Simar SinghIn what seems to be good news for job seekers, the HR Barometer Report released by specialist recruitment firm Michael Page indicates that organisations across the country are gearing up for a race to snap up the best talent in the market. The report’s findings show that recruitment budgets in India have risen by 45 per cent, almost twice the 27 per cent, global average and, 66 per cent, of the HR leaders surveyed said that they expected an increase in their workforces over the next year. The study has taken into consideration data collected from 2,500 HR managers in organisations ranging from SMEs to blue-chip brands from a cross section of industries across 65 countries. The report, in fact, states that this is the “long predicted prelude to the second war for talent”, the first of which happened at the towards the end of the previous century as a consequence of the leaps in technological innovation. It goes on to say that while technology and related industries will be at the forefront of this ‘new war for talent’ other sectors are expected to rapidly follow suit. Interestingly, while talent management and training and development are the top priorities for HR professionals globally, in India, the concentration is on talent management and acquisition/recruitment. However, the real concern that the study raises is whether HR departments will be able to cope up with the brisk pace at which organisations are expected to grow as surveys have shown that “the HR functions in many organisations are ill-prepared for the next wave of recruitment”. Possibly what is required is that HR departments consistently make themselves more efficient and along with recruitment look at functions such as talent retention which are essential to any organisation’s long term vitality.
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The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), will be organising a one-day national conference on sanitation titled, “Towards Swachh Bharat: Creating Demand & Building Partnerships” on 24 September 2015.This report explores the opportunities for investment in sanitation by the private sector, and also profiles 16 initiatives currently being undertaken in the provision of sanitation services and infrastructure either through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding, public private partnership (PPP), or independent corporate funding.M Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation, will deliver the Inaugural Address and release a report entitled “Swachh Bharat: Industry Engagement- Scope & Enterprise”.The initiatives have been grouped and presented in four categories, which aggregate models for-rural infrastructure offers, urban infrastructure offers, service propositions and communication, education and behaviour change focused offers. The initiatives presented in the report are not restricted to a focus on any particular sub-sector. The sub-sectors include toilets, solid waste management, waste-water treatment, community engagement for behaviour change, information, education and communication as well as integrated approaches. The cases reflect the wide variety of financing instruments and structures employed – from financial intermediation for asset creation, private risk capital for developing innovations, funding under private public partnership arrangements, raising project based funding from operations including user charges, application of corporate social responsibility funds, support garnered from external donors and foundations, and dovetailing efforts alongside government funding and programs.Key findings highlighted in the report reveal that in the urban renewal programmes that are being configured, it is assumed that the major 300 cities would have sewerage based system. In the rest of the cities, a combination of faecal sludge management (FSM) and sewerage system would be developed in equal proportion. Ideally, the entire waste-water (including the grey water from bathrooms and black water from toilets) needs to be treated buried, recycled, reused or disposed in an environmentally friendly manner. However, close to 90 percent of the waste-water discharged in the environment is untreated. It pollutes the environment and creates health hazard for the population. Another, finding of the report reveals that 13,705 vacuum trucks are needed to de-sludge/empty 68,524,854 septic tanks once in 2-3 years.The estimated cost for implementing SBM, both capex (till 2019) and operation and maintenance (O&M) expenses for 10 years, is approximately Rs. 8.93 lakh crores. Another 43,200 crore are expected to be spent on soft skill component such as IEC, capacity building and administration. Of all the stakeholders involved in the SBM, the government expects significant engagement from the private sector including the industrial and the corporate sector. This report will be useful for both- the government and the corporate sector to understand models of industry engagement in sanitation and to inform policy and research.The Conference will focus on the scope and opportunities in the sanitation sector; sharing ideas and models on ways of making sanitation initiatives sustainable and effective; and identify the possibilities of stakeholder engagement through partnerships and collaborations for effective and speedy delivery of the Swachh Bharat Mission. As we complete a year of the Swachh Bharat Mission, it is the right time to take stock of the experiences had, deliberate on the issues and draw out an effective course of action to make Swachh Bharat a reality.(BW Online Bureau)
