WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US

With predictions on foreign countries, whispers are going global! Surely, they can not be confined to corridors any more?

S Kumar

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INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK

For Dr.V.K.Bahuguna,Managing Director of the "Tripura Forest Development & Plantation Corporation (TFDPC)Ltd.Forest development coupled with Ecological improvement with a humanitarian approach is a passion.Dr.Bahuguna who is an Indian Forest Service(IFS) officer of the 1979 batch belongs to the Tripura care.

In an interview to <whispersinthecorridors.com>Dr.Bahuguna said "we are diversifying into value addition of the Rubber Wood by establishing Tripura Rubber Wood Factory at the TFDPC Industrial Estate, Agartala, for production of export quality eco-friendly solid Rubber wood board." A superior world class knocked down furniture made from treated Rubber wood has also been set up for 300 carpenters. For this, a subsidiary unit named as "Unakoti Crafts and Furniture" has been set up with latest state of art machineries imported from Germany, Taiwan and China.

Dr.Bahuguna who has a vast experience & is also Winner of the prestigious Queen's Award for the outstanding forester of the Commonwealth for the year 2000 awarded by the Commonwealth Forestry Association for the outstanding contribution made in the field of forestry in India during two decades of career for the all round performance as a practicing resource manager, administrator, teacher, researcher and policy formulator. The work done to promote forestry specially participatory forest management was recognised.Here goes his interview:

1/ Can you tell us about your diversification/expansion, plans?

A- We are the single largest Rubber Plantation unit in the country and through our efforts Tripura is now second after Kerala in Rubber area wise. We are expanding the base of our Rubber resources by planting 3874 ha of forest land along the international border with Bangladesh. In the last three years we have raised 1750 ha of plantation. We are diversifying into value addition of the Rubber Wood by establishing Tripura Rubber Wood Factory at the TFDPC Industrial Estate, Agartala, for production of export quality eco-friendly solid Rubber wood board. An agreement has been signed with the Godfrey Ltd of Singapore to export the 50% boards to Europe and USA. A superior world class knocked down furniture made from treated Rubber wood has also been set up for 300 carpenters. For this, a subsidiary unit named as "Unakoti Crafts and Furniture" has been set up with latest state of art machineries imported from Germany, Taiwan and China. We are further venturing into establishing a Door manufacturing factory for value addition of the Teak and other valuable timber of the State. The corporation has signed an agreement with the State Forest Department to take all its seize timber for value addition for which a separate division is being created.

The Corporation is to set up a Cycle tyre and Tube factory at Agartala to meet the demands of these items in the North-East on competitive prices. We are setting up the first Technically Specified Rubber (TSR) Factory outside South India at Takmachera South Tripura and would like to replace the processing of latex to TSR to conserve the forests as TSR does not require firewood and smoking. All this diversification would provide jobs to more than 3500 technical and non-technical educated youth of State.

Recently, an International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) funded project has been launched to provide models of livelihood for the tribal shifting cultivators honey-combing the forests. A bilateral collaboration is in the offing with the Nanjing Forestry University of China's Bamboo Engineering Institute for transfer of Chinese Bamboo Industrial Technology for the transfer of superior bamboo technology to Tripura.

2/Have you involved women work force in your venture?

A- We have set up a Bamboo Furniture making unit with a all women Self Help Group and it is proposed go for a bilateral cooperation with Oita Prefecture of Japan under the JBIC project for value addition of the rich Bamboo Resources of Tripura. It may be stressed here that the Bamboo handicrafts of Tripura are already famous in the world but we need to improvise in finishing and longevity of the products for which the Oita Prefecture team that visited Agartala recently.

3/What innovative steps are being taken to see to it that the Corporation is able to play a major role in Tripura's Economic growth?

A- The Corporation is playing a key role in the economic activities of the State. We have implemented several innovative schemes to make the company a very viable unit. Due to infusion of Corporate culture during the past three years the net profit has jumped from 2.5 crore to 14.5 crore in 200-6-07. A fair amount of increase (around 4 crore) is attributed to the rising Rubber Prices, the balance has been achieved through involvement of our workers and an innovative incentive policy implemented under the partnership programme with the workers and staff unions. The daily earning of the workers have increased from a paltry Rs 65 to more than 150 and even up to Rs 300 during peak season. Further, from our activities we are generating around 16 lakh mandays work for the rural poor in our activities. There has been a dramatic improvement in the quality of Rubber sheets produced by us and we have a sellers market now as people from Punjab and Delhi are buying the high quality product from us.

