21 Feb, 2008

India Launches Handicrafts And Rural Tourism Fairs

Imtiaz Muqbil

To showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and tourism products, the Ministry of Tourism will be organising “Shopping Festivals for Promotion of Handicrafts and Rural Tourism” in six regions of the country every year.

In this dispatch:

1. LIMITED-TIME OPENING FOR INDIA’S FAMED MUGHAL GARDENS

2. INDIA LAUNCHES HANDICRAFTS AND RURAL TOURISM FAIRS

3. TOURISM ROADSHOWS PLANNED IN RUSSIA

4. INDIA, BANGLADESH FREE UP AIR PACT

5. ASIAN HIGHWAY TO BOOST LINKAGES WITH NEPAL, BHUTAN, BANGLADESH

6. VISA-WAIVER FOR DIPLOMATIC, OFFICIAL/SERVICE PASSPORT HOLDERS BETWEEN INDIA, S. AFRICA

7. ORGANIC FARMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME INITIATED

8. 4.45 MILLION DUG WELLS TARGETTED FOR RECHARGING GROUND WATER

9. ICANN MEETING CONCLUDES IN NEW DELHI

10. NAXAL SITUATION IN JHARKHAND AND CHHATTISGARH

11. EDUCATIONAL ACCESS FOR EVERY CHILD

12. INDIAN LEADERSHIP QUOTES AND POLICY STATEMENTS

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[Editor’s Note: In order to prevent any inaccuracy, all numbers in the following are being retained in their original Indian reporting format. One crore is 10,000,000, and one lakh is 100,000. Pls use www.xe.com for conversion]

1. LIMITED-TIME OPENING FOR INDIA’S FAMED MUGHAL GARDENS

Thursday, February 14, 2008 – The Mughal Gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President’s official residence) including the Musical Garden, the Spiritual Garden, the Herbal Garden, the Biodiversity Park and the Nakshatra Gardens, are being opened to the general public from now until 24 March from 1000 hrs. to 1700 hrs. except on Mondays. Entry into the Gardens will close at 1600 hrs. The gardens shall also remain closed on March 21st and 22nd.

The Mughal Gardens, contiguous to the main building of Rashtrapati Bhavan cover an area of 15 acres. They were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens inspired by the beautiful gardens of Jammu and Kashmir, the gardens around the Taj Mahal and Persian and Indian miniature paintings. The Mughal Gardens comprise three parts:

<> The first is the Rectangular Garden which has several beds of Tulips. This garden will be the centre of attraction this year having 8 different varieties of Tulips. Single colour Tulips are in full bloom now and are expected to remain so until 2 March. The Rectangular Garden is divided into four quarters, each with terraced gardens on either side. The Central Lawn is the venue of numerous receptions and ‘At Homes’ hosted by The President. The Rectangular Garden

<> The second is the Long Garden, leading on to the third part, which is the Circular Garden. The Long Garden has several beds of roses with a dwarf-trimmed hedge, giving the effect of ‘coloured knots on a vast carpet’. This year 7 different varieties of roses have been added.

<> The Circular Garden at the Western edge is a huge terraced bowl lined with various fragrant and vibrant annuals. A bubble fountain in the middle of this bowl and the lotus beds enhance the grandeur of the place. Honeybees are the happiest bees in the Mughal Gardens these days. They are regular visitors attracted by the fragrance of the flowers.

The main Mughal Garden is in bloom with annual flowers such as roses, lilies, tulips, double pansy flowers and eye catching velvet green lawns intercepted with lotus shaped fountains and blue base water canals. A Cactus Corner has been created for visitors.

The Musical Garden has three enthralling fountains, which dance to Shehnai music and Vandemataram. The Musical Fountains are a perfect blend of music, light and water with the help of modern technical know-how. An excellent landscape has been created all around the Musical Fountain.

