Innholdsfortegnelse for November 14, 2016 i India Today

Of all the development promises by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cooperative federalism is one that has been an unalloyed success. As chief minister of Gujarat for 12 long years, Prime Minister Modi understands better than most the immense potential of states. Many of the actions of his government have given power back to the states, in a manner that is both systematic and purposeful. The Planning Commission, perceived as a forum where states went begging for what was rightfully theirs, has been scrapped. Its place has been taken by Niti Aayog which is evolving into an effective think tank. Recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission have been implemented, retaining just 38 per cent of the pool of resources for the Centre and transferring 62 per cent to the states. The…

Reams have been written on l’affaire Tata. I cannot add much more of substance. And I certainly do not wish to add grist to the mill of speculators. The reason I agreed to write this article was because I thought my personal experience might contain grains of relevance for those in Tatas working to staunch the damage to employee morale and reputation. Some years back, I was alarmed to read in the papers that the Royal Dutch Shell Group had been accused by the US stock exchange of exaggerating its oil and gas reserves. My alarm later turned to dismay, and then anger, when I learnt that the then chairman and group managing director responsible for oil and gas exploration and production had indeed fudged the disclosures. Both men were…

GDP-WISE RANK* 13 AREA-WISE RANK 22 POPULATION-WISE RANK 13 WHY NO.1 1 Kerala topped three categories—law and order, health and environment 2 It found place among top five states in five out of 10 categories Life in Kerala reflects its Overall Best Big State crown: it’s the safest, healthiest, most environment-friendly and only second-best in education and agriculture. The state has shown improvements in all categories except inclusive development, in which it slipped three ranks. Infant mortality in Kerala was the lowest (12 per thousand live births) in 2013 against the all-India average of 30. It reported 99.7 per cent births assisted by trained personnel in 2013-14, the highest in the country. Violent crime in the state is one of the lowest: 4 per cent. Spending on education increased by…

GDP-WISE RANK 2 AREA-WISE RANK 11 POPULATION-WISE RANK 6 Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy’s mantra of governance is clear. “As the head of the state, my primary job is to offer people all amenities and a safe environment so that they can generate wealth for the state,” he says. Under him, the Puducherry government has been striving to create a model that blends welfare and development. For example, the chief minister has introduced a unique scheme of doorstep payment of pension to widows and senior citizens through mobile ATMs. The state government claims some 50,000 people have benefitted from the initiative since its launch a few months ago. Narayanasamy also realises the potential of industrialisation in the power-surplus state. “We have already launched a new industrial policy, offering many incentives…

GDP-WISE RANK 15 AREA-WISE RANK 20 POPULATION-WISE RANK 16 WHY NO.1 1 Highest foodgrain yield, 4,303 kg per hectare, in 2013-14. National average was 2,177 kg per hectare 2 Almost the entire area sown— 4,134,000 hectare—is irrigated Punjab could take credit for feeding much of India. Consider this: the state’s farmers not only produce close to 17 per cent of the country’s wheat and 12 per cent of the rice, but have year after year delivered the most bountiful harvests that are way above the national levels. Punjab’s farmland, more than 90 per cent of which is irrigated, reaps over 17 quintals of wheat per hectare more than the national average. For every hectare sown with paddy, this is nearly 14 quintals higher than in other rice-growing states. Punjab’s Gross…

WHY NO.1 1 Goa has the lowest inf ant mortality rate amongst all states 2 8 doctors per 1,000 people in Goa, highest amongst all small states Every Goan’s health is taken care of by the government. That is our success,” says deputy CM Francis D’Souza, who handles the health portfolio. Every Goan residing in the state for over five years has mediclaim, with 447 diseases covered in the scheme including psychological and chronic lifestyle problems. Another huge success is the state’s infant mortality rate (IMR), now the lowest in the country at nine per 1,000 children. Goa’s facilities to expectant mothers ensure that 99 per cent deliveries are now in hospitals. The state also provides free pick-up and drop facility to pregnant women giving birth in government hospitals. After…

