helps. We are indulging in aggressive marketing of Sikkim both in India and abroad for wide publicity by regularly participating in tourism fairs and festivals and ads and articles in print/electronic media. Sikkim is giving tremendous emphasis to promotion of adventure and eco-tourism. A big leap in this direction is being taken by SAATO (Sikkim Association of Adventure Tour Operators) who are holding their third annual convention at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 13to 15 Aug. All the North Eastern states are supporting this initiative of SAATO and they have all been invited to attend this convention and discuss the possibility of forging meaningful partnerships with adventure tour operators of South East Asia. Sikkim has been able to create the infrastructure of an Institute of Adventure and Eco-Tourism at Chemchey in South Sikkim with the help of Ministry of Tourism and we are now planning to make it operational with the help of SAATO and IAATO.
Further, Sikkim is also planning to host the 5th National Rafting Championship in river Teesta during May 2008 with the help of Indian Rafting Association (IRA). Efforts are also afoot to establish a rafting school in Sikkim with the help of IRA.

Despite its best efforts, heavy concentration of tourists during the months of April-June and Oct-Dec seems inescapable, especially because of school holidays and scorching Indian summer. Nonetheless, Sikkim Tourism is trying to disperse the tourist concentration by offering deep discounts coupled with showcasing attractions of different moods of nature during monsoon months (July-Sep) and winters (Jan-Feb).

3/In what way your tourism policy is different from other states in the North East? Please elaborate.

A-Our policy is creation of tourism infrastructure in the public domain and creation of tourism trade infrastructure in the private domain. In addition, our people are very warm and hospitable and Sikkim's peace and stability also helps. Government has also permitted running of Casinos in 5-star hotels by law to attract investment in 5-star hotels. We have received offers from reputed groups who have evinced keen interest in setting up such properties with Casino. Sikkim Tourism is planning a major cycling expedition during Oct. 2007 covering almost all parts of the state. It is expected that more than 300 domestic and international participants would be taking part in this. This event would be covered by the national media in a big way which will put Sikkim at the center stage of tourism and adventure activities.
To showcase its floriculture potential, Sikkim is organising an international floriculture exhibition at Gangtok from March 14 to16 2008. There would be an amazing variety of orchids and flowers at display during this mega event. Sikkim would be inviting international travel writers of repute to cover this event with the help of Ministry of Tourism and Air India.

4/ Do you intend to take up projects in collaboration with the private sector?

A-We are keen to take up projects under Public Private Partnership (PPP) under various models. This includes hotels, ropeways and other tourism infrastructure. The state government is also actively encouraging investment in tourism sector on PPP model (mostly BOOT which stands for Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) for creation of tourism infrastructure.

5/What new things are being done at hill stations? Do you intend to start some kind of festivals?

A-We are very passionate about maintaining our ecology and environment. Honourable Chief Minister Mr.Pawan Chamling has placed tremendous thrust for plantations and green mission and Sikkim's forest cover has gone up from 41% to 43%. Sikkim boasts of dense and virgin forests, gurgling rivers and beautiful falls. We celebrate various festivals coinciding with local festivals of three main communities of Sikkim, viz, Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalis.

Shumsher K Sheriff to be Secretary to VP

Shumsher K Sheriff is being appointed new Secretary to the Vice President.1977 batch UT cadre IAS officer Sheriff is presently Principal Secretary Home in the Delhi Government.

Sujatha Singh promoted

Ms Sujatha Singh has been promoted to the rank of Additional Secretary and redesignated as AS (Europe West) in MEA. She is 1976 batch IFS officer.

Hasif Ahmad to succeed Vandna Jena !

CSS officer Hasif Ahmad is likely to succeed 1979 batch IAS officer of Orissa cadre Vandana Jena as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of HRD in a couple of months.

Second extension to Surajit Mitra

Ever heard in recent times any IAS officer getting second extension in the tenure of central deputation .Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries Surajit Mitra has been granted another three months extension beginning August 1.Is the new Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar really stickler to the rules ?

