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Tag: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

  • From lab to end-user: India launches TV, radio & FB integrated server ‘Sagar Vani’

    MUMBAI: The India government, in order to effectively disseminate ocean-related advisories from the lab to the end-user, has developed ‘Sagar Vani’.

    The union minister for science & technology, earth sciences and environment, forest & climate change Harshvardhan has launched the ‘India Quake’ app and ‘Sagar Vani’ at the Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi on 27 July.

    ‘Sagar Vani’ is a software platform where various dissemination modes will be integrated on a single central server. It ’ includes multi-lingual SMS, Voice Call / Audio Advisory, Mobile Apps (User / Admin modules), Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Email, GTS, Fax, Digital Display Boards, Radio / Television broadcast units, IVRS, Cloud Channels, etc. The system also has facility to provide access to various stakeholders so that they too will be able to further disseminate information and alerts to the user community.

    ‘Sagar Vani’ system compares with the most advanced countries’ services in terms of speed of delivery, omni channel capabilities and diverseness of services. With this system, the services will be disseminated in local languages using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. For the first time in India, Sagar Vani is also using the power of television and cable network mediums for topical and alert dissemination services.

    ESSO-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) provides ocean information services for the benefit of various user communities in India. The services are more fruitfully utilized when the advisories reaches the end user in timely manner and in user readable format. Now-a-days ICT facilities in the country are accessible to large population of the country and that plays a major role in effective dissemination of information to the end user. ESSO-INCOIS has adopted the state-of-the-art technologies and tools available in the country for the timely dissemination of Ocean Information and Advisory Services that includes Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, Ocean State Forecast (OSF), High Wave Alerts and Tsunami early warnings.

    Presently, the advisories are being disseminated to the stakeholders from different service sections and through various stakeholders and partners, which might cause delay in dissemination of the services. In order to timely disseminate the advisories, ‘Sagar Vani’ has been developed by ESSO-INCOIS through Gaian Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

    The ‘Sagar Vani’ will now serve the coastal community, especially the fishermen community with the advisories and alerts towards their livelihood as well as their safety at Sea.

  • Shocked by the retrograde budget proposal, says Indian Beverage Association

    Shocked by the retrograde budget proposal, says Indian Beverage Association

    MUMBAI: Taking a cue from Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who has been pushing for higher tax on tobacco products, the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a step further from not only increasing excise duty on tobacco, but targeted the aerated drinks as well.

     

    With an eye oncreating a healthier India, the FM has taxed aerated drinks containing sugar, while exempting fruit juices and other aerated drinks like soda.

     

    “I also propose to levy an additional excise duty at 5 per cent on aerated waters containing added sugar. These are healthy measures and I hope everyone would welcome them from the point of view of human and fiscal health,” Jaitley said in his speech.

     

    However, the move hasn’t gone down well with the industry.

     

    On the hike,  an Indian Beverage Association (IBA) spokesperson says, “We are extremely shocked by the retrograde budget proposal of a 5 per cent hike in excise duty on aerated drinks with added sugar.”

     

    The players point out that the soft drinks industry is already one of the highest taxed categories in the country. The combined impact of CENVAT and state VAT rates reaches 34 per cent in eight states in the country. “Coming on top of the current 12 per cent rate, the additional 5 per cent duty increase will be tantamount to a 40 per cent increase in the central excise duty which would hit the industry hard and cause a major slowdown at a time when demand growth for the industry has been sluggish,” elaborates the spokesperson.  

     

    The IBA rebuts the increase by saying that the carbonated soft drinks (CSD)  industry is a key segment of the food processing sector in India. It is a significant user of agri products and, with its high labour intensity, contributes significantly to agricultural growth and employment. With a ratio of direct to indirect employment of 1:4, similar to that of the software industry, the industry’s developmental impact is not adequately appreciated. Currently, it employs over 300,000 people, and if there is a conducive environment for growth the industry has the potential to grow at double digit rates and can contribute more than a million additional jobs over the next decade.  