GDP-WISE RANK 8 AREA-WISE RANK 8 POPULATION-WISE RANK 10 WHY NO.1 1 Completed 26 of 52 projects (50%) sanctioned under JNNURM. Average for all states is 31% 2 92% of households in the state are connected by pucca roads We have to spend Rs 32,500 crore in the next four years on infrastructure for Amaravati,” says Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu of his new proposed capital. Improving connectivity to showcase the state is a top priority (92 per cent of habitations are accessible by pucca roads), and besides road links, Andhra has laid a 23,000 km-long optic fibre chain as well. “The first 10 lakh set-top boxes to homes will be provided by Sankranthi,” says Ajay Jain, principal secretary, energy, infrastructure and investment. Andhra’s improved air connectivity, with 11 airports (existing…

WHY NO.1 1 There are 1.9 mobile subscriptions for every person in the state 2 33% of the population use LPG gas pipelines or cylinders Ashok Jana moved to Delhi 15 years ago. Along with his wife, he earns about Rs 35,000 a month, owns a jhuggi, has a bank account and was recently issued a credit card. One of his two daughters is differently abled, and will soon join a special school—Jana hopes to utilise a state subsidy of Rs 1,500 a month for her education. The paperwork is daunting and tedious but he is hopeful of being able to provide her with a safe learning environment. In its 2016-2017 budget, the state announced that all social welfare and security schemes would be linked to Aadhaar, ensuring that the…

WHY NO.1 1 With 31,207, Maharashtra had the most operational common service centres in 2015-16 2 28,000 panchayats providing eservices, the highest in the country Digital’s the way in Maharashtra, a state delivering 370 services online. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s home district Nagpur is the first in the country to digitally connect all gram panchayats, 770 in all. The state also has 28,000 panchayats providing e-services, the highest in the country. Security is being armed with digitisation. Mumbai, for example, has been put under the watch of 4,600 closed-circuit cameras in the aftermath of the November 2008 terrorist attack. The state has also taken the lead in introducing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital Locker initiative. Fadnavis has launched another platform, Maharashtra Net, to digitally connect the entire state. “Digitisation makes…

WHY NO.1 1 Topped small states in openness to start new business, at 0.27, perception of government support to entrepreneurship, at 0.18, and perception of entrepreneurial environment, at 0.10 Easier, quicker access to investors and a host of enabling organisations are some of the reasons why Delhi has emerged as a major entrepreneurial hub. The downturn in the realty sector has led to a spurt in incubators—spaces where entrepreneurs pay per seat and their requirements for an office space are taken care of. “Incubators really help entrepreneurs because, essentially, the first question that an entrepreneur battles with is where to sit,” says Aditi Balbir, CEO of V Resorts, a resort chain. The city’s expansive road network to other states and good public transport have eased logistical challenges. The tough part:…

Kashmir has never appeared as bleak, sad and depressing as it has been in the last 115 days. Generally speaking, the turmoil is attributed to the killing on July 8 of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen (HuM) militant who has become something of an icon in South Kashmir. But Wani was only the catalyst, the spark that set the Valley ablaze. There was already lava under the surface waiting to spill over. And therefore alienation turned to anger on the streets and even hatred against India. South Kashmir, particularly Tral, Pulwama and Shopian have appeared almost out of control. The state government is nowhere to be seen, even ministers are afraid to come out of their homes, some of which have been attacked. At times, when whole villages have come…

DAMAYANTI DATTA Journalist Damayanti Datta can’t stand visual chaos, loves plants and tries hard not to be a round peg in the square hole. She is also Executive Editor with IndIa Today magazine. SELVAPRAKASH LAKSHMANAN Photographer Selvaprakash Lakshmanan is an independent photographer based out of Bangalore. His works have been published in The New York Times, NYT Lens Blog, Outlook Traveller, Open, Asian Geo, New Internationalist, and several other publications in India. He has won prestigious awards like the Paris Match Award and India Press Photo Award. His work has been exhibited at Verzasca Foto Festival, Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, Lagos Photo Festival, Angkor Photo Festival, among others. KALKI KOECHLIN Actor Kalki Koechlin is an Indian actor of mixed parentage (she has a Tamilian mother and French father). She and…

