Bajaj Auto bike sales down 20% in July

Motorcycles sales stood at 2,46,828 units in July, 2013

Bajaj Auto today reported 20% decline in motorcycle sales at 2,46,828 units in July, 2013.

 

The company had sold 3,08,858 units in the corresponding month last year, Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) said in a statement.

 

BAL said exports were down by 12% during the month at 1,10,023 units compared to 1,25,501 units in July, 2012.

 

In the commercial vehicles category, the company said its sales stood at 34,499 units as against 35,292 units in the same month last year, a decline of 2%.

 

Total vehicle sales of the company last month stood at 2,81,327 units compared to 3,44,150 units in the same period a year ago, down 18%, the statement said.

 

Source: http://tinyurl.com/lu24f3t

Mining trouble

Rejection of Niyamgiri mining throws up knotty questions

Vedanta's aluminium refinery in Lanjigarh in Odisha cost Rs 5,000 crore and is capable of producing a million tonnes of the metal a year. However, ever since its commissioning in August 2007, it has had trouble sourcing its raw material, bauxite. It was promised ore by the Odisha government's state-owned mining company from the Niyamgiri hills nearby; but that promise did not take into account the strong opposition that the local Dongria Kondh tribe had to mining in hills that they say have religious significance to them. The protests attracted nationwide attention; even Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi promised to intervene. And then, naturally, the Union environment ministry cancelled the required clearances Vedanta had been granted, in August 2010. The plant appears to be uneconomical without local bauxite; it has already closed operations once for seven months before resuming refining using non-local ore, which adds over 200 per cent to the cost of the raw material. The refinery may well have to be shut down again.

The Supreme Court in April told the state authorities to submit a report to the environment ministry within three months that got the views of local gram sabhas. It now appears that at least eight out of the 12 gram sabhas have passed resolutions against mining. These gram sabhas do not own or legally control the land proposed to be mined from one hilltop; they are the councils of all those villages along the lower slopes of the Niyamgiri hills. Nor, according to reports, is the ministry bound by the views of the gram sabhas, as bauxite is a "major mineral" according to the law. The Supreme Court had also indicated that the gram sabhas be free of "outside influences", but, as this newspaper has reported, several NGO representatives, including a local Congress MP, were seen during the meetings. But the Union government, given the political salience of the case, is unlikely to be able to overlook the objections of the local councils. It certainly appears that Vedanta's sizeable investment in Lanjigarh and the chance to produce more aluminium domestically, which could ease India's supply constraints, are both in trouble. In London, Vedanta Resources reported this week that both quarterly revenue and profits had fallen 23 per cent year on year.

The long battle over Niyamgiri throws up some knotty problems. For one, exactly how much of a veto can local communities have? In this case, can local people prevent the mining of any part of an entire range of hills on the basis of their religious beliefs? This is not a question of property rights, since the minerals underground are indisputably owned by the state, and the land above ground is not owned by the villages. Further, to what degree should religious belief play a role in matters that should be decided, essentially, on the basis of property law? While it is true that the Indian state has had a long history of exploiting tribal communities, and of not paying them a fair return for mining in their neighbourhood, the difference between that and allowing anyone a veto on religious grounds over the use of large stretches of land should be evident.

Source:http://tinyurl.com/pmqe2fx

BJP to support food and land Bills

BJP has demanded that the government should bring a bill to create Telangana state in this session of Parliament

With a few days left for Parliament’s monsoon session to begin, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government got some good news, with the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having agreed to support the landmark Food Security Bill and Land Acquisition Bill, with some amendments.
At a 90-minute all-party meet to discuss the business, opposition parties also asked the government to bring in this session the Bill to allow formation of a new state of Telangana. They noted it was a long-standing demand of the region and, so far, the decision to form the new state has only come from the Congress party, not the government. “We will fully support the Bill and ensure its passage so that the very old demand of Telangana is fulfilled,” said the BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, soon after the meeting.

