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"I foresee Chandigarh as a cosmopolitan city and shall be a major hub of business culture and tourism north of Delhi, as the Chandigarh Administration is taking a keen interest for over all development of the city and in times to come Chandigarh shall also be known as education city as education infrastructure and other facilities are also being set up in an area spread over 100 acres."
These views were expressed by Managing Director of the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Limited (CITCO) Jasbir Singh Bir, in an exclusive interview with whispersinthecorridors.com

He said that more direct flights from major metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Banglore, Calcutta and Chennai are being started. Answering a question Bir said CITCO is probably the only corporation in India which is looking after the budget tourists as most of the domestic tourists like to stay at well maintained spots with reasonable rates. At the same time MD of the CITCO said that a glass restaurant and static caravan type camping sites near Sukhna Lake have also been planned.
Bir also listed various steps that the CITCO was taking to see that tourists stayed for a longer span of time in Chandigarh. He discussed his plans at length in the following interview:

1. How and what you intend to do for sustaining the existing tourists while augmenting the inflow?

Chandigarh plays a pivotal role in promotion of transit tourism in this region as it is located on the tourism circuit viz. Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Kulu, Manali etc. Being a gateway of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and even Jammu & Kashmir, it is properly linked through an air network and surface transportation system. Chandigarh Industrial & Tourism Development Corporation Limited (CITCO) is promoting tourism in Chandigarh by providing tourism infrastructure in terms of accommodation for all strata of society. Hotel Mountview the only five star property in Chandigarh is for the elite segment of tourists viz. Chief Executive Officers, foreign tourists etc. Hotel Shivalikview has four star amenities and is catering to the needs of the corporate travellers. For budget tourists, we have Hotel Parkview. The infrastructure upgradation is continuously being done in these hotels to provide best of services to our clientele and tourists. Keeping in view the higher influx of domestic tourists who may like to stay in good accommodation facility at reasonable rates, CITCO is going to add another 74 rooms at Hotel Parkview. Apart from above, the facilities at the tourist spots are maintained well and augmented not only to sustain the existing tourist inflow but also to increase the visitors to the city.

2.Do you think that Chandigarh has come of age in terms of infrastructure?

Chandigarh has adequate infrastructure keeping in view the tourist profile . There is all round development in Chandigarh A number of modern and futuristic projects in the city has already resulted in a boom in various sectors like Information Technology and I.T. enabled services, financial and services sector and real estate. Some of the new major tourism projects have been envisaged by Chandigarh Administration are to set up "State of Art - Convention Centre" which would promote M.I.C.E. segment, Education City spread over 100 acres. Recentrly M/s.Unitech has bagged the project of setting up of an amusement park with an investment of over 200 crores in phases under the public private partnership model (PPP Model). M/s. Uppal Orchids & M/s. DLF are setting up deluxe five star hotels in Chandigarh shortly. The Chandigarh Airport is being up-graded to the level of International Airport which would enable Chandigarh to have more foreign tourists as well as non-resident Indian (NRIs) visiting this region.. More direct flights from major metropolitian cities like Mumbai, Banglore, Calcutta and Chennai are being started.

3.Tourists mostly come on their way to Himachal Pardesh. Don't you think that Chandigarh must have more such types of avenues where spill over can be grabbed in Chandigarh?

Chandigarh is becoming a tourist destination in itself. However, the role of promotion of transit tourism by Chandigarh cannot be overlooked as it acts as a gateway to the tourist destination in the neighbouring states especially Himachal Pradesh. Chandigarh Administration is taking lot of initiative to broadbase tourism infra-structure in Chandigarh keeping in view its fast emerging image of tourism and business hub, North of Delhi. The tourist's stay on an average is one and a half days and, therefore, it is our endeavour to prolong the stay of the tourists by adding more attractions for the tourists. Son-et-Lumiere- Light & Sound Show is being set up in the heritage building complex of Museum & Art Gallery. Surely, the Light & Sound show shall become a major source of attraction for the tourists as well as the residents of the tri-city region comprising of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, being added to make the city more eventful. Glass Restaurant and static caravan type camping sites near Sukhna Lake have also been planned. Chandigarh is promoting itself as tourist destination by creating more tourism avenues and the recent efforts made by CITCO and other concerned agencies have borne results as there is an increase in the tourist inflow to Chandigarh. The new year festival was celebrated from 26th December, 2006 to 2nd January, 2007.The tourism festivals like Rose Festival, Chandigarh Carnival are very popular in Chandigarh and attract many tourists from outside. All this and more efforts will change the image of Chandigarh as a Transit City to a Tourist destination as newly created tourism products shall be able to create sufficient interest for the tourists and visitors to spend much more time here and also to enjoy the tourist destinations in the neighbouring states.

