Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Goa. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Goa. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, June 01, 2009

Puran poli: Simple & secular appetite teaser

By M H Ahssan

The Sweet Stuffed Bread Depicts Gujarati Instinct For Luxury & Maharashtrian Food’s Elegant Frugality Well

Take toor dal, or channa or moong dal sometimes. Wheat flour. Jaggery if you want to be traditional, sugar if not, and sometimes a mix of the two. And ghee, though vegetable oil can also be used instead (in one case, for religious reasons). With just these few ingredients you can tell the food stories of most of Western India’s communities as they come together to make puran poli.

That this sweet stuffed flat bread is seen as belonging firmly to Western India is no accident. Food reflects geography, and that of Western India inclines its food to austerity. Not for this region the rich milk-based sweets of the river plains and deltas of Northern and Eastern India, or the coconut crammed concoctions of lush Kerala in the South. Western India’s geography gives it a thin fertile strip along the sea, but it is dominated by the Deccan, dusty and dry behind its rampart of the Ghats.

This does not automatically condemn Western India to ascetism – the happy abundance of Gujarati, Parsi and Goan food is proof against that. Yet there is an underlying austerity, especially in regular home food, and puran poli’s filling, based on that most homely of ingredients, dal, reflects this. The region’s difficult geography and relative lack of riches also meant that it was never much coveted by conquering powers. Even its native conquerors, the Marathas, wanted to get out and gain other lands.

The consequence is that Western India was never dominated by a community like the Mughals in North India, Bengali bhadralok in the East or Tamil Brahmins in the South. Different communities dominated at different times, but no single one shaped the region. Instead communities dominated in different areas – professionally, like the Gujaratis and Parsis in trade or Hindu Maharashtrians in scholarship or agriculture, or geographically like Catholics in Goa or Bene Israeli Jews on the north Konkan coast.

Each of these communities took up the same ingredients and fashioned them subtly to their own ends. The ingredients of the region are often common, like fish, coconuts and rice, yet a multiplicity of little known cuisines have come from them. The differences between them are subtle, and often based on social differences such as the souring agents used in Goa: vinegar by the Catholics who could drink the alcohol it was based on, kokum by the Hindus who could not.

Puran poli shows how these socially derived variations work even better, since as a sweet it more easily crosses the barriers of vegetarian/non-vegetarian, halal, kosher, home-made and other such restrictions. So the Gujarati instinct for luxury comes out in its small, fat puran polis, bursting with the filling of sweetened cooked dhal and doused to dripping in hot melted ghee. They are the most dangerous items on a traditional Gujju thali since once you have two – and they are too delicious to have just one – all your appetite for the rest vanishes. By contrast Maharashtrian food’s elegant frugality is seen its larger, thin, bone-dry puran polis that must be moistened before eating, with coconut milk on the coast, cow’s milk or ghee in the interiors.

Maharashtrians also often economically make a tangy-hot curry to eat with the puran poli from extra dhal or even just the liquid in which the dhal for the filling cooked. Of all the puran poli variations it is these austere versions I like best, though I find them impossibly hard to make. Luckily in Mumbai one can buy them from places like Tambhe Arogya Bhavan in Dadar, to eat dipped with milk and not the least pleasure is finally eating the sweet sludge of filling that always forms at the bottom of the bowl.

Parsis used the ingredients and techniques of their Persian homeland to make something startlingly different of puran poli. They made it into dar-ni-pori, a sturdy thick thing, filled with dried fruits and nuts and looking almost like a cake. Katy Dalal’s final instructions in the recipe in her book Jamva Chaloji 1, confirm this: “Cut into wedges and serve hot with tea”. Simple puran poli has gone genteel, as a pastry to serve on porcelain plates, with forks for five o’clock tea.

Another West Coast community with foreign roots stayed simple, but with a religious adaptation. The Bene Israelis make two versions, one with vegetable oil and one with ghee, depending on whether there is meat in the rest of the meal, so keeping kosher strictures against mixing dairy foods and meat. Esther David in her novel The Book of Rachel tells us that they are a festive food: “Puranpoli is made on Purim in memory of the liberation of the Persian Jews and the festival of Queen Esther...”

Konkani Muslims also make puran poli but not, my friend Rafique Baghdadi tells me, with religious connotations: “It’s fried crisp on the tava and is utterly delicious.” Further south, near Karnataka, puran poli blends into the huge family of holiges, the sweet breads of that region. Across the West Coast almost every community turns tricks with puran poli, with the odd exception of Christian communities. As far as I’ve been able to find the closest they get is the steamed rice cakes with coconut-jaggery filling called patoli or patalio in Mangalore and Goa, or sometimes with the sweet dal as an optional filling for the deep-fried crescent pastries called nevries.

Neither one is quite puran poli, and the reason for this omission could again be rooted in community history. Because the one big change, almost the identifying one, made by Christian communities was to give up unleavened flatbreads for oven baked pav and other such yeast raised breads. In the process they may have forgotten puran poli, the one loss from all the variations that they added to the foods of Western India.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Eat Your Way With These 14 Varieties Of Indian Mangoes

It’s that time of year when everything is bathed in a warm, fuzzy, honey glow and there’s a sweet fragrance in the air. That might be partly due to summer setting in across India but it’s also because the best (and India’s national) fruit is making the rounds. 

For most Indians, summer is synonymous with mangoes; climbing trees to pluck those sunshine-coloured fruits or watching our grannies prepare mango pickles for the year. Mangoes are a habit that many of us find hard to give up.

