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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.

Dr Brahmachari to be DG CSIR !
Delhi based Scientist Dr S K Brahmachari is being appointed new DG of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).He would succeed Dr Mashelkar.

A K Jain appointed Secretary General NHRC
Special Secretary Defence Akhil Kumar Jain has been appointed new Secretary General of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). He is 1973 batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre.
( We said this on November 6)

Jha posted in Berlin
S C Jha has been posted in Indian Embassy, Berlin, as Minister. He is 1981 batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre.
( We said this on September 26)

Saran is Joint Secretary PMO
Pankaj Saran is now Joint Secretary in the PMO. He is 1982 batch Indian Foreign Service officer.

Gauri Singh is JS New and Renewable Energy
Ms Gauri Singh has been appointed Joint Secretary New and Renewable Energy in the Government of India. She is 1987 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.

Alka Tyagi is CMD Hindustan Diamonds
Alka Tyagi will take over as CMD of the Hindustan Diamonds in Mumbai which comes under the Commerce Ministry. She is 1984 batch IRS (IT) officer.

Narayanan is ED Indian Overseas Bank
G Narayanan has been appointed new Executive Director of the Indian Overseas Bank.He is presently General Manager of the Bank of India.
( We said this on February 13)

Mittal is ED UCO Bank
General Manager of the Punjab National Bank B.M. Mittal has been appointed as ED of UCO bank.
( We said this on March 8)

Agrawal appointed ED of Allahabad Bank
K.K. Agarwal who is currently General Manager of the Bank of Baroda, has been appointed as ED of Allahabad Bank.
( We said this on March 28 )

Vedi is now ED of Canara Bank
General Manager of the Punjab and Sindh Bank B.S. Vedi has been appointed ED of the Canara Bank.
( We said this on March 12 )

Dua is ED of Allahabad Bank
J.P. Dua General Manager of the Oriental Bank of Commerce has been appointed as ED of Allahabad Bank.

Bhasin is new ED of United Bank of India
T.M. Bhasin GM of the OBC has been appointed as ED of the United Bank of India.

Sen is ED of Dena Bank
ED of the Union Bank of India Bhaskar Sen has been appointed new ED of the Union Bank of India.

Gujarat CM faces three women
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi this time seems to be getting a taste of active poll campaign by three women. Undisputedly Congress president Mrs. Sonia Gandhi tops the ladder. Other two ladies are also making their own efforts to stall a repeat term for Modi in Gujarat. They are:Ms. Teesta Setalvad & her NGO as well as Ms.Shabnam Hashmi & her NGO.

IAS changes in Maharashtra
Eight IAS officers in Maharashtra have been transferred.

No vacancy in the Defence Ministry
There is no vacancy at the Director level & above in the Indian Defence Ministry.

Vacancy in Staff Selection Commission
There is vacancy for a member in the Staff Selection Commission. Officers in the pay scale of Rs.18400 -Rs.22400 are eligible.

FORUM

eGovernance projects

Narain has pointed out correctly about funds being wasted in the name of eGovernance.
The eGovernance projects are funny but the worst example is that of Directorate of Estates in Delhi. The most interesting part is that they managed to get some award too despite being perfect example of "Garbage in Garbage out". The wonderful part is that all this garbage has never let its stink reach the investigating authorities.
Apart from freely giving government houses to politicians, political parties and journalists (so that they do not speak out, despite Tehelka and other exposes), the corruption seems to have been legalized in form of various quotas. Long time back, Sheila Kaul was caught in the scam but now it is at much larger scale.
A person has been allotted two houses. Person who has been transferred out continues to occupy a house as well as the one who retired in 2004. People occupy quarters whose date of allotment is not recorded for some unknown reasons .
People who have left government service continue to occupy the house. Some are allotted the house without being entitled. It is not only retired persons but also persons no longer staying in Delhi who get to occupy these houses. People who left government service more than 6 years back continue to avail the perks.
The Directorate has vacant quarters lying without allotment, since they will be brought into list for appropriate consideration. The officers of organizations like Prasar Bharti, Security and Minting Corporation, Doordarshan, Akashwani, MTNL, Airport Authority, BSNL, Trade promotion organization etc. continue to occupy, hold, and get new quarters allotted without being eligible. No wonder, Humans can only err, but to commit a blunder (without any questions asked and investigation done) you need a computer and so called "eGovernance.
Ram Narayan Garg

Aaj Ki Aawaz
Laloo agrees with Manmohan that regionalism is proving to be Country's bane!!!
Is Laloo planning to merge RJD with Congress or has he gone plain and simple insane???

Will he be able to fulfil his PM dream if RJD into Congress hothi hai merge???
And as we all know to become PM Laloo really has the urge!!!

Or does he feel that Rahul will not become PM for some time????
And if he merges RJD with Congress Sonia will entrust him with this job in the meantime!!!

In Patna his son got into a tiff with the Security outside Laloo's ex House!!!
As Nitish now lives in this house Laloo's family nurse a grouse!!!

Mama Rabdi on learning that son was involved in a tiff rushed there with RJD goondas!!!
'How dare cops argue with one of her moonda's (son)'!!!