In another step, the industrial estate Nagichers has also been turned into a profitable venture from a constant loss making unit. With a net annul loss of 52 lakhs in 2004 the unit is now making profit of 1 crore which is likely to go up and up with more investment and the innovative "Swablamban Scheme" under which 100 carpenters were involved in the production of world class Rubber wood Furniture. The unit is now going to be a subsidiary of the Corporation soon. There will be 300 carpenters getting jobs through self help groups for which we have signed a MOU with two private concerns. These people are earning up to Rs 4500 per month from Rs 1500. A Rajasthan based export oriented firm is coming soon for a joint venture for export of knock down furniture.

The Corporation has won Silver Award from among the 500 entries for the Indian Express-EMPI 2006 award for innovative management practices. We have also won the best managed company "Udyog Ratna" award from Institute of Economic Studies.

In a nutshell, we have in a short period proved that a Government Corporation can also adopt innovative practices and can match the efforts of private sector. We have as a team proved that size does not matter in undertaking innovations and setting standards.

4/What is so special about Tripura?

A-The State is special from the point of view of its strategic location, socio-economic factors and the vast natural resources and the prolific talent yet unexplored. The State is progressing very well as the insurgency is coming down very fast with the steps launched by the Government. From the point of view of All India Service Officers the conditions are fast improving as the infrastructure is developing very fast and air and rail connectivity improving very fast. The biggest plus point is the transparency and honesty in the State's administration. The Governance is excellent with one of the best Panchayat Raj institutions in the country in place and the tribal people enjoying autonomy under VI schedule of constitution the ethnic divide is vanishing fast. The system is responsive to public opinion and is efficient, frugal and all encompassing. One of the high point of State is the public leadership that is humane, clean and hardworking and I think best in India in my opinion. There are no beggars in Tripura and that is the hallmark of a caring people, though more than 65% of the State's population is still below poverty line. These qualities have also percolated down the administration. The Forest department and its officers are one of the best as they do real hard work first hand. Much more than this it is the confidence and the freedom given by the State Government to me in running the Corporation with the help of committed board members that had significantly contributed in our success. It is the vision of State's Chief Minister that the Corporation is realizing with the help of all concerns including the support of Government of India.

R Prasad in new CBDT Chairman

R Prasad has taken over as new Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes(CBDT) on Tuesday.He is 1970 batch IRS officer.
( We said this on October 12 )

Congress trying hard to clinch Gujarat
The Congress party is trying very hard to wrest Gujarat from its political rival Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) where assembly polls are to be held next month. The former's leaders & workers are buoyed over surging crowds that are there in Congress sponsored election meetings. Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to UPA chief & Congress president Mrs. Sonia Gandhi is holding reins of the campaign. He is understandably in direct touch with his party's functionaries on daily basis.

Aseem Mahajan is Dy Secretary MEA
Aseem Mahajan is new Deputy Secretary (Bangaladesh) in the Ministry of External Affairs. 1998 batch IFS officer Mahajan has replaced Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.

Sanjay Kumar is back to IT
1987 batch IRS officer Sanjay Kumar who was on deputation to the Commerce Ministry as Director is back to the parent cadre after completion of deputation tenure.

Fourteen 1979 batch IAS quit the service
IAS, mainly those belonging to 1979 batch, it seems, are gradually losing interest in civil services. It is now known that fourteen officers of this batch alone have left the service in the recent past with O P Agrawal being the last one. What could be the reason? Those who have quit the IAS are :- Mssrs Sandeep Madan, Rajiv Krishnaswami, Vivek Srivastava, Pradeep Puri, Debi Prasad Patra, Vijay Laxmi, Padmini Desikachar, D Prakash , Mukesh Kackar,Jai Shree Balachandran,Sukhdeep Aulakh, Kannath Alphonse,B K Bal and O P Agrawal.

Indian Trade Service Officer to be Director in Prasar Bharti
An Indian Trade Service Officer is being appointed Director (Commercial) in Prasar Bharti.

Mr.Justice A.P.Subba transferred to Sikkim HC

Justice Ananda Prakash Subba, Judge of the Guwahati High Court has been transferred as a Judge of the Sikkim High Court.He has been directed to assume charge of his office in the Sikkim High Court on or before November 10, 2007.

3 Addl judges to Orissa HC appointed
Three additional jusges to the Orissa High Court have been appointed. They are: Biswanath Mahapatra, Bhabani Prasad Ray & Subhash Chandra Parija.In order of seniority they have been appointed for a period of two years, with effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.

2 judges to Punjab & Haryana HC appointed

Two additional judges of Punjab & Haryana High Court(HC) have been promoted.They are:Mr.Justice Amar Nath Jindal Mr.Justice Mohinder Mohan Singh Bedi.They have been appointed in order of seniority, with effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.