Proposal of Roy not moved to UPSC

If insiders are to be believed proposal of A N Roy for the post of DG Bureau of Civil Aviation has so far not been moved to the UPSC.This is the only post for IPS officers about which proposal is made to the UPSC. Roy is 1972 batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre.

Why new Secretary of NEC ?

Why Falguni Rajkumar has been ,the new Secretary in the MoEF was posted by preferring her over the SS ?It is rumoured that he would be able to cut the knot of Consultant-NGO Raj that runs that Ministry.

Ashok Saikia is back to India.

Most powerful bureaucrat during Atal Behari Vajpayee regime Ashok Saikia is back to India.1971 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer Saikia has taken VRS with effect from today.He was ED ADB in Manila.

IFS officer to head Media division in President's House ?

Grapevine has it that an Indian Foreign Service Officer is being posted in the Rashtrapati Bhawan to head the Media Division.

Ms.V.S .Thakur joins as Social Secy to Prez

Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh has joined as Social Secretary to President Mrs.Pratibha Patil.She is an IFS officer of the 1985 batch .

VP stays in Haryana Bhawan

Vice-President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha Mohammad Hamid Ansari is staying the Haryana Bhavan at present. Meanwhile outgoing Vice-President Bheron Singh Shekhawat has vacated and shifted to the Rajasthan Bhawan.

Post of DG ASI advertised

The Indian Government has advertised for the post of Director (DG) Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).This has been done after a long span of time, say after more than a decade. With this it is amply clear that Delhi wants to have a professional as the DG.

Once again we prove correct

Once again we have proved correct.As reported yesterday that left political parties were briefed about 123 Agreement on day to day basis,this had come out true yesterday.Indian Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh had stated that all parties were briefed about the nuclear deal

Bindhyshwari Negi is back to Bihar

After a long leave Bindhyeshwari Negi is back to the parent Bihar cadre. On return 1990 batch IAS officer Bindhyshewari has been made MD ST Development Corporation.

Book of Loveleen Kackar to be released

A book "The Sugar Baron's Daughter " written by 1979 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS officer Loveleen Kackar will be formally launched by Union Commerce Minister Kamal Nath on August 17 at Dublin ,the
Maurya ,Diplomatic Enclave ,New Delhi.She is presently Joint Secretary Child and Women Welfare in the Government of India.HarperCollins are the publishers.

Pandit is DG Defence Audit

B.B. Pandit, Financial Advisor, NDMC has been appointed as Director General of Defence Audit. Pandit is 1977 batch IA&AS officer and he has been pushing accounting reforms in the local body.

Chhattisgarh's drive to woo tourists

With a view to woo tourists through screening of film a documentary titled "Mahanadi Heritage circuit" is being shot,mahurat clap for which was given by Tourism Minister Braj Mohan Agrawal in Mumbai on August 13,2007. Its anchor's are Om Puri & Sakshi Tanwar. For the theme song Lata Mangeshkar has lent her voice while music is by Hridaynath Mangeshkar. Chhattisgarh Tourism Board's Chairman Santosh Bapna & managing Director Rakesh Chaturvedi were also present on the occasion.

Anil Ambani to enter television world

Anil Ambani chief of Reliance "Anil Dhirubhai Ambani grop"(ADAG)is planning to launch two television channels including a general entertainment channel(GEC)in Hindi by early 2008.It may be stated here that Anil Ambani's stakes in "Aaj Tak" are to the tune of 22 per cent, at present.

Sahara news channel to be relaunched

With a view to arrest dwindling viewer ship the Sahara group of news channels will be refurbished. To inject a fresh look management of the Sahara group is engaged in talks with senior journalists varying from Dibang to Punya Prasunna Bajpai.

Raj TV Tamil news channel in September

The Raj Television Network (RTN) of which founder-promoter is Rajendran is going to launch its Tamil news channel, in September 2007.

Punjab CM keen on defence university

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has shown keen interest in establishing the proposed National Defence University in the state. In this context a strong case was put up by Badal during his meeting with Chief of the Army Staff Gen J.J. Singh during latter's recent tour to Punjab.Prakash Singh Badal is reported to have offered his assistance for the immediate commencement of work in this regard.