The Biodiversity Park is another attraction, full of peacocks as well as deer, ducks, turkeys, guinea fowls, turtles, parakeets, rabbits and migratory birds. Important medicinal and aromatic plants depicting their use can be seen in the educational-cum-conservation Herbal Garden. The biodiesel producing plant Jatropha; Stevia, which provides safe sugar for diabetics, Isabgol (plantago), Damask rose, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Mints, Tulsi, Geranium and other 33 types of herbs can be seen in the Herbal Garden. Organically grown winter season vegetables are also on display.

In the Spiritual Garden, plants cut across their religious connectivity in requesting visitors to learn a simple lesson from them. The Nakshatra Garden is the new addition where one can identify a tree linked to one’s zodiac sign. How roadsides can add to the eco-environment one realises walking in Rashtrapati Bhavan Estate.

The entry and exit into the Gardens will be via Gate No. 35 of the President’s Estate, which is located at the extreme end of Church Road, about 300 meters West of Cathedral Church. Entry for physically challenged people using wheelchairs will be through the Rashtrapati Bhavan Reception. Visitors are requested not to bring any water bottles, briefcases, handbags/ladies purses, cameras, radios/transistors, cell phones, umbrellas, arms/ammunitions and eatables.

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2. INDIA LAUNCHES HANDICRAFTS AND RURAL TOURISM FAIRS

Tuesday, February 12, 2008 – As part of the initiative to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and tourism products, the Ministry of Tourism, in conjunction with various State Governments/Union Territories will be organizing “Shopping Festivals for promotion of Handicrafts and Rural Tourism” in six regions of the country every year. The regions are East, West, South, North, Central and the North-East.

The first of these Shopping Festivals, the “Toshali National Crafts Mela” is presently under way in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, in the Eastern Region until February 27, 2008. It is being organised by the Department of Tourism, Orissa with the Union Ministry of Tourism. Over 150 craftpersons are showcasing the finest Handicrafts & Handlooms of India. Eighteen Rural Tourism projects of the Union Ministry of Tourism, supported by UNDP, are exhibiting the specialized crafts and handlooms of these areas.

Cultural programmes are being held to provide a glimpse of the colours and traditional art forms of rural India, along with classical and folk performances like Odissi dance, Kathak, Bharat Natyam, Ghazals and folk performances. Multi-cuisine food stalls are serving popular and traditional delicacies.

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3. TOURISM ROADSHOWS PLANNED IN RUSSIA

Thursday, February 14, 2008 – Head of the Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation Mr. Vladimir Strzhalkovskiy today called on Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Ambika Soni to discuss ways of increasing bilateral tourism flows. Mrs. Soni said her Ministry has chalked out a plan to have Road Shows in Russia and other countries in the adjoining area by August-September 2008. She said her Ministry will also make tourism related films with specific target area of Russia and translate brochures, tourism related literature and CDs etc. in Russian language to attract tourists from Russia.

She said for better understanding of India, her Ministry will invite travel writers, media persons and tour operators from Russia to India for short duration stay so that once they go back to Russia, they should write about India, its rich heritage and places of tourist interest. She also exchanged views on visa procedures, hotel accommodation and Budget hotels. She said her Ministry is expecting some concessions in the forthcoming Union Budget of India that will boost Budget hotels in the country.

Mrs. Soni noted that a 5-year multiple entry and visa-on-arrival schemes are being worked out. She thanked the Russian leader for his country’s support to India during the election of UNWTO Executive Council where India was elected as Chairman.

The Russian tourism official said the two countries have huge tourist potential and exchange of travel writers and tour operators will increase the tourist traffic between the two countries. He said Russia, too, is making every effort to improve its visa issuance formalities. He also called for better air connectivity for Russian tourists especially on the Mumbai-Goa sector. He invited India to take part in Tourism Exhibitions in Russia.

Mrs Soni also met earlier with Ms. Zilya Valeeva, the Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Culture, Republic of Tatarstan (a region in Russia). She said India has signed a Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) with Russia in 2007 and exchange of cultural delegations with Tatarstan would be taken up within the scope of the CEP.

