News dose dated 12 Jan 2014
Govt seeks comments on draft bid on mines to be auctioned
12012014
The Coal Ministry has sought suggestions from the stakeholders on the draft bid document pertaining to coal mines to be auctioned in order to ensure greater transparency.
The development comes in the backdrop of the government drawing flak from various quarters for irregularities in mines allocation.
“The government proposes to allocate area containing coal (coal blocks) through auction by competitive bidding. The comments/suggestions are invited from stakeholders on the draft Request for Proposal (RFP),” according to a Coal Ministry document.
“The comments/suggestions may be sent by January 20, 2014,” the Ministry further said.
The government watchdog CAG had in 2012 estimated a Rs 1.86 lakh crore presumptive loss to the exchequer on account of allotment of 57 coal blocks without competitive bidding.
Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal had said last year that the auction of coal blocks may happen in March.
An official had said the government’s aim was to auction 10 blocks in the first tranche instead of the six planned initially.
The Coal Ministry had asked Coal India Ltd’s mine planning and consultancy company CMPDIL to assess the reserves of four more mines and submit its report.
The government has also asked CMPDIL to appoint two separate consultants, including Crisil, to help in the process of coal mine auction.
The Cabinet has already approved the methodology for auction, providing for upfront and production-linked payments and benchmarking of coal sale prices.
Bank of Japan, RBI conclude deal for raising BSA to USD 50bn
12012014
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) and RBI concluded an agreement that expands the maximum amount of the bilateral swap arrangement (BSA) between the two countries to USD 50 billion.
The agreement was signed by BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda and RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on Friday and has become effective as of 10th January 2014, the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement.
“With this agreement, the current BSA, effective for 3 years from 2012 to 2015, is expanded from the original size of USD 15 billion,” it added.
The BSA aims at addressing possible short-term liquidity difficulties and supplementing the existing international financial arrangements, as one of the efforts in strengthening mutual cooperation between Japan and India.
“This expansion of the BSA will contribute to the stability of global financial markets including emerging economies,” the RBI said.
The BSA shall be effective until 3rd December 2015.
12012014
ZEEL Announces The Biggest Global Awards Event
‘Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014’
will be simulcast on Zee TV, Zee Anmol & Zee Tamizh on 23rd February
will be simulcast on Zee TV, Zee Anmol & Zee Tamizh on 23rd February
9th January, Mumbai: Having drawn an unparalleled vote count of over 4.5 Million votes from across the globe last year, the ‘World’s Biggest Viewers’ Choice Awards’ – ‘Zee Cine Awards’ is back! Showcased on Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), one of India’;s leading television, media and entertainment conglomerates, ‘Zee Cine Awards’ is its biggest worldwide property. The votes cut across an extremely expansive universe of ZEE’s channels that entertain over 700+ million viewers across 169 countries, and represent the unanimous voice of a global audience. After creating a worldwide footprint for the Indian film industry across destinations like Macau, Singapore, London, Mauritius and Dubai, Mr Punit Goenka, ZEEL Managing Director and CEO and superstar Shah Rukh Khan announced that the 14th edition of ‘Zee Cine Awards’ will be held in Mumbai and telecast simultaneously on Zee TV, Zee Anmol and Zee Tamizh on 23rd February.
Through its strong presence worldwide, the annual extravaganza ‘Zee Cine Awards’, is one of the most prestigious award ceremonies recognizing excellence in the Indian film industry. With the previous edition of the awards clocking in an impressive 7105 TVTs, the property remains the highest rated film awards show on television. Post its premiere on Zee TV, Zee Anmol and Zee Tamizh, the grand awards show will also be multicast on other ZEE channels including Zee Café for the very first time.
Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan further announced that he will be exclusively performing at ‘Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards’ this year! So, if there’s a one-stop shop for viewers to experience the cult popularity of ‘Chennai Express’ and the frenzy of ‘Lungi Dance’ LIVE, it will only be on ‘Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014’.
Always recognized by advertisers for its immense value and credibility, ‘Luz Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014’ being a network property will make it more of a preferred choice for them. It will give an opportunity for more advertisers to reach out to different target audiences in various categories, including regional, English, mass and the niche channels from ZEE’s cluster. The Hindi cinema fraternity has also taken into cognizance the advantages of partnering with the esteemed property and for the first time, the Neeraj Pandey scripted film, ‘Total Siyapaa’ starring Ali Zafar and Yami Gautam has entered into a tie-up with ‘Zee Cine Awards’ 2014 and interesting initiatives on this front will shortly be announced.
