Times of India Chennai team is mostly made up of worst low lifes in Human history.:bash:

Even Bin laden is a better person in front of those clandestine cheaps who want to disintegrate TN sitting in Chennai. These people are jealous about TN's growth inspite of limited natural resources and are always jealous about the power and clout TN MP's(DMK and ADMK) have in center not because they are patriotic or something but because they dont have the same powers.

TN govt should make this as a big issue and those people should be brought under justice.

It appears so. More than the government, our people should boycott this newspaper. We should also write to them pointing out such flagrantly discriminatory articles or news items.

It is probably right that the cost of capital is kept out of equation in this study. The investors would take that into account while making their investment decision. Say if an investor from OECD wants to invest, they would compare their ROI to their cost of capital. That is the cash flows would be discounted using the cost of capital.



How does one factor in productivity directly? It will manifest in the form of higher manufacturing costs per unit indirectly.

Arasu,

rapuramuser is right. Productivity index and techniques should be part of measure of competitiveness. That article to me just looks at operational perspective as he said. Germany at #12 makes me think that there is a fundamental flaw in that report.

Several core pieces / factors that affect competitiveness are missing in that study. Back to productivity, now-a-days researchers want to bring in secondary productivity index too as a measure. Secondary meaning the ability to produce by off-shoring. That's where developed countries (especially countries like Germany) score. They are extremely competitive through their primary productivity, plus their end productivity after considering secondary will definitely rank it under top 5. One of my acquitances, mentor, and fellow forumer (hotpotato) is doing a dissertation on this secondary productivity topic. May be he can throw in more light and details on this topic.

Again like rap said if we sign ASEAN, namma competitiveness vandavaalam thandavaalam eridum :lol:

Arasu,



Again like rap said if we sign ASEAN, namma competitiveness vandavaalam thandavaalam eridum :lol:

We have already signed FTA in goods with ASEAN...

We have already signed FTA in goods with ASEAN...

Is it? I didn't know that. When did that happen?

^^ Got it and reading thru the text now. Appears like for "real" implementation in "true" sprit it will take several years. PM himself seems to have acknowledged the problems

Prime Minister said, the negotiations on the FTA dragged on for many years in order to put in place provisions, which would prevent the country from being flooded with imports harmful to India’s interests. There are 489 items on the negative list, for which there will be no duty cuts. There are a number of items on the Highly Sensitive List, which will invite modest tariff reductions for 10 years.

The period gives enough time to improve the productivity, quality and price competitiveness of Indian products. The prospect of competition in future should become an incentive to improve the performance of the country’s traditional sectors, which now suffer from inefficient practices, outdated procedures and other problem

KT - Thanks again for bringing in this wealth of information, it made me to read a little bit more and try to understand more :)

I found this while searching for something, honestly I was surprised to see to Indian companies in top 10 of World's most innovative companies.

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/3631/innovativetop10.png

More.. http://www.forbes.com/special-features/innovative-companies.html

True!! Unilever and BHEL ok, adhu enna Infy @ 15?

Whenever India is opened up for trade, there is always fear of being "flooded" with cheap goods but this has never happened. It instead lead to a rapid increase in the quality of Indian products. Indian producers have proved too resilient too many times for me to believe these "warnings".

Even 2 or 3 years back, when motorcycles where taken of the negative list with China, there was a big hue and cry but the quality of Indian motorcycles beat the crap out of Chinese competition and they couldnt move much beyond some MOU's with local partners which all ended in failure.

As for ASEAN, an ambitious target of 70 billion is set and we have to wait and see whether it is achieved.

We have already signed FTA in goods with ASEAN...

You are right that ASEAN was signed. My error.

However, many of the goods are part of the negative list and sensitive lists. Duty is still quite high. Else, we will be able to import a car from Malaysia or Singapore.

Even it terms of logistics, getting shipments from Singapore is comparable and sometimes cheaper than getting it from a factory near Delhi. Road transportation is quite expensive.

Let me study what the impact of ASEAN trade with India has been so far and get back to the group. Any ideas on where to start ? :)))



http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers34%5Cpaper3364.html

INDIA-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement

By C. S. Kuppuswamy

The India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was finally signed, on 13 August 2009 at Bangkok, after six years of negotiations, on the sidelines of a meeting of Economic Ministers of ASEAN.

The agreement was only for trade-in-goods and did not include software and information technology. Negotiations for agreements on services and investment sectors have commenced only in October 2008 and are expected to be completed by December 2009.

The FTA will be effective from January 1, 2010. The FTA would eliminate tariffs for about 4000 products (which include electronics, chemicals, machinery and textiles) out of which duties for 3200 products will be reduced by December 2013, while duties on the remaining 800 products will be brought down to zero or near zero levels by December 2016.

Anand Sharma, the Commerce and Industry Minister, who signed the agreement for India, remarked “This is a historic development, given rising engagement between India and ASEAN and the enhanced economic cooperation. This agreement will open new opportunities for multi-sectoral engagement”.

The 489 items excluded from the list of tariff concessions and 590 items excluded from the list of tariff eliminations in the agreement pertain to farm products, automobiles, certain auto-parts, machinery, chemicals, crude and textile products. Tariff cuts in respect of some sensitive items like palm oil, tea, coffee and pepper will be graduated during a period of 10 years.

ASEAN is India’s fourth-largest trading partner after the E.U., the United States and China. Two-way trade between India and ASEAN was $ 47 billion in 2008. Both the parties to the FTA are expecting a $10 billion increase in trade even in the first year.

India’s trade with ASEAN is mainly concentrated in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Singapore continues to remain the largest market in ASEAN for India’s merchandise exports.

Amit Mitra Secretary General FICCI, who accompanied the Commerce minister to Bangkok said “Our most sensitive and vulnerable sectors are protected in terms of the negative list and sensitive list”. He added that the “ASEAN Countries were not yet ready for an FTA encompassing software, information technology and tourism”.

This agreement opens a 1.7 billion consumer market to the member countries with a combined GDP of $ 2.3 trillion. The likely beneficiaries in India are the exporters of machinery, steel, oilcake, wheat, buffalo meat, auto components synthetic textiles, refined petroleum products, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery.

Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry, while welcoming the agreement said “we are confident that the elimination of tariffs on nearly 80% of the traded goods would go a long way in boosting bilateral trade ties between the two regions. Gains from India-ASEAN FTA in goods are only a small part of the total gains. Indian businesses are looking forward to a successful conclusion of the services and investment agreement in which negotiations are at an initial stage”.

Suparna Karmakar in the article “India-ASEAN FTA—Limited but Important Gains” in the Business Line (07 November 2008), writes that several research papers indicate that most regional trade agreements are politically motivated with very little economic gains and that this FTA is no exception. In order to reduce its dependence on the U.S. and E.U.. markets, India is diversifying its trade destinations and in that way ASEAN is an important region. She adds that the agreement on Rules of Origin (ROO) is one of the most lenient that India has negotiated with her preferential trade partners and that significant gains are likely for India once the negotiations for service and investment are concluded.

News Analyses

The FTA is part of the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation signed with ASEAN in 2003, which included goods, services and investments and is to be functional by 2016.

The FTA is significant for the reason that it is the first multilateral trade agreement entered into by India.

The main hurdle from the Indian side for this long delay of over 6 years was the big number (over 1400) items on its sensitive and negative list at the initial stages.

Despite concerns raised by the Indian industry and objections raised by some ASEAN countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, allaying their fears by some give and take and concluding an amicable agreement is an achievement, though inordinately delayed.

It is a major step in India’s “Look East” policy in reducing its dependence on trade with U.S. and E.U. and turning towards South East Asia will strengthen its regional dynamics.

China has already an FTA with ASEAN, perhaps on more favourable terms. By this FTA, India, though not by way of competition, will have access to this flourishing market and ASEAN will reduce its heavy dependence on China.

The omission of software and information technology from the FTA is a set back as it is in this sector where Indian exporters could have brought in good business especially with the down turn in the U.S. markets.

Here is a report from UNESCAP..

http://www.unescap.org/tid/artnet/pub/wp10711.pdf

^^
I think we may be talking of two different aspects of productivity.

If it takes two engineers (labor) to produce 100 units of output in India, whereas one engineer produces the same output in Germany or US, of course the productivity of Indian labor is low. What I am pointing out if the cost of two engineers is $50000 in India and it is $100000 for US & Germany, wouldn't it make sense to get the work done in India?

When the study is pointing to costs, it is looking at the manufacturing costs for certain industries. Those costs already factor in these productivity of labor, don't they?

Any ideas on where to start ? :))).

http://www.aseansec.org/4971.htm

If it takes two engineers (labor) to produce 100 units of output in India, whereas one engineer produces the same output in Germany or US, of course the productivity of Indian labor is low. What I am pointing out if the cost of two engineers is $50000 in India and it is $100000 for US & Germany, wouldn't it make sense to get the work done in India?

Germany is already doing it. Not just India (They have strong relationship with CBE based companies though). They do more near-shoring at eastern europe

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/5212

The point is they get the best of both worlds. They are in a position to exploit primary and secondary productivity index which countries like India will not be able to do in near future.

Another trivial question, if Germany or US outsources jobs to India or China will it be considered as Germany/US secondary productivity + India / China's primary productivity? I am confused here

@hotpotato or anyone who are experts in this topic help please

I would fire this author for not considering these basic facts. These consultants do not seem to have had real life experience. They must he b-school educated. :)

An Aside: I am b-school educated as well :)

You should get in KPMG and fire those guys :). Do you think they are novice/freshers just joined KPMG ?

I agree my sister in Dubai have fired few consultants coming even from top rated B-schools for being loud mouths and not knowing basics.

^^
I think we may be talking of two different aspects of productivity.

If it takes two engineers (labor) to produce 100 units of output in India, whereas one engineer produces the same output in Germany or US, of course the productivity of Indian labor is low. What I am pointing out if the cost of two engineers is $50000 in India and it is $100000 for US & Germany, wouldn't it make sense to get the work done in India?

When the study is pointing to costs, it is looking at the manufacturing costs for certain industries. Those costs already factor in these productivity of labor, don't they?

Do read the report and the methodology in detail. They have taken the exact number of engineers in all cases to do the same job. Since the cost of labor is cheaper in India and China, they have called India / China more competitive. They have not adjusted for productivity differences.

For each sector, they have assumed a certain land area, certain energy input, certain number of workmen and certain number of managers. They figure out the cost across different countries for the same setup and come to the conclusion that India / China is more competitive.

Let me know if I read it wrong. This is simply what I understood from their methodology / costing.

KT,

Whom r u referring to as hotpotato??

You should get in KPMG and fire those guys :). Do you think they are novice/freshers just joined KPMG ?

I agree my sister in Dubai have fired few consultants coming even from top rated B-schools for being loud mouths and not knowing basics.

I have seen a lot of people in KPMG and the likes. My first job after grad school was in one of those firms as a strategy consultant in the US. Similar job. :) Been fifteen years since. Not sure if things have changed a lot. They even hired me then :)

KT,

Whom r u referring to as hotpotato??

He doesn't post much. It's him (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/member.php?u=909786)

For each sector, they have assumed a certain land area, certain energy input, certain number of workmen and certain number of managers. They figure out the cost across different countries for the same setup and come to the conclusion that India / China is more competitive.

Let me know if I read it wrong. This is simply what I understood from their methodology / costing.


IMO you got it right

World Bank has said it will extend full financial support to India to help enhance the abysmal level of infrastructural development in the country in the 12th Five Year Plan that begins next fiscal.

The World Bank president Robert B Zoellick, who begins his fifth and last official visit to India on Monday, has expressed intent to discuss innovative methods of financing with Indian leaders during his stay.


During his stay in India, the bank president will visit New Delhi, Chennai and also parts of Odisha. In Odisha, he wants to see how the resource-rich state is seeking to integrate environmental issues into its development strategy.

My guess, Zoellick could be visiting Chennai to support the newly released Vision Tamil Nadu 2023. If that is true Tamil Nadu's 10 year FISCAL aim, could be achieved. Lets see how his meeting in Chennai goes.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/world-bank-to-help-fire-up-indias-infrastructure-development/articleshow/12408354.cms

My guess, Zoellick could be visiting Chennai to support the newly released Vision Tamil Nadu 2023. If that is true Tamil Nadu's 10 year FISCAL aim, could be achieved. Lets see how his meeting in Chennai goes.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/world-bank-to-help-fire-up-indias-infrastructure-development/articleshow/12408354.cms

Probably he is going just to visit WB office for a farewell do :)

‘TN coast safe from threats’ (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/%E2%80%98tn-coast-safe-threats%E2%80%99-659)

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_horizontal/article-images/chen.jpg.crop_display.jpg
Marina beach — DC

The much-feared sea level rise attributed to climate change is not happening on an alarming scale to be worried about, at least for the next century and more, Prof. Dr Sundar, IIT Madras told Deccan Chronicle.

“Though the average sea level rise may vary from millimeters to a few feet geography-wise, Tamil Nadu, with its long coastline is safe, and even projecting it for a century or more, we will only see a rise of about few metres,” said Dr Sundar.

When asked in the context of the Koodankulam reactor and its proximity to the Indian Ocean, which saw the tsunami wreak havoc in 2004, he said though the tsunami has altered the way ocean bed behaves and resulted in small changes in the coastline, it may not have given rise to unforeseen coastal changes.

“After the tsunami, there were coastal floods and sometimes ingress of water. However, they are of smaller magnitude. It should be noted that IIT-M, as consultants have overseen the construction of groynes on Idinthakarai coast, which has increased the beach sand a lot,” he said.

‘Groynes’ are thin strips of rigid sea walls constructed with rocks on the coastline. These groynes act as brackets, taking advantage of the waves that deposit sand between these brackets. And the result is a new beach area is created adding on to the existing one.

“The coastal community of Idinthakarai has welcomed the construction of these groynes and this has helped the fishing community a lot. As to concerns about tsunamis reaching the reactor or even the lowermost reaches of the plant, it is largely unfounded fear and should be brushed aside,” he said.

I had a discussion with my cousin. He is telling that A suburb in South chennai(before airport): RE prices went up 400 times in the last 5 yrs..
what was the reason for price rise? infrastructure development? metro vanthuducha? mono odutha? UGD work agutha? 24 hrs water supply irukka? 24 hrs power irukkuda(:lol:)
the prices are up without any base here...when another sub-prime situation happens, these hyped RE price raise might go well for a task...
there can be more people to buy a 30 lakh flat rather than 60 lakh flat right?..
but, simply people are booking(not buying)left and right here...
but is this price rise justifiable?will these price hold good during next attrition?

As Krishnaswamy said, without any improvement, the Apartment prices in pallavaram are cooked up according to home loan percentage.

some apts were vacant (on the way of Pallavaram to kilkattalai, I believe it is still vacant ),the builder actually was selling it @ 33 lakhs last year, now it is 36.5 lakhs.

Wow.

CD II thread is on high grade economy topics. Very Happy.

When you guys are ready, I can move it to a new thread in All India section under Economy so that more guys from pan India and Pan World can participate.

@ Management Consultants:

I also feel that Mgt Consultants firms should not recruit guys without field experience directly from B Schools. More than that, B Schools should admit only those with field experience. Only ISB insists on Work experience, I think.

I did my MBA after a few years of job experience esp in Mining, Plants & M/c Erection, Marketing etc. I could grasp the lessons much better than my fellow students who were freshers.

Another major blunders committed by Consultants & Journos:
They refer the Internet for Info Research and they do not cross check the veracity before using the same. Internet has both truths and lies and also paid lies.

I have seen that my own office guys refer internet including SSC (which appears in the first page of Google Search in almost all topics) and include the info in the reports.

After say 25 years of experience, I have almost stopped believing in the process of Numbers crunching, which is generally done by our Mgt grads. As KT said, two opposing conclusions can be brought out from the same numbers.

I am more comfortable with the action on the field. :)

@ Management Consultants:

IAfter say 25 years of experience, I have almost stopped believing in the process of Numbers crunching, which is generally done by our Mgt grads. As KT said, two opposing conclusions can be brought out from the same numbers.

I am more comfortable with the action on the field. :)

Agreed.. But our folks here have wasted lots of time and energy on Vision 2023 and discussions here. It proves their exposure and knowledge, but ,will endup in dust bin.

Analysts, fix "end points " and start titrating.

Agreed.. But our folks here have wasted lots of time and energy on Vision 2023 and discussions here. It proves their exposure and knowledge, but ,will endup in dust bin.

Analysts, fix "end points " and start titrating.

If that is "wasted" time and energy, what is the "use" of your 1671 posts? I mean why do you have an account here and comment on topics?

Kannan sir,

Numbers are quite important and cannot be discounted. Take the report example, it says Chennai is ahead of Mumbai in Software development and Auto component manufacturing and it's true.

Without the numbers how can one prove one is greater than other? For eg, if not for numbers I can say population of Chennai is more than mumbai or Chennai is IT capital of India.

Isn't it ridiculous claim?

Kannan sir,

Numbers are quite important and cannot be discounted. Take the report example, it says Chennai is ahead of Mumbai in Software development and Auto component manufacturing and it's true.

Without the numbers how can one prove one is greater than other? For eg, if not for numbers I can say population of Chennai is more than mumbai or Chennai is IT capital of India.

Isn't it ridiculous claim?

See Satish,

We need numbers. No doubt. They reflect the past happenings or the future. Without them, how can we make a budget?

But concentrating more and more on the analysis and losing out the basic plot - is what happening at many places.

Esp our company managers are very good at this. 2-3 hours nalla mava arappainga. I would ask others esp lower level sales guys and other executives at the end - Enna purinjudhu ? They will look at the ceiling & the floor.

From my exp, I am saying this.
Mgt grads generally want to impress others with their charts and analysis (in the process, they forget the fact why they are doing this)
One who has not achieved much (say sales target), he / she shows more charts and all these jargon.
Sometimes, the number crunching reaches such a detailed state, ellaroda kannu munnala poochi parakkum.