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The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's impatience with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) over its failure to effect quicker and deeper lending rate cuts is understandable. At present, the bulk of the global economy is passing through turbulent times, and China, which has served as the world's growth engine, is slowing down, India's performance offers a welcome contrast. With oil prices once again plunging, the NDA government is of the view that the fiscal headroom provided by lower energy import costs and falling inflation offers a window of opportunity to further stimulate growth. Pitching for an interest rate cut to boost growth, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has asserted that common sense says the interest rates should come down. RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, who has so far resisted pressure from the government as well as the industry on easing monetary policy, is due to announce the next bi-monthly policy on September 29. Experts are of the view that the possibility of achieving a gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 8 per cent this fiscal, a rate cut could just be the icing on the cake for investors, both domestic and foreign. "If oil is selling at half the normal price, commodity prices are low, and we have stocks and stocks of food grain, then inflation is the least of our worries," Jaitley told Britain's The Financial Times. Growth, he said, was running at 7-7.5 per cent, a strong performance given adverse international conditions in which investors have scampered from emerging markets. Still, he said, if India's interest rates were lowered, the economy could grow still faster. With uncertainty getting over with regard to the US Fed rate, the central bank may yield to the pressure of easing rates. Quite a few columnists and media commentators read the Fed's decision to hold rates as clearing the ground for RBI to announce a rate cut. Given the current economic scenario, analysts are not ruling out the possibility of a 25 basis point repo rate cut by the central bank, particularly after a disappointing first quarter GDP data. Rajan has been under pressure to cut the rates further, with the government and industry leaders repeatedly stressing on the need to lower the cost of capital to give a boost to the economy, especially in the wake of retail inflation hitting record low levels and wholesale inflation actually being in the negative zone for 10 months in a row. Earlier this month at a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, industry captains renewed their call for another rate cut in the backdrop of a slowing economy and falling inflation. Industry association Assocham has said there was room for monetary easing to the tune of 75-125 basis points over the next seven months. The association pointed out that between January and July this year, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation fell 793 and 298 basis points, respectively, over the same period in 2014. Rajan's cautionary admonition, that achieving sustainable and inclusive growth is not possible merely through quick fixes like rate cuts and giveaways, takes a longer and more holistic view of the reforms debate. During the course of the CK Prahlad memorial lecture last week, the RBI boss counselled patience while cautioning policymakers against overemphasising the importance of rate cuts and other forms of stimuli. Citing Brazil's experience, Rajan said, "Brazil tried to grow too fast. The 7.6 per cent growth came on the back of substantial stimulus after the global financial crisis. In an attempt to keep growth high, the central bank was pressed to reduce interest rates, fuelling a credit spree that overburdened customers are now struggling to repay." Brazil, which was hailed as one of the most promising emerging markets not too long ago, has been downgraded to junk rating by international credit assessor Standard and Poor's. Rajan also cited India's own example. "Growth has to be obtained in the right way. It is possible to grow too fast with substantial stimulus, as we did in 2010 and 2011, only to pay the price in higher inflation, higher deficits and lower growth in 2013 and 2014," the governor said.Rajan also advocated the necessity of strong institutional structures, to support high growth. He also put the ball in the government's court, saying reforms (not rates) held the key to India's sustainable growth. Rajan said monetary policy can help strengthen the current economic recovery, but he added India will ultimately "expand sustainable growth potential only by continuing to implement reforms the government and regulators have announced. In a nutshell, the focus should be on improving the business environment as a way to drive growth rather than extending stimulus and rate cuts.