Ms. Zilya Valeeva said her region is interested in exchange of cultural delegations, information on museums and libraries with India. She also said that every year, a week of Indian films is organized in Tatarstan and that it would be good to have Indian film stars in Tatarstan to promote further understanding about Hindi cinema. She said places such as Qutab Minar can attract lot of tourists from her region. She also showed keen interest in Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings and enquired if exhibition of these paintings can travel to Tatarstan.

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4. INDIA, BANGLADESH FREE UP AIR PACT

Thursday, February 14, 2008 – India and Bangladesh held bilateral air services talks on 11-13 February, 2008 in New Delhi. The Indian delegation was led by Mr Ashok Chawla, Secretary (Civil Aviation). An MOU was signed under which both sides have agreed to remove all existing caps for the operations of Bangladesh carriers to/from different points in India.

Now, the designated airlines of each side are entitled to operate 61 services per week in each direction to/from any points in each other’s territory specified in the Route Schedule with any type of aircraft, without any restriction or capping. Airlines of both sides can operate any number of services to/from 18 tourist gateways in India viz. Patna, Lucknow, Guwahati, Gaya, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Khajuraho, Aurangabad, Goa, Jaipur, Port Blair, Kochi, Trivandrum, Kozikode, Amritsar, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad and Tiruchirapalli.

The Bangladesh side agreed to grant Sylhet in Bangladesh as an additional point of call for the Indian designated carriers. In order to make the operations more commercially viable, the provision of co-operative marketing arrangement has been agreed. Designated airlines of each side also are entitled to operate 7 all–cargo services per week between each other’s territory with any type of aircraft.

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5. ASIAN HIGHWAY TO BOOST LINKAGES WITH NEPAL, BHUTAN, BANGLADESH

Thursday, February 14, 2008 – The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for proposing to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations (UNESCAP) two amendments to the route of AH-2, and AH-48 in order to boost trade and tourism from India to Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal. The amendments will be made in the List of Asian highway Routes of the Inter-Governmental Agreement on the Asian Highway Network, after consideration by the Working Group on the Asian Highway.

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6. VISA-WAIVER FOR DIPLOMATIC, OFFICIAL/SERVICE PASSPORT HOLDERS BETWEEN INDIA, S. AFRICA

Thursday, February 14, 2008 – The Union Cabinet today approved a proposal for signing of the Agreement between India and South Africa on the abolition of visa requirement for the holders of diplomatic and official / service passports and its implementation. This decision will facilitate visa-free travel for diplomatic and official passport holders while entering, transiting through the existing from the territory of the other country and issue of residence visa valid for duration of the assignment to the members of diplomatic / consular Mission.

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7. ORGANIC FARMING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME INITIATED

Friday, February 15, 2008 – In a first of its kind initiative, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has developed a 6-month duration course on Certificate in Organic Farming. Mr Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce, launched this programme here today.

Mr Ramesh stated that the study programme is expected to address vast manpower requirement for trained personnel and create a whole new cadre of organic farming professionals, advisors, entrepreneurs, quality certifiers, marketing and export trade facilitators. He said that organic farming is set to get a major boost due to the rising income levels and health consciousness among large section of people, as the programme has been designed with the help of experts from different organizations / universities nationwide.

India has 1.7 million hectares of area under certified organic farming. The organic market in the country is valued at Rs.100 crore with an annual growth rate steadily going up from 35% to 50% by 2010. India is fast becoming a major base for production and supply of organically produced agricultural products to the world market. The global market for organic farm produce is expected to touch US$ 100 billion by 2010.

Realizing the potential for export of organic products, Ministry of Commerce has set up National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) in April 2000. A National Steering Committee (NSC) was set up by the Ministry of Commerce under NPOP. Maintaining strict quality control standards, India’s National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), ensures the export of only those products which qualify the National Standards for Organic production. APEDA has been designated as the secretariat for NSC under NPOP and it performs the lead role for promotion of export of organically grown agro-products. APEDA is also responsible for accreditation of Certification Bodies in the country.