The saga of time is seldom simple, but this story is a fascinating one. It chronicles the collaboration between the creative genius of designer Marc Newson and the powerful provenance of luxe watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre. The result: sheer magic; a clock that pares back to a crystal globe of pure transparency. The two have been pooling resources since 2008, but feeding off each other’s creative energy has resulted in a unique interpretation of the iconic Atmos this year. The designer once again applies his imagination to this clock that lives on air, rendering it a contemporary physicality that still remains loyal to its intrinsic identity. This exceptional object boasts a startling purity that draws breath under a Baccarat crystal globe. Here, design, technical virtuosity, and tradition meld together as the…

SWINGING CHANDELIERS Actual antique chandeliers and not just chandelier earrings grabbed eyeballs at the Paris Biennale. Galerie Lumieres participated in the event for the first time and displayed 12 antique chandeliers from a period spanning 15th century to the 1930s. Cut crystal chandeliers, one from 1890 by Osler collection England, and another from beginning of the 20th century, created by Francois Linke drew gasps. “What made the chandeliers of this time so special now was their use of rock. Stone was used to imitate glass the way crystals were used to copy diamonds,” said Regis Mathieu, President of Mathieu Lustrerie, a brand that restores and collects antique chandeliers in addition to designing modern ones. The oldest chandelier at the Galerie’s display was a 15th century Flemish chandelier with fire gilded…

OCTOBER 31, 2016 A new breed of designers ekes out a fashion identity for India “It is heartening to see that several young professionals are working hard at establishing Indian brands in this domain, just as they have done in software development and other services. Here’s wishing them luck” HARSH KALRA, via e-mail Fashion Forward Your cover story, Fashion’s New Stars, reveals that upcycled fashion is the buzzword these days. It seems the term ‘fashion’ is no longer confined to mere flaunting of the latest trends. Since upcycling allows one to innovate and involves a degree of sustainability, designers and stylists find it appealing to experiment more and more. This is also because today’s designers are a lot more in touch with their roots, bringing with them a greater awareness…

OFF THE BOOKS The Prime Minister’s Office is not amused with the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office. The CAG had sought clarifications on expenditure in the government’s various highprofile schemes, which has not gone down well. The situation had been building up ever since the CAG report, tabled in the last session of Parliament, punctured holes in the claims of Rs 22,000 crore savings under LPG subsidies (the audit attributed the same to the dramatic fall in LPG imports). The PMO recently red-flagged some audits and top bureaucrats have told CAG Shashikant Sharma his office was “impeding policymaking”. Recently, the audit office’s offer to look into the black money disclosure scheme was hastily nixed by the finance ministry. DROP THE CALL The state media in Beijing pooh-poohed the growing campaign…

GDP-WISE RANK 2 AREA-WISE RANK 11 POPULATION-WISE RANK 6 WHY NO.1 1 Tamil Nadu showed improvement in eight out of 10 catergories 2 It ranked among the top 10 states in nine categories * GDP Ranks are of 2014-15 Tamil Nadu has emerged as a major building block in the national economy. It was ranked the second economically most competitive state in 2016, on the basis of macroeconomic stability, financial, business and manpower conditions, quality of life, infrastructure development and governance. It is one of the three most-preferred states for investment and one of the eight states where poverty dropped at a higher rate than the all-India average. Its per capita income is the third highest among the big states. Health, education and safety of women are other areas the…

GDP-WISE RANK 1 AREA-WISE RANK 3 POPULATION-WISE RANK 2 WHY NO.1 1 Investment in the state rose from Rs 6,024 crore in 2014 to Rs 18,854 crore in 2015 2 The state accounts for 18% of India’s total manufacturing GDP The state’s ease of doing business has vastly improved with number of permissions required to start a business cut from 75 to 23. Investments have grown from Rs 6,024 crore in 2014 to Rs 18,854 crore in 2015. Last year, Maharashtra received 14 per cent of country’s overall investment. This year, it’s gone up to 24 per cent. Two sectors, manufacturing and services have contributed largely to this. Maharashtra’s contribution in the country’s service sector is the biggest, at 18 per cent. The effects of improved revenue collection and lesser…

WHY NO.1 1 18.5% of farmed land in the state is under cash crops 2 Second-highest foodgrain yield—3,152 kg per hectare—in 2013-14 Our state produces 6-8 tonnes of paddy per hectare against an all-India average of 4.5-5.55 tonnes per hectare,” says a proud A. Ramamourti, director agriculture, Puducherry. The success is the fruit of a diversified approach by the government to maximise yield. Smarter water management led to a high paddy yield, while organic farming, better use of pesticides and improvement in soil quality increased the production of other crops, such as sugarcane. Puducherry’s pest management has been the best, with use of pesticides down from 263 metric tonnes in 1994 to 60-70 metric tonnes now. “Support from the government is why our state has never reported any farmer suicide…

