page three Page three Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) centers. There will either have to be phased out or upgraded to proper schools. She says. The same applies to teachers as well. Over the years, various states had deployed para-teachers, also known as barefoot teachers shiksha karmis,gurujis Sibal has to contend with lobbies in his ministry, Many who strongly oppose private players and Public-private partnership and vidya sahayaks. These teachers are not well-qualified like formal teachers and are paid low salaries. For instance, in Rajasthan the minimum qualification for a para teacher can be as low as Class VII (and Class V in case of women). In Jharkhand there are 79,000 para-teachers at the primary level while Chhattisgarh has 1,42,000 para-teachers. In states like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, para-teachers outnumber regular teachers. State government schools already have 5 lakh teacher vacancies. When you look at the goal of a teacher-student ratio of 1:30, the shortage becomes even more severe -11 lakh to 12 lakh teachers will have to be hired in six months. Some state don’t be hired in six months. Some states don’t even have teacher training facilities. Tasting Times Some are of the opinion that Sibal’s hands are tied because of the old guard in the ministry and various committees that he inherited from his predecessor. Sibal has to contend with various lobbies within his ministry, many of whom strongly oppose private players and public-private partnership. On the other extreme are those who say that government should stay out of schools and Should only fund education. “There has to be a middle path. For RTE to be successful government cannot be the only player”, enough to invite other players into it- corporate foundation, for – profit private sector players, not-for profit players, education trusts.” In some states, the number of private school is increasing at a much higher rate – such as Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Haryana – there can’t be one norm for the whole country. Whose head will roll if implementation is poor? Says Govinda, “We are trying to do several things at one time, I don’t know whether everything will be monitored because it needs a huge amount of support system that keeps track of everything – in everything from RTE.” To teacher training, school education,” But monitoring is necessary. “The other important aspect is to ensure that necessary financial resources are created at the state level – including commitment to per child expenses that arise as a result of various actions to be implemented under the Act”, says Dileep Ranjekar. The biggest challenge for Sibal will be building consensus among political leadership. “The central government doesn’t run the education system – most of it is in states with state board schools and state universities. Centre has just a small number of institutions,” says Govinda. There are already points of disagreement here – financing for instance. The state governments want all the money to come from the Center. Sibal has just had one meeting with the education ministers of the states. Some states are in a bad fiscal situation. While states like Madhya Pradesh and Bihar have low revenues, others like Chattisgarh are better off. “He needs to have a one-to-one dialogue with each state. He has a good intention but he doesn’t want to work the intention through – to do that he needs a good group of officers working with him,” says Ramachandran. If successful, RTE will be the high point of Sibal’s stint and HRD minister. But he needs to act fast. From Forbes Megazin...

The report dt 15th,March,2010 in Business Line about Mega solar projects makes for interesting analysis of the future of the solar power sector.I reproduce below excerpts of the same. " Govt counts on PSUs to drive mega solar projects : Feasibility study under way for setting up plant at Leh, Kargil.Green energy thrust ONGC to start off with a 10 MW solar PV plant with plans also for a solar thermal project NTPC takes up grid interactive 15 MW solar thermal-based projects at Anta in Rajasthan The Centre is counting on the public sector brigade to execute capacity on large-scale grid connected solar power projects. ONGC, NHPC, BHEL, and NTPC are among the front runners. Hydrocarbon major ONGC is looking to start off with a 10 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, with plans for a solar thermal project also on the anvil. Official sources told Business Line that “the company is exploring sites at Goa, Rajasthan and Gujarat for its solar PV project.” “The company has already appointed a consultant for the purpose,” an official said, adding that “ONGC Energy Centre has launched research projects in several new alternative sources of energy, including solar thermal projects”. NTPC Ltd has also readied a roadmap to enter solar power generation business for capacity addition of 301 MW by March 2014. 190 MW will be added through solar thermal technology and the balance 111 MW through solar PV technology. As a first step, grid interactive 15 MW solar thermal-based projects are being taken up by NTPC at Anta in Rajasthan, which is the first of its kind in India. With deployment projects being prioritised in areas where grid connectivity is not easy, the Government is working on plans to use solar energy.A group, comprising officers from BHEL, NHPC, and Central Electricity Authority (CEA), has been asked to prepare a feasibility report. The group will identify sites for installation of solar photovoltaic plant at Leh and Kargil. The Government has proposed setting up solar, small hydro and micro power projects at a cost of Rs 500 crore in the Ladakh region. The Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) has already considered the proposal of the Ministry. It is now in the process of moving the Cabinet. “We hope to start implementing the project from June. The project will be implemented in three years,” an official said. The plan envisages 30 small/micro hydel projects aggregating 23.5 MW capacity, setting up of about 300 SPV power plants of 5-100 kW capacity, 2,000 SPV home lighting systems and about 40,000 solar thermal systems such as water heating, solar cookers and solar green house. MY COMMENTS : With Government now coming out with concrete measures to promote solar energy, the solar energy plant manufacturing Units in India are likely to benefit in the medium to long term considerably. We will need to watch out their progress and make our own investment decisions....