The IGNOU-APEDA Organic Farming programme will be the first such full-fledged educational and training programme offered in the country. It would be made available to students, progressive farmers and certifying personnel seeking enrollment to the course from the coming academic year. As it would be imparted in IGNOU’s Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, persons with Secondary School qualification (10+2) in any part of the country could enroll in it.

IGNOU’s School of Agriculture developed the training programme to promote sustainable agriculture by broad-basing and upgrading the knowledge level of the Indian farming community. The delivery of the programme to the students and farmers would be backed up by student practical classes and counseling being arranged through different Programme Study Centres (PCS) of IGNOU. These programme study centres are established in State Agricultural Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, NGOs, ICAR institutions etc.

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8. 4.45 MILLION DUG WELLS TARGETTED FOR RECHARGING GROUND WATER

Wednesday, February 13, 2008 – 4.45 million dug wells of beneficiary farmers are to be taken up for recharging Ground Water. The concerned State Governments are being asked to take all necessary steps for implementation before the monsoon of 2008.

The Government approved the scheme of “Artificial Recharge of Ground Water through Dugwells in Hard Rock Areas” in seven States namely Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh in November 2007.

The scheme has been approved for a total cost of Rs. 1798.71 crore with net cost of subsidy to Government in terms of civil works being Rs. 1499.27 crore. The scheme provides 100 per cent subsidy to marginal and small farmers and 50 per cent subsidy to other farmers.

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9. ICANN MEETING CONCLUDES

Friday, February 15, 2008 – Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) concludes its meeting in New Delhi today. The meeting was attended by 726 participants cutting across 76 countries with a large Indian presence of 294 persons.

In the week-long meeting, the issues relating to domain names in the local languages, local scripts and issues with wide range to variants, spellings were discussed. Domain Names Security (DNS) issues also figured prominently. ICANN has already successfully concluded tests in local non-English languages including Devnagari and Tamil languages.

The meeting in New Delhi enabled the participants to share the experiences with experts from C-DAC, Department of Information Technology (DoIT) and the National Internet Exchange of India (NiXi), on variants and spellings and how expert organizations are overcoming the security issues arising out of spelling variations. There is need to proliferate IPv6 in the country as more and more devices are connected to the Net. In fact, India has been emphasizing the need of IPv4 and IPv6. The Internet exchange of India (NiXi) which is the main registry of .in Domain Name held discussions with ICANN on issues relating to issues relating to India.

The highlight of the ICANN meeting was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between ICANN and the Internet User Groups who participated in the Asia Pacific Regional At-Large Organisation (APRALO) on its first general meeting in New Delhi as part of ICANN’s 31st International Public Meeting. They discussed issues that will affect Internet users through out the region and the world. The Internet user groups who are part of APRALO are incredibly diverse, and include users from India, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.

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10. NAXAL SITUATION IN JHARKHAND AND CHHATTISGARH

Tuesday, February 12, 2008 – The Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil reviewed here today the problem of Naxalite militancy in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Senior officers of the two States briefed him about the situation and the steps taken by the State Governments to deal with it. They also apprised him of the utilization of the funds, provided by the Central Government.

The Home Minister accepted the request of the Jharkhand Government to provide additional five companies of Para Military Forces for the required period. The Chhattisgarh Government’s request for additional Para Military Forces will also be considered by the Ministry. Mr Patil, however, asked the two State Governments to make use of the Para Military Forces for operational purposes and not for normal law and order or static guard duties. The Centre has already provided 13 battalions of Para Military Forces to Chattisgarh and 5 to Jharkhand.