Lock opened in Prasar Bharti

Lock of the chamber of Director Vinod Kapoor was broken in the Prasar Bharti Headquarters in the presence of some senior officers.

IAS postings in Punjab

Ajay Kumar Sinha will be new DC of Ropar. Gur Pal Singh has been appointed new DC of Nawan Shahar.

Minor bureaucratic changes in MP

Ashok Das Principal Secretary Urban Administration to Madhya Pradesh Government will be new Principal Secretary(PS) Finance. He succeeds Sumit Bose who has gone on deputation to the Government of Idia(GOI).Raghav Chandra who was hitherto PS Technical Education & Training will be PS Urban Administration. The charge of Chandra has been assigned as additional charge to Mrs.Snehlata Shrivastava PS Higher Education.

FORUM

Who is the most corrupt IAS officer of UT cadre ?

We are opening a new contest for voting for the most corrupt officer of the UT cadre in the IAS. All entries will be filtered by just giving the batch year so that the errors in the statistic can be removed and secrecy maintained. An appeal to all the common officers the simple ones, the honest ones the ones who don't get the best postings to come forward and share their consience because truth must prevail and we should have the BA**s to call spade a spade. Please send your entries to agmutias007@gmail.com.

Kumar,the common bureaucrat

Great to hear

This is great to hear in the 60th year of independence that now CSS is comparing itself to IAS.

S Singh

There should be opportunities for other services also

While writing 'Why every service seeks parity with IAS', Rajesh Kumar Singh has really gone overboard by saying 'Rather than nurturing IAS-phobia the members of all the services should try to excel wherever they are. Only then can the country march ahead.' Other services can very well excel but the opportunities for excelling have to be made equal to IAS, as may be seen from below:

(a) Why almost all posts of Joint Secretary level and above be filled up by IAS officers only ,when these are Central Staffing posts open to all? When officers from Group A services excel as Directors/ Deputy Secretaries in Central Government Ministries then why can't they be allowed for higher posts? Why DoPT is only concerned with empanelment of IAS officers?

b) Why incumbents to all important posts in the country CVC,CEC, Election Commissioners, C&AG, etc. etc be all from IAS only? Is every IAS officer superior to every Group A officer?

(c) How IAS officers manage to corner every benefit ,be it housing, plum postings (of common pool), foreign trainings etc? Even DoPT only talks about foreign training of IAS officers. Why?

(b) Why IAS treats itself as a separate class? Read any DoPT Circular and you will see that there is one set of dispensation for IAS and one for other services? For example there is a written rule that there would be a gap of at least two years in making officers of other services of same batch as Additional Secretaries. There is one set of rules for empanelment of IAS and one for all others. If IAS officers feel they were top scorers in one exam held long back, then why bunch all others together? The gap should be progressive , i.e. Revenue Services will be 2 years behind, Railways three years behind, Audit and Accounts four years behind, Postal

Service five years behind, etc., etc. Isn't it a joke?

(d) What business IAS officers have got to be Secretaries of specialist departments? Why can't their own officers be made as Secretaries? IAS officers are also occupying cadre-controlling posts of joint secretaries in several departments. Why should the officers controlling fate of IAS officers be also not from other Group A services?
(d) What special qualifications IAS officers have got to even singly occupy posts in Indian Missions abroad of Economic Counsellors etc? Why can't officers from other services be not posted there?
(e) All other services go through selection and even ACC approaval to get SAG, however IAS gets in 16th year of service without going to ACC. Why?
The list of injustices perpetrated by IAS is endless. In fact, they have beaten British in creating one set of dispensation for themselves and one for others. It is high time they compete on merits and do not go on beating the drum of excelling in one exam held years earlier where they scored little higher marks than others.