Monday, May 04, 2015

Commentary: 'Faced With The Good And The Bad NGOs'

The Modi's Government, undaunted, seems to be cracking down on bigger global outfits. Some, like Greenpeace and Ford Foundation, have been already been put under the scanner.

It was probably CNN, when it was owned by Ted Turner, which first gave credence and pride of place to the ‘citizen journalist’, particularly for eye-witness footage, and ‘man bites dog’ stories. Not only was this amateur footage used on international satellite TV, but the production values were jollied up as much as they could be, and seamlessly integrated into the big-tent professionalism that CNN injected.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

'Public Money, Private Agenda - Same Road, Same Ditch'

By M H Ahssan / INN Bureau

Projects that don’t exist, repeat expenditure on ones that do. MPLADS is a free fund for our MPs. Over the years, Indian MPs have become a pampered lot. Although the need for an enforceable code of conduct for MPs was felt six decades ago, Parliament never got down to drafting and enforcing such a code and to lay down an ethical framework for the conduct of parliamentarians. However, there was no such lethargy when it came to expanding the privileges of MPs.

Anxious to keep MPs happy, every government has done its bit to widen their perks and privileges. The launch of MPLADS and the increase in the annual allocation per MP from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore is probably the most obvious example of how MPs are pampered.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Environment Clearance Report

In two years, 952 industrial projects have been approved, none rejected. Crucial safety nets to protect our well-being have failed, exposes PRERNA SINGH BINDRA

That the repercussions of the environment crisis are more devastating, and far-reaching than the economic slowdown, is established. The key tool used worldwide as a safeguard against the devastating impacts of unplanned and careless industrial expansion is the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). Unfortunately, in India, the EIA, rather than respect its role as crucial decision making tool, is reduced to a tawdry joke. Sample this: An EIA report lists two tiger species (though the world has only one), two unknown cobra species (if these exist, it’s time to celebrate), Brown Pied Hornbill (there’s no such bird), and Python aculetes (really? Must be new to science!). Other wildlife listed includes red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, musk deer — all critically endangered species. The conclusion? No major wildlife observed.

Another report counts cows, goats, buffaloes, cats and dogs as endemic fauna species.

These two gems from EIA reports were part of assessments by which clearances were given to development projects likely to have serious environmental and social impact. The second extract, from the EIA of JSW Energy Ltd in the Konkan region, classifies cats and dogs as endemic species, when a six-year-old knows them as pets kept at home. The first extract — replete with fraudulent ‘discoveries’ — pertains to the 3,000 Dibang Multi-Purpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in January 2008, in the face of stiff opposition from local tribals, and much before it got environmental clearance — a telling indication that a green signal is a foregone conclusion for a project. And why not?

According to investigations by the EIA Response Centre (ERC), an initiative of LIFE (Legal Initiative for Forests and Environment) and documents available exclusively with HNN, in the past two years almost all submitted projects have sailed through the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). Let’s be precise: since September 14, 2006, when the new EIA notification came into force, to September 2008, every industrial project for which approval was sought was cleared: 952 industries approved, none rejected. Nor did the 134 thermal power plants face any environmental hiccups, though it is well-established that such carbon-intensive plants contribute significantly to global warming. The one nuclear plant was approved, while only four construction sites out of a whopping 1,073, and 10 of 587 non-coal mining requests were rejected, raising the question whether the mandate of the MoEF is to protect or destroy the environment.

The law says that major development, infrastructural and industrial projects require an EIA, which must include a comprehensive survey and investigation — including environmental, social and economic repercussions — and be cleared by the Expert Appraisal Committees formed by the Ministry under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. But the law is an ass. And the EIA a farce practiced by the MoEF. Documents with HNN show how the Ministry has ignored environmental and social concerns in the face of glaring omissions, false information and public opposition.

Let’s pursue the JSW Energy Ltd in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, which first got into an MoU with the state, and only later applied for environmental clearance. The EIA conveniently ignores the existence of mangroves and reserve forests near the proposed thermal power unit. It also ‘forgets’ to mention that the area falls under the Ratnagiri- Sindhudhurg Regional Plan, which excludes thermal plants from the list of permitted industries. Telling of the EIA’s callousness is that it fails to assess the impact on fisheries and mango crops, which form the backbone of the local economy.

Ratnagiri is the home of the Alphonso mango, which is exported across the globe. It is established that air pollutants from coal-fired thermal plants damage mango crops, and consequently the market for this highquality mango has already been affected. Rues Pradeep Parulekar, a lawyer based in the region, who has been campaigning against the project, “The cumulative impact of the various power projects and mines will ruin this region, its marine life and mango crops.

We have already received letters from our exporters that if there are thermal power plants with sulphur dioxide emissions — as with JSW — our mangoes will not be acceptable under GAP (Good Agriculture Practice). We have already seen the sham of an EIA in the JSW case — I don’t hold hope for any others in the pipeline.” Need one mention that nothing of this carried weight with the MoEF, which, in its infinite wisdom, gave it the go-ahead.

Says Conservationist Bittu Sahgal, “The MoEF was entrusted with protecting our life support systems like river, corals, forests and mountains. It has failed. Its officers have the notion that their job is to remove all obstacles and facilitate the speedy construction of dams, roads, or thermal plants. The MoEF has lost the plot.”