Expressing concern over the slow pace of filling up of vacancies in the two states, the Home Minister said that the process required to be speeded up. This will not only help strengthen security, but also provide employment to local people. He asked the two State Governments to strengthen their intelligence wings and also ensure optimal and timely utilization of the funds granted under various central schemes. The Home Minister expressed satisfaction at some successful anti-Naxalite operations carried out recently, and emphasized the need to follow a pro-active strategy in both the States.

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11. EDUCATIONAL ACCESS FOR EVERY CHILD

Thursday, February 14, 2008 – In a presentation made by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Consultative Committee of Parliament, the key objectives of expansion of secondary education in the country were outlined to be availability and access to every child within 5 kms. for secondary schools and within 7-10 kms. for higher secondary schools, and improvement of quality. The Consultative Committee meeting was chaired by Human Resource Development Minister Mr Arjun Singh who expressed the hope that perceptible change may be noticed on these attainable targets in the 3rd year of the Plan. He also said that vocationalization of secondary education will also be taken up on a massive scale.

It was also mentioned in the meeting that universalisation of access to secondary education will be ensured by the end of the 11th Plan. It will include strengthening of existing schools to achieve prescribed norms; expansion of capacity of existing schools; upgradation of higher primary schools to secondary level; expansion of facilities for open distance learning and stepping up allocation to secondary education from 0.9% of GDP to 1.5% of GDP.

Expansion of secondary education will also involve upgradation of physical infrastructure (class rooms, playgrounds, library, science lab, computer lab, toilet, drinking water, electricity, telephone etc.), recruitment and training of teachers and extensive use of ICT. This will also include incentives to girls and weaker sections including SCs/STs/Minorities, curriculum revision, examination reforms and monitoring & supervision.

The members of the Consultative Committee offered several suggestions. The main suggestions being special efforts to reduce drop-out specially for girls, creation of social and parental awareness, accessible and affordable education; emphasis on moral and value education & yoga; in service training for teaching staff; hostel facilities for girls to reduce the drop out; development of the Public Private Partnership, improvement of infrastructure in existing schools, and systemic reforms in the educational system.

The members were apprised that as a follow up of Prime Minister’s Independence Day announcement, 6000 new high quality schools will be opened at the rate of one school per block. Out of these, 2500 schools will be in Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Another component of the expansion of secondary education is a proposal for establishment of one girls’ hostel of capacity 100 in each Educationally Backward Block (EBB). The members were also informed that one lakh Merit-cum-Means scholarships of Rs. 6000 per annum would be awarded each year from class IX to class XII.

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12. INDIAN LEADERSHIP QUOTES AND POLICY STATEMENTS

[Editor’s Note: Well aware that the best way of solving a problem is to acknowledge that it exists, Indian leaders give full vent to a range of national issues in their public speeches. In this new section in the India reports, Travel Impact Newswire will print a regular series of excerpts, all of which reflect the democratic dynamism of the country and are well worth reflecting on.]

<> PRIME MINISTER, DR. MANMOHAN SINGH, speaking at a function to mark the release of a book ‘India to be a Global Power’, by Mr Vasant Sathe in New Delhi:

“Unless all sections of society feel they are part of the processes of change and that they are active participants in these processes, the process of empowerment are in fact working, we will not be able to move forward as a Nation. Our external strength can only be based on internal cohesion. I often said that today India does not face any serious external constraints. Our problems are at home, our challenges are at home and there are also enormous opportunities. The things that we do and the things that we do not do will have a profound consequence on our ability to emerge as a truly global power. An internally divided and divisive society cannot project an external image of strength and power.

And I think this is a guideline which should guide the acts of all political parties. Those who seek to divide our people on the basis of religion, on the basis of caste or differences to which place one belongs, I think they do not serve the cause of national unity or national progress. We have to find practical, pragmatic pathways to deal with these tendencies which if not curbed can have destabilizing consequences. But I do recognize that we are a functioning democracy. Therefore, the internal cohesion, that I am talking about, cannot be forced. It cannot be imposed. That is not the way in which the Indian people wish to govern themselves. Therefore, all those who influence the mindsets of our people, whether they are in the academic institutions, whether they are in the media or other institutions, they have an obligation to lay proper emphasis on the need for a minimum amount of national discipline, if our country has to realize its ambitions to emerge as a great power.