Mon, Mar 15 05:13 AM After the frisking fiasco involving former president APJ Abdul Kalam on a US-bound American airline last year, the US aviation security department, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), has conveyed to its Indian counterpart that it may exempt four to five categories of VVIPs from frisking before entering its aircraft. The VVIP list is likely to include past and present presidents, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the present Union Cabinet. The list has been pruned down from some 30-40 categories of VVIPs, which currently figure in the country`s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) list who are exempted from frisking. The matter had come up for detailed discussion during a meeting of the Indo-US joint working group held in January this year. "A formal response from the TSA is awaited. However, they have agreed in principle to exempt four-five categories of VVIPs from frisking ahead of boarding a flight," said a senior civil aviation ministry official. The list will be prepared and finalised at the next meeting of the ministry with the US security agency. Since such privileges are extended on a reciprocal basis, India will also review the list of US dignitaries it wants to exempt from frisking. The US authorities may consider private screening for the VIPs separately at designated VIP lounges, as they had expressed reservations about accommodating the huge list of Indian VIPs for exemption. Kalam`s frisking last year had outraged parliamentarians and the matter was raised in Parliament. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel had then claimed that the BCAS would be registering an FIR against Continental Airlines for conducting the security check on Kalam in violation of existing rules. The FIR was, however, never filed. TSA, the highest transport security body in the US, was established in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to secure US transportation systems. Since then, aviation security has been stepped up to combat terror attacks. It recently decided to enhance screening for those who hold a passport issued by, or are travelling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism. Smita Aggarwal ...

Just when you thought you knew everything.. .. 1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident. 2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days. 3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl... Let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. 4. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous China. 5. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola. 6. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away corrosion. 7. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes. 8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. 9. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. 10. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly Corrosive materials. 11. The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years. ...

Dear boarders,please remember,today is the last date for advance tax payment.,Income tax dept is tracking all high value transactions.I today paid a hefty amount to the exchequer as short term capital gains tax,thanks to lanco industries and man industries....

Asian KOSPI, HANGSENG will have downward bias. Nikkei will move sideways. European DAX, CAC & FTSE will provide positive clues. American DOW & BOVESPA will also move sideways. /TC/...

Chief, First off all, i am not against a fair and healthy competition.If i was against,i would have suggested `one business house should be allowed to take over other small private banks`.At present where is the competition?.Is city union bank offering any competition to centurion bank of Punjab?.We can see healthy competition if govt allow ,for eg,let the tatas to take over CUB and the ambani`s or kamani`s to take over CBP and grow them to pan india players.I dont think it is prudent to issue new licences to every tom and saji`s for promoting competition.It will lead to the Indian version of mortgage crisis.lol.....