JSW and the Dibang project are just two tales in a saga of fraudulent EIAs. The EIA that procured clearance for Ashapura Minechem’s mining projects was simply a copy of a Russian bauxite mine report, and has bloopers like: “The primary habitat near the site, for birds, is the spruce forests and the forests of mixed spruce and birch.” Forests found in northern temperate regions, not in the tropical ecology and vegetation of Ratnagiri, the mine’s site.

Another example of the EIA’s cyclostyle method is the Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project. This EIA refers to the riverbed of the Teesta, the lifeline of Sikkim, though the project is actually located on the river Alaknanda in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.

Even the MoEF admits that most EIAs are cut-paste jobs, “mainly executed by fly-by-night operators. Any Tom, Dick and Harry may do it — there’s no registration system.” But, the MoEF official hurriedly adds, “there are checks and balances to check faulty EIAs.” This refers to the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA), to whom aggrieved parties may appeal. “A futile exercise,” points out Ritwick Dutta, co-convenor of ERC, which has monitored and challenged faulty approvals, often based on fraudulent EIAs, for two years. “The NEAA has dismissed every appeal filed in the last 11 years — since it was formed — save one. A major flaw in the clearance process is that EIAs are prepared by consultants employed by the proponent of the project, and are biased towards getting clearance,” he adds. The NEAA hasn’t even had a chairperson for eight years, and no vice-chair for three.

Renowned environmentalist Claude Alvaris cites Goa as a classic victim of the laissez faire manner of giving environment clearances. “After 2005, almost all mines have been given environment clearance. The first set of mining leases were cleared in a belt of one kilometre from wildlife sanctuaries, and even to leases located within wildlife sanctuaries! The clearances for mines in a small state like Goa has crossed 160! It’s become the easiest parcha to get. Even if there are state policies that don’t allow certain types of industries, the Ministry clears them.”

When, rarely, the MoEF does ask for additional EIAs, it does little good. The Lower Subansiri Hydel-Project on the Arunachal-Assam border is a classic example. This is expected to drown 3,500 ha of pristine forest, part of a rich biodiversity hotspot — but the EIA glossed over this. Under pressure from various conservation bodies, an additional six-day study was produced. This included comments like, “The long and vast waterbody created by the reservoir will be a happy haunt for aquatic creatures.” Someone please inform these experts that still waters do not make happy haunts for native aquatic species, which need fast-flowing rivers. If it wasn’t tragic, it would be funny.

In a democracy, public participation is supposedly important, especially regarding a project with major implications for the local populace. However, public concerns have been callously dismissed. The first public hearing for the Tapaimukh Multipurpose Project was held at Tamenglong, Manipur, about 300 km from the site. This project is set to drown 270 sq kms (roughly half the size of Corbett Tiger Reserve) of forest in one of India’s two biodiversity hotspots, and cut 84 lakh trees. Similarly, in the case of Monnet Ispat and Energy Ltd in Raigarh district, Chattisgarh, the public hearing, was postponed, after which it was never held, even as the administration, on which also rests the responsibility, remained a mute spectator. They even began work without environment clearance. Regardless, clearance was granted on 26 December, 2007.

Public opposition is of little consequence. The Borga Iron Ore mine in South Goa was resisted by locals who feared loss of agricultural productivity and damage to water bodies. In the public hearing, the additional collector noted that “not one member of the public was in favour of restarting the mine.” But the mine is set to begin operation.

“The writing is on the wall: India has no environmental governance systems. If this continues, we might as well give up the pretence of environmental protection, public hearings, etc and say we can’t afford restrictive laws and prohibitory conservation measures — rather than waste taxpayers’ money over non-functional institutions,” says Dutta.

The problem is that the EIA process — ‘reformed’ in 2006 from an already weak policy — is geared to be investment friendly, not protect the environment. It aims “to do away with cumbersome environmental and forest clearance procedures.” Most EIAs, especially those on mines, are dismissed by Rapid EIA reports — studies done and data collected in just three months — though the EIA manual stipulates that over a year should be the norm for studies. Efforts to meet both the MoEF secretary, Vijai Sharma, and the Minister of State for Environment, Namo Narayan Meena, were resisted. This reporter attempted to meet the minister, but was refused entry by his private secretary, Rajeev Kumar, who dismissed the subject: “The minister cannot answer such conceptual questions. It’s nothing to do with him. He has nothing to do with policy. He merely passes on the papers to the PMO — the PM also holds the portfolio of the Union Minister of Environment and Forests.”

The watchdog for India’s environment has become a pet of the industrial and mining lobby.

Monday, June 10, 2013

The Disaster In The Making: 'Too Many Cooks Spoils The....'

By M H Ahssan / Hyderabad

BJP president Rajnath Singh on Monday refused to accept veteran leader L.K. Advani's resignation from various posts in the party. Minutes after Advani handed over his resignation to Rajnath, the latter replied to his resignation letter stating that he was rejecting it.

Apparently upset over the elevation of his one-time protege - Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi - as election campaign committee chief, the 85-year-old founder member of the BJP resigned from the Parliamentary Board, National Executive and the Election Committee.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

JANJIRA - THE UNCONQUERED FORT OF KONKAN COAST

By Mohini Mathur (Guest Writer)

Besides its magnificent beaches, the picturesque Konkan coast from Mumbai to Goa is studded with forts which have survived in their solid majesty for more than three centuries. The forts and fortresses on the coast of western India built between the 14th and 17th century are testimony to the raging battles between the Sultans of Bijapur, Golkonda and Ahmednagar, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the powerful Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

'Yuva Face' Of Cong Disgusted With 'Negative Publicity'

By Kajol Singh | Delhi

Popularity extracts its price. Hasiba B. Amin is famous today and people are asking her questions. She likes that and answers them. But with questions come, attacks, sometimes personal.