Mr Punit Goenka, ZEEL Managing Director and CEO, said, “I’m pleased to announce that the 14th edition of ‘Zee Cine Awards’ will be held in Mumbai. Year on year, Zee Cine Awards is a property with growing global reach and audience share. Zee Media and ETC from within our network will be our media partner and Bollywood partner respectively. The success of ‘Zee Cine Awards’ over the years makes it an indispensable component of every advertisers’ media mix and this year, they will further leverage it across the network’s varied channels. Shah Rukh has been an integral part of every edition of ‘Zee Cine Awards’ over the years. We’re extremely glad that we will have Shah Rukh perform exclusively and only at ‘Zee Cine Awards’ this year.”
“Every year the talent recognised by our viewers continues to inspire us with the depth and richness that the Hindi film fraternity represents. We will support extraordinary new films who need a platform like the ‘Zee Cine Awards’ to showcase it to the industry, and that’s why we are so pleased to support ‘Total Siyapaa’. We are looking forward to celebrating their achievements in a fittingly glamorous way at the Awards,” he adds.
Staying true to its proposition of ‘Haq Hai Aapka’, ‘Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014’ will declare its list of nominations across popular categories and a transparent, hassle-free voting mechanism that will pass the baton of selecting the Best Actor, Best Film, etc to where it truly belongs … in the hands of its loyal audience! So get ready for the biggest Bollywood awards night with the dazzle of the most glamorous stars walking the red carpet in their inimitable style, rib-tickling gags and spoofs by the witty celebrity hosts, scintillating performances by the hot-steppers of B-town and hard-earned recognition to the most deserving performers of 2013 voted and selected by you!
Mumbai gets world class airport terminal
12012014
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The swanky world class terminal T2 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai boasts of arguably the largest art gallery at such a facility, depicting the vibrant mosaic of the country’s cultural heritage and varied collage of the city’s life.
The four-storey glass marvel, whose design is inspired by a dancing peacock and built at a cost of a whopping Rs 9,800 crore, was today dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.”This shows our ability to build world class infrastructure. The T2 is truly first class terminal,” he said after inaugurating the opulent terminal which would become operational next month. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter in the growth of civil aviation sector in the country,” he said.The terminal, sprawling across an area of 4.39 lakh sq m, is home to thousands of artefacts and paintings that stretch along a 3-km art wall, aptly named “Jaya He”, an eulogy to the rich kaleidoscope of Indian culture.
“Jaya He” gives the visitors a peep into the country’s diverse cultural heritage with rows of murals, statues and paintings behind a glass wall.
Sparkling fountains and classy installations welcome them.
An attempt has also been made to capture Mumbai’s life showcasing its large migrant population hoping to make a living in the city of their dreams.
Another artwork “Tincity”, in which a collage of photography and corrugated metal sheets, which dot the city’s landscape across numerous slum clusters, have been used, reflects the tenacity of the migrant community living in the bustling city’s dark underbelly.
The dancing peacock-themed facility’s peacock feather- styled roof leaves one awestruck with special dichroic lights that move with the changing direction of the sun reflecting an array of colours onto the check-in hall’s floor.
The new terminal can accommodate 9,900 passengers and has 7 lakh square feet of space for retail, lounges and other travel services.
There are 8 check-in islands, 60 emigration and 72 immigration counters, 52 boarding bridges, 162 lifts, escalators and travellators and landscaping has been done in two lakh sq ft.
Besides, it has the largest multi-level covered car parking in the country with a capacity to accommodate 5,000 vehicles.
Shiny granite has been used is 1.85 lakh sq m, large enough to accommodate 25 football pitches.
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Categories : Business, CSR, culture, Media, Transport, world News
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Categories : Business, CSR, culture, Media, Transport, world News
Major fire destroys ancient Tibetan town Dukezong in China
12012014
A Tibetan town in southwest China’s Shangri-la resort, famous for its ancient wooden structures and cultural relics, was on Saturday destroyed in a massive fire that gutted over 240 houses and forced the evacuation of 2,600 people.
The fire broke out in the early hours at Dukezong – meaning “town of the moon” in Tibetan – built 1,300 years ago on the South Silk Road.
More than 2,600 residents were evacuated after over 240 houses burned down, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The blaze lasted about ten hours.
Over 1,000 people were mobilised to put out the fire but their task became difficult as most of the houses were made of wood, a local government spokesman said.
No casualties were reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
Authorities ruled out the possibility of arson. Apart from the houses, shops and infrastructure facilities, some cultural relics, precious Tibetan thangka and other art pieces were gutted, the report said.