4.What are the expansion plans of CITCO?

CITCO is a premier tourism organization and is perhaps the only state tourism corporation which is making good profits and is providing services for higher guest satisfaction to its customers / clientage. The expansion plans of CITCO include construction of budget accommodation at Hotel Parkview with an investment plan of over 260 lacs. There are plan for major renovation at Hotel Mountview which is the only five star hotel of Chandigarh. Apart from above, recently CITCO has expanded / upgraded its facility CITCO Da-Vehra has been set up at Baithak Kalagram which is becoming popular with the public as well as tourists due to its Punjabi ethnic entity.

5.What is your vision for Chandigarh by the year 2050?
I foresee Chandigarh as a cosmopolitan city and shall be a major hub of business culture and tourism north of Delhi, as the Chandigarh Administration is taking keen interest for over all development of the city and in times to come Chandigarh shall also be known as education city as education infrastructure and other facilities are also being set up in an area spread over 100 acres. Film city, convention centre and many multiplexes and malls are coming to this region would make Chandigarh a major well known place not only on the national grid but also on the international circuit.

6.How do you woo budget tourists & what infrastructure do you have for them?

CITCO is probably the only corporation in India which is looking after the budget tourists as most of the domestic tourists like to stay at well maintained spots with reasonable rates. Thus CITCO is catering to the budget tourists by having rooms available as low as Rs.350/- per day to Rs.1400/- in the range suitable for budget tourists. Transit Lodge at ISBT is very popular with the domestic tourists and Hotel Parkview also provides necessary amenities and facilities to the budget tourists In all CITCO has nearly 120 rooms available for budget tourist at both these places.

7.How much FDI has been received in Chandigarh owing to the CITCO? What are your projections for the next 15 years?
As CITCO is involved in multifarious activities in the tourism as well as industrial sector, therefore, its reach is felt in all spheres and it touches the heart of the public or tourists in many ways by promoting tourism in tandem with tourism department and other agencies of the Chandigarh Administration. The foreign direct investment is being done under the public private partnership in the IT and the tourism sector. In years to come major foreign players would join hands with the reputed Indian companies to set up projects in sectors like education, tourism, information technology etc which are booming and will also have good growth in the future also.

8.In what manner CITCO's profits were being ploughed back?

CITCO is a profitable state tourism corporation and profits are being ploughed back to its hotels for improvement in the infrastructure and adding facilities from time to time to cater to the needs of the tourists. Over the last one year CITCO has ploughed back more than 500 lacs for upgradation and creation of new facilities in its various units in Chandigarh.
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NAME THE NAMELESS

Who is the Super Boss & Super Cop-name the nameless.

For a change, this is not a whisper. In fact, it's a yell from the housetop. A yell for the year 2007.If our patrons endorse it, this yell from the WHISPERS should reverberate in corridors of all state capitals, besides of course the heart of India-that Delhi has always been and shall so remain all times to come.

These are happening times. You don't do things. They happen. Or you make them happen. Everywhere on the eve of or at the advent of New Year, people were or are busy looking for their Man of the year. Politicians, businessmen, moviemen, sportsmen and social activists are hogging limelight. The civil servants continue to remain the self-effacing names behind the supposedly big names. They run the Rails and the rustic humour of someone Read gets Qudos and Credits. Thats the funny way democracy goes. Interesting, isn't it?

We thought on the New Year Day we should attempt doing the hitherto unattempted and un-done. You and us will make it happen. We are going launch you this year on a thrilling voyage of a discovery. We are declaring that in the Year 2007 all of you would help us discover the Bureaucrat of the Year and also the Super cop of the Year in each of our major states. Besides, New Delhi's 'Supers' which will happen in December 2007.Every month we will be looking for a Super Boss and Super Cop of the Year in a particular state.