The young face of Congress, Amin, who features in the Congress party's new campaign advertisements on TV, is in a spot.

After a slanderous campaign on social media against her, Goa NSUI president on Thursday responded by saying that she is "disgusted with the campaign against me".

Saturday, June 08, 2013

BJP Refuses To Spell Out Modi's Role In 2014 Polls

By Kajol Singh / New Delhi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi seems to have split the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) down the middle over his proposed role in the 2014 elections with his angry supporters coming out on the streets and protesting outside party stalwart LK Advani's house even as the main opposition's chief Rajnath Singh offered a compromise formula to bridge the divide by suggesting Modi's name as the Lok Sabha elections' poll campaign convenor.

Sunday, February 02, 2014

'Yuva Josh' Face Of Congress Party 'Hasiba Amin' Slams Social Media Smear Campaign Levelled Against Her

By Kajol Singh | Delhi

Media spotlight and fame can have serious side-effects. This is what Hasiba B Amin , the youth face of Congress's ad campaign 'Kattar Sooch Nahi, Yuva Josh', is realising now that a full-fledged smear campaign has been unleashed against her on the social media.
At first, this young NSUI's Goa president took the barbs sportingly but soon these were replaced with serious charges, including allegations about her involvement in a Rs. 300 crore scam and a jail term, forcing her to react strongly.

"The allegations are baseless and are of personal nature. I am disgusted with the campaign and the people behind it. How can they stoop so low? It's alright if they don't agree with my ideology, but this is not acceptable," she told INN Live.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Colours, Pride, Fervour Marks Indian Republic Day In India

By Likha Veer | INN Live

The 65th Republic Day was celebrated on Sunday across the country amid tight security and hoisting of the National Tricolour in different states.

West Bengal: In Kolkata Governor M K Narayanan presided over the marchpast of armed and police forces. Colourful parade  and procession with decorated tableaux portraying the state’s culture and heritage were highlights of the programme, which was attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Assam: Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik today appealed the underground militant groups to abjure violence and come to the discussion table to solve the issues for an overall development of the state. Hoisting the National Flag on the 65th Republic Day here, Patnaik also condemned the recent incidents of violence in many districts across the state.  Besides, various initiatives were started under the Multi Sectoral Development Plan in areas like agriculture, cottage industry, drinking water and education to uplift the minority communities.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Advertorial: Win A Trip To 'Kyoorius DesignYatra'

In its ninth year, the Kyoorius DesignYatra aims to ‘Create Change’. Expected to be attended by over 1350 delegates, the three day conference will feature two firsts – the DigiYatra, as well as the Kyoorius Awards.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

FAILED ECONOMIC POLICY | SEZs: engine derailed?

The lack of economic activity in most SEZs leads to the suspicion that many were incapable of attracting economic production units in the first place. The rush to 'denotify' them only reinforces this, writes Kannan Kasturi.

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are again in the news, but this time around, the controversy is over how an SEZ can cease to be one. Around the country, demands for 'de-notification' of SEZs have come up.

An enclosed piece of land becomes a legal entity - a Special Economic Zone - once a 'notification' is issued by the Central Government. The developer of the SEZ is entitled to various tax and customs benefits, but is bound by the prevailing SEZ rules for land use - a specified portion of the land can be used only for hosting export-oriented industrial units. If the government later 'de-notified' the SEZ, it would turn the land into holdings that the developer could freely use for real estate projects. However the SEZ Act, framed in 2005, did not visualize such an eventuality - it had no exit clause for SEZs.

De-notification is sought in two different contexts. One type of demand is from SEZ developers, who are queuing up at the Commerce Ministry to get a part or the whole of their land area 'de-notified'. DLF, a real estate company, has already obtained permission to scrap an IT SEZ near Delhi, and 6 other companies across the country have been allowed to reduce the size of their zones. But this is just the beginning; it is expected that many more promoters will follow the lead set by DLF, particularly if the Government does not bail them out by easing funding norms for SEZs and relaxing the timelines for making them operational.

Land for SEZs has in many cases been acquired by state governments at depressed prices using the coercive provisions of the Land Acquisition Law under the guise of 'public purpose' and transferred to private promoters. A recent example of this form of state intervention is the acquisition of 50 acres of prime land near Visakhapatnam by the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation and its subsequent sale to Satyam Computers Limited at a throwaway price for setting up an IT SEZ. (Hindu Business Line, 18th Dec 2008) Developers stand to make windfall profits from the land in cases when the government subsequently revokes the SEZ status. However the government has not considered it important to address the question of restoring land to the original owners.

An entirely different voice for scrapping SEZs has been the widely popular people's movement in Goa that has been active for nearly two years now. The popularity of its cause has forced even the state government to demand that the 3 SEZs that have been 'notified' in Goa be scrapped. The central government, however, has maintained an unyielding stand for over a year, citing the lack of an exit clause in the SEZ Act. The lack of such a clause did not deter the government from finding ways to accede to the requests of private promoters. But the request of a state government representing popular sentiments has not been found equally compelling.

Past performance: a reality check
The first SEZs (under the SEZ Act) were notified in mid-2006, and by March 2008 there were 206 of these entities. (There were a few mainly government export promotion zones operational even earlier, but this article is concerned with the zones that have come up under the SEZ Act that was specifically crafted to attract private promoters.) How did these zones perform with respect to the stated objectives of exporting goods and services, bringing in foreign capital and creating employment? It is time for a reality check.