GDP-WISE RANK 22 AREA-WISE RANK 18 POPULATION-WISE RANK 21 WHY NO.1 1 Spending on education up 25% from 2013-14 to 2014-15; national average 21% 2 1 teacher for every 11 students in state; national ratio 1 for every 20 State-run schools in Himachal Pradesh are thriving because education has been the government’s priority. Education got Rs 8,000 crore—25 per cent of the state budget—for 2016-17. In 2013-14, the state had the highest number of children in the 1-14 age group completing primary education—38.89 per cent against the all-India average of 33. Ghanshyam Chand, state project director, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, says many initiatives were started, such as Prerna, to enhance ‘learning outcomes’ for Class 1 to 5 students, and Prayaas, to improve science and mathematics learning in Class 6 to 8.…

WHY NO.1 1 Highest number of bank branches per 1,000 people—4.36—in 2014 2 As of 2015, almost 95% of Goa’s habitations were connected by pucca roads Innovative bridges to a stateof-the-art garbage treatment plant, Goa has had several firsts this year. The German-made plant at Saligao, which can handle 100 tonnes of solid waste daily, has made north Goa and its beaches garbage-free. Three art and culture centres at Margao, Sanquelim and Vasco and the newly constructed Food and Drugs Administration building sees a new focus on ecofriendly constructions. “All our future constructions will be ecofriendly,” says Pramod Sawant, Goa State Infrastructural Development Corporation chairman. Other mega projects include the four-lane, 900-metre third bridge over the Mandovi river (80 per cent complete), and the Panaji-Old Goa six-lane road (completed). “Infrastructure-wise,…

WHY NO.1 1 Incidence of violent crime at 4%, one of the lowest in India. On an average, violent crime rate is 11% 2 The murder and kidnapping figures are among the lowest in India Kerala has the lowest incidence of murder and kidnappings, as per the latest data available (2014). In the case of other crime variables too, Kerala is in the top 10 that makes it the best state in terms of law and order. The Kerala police has a strength of 56,246 for the 3.38 crore population in the state. This means a ratio of one police officer for 680 people, which is the among the best in the country. In 2015, 653,976 cases were registered, of which 185,445 cases were for drunken driving. The total number…

WHY NO.1 1 3 e-services rolled out for citizen participation, the highest in small states 2 2,473 e-transactions per 1,000 people recorded in 2015-16 The Delhi government is moving online. For instance, it is in the process of automating its regional transport office and issuing smart card driving licenses, and has also permitted online applications for several kinds of approvals. For example, if you want to set up a restaurant in Delhi, you can file the application online and track it. Apart from that, a host of schemes targeted at the poor have been linked to Aadhaar numbers, enabling direct cash transfers to beneficiaries’ accounts. The chief minister also recently launched a portal to facilitate the process of getting education loans, and has promised to make the Delhi secretariat paperless.…

WHY NO.1 1 Lowest concentration of RSPM levels; second lowest concentration of SO2, NO2 levels among big states 2 Ratio of tree-covered areas to total geographical area up to 7.59% in ’15 Kerala is the least polluted among states in India with better forest cover. The quality of air has improved and presence of chemicals and suspended particles has decreased over the last two years. Tree cover density outside forest areas has also improved with the success of the forest department’s plant-a-tree-for-thefuture campaign. Among the large states, Kerala had the second-lowest concentration of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide and the lowest concentration of respirable suspended particular matter (RSPM) levels. The ratio of tree-covered areas (outside forests) to total geographical area increased to 7.59 per cent in 2015. Forests minister K.…

HOW THE KICKBACKS WERE PAID Embraer went to extraordinary lengths to conceal its payments to an Indian agent Source: Deferred Prosecution Agreement filed in United States District Court, October 24, 2016 In the murky world of arms deals which thrives on stealth and shady wire transfers, the document filed before a US court probably came as a blast of bright, blinding sunshine. In a 59-page deferred prosecution agreement in the US district court in Florida on October 24, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer confessed it was guilty of paying bribes to bag aircraft contracts across the world. The agreement, a copy of which is with india today, painstakingly details how Embraer paid $5.76 million in 2009 to an Indian arms agent identified in the document only as ‘Agent D’. The bribes…