We request all those who are interested in our WHISPERS and visit us frequently to send us the names of such individual officers whom they consider as a Super Bureaucrat and a Super Cop in their state. We are putting forth no yardsticks. You judge entirely on your own. The nominations will rest entirely and exclusively on your wisdom. Just E-Mail the name of Super Boss and Super Cop of your state. This flow of nominations will end on the last day of the month.
We will announce the winner on the 7th day of next month. Seven, the numerologists say, is the number of mystery. Therefore, a good day to unfold it.

And Uttar Pradesh is the first state, we are beginning with. Arguably the most appropriate state to discover the undiscoverable or to name the perennially nameless. There is no territorial bar. You can nominate even for an incumbent outside your state. You can be brief or elaborate. As you choose. You don't even have to disclose your identity. We will trust you.
So, here we begin. Just E Mail us on <sureshmehrotra@yahoo.com>A very Happy New Year.

L K Joshi to be Vice Chairman CAT
Secretary Personnel in the Government of India L K Joshi is being appointed Vice-Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Delhi. He is 1970 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.

IAS changes in Jharkhand
There is IAS reshuffle in Jharkhand. New postings are :- Mssrs Mukhtiar Singh Principal Secretary Finance,Sudhir Tripathy Secretary Home,Aditya Swarup Secretary Energy,Santosh Kumar Sathpathy Secretary Administrative Reforms,J Tubid Secretary Coordination,Raj Bala Verma Secretary Fisheries,Sudhir Prasad Secretary Management,B K Tripathy Secretary Mines and Jai Shankar Tiwari Commissioner Chota Nagpur Division.

Police Commission report in August
The Third Police Commission set up under the Chairmanship of former Union Secretary R Poornalingam will submit its report in August.

Drug Authority to be set up
Union Government is setting up a Central Drugs Authority soon.

Bhattacharya promoted in NSI
Anil Bhattacharya has been elevated to the post of Director of National Savings Institute (NSI). This comes under the Union Finance Ministry.

Former Punjab DGP joins Akali Dal
Former Punjab DGP Mahal Singh Bhullar has joined the SAD (B).

Hazarika goes on UN Mission
Pankaj Hazarika an IDAS officer has been selected for the UN Mission in Congo.

Tripathi completes Doctorate
Deepak Tripathi, IRSME, Director I&L/RDSO/Mumbai has completed Doctorate Fellow Programme from NITIE, Mumbai, in the area of Operations and Quality Management.

Tarun offered scholarship
Tarun Huria, IRSME, has been offered a partial scholarship by the Belgian Government (Ministry of Flanders) to pursue MSc in Transport and Maritime Management (MTMM) from the University of Antwerp (Belgium). He is one of 10 students selected worldwide for the scholarship.

Report on Sachhar Committee by month end
Sachhar Committee report is likely to be presented by this month end.

1994 batch IDAS officers promoted
Ten 1994 batch IDAS officers have been promoted. They are Mssrs Rozy Agrawal, A K Tiwari, Rajesh Singh, Ravinesh Kumar, Ms Sumati Kumar, Pankaj Kumar Singh, Bir Singh Negi, K Venkat Rao, R N Biswas and A M Khalkho.

Sharma to move Belgrade
Saikat Sen Sharma Second Secretary in US (Finance) is being moved to Belgrade.

Singh to go Beijing
Second Secretary in Belgrade N K Singh is being shifted to Beijing. Sharma is going to replace him in Belgrade.

Ashok goes to Birguni
T Ashok Counsellor in Brussels is going to Birguni in place of Gururaj Rao who is moving to MEA Headquarters.

Goyal is new GM eastern Railway

M K Goyal has taken over as new General Manager of the Eastern Railway.S S Bhandari has joined as General Manager of the East Coast Railway.

22 SPS to get IPS in Rajasthan
22 State Police Service officers are being given IPS rank in Rajasthan.

Rajinder Singh gets new job in Punjab
1982 batch IPS officer Rajinder Singh has been appointed IG Commandos in Punjab.