Bhushan Gagrani leads MTDC's delegation to Japan

Bhushan Gagrani Managing Director (MD) of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation(MTDC)is going to Japan on 10 days tour.Gagrani who to his credit has many innovative things to his credit as MD of the MTDC is an IAS officer of the 1990 batch & belongs to Maharashtra cadre.Bhushan Gagrani will be in Japan for an appreciation course for infrastructure development,monument conservation & marketing of world famous Ajanta -Ellora caves, under the "Japan Bank of International Co operation"(JBIC).Besides,him four officials of MTDC & two officials of Archaeological Survey of India(ASI)will be there in Japan for 10 days.

Minor changes in Orissa Police, in offing

Minor Changes in Police Administration of Orissa are in the offing & the outgoing DGP Amarananda Pattnayak who proceeded on one month's leave, is likely to be posted as the CMD, Orissa Police Housing Corporation in place of Prakash Misra.

4 IAS from MP to go to China

As many as four officers of Madhya Pradesh cadre will be going on a study tour to China on the night of November 7, 2007 for Eight days.They are :Raghav Chandra Principal Secretary Urban Administration,Malay Shrivastava Commissioner Urban Administration,Neeraj Mandloi Commissioner Indore Municipal Corporation(IMC) & Nikunj Shrivastava Commissioner Bhopal Municipal Corporation(MC).The tour is being undertaken under the aegis of Urban Development Ministry,Indian Government's Department of Economic Affairs(DEA) & Asian Development Bank(ADB).

5 inducted into IAS cadre of Maharashtra

As many as five officers of non SAS cadre officers of Maharashtra cadre have been inducted into the IAS.They are :Khanpure OSD to Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil,Shyam Wardhane Joint secretary Urban Administration,Pendrekar,Wankhade & Nagargoje.They will shortly get their postings.

Bhattacharya posted in Delhi

Amitabha Bhattacharya has been appointed Officer on Special Duty in the office of Resident Commissioner, AP Bhavan, New Delhi. He is 1975 batch IAS officer.

FORUM

Why officers are leaving IRS

An IRS officer develops skills in Finance related topics by virtue of his professional work particularly in forensic accounting which is not recognised by higher echelons of Government.
A lot of IRS officers have made their name outside IRS . Recently an IRS officer missed PM Award for outstanding work in implementing Transparent systems in Governance.
It is high time that a separate cadre rules are framed for IRS to use their capabilities in better way in the general Governance. Allow IRS officers to exit after 15 years only compared to 20 years.
Finaly lucky are the ones who left as someone said the plight of officers who stayed back is not all that bright.

S Hari

Honour to Ratan Tata
The honour accorded to Ratan Tata indicates the prestige that the Tata clan has generated through years of good work that the Ambanis and Adanis and KP Singhs cannot dream of. Even now the institutions built by the Tata House are benchmarks in their respective fields.

E Enrabasu

Well calculation Dear Col satish Dewan..

But , two points are there - one salary of MP is high or the second if CEOs to be given high salary.
You can not rate that any CEO, IAS, or any person clearing an examination in his twenties based on particular peripheral knowledge from certain syllabus will remain equally untelligent through out the life and always on each issue able to take correct measures.
What an IAS gives to people -- just a parasite who does work on salary from the public and then kills the same public by virtue of his weak mental capacity and ego.
Same with CEO whether PSU or Ltd company or MNC all are enjoying these position because a major fraction of society fails to come up with similar time frame of life span. If all are equally educated and do have capacity of taking those decision what is the use of the cream class.
One more thing, I wish to point out there where politicians with One rupee salary and social worker more capable devoted to nation and societies even higher qualification .. Do you take them in count ...
And finally, I feel pity that though you have seems to have a back ground from Army or some defense -- may I request you ( with due regards to the soldiers that I think their duties shall not be measured ) that what price you put in money for a life Rs 3000 or four thousand like level of salary ..
What about the labour making life saving drugs .. What about farmer?

Alas! pity on such remark.

Dr AK

TAIL-PIECE

With Women at the helm of affairs in India.. (Rashtrapati bhavan and 10 Janpath) have we forgotten about Women Reservation Bill ? Or is it that women empowerment has been achieved and there are no more frontiers to be charted.
Ravi Pipal

Aaj Ki Aawaz

Congress believes in 'Majboori mein gadhe ko bhi Baap boolana padhta hai' adage!!!
No wonders on Karuna's pro LTTE statement Congress is hiding its rage!!!

For Congress power is more important …..conviction comes a distant tenth!!!
To stay in power Congress can go to any length!!!

PM's said ' Regional Parties for narrow political gains distort the National vision'!!!
What about Congress that has just poll to poll vision????

Maybe Manmohan is showing us his coalition handcuffs!!!
And lamenting that he's not been able to perform because of the cuffs!!!

Vajpayee too headed a coalition but he did not say that coalition got him handcuffed!!!
Not that NDA allies did not try to get him cuffed!!!

Or has Manmohan resorted to day dreaming!!!
Dreaming that in next General election Congress will give all a creaming!!!