According to government figures for 2007-08, these 206 SEZs attracted a capital of Rs.69,000 crores including Rs.5400 crores of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI); they provided direct employment to 98,000 workers; and exported goods and services valued at Rs.5200 crores. (All figures rounded)

Most of these SEZs were in the IT/ITES sector, a sector that already enjoyed special tax and customs treatment and was rapidly expanding even before the SEZ Act came into being. If the SEZ policy was framed with a view to promoting investments and exports in manufacturing and services other than IT/ITES, as one was made to believe, then the relevant numbers look much worse.

Non-IT/ITES zones accounted for direct employment of only 32,000 workers, exports of Rs.1800 crores and FDI of Rs.3800 crores in 2007-08. To get some perspective on these numbers, these exports were less than 0.3 per cent of India's exports, and less than 4 per cent of total FDI inflows. India's need for employment generation was estimated by the ILO a few years ago to be at least 10 million jobs a year! The data for the next six months up to September 2008 show only a marginal increase of workers employed and capital deployed, though the number of SEZs had gone up sharply from 201 to 260. Against the backdrop of these numbers, it is obvious that the performance of the SEZs has not been in line with the stated policy goals so far.

The missing competitive advantage
The global economic crisis has most certainly hit exports and foreign investment flows and will have affected the prospects of SEZs. However, the figures above are for a period that predates the crisis and perhaps points to other problems with the SEZ policy.

The lack of economic activity in most SEZs leads to the suspicion that many promoters were incapable of attracting economic production units to their SEZs in the first place, and were merely betting on them as real estate assets and relying on loopholes in the law to realize their value at a later date. This suspicion is only reinforced by the number of real estate developers in the fray who have been advertising SEZs as their 'crown jewels' and collecting enormous sums from the market in public issues of shares.

A second issue that bears scrutiny is the lack of foreign direct investment (and interest) in the SEZs. The FDI inflow of about Rs.99,000 crores for 2007-08 was focused on goods and services for the domestic market, with the exception of IT and IT enabled services. FDI obviously looks at the competitive advantage of a country before investing. China today is the manufacturing hub of the US, having established itself over the past 25 years. Just as China displaced exports from Taiwan, Japan and Korea to the US, India would need to displace exports from China to the US in order to increase its own manufacturing exports to that country. The fierce competition with China in exports in today's tough environment is evident even in the case of traditional exports from India such as textiles and apparel. The question is, can India compete with China's specialization in cheap manufacture in areas other than its traditional exports?

The policy makers seem to operate on the premise that once India provides the infrastructure for manufacturing and a tax free regime, the availability of cheap labour and raw materials will secure India a competitive advantage. But all these have been available in China for some time. More importantly, China has also invested in skills and training of a large work force that mans its export factories; India is far behind in this respect (See this link for more). The evidence on the ground is that FDI recognizes India's specialisation in cheap IT and ITES alone as of now.

Persisting with folly
But even in this situation where the existing SEZs are unable to sustain themselves and looking up to the government for support and concessions, the central government continues to entertain new SEZ proposals. State governments are also not far behind, with coercive land acquisition activities in full swing.

In Karnataka, the state owned Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) has been acquiring land to turn the Mangalore SEZ from a petrochemicals zone to a larger multi-product zone in the face of strong opposition from local communities. In Andhra Pradesh, the government has been working closely with a private developer, acquiring a major portion of the land for the Kakinada SEZ using the Land Acquisition Act, and employing the police to evict farmers who have resisted handing over their lands to the developer. In both places, the affected people are using multiple means - courts, environmental regulatory bodies, political parties and public protests - to resist the state.

After all the debate and assurances on land acquisition and rehabilitation issues, the government has not moved an inch. Land Acquisition continues with the help of a law framed in 1894.

Time to take stock
The severe depression in the developed countries has put paid to any dreams of rapidly building up exports, least of all in non-traditional sectors. By all accounts, the depression is likely to persist at least for the next two years - so also will the drought in FDI in manufacturing and even IT/ITES services for export. There is clearly a situation where there are too may SEZs, particularly for IT/ITES, without any business. The farmers have already been evicted from the land; the fields lie barren without the promised factories and jobs.

With the prospects of massive unemployment in its export zones and the fear of civil unrest, China is embarking on a major program to direct production towards satisfying internal rural markets. The serious risks inherent in the paradigm of export based development are becoming clearer by the day. This is as good a time as any to take stock of India's SEZ policy.

Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Irani Brings Back Focus On Voyeurism Prevailing In India

The case of Union minister Smriti Irani finding a CCTV camera at Goa's Fab India has again brought back the focus on digital voyeurism and how a critical issue like surveillance can be exploited. 

Irani's case comes days after a woman found a mobile phone strapped to a changing room door of a Van Heusen store in Lajpat Nagar's Central market, a popular shopping hub.

Bangalore girl Sumitra remembers the day in 2009 she saw a camera when trying on a skirt at Palika Bazaar. "I looked around the tiny changing room and saw a camera with a dipping red light.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Why Kerala Is like Kuwait & Madhya Pradesh Is Like Haiti?

For its level of income, India, as well as many of its states, could do a much better job in taking care of their most vulnerable people.