FORUM
Good decision to have insider in RAW
It is a very good decision to have an insider to Head the external intelligence wing i.e. RAW. It is always advantageous to have an insider to take over as the Head of the organisation as he is very well conversant with the functioning of the organisation.
Manohar B

A TRUE STORY SPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE BOSS & VICE VERSA
There were about 70 scientists working on a very hectic project. All of them were really frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting the job. One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him -Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I want to leave the office at 5 30 pm. His boss replied "OK, You're permitted to leave the office early today. "The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8.30 PM. Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to his children. He looked for his boss. He was not there. Having told him in the morning itself, he closed everything and left for home. Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. Children were not there. His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines. The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him "Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry. The man replied "If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about Children ??"Wife replied "You don't know ?? Your manager came here at 5.15 PM and has taken the children to the exhibition "What had really happened was ... The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 PM. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to exhibition The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it is done, loyalty is established. That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was tremendous. By the way , can you hazard a guess as to who the boss was..?
He was none other than Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, President
of India . . .
Contributed By:
Virag Gupta
Mumbai
Aaj Ki Aawaz

Mulayam should know that he has to ultimately go,
To the verdict give by the ballot he cannot say no!!!

Today Mulayam is busy playing games to try to cling on to power!!! Under his rule UP has gone from bad to worse to horrendous!! And UP's villainous Laurel and Hardy have run UP aground!!! Laurel is known was his mumblings that no one can understand and Hardy is known for his 'shairo shairi' …. a modern day Nero who does shairi as UP burns!!! And to project UP which in actuality is burning as a State of tranquil peace Laurel and Hardy are assisted by Lamboo Jhoota or Big B!!!


Seems Buddhadeb may be sacrificed at the alter of SEZs……. save face,
And next in command may take his place!!!!

SEZs have proved to be Buddha's undoing!!!! And to save facer Commies need a sacrificial lamb!!! Maybe all of a sudden they'll say that Buddha's 'got a headache in his stomach' and Doctors have advised to take it easy!!!! And what is making them even more uneasy is the revival in Mamtha's fortunes!!!!

Raj Thackrey got a mouthful from his Uncle…….. Uncle took off the gloves,
Saying that only himself Raj loves!!!!

Raj has been projecting himself as Balasahib Bhagat and Uncle Balasahib knows in the electorate there are many who are taken in by this sham and that is the reason Balasahib has chosen to burn the bridges and clearly demarcate the division!!!! Balasahib has called Raj a parasite who grew up in Sena and then sucked away Sena supporters and made his own Party!!!! But then Balsahib should remember that Raj is a Balasahib clone….. he looks like, dresses like, thinks like and acts like Balasahib….. Raj is a ruthless Politician to his shoes!!!

Sensex's gyration should cause worry,
But please do not take any decision in ahurry!!!!

The recent rise and fall is a clear indicator that Indian Market is teetering!!!! Many say that Indian Market is overvalued!!! At present Indian Market is going through 'drop and prop' phase!!!! We must remember that FIIs in the Indian Market are Hedge Funds…..Hedge Funds are very short sighted and suffer regular panic attacks!!! Its time small investors with a long term perspective of their stocks!!!! Please do not believe the Anchors on CNBC or NDTV Profit…… when the Market goes up they say that sky is the limit and when the Market drops they say it's going to the seabed!!! What goes up will come down and what goes down will go up…. its only a matter of time...... its panic or greed that makes the difference individually!!!

Bharat Kumar
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CORPORATE

R K Singh is BHEL ED ,Bhopal
R K Singh has been appointed new Executive Director of the Bhopal unit of the BHEL.He is presently posted in Nagpur.
( We said this on August 10 )

Mehrotra promoted as ED
GM of the Bhopal unit of the BHEL K K Mehrotra has been promoted as ED. He will replace R K Singh as ED Power Sector (Western Region) Nagpur.

Labroo nominated on RBI Board
Sanjay Labroo has been nominated as Director of the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India. He has been nominated in place of D S Brar.

Hussain elected Vice Chairman
Habib Hussain has been elected as Vice-Chairman of the Council for Leather Exports.

Naidu joins Sem India
B.V. Naidu has joined Sem India Inc as MD of systems and technology development company.

Narang is CEO
Sudhir Narang has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Tulip.