I am also a Mgt grad and it was drilled into us to analyse every thing.

Communication is a waste, if it does not reach your audience.

Thanks for the clarification. The numbers can be deceiving at times especially when extrapolated using sample survey.

I have had experience with McKinsey , AT Kearney and BCG. The basic premise we should have before engaging them is that no one knows your business better than you. These guys just bring in a structured thinking into the minds and come out with some good templates for reviews.

KT, rapuramuser, & Arasu,

All of you are looking at KPMG survey only from your perspective. You all are right and wrong at the sametime.

KPMG survey is meant to provide birds-eye view of competition from the height of 36,000 ft. What you want to do is spot that yellow mercedes behind the poultry truck on GST road from that height. It is simply impossible. It is not that I don't read what you are saying, but please understand that's not the intended purpose of KPMG study.

Yes that study could have considered more details. For that the altitude will have to come down to 15000 ft. While you gain the details at that level what you lose is the broader perspective that KPMG provides now. And KT, if they want to take into account the secondary productivity capability like you mentioned that will eliminate all but 7 or 8 countries from the competitive index. Do you think that's a fair study? You may be correct when you say that the study includes only operational efficiency. I think that's how it should be at that level. Without the broader perspective you won't see the advantages those countries provide.

Is this the only data that an investor should go by? Definitely not. That's where he has to get more data and nail down based on needs. If you provide detailed report directly then you are eliminating the advantages of few others from their radar. My argument is you need this too along with detailed reports for investors to make an informed decision.


Another trivial question, if Germany or US outsources jobs to India or China will it be considered as Germany/US secondary productivity + India / China's primary productivity? I am confused here

You are reading too much into it. Take a deep belly breathing :) It is so simple really. Technically you can add it at both places, it is just a raw plugin data applicable for both outsourced and outsourcing country.

Thanks for the clarification. The numbers can be deceiving at times especially when extrapolated using sample survey.

So what's your suggestion? Go back to census? If a survey is wrong it's not wrong because it is sample based. It means that it is the sample methodology that is wrong. I can show you thousands of examples where samples hit the nail perfectly. If you know what you are doing sample is the perfect, cost-efficient way for forecasting.

fyi do you know that even census can be wrong?

So what's your suggestion? Go back to census? If a survey is wrong it's not wrong because it is sample based. It means that it is the sample methodology that is wrong. I can show you thousands of examples where samples hit the nail perfectly. If you know what you are doing sample is the perfect, cost-efficient way for forecasting.

fyi do you know that even census can be wrong?

Yourself saying even census can be wrong then think about sample survey.

I would be interested in your "thousands of examples".

^^ here are few


mary kay casestudies
walmart stopped giving out the customer shopping data since 2001, but analysts are accurate in reading the shopping patterns. competitors use those data successfully to date
2008 US elections
any survey or study that goes with retail industry before opening up a store. How often do you hear a chain store being closed on a particular location? Those numbers will be outside two standard deviations


finally a curious question. if you don't believe in sample why do you trust this KPMG survey?

any survey or study that goes with retail industry before opening up a store. How often do you hear a chain store being closed on a particular location? Those numbers will be outside two standard deviations




Hi, can you give me some links to the methodology those companies follow to identify a good location?

finally a curious question. if you don't believe in sample why do you trust this KPMG survey?

Because that survey says chennai tops :jk:

Thanks for your clarification dude!! Will catch up over the weekend

^^ here are few


mary kay casestudies
walmart stopped giving out the customer shopping data since 2001, but analysts are accurate in reading the shopping patterns. competitors use those data successfully to date
2008 US elections
any survey or study that goes with retail industry before opening up a store. How often do you hear a chain store being closed on a particular location? Those numbers will be outside two standard deviations

finally a curious question. if you don't believe in sample why do you trust this KPMG survey?

I didn't say I don't believe in sample survey (I am saying it can be errorneous especially Indian kind of survey). Even if you see the actual parameters(cost advantage, salary, transportation etc) in KPMG survey Chennai is ahead of Mumbai in all 19 categories.

Recently there was IT employablity study and they sampled bunch of students and extrapolated for the entire TN. While the finding can only be partly true but not entirely true.

US elections in 2008 is way predictable.

Hi, can you give me some links to the methodology those companies follow to identify a good location?

Shyam,

I am not sure if you can find one online. Both HP and I do such analysis for living and use GIS on top of it with complex SAS modelling. Some of the SAS modules may give you some insight to it, but it is more than that.

We do a detailed descriptive study, find co-relation, establish causation etc.,. We extensively use primary and secondary data, gather and study competitive data, demographics, spending patterns, traffic counts, speed limits etc., I can send you few presentations and books if you are interested. PM me

Shyam,

I am not sure if you can find one online. Both HP and I do such analysis for living and use GIS on top of it with complex SAS modelling. Some of the SAS modules may give you some insight to it, but it is more than that.

We do a detailed descriptive study, find co-relation, establish causation etc.,. We extensively use primary and secondary data, gather and study competitive data, demographics etc., I can send you few presentations and books if you are interested. PM me

That interests me too, KT. Will be thankful if you can share with me too. Thanks.

^^ sure. If you have specific questions I can try to scan those pages and post or send it to you.

Read SAS whitepapers, that'll be a good starting point

http://www.sas.com/technologies/analytics/datamining/index.html#section=6

Before buying a 50000 rupees bike, we do so many research. Before buying a 35000 rupees laptop, we compare so many parameters.

But people are so desperate when it comes to spending lacs of rupees for real estate. Why are people so eager to just hand over money to the builder even before he gets necessary approval? Why are they not even considering putting up proper documentation penalizing the builder in case of delays?

The answer is simple. They are swayed by the sales pitch and the gimmicks of the marketing people. They say 4200 and raise it to 4350 within a week. After a month, they say 4800. This creates an illusion and desperation on the prospective buyer and he just hands over 4 or 5 lacs even without thinking about it.
Sir, Am also lived in a flat and have experience buying a few flats1 for me and other fo friends in different projects. (nearly 10 to 15 flats).
you are not factually correct on people are not doing due-deligence.
People are asking 1000s of questions. But current situation is, builders will not give you anything in writing. you can not ask for document, read all the clauses and sign it.
whatever they have answered orally, will be different from the agreement.
If you ask for agreement, they will tell "sorry sir, we can not share it. if you are interested buy it or leave it". This will applicable to big builders also. If you want, i can share those builders through PM.
I dont know whether you have experience in buying a flat? buying a flat is practically different than "reading" or "googling" in internet.


Just to be sure, before commenting here, I went to magicbricks and selected multistorey apartments and saw how many properties were there for less than 50 lacs. There were 1181 properties totally. Flats were available even in places like Mylapore (600 to 700 sq.ft). I searched builder floor apartments and got 1474 results. Of them only 48 were new projects. The rest of them were existing projects and anyone can go and check whether the residential associations are working well, whether the water and EB connections are proper etc.
ha..haa.. do you feel that existing owners in apartment complex will talk "bad" about their own property? this shows the "practical" exposure on buying a flat..


Why are these guys not even considering to do such a simple research before committing their life's savings on a property.
I agree that there are lot of flats.. But only few flats we will like due to personal things..
some people will not be interested in Ambattur. Some people will not be interested in Chrompet..
they do research and zero-in their locality and property. But the facts are deliberately hidden from the buyer.
I know 2 builders who openly challenged their property owners.."go and complain" to any where... We have the people everywhere...those builders are "reputed" builders only till few years back.

Now I have just searched in one web portal which yielded more than 2500 results and there are atleast half a dozen large portals. If we include independent houses and plots, there will be well over 10000 properties on sale at any point of time in and around Chennai for less than 50 lacs. If you consider the properties which are not posted on the web but are available through brokers, newspaper ads etc, you get a true picture on the massive amount of supply available in the city in the affordable range. Chennai is a buyer's market and if builders are not okay with your conditions, then just walk out of the deal. There are 1000's of options.
All the builders are in same line. As i gave an example, no body will be ready to offer you the "Clause" in the agreements before you buy. only small builders with 8 to 10 houses are much more genuine than these big "branded" builders.
By choicewise, it can be "buyer" market. but by "Purchase" wise, it is "builder" market only.


So there is no use making sweeping statements like builders are bad and costumers are victimized. If you are desperate to be cheated, there will be no dearth of people willing to cheat you. There is no use cribbing.

There are lot of apartment complexes inside and around Chennai which are functioning very well. Apparently the maintenance cost has gone up from the time we used to live in apartments (I have lived in two complexes more than a decade back) but to paint a picture as if all the apartments are facing problems and it is not worth investing in a flat that too for personal use is simply superfluous and incorrect.
I can show how "moral" or "ethical" these big builders are.
If you want, lets get some agreements from all these big builders and we can debate point by point.


As satish pointed, there was a mad rush during 2006-2008 and people bought at premium price. now in the last 2 yrs, again the trend is continuing....
am sure, the distance is not much, on "realistic" price correction for these "much" hyped RE prices in chennai without any infrastructure.

Chennai has around 90 lac people. Maybe 25 lac families. Atleast 10 lac would have own homes in apartments which they bought from some builder. Are you saying all these people were "harassed" and "cheated" by the builders?

You know you can keep on repeating the same thing again and again about how "cruel" these builders are but it wont make any difference to the bottomline.

I will repeat it again. If you are willing to get cheated, people will cheat you. It is not unique to real estate.

You know you can keep on repeating the same thing again and again about how "cruel" these builders are but it wont make any difference to the bottomline.
Please read my posts...
These "Big builders".... they do it in big way.
small builders also do something.. but you can console youself , that small amount is absorbed within the property cost..
I will ask you 1 simple question....
hope you know Supreme court has clearly instructed that builders should not sell "open car park" or "close car park".. but these big builders are selling the car park for 2 lakh to 2.5 lakh.. why? As per order, they need to number the park and Association has to alot the car park (minimum 1). but why the builders charge you 2 lakh? it is supposed to be part of common area which would have been included in your flat cost.
why these big builders collect "service" charge..for 2 lakh to 3 lakh, when they suppose to pay for it?
they will give just 1 simple receipt that "car park 19" allotted to Mr.xxx..thats it.
somebody parks there and fight with you, you can not legally question them..
these big builders will not put "maintenance SLA".. they appoint a company.. that will be their sister company. they will take only smaller work.
They will not give you the "clause" agreement that your AMC for utilities in the building, who is going to pay for it etc..
If you ask maintenance guy, he will tell that owners has to pay...
Owners at the end of the day end up paying "Huge" EMI+"Huge" maintenance cost,+ Huge AMC cost, sewage bailout cost, UGD cost..etc..etc..
they even might not provide enough "Transformers" to balance the Peak load.

TShyam.. I don't know about the 10 lakh people, but my personal experience when I bought my flat in 2005 - I was "harassed" and "cheated" by the builder.. (and almost everyone of my friend who bought a house had some similar story to tell) end of the day I got a good apartment, but there was undue delay in handing over the house and the documents. There were some unfinished work and few things that were promised were not completed. One of the main factors I considered while buying the house was the floor plan, very few builders had a good floor plan with effective use of space.

Ennavo ponga.. Katti mudicha veedu entha villangamum illama irukka nu paathu vaangunga. Verum kolam kuttai ya vaangi pottu vechu irukaravan kitta latcha kanakula kuduthu yemaarathinga. avalavuthaan naan solluven. ellam nalla iruntha seri..

athu than...just go for 6-8 houses unit rather than big townships or skyscrapers.

athu than...just go for 6-8 houses unit rather than big townships or skyscrapers.

Oh appo RE crash aana 6-8 buildings irukarathu onnum aagatha?

Athu RE kedayaatha? Yeppa anthar balti da saami.

Oh appo RE crash aana 6-8 buildings irukarathu onnum aagatha?
Athu RE kedayaatha? Yeppa anthar balti da saami.
your message was on "Big" skyscrappers. my post is answer to that ...compare to Big skyscraper, small units are better.
RE crash-na ithuvum kali thann..I accept...
dont confuse the 2 points...

your message was on "Big" skyscrappers. my post is answer to that ...compare to Big skyscraper, small units are better.
RE crash-na ithuvum kali thann..I accept...
dont confuse the 2 points...

No my post was on "being careful". Big or small doesnt matter.

No my post was on "being careful". Big or small doesnt matter.
amampa...RE crashna "overbought" apartment ellame kali than...
yaru illenu sonnathu?

amampa...RE crashna "overbought" apartment ellame kali than...
yaru illenu sonnathu?

Aiyo saami. Naan first post pannathu makkal evlo muttaala irukaanga nu solrathukku. Avanga periya builder kitta yemarrangala chinna builder kitta yemarrangala apdingarathu matter eh illa. Atha thaan English la sonnen.

Aiyo saami. Naan first post pannathu makkal evlo muttaala irukaanga nu solrathukku. Avanga periya builder kitta yemarrangala chinna builder kitta yemarrangala apdingarathu matter eh illa. Atha thaan English la sonnen.
Chinna builder avala-yematha mudiyathu.. but "big" guys will do in the name of "Policy".
My friend, My brother got their house from small builder. they dont even any extra money for any modifications. whereas in a big apartment(big builder) where i live, i know all of us paid huge money for even basic works.

I am not sure if that is the case everywhere. Kannan and HFactor own homes in similar places and they said they are satisfied with the services. People have to be careful. What more can I say?

^^ I agree with TShyam here, my experience was with a small builder. Many of my friends who bought their apartments from big builders like KG, Appasamy, Akshaya etc were happy with the services and said everything is laid out black and white.

My builder was not even ready to do a few modifications quoting it is time consuming for him though I was ready to bear the full cost. (He had promised it earlier)

And bottom line.. whichever builder it is... be careful :) But in reality it is difficult, I thought I am very careful and planned everything except that I didn't buy a completely built house and got trapped. The main reason I went for a building that was in super structure stage was I wanted to change the floor plan to my needs and preferences.

^^ I agree with TShyam here, my experience was with a small builder. Many of my friends who bought their apartments from big builders like KG, Appasamy, Akshaya etc were happy with the services and said everything is laid out black and white. .
KG screwed up big time on the flats near Pallavaram.. and my friends who bought their wept a lot. they delivered that project 2 .5 yrs later..
Appaswamy is reliable. but he is way "high"...

^^ I agree with TShyam here, my experience was with a small builder. Many of my friends who bought their apartments from big builders like KG, Appasamy, Akshaya etc were happy with the services and said everything is laid out black and white.
See Everything is laid out only..
if you ask to lay "tailes" of your choice, that time they charge you more. they will charge you even the small modifications like providing lofts, extra switches, kitchen modifications, Cuddapah Slab, bathroom corner slabs..

Speaking of "Veedu", that was the film in which this famous Ilayaraja composition was used as BGM

kWPO0J2NWGw

In the film:

9z7zo8tb8aQ

I would recommend watching the whole film. It is one of the finest film I have seen! Ever! It fills all the qualities of neorealism. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neorealism_%28art%29)

a definite social context;
a sense of historical actuality and immediacy;
political commitment to progressive social change;
authentic on-location shooting as opposed to the artificial studio;
a rejection of classical Hollywood acting styles; extensive use of non-professional actors as much as possible;
a documentary style of cinematography.

It can be watched here:

vK9lQMPQmFI

Speaking of "Veedu", that was the film in which this famous Ilayaraja composition was used as BGM

Veedu is very good film. aana theatre-le than roomba naal odale..
it ran on DD for a very long time. Sunday afternoon 1:30 regional film-le repeative movie..
Appave Engr cement - thirudurathai practical-a kamichuruppanga..
Appove 1 mootai cement...

Continued impetus to Mega City plan (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3248579.ece)

Rs. 500 crore alloted for civic infrastructure improvement

The development of basic civic infrastructure such as roads, bridges, stormwater drains, sewer network, street lights, parking lots and buildings in the city will continue to gain momentum in 2012-2013.

Announcing Rs.500 crore for the Mega City Development Mission in the Assembly on Monday, Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam said the 2011-2012 Budget too had made an allocation of Rs. 500 crore of which Chennai Corporation had taken up works at a cost of Rs. 333.27 crore. The balance amount, he said, was being utilised for augmenting water supply.

Pointing to the fact that Tamil Nadu is the most urbanised State in the country with 48.45 per cent of the population living in urban areas, Mr. Panneerselvam said the growth in urban infrastructure had not kept pace with the growth in urban population. “It was to bridge this infrastructure gap that the government had launched the Mega City Development Mission,” said Mr. Panneerselvam.

The Chennai Metropolitan Area is expected to grow into a mega city with a population of more than 10 million within a decade. The money allocated under the mission would supplement the available funds under various schemes to give fillip to the development of basic amenities in the city.

A grid system of roads, streetlights, street furniture, footpaths, parking space and stormwater drains in all eight zones comprising areas newly added to the Chennai Corporation limits is being developed with funds of the Mega City Development Mission.

Using the funds, Chennai Metrowater is also implementing projects to enhance the capacity of sewerage pipeline, improve sewage pumping stations and also strengthen the water distribution network in the city. The water agency was allocated around Rs.189.10 crore under the mission in the previous budget. This year too, Metrowater has sought funds to improve the water distribution and sewerage network, including replacement of old pipelines in the city.

The detailed project report of the Chennai Mega City Development Mission was prepared by the Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructural Financial Services Limited, which is the nodal agency. The Chennai Corporation council had passed a resolution accepting the detailed project report in November 2011 and sent it for administrative sanction.

According to the project report, a total of Rs. 2,032 crore was proposed to be spent in 2012-2013. The mission requires a sum of Rs. 7,678 crore over the next five years. The focus would be on upgrading arterial roads in the city with an estimated sum of Rs. 5,555.25 crore over the next five years.

Apart from civic infrastructure development, the budget announcement permitting higher Floor Space Index for low income and middle income houses is likely to improve affordable housing in the city too. The higher FSI would be permitted without insistence on premium FSI charges, so that the cost of such flats comes down. “With increasing land prices, affordable housing is becoming a distant dream for the poor and middle class people,” said Mr. Panneerselvam, explaining the government's decision.