bankerram When u talk about our judicial system I wl give my own experience.I filed a case against govt dept in 1984 and got fav judgement in H.C in 1987. govt filed appeal in 1992 and delay was condoned.Finally hearing started in 2008 and after 3 hearing judgement was reserved in sep 2009.Suddenly one of 2 judges who heard appeal was transferred so now again hearing wl start afresh.So atleast my grandson wl get d final judgement.Thank god RIL-RNRL being big guys got fast hearing so expect judgement atleast in 2010 provided any judge who heard case is not transferred or retire....

pyaretaj If u dont expect a doctor to handle lathe,how do u expect an industrialist or refiner to handle a kirana shop or vegetable carting?Do they know that dabbawalas of Mumbai network is better than computor network.So instead of copying walmart,carefour or metro let our industrialists concentrate on their expertise on manufacturing or refining instead of selling Lux soap or vegetable carting....

Varner Current price is with all negatives.So any positive with account will spur it to v v high level since even a small profit will b big positive as co has stabilised....

Quote I never said anything personally against Murthy except that he sounds lika a sissy. Unquote I remember film SHOLAY where Jay says I never said anything against Veeru ecept that he drink too much play cards for gambling etc.I appreciate Jay bcs he never told anything against Veeru.For new gen Amitabh was Jay and Dharmendar was Veeru in blovkbuster film SHOLAY....

Dear all boarders I m also a shareholder like millions of u so if any views r expressed against RIL share price does it mean it is an personel attack on millions of shareholders.By that token any views against any share will b attack on that cos shareholdres.Sorry if it is true then no boarders should b allowed to write any negatives on any share on this board.Unlike some boarders using word like cheat criminal and what not against Murthy Anil etc I never used unparliamentary word against anybody....

mastbull One should not forget that govt still have 2 directors on Satyam board.This was done to safeguard Satyam shareholders.Given d ethics of Mahindra and govt directors presense I m sure Satyam shareholders will not b shortcircuited....

GOLDFINGER,Varver,pss5588 I respect everybody views wheather it is as per my view or opposit but Mr bhusbhac feels that any views against RIL is a personnel attack against him.Is he justified on such understanding of this board?I leave it to all nice boarders to enlighten me.I wl b v v thankful....

bhusbhac 1 BARREL = 175 LIT SO CRUDE AT 80$/b = Rs 3760 =Rs 21/lit so import duty @5%=Rs 1/lit.Now assuming ref margin of 10% petrol cost to refinery is Rs 23 .Idont understand where d balance Rs 30-33 goes.It all go to govt coffers and still govt cries SUBSIDRY SUBSIDRY.Let govt answer this simple calculation instead of crying WOLF WOLF....

Hey Stroha Now it is clear from todays figures that even this year sugar production will not reach 16 millon tons so d gap between demand and supply wl b more than last year as demand wl b 25 mill tons compared to last years 23 mill T.Even today I noticed that dhampur goneup in d fanal hour.This is clear sign of bullishness.I expect it to reach new high in May.BTW I m from India like Shahrukh wanted all hockey players fm india and not like Biharis Madrasis Marathis or bengalis....

GOLD FINGER Unfortunately I use my own brain in market rather than depending on biased reports in B.TODAY or CNBC OR e.t ETC....

bhusbhac Thinking positive about one particular share doesnot and willnot make a man positive.If u c my msgs in hanung jkl dhampur niit 3i ommetal u wl find that I was positive on all these for months and these hv given me triple returns.Also I was d most positive on market as a whole for 2010 if u c my msg of new year.I always believe in NEVER PUT ALL EGGS IN ONE BASKET.Even market now a days discount value of co which go for buying offshore loss making cos just to fulfill promotors ego at d cost of investors....

bhusbhac If expressing ones views is called exaggeration I would rate yr msgs on RIL as most EXAGGERATION ONE.Everybody knows that RIL is underperforming NIFTY.Reasons r same as I m writing.Shares r traded not on current situation but future.Look how BHARTI tumbled bcs market think that buying Zain wl affect its future earning....