The session is scheduled to start from Monday and go on till August 30. 

In the meeting, convened by parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath, leaders of the Trinamool Congress objected to the government’s reported move to hold talks with leaders of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, saying the government of Bengal was being bypassed.

The government wants to take up 44 Bills for consideration in this session but opposition leaders indicated there wasn’t enough tme for this. The BJP’s Arun Jaitley, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said the government was being over-ambitious, as there were effectively only 12 sittings to take up government business.
BJP leaders have also decided to raise the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, alleging the government was trying to compromise with national security by creating a division between Intelligence Bureau and Central Bureau of Investigation officials. They say they’re also annoyed at the changes in policy on foreign direct investment without consulting other political parties. The party also wants to take up the slide in the rupee’s external value and the state of the economy for discussion.

At the meeting, most parties asked the government to ensure politicians weren’t barred from contesting in elections because of the recent judgements of the Supreme Court on those convicted but having appealed and those in custody. They also pressed for passage of the National Judicial Commission Bill.

The government was also urged to respond to the apex court judgement against reservations in the faculty of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. “How can you expect a smooth session when the Supreme Court has come out with a judgement which has affected 80 per cent of the people, belonging to scheduled castes and tribes and other backward classes?” demanded Sharad Yadav, president of the Janata Dal (United).

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/bjp-to-support-food-and-land-bills-113080101133_1.html

Bharti Infratel set to roll with 3G data waves

Analysts believe the key trigger for the stock could be a spurt in data demand over the next one year

The Bharti Infratel stock has recouped most of its recent losses after the announcement of the June quarter results on Monday, thanks to better-than-expected margins and net profits and analysts' comments that there was little downside, given the attractive valuations and improved cash flows.

Most analysts believe the key trigger for the stock could be a spurt in data demand over the next one year. Kunal Vora and Kunal Patel of BNP Paribas say the the company is well positioned to benefit from data growth in India. "Indian telecom operators' data revenue is increasing at a healthy 20-25 per cent quarter-on-quarter and falling 3G data tariffs could boost volumes. Improvement in telecom operators' RPM (revenue per minute) and profitability would improve their ability to invest in networks which in turn would benefit Bharti Infratel," they add.

The scrip closed 1.17 per cent lower on Wednesday at Rs 147.40 on BSE, while the benchmark index, Sensex, closed flat at 19,345.70.

Most analysts have a 'buy' rating on the stock, which is trading at FY14 enterprise value (EV)/Ebidta (earnings before interest depreciation taxes and amortisation) of six times with target prices in the range of Rs 185-220. Harit Shah of Nirmal Bang has increased his price target for the stock to Rs 197 (Rs 192 earlier) due to improved cash flow. He believes with valuation at five times FY15 EV/Ebitda estimates, 10 per cent FY15 free cash flow yield and FY15 estimated cash/share of Rs 50 (34 per cent of current market capitalisation), there is a strong downside support to the stock.

Revenue growth muted, better margins
The June quarter results were impacted by the merger of Bharti Infratel Ventures, a subsidiary of Bharti Infratel, with Indus Towers. Due to this, revenues were lower by Rs 50 crore. Revenue growth for the company over the last two quarters has been a disappointment as tenancy and rentals have not seen much traction. Thanks to accounting changes and cost efficiencies, margins were up 255 basis points sequentially. Adjusted for the merger and due to lower rent and other expenses, margins were up 127 basis points to 40.2 per cent compared to the March 2013 quarter. Thanks to increased margins, adjusted net profit was higher by 12.3 per cent on a sequential basis.