Disclaimer: Drunken thoughts :)

I was thinking of a solution to reduce power consumption from the state grid.

a) Townships and homes

Why can't JJ pass a bill stating that all new townships coming and those under construction like L&T Estancia, Hiranandini, Marg Swarnabhoomi, Mahindra lifespaces and the 20 odd high end townships must compulsorily have solar water heating system in each house and solar street lights and compound lights inside the township?

The semiconductor industry is ailing because not many could pay the high initial cost. If these big realty players start such things it may help in bringing down the costs

1.This will bring down the load required and also ensure street lights aren't affected by power cuts.
2. Give impetus to the semi-conductor industry.
3. Save power bills.
3. Reduce diesel consumption by private entities.

b) This could be extended to all govt buildings and institutions by providing subsidy to set up solar lights in Government offices, hospitals, universities and other government colleges. This could be financed using govt bonds which will definitely reap benefits. This would cover go someway in reducing power consumption as well make the campuses energy sufficient in to some extent. It would also bring down the cost of manufacturing of solar panels as demand would be en mass.

Now entering into the realm of speculation, this would take atleast 3 years to implement. By this time we can expect a capacity addition of atleast 2000 MW to the state grid.(1000 from Kudankulam 650 from Vallur, 200 from Mettur and the rest from Wind energy). The demand- supply deficit would be at 1800 MW assuming the installation of above solar lights compensates for increase in domestic demand).

This would lead to reduced power holidays for industries and thus increase productivity and income to govt(via taxes and duty).

self delete

KT, rapuramuser, & Arasu,

All of you are looking at KPMG survey only from your perspective. You all are right and wrong at the sametime.

KPMG survey is meant to provide birds-eye view of competition from the height of 36,000 ft. What you want to do is spot that yellow mercedes behind the poultry truck on GST road from that height. It is simply impossible. It is not that I don't read what you are saying, but please understand that's not the intended purpose of KPMG study.

Yes that study could have considered more details. For that the altitude will have to come down to 15000 ft. While you gain the details at that level what you lose is the broader perspective that KPMG provides now.



HP,

Your comment on forest vs tree is simply wrong and inaccurate. The problems I referred to are also not about inaccuracies in data-overlay / correlation / SAS. I don't think you read the report in detail and your interpretation seems to be through comments on the forum. The problem with the report is not one of high-level vs. details.

Rather the problem is that the results they espouse are mis-leading since they have not been comprehensive enough. It is a breadth problem and not a depth issue (problem of data consideration, sampling inaccuracy leading to statistical bias :)). People depend on a firm like KPMG to provide insights that are comprehensive, accurate, cutting edge and actionable.

Let me lay-out what the authors objectives were (Quote from report)

"Subject of study:
International Business Location Costs
Benefits:
Invaluable for any company considering international business expansion, relocation and off-shoring"

A detailed cost analysis running into 100 pages follows (not really a bird's eye). The report allows me to believe that I could benefit by 20% if I relocate my manufacturing set-up to India.

The point I made was
"cost of capital contributes another 15%, productivity differences causes another 15% and international logistics will add another 15%. This adds up to a good 45% cost assumption going bad, negating the author's hypothesis". If you take a company in TN, we run >50% energy on gen-sets. The cost differential is 4 times as much. Please talk to someone who is running a company in India.

Many companies that are customers of ours (I run a company in India dealing with many foreign manufacturing MNC's) complain that their assumptions have gone bad due to these very reasons and that they are now caught in a soup. In a similar vein, our government does not understand that we are uncompetitive. The policy prescriptions to make us compete globally need to happen immediately and urgently.

Analogy: Now, if I were creating a report for a potential Ferrari user and only state that the road has been newly laid with excellent material, I am simply wrong if I fail to mention that the road is not wide enough, it is only two lanes and also has many pedestrians. The intended audience will not buy a report from me henceforth.

I have worked in multiple bulge bracket consulting firms in strategy positions globally. I ran a strategy practice for a large MNC, and used to oversee a lot of these types of initiatives. I have also started companies in multiple continents, including one in India. I am fairly certain of right vs. wrong in this case.

Sorry if I am blunt. This will be my last post on this subject.

[QUOTE=krishnancv;89847199] Disclaimer: Drunken thoughts :)

Sober thoughts. My replies in bold :lol:

I was thinking of a solution to reduce power consumption from the state grid.

a) Townships and homes

Why can't JJ pass a bill stating that all new townships coming and those under construction like L&T Estancia, Hiranandini, Marg Swarnabhoomi, Mahindra lifespaces and the 20 odd high end townships must compulsorily have solar water heating system in each house and solar street lights and compound lights inside the township?

CMDA & DTCP has a clause saying that RWH, Solar Water heating is a must in all buildings. But they are not strict in implementation.

I all the buildings we design, we include RWH, solar water heaters and solar power periphery lighting, street lighting, fence lighting & electrification of fence, where ever needed.

The semiconductor industry is ailing because not many could pay the high initial cost. If these big realty players start such things it may help in bringing down the costs

Enough attempts were made by TN esp by Dayanidhi Maran to bring in the biggies. Water scarcity is one of the biggest obstacle in TN.

1.This will bring down the load required and also ensure street lights aren't affected by power cuts.
2. Give impetus to the semi-conductor industry.
3. Save power bills.
3. Reduce diesel consumption by private entities.

b) This could be extended to all govt buildings and institutions by providing subsidy to set up solar lights in Government offices, hospitals, universities and other government colleges. This could be financed using govt bonds which will definitely reap benefits. This would cover go someway in reducing power consumption as well make the campuses energy sufficient in to some extent. It would also bring down the cost of manufacturing of solar panels as demand would be en mass.

The condition is already there and it is also enforced in Private sector public buildings like IT parks, Hospitals, Hotels etc. But Govt does not allot money for these in Govt buildings.

Now entering into the realm of speculation, this would take atleast 3 years to implement. By this time we can expect a capacity addition of atleast 2000 MW to the state grid.(1000 from Kudankulam 650 from Vallur, 200 from Mettur and the rest from Wind energy). The demand- supply deficit would be at 1800 MW assuming the installation of above solar lights compensates for increase in domestic demand).

Arul had earlier given the details with timelines. If every thing happens as per plan, no deficit after 2014 / 15

This would lead to reduced power holidays for industries and thus increase productivity and income to govt(via taxes and duty). /QUOTE]

TN Govt. has increased contribution towards Infrastructure Development from Real Estate developers by 50 % in current Budget.

Kannan.. Is it recomendation from your Co?

http://www.buildyourcity.in/

a platform where we can all talk

Cities in India are vibrant, diverse and dynamic. Social systems that are buzzing with tremendous activity. Systems that are slowly changing from being largely agrarian in character to urban. In many ways, this is a reflection of what's happening globally. Are we prepared for it? While urbanisation does contribute to the country's growth, it needs to be sustainable and environmentally viable. This is where the challenges and the opportunities lie.

One of the least considered aspects of urbanisation is citizen participation. BYC seeks to be a sounding board for new ideas and a platform to fashion solutions to the problems afflicting Indian cities. And a forum to discuss projects, designs and plans for making cities resilient and sustainable, document and disseminate good practices. This way, BYC can help policy makers gauge citizen sentiment on a real-time basis. Positive and participatory citizenship is the need of the hour. BYC is a beginning.

TN Govt. has increased contribution towards Infrastructure Development from Real Estate developers by 50 % in current Budget.

Kannan.. Is it recomendation from your Co?

I have been fighting even the old fee and now increased further. :bash:

http://www.buildyourcity.in/

a platform where we can all talk



Hey,

I know a few of them

[QUOTE=krishnancv;89847199] Disclaimer: Drunken thoughts :)

Sober thoughts. My replies in bold :lol:

I was thinking of a solution to reduce power consumption from the state grid.

a) Townships and homes

Why can't JJ pass a bill stating that all new townships coming and those under construction like L&T Estancia, Hiranandini, Marg Swarnabhoomi, Mahindra lifespaces and the 20 odd high end townships must compulsorily have solar water heating system in each house and solar street lights and compound lights inside the township?

CMDA & DTCP has a clause saying that RWH, Solar Water heating is a must in all buildings. But they are not strict in implementation.

I all the buildings we design, we include RWH, solar water heaters and solar power periphery lighting, street lighting, fence lighting & electrification of fence, where ever needed.

The semiconductor industry is ailing because not many could pay the high initial cost. If these big realty players start such things it may help in bringing down the costs

Enough attempts were made by TN esp by Dayanidhi Maran to bring in the biggies. Water scarcity is one of the biggest obstacle in TN.

1.This will bring down the load required and also ensure street lights aren't affected by power cuts.
2. Give impetus to the semi-conductor industry.
3. Save power bills.
3. Reduce diesel consumption by private entities.

b) This could be extended to all govt buildings and institutions by providing subsidy to set up solar lights in Government offices, hospitals, universities and other government colleges. This could be financed using govt bonds which will definitely reap benefits. This would cover go someway in reducing power consumption as well make the campuses energy sufficient in to some extent. It would also bring down the cost of manufacturing of solar panels as demand would be en mass.

The condition is already there and it is also enforced in Private sector public buildings like IT parks, Hospitals, Hotels etc. But Govt does not allot money for these in Govt buildings.

Now entering into the realm of speculation, this would take atleast 3 years to implement. By this time we can expect a capacity addition of atleast 2000 MW to the state grid.(1000 from Kudankulam 650 from Vallur, 200 from Mettur and the rest from Wind energy). The demand- supply deficit would be at 1800 MW assuming the installation of above solar lights compensates for increase in domestic demand).

Arul had earlier given the details with timelines. If every thing happens as per plan, no deficit after 2014 / 15

This would lead to reduced power holidays for industries and thus increase productivity and income to govt(via taxes and duty). /QUOTE]

I thought atleast under JJ's regime things will happen in a stricter way.

Hey,

I know a few of them

And we want you to be one among them :)

Cognizant - DLF IT Park - 300,000 sqft
HP - Ramanujan IT City - 300,000 sqft
Accenture - TECCI - 290,000 sqft
Foster & Wheeler - Ascendas - 100,000 sqft
L&T Infotech - DLF IT Park -77,000 sqft
Fidelity Investment Services - HDFC Building - 75,000 sqft
Qualcomm - TVH Agnitio - 58,000 sqft
ABB - Jayanth Tech Park - 52,000 sqft
ABB - Prestige Palladium - 20,000 sqft
Apollo Hospitals - Prestige Palladium - 20,000 sqft

Post Moved to TN Section

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=89893616&postcount=281

http://m.timesofindia.com/business/india-business/RuPay-Mastercard-Visa-rival-is-here/articleshow/12421480.cms



MUMBAI: National Payments Corporation of India-a Reserve Bank of India initiative-is set to replay the ATM revolution in the cards business with the launch of RuPay debit cards, which undercut Visa and Mastercard on processing fees on transactions. Coinciding with the launch, the central bank has also directed banks to cut charges levied on shopkeepers for facilitating debit card payments.

On Monday, four large public sector banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India and Union Bank of India launched the first set of RuPay cards in India. The RuPay card is meant to be on the lines of China Union Pay-a Chinese government promoted payments and settlement platform for card transactions that broke the Visa-Mastercard stranglehold. Two years ago, NPCIL cut the charges for facilitating customers use their debit cards in ATMs of other banks. It has now promised the same in the card space. First in debit cards where processing fees will be 40% lower and later in credit cards which will be launched from 2015. Although shops will be the initial beneficiary of lower debit card charges, it will ultimately benefit customers as it will make it viable for shops to accept card payments for even low-value transactions. Also low-margin businesses which refused to accept cards because of charges of around 1.8% at present will be incentivized to accept card payments.

G Padmanabhan, ED, RBI, said while RBI did not interfere in pricing the interchange fee debate had become louder after the United States recently intervened to ask banks to bring down interchange fees on debit card transactions. "There is no logic for banks to have the same charges for credit and debit cards. We want banks to ensure that there is a clear distinction between debit and credit card payments and charges on debit cards are lower," he said.

According to A P Hota, MD & CEO, NPCI India will also save hundreds of crores in foreign exchange by having a domestic payment system as Visa and Mastercard are paid in foreign currency.

"India must have its card system firmly in its control where the major banks in the country can have a say in its governance. Customized products and service offering for local customers can be best achieved by a domestic card payment scheme. The card payment system has to be made affordable to be inclusive" he said.

Great:cheers:

Is this a workable solution?

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/12449114.cms?prtpage=1

India's new growth paradigm: Faster growth with bigger deficit and higher inflation

By: TT Ram Mohan

Professor, IIM-Ahmedabad


In 2011-12, a broad consensus on India's growth prospects broke down. The Economic Survey expects growth to accelerate to 7.6% in 2012-13 and 8.6% in 2013-14. Many analysts and investors are sceptical. Which is right? The official view or that of the sceptics?

To begin with, we need to understand what has caused the sharp deceleration in growth in 2011-12 in the first place. Several businessmen and commentators insist that it is internal factors, mainly 'policy paralysis', that have dealt a blow to growth prospects. It is more plausible, however, that the deterioration in the external environment caused by the eurozone crisis is primarily responsible. The survey subscribes to this view.

In 2004-08, the Indian economy grew at 9% on the back of a global boom. Growth slumped to 6.7% in 2008-09 due to the global bust. In 2011-12, the world seemed to be on the brink of a crisis similar to what we had in 2008. One should not be surprised India's growth should of the same order as in 2008. The survey points out that in all the G20 countries except Australia, there was a monotonic decline in growth over successive quarters. India cannot be an exception.

It follows that any improvement in the global environment should translate into a higher growth rate for the Indian economy in 2012-13. There are indeed signs of such an improvement. The IMF chief, Christian Lagarde, said recently that the "world economy has stepped back from the brink and we have cause to be more optimistic".

The sceptics disagree. They argue that even if the global environment becomes more benign, inadequate fiscal consolidation is a fundamental obstacle to India getting back to a high-growth trajectory. This proposition deserves close scrutiny.

It is clear that fiscal consolidation will happen more slowly than thought earlier. The Budget's Medium-Term Fiscal Policy Framework envisages a fiscal deficit-to-GDP ratio of 3.9% by 2014-15. The Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC) had wanted the ratio to come down to 3%, the target set by the FRBM Act.

A high fiscal deficit is bad for several reasons. One, it creates problems of debt sustainability. This is not an issue for us today. The TFC's target for the Centre's debt-to- GDP ratio of 45% by 2014-15 is expected to be met in 2012-13 itself. Secondly, high fiscal deficits can fuel inflation that dampens investor sentiment. Since fiscal consolidation will not happen as planned earlier, we should expect inflation to remain above the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) comfort zone of 5%.

It needs to be grasped that a high rate of inflation per se is not a problem. It is variability in the rate of inflation that is the problem as economic agents are then faced with uncertainty. The worry when inflation rate touches double digits is that policymakers have lost control over it, so it can shoot up even further. However, if the RBI can demonstrate that it can contain inflation at 6-7%, growth need not be derailed.

The biggest concern about the slow pace of fiscal consolidation is that it will erode the savings rate and, hence, the rate of investment. High investment rates have been a crucial factor in India's growth rate rising to 9% in 2004-08.


Here is a striking fact: in the period following 2008, the investment rate has averaged 35% despite declines in the savings rate. This is because a wider savings-investment gap has been bridged by foreign flows and shows up as a higher current account deficit. Whereas the current account deficit was 0.4-1.3% of GDP in 2005-08, it rose to 2.8% in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Now, there is broad agreement that a CAD of 2.5-3% of GDP is manageable for India. Taking the lower end of the range, it would mean that the economy can tolerate a CAD that is 1.2-2.1% higher than in 2005-08. A decline in the domestic savings rate of this order, caused by a higher fiscal deficit, can be made good through foreign inflows.

Adding 1.2-2.1% to the average fiscal deficit of 3.4% in 2005-08, we arrive at a tolerable fiscal deficit level of 4.6-5.5% of GDP. At this level of deficit, the domestic savings rate plus foreign flows can support an investment rate of 35%, which is good enough to deliver growth of around 8-9%. This computation is somewhat conservative. The domestic savings rate, while eroded by the fiscal deficit, could rise on other accounts,such as greater financialinclusion, a decline in the inflation rate and a rise incorporate savings as the growth rate rises.

In short, the slow pace of fiscal consolidation, which appears inevitable, need not come in the way of an acceleration in the growth rate. What it will do is defer India's getting back to the 9% growth path by two to three years.

Since India's integration with the world economy has grown, many wonder whether a high investment rate by itself can deliver a high growth rate when global growth will be sluggish. Yes it can, because slow growth in the advanced economies is not a big threat as the EU and the North America now account for less than a third of India's exports. It is the disruption of financial flows caused by afull-blown crisis that poses a threat, not slow global growth. If there is such a crisis, all bets are off.

This may sound wildly optimistic but it is possible that India is moving towards a new growth paradigm. The fiscal deficit will remain at a higher level on the average than in 2004-08. Inflation will be above the comfort zone of 4-5%. We will not have a global boom along the lines we saw earlier. And yet, growth of the order of 8-9% will be achievable thanks to a high investment rate.

Is this a workable solution?

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/12449114.cms?prtpage=1

India's new growth paradigm: Faster growth with bigger deficit and higher inflation

By: TT Ram Mohan

Professor, IIM-Ahmedabad


I disagree with this article. To be sure, I am in sync with the first part (observation) of the article but not with the second part (inference).

I agree that the current low growth rates are due to global factors and not due to "policy paralysis" of the government.

I agree the slowdown is due to eurozone crisis and the general global economic lethargy.

I agree the GoI is not going to reach the 3% or even 4% fiscal deficit number anytime soon.

But, I dont agree with his statement that "a high rate of inflation per se is not a problem. It is variability in the rate of inflation that is the problem as economic agents are then faced with uncertainty."

Indian inflation rate pretty much stayed around 10% give or take 2% for around 2 years. There was no big variability to speak of but still that bout of inflation from 2009 to 2011 was was very much a problem.