Xi Jinping already holds more titles than perhaps any other world leader. He is general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)—the title that is the real source of his power. He is the president of the People’s Republic, the face of China to the world. Xi also chairs the Central Military Commission, which heads the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In April, he added a fourth title, “commander-in-chief” of the newly set up PLA joint command, to stamp his control over a military leadership that had refused to be tamed by his predecessors. If his four titles are already a mouthful, Xi has now added a fifth jewel to his increasingly heavy crown. A key, behind-closed-doors meeting of the Communist Party—its last major meet before next year’s once-in-fiveyears leadership…

UNTAMED SPIRIT From the National Awardwinning choreographer of Bismil from Haider comes Untamed Donkeys. The street performance is the latest of Nor way-based Sudesh Adhana’s work. Featuring seven dancers, including himself, it’s a reaction to the rising crime against women in India. HIT PARADE 2017 will be a big year for Rana Dagubatti aka Bhallala of Baahubali. Before the conclusion of S.S. Rajamouli’s epic in April, he has the Hindi-Telugu bilingual Ghazi out in February. In a swift move, Dharma has acquired its Hindi distribution rights too. Croon Jewel Watch out for Marathi singer Priyanka Barve who plays Anarkali in the Feroz Abbas Khan-directed stage musical Mughal-e-Azam. The actress struck a chord as she crooned hits like Mohe panghat pe and Jab pyaar kiya toh darna kya. The tragic romance…

“The cut and finish of a garment are important. Western outfits require a different cut which the local masterji can't even begin to fathom.” SOHNI MAKKAR, Fashion designer CLASSICALLY SOHNI I Am Sohni Makkar, 48, Chandigarh Know Her Better She started out in the year 2000 with a range of ready-to-wear suits and kurtis in vegetable-dyed, hand-blocked and hand woven fabrics. It was mostly casual wear. At that time, there was no one doing such kind of ready-to-wear clothes in this part of the country. Though, Makkar has an MBA degree from IGNOU (1997) and worked as a software professional—Systems Developer at Ranbaxy from 1994 to 1996, she didn’t undergo any formal training in design. “I feel an inherent sense of style and a latent talent for design has always…

Leaders Lead, Laggards Lag History, you could argue, is the best teacher of political economy. The basic lesson political parties and leaders could imbibe from this is that getting it right does not require a post-doctorate in rocket science. Development may elude the masses but the definition of economic development is not elusive or mysterious. It is, as the textbook says, about getting the basic foundation right. Very simply, promote agriculture by ensuring credit to farmers and developing irrigation facilities, invest in infrastructure for connectivity between fields and markets, spend on education and health to enable people to benefit from the opportunities and derive revenue from the resultant investments that will boost consumer markets. Punjab, which has emerged the best overall big state for the fifth year in a row…

GDP-WISE RANK 23 AREA-WISE RANK 30 POPULATION-WISE RANK 26 WHY NO.1 1 Except e-governance, Goa improved or retained 2015 rankings in all categories 2 The state features among the top 5 in 9 out of 10 categories Goa’s strides in development have made it the star among small states and given it an identity as Destination Next. Take healthcare for example. This year, Goa didn’t report any case of mosquito-borne diseases, such as chikungunya or dengue. The state’s emergency medical response number 108 has been geared up to respond to calls in no more than 15 minutes. Allocating more than 15 per cent of the annual budget to the power sector has paid off. Goa is now totally electrified. The state has the highest number of mobile phone users and…

GDP-WISE RANK 10 AREA-WISE RANK 31 POPULATION-WISE RANK 19 WHY NO.1 1 Manufacturing GDP per capita rose 8.4% from 2013-14 to 2014-15 2 GDP per capita, at Rs 2,12,219 is the highest among all small states Did you know that Delhi, at 1,484 square kilometres, is the largest city in terms of area in the country? Or that its per capita income, Rs 2,52,011 in 2014-15, is about three times higher than the national average of Rs 92,931 per annum? Morover, its growth rate is expected to be 8.34 per cent for 2015-16, higher than the national growth rate of 7.6 per cent. According to government data, inflation in Delhi was 4.9 per cent in 2015, lower than the national level of 5.7 per cent, and far lower than other…