Strong cash flow, cautious outlook
With companies cautious about adding new towers on the back of regulatory uncertainties, tenancy for the quarter continued to be steady at 1.91 times. Gross additions for the quarter were thus weak at 1,583 sites, compared with March quarter additions of 2,923 sites. While rentals for the quarter also remained flat, Bharti Infratel management has indicated it is not facing any downward pressure due to the tower sharing deal between Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio. Most analysts believe while revenue growth for FY14 could moderate a bit, operating cash flow will likely remain strong. The June quarter free cash flow of Rs 600 crore implies an annualised yield of nine per cent, say analysts at Standard Chartered Research. The Bharti Infratel management is pinning its hopes on the 20 per cent sequential growth in data usage reported by telecom operators and the fact that pricing power is coming back to operators.

Public transport in Delhi: A bus system tries to transit from old to new

Picture an airport runway in the heart of south Delhi. That's Harvinder Singh Kalra's office, a runway-like bus depot housing his new orange buses.

Scratch Kalra's hardened 'I-am-just-a-businessman' surface, and his views come across. "It's ok to promote the metro and I am all for it but buses alone can provide connectivity when people criss-cross or go in different directions. The metro can give you only point-to-point transit," he says, grabbing a pen and paper and explaining diagrammatically how people move in Delhi, and why the metro and bus systems should work in tandem.

Kalra, 56, not related to this reporter, has been in this business for 30 years, in a previous avatar as a Blueline bus owner, part of a system now phased out. In recent months, he has partnered the Delhi government in its new cluster bus scheme, through which the 11,000 buses in Delhi would be divided equally between Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which has ruled the city's roads for what seems like forever, and 17 clusters, based on the direction of travel.

The buses under the cluster system would be run through the public-private partnership (PPP) model and this is where Kalra comes in.

After a failed effort
The cluster buses represent the city government's move to do away with Blueline buses, a failed effort to privatise the capital's bus transport. The government has taken away the responsibility of fare collection from bus owners; it also hopes to take away the incentive to have buses compete with others on the same route, something that led to rash driving and accidents in the past.

In the cluster system, bus owners such as Kalra present bids, after calculating the per-km cost of plying their vehicles. The Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd (DIMTS), another PPP, appoints conductors, collects fares and compensates bus owners, based on the per-km cost they quote.

DMITS, a joint venture between the Delhi government and the IDFC Foundation, also functions as a bus monitor, tracking delays or deviations with the help of global positioning systems.

Of the three cluster owners Business Standard tried to contact, Kalra was the only one who agreed to a request for an interview. The two other clusters, one owned by slain businessman Ponty Chadha's company, and Star Bus alliance, headed by Ajay Singh, didn't respond to phone calls.

Kalra, whose cluster has 186 orange non air-conditioned buses on the roads, appreciates the new system. So do his customers. Swati Bhatt, 19, an undergraduate student at Delhi University, commutes from Ghaziabad to a south campus college by changing three orange buses on a one-way journey. Unlike many of her counterparts, Bhatt is fonder of buses than the metro, which she finds claustrophobic.

She says the city's bus system has improved tremendously. "The frequency is more - a bus arrives every five minutes. They don't try to speed, and the service is good. The conductor tries to help with information," she adds.

Bhatt's manner of commuting is what experts favour for cities, as this helps avoid traffic jams, road rage and pollution. In some countries, roadway occupany is expected to increase six-fold, according to a July report by an organisation that works for clean energy for its 28 developed country members.

"The need for efficient, affordable, safe and high-capacity transport solutions will become more acute," Maria van der Hoeven, director of the International Energy Agency, was quoted as saying by National Geographic. Experts the magazine quoted were critical of how many fast-growing cities in India, China and Africa were headed the wrong way, towards the old car-oriented paradigm, though some were overhauling public transport.

Very, very low
A DIMTS official in-charge of clusters said a bus made about Rs 7,000 a day. Kalra declines to discuss how much of that he collects on his fleet of 186 buses. He is paid on the basis of km and hours, after deducting penalties for delays.

"Our profit margins are very, very low," said Kalra. "We needed the job badly. This is our business. Once the Bluelines stopped, we were without a job. So, when the Delhi government advertised, we bid."