I dont agree that FDI will compensate for the shortage in domestic savings. Current global growth is very reliant on natural resources. It is a resource led growth and it is hitting its peak. All these financial crisis are just the manifestation of that underlying problem. Therefore, I dont see the global economy recovering in any meaningful way unless growth is delinked from resources.

Sooner or later, FDI is exactly going to go in the opposite direction to what the author expects (flee the country) thus forcing a major slowdown in the investment rate a couple of years down the line.

I dont agree that we are going to have high inflation, high growth. We are going to see a sort of high inflation and lower or similar growth (6-7%). For a developing country like ours, I wont be surprised if the next 2 or 3 years looks like stagflation.

I hope the RBI doesnt cut the rate too much thus preventing malallocation of resources and formation of asset bubbles in this crucial juncture. We need higher corporate and domestic savings and high interest rates are required for that even if it means slower growth.

I think RBI is more stricter and not following CG's diktats.

Cash flow in Govt circles is under heavy strain now and CG is trying to force RBI to loosen up. But RBI seems to be adamant as loosening up will lead to more serious fiscal troubles.

FDI myth is now slowly fading. I think that it was all Indian money flying out and coming as FDI through Mauritius or similar routes. Since cash transfer norms have been made stringent now, it is reducing. Stan Chart & HSBC seem to be in big trouble as they were involved big time in this.

We have now been pushed to this stage

Onnume Puriyale Olagathule....

Ennadhan Nadakkum Nadakkattume..........

According to RBI CPI data, Bangalore and Mumbai are costlier cities than Chennai

The recent Consumer Price Index released by the RBI on Wednesday shows that Bangalore leads with a CPI index of 200, followed by Mumbai (199) Chennai (187), Kolkata (184) , with New Delhi way behind at 181 thanks to the high rate of subsidies.

SRC : http://www.firstpost.com/india/bangalore-pips-mumbai-as-costliest-city-259442.html

For BRICS fans who wants to write-off US :)

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/why-rest-of-world-says-brics-is-far-from-delivering-191405?pfrom=home-otherstories

http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/economy/world-bank-chief-visits-chennai-office_44889.html

On his maiden trip to Chennai, World Bank President Robert B Zoellick on Thursday visited the Bank's city office here and met some of the employees.

Zoellick, who is stepping down as President on June 30, is the first head of the World Bank to visit Chennai, the Bank said in a statement.

After meeting the employees of the branch, which gradually grew to 500 from 70 staff in 2001, Zoellick said, "the Chennai office reflects the Bank's commitment to decentralizing business processes while enhancing our global presence".

The office on a 1.28 lakh square feet area is the largest bank-owned building outside its headquarters in Washington, DC.

Zoellick took a tour of the energy-efficient 'green' building, featuring carbon sensors, automated lighting and air conditioning systems, and water recycling plants.

The Chennai office offers corporate financial, accounting, administrative and IT services to Bank operations around the world, the statement added.

Media was strictly barred from covering any of the events in which Zoellick participated.

Shyam, the slow down in our growth is due to slowdown in global economy and also due to govt policy paralysis. Post Lehman bros fiasco and sub prime crisis, the world economy was reeling under recession but India was still growing at 7.5% -8% - that was due to the govt spending and stimulus measures. The euro zone under the so called Merkozy plan is forcing ailing euro members to cut down spending- which is impacting growth.

The current high inflation is cost push inflation due to high interest rates and also due to high energy and resources cost. I feel that once RBI loosens it's strings a bit and make cost of borrowing bit cheaper, it would lead to increase in consumption and be a fillip to growth.

There has been good news coming from the US with their economy showing sign of recovery - this should help global economy to look up.

Our govt should also get back to path of reforms - the bloody coalition politics is killing the growth and UPA seems to be succumbing to pressure of minor parties. I thought that post the assembly elections, the govt would come up with some bold reforms - that has not happened till now.

This week's edition of The Economist has a good analysis of India's 'unfinished journey' and ' losing it's magic'.

For BRICS fans who wants to write-off US :)

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/why-rest-of-world-says-brics-is-far-from-delivering-191405?pfrom=home-otherstories

For US fans who wants to write-off BRICS :)

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238249/brics-banks-sign-trade-deal.html

To boost trade within the BRICS countries, the development banks of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on Thursday signed two agreements for providing credit facility in local currencies and for facilitating confirmation of multilateral Letter of Credit. :lol:

Shyam, the slow down in our growth is due to slowdown in global economy and also due to govt policy paralysis. Post Lehman bros fiasco and sub prime crisis, the world economy was reeling under recession but India was still growing at 7.5% -8% - that was due to the govt spending and stimulus measures. The euro zone under the so called Merkozy plan is forcing ailing euro members to cut down spending- which is impacting growth.

The current high inflation is cost push inflation due to high interest rates and also due to high energy and resources cost. I feel that once RBI loosens it's strings a bit and make cost of borrowing bit cheaper, it would lead to increase in consumption and be a fillip to growth.

There has been good news coming from the US with their economy showing sign of recovery - this should help global economy to look up.

Our govt should also get back to path of reforms - the bloody coalition politics is killing the growth and UPA seems to be succumbing to pressure of minor parties. I thought that post the assembly elections, the govt would come up with some bold reforms - that has not happened till now.

This week's edition of The Economist has a good analysis of India's 'unfinished journey' and ' losing it's magic'.

Sure! I agree. I dont see where we disagree here. Maybe the significance of policy paralysis. I think it is not that significant while I believe you think it is an important factor right?

But I dont think RBI should cut interest rate significantly. It will push the domestic money towards consumption rather than saving and investment.
I believe lower interest rate at this point will lead to malallocation of resources and asset bubbles in addition to stoking inflation.

CHENNAI: The US Consulate General here has recorded a 27 per cent increase in the number of 'L' visa applications in the first quarter of this year, a senior diplomat said today.


"So far in 2012, we have processed 6,044 L visas, a 27 per cent increase over the same period in 2011," Nicholas Manring, Chief of Consular Services at the United States Consulate General told reporters here.

In the corresponding period last year, it received over 4,700 applications.

The US Consulate General here is the only American mission in India that receives and processes L blanket visas since December 1 last year and is the mission to send the largest number of L visas (skilled workers) in the world to the United States, another official said.

"We have specific interview appointment slots for out of town Blanket L applicants late in the morning, so applicants can fly in and out on the day of the interview and do not need to spend a night in Chennai," he said.

Since last week, a pilot programme has been started here to waive the interview procedure for people renewing visas, primarily for tourist and short-term business travel visas, renewing within 48 months of expiration for B1/B2 visas, Manring said.

"This allows people to present their application and passport at the Consulate, have their photograph and fingerprints taken, but many will not have to then go on to be interviewed," he said.

src: http://expressbuzz.com/states/tamilnadu/chennai-us-consulate-sees-27-rise-in-l-visas/377211.html

Chennai had the highest consumer price inflation of 11.3 per cent for Jan 2012 compared to July 2011

During the same period, prices went down by 1 per cent in Kolkata while they rose by 1.7 per cent in Delhi, 2.3 per cent in Bengaluru and 2.6 per cent in Mumbai.

City-wise CPI Index

Metros

Delhi: 181

Hyderabad: 182

Kolkata: 184

Chennai: 187

Mumbai: 199

Bengaluru: 200

Costliest cities

Nagpur: 229

Jamshedpur: 221

Asansol: 217

Solapur: 212

Rourkela: 211

Bhopal: 211

SRC : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/hyderabad-easy-pocket-says-survey-999

but India was still growing at 7.5% -8% - that was due to the govt spending and stimulus measures.
Sir,
our growth rate was down in UPA-II. is it 6.9 this year?

For US fans who wants to write-off BRICS :)

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238249/brics-banks-sign-trade-deal.html

To boost trade within the BRICS countries, the development banks of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on Thursday signed two agreements for providing credit facility in local currencies and for facilitating confirmation of multilateral Letter of Credit. :lol:

NDTV has become a NATO block chamcha,,or is it paid nEWS?

Y'Day, they had a programme, " Regionalism or Globalisation? Title for a discussion on BRICS summit.

No not paid news.. the original article was from NYT. But I dont know how they equate BRICS to regionalism.

Will the creation of BRICS bank lead to the formation of a new currency system like Euro? If no new currency is formed, then which currency would be used for the trade between India and China?

http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/photo/12277053.cms
ROCHELLE MARIA RAO

Chennai Girl who won Miss India International and will represent India in Miss International 2012 pageant..

For US fans who wants to write-off BRICS :)

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238249/brics-banks-sign-trade-deal.html

To boost trade within the BRICS countries, the development banks of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on Thursday signed two agreements for providing credit facility in local currencies and for facilitating confirmation of multilateral Letter of Credit. :lol:

Does China accepts Indian rupees for sale of any of their Made in China products?

Stringent measures to curb building violations in city

Starting April 1, Chennai Corporation will follow new steps to ensure building plans are not violated. Every approved plan copy should have a record of the name of the divisional Assistant Engineer/Junior Engineer including the phone number. Instructions to the building owner or builder stressing the need to inform the AE/JE on completion of foundation would be incorporated in the approval copy.

According to a press release, for every approved plan or building permit advice issued after April 1, the owner would have to inform the divisional AE/JE at the ward office as soon as the foundation is completed. The failure to do so on the part of the building owner or builder will lead to temporary suspension of building plan permit, which would also be recorded on the approved plan.

An acknowledgement letter would be issued to the applicant by the AE/JE after the intimation from the building owner or builder is received. The AE/JE would inspect the site within 10 working days to ensure that the foundation is laid as per the dimensions of the approved plan. If the AE/JE fails to inspect the site within 10 working days, the house owner shall continue the work of construction, the release said.

If the dimension of the foundation is in violation to the building plan, stop work notice would immediately be issued and rectification would have to be carried out by the building owner or the builder. If the construction is in accordance with the approved plan, the AE/JE would fill up a form at the site itself and hand it over to the building owner/site in-charge, to indicate that the foundation is in line with the approved plan.

This procedure would in no way supersede the general instructions and rules for constructions and if there is any gross violation after the foundation stage, suitable action would be taken within the existing legal provisions, the release said.

The civic body has the responsibility of processing planning permission application for ordinary buildings, which have stilt plus two floors or ground floor plus first floor not exceeding six dwelling units in case of residential buildings and not more than 300 sq. m. in case of commercial buildings. The sanction is given by the zonal executive engineer in accordance with the delegation of powers issued by the member secretary of CMDA.

The new procedure is aimed at speeding the enforcement action against violations.

In many cases, notice for lock and seal is issued to the building owners only after the construction reaches the roof-level, leading to litigation. In order to prevent such situations, the civic body has decided to prevent such deviations in the beginning stage itself, the release said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3263594.ece

Laptops open new gateway for students

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01038/31TH_LAPTOPS_1038917f.jpg

For all those who kept wondering why the State Government spent so much money on providing students with laptops, Mayor Saidai Duraiswamy, while interacting with students, on recently, had an answer. It was to fulfil a vision that the Chief Minister had for the State. And he found an unusual way to prove his point.

Standing amid students at P.T. Lee Chengalvaraya Naicker Polytechnic College, he asked them questions on a variety of topics ranging from Kundankulam and the Mullaperiyar dam to problems faced by different countries and who Chengalvaraya Naicker was.

Those who gave answers, even if only partly correct, were rewarded with Rs.100 each. Some faculty members grinned and others uncomfortably tried to avoid his eye when once in a while, he turned towards them and enquired if they knew the answers. The laptops, his argument was, would be a gateway to the world of internet, which with a single click, would provide students a window to events across the globe. “Soon, all of you will have your own laptops in which you should read about the world,” he said.

But in reality, the students, who were given the laptops on Thursday, may have to wait much longer.

The college, like many government-aided ones, does not have a wi-fi connection and internet access is available only at the computer lab.

“It would have been very nice if we had internet connection because that way we can download useful software. We cannot afford the data cards that come for over Rs. 4,000,” said Karthikeyan, a student.

Students thrilled

The students were thrilled, nonetheless. Sporting wide smiles, they had come all prepared with medium-sized backpacks to carry their laptops.

“ Very few of us have personal computers at home. It is a delight to have electronic device of your own,” said a beaming M. Anand, the first of the 418 students to get the laptop. “I am glad my name starts with A,” said the son of a carpenter, who recently got a job in L&T with a salary of Rs.12,000 a month.

The laptops, which have engineering, polytechnic and class XII syllabus data, sport stickers of the Chief Minister, with her photo also pre-set as screen saver.

While movies, music and webcams ‘that lets you video-chat' seemed high on the agenda of students , S. Vicky saw an additional utility too: “We keep practising designs on old, obsolete versions of software because we do not have time to figure out how the new versions work in college. Now, we can improvise our designs at leisure.”

Polytechnic courses in the college are offered in seven branches and students spend about four hours a week in the computer lab learning designing software.

“Many of us use the PC at home only to practise designing before examinations. I have never worked on a laptop before but I like computers,” said Bhagya Lakshmi, another student.

Teachers say they have never seen this excitement in students before.

A. Srinivasan, senior lecturer, Electrical department said, “Design and graphics are now there in every field so finally, the students can explore on their own. Everybody is very happy, especially, at being able to own something that even we teachers don't have.”

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3263597.ece

A tribute to Triplicane (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chennai-central/469586/)

The mansions of Triplicane have housed generations of urban workers, students and professionals ? conveniently if not comfortably. T E Narasimhan peers into this densely packed and thriving world

Triplicane is a colourful neighbourhood of conservative Chennai. Over 1 lakh people live in an area that measures around 5 sq km, another 50,000 to 70,000 float in and out of here every day. The place is congested, like the old quarters of any city, and is therefore noisy and chaotic, but lively nevertheless. There is no space between houses here. The footpaths of Dr Besant Road, Triplicane High Road and Zam Bazaar have been fully encroached upon by eateries and fruit sellers. Cycles, rickshaws, two-wheelers and even buses vie with humans and cattle for space on the roads. Located very close to Marina Beach, Triplicane is home to the famous Parthasarathy temple (one of the 108 holy shrines of Vishnu), the Wallajah Mosque, the Amir Mahal (residence of the former prince of Arcot) and almost 300 mansions where live single men, students as well as professionals, from other parts of not just Tamil Nadu but also India. Search hard and you may also find some foreigners.

Contd.....

“It would have been very nice if we had internet connection because that way we can download useful software. We cannot afford the data cards that come for over Rs. 4,000,” said Karthikeyan, a student."
This is what we are talking about.. Just laptop is not enough..people will demand for internet connection too :lol::lol:
what about the battery replacement? if the 2nd year student, gets a laptop and if it broke by 3rd year, will he get a new one?
one of the useless "freebies"
Sad, that UP also going to do the same. Sad, that CG is plan to give tablets..no body talks about how these "Poor" Students will get internet connection to know the "world" by "Click"

What useful software that guy wants to download? Perhaps mediaplayer to do programming like Gap10.

As far as I'm concerned providing laptops to students is the best scheme , it will be more useful for UP than us b'cos of its poor digital divide.

In future all states will follow this model.

Yes, LT is better than other crap freebies. Just the exposure itself is a good thing.

If they provide Wi-Fi support in libraries it will serve dual purpose of students going to library and using the laptop.

Instead of giving each one a free laptop, more computers can be bought for college computer centres and it can be kept opened for longer hours. Hostels can be provided with computer lounge. Laptops can be lended for limited period like library books.

If you want the teachers to take some of those laptops to home, this will be a very good scheme.

Who'll decide who gets laptop and at what time. Don't you think all the other social factors will come into play and colleges will never lend.

This will become another library where no one goes (or) the lab where no one can use.

Well, lending may have limitations. If the student is interested in doing some project/learn new software it may require long time use than the limited time and same laptop may not be available to him/her.

Internet connection is required only to download the freely available software/reference material (even oracle provides free documentation/software installation which will require considerable time to master later on)

What useful software that guy wants to download? Perhaps mediaplayer to do programming like Gap10.

Murugadoss senja thappukellam gap10'a kora solureengalae :lol:

http://indiawest.com/news/3783-analysis-of-the-indian-american-community-from-census-2010-data.html

Good stats about Indian americans.

Will the creation of BRICS bank lead to the formation of a new currency system like Euro? If no new currency is formed, then which currency would be used for the trade between India and China?

They will extend lines of credit which will be settled after a fixed period. China will have a corpus of rupees and India will have a corpus of yuan. Chinese importers can get the rupee from their central bank and exporters can deposit their rupees to get yuan. Similarly Indian importers will get yuan from RBI to pay their Chinese counterparts and exporters can sell their yuan to get rupees.

This will reduce the need for dollar substantially.

Does China accepts Indian rupees for sale of any of their Made in China products?
Now the trade is conducted through dollars. The plan is to convert it to local currencies. Chinese traders will get yuan for their products from their Indian counterparts who will inturn get it from RBI.

Friends,
Please understand. I am from a teaching background.
1. there is no proper infra facilities in the Govt school/Govt aided school for the computers given. UPS kodukka mattanga. Computer Table kodukka mattanga.
2. No Training given to the teachers. All the teachers, supporting staff should be trained.
3. Govt School/Colleges libraries should be given a free internet connection. Then we can think about Wifi spots.
4. These laptops are supposed to be given to "poor" students and students can not offer "monthly" internet connection.
3. What they do with the laptops, when their school books are still in the form of hard copy. (soft copy is available as pdf. They need to download from website.again internet question comes)
5. Students should have some weekly computer classes about MS-office, useful softwares.
6. what about their normal edu course? still they need to have the habit of "writing" since exams required them to write 12-20 pages.
7. This laptop is useful to the teenage students now. They can see the "movie" CD, DV. not sure, whether the laptop provided with the CD/DVD drives, USB slots.

Top architects to participate in design contest

The State Government is all set to kickstart construction of the Integrated Knowledge Park announced in last year's State Budget in July this year, according to sources in the School Education Department. The School of Architecture and Planning (SAP), Anna University, is being engaged as consultant for the project.