American poet Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself”—“Do I contradict myself/ Very well then I contradict myself/I am large, I contain multitudes”—seems tailor-made for India. Which country can India be compared to, in economic terms? Is India’s level of economic development more or less like Vietnam’s, because their per capita incomes, in international dollars and in purchasing power parity terms, are almost the same?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Home is where the heart is

By Sayoni Bhaduri

They chose to leave their home country in search of better opportunities in India and ended up falling in love with her. Seven industry professionals tell their stories of how they got here and why they have stayed back, despite the difficulties.

What began as a way to give vent to the creativity of authors, painters and artistes, has today become a well-ingrained culture in many multinational corporations. In the hospitality industry, it has now become a norm for international hotel management companies to rotate their staff across various properties in the world.

While the early nineties saw a huge movement of Indians going to the Gulf, the US and the African nations in search of jobs, we saw a steady stream of expatriates pouring into the country because of the growing economy and expanding opportunities. Then, there are a few who are here because of the warmth and the hospitality they have experienced in the country - like Chef Dario Dezio, who came to India for a holiday 19 years ago and never left.

Consider his story. He wielded the ladle in the Italian restaurant chain Little Italy where he worked for ten years. Today he is with the InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai as master chef of Corleone - the hotel's Italian restaurant. "India was very different when I came here. It was known more as a third-world country and the Ambassador car was perceived as a luxury car. This simplicity is what attracted me to this country," he reminiscences.

Then there are some who came to India looking for newer challenges. Julian Groom left London because he wanted to grow professionally. After living in various cities in various countries, he settled down in India, where he was responsible for setting up the Le Meridien brand in Pune. Today he is the COO and executive director of DB Hospitality and lives in Mumbai with his family. "I never thought I'd stay back for so long. India has been growing at a fast pace and that is creating a whole line of new projects. India Inc has been working on a vision and to be part of that vision is a thrill that has no comparison," Groom says.

For Rudiger Ewald, GM of Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa, Goa, it was a more personal choice. He met his wife who is an Indian in the US - hence the move to India. He says, "My first visit to the country really drew me in. Plus, it is also one of the fastest growing economies in South East Asia. So for me it was a professional as well as personal decision."

Chef Nariyoshi Nakamura, Master Chef at Sakura, The Metropolitan Hotel, got an offer to come to India five years ago and he grabbed the opportunity. "When I came down from Japan, India was emerging as a potential global leader. That, together with its rich history was a definite attraction for me. India has always been a land of opportunities and the hotel industry here is growing at a tremendous pace."

While a booming economy that offers endless job options sounds all good, living through day-to-day problems and tackling them doesn't quite cut it. Groom, for instance, started in Pune at a time when it was more like a village than an emerging metropolis that it is today. "I had limited choices in food and lifestyle. It was difficult for my family as well," he says.

It is a general consensus that living in India requires a lot of patience. It is therefore important how the company helps in the relocation. Mumtaz Moiz, GM (India) for Club Med, who moved from Singapore to India, recalls having to start life right from scratch. "India is a very warm and vibrant country where people are very supportive. Being helpful comes as a second nature to them and this helps interacting with people as well creating an instant sense of belonging."

But even if one is able to look beyond small issues, it is difficult to cope with any unprecedented events - like the recent terror attacks in Mumbai or the economic downturn. Cecilia Oldne, manager (International Business) for Sula, says, "I was definitely shocked as many of our associates and clients have suffered in the attack. But it has never questioned my faith in this country."

Pascal Dupuis, GM of the The Leela Kempinski Goa, voices his opinion. "I would never leave the country because of something like this. The fact of the matter is that it could happen anywhere. I was in London when the city witnessed similar incidents, but that should not stop us from living our lives. What we can do is be prepared," he says. India, being a land of mystic, will always tempt the traveller.

Ewald adds, "Economic upheavals are part and parcel of any nation and are bound to appear periodically. It is about keeping things under control and not panic."

Home is where the heart is

By Sayoni Bhaduri

They chose to leave their home country in search of better opportunities in India and ended up falling in love with her. Seven industry professionals tell their stories of how they got here and why they have stayed back, despite the difficulties.

What began as a way to give vent to the creativity of authors, painters and artistes, has today become a well-ingrained culture in many multinational corporations. In the hospitality industry, it has now become a norm for international hotel management companies to rotate their staff across various properties in the world.

While the early nineties saw a huge movement of Indians going to the Gulf, the US and the African nations in search of jobs, we saw a steady stream of expatriates pouring into the country because of the growing economy and expanding opportunities. Then, there are a few who are here because of the warmth and the hospitality they have experienced in the country - like Chef Dario Dezio, who came to India for a holiday 19 years ago and never left.

Consider his story. He wielded the ladle in the Italian restaurant chain Little Italy where he worked for ten years. Today he is with the InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai as master chef of Corleone - the hotel's Italian restaurant. "India was very different when I came here. It was known more as a third-world country and the Ambassador car was perceived as a luxury car. This simplicity is what attracted me to this country," he reminiscences.

Then there are some who came to India looking for newer challenges. Julian Groom left London because he wanted to grow professionally. After living in various cities in various countries, he settled down in India, where he was responsible for setting up the Le Meridien brand in Pune. Today he is the COO and executive director of DB Hospitality and lives in Mumbai with his family. "I never thought I'd stay back for so long. India has been growing at a fast pace and that is creating a whole line of new projects. India Inc has been working on a vision and to be part of that vision is a thrill that has no comparison," Groom says.

For Rudiger Ewald, GM of Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa, Goa, it was a more personal choice. He met his wife who is an Indian in the US - hence the move to India. He says, "My first visit to the country really drew me in. Plus, it is also one of the fastest growing economies in South East Asia. So for me it was a professional as well as personal decision."