He says his primary concerns are the shortage of drivers during festivals and water-logging on Delhi roads, when a bus could be stuck for hours. "I face the problems a normal businessman faces," he says, citing instalments he has to pay for the next eight years on new buses he has bought from Tata Marcopolo Motors, a joint venture of Tata Motors and a Brazilian company. He points out new bus clusters aren't coming up, as there is a shortage of land for depots.

THE BUS CLUSTER SYSTEM

* Replaces private Blueline buses with a public-private partnership

* Fares collected by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd, shared with bus owners on per-kilometre and hours basis, with deductions for delays

* Total about 11,000 buses

* Half to be run by DTC, half under the PPP model in 17 clusters

* Right now, five clusters are active, of which Harvinder Singh Kalra (pictured) owns one

* A bus-cluster owner should have the capacity to scale up to 230-250 buses

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/public-transport-in-delhi-a-bus-system-tries-to-transit-from-old-to-new-113080200004_1.html

Rapid transport system in NCR takes a step ahead with formation of NCRTC

Company set up to plan, construct high speed rail corridors between Delhi and nearby areas

After the cabinet cleared the proposal on the formation of National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) on July 11, a Memorandum and Articles of Association for setting up NCRTC has been signed between four states-Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, Ministry of Railways, National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), Ministry of Urban Development and Government of India.

The company has been set up with the objective of planning and constructing high speed rail corridors between Delhi and nearby areas with the vision of enhancing connectivity and development in the NCR region.

The company will start with a share capital of Rs 100 crore with a 50:50 ownership between Central and State Government. MoUD and Ministry of Railways will have 22.5% equity each in the project, with 5% equity of NCRPB and four State Governments will have equity of 12.5% each.

Three priority corridors have been identified in the first phase for development. A 111-km stretch between Delhi-Soniapat-Panipat with an estimated cost of Rs 18,755 crore. A 180-km stretch between Delhi-Gurgaon-Alwar estimated to cost Rs 32,141 crore and a 90 km stretch between Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut estimated to cost Rs 21,274 crore. The total cost would be Rs 72,000 crore but is expected to rise because of the long gestation period of these projects

A total of 48 stations will be built on these corridors, with an expected ridership between four to seven lakh. The company is expected to complete these corridors through separate Special Purpose Vehicles or through Public Private Partnerships.

NCRPB had envisioned setting up of eight rapid transport corridors connecting NCR to nearby areas in its functional plan of 2023. The rapid transport system is expected to boost real estate and other development prospects in the expanding NCR region.

Life and lifestyles

Social changes around us provide interesting triggers for connecting to brands

"We have bigger houses and smaller families; more convenience but less time; we have degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgement; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less healthiness.

We have been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour. We built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication. We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of fast food and slow digestion; tall man and short character; steep profits and shallow relationships. It is time when there is much in the window and nothing in the room."

This piece, written by the Dalai Lama, is reflective of the paradox of our age. Today's lifestyle is defined by speed, ambition, materialism and competition - "I want it, I want it fast and before anyone else". These factors have become the social markers of progress. There is nothing wrong with this thinking; it is, after all, ambition that drives society forward. However, such progress has come at a price. We have lost something to gain something. As our lifestyle has improved, life's challenges have been replaced with lifestyle challenges.

Let's consider a few examples. Technology has helped us build faster cars. However, cities have become more congested and crowded as a result of urbanisation, migration and general prosperity. Thus, faster cars (better lifestyle) mean that the average speed of cars on the road has decreased (a lifestyle challenge). People are living longer, thanks to better healthcare services - both pre-emptive and curative. However, environmental changes, a hectic pace of life and better healthcare detection mean ailments are being detected earlier and new diseases are emerging. Obesity, diabetes and depression emerge earlier in life, and not necessarily because of ageing. Balding is no longer just a hereditary effect. People are beginning to look older before they actually grow older. It makes one wonder whether we have actually progressed.