The SAP will hold an international design contest to shortlist the top six designs, and later zero in on the best option, sources said. “The final design will be finalised by the Chief Minister and the foundation stone is likely to be laid in July,” said a senior official. Top architects from around the world are said to be taking part in the contest and the government will engage the architect emerging winner in the design contest being held.

The knowledge park, which will come up on the 16-acre campus of the Directorate of Public Instruction in Nungambakkam, will house the different directorates under the school education department. It was announced that the park would have state-of-the-art buildings, facilities such as conference halls, training centres, counselling centres and an EDUSAT centre with a studio.

The proposed facility was in news in November last year, when Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced that the Anna Centenary Library in Kotturpuram would be converted to accommodate a super speciality paediatric hospital. Then, she had indicated that the library would be shifted to the Integrated Knowledge Park on the DPI premises. However, the issue of converting the library into a hospital has gone to the Court and the matter continues to be sub-judice.

Source : http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3263595.ece

^^
DPI is one of the worst locations for Public access. College Road-Haddows Road Junction is one way and there will be non stop traffic.

Now the trade is conducted through dollars. The plan is to convert it to local currencies. Chinese traders will get yuan for their products from their Indian counterparts who will inturn get it from RBI.

Will Indian Rupees will also be used to buy stuff from China and Russia?
Please post when they accept it for significant products like huge electronics or defense items.

A tribute to Triplicane (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chennai-central/469586/)

The mansions of Triplicane have housed generations of urban workers, students and professionals ? conveniently if not comfortably. T E Narasimhan peers into this densely packed and thriving world

Have you guys read "CHEVAL PANNAI" novel written by Balakumaran ?

The best Tamil Novel I have read which explains the life style in these mansions.

An independent (Not Govt) group of teachers, NGOs and Coprate CSR Managers are in the process of analysing the positives and negatives of this Laptop Scheme and the practical problems associated with that like Battery change & Internet connection.

Without training the teachers and converting the syllabus into Computer assisted, these Laptops will remain as show pieces or for viewing movies (by adding CD drive).

Wi Fi at schools, libraries are a must. But the infra in schools lack even the basic ones like Lavotories & Drinking water.

Have you guys read "CHEVAL PANNAI" novel written by Balakumaran ?

The best Tamil Novel I have read which explains the life style in these mansions.

No, but i ve stayed in one of those mansions for 4 weeks just after my 12 exams.

No, but i ve stayed in one of those mansions for 4 weeks just after my 12 exams.

Recently even a movie was taken with the theme - Arai Yenn... il Kadavul, I think.

But for these mansions, middle class bachelors or married bachelors can not stay in Chennai within their means.

Even Coimbatore has these esp near Power House & Gandhipuram / Tatabad areas. Lots of messes too. Aachi Mess, London Mess etc.

Nice Experience.

They will extend lines of credit which will be settled after a fixed period. China will have a corpus of rupees and India will have a corpus of yuan. Chinese importers can get the rupee from their central bank and exporters can deposit their rupees to get yuan. Similarly Indian importers will get yuan from RBI to pay their Chinese counterparts and exporters can sell their yuan to get rupees.

This will reduce the need for dollar substantially.


Now the trade is conducted through dollars. The plan is to convert it to local currencies. Chinese traders will get yuan for their products from their Indian counterparts who will inturn get it from RBI.

Thanks for the explanation Shyam.

Recently even a movie was taken with the theme - Arai Yenn... il Kadavul, I think.

But for these mansions, middle class bachelors or married bachelors can not stay in Chennai within their means.

Even Coimbatore has these esp near Power House & Gandhipuram / Tatabad areas. Lots of messes too. Aachi Mess, London Mess etc.

Nice Experience.

That movie was copy (read adaptation) of Bruce Almighty...

An independent (Not Govt) group of teachers, NGOs and Coprate CSR Managers are in the process of analysing the positives and negatives of this Laptop Scheme and the practical problems associated with that like Battery change & Internet connection.

Without training the teachers and converting the syllabus into Computer assisted, these Laptops will remain as show pieces or for viewing movies (by adding CD drive).

Wi Fi at schools, libraries are a must. But the infra in schools lack even the basic ones like Lavotories & Drinking water.

TN govt. gave TV's, Mixie, Grinder etc without power, did anyone (NGO) make any of these studies.

Training teachers at this age will be impossible, we are creating an unnecessary barrier for poor kids get into the knowledge economy.

If we think per capita will multiply 6 times by magic in a decade with old methods of education, we'll be in for a rude shock.

IT industry came inspite of Govt, same way IT education in TN(poor kids) will come inspite of schools.

P.S. I have seen how some teachers demand favors(which i cannot even type) just for internals, imagine if they have control over laptops.

That movie was copy (read adaptation) of Bruce Almighty...

Ada ponga vayitherichala kottittu. Jennifer aniston illei :(

BTW not a direct copy.

Scottish Development International plans office in south (http://www.thehindu.com/business/article3266400.ece)

Scottish Development International (SDI), which is engaged in promoting investments into Scotland and helping domestic companies explore new export markets, is planning to open an office in south India shortly.

“It is important to have a presence in the south,” Country Manager (India) of SDI Mark Dolan said, adding the new office would be located either in Chennai or Bangalore. Behind the decision of SDI that now has an office each in Delhi and Mumbai is the growing interest of Scottish companies for forging alliances and agreements in India. They are looking for collaborations in various areas, especially oil and natural gas, life sciences, healthcare, ICT and renewable energy.

The desire for enhanced engagement with India is evident from the increase in the number of such Scottish companies, from 34 two years ago to 84 now, Mr. Dolan said. “We are pushing, India is pulling and we expect a 20 per cent increase next year [in the number of companies], he said. Scottish Development International is a joint venture between the Scottish government and its economic development agencies, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

SDI was devoting more resources on India as it was a key market, he said, adding that he and his team were in discussion with over 100 companies in Hyderabad and Bangalore and about 60 in Chennai. Of particular interest, in the context of emphasis on energy security, would be expertise of Scottish companies in oil and gas. Aberdeen, Scotland's third most populous city, is known for its strengths in deep sea exploration and SDI wants to bring the high-end engineering works to India.

Scotland is a leader in wind, wave and tidal energy. SDI is bullish about the prospects of business for Scottish firms in India, especially in the area of offshore wind energy. The Scotland government is already working with C-WET (Centre for Wind Energy Technology) under which the available wind data is being assessed and the need for additional assessment is being evaluated to harness.

Smart grid technology was another area where Scotland has considerable expertise, Mr. Dolan said, adding that the number of Scottish companies that could offer technology in various fields was significant.

“Fifty per cent of the start-ups in the U.K. are in Scotland,” he pointed out. Glasgow, he added, was an attractive destination for international companies as the cost of operation was less and the incentives available were good. “Indian companies are also waking up to the advantages of Scotland — the less cost of operation, pool of talent, infrastructure,” he added. At present there are 11 Indian companies in Scotland and they employ 6,000 people.

In India, there are 23 Scottish companies of which 13 are in the field of oil and gas.

Will Indian Rupees will also be used to buy stuff from China and Russia?
Please post when they accept it for significant products like huge electronics or defense items.

I dont think India will buy defense equipment from China ever. Regarding Russia,`we did have a line of credit during the soviet times which was dismantled after the break up of USSR. This will be just a revival of that old practice.

I dont think India will buy defense equipment from China ever. Regarding Russia,`we did have a line of credit during the soviet times which was dismantled after the break up of USSR. This will be just a revival of that old practice.

Will Indian Rupees will also be used to buy stuff from China and Russia?
Please post when they accept it for significant products like huge electronics or defense items.
I thought the order itself would have been clear to even news skimmers.
To be explicit, Electronics items from China and defense items from Russia, the question being please report any rupee deals as and when items before we open the corks for BRICS bank.

It would have been much better if you had used a common English word called "respectively". Atleast you could have used the same conjunctions. "and" in one sentence and "or" in another sentence tends to confuse people with a sense of grammar. It looks like "either electronics or defense items from China and Russia".

To start with, India has started paying Iran with rupees. The trading with local currencies with the BRICS will take some time to work out the specifics.

Establishing parity between these currencies will be a big task + if the BRICS countries do not link the parity between their currencies with that of USD, then there could be chances of arbitrage!

That would be taken care by the forex traders.

The central banks of these countries have to play a pivotal role. And china should not artificially peg its currency as it does now.

Chinese currency is not outrageously undervalued as it used to be. The current account surplus is now trending down and with the commodity prices going higher may very well turn into a deficit.

"China's current-account surplus for 2011 shrank to around 2.7% of gross domestic product according to government data released Friday, the lowest ratio in close to a decade. It is also below the 4% level which the U.S. Treasury has suggested is a sign of an undervalued currency.

One way to measure whether a currency is undervalued is to see whether a country racks up extraordinarily high trade surpluses. In 2007, for instance, China's current-account surplus hit 10.1% of GDP. Since then, with major trade partners battered by recession and China's own domestic demand strong, it has fallen every year.

..

Part of the reason is that the yuan looks less glaringly undervalued. It has risen 31% against the dollar since June 2005, close to the 40% appreciation often demanded by U.S. lawmakers. Since June 2010, when China said it would let the yuan move more freely, it has gained 8%, and factoring in inflation the rise is higher. Administration officials generally feel they have pushed China to move about as fast as it is willing to go."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203646004577214143341727700.html

I think China witnessed a deficit in the last released numbers.

That's a good news. This should become make India's exports competitive. And Mitt Romney has been making (right) noises about declaring China a 'currency manipulator' if he is elected.

I feel that things are just ripe for India to announce a fresh set of reforms. The govt has put unnecessary brakes when the economy is raring to go. UPA has nothing to lose now - should just roll out reforms.

Murlee: Oh yes. Thanks for pointing it out.

Here is the report: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303717304577274922208015862.html

But that may be due to the Chinese new year.

The weeklong Lunar New Year holiday in January disrupted China's usual export and import flow for the first two months of the year. But even when combining January and February, the trade deficit came to $4.25 billion, compared with a deficit of $890 million in the first two months of last year.

This is a time when the country's production falls down and consumption increases as the migrant workers go back to their native in droves.

But it shows that the currency is not that undervalued.

Shyam, Murlee - new year was just one of the reasons for slow down. But Chinese economy has indeed slowed down a bit.

It is expected to slow down a lot more. Michael Pettis' blog is an excellent place to understand the intricacies of Chinese economy.
http://www.mpettis.com/

But does China's slowing down mean Advantage India?? I don't think so Sridhar.

India has a long way to go in building up its infra to make advantage of it.

Continuing with the BRICS discussion, I was wondering how would a trade surplus country (among the BRICS) deal with the excess cross currency? Will it be able to trade it for some rights or exchange with USD? For eg, if china ends up with surplus rupees because of a favorable trade balance with India, how would China use the rupees? It should have an option to use it for it's imports with other BRICS countries and the net surplus of of any currency it ends up with should be exchanged with BRICS bank or exchange it for some rights or even for USD/EURO.

Yes, those modalities have to be worked out. The simplest solution will be to exchange it for $/Euro/Yen. The other option is to plough back the rupees to buy RBI bonds. There are lot of other out of the box solutions available.

[QUOTE="murlee"]But does China's slowing down mean Advantage India?? I don't think so Sridhar.

India has a long way to go in building up its infra to make advantage of it.[/

I said if the Chinese currency is not artificially pegged down, it will be advantage India coz our exports will become competitive. And fall in exports Is one of the reasons for Chinese slowdown.

India has tremendous scope for internal consumption and hence, can still grow at a steady pace even if global economy is flat.

I said if the Chinese currency is not artificially pegged down, it will be advantage India coz our exports will become competitive. And fall in exports Is one of the reasons for Chinese slowdown.

India has tremendous scope for internal consumption and hence, can still grow at a steady pace even if global economy is flat.

That is true. And it is already happening with growth of consumption in rural areas.

Bharat consumes more goods and services than India (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/article3266564.ece?homepage=true)

Yes, those modalities have to be worked out. The simplest solution will be to exchange it for $/Euro/Yen. The other option is to plough back the rupees to buy RBI bonds. There are lot of other out of the box solutions available.

Wow...what a thought...so someone will fund our deficit...cheap funding....

These economics discussions are dragging .... time to move to other topics

These economics discussions are dragging .... time to move to other topics

This is a free for all thread. If you have a problem, please feel free to not open the thread.

These economics discussions are dragging .... time to move to other topics

If u have any other interesting topic or news , bring it on. Sure, many will reply to those posts too if its worth discussing!

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is in Chennai to perform at the opening of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season five, said that the city almost became his second home at a time when he shot a number of films there.

"In Chennai for IPL opening event... Chennai was almost second home. Did so many films here - gracious, disciplined, humble people," he tweeted.

The 69-year-old actor also found it a place greatly changed from the times he was a frequent visitor.

"So much has changed since the 70's... development, infrastructure... film making was a joy... great management, superior technology and endless talent of some greats in all fields... the studios, Gemini, AVM, Nagi Reddy, neat clean organized," he added.

Mr Bachchan will be taking the pledge on behalf of all the captains at the IPL opening ceremony and will read out a special poem on cricket, penned by Prasoon Joshi. A number of Bollywood stars as well as American pop singer Katy Perry is slated to perform at the event on April 4.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/tamil-nadu/chennai-was-almost-second-home-reminisces-amitabh-bachchan-192537?pfrom=home-simplysouth&cp

It is expected to slow down a lot more. Michael Pettis' blog is an excellent place to understand the intricacies of Chinese economy.
http://www.mpettis.com/

For now

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/NC31Cb01.html

I'm suspicious about chinkku bhai.
-------------------------------------------------

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/NC21Df03.html

"The effectiveness of the bank is yet to be seen; this plan is not going to be cakewalk. China has already said it wants permanent presidency. Russia and India may demand the same. We know that Africa is a lucrative market for China in terms of natural resources and as a market for industrial products.

"Africa being such a strategic region, China may want the bank to finance many of its projects in the African region, or simply cooperate with the African Development Bank."

No one is expecting this to be a cakewalk. As a matter of fact, it took a world war to establish the current multilateral framework. Every country will bargain and bargain hard.

We too should maintain a sufficient distance and look after our own interests. We all know how much damage a bear hug in diplomacy (read Indo-Soviet ties) can cause.

Apart from economic and trade co operation, this platform can be used to further common interests like climate change negotiations, Iran and Syria.

When we have a common objective, this grouping can be used but otherwise, it is better to just stay conservative and not get carried away.

BRICS will be evolved more out of economic compulsions, faced by each rather than a common idealogy.

Right now, the US $ as a common currency and US Bullying against Iran which helps BRICS to cement together.

India has a great opportunity to play a global role, provided it has the leadership and guts to stand tall even against China in Africa & South America.

This is a free for all thread. If you have a problem, please feel free to not open the thread.

Free for all thread for Chennai-related topics, I thought? Why not move the discussion to the Chennai Economy Thread? In any case, little of the discussion seems to be specific to Chennai, so I can understand people might think it boring.

Bit rich of you to say, 'feel free not to open the thread', but I'd like to read about Chennai, not some economic discussion. Please please feel free to move it elsewhere.

Do you know who started these discussions? Its the moderator with this (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=89628828&postcount=13409) post. Btw Chennai economy thread is about Chennai economy. This is like arattai arangam for Chennai. So I request you to please stop these useless advices without knowing the reality if you may, sir!

back to coovam basin city from a beautiful thai island. :bash:

how cruel we are to our water bodies. Ko Lanta, phi phi, ko samui are like paradise on earth. no wonder many whites and european women in bikinis :p

how cruel we are to our water bodies. Ko Lanta, phi phi, ko samui are like paradise on earth. no wonder many whites and european women in bikinis :p
Ungaloda koovam/kavalai is for coovum or not having the opportunity to see "those" people in bikinis in chennai?
:lol::lol:

Ungaloda koovam/kavalai is for coovum or not having the opportunity to see "those" people in bikinis in chennai?
:lol::lol:

the later. like ndigavel sir in rathakaneer i like to admire "kalai"

the later. like ndigavel sir in rathakaneer i like to admire "kalai"

appo.. kalai nnu peru vecha ponna kannalam kattikkunga... illa pondatti yerkanave irundha pera kalainnu mathidunga..

Large Apartment/Township Builders/owners will be in soup, if they have facilities like Gym,Swimming Pool,Indoor Stadiums,Projection rooms etc.

It is proposed to charge Rs 7.00 per unit for such consumption. Domestic tariff only for flat,lift ,common lighting and Pump

appo.. kalai nnu peru vecha ponna kannalam kattikkunga... illa pondatti yerkanave irundha pera kalainnu mathidunga..

mokka joke sir idhu. room pottu yosicheengala :lol:

mokka joke sir idhu. room pottu yosicheengala :lol:

koovathla bikini pakkaradha vidava ...:lol:

koovathla bikini pakkaradha vidava ...:lol:

koovam azhaga irundha possible sir. aana namma than nasty pannitome :ohno:

Illegal buildings: Govt gets 3 weeks to firm up stand (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Illegal-buildings-Govt-gets-3-weeks-to-firm-up-stand/articleshow/12513600.cms)

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has given the Tamil Nadu government three weeks' time to announce its policy and decision on the Justice S Mohan Committee recommendations on regularisation of unauthorized buildings in the state.

More than 20 buildings in T Nagar, which were sealed on October 31, 2011 and then allowed to open as per the Supreme Court order, will remain open till the matter is taken up again for hearing on June 4.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam passed the order when the batch of petitions relating to the unauthorized buildings in Chennai, more particularly those in T Nagar, came up for further hearing on Monday.

Contd....

Tax collection dips 5% despite city expansion (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Tax-collection-dips-5-despite-city-expansion/articleshow/12513507.cms)

CHENNAI: Chennai has grown by more than two-andhalf times since its boundaries were redrawn last September to include surrounding municipalities andtowns , but property tax collected by the corporation this year has dropped nearly 5% from the previous fiscal.