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Thousands of acres of India's sugar crop are suffering severe damage from a faltering monsoon, with some farmers in the world's second-biggest grower forced to feed withered cane to cattle in Maharashtra, the top producing state. After a string of bumper harvests created an Indian sugar glut, drought could cut supply in the marketing year starting in October and there is a risk production will drop below consumption for the first time in seven years in the following 2016/17 season. And even though India is still angling to boost exports in the upcoming season to cut stockpiles, this picture could swiftly turn around with a shortfall in output likely to bolster global sugar prices languishing at seven-year lows. "The market hasn't factored in the impact of drought on 2016/17 production," said Harish Galipelli, head of commodities and currencies at Inditrade Derivatives and Commodities. Industry officials say thousands of hectares of cane have been damaged after India's first back-to-back drought in three decades, as farmers also refrain from planting cane for the next season due to water scarcity. In Maharashtra, a recent Reuters visit showed the impact of the drought. Farmer Vijay Nazirkar harvests cane shoots daily, but they are so withered he is using them to feed his cattle. "Sugar mills will not buy this dwarf cane with small shoots," said Nazirkar as he chopped cane up for his 22 cattle, one of his few sources of income as other crops such as corn and onions have also been hit by a prolonged dry spell linked to an El Nino weather event. So far, he has fed nearly half of his cane crop to cattle in his village of Nazare, about 200 km southeast of Mumbai. Sugar RushCommodities house Czarnikow puts India's production next season at 28.9 million tonnes and the Indian Sugar Mills Association at 28 million tonnes. Although after assessing conditions in Maharashtra and the third-biggest producing state of Karnataka, some industry officials and traders see production falling to 26 million tonnes and even below 25 million tonnes in 2016/17. That compares with a near record 28.3 million tonnes this year and expectations of annual consumption of 25.2 million tonnes in the upcoming season. Maharashtra's output could drop nearly a quarter to 8 million tonnes next season and be even lower in 2016/17, said Sanjeev Babar, managing director of Maharashtra State Co-operative Sugar Factories. After a good start in June, monsoon rainfall weakened in July and August and had badly affected the crop, said Babar. Rains have been 14 per cent below average so far over the four-month monsoon, but in some areas the rainfall deficit has been as high as 46 percent. Water IntensiveMonsoon rains also failed in 2009 due to an El Nino, forcing India to import sugar and pushing global futures to a 30-year peak. Since India will start the new crop year with more than 10 million tonnes of stocks, it has room to sustain exports, said Rahil Shaikh, managing director of ED&F Man Commodities India. India announced new rules on Friday making it compulsory for sugar producers to ramp up exports to at least 4 million tonnes in the new crushing season, up from 1.3 million tonnes in the current season, to cut stockpiles. But Galipelli of Inditrade Derivatives and Commodities said exports would have to be restricted in 2016-17 to maintain buffer stocks and global prices would likely rise. Water intensive cane can take 10 to 18 months from planting to harvest so cultivation of a new crop needs to be completed in the next four months for harvesting in 2016/17. But some farmers in Maharashtra say it's too late. "I want to plant cane on three acres, but I cannot. My well has dried up and the government is not releasing water from dams," said Popat Kamathe from Khalad village. India's main reservoirs are holding 59 percent water of capacity, compared with a ten-year average of 77 percent. (Reuters)