Devendra Sridhar

Surplus posts of IES

Regarding all DS/Director posts to be reserved for CSS by SK Tripathi,I wish to point out that Central Staffing Scheme has a rule that all Directors/DS in GOI will be from Central Staffing Scheme except those posts which are reserved for Central Secretariat Service. However, one service has successfully circumvented this rule, Indian Economic Service!!! They create cadre posts in Ministries as Addl Economic Advisors but manage to call themselves Directors and start looking after works such as Administration, International Cooperation etc? One example is Rugmini Parmar in DIPP. There are several other examples. Will some action be taken immediately to abolish all surplus posts of IES where they are not doing cadre work. And how they can call themselves Directors?

P Sinha

CSS -A REAL BACK BONE OF GOVERNMENT -- IAS A REAL PAIN IN THE NECK

With CSS in Delhi , IAS are not required in Delhi, if India is really required to progress. CSS does every work and IAS officers thrive on that work. Let IAS officers compete at delivery point with CSS. Any takers to accept this challenge.

Raghu

Thanks for taking up CSS affairs

The issue of CSS has been taken up seriously by your site and you deserve thanks for the same. It is sad to note that some directly recruit officers from CSS think that they are a separate class different from the promotees. When the country and the government is bent upon removing disparity between various sections and regions in the country this class division rising amongst the minds of Indian bureaucracy must be seriously curbed. The point of getting quick
promotion and growth of CSS must be acknowledged by the Government and Top Civil servants. If this frustration of CSS and state services continues to grow the govt. and senior bureaucracy must note that they are weakening their own structure and which is not good for a country like India. The suggestion of Mr. Tripathi is welcome that DS/Director level post must be reserved for the CSS. Already in CPOs the post of DIG & below is reserved for in-service officers and in RA&W & IB the in-service officers go to the ranks of next to the chief and that is the reason they are doing well. A good mix of IAS officers with CSS will be good to both

Rajnesh

Fifty per cent posts should be reserved for other services

I think the only way to set this controversy at rest is to have 50% of the posts of Joint Secretary and above in the Government of India reserved for services other than the IAS, recruited through the Civil Services Examination in proportion to their cadre strength.

S S P Yadav

CSS officers only put roadblocks

I do not agree that CSS officers should only occupy DS and Director level posts. Most of them are negative minded and put only roadblocks. It is only the young blood of IAS and Central services who have field experience should be appointed. Most of them are negative and fritter their energies in interpreting the rules. One of the points of negative mental attitude is their staying in Delhi for life and if one remains in one place they simply become arbitrary. It should be considered to get 505 posts to the IAS and Central services at the US level. There should not be any guarantee for the promotion.
K P Singh

This forum must be utilized for meaningful discussions

Every afternoon when I read this column I get disturbed by the fact that all of us in civil services have some how got into this mad turf war and larger role of the bureaucracy is somewhere lost en route. Every one is out to prove that his service is the best and deserves more from the system. But where is the system?Is any one asking this question? Go and ask a common man today whose trust is getting violated every day with impunity and how he feels about us. The immense reputation that we all enjoy would be known to us the moment we tell someone that we work in the 'Government'. A scam a day syndrome makes one feel sick that one is working in such a system and can do nothing about it. Accountability has gone for a six! Fixer and corrupt make an easy way through while honest and sincere and languishing somewhere in a corner. But all that we discuss in this forum is which service is superior and why. I am yet to see this forum being utilized for some meaningful discussions on administrative reforms and strentghening of systems. Or have we given up on that as the current situation suits the majority of us!

G Bansal

Ms Pratibha Patil is 13th President and not 12th

Ms.Pratibha Patil is 13th President of India [1st-Dr.Prasad, 2nd-Dr.Prasad, 3rd-Dr.Radhakrishanan, 4th-Dr.Zakir Hussain, 5th-Dr.Giri, 6th-Dr.Fakhrudin Ali Ahemed, 7th-Dr.Sanjiva Reddy, 8th-Giani Zail Singh, 9th-Dr.Venkatraman, 10th-Dr.Shankar Dayal Sharma, 11th-Sh.K.R.Narayanan, 12th-Dr.Kalam, 13th-Ms.Pratibha Patil.
Because Dr.Prasad remained for two terms, so Ms.Pratibha Patil is the 12th person to hold this office, which, perhaps, is the cause for the confusion on account of the mix up of these two aspects.