Civic body officials admitted that technical problems during the corporation's shift to an e-governance system and a staff crunch led to the poor collection this year . The civic body had taken in 358 crore against a targeted 558 crore from 15 zones as on March 31 , the last day for payment of property tax for 2011-2012 . This is 18 crore less than the previous year's collection of 376 crore . The target last year was 479 crore.

The corporation has been caught unprepared on several fronts since September 2011, when its council ratified a government order to bring 42 local bodies in neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts under the Greater Chennai Corporation , expanding the city limitsfrom 174sq km to426sq km.

While some officials said many people probably forgot to pay the tax or were unaware of the payment process , the situation at most of the tax collection centres showed up the explanation as misleading . An accountant with a private firm and a resident of Kodambakkam , R Gopalakrishnan , was waiting outside the cabin of a revenue official , desperately trying to explain his situation to official's personal assistant . "Only my parents stay in this house. Here are documents showing tax payments till 2009. I am willing to pay the dues for two years with the tax for this year . The zonal office sent me here to get it updated ," he said . The revenue officer scribbled something on the documents and said , "Go show this to the zonal office , they will update it now."

Gopalakrishnan said the procedural hoops that one has to go through for what should be a simple settlement of dues are characteristic of the way the civic body functions.

"I hope that this trip to the zonal office will be the last . I have already taken three days of leave just to pay the tax , but I've only been running around with a cheque ," he said . Gopalakrishnan's story is similar to those of many taxpayers at the zonal revenue offices and Ripon Buildings . Officials said there were many technical problems while entering data to take the system online even though the process was outsourced . "Our servers could not take the load , especially with the amount of data after thecity expanded ," a corporation official said .

"We have given powers to zonal officers to update the information online so people do not have to go to our offices unless it involves a disputed case ," he said . Civic body officials have this year allowed payments to be made at erstwhile municipality offices to make the process easier for people living in extended areas . The tax rates also remained unchanged.

koovam azhaga irundha possible sir. aana namma than nasty pannitome :ohno:

appada, economics class bell adichitanga...period over...

Fading strokes of a bygone era..

A chanced glance at a hoarding while restlessly waiting for the signal to turn green, and you would have seen a pandemonium of colours in that split moment. Perched atop would have been tiny men with their larger than life brush strokes. For many, their art perhaps just added to the visual cacophony that were hoardings, but for the artists, it was art for art's sake..

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article3275166.ece

VG,

IG ayitteengala ?

Phuket, Pattaya nnu Pattaya keluppureenga...

Hmm..Hmm.. Chennai la Bikini kekkudhu ippo. :lol:

2023 la Cooum Nadhi karaiyila International Chess Tournament nadathi, IPL Cheerleaders / Models madhiri hire panni, bikinila ingeyum angeyum nadakka vidarom.

Neeenga GM ahi kattunga.

Challenge?

VG,

IG ayitteengala ?

Phuket, Pattaya nnu Pattaya keluppureenga...

Hmm..Hmm.. Chennai la Bikini kekkudhu ippo. :lol:

2023 la Cooum Nadhi karaiyila International Chess Tournament nadathi, IPL Cheerleaders / Models madhiri hire panni, bikinila ingeyum angeyum nadakka vidarom.

Neeenga GM ahi kattunga.

Challenge?

:nuts::lol::cheers:

tiruvallur side la coovum is still okay. so i fink u could try that :)

‘Model’ city?

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fashion/article3280551.ece

Hello all,

I have been following the forum for a long time now. I thought I'd say hi to everyone keeping enthusiasts like me hooked to this forum. I saw this article on nuclear engineering in this edition of IEEE spectrum. Thought of sharing it. Just wanted to know if there is any nuclear engineering courses offered in India?

Karthik.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/tech-careers/should-you-still-choose-nuclear-engineering-as-a-career

Should You Still Choose Nuclear Engineering as a Career?


The chairs of 47 nuclear engineering departments in North America regularly discuss concerns about their academic programs. After the Fukushima Dai-ichi incident unfolded, one question was on everyone’s mind: Would nuclear engineering take a hit? E-mails were quickly exchanged among the group members, and the clear answer was no. Students were not dropping the major, and engineering freshmen were still just as interested in it.

“We’re now accepting applications for 2012, and they are on track to be equivalent to last year’s numbers,” says Kathryn Higley, head of the nuclear engineering and radiation health physics department at Oregon State University, in Corvallis.

It has been only a year since Fukushima, but the continuing student interest is an indication that the discipline is holding its ground. The industry, bolstered by the need for carbon-free energy, is on its way up, and nuclear engineering remains a solid career path, says Arthur Motta, chair of Pennsylvania State University’s nuclear engineering program. “Even if the United States doesn’t build any new plants right now, 20 percent of our power is from nuclear, and that’s not going away anytime soon,” Motta says.

And not just in the United States. Germany and Italy have backpedaled, but many other countries are forging ahead with nuclear power. And with the Fukushima incident highlighting the need for improved reactors and better safety measures, the demand for nuclear engineers will only increase.

The contrast with the 1980s is striking. After Chernobyl, the nuclear industry buckled, and academic programs in nuclear science and engineering languished around the world. U.S. enrollments plummeted, bottoming out in 2000. But over time, the industry’s reputation has healed. Concerned about both nuclear security and a diminishing workforce, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy have been supporting nuclear engineering programs through scholarships and internships.

The result is skyrocketing enrollments. In the freshman class of 2000 at North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, there were 37 nuclear engineering majors; this year there are 209. Other schools show similar trends.

This past December, the NRC approved Westinghouse Electric Co.’s new AP1000 nuclear reactor design, clearing the path for two utilities to build new plants. This has boosted confidence among academics and the industry, says Yousry Azmy, head of the nuclear engineering department at NCSU.

Nuclear engineering graduates work mostly for utility companies and for vendors such as Westinghouse, GE, and Areva. Some go to national laboratories, regulatory agencies, or into nuclear medicine. But nuclear engineers gain systems and engineering skills, along with a solid background that they can apply to other realms. “Even if the market shifts, students will have a versatile tool kit and abilities that will allow them to move around,” Higley says. During the nuclear power lull in the early 2000s, many graduates went to computer chip and software companies, she points out.

Besides, Azmy says, “The future of nuclear engineering education in the United States isn’t entirely held hostage to the utilities in this country.” China is building 27 new reactors and expects to have another 120 operating within the next two decades. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam are actively building new nuclear power programs. “Many jobs will materialize in the United States and Europe,” says Azmy.

Recognizing the need for a talented nuclear workforce, countries such as China, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates are building their own academic programs in nuclear engineering. Many U.S. universities are making concerted efforts to build connections with these countries through student exchanges and international design projects. This gives students the chance to work with people from different cultures, Higley points out. “The companies they will work for have an international footprint and will want their employees to work with people in other countries that are using their technology.”

learn it but dont get caught by terrorists

“I am very much an accidental dean,” says Srilata Zaheer when asked if her appointment as Dean at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management was part of a long-held aspiration. “Absolutely not, I loved my life as a faculty member,” she clarifies.

Ms. Zaheer, who grew up in Chennai, is the first Indian to head the business school situated in Minneapolis, U.S.A. Sri, as she is known to friends and colleagues, is the 12th dean in the more than 90-year-old history of the Carlson School.

Brought up in the city, Ms Zaheer studied at Stella Maris College and Women's Christian College (WCC). “I was born in Durgapur, West Bengal, but since my family is from Tamil Nadu, I grew up here,” she says. “I have fond memories of living with my grandparents and cousins in a house in T. Nagar, a stone's throw away from Vani Mahal, and going to school in Church Park convent. I am still in touch with the friends I went to school with in the city.”

She recollects accompanying her grandfather to concerts at the Music Academy, as a child. Her mother Sita Govindaswamy sang on All India Radio. Ms. Zaheer also went to school in Durgapur but returned to Chennai to complete high school at the Good Shepherd Convent, followed by pre-university at Stella Maris and a Bachelors in Physics at WCC.

“My time in Chennai was a lot of fun; acting in plays at WCC, participating in inter-collegiate competitions, and taking French classes at Alliance Francaise,” she says. She went on to study at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and was one of eight women in a class of 120. After completing her studies, Ms. Zaheer worked with several top companies in the country before moving to Nigeria.

“Nigeria is where I got into university teaching for the first time and realized I had found my calling,” she says. Later, when Ms. Zaheer and her husband Aks graduated from Sloan School at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Carlson School convinced both of them to join as faculty.

“We came to Carlson School knowing little about the institute or Minneapolis. The intellectual vibrancy and learning culture at the school has kept us hooked. I relish the challenges as a dean,” she signs off.

src: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3284908.ece

‘Model’ city?

http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fashion/article3280551.ece

How many times they will write the same thing again and again in different ways ? ...wasting pages.

learn it but dont get caught by terrorists

wow! ithu maathiri oru career advice ithu varaikkum naan ketathe kedayaathu.

Appo matha subject padikravanga ellam terrorist kitta maatikalaama? j/k

wow! ithu maathiri oru career advice ithu varaikkum naan ketathe kedayaathu.

Appo matha subject padikravanga ellam terrorist kitta maatikalaama? j/k

pazhamozhi sonna rasikanum. aaraika koodadhu!

The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) at Koyambedu, considered to be the largest in Asia, is all set to get an integrated multi-storeyed parking facility with two basements and above-ground floors that will house omnibuses, and idle parking for buses of various state transport corporations (STC).

The project has been mooted in the wake of the existing parking facility being saturated and the problems posed by long distance buses idly parked for long hours.

The new parking lot will come up at a four-acre vacant site situated opposite the existing omnibus terminus for private buses.

The top floor of the basement will be allotted for parking of four wheelers with a maximum capacity of 400 vehicles, while the floor underneath will house a two-wheeler parking facility that would accommodate 1,000 two-wheelers.

The omnibus terminus near the vegetable market, which is in a bad shape and lacks basic amenities including toilets and rest rooms, will be shifted to the ground floor of the new parking lot, where all amenities for passengers and drivers will be provided.

The first floor will serve as idle parking for STC buses and would mitigate the serious issue of congestion faced by CMBT due to haphazard parking of long-distance buses preventing free flow of other buses that enter and leave the CMBT.

Officials in Urban Development department say that the project could be termed as a treble whammy for the choking Koyambedu terminus as it would solve three issues at one go.

Though the existing parking lot is just 15 months old, the facility had started facing space crunch a few months after inception. It could accommodate 2,000 vehicles.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/cmbt-get-multi-storey-parking-lot-986
------------------

Can anyone mark this proposed location in google maps and post here? Thanks..

CMBT:multi storey bus parking lot
evanugalukku ippo than inthe idea thonirukka?

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/kochi/where-lies-axis-fraud-965

thinisu thinisa thirudaraanga. Be careful guys!

Why cities need the will to change

Chetan Bhagat, the popular author, recently remarked, “When a city lobbies, it can be powerful. It gets 10 times more attention than a demonstration elsewhere. But pick a right cause.”.

There are few issues that draw the attention of a whole country or State. “But talk about a city, it will evoke a lot of reaction, on a lot of issues, from a lot of people. What is around us will affect us,” points out Mr Bhagat, a former investment banker who has worked on real estate and infrastructure sectors.

In Indian cities “we deserve better,” he said, People have to put pressure repeatedly on the administration and politicians for better roads and infrastructure, he said, addressing a meeting on sustainable cities.

HONG KONG

The author, who for many years lived in Hong Kong, compared that city with some of the Indian cities. “What do we need to do? What are the features in a city that draws people to it?” he asked at the event organised by the Inno Group, a real estate investment multinational, to mark the launch of Inno BYC, an online forum for citizens to interact. Wealth creation, infrastructure, efficiency, culture and environment are among the prime features for a city, he said.

Hong Kong may not have a history dating centuries like London or New York. Five decades ago it was a fishing village, which is today a global financial centre. It is counted among the top cities globally, and most importantly, it is a city that is comfortable to live in, he said. Cities have traditionally been centres of economic growth. Look at where the money is coming from and build on it, create first-class facilities, is his advice. Hong Kong focused on its natural harbour and used the human resource skills from China.

Indian cities should emulate that concept. Assess the city's strength, be it information technology for Bangalore or some industries for Chennai. Build around that. Be it harbours or silk clothing, they need to be the best globally, Mr Bhagat said.

EFFICIENCY

Inadequate infrastructure can “irritate people on a daily basis.” Even a little improvement in basic needs, better water supply or public transportation makes people happy. A city has to be efficient, help to get work done fast or “people move out,” he said.

Take the paperwork here. How many times are people asked for address proof, and then that is followed up with personal verification which often doesn't work? Hong Kong continuously improves its systems. The moment something is irrelevant, there is a system of feedback and the systems change. So, every day there is some improvement.

Hong Kong used to be a corrupt place. But an Independent Council Against Corruption was set up, much like the Lokpal that is envisaged here. Preventing corruption isn't just to do with moral and ethical issues, which are doubtless important, but also a question of efficiency. Corruption fosters inefficiency.

“Any place that is corrupt won't excel. The best won't rise but the worst.”

How is it that after every rain the roads are washed away in Indian cities? Hong Kong has heavier rains but the roads aren't affected. They use appropriate technology.

SPACE FOR PEOPLE

If there is one area that Chennai can score more than Hong Kong it is culture :lol:, Mr Bhagat said. But Hong Kong is richer and attracts talent by providing space for it — literally. That is something Chennai needs — an ultra-modern space, a location for the public to gather and people to perform. The venues here don't match the available talent. “Without culture, what is a city?” he asked.

The environment, too, is a key factor. Every major city such as London or New York has a big park. “Try meddling with that space and see how the citizens react,” he asked. Nearly half the area of Hong Kong is given to greenery and flowing streams. Indian cities had parks in the olden days. Gurgaon is supposed to be swanky, but where are the public spaces and parks? It is so difficult to plan activities for children on weekends.

“Our city matters. This is our life. How we live depends on how our city lives. Give it the time. Give it whatever it takes,” was the message for the gathering.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/investment-world/article3291081.ece?ref=wl_life

Novel land pool scheme on cards

In a bid to adequately compensate the land owners and acquire land smoothly for various projects, the State government is planning a land pooling scheme, where the owners could be stakeholders.

Sources at the Directorate of Town and Country Planning told Express that the concept, which was based on the ‘Ahmedabad Model’ and had even been mentioned in the Justice Mohan Committee report, would come into being once the government amended the Town and Country Planning Act.

The committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice S Mohan had suggested suitable amendments to the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act in July 2010. As per this scheme, land owners would submit their land to planning authorities, who would prepare a detailed development plan. Once the area is developed with roads and other amenities, the pooled land would go in for bidding to rope in investment for the development. Once the development work is over, the remaining land would be given back to the owner, which would be proportionate to the extent of land pooled. “The owners are likely to get back 55 per cent of the proportionate area of land pooled by them. The resulting plot will have enhanced value than it had previously,” a source said.

Under this scheme, neither the government pays for the acquired land nor do land owners lose their land, whose value would have increased. However, when asked on what would happen to those land owners on whose land the structures have been built, DTCP sources said that they would be compensated with additional FSI and transferable development rights.

The scheme would be implemented only if 60 per cent of land area owners agreed to pool their lands.� The time factor also played an important role as the development project has to be completed within 18 months once the plan is prepared. Interestingly, sources said the new scheme was better than the old one where land owner stood to lose as he had to gift his land for projects in exchange for a minimal� amount.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/novel-land-pool-scheme-on-cards/246464-60-120.html

Corporation seeks additional powers


Chennai Corporation has urged Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to delegate powers to it so that it can issue Development Rights Certificate under Transferable Development Rights (TDR).

Sources told Express that Chennai Corporation has passed a resolution seeking powers to issue the certificate and transfer acquired land to Chennai Corporation. As per the TDR, the government would reimburse a person whose land is acquired for a government project with a development rights certificate, which will give him the right to shift the development rights of that land to any other property within the CMDA limits. Both the owners of the land as well as the government gains through the scheme.

However, CMDA sources said that the delegation of powers to issue development rights certificate to Corporation is not feasible as it will result in lack of accountability as multiple entities will be providing the certificate.

Citing example of Mumbai slum land irregularities, the sources said it happened as Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority gave the powers to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharahstra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), resulting in lack of proper records.

Sources said development rights certificate is for multiple utilization as such only a single entity should have the power to issue it.“It should be handled by one office so that it could be controlled. Currently, all the entries are computerised and one doesn’t know whether the Corporation will be following such procedure,” sources said.

Interestingly, plans are on to make the development rights certificate a fool-proof one by implementing new technology, sources added.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/corporation-seeks-additional-powers/246473-60-120.html

As per the TDR, the government would reimburse a person whose land is acquired for a government project with a development rights certificate, which will give him the right to shift the development rights of that land to any other property within the CMDA limits.

I don't get this exactly.. The person giving land is given a Development Rights certificate by the govt. OK.

How does it work after that? He can use that certificate to own a property elsewhere with CMDA limits, is it?

Say, if his property is acquired in Adyar, he can use the certificate and own a similar property in Velachery??

Why not simply copy paste Gujarat's land acquisition and other industrial policy?

Even then I suspect many industries would still choose Guj over TN due to our poor execution.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/kochi/where-lies-axis-fraud-965

thinisu thinisa thirudaraanga. Be careful guys!
etho hollywood padam patha mathiri iruku!!

Why not simply copy paste Gujarat's land acquisition and other industrial policy?.

just like how the name G is allergic to a few in this forum, it perhaps is allergic to administrators too :)

To do what you said first we need acceptance that others are doing better than us. When one is in denial mode dreaming "all is well" with us where is the question of improvement?



Even then I suspect many industries would still choose Guj over TN due to our poor execution.

What? Is Mahatma Gandhi dead? Appears like he really (http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0130.html) died

etho hollywood padam patha mathiri iruku!!

:) Yes, we should maintain a max of one or two bank accounts, track the transactions daily, do not believe in sms notifications... there are crooks everywhere, consumers are losers everywhere and there's nowhere we can go after we loose our hard earned money. Law in India works full time only for the politicians.