Weather forecast departments said snow is expected between this evening and tomorrow, and warned the evacuated people to stay warm.
Dukezong is one of the most renowned resorts in Shangri-la, known for its well-preserved ancient Tibetan dwellings.
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Do not insist on RTI applicants to provide address: Centre
12012014
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Government departments should not insist on seeking address of an RTI applicant if a post box number is being provided to them for communication, the Centre has said.
The Ministry of Personnel has written to all central government ministries or departments, who act as public authorities mandated with providing information on RTI applications made to them, citing a judgement by Calcutta High Court in this regard.
“When the legislature thought it fit, the applicant need not disclose any personal detail, the authority should not insist upon his detailed whereabouts particularly when post box number is provided for establishing contact between him and the authority.
“In case the authority would find any difficulty with the post box number, they may insist upon personal details. However, in such case, it would be the solemn duty of the authority to hide such information and particularly from their website so that people at large would not know of the details,” the High Court judgement said.
The order had come following a writ petition by Avishek Goenka who sought court’s direction that authority should not insist upon the detailed address of the applicant as and when any application is made under the Right to Information Act.
The interested parties could cause a threat to the activist and there have been past incidents of unnatural deaths of activists in the field, presumably by persons having vested interest to conceal the information that is asked for by the activist, the petitioner had said.
Disposing of the petition on 20th November, last year, the court had directed Secretary, Ministry of Personnel, to circulate a copy of its order to all concerned so that the authority can take appropriate measures to hide information with regard to personal details of the activists to avoid any harassment by the persons having vested interest.
The Personnel Ministry, nodal department for implementation of the RTI Act, had on Wednesday sent a copy of the court’s order to all ministries and chief secretaries of state governments for appropriate action.
“It is a step in the right direction towards protecting the lives of whistleblowers,” said Commodore Lokesh K Batra (Retd), who had in October 2013 brought to the notice of the Ministry that public information officers were sharing personal data of RTI applicants with private bodies, thus endangering the lives of information seekers.
Closing ceremony of the Commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
12012014
The year-long commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda formally came to a close today with functions organized at various places in India. The residuary activities may go on for another year or so.
The main function of the closing ceremony was held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Chairperson, UPA, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Minister of Defence, Shri A.K. Antony, Minister of Culture, Smt. Chandresh Kumari Katoch and several other dignitaries were present during the function.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister exhorted his countrymen to imbibe lessons from Swami Vivekananda and learn to be tolerant of one another, have respect for all religions and dedicate themselves to the development of people and the country. He urged fellow Indians to be open to new ideas, new opportunities and new challenges.
UPA Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi in her speech described the life of Swami Vivekananda as a life of magnificent achievements . She said several of our great leaders drew inspiration from Swami Vivekananda in nation building. Smt Gandhi said he believed in gender equality and lived to illuminate the life of others.
Minister of Defence, Shri A.K. Antony paying glowing tributes to Swami Vivekananda said, Swamiji was probably the first modern Indian saint to understand the value of youth in nation-building. The Minister said, Swami Vivekananda never preached superiority of any one religion, but accepted all the religions and showed the way of unity and peace to the world.
Culture Minister Smt. Chandresh Kumari Katoch in her address said, 54 proposals involving an estimated cost of Rs 253 crore have been approved and are at different stages of implementation during the year long celebrations.
The General Secretary Of Ramakrishna Mission Swami Suhitananda also spoke on the occasion.
The formal inauguration of this commemoration was held on 12th January, 2013 by President of India at a function in the Rashtrapati Bhawan Auditorium, New Delhi during which a set of commemorative postage stamps and commemorative coins were released. The Chairperson UPA, Union Finance Minister, Union Communication & IT Minister, Union Culture Minister and the General Secretary, Ramakrishna Mission HQ, Belur were present on the occasion.
12012014
Zee Anmol to pay tribute to parallel cinema’s blue eyed boy, Farooque Sheikh
The channel will air his legendary work as an anchor, Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai
starting 12th Jan, every Sunday at 10 30 AM
It’s time for the television viewers to take a trip down the memory lane… The sudden demise of Indian film Industry’s most illustrious actor, Farooque Sheikh has left a void amongst fans and colleagues in the cinematic world. As a tribute to the actor par excellence, Zee Anmol is going to air his most memorable work as an anchor in the popular series, Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai. The show will air every Sunday, starting 12th Jan at 10 30 AM.
Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai – a talk show that set a benchmark on TV as the first chat show ever in the history of Indian television. It was one of Farooque Sheikh’s most prolific works on television which won him many accolades. This celebrity chat show, anchored by Farooque Saab took a trip down the memory lane with top actors of our industry and skimmed through the pages of their lives. The show was made memorable not only for the viewers who were introduced to the unknown facets of the lives of their favorite actors but also for the actors themselves where the members of their family, close friends, colleagues and mentors revealed aspects of their lives which were hitherto unknown to their fans.
Said Mr. Ajay Bhalwankar, Content Head, Hindi GECs, ZEEL, “As a channel we were fortunate and pleased to have such an adorable personality on board as an anchor. Farooque Sheikh’s compassionate disposition made the celebrity guests feel at home on the show and share their most cherished moments in front of the camera. This is Zee Anmol’s tribute to the great legend and stalwart who epitomized and glorified ‘the boy next door’ image. For viewers also, we hope it will be like a trip down the memory lane where they’ll get a peek into the lives of their favorite actors up close and personal and also enjoy Farooque Saab’s superb engagement skills.”
Come, relive the magic of Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai and take glimpse into the lives of Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee, Akshay Kumar and a host of other Bollywood luminaries with the late Farooque Sheikh, starting 12th Jan, every Sunday at 10 30 AM, only on Zee Anmol.
12012014
Saluting Shyam Benegal
Zee Classic pays an ode to the genius filmmaker with a
month-long festival ‘Benegal @ Work’
month-long festival ‘Benegal @ Work’
Launched in April 2004, Zee Classic is India’;s only Hindi movie channel that shows films from the classic era of Hindi cinema. In addition to bringing alive the magic of these evergreen masterpieces, the channel constantly endeavours to also acquaint viewers with the greats who made a significant contribution to this Golden era and made the industry what it is, thereby standing true to its promise of bringing forth ‘Timeless Movies. Timeless Moments’!
The legendary man Zee Classic salutes this month was awarded the Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991. A recipient of the highest honour for an Indian filmmaker – the ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award’, he has walked away with the National Award 7 times over for his films. Critical acclaim, standing ovations at the most prestigious film festivals, the most esteemed awards and rave reviews from the more discerning segments of the audience have been the pillars that have built the prolific film career of the legendary Shyam Benegal. Ushering an all-new era of alternate Indian Cinema with his very first four feature films, Benegal has truly been a path-breaker all along. Being a channel that showcases and celebrates classic films, highlighting their relevance to the youth of today, it is only befitting that Zee Classic raises a toast to the genius of Benegal, a man whose body of work shaped the contours of cinema in the 70’s and 80’s. Starting 11th January, Zee Classic will air ‘Benegal @ Work’, a showcase of some of Shyam Benegal’s finest masterpieces … some of the most impactful films that define his style and let audiences experience the magic of his storytelling.
The festival kicks off with Benegal’s debut film ‘Ankur’, a story of economic and sexual exploitation set in his home stateAndhra Pradesh. The film introduced prodigal actors such as Shabana Azmi and Anant Nag and won Benegal the 1975National Film Award. Shabana won the National Film Award for Best Actress. Benegal’s ‘Trikal’ captures the transition of Goa from being a Portuguese colony to a district governed by India. Liberally sprinkled with dashes of humor, this is a fast-paced comedy about a family and their friends who lived in Goa through this interesting phase of its evolution. On 25thJanuary, catch ‘Bhumika – The Role’, a film broadly based on the memoirs of the well-known Marathi stage and screen actress of the 1940s, Hansa Wadkar who led a flamboyant and unconventional life … the film focuses on an individual’;s search for identity and self-fulfillment. The immensely talented Smita Patil gave one of the most inspired performances of her career, transforming herself in its course from a vivacious teenage girl to a wiser but deeply wounded middle-aged woman. ‘Mandi’ is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution. Based on a classic Urdu short story Aanandi by Pakistani writer Ghulam Abbas and starring acting heavyweights such as Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil, it’s a must watch! Benegal’s ‘Nishant’ captures the tyrannical power-play of the high-handed Zamindars and brings you the struggle of a rape victim for justice when the perpetrators of her torment happen to hail from the Zamindar’s clan. The ‘Benegal @ Work’ festival is something every film aficionado should mark out on their calendars and not miss for the world!
Zee Classic has the largest library of Hindi movies with over 300 exclusive titles from 1940 to 1970. These films have been digitally remastered so that viewers have the best possible experience of these evergreen films. Classics like Awara, Mother India, Shree 420 and the best works of legends like Raj Kapoor, Kishore Kumar, SD Burman, Guru Dutt, amongst many others, are just a few in Zee Classic’s vast library.