After creating a shindy they left dancing and shouting as if they'd won a battle!!
Looked more like stampeding cattle!!

Karnataka Guv has opined that flip flop alliance cannot give a stable Sarkaar!!!
As per his opinion BJP's driving and JD(S) trying puncture the car!!!

But Guv Ji the UPA Sarkaar epitomises 'flip and flop'!!!!
Power is a big bonder and so UPA Sarkaar nahi ho rahi hai flop!!!

Power is a big bonding factor ……power is akin to strongest glue!
Why is Guv behaving as if on this he has no clue!!!

Bottom line is BJP and JD(S) have the numbers and their claim cannot be denied!!
By a politicking Guv Democratic norms cannot be defied!!

Sonia got a red carpet welcome in Cheen ( China )!!!
In Russia Manmohan will get a carpet-less welcome so what does this mean????

Manmohan should cancel his trip to Moscow !!!
After such an insulting protocol powwow he should not go!!!

Russia knows India has moved out of its grip!!!!
No wonders they've down graded in protocol Manmohan's trip!!!

Or are the Russians saying that they know that Manmohan is not the Boss????
Sonia doing the backseat driving is cause of PM's image's loss!!!

If Putin came here and as per protocol only met President!!!
It'll be he came , he stayed, was banqueted and feted and then he went!!!

For discussing issues Putin will need to talk to India 's PM and not President!!!!
If he tried to talk 'business' with President politely to PM he'd be sent!!!

Isn't it a bit too late in the day for PM to ask Cabinet Ministers to declare their assets!!
It's like wearing goggles when the sun sets!!!

And Laloo and Pawar are not going to obey this order!!!
They'll say ' this order on dictatorship karta hai border'!!!!

What about the Benaami factor… benaami fixed and liquid assets!!!!
It's rumoured that some have even got land registered in the name of their pets!!!

The way Punjab is going very soon it'll end up as the poorest State!!!
And both Congress and Akalis will be responsible for Punjab 's pathetic state!!!

Rajiv had said that only 8 paisa of every Rupee reaches the cause for which it's sent!!
In Punjab the pilferage in many cases is 100% percent!!!

Junior Badal talks of staying in power for 25 years!!!
This should be one of Punjab 's biggest fears!!!

Like Naidu he is on a 'byte' trip!!!
He should remember that Naidu ko bytes ne last election me kiya tha trip!!!

Please help Mush to decide his civil dress!!!!
Business suit, Safari suit or Salwar Kameez….. in what should he dress????

Mush is trying that he wear his rank on his civilian dress!!!
But Bush for a complete civilian turn out by Mush karr raha hai press!!!

Mush might resort to wearing army fatigue material underwear and vest!!!!
And on these he may have his Five Star crest!!!

Though now American Press is blaming Bush for Pakistan 's woes!!!
Bush's image hitting new lows!!!

SEBI wants KYC to be followed strictly …. SEBI should follow KYA!!!!
Know Your Aim is how to decipher KYA!!!

Today Dollars are pouring in and Sarkaar is not seeing the effect down the road!!!
Indian system with Dollars ho gaya hai overload!!!

Confucius says…. Of course IMF will say there should be no monetary controls!!!!
Continues…. Please keep in mind IMF who controls!!!

Bharat Kumar
Aaj_ki_aawaz@yahoo.com

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CORPORATE

NHPC BLOCKS ACCESS TO ITS WEBSITE ?
NHPC Website is not available to selected ex-employees,
social activitists and some journalists. The reason is
not known. There is simmering discontentment among
the executives about working conditions in the Corporation
under the present Chairman & Managing Director S.K. Garg,
who is basically a finance person from the Indian Oil Corporation.
His appointment was considerably delayed due to opposition of
the Union Power Minister who kept the file on his table for over
nine months.
There are reports that the in-fighting among theFunctional Directors
has virtually paralyzed working in the NHPC. Lot of people
are seeking information from NHPC under RTI Act, 2005.
In a desparate bid to block information, access to the official
website has been blocked. Will this work, a known watcher
of NHPC wonders.

Siddharth Sengupta to work with Madhur Bhandarkar
Siddharth Sengupta is the lucky person from among 290 contestants who will get an opportunity to work with noted Bollywood film maker Madhur Bhandarkar. Sengupta has won the 'Direct a movie' contest that was hosted by <BigAdda.com> .

India bags world travel award
World Travel Awards - 2007 Asia, Australiasia and Indian Ocean Ceremony was organized at Bangalore recently. India received the award for the leading destination in Asia and leading Govt. Tourist and Convention Bureau in Asia. For these awards, travel agents from 190 countries selected the winners through Ballet. The winners of the regional categories will now compete for the world category awards, which would be announced in December this year.

Endemol India ropes in Ms.Vinita Coelho
Ms.Vinita Coelho has been appointed as Head of Fiction by Endemol India of which Managing Director is Rajesh Kamat. Ms.Coelho was hitherto VP (new product development) in Sony Entertainment Television(SET).In the fiction category, Endemol has three shows lined up on GECs - Jamegi Jodi (9X), Waaris (Star Plus) and Radio Rangeen (SAB).