K K Gupta

It's high time to raise retirement age

I entirely agree with the views of Mr.Deepak Singh.Much has been discussed about raising retirement age of Central Govt employees.It is high time Govt considers raising retirement age of its employees to 62 yrs.

R Bhatia

Why the IRS is unhappy?

Why is the IRS unhappy with people who are merely doing their duty fairly?

Rajendra Singh Rathore

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Commies are singing ' ek doh teen chodho (leave)',
They continue ' USA se naatha thodho (break)'!!!!

And there in the US the India baiters want the 123 Deal to fall!!!
A total sell out to India karr rahe hai 123 Deal ko India baiters call!!!

Because of the growing power demands one thing is clear,
India desperately needs to go Nuclear!!!

Commies will register their protest and that is all!!!
But will not do anything to cause UPA Sarkaar's fall!!

Now Commies will go into a huddle,
Fact is with Manmohan's rigid stand Commies ho gaye hai befuddle!!

They do not want to let UPA out of their grip!!!
And at the same time the Sarkaar they do not want to trip!!!

Seems some backroom talks will take place!!
123 Deal is a done thing and some efforts will be made so that Commies save face!!!

But from now Manmohan is in their radar and Commies will go after him hammer and tongs!!!!
Manmohan should get ready form Commies regular bongs !!!

Manmohan should invite the Commies to dinner and do some maska polish!!!!
Their egos he needs to maalish!!!

'Commies are not anti India' to start with how about this pitch???
Public may ask that whenever there's a progressive step why do Commies start to itch???

BJP is actually not against the Nuclear Deal,
Some would say BJP jealous karr rahi hai feel!!

Fact is Indo US relations improved during NDA rule!!!
Warmed up from being abs cool!!!

Why not change strategy and share the honour for a giant leap????
Let the Commies be the only one's to weep!!!

Express genuine apprehensions but agree that deal is good!!!
Ensure that 'BJP puts the Country first' be understood!!

Like BJP UNPA is making noise because UPA gets a lot of credit!!!
And its UNPA's dharma ki UPA and especially Congress ko karro discredit!!!

Unless BJP does some surgery in Gujarath things are getting bad to worse!!!
Power in a way for BJP has become a curse!!!

From a disciplined cadre based Party BJP has become 'free for all' Party!!!
Discipline has to be brought back if BJP has to be made hale and hearty!!!

Seems Bhajan is getting ready to take matters to the next level,
Some very serious charges against Hooda Sarkaar he's getting ready to level!!!

In the meantime Hooda is on a ribbon cutting spree!!
In fact now he wants that the HAU name after him a tree!!

Then like Devi Lal's statues Haryana will be dotted with Hooda trees!!!
There will be Hooda trees wherever one sees!!

In Punjab Amrinder has gone back into his shell!!!
Excuse being given for his disappearance …. he's not well!!!

The dizziness bout he had could be made grounds from his next London trip!!!
Fact is to London he's always ready to zip!!!

Shiela Dixit is at pains to let all know she always gives 'chollas' the miss!!!
She says this with a hiss!!

IT too is red faced at Chollewala's car mela!!!
IT would be looking at his meteoric rise to car mela from a cholle ka tehla (pushcart)!!

What made Big B come out and try to salvage his image???
Seems he thought after getting the National Award he'll control the damage!!

He first acted like a Farmer and now he's acting innocent!!!
Fact is for making him a Farmer the law was bent!!

And now when the law has come back on course he's crying!!!
Dono mein that is to become a farmer and now to clear his name he lying!!!

A wilful perversion of facts…. Big B ji this is the definition of lying!!!
Many would say croc tears Big B is shedding or sham crying!!!

Bharat Kumar
Aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

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CORPORATE

Khirwadkar joins Room Developers

Town and Country Planner of Bhopal Prashant Khirwadkar has joined the Room Developers in Delhi at a package of 50 lakh per annum.