So such internal cohesion in a democracy has to be consensually arrived at. That should be the aim of all social reform. Be it the reform of our personal laws, reform of our educational system, reform of our health care, reform of local government. All of these must be based on the idea of social inclusion.

<> PRESIDENT OF INDIA, MRS PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL, at the presentation of “International Institute of Management, Lucknow National Leadership Awards 2007” in New Delhi:

Industrial houses have a nationwide network of distributors, retailers and service centres. Companies are selling their goods and services to people all across the country. You need to think about how to use this network and your business interaction with the public for a national cause. When I speak about improving the lives of the disadvantaged sections of society, one of the bottlenecks is that people are not aware of the policies and schemes designed for their welfare. It would be good if the corporate sector can look at creating awareness about welfare schemes. Along with their product they can also give a message to their customer. For example if companies, particularly in the communication sector, were to tell all its customers about the need for getting children immunized, prevent child marriages and female foeticide or reminding them the due date for payment of their taxes it would do a great service. Similarly, in rural areas and remote regions, the corporate network could convey information about weather, prices of commodities as well as the newly introduced special schemes for the weaker sections.

Industry generates employment and its location in a particular area gives livelihood to the people and can also change the profile of the area. Some companies set up schools, medical and training facilities where their factories are located. I would encourage all business houses to follow this as a regular practice.

<> VICE-PRESIDENT OF INDIA, MOHD. HAMID ANSARI at the 19th Convocation of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU):

The biggest challenge is to provide quality higher education to the greatest number at minimum possible cost to the intended beneficiaries. How is this to be achieved?

It is here that open and distance education delivered through information and communication technology has the potential of providing answers. Increasingly, distance education has emerged as a critical link in achieving our goal of ushering in a knowledge society. Distance education in our country has inherent characteristics that are insufficiently appreciated. A few of these need to be highlighted.

In the first place, distance education is inclusive and encourages marginalised sections of society into the fold of higher education. For instance, for the country as a whole, gross enrollment ratio in urban areas is four times higher than in rural areas; the gross enrollment ratio is much lower for SCs, STs, OBCs and for Muslims as compared to the general population; the ratio is 11% for females as compared to over 15% for males; the poor also have a low gross enrollment ratio, that is one fifth of that of the non-poor.

Serving the disadvantaged sections of the society was the primary focus of distance education in India. IGNOU itself has over 217 special study centers focusing on such marginalised groups as SCs/STs, minorities, women, jail-inmates, remote and rural areas and low literacy districts. Around 35% of the fresh students enrolled last year in the university were women and around 25% of them were SC/ST students. In our country, women make 40% of distance education students as compared to 28% in the conventional mode.

These are concrete outcomes worthy of emulation. The eventual entry of such disadvantaged and non-traditional learners into the productive workforce of the nation has tremendous implications for sustaining our economic growth and making it inclusive.

Second, open and distance education is the best means for skill enhancement and retraining; these are essential features of a knowledge economy. A significant component of our GDP is from the services sector where continued skill development is essential. This can be done in a cost-effective manner through distance education.

Thirdly, distance education is an ideal instrument for galvanizing community education and action and energizing civil society groups. This is an important aspect of our democratic polity and remains a key instrument for conservation of local and indigenous knowledge systems. It also serves as a useful link between communities and the global knowledge economy.

Fourth, distance education, by virtue of its openness, flexibility and delivery across multiple platforms, facilitates higher education of those with special needs. Our conventional universities have not been suitably reconfigured to cater to those with special needs, leading to their exclusion from higher education.

With all the benefits of open and distance education, it is unfortunate that there is still a sense of stigma attached to those who pursue distance education. The degrees of students of open and distance education are not accorded the same weight and credibility in the job market and even by academia.