WHY NO.1 1 Kerala has the lowest infant mortality rate (12 per thousand live births) among big states 2 99.7% births assisted by trained personnel, highest across country The state has the lowest infant mortality rate (12 per thousand in 2013), scores highest (99.7 per cent) in trained, assisted births and has the best female-to-male population ratio (1,098:1,000) in the country. Kerala has a well-structured public healthcare system with 5,335 doctors, 7,898 nurses and 6,244 caregivers in its government hospitals. The health department runs 681 primary health centres and 171 public hospitals, and 8 speciality hospitals with a bed strength of 5,482. The state spent Rs 1,250 per person on health in 2015-16. A 20 per cent annual increase in allocation is expected in 2016-17. “Now some 3 million poor…

GDP-WISE RANK 31 AREA-WISE RANK 29 POPULATION-WISE RANK 29 WHY NO.1 1 Education spending per 6-15 age group population at least six times all-India level 2 Pupils per teacher lowest among the small states Schooling in Sikkim is beyond textbooks. The government wants its 765-odd schools to be centres of happy learning. To fight drug addiction, it has made yoga and meditation mandatory in the school calendar. Last year, 600 teachers were sent to Baba Ramdev’s ashram in Haridwar for training. On return, they set up yoga centres in their schools. Twenty per cent of the budget—Rs 1,200 crore—is spent on education. And it shows: almost all government schools ensure drinking water and separate toilets for boys and girls, 70 per cent schools have playgrounds and libraries and 55 per…

WHY NO.1 1 10 broadband subscribers per 100 people, highest in large states 2 Four rural bank branches for every 100,000 people, twice the national average Maharashtra boasts many impressive statistics on development: for example, out of 10 towns declared ‘open defecation free’ by the Centre, five are in Maharashtra. Almost 18 per cent of households have LPG connections, with the national average at 16 per cent. There are four rural bank branches per 100,000 people, twice the national average. The state has 10 broadband subscribers per 100 people (highest among large states) and 37 public IT parks. 33 per cent of all sugar factories in India are located in Maharashtra. The state is also leading in education, with 21 new deemed universities and three new private universities. There has…

WHY NO.1 1 Only 3% of crime is violent, compared to the national average of 11% 2 Puducherry registered only 3 cases of rape and molestation in 2015 In her address to the Assembly on the opening day of the budget session this year, Puducherry Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi said, “We need to focus on law and order so that we can make Puducherry a zero crime Union territory through surveillance and modernisation of police force.” Unlike their counterparts in the capital, Bedi and Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanswamy are in sync when it comes to the top priority of their administration—law and order. “People must feel safe and our government will ensure that,” says the chief minister. While Bedi is directly monitoring the situation— through a WhatsApp group of…

GDP-WISE RANK 5 AREA-WISE RANK 6 POPULATION-WISE RANK 9 WHY NO.1 1 Perception of entrepreneurial environment the highest, at 0.31 2 The perception of government support to entrepreneurs is the second highest, at 0.29 Long before the Centre embarked on entrepreneurship development, the Gujarat government was nurturing it. Just last month, the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) allotted plots to 200 entrepreneurs at the first-ever Vibrant Gujarat Start-up Summit. Gujarat’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development is helping set up a Rs 250 crore fund for start-ups. D. Thara, managing director, GIDC, says: “The schemes to encourage entrepreneurship are part of a larger ecosystem where the government plays the role of a facilitator.” Juhi Kancha, 28, of Automint, an automobile software start-up that was given aid, says, “The government aid took care…

WHY NO.1 1 SO2 concentration at 2 μg/ m3 is one of the lowest in the country 2 3% of geographical area has tree cover, bests average of hill states Home to Asia’s cleanest vill age Mawlynnong, the hill state has 17,217 sq km under forest cover (77.08 per cent of the total geographical area), reveals the State of Forest Report 2015, published by the Forest Survey of India. Outside forest areas, the social forestry and environment wing in the state has been raising plantations. “Over 300 sq km area has been raised through the national afforestation programme. It has transformed barren forest land into lush green forests. Some 316 joint forest management committees involve communities in afforestation work,” says M.S. Rao, principal secretary, forest & environment department. Megahalaya also…

FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW, the NDA government has toyed with a debarment policy which would punish bribe-giving defence companies without hurting defence preparedness. The effects of blacklists on Bofors and HDW after the bribery scandal of the mid-1980s have lethally impacted India’s defence preparedness for nearly three decades. Over a dozen defence suppliers have been blacklisted in the past decade. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, who held the defence portfolio earlier, summed it up in August 2014. Blacklisting, he said, “upholds consideration of probity but narrows our buying options...which can affect our security preparedness”. In 2014, the MoD initiated a nuanced suspension and debarment policy which, rather than an outright ban, looked at a graded response to allegations (see box: Three-Stage Debarment Policy). A blacklist was the last resort, only…

That moment when the doors of an aircraft close and you know you are on your own for the next few hours, an anonymous entity in a sea of people, is both exhilarating and humbling. That’s what travel does. It gives your mind and body the space and time to catch up with each other and allows you the physical distance from daily life to discover your passions and celebrate your eccentricities. In our special travel issue, we reconnect the wanderlust synapses in our brain and head out to spaces that feed this madness. From the truly exclusive to the refreshingly unique, to theirresistiblycovetable, luxury is increasingly being reassessed, where stirring experiences trump ostentatious consumption. More so in travel, where the concept of niche tourism has spawned a new breed…

1 ELLERY RIFF BROS LAMÉ TOP Ellery’s Pre-Fall ‘16 collection pays homage to legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. This top is cut from shimmering lamé woven with gold and gunmetal threads, finished with structured sleeves and a flattering split back. Price $1,010 Buy from net-a-porter.com 2 LAURENCE DACADE ANKLE BOOTS Resembling a textile weave, Laurence Dacade’s ankle boots are covered in a gold print. This Chelsea-inspired pair is set on a block heel with elasticated side panels for flexibility. Work yours with rugged denim or a boho dress. Price `47,400 Buy from www.polyvore.com 3 MARTIN GRANT TEXTURED SKIRT Clothing’s texture can completely transform its impact. This black and navy wool textured skirt from Martin Grant is edgy, powerful in perfect blue and sheer. Pair it with a crisp white shirt or…

Tradition, elegance and performance have always been the leitmotifs of Longines. The brand’s DolceVita collection is just another magnificent reminder of that dictum. A homage to the ‘sweetness of life’, the collection introduces new models that blend rose gold and steel in glamorous variations, subtly highlighting geometric lines with soft curves to exemplify a contemporary elegance and femininity. The rose gold crown and touch of pink on the dial resonate with the rose gold and steel watch band. The steel cases feature a solid gold crown and are also offered in a version set with diamonds. The models, available in four sizes, also house a quartz movement. A silver-coloured “flinqué” dial adorned with painted Roman numerals and a black lacquered or white mother-of-pearl dial embedded with diamond indexes decorate the…

IDOL My father, Charanjit Singh CHILLING Spending time in the gym and X Box PASSION Fitness FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATION London and UAE “It is important to evolve with times and offer students unique courses which can be instrumental, not just in getting them jobs but also moulding their personalities. The aim has to be overall development,” says Manbir Singh, managing director of Jalandhar-based CT Group of Institutions which has two campuses (in Jalandhar only) and more than 10,000 students on its rolls. This 35-year old, who completed his graduation in Business Information Systems from Middlesex University, London in 2003, joined the institution as managing director at the age of 23 and brought about several changes. “I was influenced by the education system back in England and wanted the institute to…

What bowls me over Creativity, imagination, the ability to create humor in everyday existence Life away from cinema Travelling and cooking for friends Leisure time Watching films Art form besides cinema I write poetry She talks about the railway station. About the method in madness there. About those who call it their home. The kind of journeys people undertake. Also the ones that are never recorded in the station master’s logbook. Vijaya Singh, 42, who teaches at the Regional Institute of English in Chandigarh, took a sabbatical to pursue a one-year diploma in TV Film Direction from Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune last year. Her short film, Unscheduled Arrivals, which she made there was recently adjudged the Best Documentary at CAPA CILECT for this year. The…