Chef Nariyoshi Nakamura, Master Chef at Sakura, The Metropolitan Hotel, got an offer to come to India five years ago and he grabbed the opportunity. "When I came down from Japan, India was emerging as a potential global leader. That, together with its rich history was a definite attraction for me. India has always been a land of opportunities and the hotel industry here is growing at a tremendous pace."

While a booming economy that offers endless job options sounds all good, living through day-to-day problems and tackling them doesn't quite cut it. Groom, for instance, started in Pune at a time when it was more like a village than an emerging metropolis that it is today. "I had limited choices in food and lifestyle. It was difficult for my family as well," he says.

It is a general consensus that living in India requires a lot of patience. It is therefore important how the company helps in the relocation. Mumtaz Moiz, GM (India) for Club Med, who moved from Singapore to India, recalls having to start life right from scratch. "India is a very warm and vibrant country where people are very supportive. Being helpful comes as a second nature to them and this helps interacting with people as well creating an instant sense of belonging."

But even if one is able to look beyond small issues, it is difficult to cope with any unprecedented events - like the recent terror attacks in Mumbai or the economic downturn. Cecilia Oldne, manager (International Business) for Sula, says, "I was definitely shocked as many of our associates and clients have suffered in the attack. But it has never questioned my faith in this country."

Pascal Dupuis, GM of the The Leela Kempinski Goa, voices his opinion. "I would never leave the country because of something like this. The fact of the matter is that it could happen anywhere. I was in London when the city witnessed similar incidents, but that should not stop us from living our lives. What we can do is be prepared," he says. India, being a land of mystic, will always tempt the traveller.

Ewald adds, "Economic upheavals are part and parcel of any nation and are bound to appear periodically. It is about keeping things under control and not panic."

Home is where the heart is

By Sayoni Bhaduri

They chose to leave their home country in search of better opportunities in India and ended up falling in love with her. Seven industry professionals tell their stories of how they got here and why they have stayed back, despite the difficulties.

What began as a way to give vent to the creativity of authors, painters and artistes, has today become a well-ingrained culture in many multinational corporations. In the hospitality industry, it has now become a norm for international hotel management companies to rotate their staff across various properties in the world.

While the early nineties saw a huge movement of Indians going to the Gulf, the US and the African nations in search of jobs, we saw a steady stream of expatriates pouring into the country because of the growing economy and expanding opportunities. Then, there are a few who are here because of the warmth and the hospitality they have experienced in the country - like Chef Dario Dezio, who came to India for a holiday 19 years ago and never left.

Consider his story. He wielded the ladle in the Italian restaurant chain Little Italy where he worked for ten years. Today he is with the InterContinental Marine Drive, Mumbai as master chef of Corleone - the hotel's Italian restaurant. "India was very different when I came here. It was known more as a third-world country and the Ambassador car was perceived as a luxury car. This simplicity is what attracted me to this country," he reminiscences.

Then there are some who came to India looking for newer challenges. Julian Groom left London because he wanted to grow professionally. After living in various cities in various countries, he settled down in India, where he was responsible for setting up the Le Meridien brand in Pune. Today he is the COO and executive director of DB Hospitality and lives in Mumbai with his family. "I never thought I'd stay back for so long. India has been growing at a fast pace and that is creating a whole line of new projects. India Inc has been working on a vision and to be part of that vision is a thrill that has no comparison," Groom says.

For Rudiger Ewald, GM of Kenilworth Beach Resort & Spa, Goa, it was a more personal choice. He met his wife who is an Indian in the US - hence the move to India. He says, "My first visit to the country really drew me in. Plus, it is also one of the fastest growing economies in South East Asia. So for me it was a professional as well as personal decision."

Chef Nariyoshi Nakamura, Master Chef at Sakura, The Metropolitan Hotel, got an offer to come to India five years ago and he grabbed the opportunity. "When I came down from Japan, India was emerging as a potential global leader. That, together with its rich history was a definite attraction for me. India has always been a land of opportunities and the hotel industry here is growing at a tremendous pace."

While a booming economy that offers endless job options sounds all good, living through day-to-day problems and tackling them doesn't quite cut it. Groom, for instance, started in Pune at a time when it was more like a village than an emerging metropolis that it is today. "I had limited choices in food and lifestyle. It was difficult for my family as well," he says.

It is a general consensus that living in India requires a lot of patience. It is therefore important how the company helps in the relocation. Mumtaz Moiz, GM (India) for Club Med, who moved from Singapore to India, recalls having to start life right from scratch. "India is a very warm and vibrant country where people are very supportive. Being helpful comes as a second nature to them and this helps interacting with people as well creating an instant sense of belonging."

But even if one is able to look beyond small issues, it is difficult to cope with any unprecedented events - like the recent terror attacks in Mumbai or the economic downturn. Cecilia Oldne, manager (International Business) for Sula, says, "I was definitely shocked as many of our associates and clients have suffered in the attack. But it has never questioned my faith in this country."

Pascal Dupuis, GM of the The Leela Kempinski Goa, voices his opinion. "I would never leave the country because of something like this. The fact of the matter is that it could happen anywhere. I was in London when the city witnessed similar incidents, but that should not stop us from living our lives. What we can do is be prepared," he says. India, being a land of mystic, will always tempt the traveller.

Ewald adds, "Economic upheavals are part and parcel of any nation and are bound to appear periodically. It is about keeping things under control and not panic."