     

    “It must also be understood that in a country where options of safe, convenient and hygienic beverages are rather limited, CSDs play a very important role in meeting the hydration needs of people. With this hike in excise duty, the industry will have no option but to increase the price of its products. An increase in price will also fuel the growth of beverage options from the spurious and unorganised sector which, on the one hand, pose significant risk to public health and on the other, will take away tax revenue from the government,” adds the spokesperson.

     

    Parle Agro CMO and JMD Nadia Chauhan says, “In the wake of current hike, we will be evaluating our cost efficiencies for Cafe Cuba, whilst closely observing the change in dynamics of the CSD market. Our immediate focus is to work out a strategic approach that works best in serving consumer interest as well as maintaining the organisation’s operational cost. Whether we will be adjusting our price points, reworking volumes or fine-tuning marketing expenses is a key decision that will be taken basis analysis of all the key factors that determine our pricing strategy.”

     

    As per a report by Euromonitor International, soft drinks off-trade value sales continued to record further growth in 2013 in India. The year also recorded many new launches in flavours across categories including juices, powder concentrates, and carbonates. Leading companies such as Coca-Cola India and PepsiCo India introduced various new flavours across the year. Smaller domestic companies including Hector Beverages and Pioma Industries also followed the suit.

     

    The IBA has urged the government to reverse this hike as it will retard the progress of an industry which can have a significant positive impact on India’s development, particularly in the changed governance scenario in the country.

  • BJP likely to get emerge as the single-largest party in Delhi polls

    BJP likely to get emerge as the single-largest party in Delhi polls

    MUMBAI: BJP likely to get around 32 seats with a vote share of 33 per cent in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls, predicts ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen opinion poll. Congress is predicted to get 25 seats with 26 per cent vote share. Arvind Kejriwal likely to get 10 seats with 23 per cent vote share.

    According to the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen, there are 15-20 seats which are being won by a narrow margin of 2%. These seats could impact the final outcome. We have tried to simulate three According to the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen survey, more than half of all respondents surveyed (56%) feel that BJP would benefit in the upcoming assembly elections by naming Dr. Harsh Vardhan as the Chief Minister candidate. Both Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Arvind Kejriwal are neck and neck when it comes to the most preferred CM. From the cross tab it can deduce that 10 per cent of respondents who intend to vote for BJP prefer Arvind Kejriwal as the most preferred CM candidate.

    As per the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen survey, Sheila Dikshit has to bear the brunt of the corruption charges involving the Central government. According to the survey, the reason for switch from BJP to AAP is because of the leader of AAP: the Kejriwal appeal.

    Inflation – major reasons for switch from INC to BJP or AAP

    According to the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen survey, inflation is the key factor working against INC. People do recognize the work done by the Sheila Dikshit government over the last several years but rampant inflation seems to have wiped out the goodwill. As per the survey, people feel that if the Delhi govt. wants it can control inflation, hence the resentment.

    As per the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen survey, AAP is seen as a party that can bring down corruption; BJP is seen as a party that can control inflation and INC is seen as a party that can maintain law and order.

    Main reason for party switch from INC to either BJP or AAP is the perceived inability of the Congress government to control rising prices.

    Soaring vegetable prices may prove to be a deciding factor in polls

    According to the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen survey, a vast majority (81%) feels that the soaring vegetable prices may prove to be the deciding factor in the upcoming assembly elections. Majority (64%) feels that Delhi state government can control prices of vegetables and other essential goods.

    Majority feels that Delhi is very unsafe for women

    As per the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen survey, there is a divided opinion with 47% saying that crime is increasing as Delhi police is busy protecting VIPs and 40% saying that absence of fear of law among people is the reason behind increase in crime in Delhi. At an overall level almost 1/3rd of respondents feel that the poor policing is the most important reason behind increase in crime against women. Across both genders and all regions majority feels that the city is very unsafe for women.

    The opinion poll has been conducted by ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Nielsen with 6340 respondents. The survey was conducted on field between 29th October 2013 to 14th November 27, 2013.