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D.P.Sharan While the bombshell dropped on Monday (21 September) by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat seeking a review of the quota system has put the Modi Government in a quandary on how to deal with the caste-ridden poll-bound State of Bihar, the pro-quota leader of Gujarat, Hardik Patel, is now all set to ‘transcend’ the boundaries of his native state. With his ulterior motive to hold pro-qouta rallies in BJP-ruled Jharkhand tentatively on September 27 and subsequently in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan -- as intelligence agencies have sounded the government -- the stir assumes greater significance in the light of the fact that Patel aims to launch an offensive against the BJP in particular in the garb of his quota agitation. His proposed rallies in poll-bound Bihar are also presumably aimed to carry out a tirade against BJP in league with the ruling non-BJP alliance in the state and potent enough to prove his anti-establishment stand merely for the rights of his community members a hoax as such. As per the intelligence inputs, Patel has resolved to hold a rally at Jamshedpur -- the home constituency of Chief Minister Raghubar Das -- in Jharkhand on September 27. In spite of the fact that Jamshedpur has a sparse population of the Patidar community for which Patel has been spearheading the agitation to press for the demand of OBC status, his choice of venue has thrown up enough reasons for his political ambitions. Well-placed sources in the intelligence agencies confirmed that while he had dared the BJP dispensation in Jharkhand, he was to hold rallies in poll-bound State of Bihar to support the non-BJP ruling alliance in the fray. The two more states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that he chose to hold quota rallies are also BJP-ruled. On the tip-off from the intelligence agencies, the Centre is said to have issued advisories to the Jharkhand Government to keep a close vigil on the supporters of Patel in and around Jamshedpur. It is believed that if the rally is a success in the home constituency of the Chief Minister, it would amount to causing a major dent in the bastion of the BJP stronghold in the State. Likewise, Patel is to hold rallies in Jhalrapatan and Budhni that are home constituencies of Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhra Raje Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Sivraj Singh Chauhan, respectively. The Patidar community is from the agrarian class in Gujarat and comprises 15 per cent population of the State. Incidentally, former Chief Minister of the State and bete noire of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Keshubhai Patel belongs to the same community and is believed to be paramount leader of his community. Hardik Patel happens to be a protégé of Keshubhai Patel and has been carrying out a tirade against Modi at the prodding of his mentor. The stir is, as such, believed to have stemmed from the long-drawn power struggle between former Chief Minister of Gujarat Keshubhai Patel and Narendra Modi -- who wrested the chair of the Chief Minister in Gujarat from the former in 2001 -- within the BJP. Since Keshubhai has reservations about an open protest against Modi being a senior leader of the BJP, he is believed to have egged Hardik to lead the quota movement and run the show by proxy. D.P. SharanThis anti-Modi force is presumed to have forged a tacit-alliance with non-NDA forces in Bihar to reap mutual political benefits by cashing-in on the situation. While Patel has proposed to hold four rallies in Bihar in the Assembly segments of BJP stalwarts during the on-going electioneering in the State to settle scores with the pro-Modi forces, the non-NDA forces aim to use his pro-farmers image in the agriculture-based State. The rationale behind roping in Patel by non-NDA forces in Bihar is, however, said to have been prompted by the view that his escalating image of a movement leader would fuel public support among the farmers in particular against the abortive move of the NDA Government at the Centre to confiscate their lands by introducing the land acquisition bill. Although Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has ridiculed Patel’s attempt to sway the masses outside Gujarat and refused to accept that the proposed rally would have a major impact, he has been holding secret parleys with top officials to deal with the situation and has even directed them to exercise prohibitory measures to foil the attempts to hold a rally in his home constituency. To top it all, if the quota-agitation carried out by Hardik Patel is a sequel to the mutual-distrust between Modi and Keshubhai, the wishes evinced by the RSS to abolish the quota system are neither conducive to the political aspirations of both the leaders nor do they favour the pro-Sangh NDA to take on non-NDA forces in poll-bound Bihar. The author, D.P. Sharan, is journalist by profession for the past 30 years and has served many national dailies, magazines and channels. He has also been a member at the Central Board of Film Certification , Mumbai under Information & Broadcasting Ministry, Government of India.