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Spotlight: Smriti Irani, Fading 'Far From Maddening Crowd'

From being the party and the PM’s blue-eyed girl, the Union HRD minister seems headed for a fall from grace.

On May 26, after the grand swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi government, the most beaming face in the BJP was that of Smriti Irani. At 38, she had been made a cabinet minister and was being projected as the new woman face of the party. With her trademark sindoor and flashing  eyes, the actress-politician accepted congratulations as if it was her due.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

India Rolls Out Red Carpet for Tourists

By Neeta Lal

If you've been planning to visit India - whether to soak up Goa's splendiferous sands or ogle the Taj Mahal - now's a good time to pack your bags. Hotel tariffs have plummeted by a whopping 30%, the Indian government has unleashed a raft of tourist-friendly sops and travel agents and airlines are offering great bargains.

With the portentous mix of a global economic slowdown and terror attacks eroding the growth of tourist arrivals in India, tourism has taken a beating. The Mumbai terror attacks on November 26, industry experts rue, have ruined the tourism season just as it was unfurling. As a result, compared to the 30% growth in the sector in 2007 - and double-digit growth for the past five years - the country is expected to post a tourist arrival increase of zilch this year.

This is a contrast from 2007, during which India witnessed a record number of visitors from abroad and a sharp rise in foreign exchange earnings through tourism. The number of foreign tourists in India touched a record 5 million in 2007, an increase of 12% from 2006. The estimated tourism earnings in 2007 were US$11.96 billion, compared to $8.93 billion in 2006.

This year, even till August, things weren't actually so bad. Foreign arrivals had increased 10.4% compared with the corresponding period last year. The foreign exchange earnings during the same period rose 21.5%. Buoyed with this growth, the industry had set itself an ambitious target to more than double the number of arrivals to 10 million by 2010, when New Delhi will host the Commonwealth Games.

But all this looks unachievable now due to a combination of factors, including a plunge in the number of arrivals for the first time in six years by 2.1% in November, traditionally regarded as the beginning of the high season. The number of visitors in November nose-dived from 532,000 in 2007 to 521,000, while the corresponding foreign exchange earnings from visitors dipped by 12.5% to $1 billion.

To make matters worse, in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, almost 50% of bulk bookings by visitors (largely from Britain, Europe and the US) were cancelled. Travel advisories issued by the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and Singapore advising against travel to India did nothing to help things. According to Himmat Anand, co-chair of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry's tourism committee, along with corporate bookings which usually plunge at this time, no fresh bookings have been forthcoming. "India has suddenly disappeared from overseas tourists' itineraries this year," he said.

What has further aggravated the situation is that on account of a record tourist turnout last year, operators had invested heavily in infrastructure upgrades and renovations which are now cumulatively adding to their losses. "This has been one of the worst times for Indian tourism in recent history," said Anil Kalsi, chairman (northern region) of the Travel Agents Association of India.

With panic buttons buzzing everywhere, the Ministry of Tourism has been forced to take urgent steps to increase footfalls to the country. It is now working on a war footing with trade associations and airlines to push up visitor numbers through a slew of measures. The Ministry of Tourism has set up state-level committees comprised of representatives from trade associations and ministries to look into various aspects of tourism management. Tourism Minister Ambika Soni has also urged governments of various countries not to issue travel advisories against India, simultaneously sending out a message of reassurance to the world community that India is a "safe" destination.

To prevent the sector from plunging into further gloom, the Tourism Ministry is also working proactively with travel operators to revitalize inbound tourist traffic. As a part of the "promote India campaign", for instance, tour operators have been asked to pair hotel tariffs with airfares and offer attractive incentives to visitors. Those who visit India this year will be offered sops like discounted packages for rural tourism, adventure tourism and wellness tourism on their next visit. Tour operators are also offering to sponsor at least 1,000 tourism industry reps to take a free trip to India for discussions.

Meanwhile, the ministry is working out the modalities of giving visas to tourists on arrival to further encourage unencumbered travel to India. It is also fleshing out 22 new mega tourism destinations across the country at an outlay of 250 million rupees (US$5.1 million) to 1 billion rupees for each destination, to infuse novelty into visitors' itineraries. To give rural tourism a push, 130 more villages have been identified as templates to showcase India's heterogeneous culture. Financial support to tour operators promoting India in the international arena has also been ratcheted up.

The government would do well to fire on all cylinders, considering that after the Mumbai massacre group bookings to popular tourist destinations like Goa, Jaipur and Kerala have plummeted remarkably. "The meltdown mayhem coupled with Mumbai's terror attacks have severely impacted Indian tourism," said Subhash Goyal, erstwhile president of Indian Association of Tour Operators. "It has had a cascading effect down the hospitality chain - from travel agents to the airlines to car rental companies to the hotels."

Five-star hotel tariffs in Delhi have hit an all-time low. A room can now be had in the range of 8,000 rupees to 10,000 rupees, even though the same room fetched between 12,000 to 15,000 rupees last year. Ergo, to create demand, many hotels and resorts are offering a "Global Meltdown Tariff" which knocks off 30% off the normal fare.

However, despite a raft of measures taken by the government and the hospitality sector to rejuvenate inbound tourism, industry players are still a tad wary about the Christmas-New Year season, which accounts for the bulk of their annual business.

"Ironically, this is the time when trade is [usually] booming," said Prateek Ghai of Globe Travels, a New-Delhi based travel agency. "But this time, due to a combination of factors, things are looking far too bleak!"