Though iconic brands will always be positioned to cater to larger human needs, as outlined by the American psychologist Abraham Maslow, lifestyle changes and their attendant challenges provide brands an opportunity to connect stronger with consumers today - by espousing purposes based on the "paradox of life". Brands can hold up a mirror to society with regard to what it loses out on as it pursues progress.

Let's consider the Dalai Lama's observation of "no time to meet neighbours" and "quantity over quality". In today's busy life, as people pursue their individual goals (often for the good of their families based in India), time spent with family and friends (which is a basic need) is diminishing (a lifestyle challenge). A brand that facilitates bonding can make society sit up and rediscover the joy of bonding as a larger purpose.

Similarly, we have more convenience but less time. Again, in our pursuit of competitive goals, we use whatever time-saving products are available to supposedly achieve more (a lifestyle challenge), and as a result we miss out on the small joys of everyday life (a life need). Ironically, people who go to foreign lands to observe the sunset quietly on a beach do not have enough time to do the same in their hometowns. A "convenience" brand could espouse the cause for society to relax and indulge in some of the supposed sins of life, like laziness, to take in natural beauty. A "food" brand could espouse its taste and yet promote good health by urging people to sit down and use the products it has to offer.

Lifestyle opportunities could go beyond brand-promoting activities. They offer new possibilities, such as product innovations. An automobile brand could promote healthy driving or riding, by offering a product that might make better use of the ever-increasing travel time to work. "It's good for your back" could be the proposition for a tyre brand that takes the bumps and ensures you reach your destination in healthy shape - and not just good shape. With more air-conditioned cars driven by chauffeurs (a lifestyle change), people from different socio-economic classes and lifestyles come closer, which could have implications. It provides an opportunity to create a car deodoriser that not only makes the car smell good but also kills harmful germs. A cosmetic brand can position itself on the new causes of skin problems. Since skin drying happens not only in winters but throughout the year due to the constant exposure to air-conditioning, a moisturiser made for dryness caused by air-conditioning (distinct from winter dryness) could be an offering. Similarly, a face wash designed to deep-clean dirt accumulated through pollution and keep the complexion natural opens up a rich space for cleanser brands.

Malted beverages have been promoted as energisers. However, since sleep deficiency is growing across all age groups, a drink that puts you to sleep could be a lifestyle opportunity. As people are increasingly growing conscious about their health, a tea brand can promote black tea as a healthier way to consume the beverage. The growing awareness of drinking water as one of the major causes of ill health, coupled with the fact that drinking three litres of water a day is a simple secret for healthy living, gives a brand an opportunity to make day-size water bottles for individuals to keep track of daily water consumption. As society becomes more sedentary, ergonomics (after aesthetics) could be the next frontier for a furniture brand. If sitting was the life need for furniture, ergonomics is the lifestyle need. Similarly, "good for the eyes" could be the proposition and purpose for a lighting brand.

The examples cited in this article are illustrative, not definitive. But reflecting on the implications of changes that are "supposedly" improving lifestyles provides pointers to new opportunities, both in product innovations and in positioning. The insights in the Dalai Lama's paradoxes of our age can be used as a starting point. Something worth thinking about. 

Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/life-and-lifestyles-113080101345_1.html

Narendra Modi's new tactic to woo Muslims? Gujarat CM has a Twitter account in Urdu now

Aiming for a nationwide connect, BJP's election campaign committee chairman Narendra Modi now has Twitter accounts in almost all major regional languages including Urdu.

Modi now has accounts in languages like Hindi, Urdu, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Oria, Tamil and Bangla apart from English.

His nine tweets in Urdu have drawn 152 followers, while 421 are following him on his Marathi account. With these additions, Modi is trying to reach out to people in key states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

"We are reaching out to people in regional languages as well now. Urdu language has large following in Uttar Pradesh," a member of BJP's communication cell said.