Sanjay Srivastava joins Reliance

Sanjay Srivastava is reported to have joined the Reliance as Town Planner.

Arshad Siddiqui to join Hamdard

Arshad Siddiqui is going to join as head of sales and marketing at Hamdard from August 16,2007. Hitherto he was heading ITC's lifestyle retail business division.

Krishna Nacha joins ExlService
Krishna Nacha is joiningExlService Holdings as vice-president and chief sales & marketing officer.

Nirmalya R. Choudhary joins NLX

Nirmalya Roy Choudhary has joined "New Life Xperience"(NLX).Its a venture of JWT India that was recently launched.

Dr. P.L. Agarwal is IEM for RIN

Dr PL Agrawal, former Chairman of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), is being appointed as an Independent External Monitor (IEM) for Rashtriya Ispat Nigam,Visakhapatnam.

HCC bags Rs.415 crore Water Tunnel project from MCGM

HCC, India's leading Construction and Infrastructure Development Company has bagged the prestigious Rs.415 crore water tunnel projects from the "Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai"(MCGM),Mumbai of which Commissioner is J.R.Phatak(IAS). The company has received letter of acceptance from MCGM for construction of tunnel from Maroshi to Ruparel College. The tunnel will replace the old upper Vaitarna and Vaitarna mains in this section and will improve the water supply to Vakola, Mahim, Dadar and Malbar Hills. The tunnel will be laid underground by digging a shaft 90 feet deep and then excavating the tunnel horizontally using the tunnel boring technique.

TWB joins hands with Technocraft,Canada

The Writers Block (TWB) has augmented its service offerings by collaborating with Technocraft Solutions based in Quebec, Canada.Technocraft specializes in aerospace and defence engineering and integrated logistics support services. According to Rakesh Shukla, Managing Director TWB , "the developments in the aerospace and defence present an unprecedented opportunity and TWB is excited to partner with Technocraft to tap this opportunity". On the other hand Ms Svetlana Chouhan President of Technocraft said "TWB is the best in class in technical documentation, not only in India but also globally and Technocraft is proud to engage with TWB. Entering the Indian market is a natural progression for Technocraft and TWB is the ideal partner on for this".

SAIL has massive expansion plans

The "Steel Authority of India Ltd"(SAIL) of which Chairman is S.K.Roongta is going to implement a modernisation and expansion programme at a total estimated expenditure of over Rs.40,000 crore.

BEML CMD pays Rs.18 cr dividend to A.K.Antony

The "Bharat Earth Movers Limited" (BEML) has paid the second and final dividend cheque of Rs. 18 crore to Government of India for the financial year 2006-07 against its 61.23 per cent shareholding in the company. The cheque was handed over to Defence Minister A.K. Antony by BEML Chairman and Managing Director V.R.S. Natarajan. The company has an order book position of Rs. 1621 crores at the end of the first quarter of the current financial year and more orders including metro are in the pipeline.

e-Procurement Project launched in Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh launched the e-Procurement project at hotel Babylone on Augest 14 2007.With this Chhattisgarh became the second state in the country to implement state-wide e-Procurement Project. The Department of Health & Family Welfare is the first department in using the e-Procurement System wherein the procurement of drugs and medicines for the State would be made online. The Chhattisgarh Infotech & Biotech Promotion Society (CHiPS)of which CEO is Aman Kumar Singh, the prime mover of Information Technology & Bio-technology in the state is the nodal Agency for the implementation of e-Procurement project.

Web18 ropes in Neeraj Sanan

Web18, of which CEO is Surya Manthas appointed Neeraj Sanan as its marketing head.Earlier he Deputy General Manager, Marketing with Dabur India.

Campus18.com to be launched soon

Tangerine Digital a venture in which TV18 founder-promoter Raghav Bahl has 50 per cent stake, is going to launch <Campus18.com>for students.Its just like campus on the web.

MRTPC for universalisation of CAS in India

With a view to facilitate availability of television channels to viewers on "la-carte"basis the "Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission"(MRTPC) has asked the government & Trai to cover whole of India under "conditional access system"(CAS).