Rather than lamenting regionalism he needs to take a reality check!!!
And clear the wrong notions in his upper deck!!

Doesn't Dr. Brains or our PM know that regionalism is now here to stay!!!
If he takes a reality check regionalism he'll not flay!!

If you ask me PM's mishandled the Nuclear Deal!!!
Seemed to be in a tearing hurry so that Deal ho jaye seal!!!

This tearing hurry could ultimately result in India loosing out!!!
Hurry has made Political Parties shout foul and politics could cause Deal's rout!!!

And now because of Winter Session there's going to be derri (delay)!!!
And then there will be come more delay as it will be season to be merry!!

On Nov 17 Congress is going in for a chintan baitakh!!!
For mishandling matters both High Command and PM should do uttack baithak???

Congress will be brainstorming how to get out of the pit it's dug itself in!!!
How to get out of the bin???

And then Rahul Baba has to be anointed as PM is waiting!!!
This will be the only issue were there will be no debating!!!

Karantaka Guv is playing political games and he's being aided by Gowda Dad and son!!!
Hunted with BJP and tacitly with Congress Gowda duo tried to run!!

BJP and JD(S) MLAs are going to undertake in front of President a march past!!!
Though insiders say that continuance of President's Rule dye has been cast!!!

When Yedurappa says 'eyes right' they should look President in the eye!!!
Their eyes should tell the President that Guv's Report is a lie!!!

Prakash does not have the numbers .....writing is clear on the wall!!
So from President why has he got the call????

After sending and making public the conditions for JD(S)'s support!!
Now support is unconditional Papa Gowda karr raha hai purport!!!

If President Rule continues part of the blame will be at Gowdas doorstep!!!
They bungled at every step!!!

YSR Reddy and Naidu are again slamming each other!!
Hope you recall Reddy's comment 'Naidu you will regret coming out of the womb of his Mother'!!!

Now at an Advisory Committee meeting Reddy blasted Naidu once more!!!
"Shut up, I know you and your status and your history" Reddy ne Naidu ko kiya verbally gore!!!

Naidu retorted , " We've seen many CMs and we'll see you too"!!!
This made Reddy run to the loo!!!

Because Reddy knows that in AP Congress is in the dumps!!!
In cricketing parlance ball or verdict will uproot all three Congress stumps!!!

Message from Bush,
'Please take off you uniform and become Mr. Mush'!!!

They say without uniform Mush feels nangaa or nude!!!!
Bush's going to say , " Pardner in your business suits you look like a cool Dude'!!!

Bush knows that Mush is a narcissist …. very extreme case!!!
Mush cannot pass a mirror without peeking into the mirror and seeing his face!!!

There's news that US is already in fiscal and consumer recession!!!
Though by Bull Economists on this there is dissension!!!

Recession in US will wipe out 2% of our GDP though some say more!!
Only if PC has kept some kind of lock at the door!!!

SEBI's Damodran says that he knows everything about the money coming in!!!
Well that would mean that Damodran is a Jinn!!

Confucius says…Man who boasts that he's a 'know all' ends up with egg on his face!!!
Check it out and you'll find this outcome in every case!!!

Bharat Kumar
Aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

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CORPORATE

NHPC working hampered
Working in National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC), of which Chairman cum Managing Director (CMD) is S K Garg, has been badly hampered for want of unison among board members.

Sikkim to get first Air Port
Sikkim can now hope to get its first Air Port. The government is learnt to have agreed to the proposal.

Indian Railway & NTPC join hands

Indian Railway has added another mile stone by signing a joint venture agreement in Delhi on November 6,2007 with National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) to set up a 1000 MW power plant.The plant will be set up by Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company Limited at Nabinagar in Bihar.Also present on the occasion were Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav,Ministers of State for Railways R. Velu & Naranbhai J. Rathwa, S.K. Vij, Member (Engineering) Railway Board, Secretary Power Anil Razdan, T. Sankaralingam, CMD, NTPC and other senior officers from Railways, Ministry of Power and NTPC.

Jamal is President of Bharat Hotels Group

Farhat Jamal has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of the Grand Group ,a Bharat Hotels Enterprise.

Foreign airlines to operate from Calicut in 2008

There has been a hundred percent increase in international flights to and from the state of Kerala including Calicut in the last three years. During the recent visit of the Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel to Calicut the Minister had announced that operation of foreign airlines to and from Calicut would be started from the first quarter of 2008.

NACIL to provide standby aircraft for Kerala

In the interest of more reliable connectivity to the state of Kerala, NACIL(Air India)of which Chairman cum Managing Director(CMD)is V.Thulasidas, will soon provide stand by aircraft for its Kerala operation.

Srinivas is CEO of Surewaves

C.V.L. Srinivas former CEO-Asia Pacific Maxus, has been appointed CEO of SureWaves of which CMD is Rajendra Khare.