Dear SSCians, tis issue is just a tip of the iceberg. Toshiba is a big ticket investment and there is lot of focus due to repeated investor delegation meeting with amma. Iduke inda nelamaiyna just imagine about other medium and small investors. SMEs kadi arogadidan. Looking at both dmk n admk rule, all I could say is that TN success is purely attributable to people and strong fundamentals. If it is not dmk, admk the growth could have been much faster. Aduvum madam aniyatukku vettipechu mattumdan. Pora kuraiku maribadiyum friend kuda senthutanga. Arogadidan.
DMK, ADMKla irrukravanga enna Pandorala iruntha vanthanga? Avanga rendu peerum illana yarruku voteu? Moonu maasathuku orutharam CM mathura Theesiya Katchika? Nizhalaoda arumai veyilla than theriyum...

DMK, ADMKla irrukravanga enna Pandorala iruntha vanthanga? Avanga rendu peerum illana yarruku voteu? Moonu maasathuku orutharam CM mathura Theesiya Katchika? Nizhalaoda arumai veyilla than theriyum...
inge arguement-a avanga 2 perum onnum pannale.athu than.. 5 varusham rule pannina pothuma? enna pannirukkanga?
TN is reaping some benefits of MGR period's planning+very good human resources.
Tell me some "game changer" benefits to TN after 91?

inge arguement-a avanga 2 perum onnum pannale.athu than.. 5 varusham rule pannina pothuma? enna pannirukkanga?
TN is reaping some benefits of MGR period's planning+very good human resources.
Tell me some "game changer" benefits to TN after 91?


Without politicizing, Dayanidhi Maran brought so many IT/ITES/Telecom companies to chennai, TR Balu did quite a bit for roads and bridges and of course, JJ brought Hyundai and Ford which transformed Chennai into 'Detroit of Asia'.

Both dmk and admk have been pro-industry, thats a big plus point for TN's growth.

inge arguement-a avanga 2 perum onnum pannale.athu than.. 5 varusham rule pannina pothuma? enna pannirukkanga?
TN is reaping some benefits of MGR period's planning+very good human resources.
Tell me some "game changer" benefits to TN after 91?

^^
Huh??? what planning happened in MGR period?:ohno:

No more World Bank funding for slum resettlement project on Marina

The proposed redevelopment of slum tenements on the Marina beach will not be funded by the World Bank anymore.This follows the expiry of the deadline of December 2011 for the completion of the project.

The project could not be completed as the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board was unable to relocate families because of stiff resistance from residents of Nochi Kuppam, Dooming Kuppam and Srinivasapuram.

However, the State government has planned to provide budgetary support for redevelopment of the tenements if the residents cooperate with the TNSCB in the relocation process later.

The World Bank recently completed the implementation of the Urban Housing Component of the Emergency Tsunami Reconstruction Project (ETRP)

Of the 7,320 tenements proposed under the Marina redevelopment project, only 628 houses have been constructed so far. The residents of Nochi Nagar would have their new houses by May.

Residents of Srinivasapuram and Foreshore Estate have been objecting to the construction of 3,576 tenements in the locality as part of the project.

The reconstruction of another 824 houses in Dooming Kuppam was also delinked from the World Bank project a few years ago because of reluctance of the residents to accept the conditions of TNSCB.

However, the relocation of 828 families in Nochi Kuppam to temporary shelters as part of the redevelopment under the ETRP began one year ago. The construction of new houses, each at a cost of Rs.5.5 lakh, was expected to begin in February. Most of the hutment dwellers in Nochi Kuppam relocated to the temporary shelters 300 m away.

The huts were razed down but over 500 dilapidated tenements could not be demolished for reconstruction as each of the beneficiaries demanded two redeveloped houses to accommodate all members of their family.

The Marina redevelopment project is likely to become a reality after the State government meets the demands of the residents.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/article3291455.ece

In democracy people get what they feel they deserve. If someone dont need quality of living why force them? No one can sit and teach these people. Just keep giving them free good packets, water sachets, free tv, free liquor. Education is free already and available. Its upto to them to take it.

EzhaiyA porakardu tappu illa. Ezhaiyakave saagardudan tappu. Let time teach them this. My prayers are always with them. B as h....

I don't get this exactly.. The person giving land is given a Development Rights certificate by the govt. OK.

How does it work after that? He can use that certificate to own a property elsewhere with CMDA limits, is it?

Say, if his property is acquired in Adyar, he can use the certificate and own a similar property in Velachery??

You give your land for city development - road or metro or what ever. You are given a TDR certificate.

If you buy a property elsewhere in Chennai (within CMDA should not be there since it is very difficult to get land), and you want to build there, you can use this for additional FSI. In case you get 1.5 as TDR and 1.5 for the new site, you can get 3 FSI for your new site.

In case you are not building, you can sell it to say L&T, DLF etc and they can utilise the same for their existing / future projects. If they have 2.5 already for MSB, then they can add this 1.5 and total 4.0 FSI they can build.

They have to pay you for the TDR. The amount is like selling a land. The advantage is the location is not there just FSI as additional qty.

very Good Move. But within CMDA is tricky. They should say either within CMA or TN (preferable).

Actually we have been suggesting that the builders should be allowed to buy land at the outskirts of the city and gift to CMDA /CMA /DTCP and get TDR for that and use the TDR for building extra FSI within CMDA.

Once the TDR for a land is used by somebody, nothing can be built in that land. CMDA can do parks, playgrounds etc.

Hi SSCians: I read a article in march 2012 edition of readers digest. Under Kindness of strangers topic, it described about a kindness showed by a auto driver in chennai near egmore station stand. Its in page 54. such a article about chennai and that too about our notorious automen :) made me proud !!!

inge arguement-a avanga 2 perum onnum pannale.athu than.. 5 varusham rule pannina pothuma? enna pannirukkanga?
TN is reaping some benefits of MGR period's planning+very good human resources.
Tell me some "game changer" benefits to TN after 91?
MGR period planning? Yen saar. Intha naxalite, terrorist pathi yellam Kelvipattathillaya? Hyderabada color colora mathinavara caroda paranthar nyabagam irruka? Punjabla oru CM baspamanar nyabagam irruka? 5 masam summa irrunthale pothu harvest panniduvanga.. Ethuvume pannalanrathu romba periyavaartha..

Sari antha human resourcela oru politician kooda kidayatha?

Onne onnu mattum nadakala matha statela irrukira Cho(maari) aalunga namma pathi paakkam pakkama illathathum pollathathum eluthala...

Just take any country and check the status of those who opposed sole language policy and even then if you feel it is ok say nothing happened...

Without politicizing, Dayanidhi Maran brought so many IT/ITES/Telecom companies to chennai, TR Balu did quite a bit for roads and bridges and of course, JJ brought Hyundai and Ford which transformed Chennai into 'Detroit of Asia'.

Both dmk and admk have been pro-industry, thats a big plus point for TN's growth.

Yes verytrue.Regional parties in TN have been proactive towards state's development.In A.P whenever a national party gains power it ruins the State which is happening right now.

MGR period planning? Yen saar. Intha naxalite, terrorist pathi yellam Kelvipattathillaya? Hyderabada color colora mathinavara caroda paranthar nyabagam irruka? Punjabla oru CM baspamanar nyabagam irruka? 5 masam summa irrunthale pothu harvest panniduvanga.. Ethuvume pannalanrathu romba periyavaartha..

Sari antha human resourcela oru politician kooda kidayatha?

Onne onnu mattum nadakala matha statela irrukira Cho(maari) aalunga namma pathi paakkam pakkama illathathum pollathathum eluthala...

Just take any country and check the status of those who opposed sole language policy and even then if you feel it is ok say nothing happened...
MGR and planning are poles apart.Planning is not a forte for an impulsive philanthropistThe budget for his films used to go awry and the producers used to scratch their heads sometimes vigorously.

Hi SSCians: I read a article in march 2012 edition of readers digest. Under Kindness of strangers topic, it described about a kindness showed by a auto driver in chennai near egmore station stand. Its in page 54. such a article about chennai and that too about our notorious automen :) made me proud !!!

naa presavathukku ilavasama vaaren da. un pullaikoru peru vechu thaarenda. yerakkamulla manasukaran daa. naa ezhaikellam sondha kaaran da....

dei nee Calcutta taxi na chennai auto da. Right la indicator pottu left la kaiya pottu straighta povom da!

i
TN is reaping some benefits of MGR period's planning+very good human resources.
Tell me some "game changer" benefits to TN after 91?

You made my day.

MGR and planning????????? Even JJ has much better Vision and Planning, the only drawback is she never implements. Thatha implements at least some of his vision.

TN is much better off because of Thatha/Aaatha than any of t he national parties.

Between Thatha and Aatha the former is so much better in we the people seeing so many projects like industries,bridges,roads,cultural landmarks......

Being still and doing nothing are two very different things.
Mr Han :P

Between Thatha and Aatha the former is so much better in we the people seeing so many projects like industries,bridges,roads,cultural landmarks......

This phrase made my day :lol:

[QUOTE=kongutamizhan;90235351]


^^

But he never had the guts to decide on many things- like succession struggle ,fare hike ,electricity reforms.

He only constructed monuments like valluvar kottam

^^ How about Taramani Tidel park, string of Sipcots, SEZs, private ports, and 1000 of crores of private investments from multinationals like Nissan, Daimler, Toshiba, Michellin etc? Needless to mention our own Metro.

You give your land for city development - road or metro or what ever. You are given a TDR certificate.

If you buy a property elsewhere in Chennai (within CMDA should not be there since it is very difficult to get land), and you want to build there, you can use this for additional FSI. In case you get 1.5 as TDR and 1.5 for the new site, you can get 3 FSI for your new site.

In case you are not building, you can sell it to say L&T, DLF etc and they can utilise the same for their existing / future projects. If they have 2.5 already for MSB, then they can add this 1.5 and total 4.0 FSI they can build.

They have to pay you for the TDR. The amount is like selling a land. The advantage is the location is not there just FSI as additional qty.

very Good Move. But within CMDA is tricky. They should say either within CMA or TN (preferable).

Actually we have been suggesting that the builders should be allowed to buy land at the outskirts of the city and gift to CMDA /CMA /DTCP and get TDR for that and use the TDR for building extra FSI within CMDA.

Once the TDR for a land is used by somebody, nothing can be built in that land. CMDA can do parks, playgrounds etc.

Thanks for the explanation.. :cheers:

naa presavathukku ilavasama vaaren da. un pullaikoru peru vechu thaarenda. yerakkamulla manasukaran daa. naa ezhaikellam sondha kaaran da....

dei nee Calcutta taxi na chennai auto da. Right la indicator pottu left la kaiya pottu straighta povom da!
Cinema dialogue-lam correct-a pesureenga... Step :1 passed to become CM..
CM -aga Vazhuthukkal.

Between Thatha and Aatha the former is so much better in we the people seeing so many projects like industries,bridges,roads,cultural landmarks......
Thanjavur "Periya Kovil"-la Pathichu, angeye thatha photo pottura vendiyathu than..
Thatha..va yarulum assaichikka mudiyathu..:lol::lol::lol:
pavam, avaru...Nallathu neriya panninaru...
Aana makkal than avarai thokadichittanga...
thatha solra padi "makkal thootru poi vittargal"..
ithai ippadiye 2016-kum maintain pannikonga..:lol::lol:

Cinema dialogue-lam correct-a pesureenga... Step :1 passed to become CM..
CM -aga Vazhuthukkal.

tanq tanq tanq :)

ore cinema quotes'a irukkarathunaala, here is one more from Mr.Han ;)

Best fights are the ones we avoid.

thatha solra padi "makkal thootru poi vittargal"..


appadi illa, tamizhan oru vaazhai mattai. tamizhan oru suvattril adittha pindam.

Dialogue'a correct-a thathavukku pidicha maadiri sollunga

is EC41 recommended for westerners first time to Chennai?

is EC41 recommended for westerners first time to Chennai?

When I was there last year they were undergoing some renovation. With debris everywhere that was an eyesore. That was the only time I was there so I don't know how it is usually.

Outside the construction, that place seemed to have potential for nice ambiance. Their Caribbean and Hawaiian cocktails are awesome. Just make sure that their construction activities are over. I think that was the only drawback then. Other than that it should be good.

When I was there last year they were undergoing some renovation. With debris everywhere that was an eyesore. That was the only time I was there so I don't know how it is usually.

Outside the construction, that place seemed to have potential for nice ambiance. Their Caribbean and Hawaiian cocktails are awesome. Just make sure that their construction activities are over. I think that was the only drawback then. Other than that it should be good.

thanks mate. by the way is the construction over? any idea

thanks mate. by the way is the construction over? any idea

No idea. Hopefully it is because it has been a year

No idea. Hopefully it is because it has been a year

two of my buddies from UK(Portuguese guy by birth and nationality settled recently in UK) and a Czech nationality guy (Slovak guy settled in Czech) wish to visit india and i have said them to come to Chennai as the first port of entry as i can take them entourage around TN state. Valparai, Kodaikanal etc...

Newly added areas can air woes online (http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/article3292564.ece)

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01047/07APRThaxl01_Chenn_1047205e.jpg

New Generation Wants TO Leave: Nocikuppam (http://inwent-iij-lab.org/Weblog/2012/04/08/new-generation-wants-to-leave-nocikuppam-chennai-by-ahidul-islam-bangladesh/)

“I have only one wish, after finish my study, I want a job and then I want to leave this place. I want to leave my father and mother from their hard work.” eighteen year old Tall and thin Vivek, 1st year Student of Thangvelh Engineering College, department of Computer Engineering and Communication. We have only one room for father-mother and fourteen year old sister Yamunea. She is the student of class ten. There is no privacy. Four people live in 12 feet by 10 feet room. We have to study mid night. I am struggling to finish my study.” The place name is Nocikuppam, near the Marina sea beach, Chennai where Vivek family live with five thousand people in small 1300 hut. People mainly know the place name Nocikuppam slum. Most of the inhabitants are fisherman. But their children getting study from modern English medium school.

Contd....

Could gender inclusivity in the IT sector be a myth? (http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3291208.ece)

In fact, statistics collated in a global report, titled ‘Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia 2011', puts a number to this ‘dropout rate'. The survey reveals that corporate India not only has the lowest percentage of female employees (compared to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore), but more worryingly, has the highest dropout rate between junior and mid-level positions (pegged at 48 per cent). Between middle- and senior-level positions too, this is at 37 per cent.

Hi guys, I am looking for a Suriya song which is shot in Malaysia, in Kuala Lampur to be exact. The words 'nenjodu va' seem to be keep occuring in that song. Any idea which is that? I think though not 100 % sure that the actress is Shruti Hassan.

Could gender inclusivity in the IT sector be a myth? (http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3291208.ece)


In Japan you can count number of women in top positions there.
I don't know from where they came up with this.

two of my buddies from UK(Portuguese guy by birth and nationality settled recently in UK) and a Czech nationality guy (Slovak guy settled in Czech) wish to visit india and i have said them to come to Chennai as the first port of entry as i can take them entourage around TN state. Valparai, Kodaikanal etc...

If they are budget travellers, you may book or ask them to stay in one of the serviced apartmnets. It may cost INR 1000 to 3000 depending on the brand.

If they are students, Youth hostel or World University Centre will be ideal. Very Cheap. But they have to carry the student identity photo card. It will be approx Rs. 100+ per head per day. Only Bed & Bath.

If they can afford high rents, book them in Taj Kovalam or GRT in ECR.

Hi guys, I am looking for a Suriya song which is shot in Malaysia, in Kuala Lampur to be exact. The words 'nenjodu va' seem to be keep occuring in that song. Any idea which is that? I think though not 100 % sure that the actress is Shruti Hassan.

Did you mean this?

7JZP7ODmYEg

But, this is shot in Hong Kong and not Kuala Lumpur.

Yup! Thanks a lot TShyam. Unga udhavi kaga rumbha nandri!

koi bhaat nahi

koi bhaat nahi

gnangalede Kindhi baaga chenna irukku. :lol:

Madras nalla Madras!

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01048/10_MP_UNIVERSITY_1048379f.jpg

Sixteen years ago, South India's biggest coastal city went to sleep as Madras and woke up as Chennai. Overnight, the city was expected to shed all that its former name — and its colonial associations — stood for. Trains and schools were hurriedly renamed; signboards were swiftly updated; and with a lick of paint and a flick of a brush, cultural and linguistic history was rewritten. Well, almost.

Because ‘Madras' — as anybody who's not merely nostalgic, but also secretly in love with the name will be pleased to note — has managed to survive, to thumb its nose at the enforced name change, by sticking around in the unlikeliest of places…

Globally famous

Call it tartan, plaid or just plain checks, but the hand-woven, checkered, cotton fabric that originated from Madras has wide appeal. Inspired by the Scottish regiment's dress in the region (in the 1800s), Madras checks was quite a fad in the 60s. Today, it might locally be dismissed as ‘lungi checks' (have you ever seen cloth flagged as ‘Madras checks' in Chennai? I haven't…) but globally, this cheerful, colourful cloth routinely gets a glamorous makeover, especially at upscale fashion houses. Interestingly, the checks gained a certain degree of notoriety during the 60s for its tendency to bleed copiously, and with each wash, the garments fashioned out of them took on a new and interesting pattern. People, however, continued buying what came to be known as ‘bleeding Madras'; was it because it was cleverly marketed as ‘guaranteed to fade'?

But the terrace construction that Madras generously lent its name to is, thankfully, unlikely to fade away. Simply called the Madras Terrace, this type of flat-roof construction that originated in Madras, involved placing wooden beams — usually teak — 1.5 to 2 feet apart. Specially made clay bricks, lime-mortar and flat tiles made up the actual roofing, and it was strengthened with a 10-cm layer of broken bricks, gravel, sand and limestone. This ‘concrete' was then pounded in and compacted, cured with limewater and topped off with lime-mortar and weatherproofing. Auroville, as we speak, is said to be reviving Madras terracing.