"Now Modi's tweets will be available in all main languages of the country. His tweets will be simultaneously released in all the languages," he added.

Modi is known for effective use of social media and has a large fan following in the country online.

The chief minister has been stressing on the effective use of social media in various meetings in the run up to elections.

Modi's Twitter account in English has 2,691 tweets with over 20,04,650 followers.

Interestingly, his website narendramodi.in is also available in Sankrit and Hindi.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-twitter-accounts-in-urdu/1/297540.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/narendra-modi-twitter-accounts-in-urdu/1/297540.html

Fortunes of major parties likely to change after Andhra Pradesh division

Division of Andhra Pradesh will see not just a change in the geographical profile of the state but will also totally alter the political landscape across the regions and re-write the fortunes of all major parties.
What gains it accrues in Telangana region by agreeing to divide Andhra Pradesh is a matter of conjecture but the ruling Congress is expected to find the going tough in the Andhra-Rayalaseema regions.
The Congress hopes the decision in favour of Telangana will pay rich political dividends to it but is wary of the TRS that remained the torchbearer of the separate statehood movement.
The TRS is yet non-committal on the prospective merger with the Congress and will keep the latter guessing for more time.
But if the TRS seeks to establish its own political identity in the new state rather than embrace the

Congress, the latter could face problems.
Such an eventuality will upset the Congress larger political game plan.
The TDP hopes to re-establish its hold in Telangana, having inclined in favour of bifurcation.
But, the same factor may dent its prospects in Andhra-Rayalaseema regions though it still remains the major force.
By standing for a unified state in the last minute, the YSR Congress has been reduced to a naught in Telangana and its influence, if any, should now be confined to Andhra-Rayalaseema regions.
In the emerging scenario, TDP and YSRC will be the main contenders for power in Andhra-Rayalaseema.

YSRC's fortunes, however, hinge on its chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and if he doesn't come out of jail ahead of the general elections, the party could face hurdles.
Interesting will be the BJP's case in the two regions now that the state bifurcation is set to happen. The party has been robbed of a key electoral issue in Telangana with the Congress beating it in the game.
Its existence has become a big question mark in Andhra-Rayalaseema because of the pro-division stance it has adopted.
The CPI still has some influence in Telangana and that was one reason for it to support the statehood demand. Whether it will help the party make any gains in the next elections is, however, uncertain.

The CPM may not gain much across the regions unless it forges an alliance with the YSRC, as being speculated, in Andhra-Rayalaseema.

While safeguarding its traditional bastion Hyderabad, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen wanted to spread its wings in different pockets of Andhra Pradesh that had a sizeable Muslim population.
The strategy might have worked at least partially had the state remained united but in the changed scenario the MIM's plans might not fructify.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/fortunes-of-major-parties-likely-to-change-after-andhra-pradesh-division/1/297416.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/fortunes-of-major-parties-likely-to-change-after-andhra-pradesh-division/1/297416.html

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/fortunes-of-major-parties-likely-to-change-after-andhra-pradesh-division/1/297416.html

India among server sites for NSA’s snoopy programme

Continuing its series of exposes on the manner in which the U.S. government has been tracking global electronic communication traffic, The Guardian has published new documents that reveal details on an international programme that siphons data directly from Internet networks without judicial oversight or authorisation.

Code-named XKeyscore, the program, the U.S. National Security Agency claims, is the “widest-reaching” system for developing intelligence from the Internet. During a 30-day period in 2012, around 41 billion records were retrieved and stored in XKeyscore.

The programme also appears to have a significant Indian connection. One page from the training manual released, titled “Where is XKeyscore?” points out that the program has over 700 servers from 150 sites — India being one of the sites in question.

Other countries that appear to be directly implicated include China, Myanmar, the Philippines and Japan.

While there is no further information on the purposes and exact locations of these servers, it would appear from the slides released that India is a site that relays information back to the XKeyscore web server that, in turn, relays information to various NSA analysts. This could not, however, be independently verified by The Hindu. 