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Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US, the cabinet committee on security (CCS) on Tuesday (22 September) cleared a multi-billion dollar deal for 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with American aviation giant Boeing. "The deal for Apache and Chinook (helicopters) has been cleared," government sources said. The CCS met after a Cabinet meeting, they said. Many in the defence sector had expected the deal, valued to be over USD 2.5 billion and pending since 2013 following finalisation of cost negotiations, to be signed during the visit of US defence secretary Ashton Carter in June this year. The deal for Apache is "a hybrid one", with one contract to be signed with Boeing for the helicopter and the other with the US government for its weapons, radars and electronic warfare suites. The US has been pushing for this contract as it will further bolster American presence in the burgeoning defence market of India. American companies have over the last decade bagged defence contracts from India worth around USD 10 billion, including for aircraft like P-8I maritime surveillance planes, C-130J 'Super Hercules' and C-17 Globemaster-III in the transport category. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for the US on Wednesday to attend the UN General Assembly. The helicopter deal had survived over 10 price extensions from the American side with the last one being for a month as desired by India. The contract will have clauses to place follow-on orders for 11 more Apaches and four extra Chinooks. Both platforms, which have been in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, had beaten off competition from Russia, which had offered its Mi-28N Night Hunter and Mi-26 heavy-lift copters. The 22 Apache AH 64D Longbow helicopters are one of the most advanced multi-role combat helicopters, featuring all-weather and night fighting features, ability to track upto 128 targets in less than a minute and engage with 16, besides stealth characteristics, advanced sensors and beyond visual range missiles. India will also be acquiring Hellfire missiles and rockets.(PTI)
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Perhaps the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi can now feel less embarassed when he speaks with Sillicon Valley CEOs on 27 September, says Mala BhargavaThe Indian Government may be ruing its timing. Its National Encryption Policy was obviously too much, too abruptly, too problematically. In what may well be an example of the power of outrage, the draft policy that demanded people not delete their online communication including on the popular WhatsApp for at least 90 days, has caused the policy draft to be withdrawn for a rethink already. The government also wanted only encryption approved by it to be used by applications and companies that registered with it. Apparently in the name of national security, the government could then demand the text version of virtually any communication by anyone, whether it was SMS, email, WhatsApp or SnapChat or anything in between. After an outcry on social media, an addendum exempted, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, specifically, and also commercial and bank transactions. The government itself was not bound by any of these restrictions. But in what must be the fastest turnaround on anything, the draft has been withdrawn for now. Perhaps the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi can now feel less embarassed when he speaks with Sillicon Valley CEOs on 27 September. The draft policy had proposed extensive control over various forms of online communication and outraged the general public. Abruptly and in stark clarity, the policy showed just what the government’s thinking is with regard to the common man’s freedom of thought, speech and privacy. Day by day, the right to live as one chooses is being eroded. From the ban on meat to the ban on certain websites, an increasing number of areas seem to be shifting under the purview of government control. And this is a frightening development. Last night, social media broke out into an uproar as netizens protested the proposed plan for the government to get right inside the encrypted communication of the common man, whether it was an online transaction or an exchange of terrible jokes between two people. The National Encryption Policy sought to control communication to such an extent that it calls for users of online technology and apps to keep their communication in text form for a period of 90 days in case the authorities should demand to see it for any reason. This was quite apart from the fact that the government wanted each application to register with it and hand over the keys to any encryption used. None of Your Business“#ModiDontReadMyWhatsApp” appeared on Twitter as a trending hashtag as vociferous protests grew louder. “I’m fervently hoping that the internet kills the government before the government kills the internet” tweeted Ramesh Srivats, humourist and commentator. A number of others compared today’s era to George Orwell’s book, 1984, andinterestingly, Modi supporters who are normally quick to get outright abusive and verbally violent, went quiet.
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Gurgaon observed 'car-free day' on Tuesday to free the roads from traffic congestion and encourage people to use public modes of transportation.Elaborate arrangements were made by Gurgaon Police to make the initiative a success.More than 200 buses were deployed in select locations in the city to help commuters."'Car-free day' is not a new concept. World over it was started 22 years back and is held on September 22 every year. Gurgaon is experimenting it for the first time," Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk told reporters."If the experiment is successful, we will observe every Tuesday as 'car-free day' in select locations. The idea is to take it to the weekly basis, because we are in a state where we actually require it because there is so much congestion on roads," he said.People working in MNCs and big corporate offices including their CEOs decided to use public transport on September 22. Even cycles were arranged at some locations for commuters."Reduce congestion on the roads, reduce pollution. This is our request to the people to voluntarily give up their cars at least once in a week," Virk said.A woman police officer said, "This is just a beginning. We have been working on this project for last 15-20 days. We have roped in people from corporate, schools and other walks of life. They have shown a lot of enthusiasm. From 'car-free Tuesdays we want to make it 'car-free everyday'."This is a superb idea. If Gurgaon could do it everyday, it would be a paradise. So, I think we shall adopt this car- free idea in our lives," said a Gurgaon resident.
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