Trendsetter

There's a slice of Madras that went really far, all the way to the east coast of Scotland, thanks to a school founded to popularise the ‘Madras system' of education. Back in the late 18th - early 19th century, Andrew Bell, a clergyman from Scotland, was appointed chaplain for the East India Company regiments. While educating the children of the soldiers — and to compensate for the acute paucity of teachers — he made the older pupils (monitors) teach the younger ones. This Madras system quickly found favour, with nearly 10,000 schools adopting it by the time Bell died in 1832. Oh, and the slice of Madras in Scotland refers to a school in St. Andrews (Madras College) founded by Bell, to ensure that his system of education survived well into the future.

Closer home, Madras is almost synonymous with the language spoken in the region, the one with a flavour so strong, so distinct that you can sniff it out at a hundred paces… yes, Madras Tamil. Once the preserve of the not-so-well educated, it's now universally fashionable to throw in a few words of the local dialect, at least to show you are ‘with it'. A decade ago, anybody who wished to compile a list of Madras Tamil words just had to talk to a local autorickshawman for half an hour and the job would be done. But now, even children from posh schools casually use some choice Madras Tamil epithets in their daily conversation. The classicists can frown all they want, but this corrupted version of Tamil is very likely to have a fairytale ‘happily-ever-after' ending …

Would any talk of Madras be complete without mention of Madras eye? This nuisance of an infection makes the white of the eye all sore and itchy, and the fair name of the city was dragged into the blood-shot conjunctiva only because the adenovirus that causes it was discovered here back in 1918.

Madras curry powder, however, has a slightly more tenuous connection to the city. A somewhat coarsely ground mixture of nearly 20 spices, herbs and seeds (much like a garam masala mix, with added turmeric and tamarind, fennel and fenugreek), it's practically unheard of, leave alone used in Madras. But for some strange reason, this smartly packaged, pungent mix is much sought-after abroad, and visiting chefs and food lovers have been known to traipse around the markets of Chennai looking for it. Perhaps they should first fortify themselves with a nice, tall Madras drink, a fruity cocktail of vodka, and cranberry and orange juices? As for the rest of us, surely we can take heart in the knowledge that no matter how hard anybody tries, they really can't take the Madras out of Chennai…

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article3296560.ece

^^ How about Taramani Tidel park, string of Sipcots, SEZs, private ports, and 1000 of crores of private investments from multinationals like Nissan, Daimler, Toshiba, Michellin etc? Needless to mention our own Metro.

A small correction. TIDEL Park was planned during 1991-6 and constructed during 1996-2001. ( Note; I was involved).

Sr Maran played hell during the tender process and Hyundai was favoured over L&T and was given the contract. The joke was that Hyundai gave back to back contract to L&T with 3% margin.

As I said earlier, the auto industries did not come to TN due to JJ or MK. I will attribute to Auto ancillaries like TVS & Simpsons etc for bringing them here.

Land allotment & Tax concessions are part of any Govt job. Both have done.

The Hyundai plan was almost scuttled as Hyndai almost went under in Korea due to the great depression at that time.(All SE asian nations suffered).

Sr. Maran was Union Minister in charge of Industries and Maruti was under him. He scuttled Maruti's expansion plans and encouraged Hyundai. Their family was given huge shares and still reaping the benefits.

PC also pumped money and helped Hyundai.Still reaping the benefits.

R. Venkatraman (Later Prez of India) under TN Congress ministry was instrumental in BHEL, Trichy, OFT, Trichy, Guindy SIDCO park, Formation of Ambattur etc.

MK can take credit for Hosur to some extent but he did not sustain the momentum. SIPCOT is suffering because of his faulty policies.

He also created TNSCB out of TNHB and TWAD out of TN Water Board (Now CMWSSB) to help promote certain people and both are big suckers of Govt funds without much tangible benefits) CMWSSB does much better.

I will credit Dayanidhi Maran for Hardware units development in SPPDR.

The pioneer for IT park (Centralised facility for multi tenanted IT spaces) was actually Thiagarajan Chettiar of ELNET. JJ Govt simply copied his idea and gave Go Ahead for TID EL (TIDCO & ELCOT JV).

Even the IT Corridor was conceptualised by JJ Govt but spoiled by her associates and later by TNRDC / DMK Govt (Who was more keen on NH4).

The inherent advantages of TN and auto ancillaries attracted major FDI first and it was sustained by both Govts.

Less attrition & availability of educated English speaking manpower attracted IT firms. Both TN govts gave concessions to them.

R. Venkatraman (Later Prez of India) under TN Congress ministry was instrumental in BHEL, Trichy, OFT, Trichy, Guindy SIDCO park, Formation of Ambattur etc..

Kamaraj played a huge role BHEL

I guess ambattur formation are due to his efforts as well. Got to check on that

Madras nalla Madras!

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01048/10_MP_UNIVERSITY_1048379f.jpg



http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history-and-culture/article3296560.ece

i still like to call Chennai as Madras. It is a kinky and sexy name.

BHEL trichy inaugurated by RV in 1966. Kamaraj was not even CM in 1966. RV studied in Trichy.

BTW, RV was good buddy of our school Princi and used to be chief guest for Annual day functions.

He lived in Kotturpuram right besides the main road with not much of security.

Also to RV's credit is ICF...

i still like to call Chennai as Madras. It is a kinky and sexy name.

I still catch myself calling it Madras.. A lot of old people in US, I have interacted talk of Madras pattern in textiles.

Of all the things I could get, I didnt get the kinky and sexy part of Madras.. VG.. appreciate if you can shed some light..

I still catch myself calling it Madras.. A lot of old people in US, I have interacted talk of Madras pattern in textiles.

Of all the things I could get, I didnt get the kinky and sexy part of Madras.. VG.. appreciate if you can shed some light..

when you say you are from Madras - people can relate to it from anywhere around the world. "Madras" is a sexy way to call our city :D. Especially when a white chic says Madras - it sounds so nice and mood arousing. Chennai is boring and odd-sounding.

when you say you are from Madras - people can relate to it from anywhere around the world. "Madras" is a sexy way to call our city :D. Especially when a white chic says Madras - it sounds so nice and mood arousing. Chennai is boring and odd-sounding.

Phew!!.. neenga innum andha bikini white chic mode vida mattenga pola..

I will get some 90 year white grand chic to record Madras for you and forward it shortly.... atleast will help your moods..

I will get some 90 year white grand chic to record Madras ..

neenga eppavumae ippadi than. ullukulla ivvalavu aasaya vechikkittu veliyila kaamikaama irukkavendiyathu. kurummbu :cheers:

neenga eppavumae ippadi than. ullukulla ivvalavu aasaya vechikkittu veliyila kaamikaama irukkavendiyathu. kurummbu :cheers:

:lol::lol::lol: good one!

A small correction. TIDEL Park was planned during 1991-6 and constructed during 1996-2001. ( Note; I was involved).

Sr Maran played hell during the tender process and Hyundai was favoured over L&T and was given the contract. The joke was that Hyundai gave back to back contract to L&T with 3% margin.

As I said earlier, the auto industries did not come to TN due to JJ or MK. I will attribute to Auto ancillaries like TVS & Simpsons etc for bringing them here.

Land allotment & Tax concessions are part of any Govt job. Both have done.

The Hyundai plan was almost scuttled as Hyndai almost went under in Korea due to the great depression at that time.(All SE asian nations suffered).

Sr. Maran was Union Minister in charge of Industries and Maruti was under him. He scuttled Maruti's expansion plans and encouraged Hyundai. Their family was given huge shares and still reaping the benefits.

PC also pumped money and helped Hyundai.Still reaping the benefits.

R. Venkatraman (Later Prez of India) under TN Congress ministry was instrumental in BHEL, Trichy, OFT, Trichy, Guindy SIDCO park, Formation of Ambattur etc.

MK can take credit for Hosur to some extent but he did not sustain the momentum. SIPCOT is suffering because of his faulty policies.

He also created TNSCB out of TNHB and TWAD out of TN Water Board (Now CMWSSB) to help promote certain people and both are big suckers of Govt funds without much tangible benefits) CMWSSB does much better.

I will credit Dayanidhi Maran for Hardware units development in SPPDR.

The pioneer for IT park (Centralised facility for multi tenanted IT spaces) was actually Thiagarajan Chettiar of ELNET. JJ Govt simply copied his idea and gave Go Ahead for TID EL (TIDCO & ELCOT JV).

Even the IT Corridor was conceptualised by JJ Govt but spoiled by her associates and later by TNRDC / DMK Govt (Who was more keen on NH4).

The inherent advantages of TN and auto ancillaries attracted major FDI first and it was sustained by both Govts.

Less attrition & availability of educated English speaking manpower attracted IT firms. Both TN govts gave concessions to them.


Even a hardcore ADMK fan like Kannan could not come up with anything worthy of MGR

JJ credit for conceptualization :bash::bash:

Lalu Prasad Yadav said decades back that he would make Bihar akin to developed nations, so if Bihar develops in the next 100 years as per Kannan logic Lallu should get the credit.

Just curious, who stopped JJ from translating her concepts to concrete?

The contribution to road infrastructure across the state is fully ignored in the observations.

SIPCOT is suffering because of his faulty policies.
Could you please enlighten us on this please....

You highlighted BHEL but why you did not talk about Salem Steel plant?


......JJ Govt but spoiled by her associates ......

For how long more people can think such statements as justification, 'Em pullai thankama pulla pakthaveetu karan than ketuthutan' :bash:

^^ As far as I remember Railway coach factory at Perambur was sure Kamaraj. Wiki confirms that too. I have a old article from some magazine scanned at my home. So I can confirm that soon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Kamaraj

Regarding BHEL Kamaraj may not be the CM in 1966, but congress was in power and I believe RV credited him too for it

...

James Tien, director-general of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), said earlier this month that both Taiwan and India are interested in striking a free trade deal.

"Both sides are conducting feasibility studies and ours is proceeding smoothly," Tien said.

To attract Taiwanese investors, Tien said, India already approved a Taiwan proposal last year to open a representative office in Chennai, a major industrial and commercial hub in southern India.

Noting that Chennai is a booming city adjacent to major harbors, Tien said more than 40 countries have set up consulates in the city.

"It is of great significance that India has agreed to our plan to set up a foothold there," Tien said, adding that the office will be inaugurated later this year.

Over the past year, Taiwanese business groups have invested heavily in the Chennai region. For instance, Hon Hai Group, the world's largest manufacturing service provider, has set up a factory complex there. Major local banks, steel mills and notebook contract makers have also made forays into the region.

...

http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?ID=201204090038&Type=aTOD

.
.
Hon Hai Group, the world's largest manufacturing service provider..
http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?ID=201204090038&Type=aTOD

I just now found out that Hon Hai is Foxconn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn). It employs 1.2 million people :nuts:

That is almost as big as the Indian railways!!

Regarding BHEL Kamaraj may not be the CM in 1966, but congress was in power and I believe RV credited him too for it
regarding BHEL, i used to hear from my father, that Kamaraj's interest to develop Trichy, he decided to have BHEL for trichy.

On my point on MGR rule..
Though he was not part of making "Concrete Jungle", He ensured the importance of Education..that is the benefits now everybody is reaping it. I think Law & order is very good during his period.
present road networks, bus routes were done during his Period.
He had a vision for Trichy to be the Capital. unfortunately it is not materialized so far.
I did not hear any big scam during his entire regime. on Contrary thatha was involved right from "Sarcaria" to 2G..
Good education, peace & harmony, less corruption is not enough for growing society?
During MGR period(84), computer-were very less. Computer boom started after 91. even maruti started after his period.
Industrialization and economy growth started in 91. unfortunately JJ or thatha can not get anything out of it.
since 91, educational prices went up.
On Sr. maran....how he broke the backbone of cement industry for his own benefits. later on he was well taken care by Cement industry.

BHEL was CG investment and RV played the huge part in bringing it to Trichy.


Teaming well with then Cabinet minister T T Krishnamachari and many illustrious bureaucrats of Delhi, RV also attracted rich Central investments in Neyveli Lignite Corporation, BHEL-Tiruchi, Heavy Vehicles factory-Avadi, Madras Refineries, Madras Fertilisers and the small arms factory


http://www.industrialeconomist.com/rv-mar09.htm

^^
Huh??? what planning happened in MGR period?:ohno:
no big ticket corruption.. athu onne pothume..
Education system was to a extent very clean.. athu pothume..

TShyam, sorry for this but there's this song with Dhanush (I think). It has the words "Theriyad, theriyad, theriyad (at the beginning). I think this is what it sounds like. I've been looking for it. It starts off with that and "these words" occur again and again in the song.

On a side note, cheers to Tamil music for keeping Tamil cool among youngsters. Every language needs to be cool amongst the youth. I think Tamil movies and music really strengthen Tamil's appeal among people who may not read or write Tamil much.

Only China and Pakistan deserve credit for HVF and other military installation in the south. It might sound a bit odd today but when they were built 2000km is a big distance..

no big ticket corruption.. athu onne pothume..
Education system was to a extent very clean.. athu pothume..
Ithuve pothumunu solreenga aana MK JJ onnum pannalanu solreenga :ohno: Corruption illana onnume nadakalanu artham :) Rendu governmentukum ore vithyasam, Mount Road Buhari MK aatchila 1 mani varaikum thiranthirukum aana JJ atchila 11:30 maniku mela ordere edukamatanga

Mount Road Buhari MK aatchila 1 mani varaikum thiranthirukum aana JJ atchila 11:30 maniku mela ordere edukamatanga
neenga night shift-le pasiyoda irukkeenganu theriyudu... hotel ethuvum illaiya?
Canteen-le "cockroach" irukkara coffee vending machine than irukka?:lol::lol:

Hmmm when you asked before, the song immediately struck me. This time, it is not so obvious. Give me some time. I may also need some more clues :nuts: Can you tell whether it was a older film (before 2005-06) or a more recent one? Heroine? Genre? Music director? Solo or duet? give me something.

BHEL was CG investment and RV played the huge part in bringing it to Trichy.



http://www.industrialeconomist.com/rv-mar09.htm


It appeared a miracle for a Brahmin from Tamil Nadu to have risen to the highest post of the country, viewed against the virulent and long anti-Brahmin tirade in the state. The DMK has not permitted a member of this caste to get into the party and gain prominence. For close to four decades, no vice chancellor of any of the state-funded university has been headed by a member of this community.

Why is DMK blamed for this, did not ADMK rule most of the last 40 years?

Heroine? Genre? Music director? Solo or duet? give me something.

If it is heroine give it (her) to me. Shyam can handle others no problem

Is it this one? :D

hs-PhPTIngs

If it is heroine give it (her) to me. Shyam can handle others no problem

I was in the college dumb charades team and that is how we identify films. Just mime the hero and heroine identity and it is just a matter of a few films. We also had some special codes for difficult films (soorasamhaaram, seevalaperipaandi, lava kusa etc) Infact no film needs more than 10 secs for identification. We have won so many inter college culturals. Ah those were the times..

If it is heroine give it (her) to me. Shyam can handle others no problem

We know you are already trained by handling Namitha..

(Wonder how you handle your wife.. with all these heroines.. ;) )

T Shyam, this is 100 % not the song though thanks a lot for trying. Actually I THINK it starts with "theriyaad" but I am not sure now. It SOUNDS like YAAD/TERIYAAD/TERIYAAAD to me when I have heard it but I am not fully certain what those words are. Also, it stars Dhanush in a kind of rustic setting. Here he is not at all in a rustic setting. Hes shown wearing a lungi and very obviously in a village kind of get up, both dresswise and setting wise. The words sound like "Teriyaad" not certain.

S6twE07utlM

How about this??

Also one odd feature of the song is that there are these 4 or 5 lines where "teriyaad teriyaad" AND THEN adds something else. The first three four lines are the 'teriyaad 'teriyaad+plus something bit. Then there are two lines where it is something else and THEN the starts again with "teriyaad." The thing is I maybe getting the words completely wrong. :)

Yaay! Thats the song I was looking for. From what I understand, he's saying he does not understand and doesn't know what is happening to him because of the love he is experiencing. :) ?

I was in the college dumb charades team and that is how we identify films. Just mime the hero and heroine identity and it is just a matter of a few films. We also had some special codes for difficult films (soorasamhaaram, seevalaperipaandi, lava kusa etc) Infact no film needs more than 10 secs for identification. We have won so many inter college culturals. Ah those were the times..

My little bil/sil were too good at it(all sorts of codes/signs) and anything difficult either Tamil/English they would find it in very short time.

Incidently they too won company wide competitions while working for TCS.

TShyam, is it fair to say even today, Tamil music is more popular than Hindi/English in TN?:)

As always, :bow::bow::bow: Thanks a lot. Chennai thread is the best SSC India discussions thread as everything from Dhanush to Detroit's civic problems to Delhi not being a safe place for women finds place here. :lol:

Yaay! Thats the song I was looking for. From what I understand, he's saying he does not understand and doesn't know what is happening to him because of the love he is experiencing. :) ?

Yes. The word "yathe" doesnt really have any meaning and is used mainly for phonetic reasons (I think).

It appeared a miracle for a Brahmin from Tamil Nadu to have risen to the highest post of the country, viewed against the virulent and long anti-Brahmin tirade in the state. The DMK has not permitted a member of this caste to get into the party and gain prominence. For close to four decades, no vice chancellor of any of the state-funded university has been headed by a member of this community.

Why is DMK blamed for this, did not ADMK rule most of the last 40 years?
both of them will not do, because of vote bank politics. But thatha open-a thittuvar. whereas ADMK will not do that...
but Brahmins are generous enough to vote according to the swing.(no unity)..
i saw most of Brahmins who are government employee vote for DMK, because thatha considered to be encouraging "lazy government oppicers"...but nowadays the trend reduced, because no government job for brahmins...athu than "quota" vanthuruche on government jobs... appuram eppdi "merit" varum?
Thathu-kku politics panna ethuvume kedaikalenna, immediately he will take "anti-brahmin" slogan and maanila suyatchi ..