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/india-among-server-sites-for-nsas-snoopy-programme/article4978248.ece

Schools, colleges breathe easy as 'T' tangle ends

HYDERABAD, August 1, 2013 

Revelling in the declaration of separate statehood for Telangana are not only people and politicians of the region, but also educational institutions, especially those in and around the city.

Owners of private schools and colleges heaved a collective sigh of relief as the declaration possibly put an end to frequent agitations, bandhs and tense situations, which had been hampering the institutions in a big way for the past four years.

Teachers and students were the most harried lot, being forced to rush through incomplete syllabi in a jiffy by the end of each academic year.

With academic plans going haywire, school managements would literally base their teaching schedules on the happenings on the Telangana agitation front.

“For the last four years, schools and academic institutions have had a harrowing time, rushing students through the course in a limited time. With many students not able to catch up with the speed, the overall result, too, would be affected. Academically, Hyderabad has slipped to the 22 position during the last few years, from the earlier fifth or sixth order,” said S. Sreenivas Reddy, president of A.P. Recognised Private Schools Managements’ Association.

On an average, 20 to 30 working days were lost every year since 2009, he said. Students’ organisations calling bandhs on different dates disturbed academic plans.

“The declaration is welcome as it will put an end to bandhs. We are hearing of agitations in Seemandhra now. Our plea to agitators is not to disturb educational institutions. They can trouble the government by closing down wine shops, not by closing schools,” Mr. Reddy says.

Schools that follow the CBSE syllabus have every reason to celebrate, as they faced more hardship than State schools thanks to frequent bandhs.

“I personally feel highly relieved at the declaration of a separate State as the issue is resolved, and we can function as per the plans. I remember the time two years ago when we had asked ninth graders to come in civil dress to take exam. We could not ply buses, so asked parents to drop their wards at the school. It was akin to an undercover operation,” recalls Shobha Dasika, Academic Coordinator for Classes VIII to X at Meridian School.

As schools had to function in sync with the Central Board, they could not get any special consideration in view of the local unrest.

“We tried our level best not to close down even during the thick of agitations. We had to coordinate a lot with the Board as well as agitators, especially during exam time. Parents and students had to undergo hardship. We are happy that the situation will be normal again,” says D. Usha Reddy, chairperson of Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex and Academic Director at Meridian School.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/schools-colleges-breathe-easy-as-t-tangle-ends/article4978708.ece

Shobhaa De’s remarks frivolous, says Chavan

Mumbai, August 2, 2013 

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday termed writer Shobhaa De’s tweet suggesting that Mumbai be given the status of a separate State as “frivolous.” He said the State would remain united. 

Ms. De, on the other hand, has claimed the tweet, purely satirical, was misconstrued. “Maharashtra and Mumbai??? Why not? Mumbai has always fancied itself as an independent entity, anyway. This game has countless possibilities,” Ms. De tweeted after the announcement of the creation of Telangana. 

“The comments are frivolous and should not be taken seriously. Neither Mumbai nor Vidarbha will be separated from Maharashtra,” said Mr. Chavan, adding, “Unity is our strength.” 

The Shiv Sena held demonstrations outside Ms. De’s house in south Mumbai, demanding an apology from her. “She must extend an apology to the people of Maharashtra. She has hurt the feelings of Marathi people,” said Pandurang Sakpal, Sena’s South Mumbai zone president. 

State Industries Minister Narayan Rane’s son Nitesh, who runs NGO Swabhiman Sanghatana, too slammed Ms. De, saying she was not aware of the ground realities or people’s sentiments. “Rather than [on] Twitter, Shobhaa De should say the same thing on the streets of Mumbai openly, after which she won’t be left with any ‘shobha’ [dignity] forever,” he said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/shobhaa-des-remarks-frivolous-says-chavan/article4978768.ece