Ground Reality

    W alking down snow swept streets of Stockholm,If you enquire with any swanky trade center about India- Sweden Companies’ mutual  trade, vaulting Truecaller operations is the instant reply.      There is not an iota of doubt in this truth, But it   is  also equally true that Swedish companies are increasing investment rate in India.Many of them eye on the MSMEs. Swedish companies have made their footprint known in India with strong brands and stake holders feel the cooperation is bound to increase further. In the city of Skype  origin, where This visiting journalist was busy chatting back home on Skype with high end pictures on the laptop, talks of successful start-ups can be heard anywhere, but many locals evince keen interest in the emerging start up ecosystem in India too.  They lace their claims with mega success stories of Truecaller and Skype’s  growing  popularity  in India. M...

Only recently the Arctic shelf has been known as the main hope of the global oil industry - the raw materials’ prices were climbing up, and the traditional deposits were decreasing. The situation changed after the oil prices slumped, making the players delay for long their ambitious plans for development of the Arctic. Anyway, experts do not doubt the sector’s future is still in that severe place, and now businesses are waiting for the prices to hit at least 75 dollars a barrel - this waiting time would be quite good for preparing new technologies, Says a news item of Russian News Agency TASS in Moscow. D ALSO Deputy Director of the Academy of Sciences’ Institute of oil and gas problems, Academician Vasiliy Bogoyavlensky gives an optimistic forecast for oil production on the Arctic’s shelf by 2030 - it cannot be more than 13 million tonnes a year, he said. And still, the Arctic’s severe conditions do not frighten off the oil producing countries, since strategic interests of the...

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes it is crucial to preserve the Arctic region as a territory of dialogue and constructive cooperation, According TASS news agency. Speaking at a plenary meeting of the Arctic forum, at  Rkhangelsk "It is essential to preserve the Arctic as a territory of constructive dialogue, creation and cooperation on an equal basis." He said Russia proceeds from the assumption there is no potential for conflicts in the Arctic: "Russia sees no potential for conflicts in the Arctic Region." He recalled that international norms clearly identified the rights of coastal and other states and "serve as a firm basis for joint solutions of any problems." Among the most sensitive issues countries were capable of resolving together Putin mentioned the delimitation of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean and prevention of uncontrolled use of resources.  "This is what we expect - this is a forum to search for the A...

‘The Arctic. Made in Russia’ International Youth Educational Forum opens in Arkhangelsk The main theme of the educational platform will be work on creating development models for support zones in the Russian Arctic ‘The Arctic. Made in Russia’ International Youth Educational Forum, which brings together young scientists and specialists whose spheres of interest are linked with studying the Arctic, kicked off in the Arkhangelsk Region on March 27. The forum participants included 150 young representatives of Russian science, including ten representatives of indigenous minorities of the north as well as 25 young scientists from Arctic Council countries, Italy, China, Germany, and a number of other countries. Arkhangelsk Region Governor Igor Orlov and Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Deputy Director Alexey Palamarchuk welcomed the participants during the opening of the Forum. During the Forum, the participants will face the challenge of creating an integrated model for the ...

 Whispers were in my ear shot distance,but the the message in the one liner was deafening and thought provoking.   I  was surprised over the real import of those whispers which sounded like distilled wisdom embedded some where in fast eroding understanding of nature.   I was neither  on a hill top nor in deep woods, But was on my early morning trip in a sprawling park near my home.  Sun had just risen and it's first golden rays had started kissing tree tops and filtered  rays were caressing all morning walkers and chirping birds like mother f ondling with her creatures.   After having fast paced rounds of the park,I had just slipped on a green iron bench to stretch limbs and relish morning freshness   suffused with fragrance of  spring flowers and dew soaked fresh   green grass.   From no here a three old chubby boy dressed in red half shirt and blue shorts appeared and came very close to his brother --lanky ...

Up in the lark, Angels hark! Animal has woken up in Man, Animals are scared of Man. World is worried,Humanity is buried. Implosion in womb of peace!  Deafening and scaring: As Calamity clocks start bleeping, Gandhis go wailing, Scene is scaring ... Scene is..... Detonators run in panic, Planting bombs here and there, fueling deadly scare. Beasts in man blaring: Scene will be More scaring. Atomic trees have come up in seas and barren lands. Alas! Detonators still beating Bands. Womb of mother earth profusely bleeding. Planet writhing in pain; No one knows who will gain? Abortion of nonviolence happens in Public glare!; s toking more panic and scare.    Now,Monsters of explosions  Grope for sanctions and tests-ban. Desperately toiling to restore  Humanity in Man. By Harendra Pratap in Hindi(Translated by Neeraj Bajpai) Cartoon by  Neeraj Bajpai

 The New National Health Policy (NHP),announced by the Federal  Government of India this week holds  great hopes for millions of common people for whom ailment issues perennially  take heavy toll of their health and financial resources.      Despite plethora of good intentioned programmes  envisaged in the charted course,serious doubts linger atop the policy about availability of financial resources.      The health Ministry proposes increase in the health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the GDP  against ,the existing level of 1.2 per cent of the GDP.    The mute question which is baffling many that the bold  initiative will be funded finally by them in form of a health cess. the Health minister J.P Nadda who looks quite enthusiastic about the policy has not made any case for  such a cess,but the health sector drivers speculate that given talks of cess on tobacco cigarettes and ...

Amid growing concerns --raised primarily by some losers in the recently held elections in five states in India –over the credibility of fair elections in the world largest democracy, Country’s Election body, The Election commission of India (ECI) has said snubbed those raising such doubts and said its EVMs ( Electronic Voting Machines) are technically sound and temper proof . In an official statement, triggered apparently by cacophony over the EVMs efficacy and possibility of hacking, The ECI unequivocally reiterates that given effective technical and administrative safeguards, EVMs are not temper able and integrity of electoral process is preserved. Since 2000, EVMs have been used in 107 General Elections to State Legislative Assemblies and 3 General Elections to Lok Sabha held in 2004, 2009 & 2014. In 2009, in a case before Delhi High Court, all earlier allegations about EVM temper abilities were raised. However, Delhi High Court satisfied with detailed reply of ECI why E...

Caption Amarinder Singh of Congress is back in Punjab, and he was sowrn as the State’s 26the Chief Minister along with his cabinet,but His stint will be full of challenges after ten years rule of the Akali  Dal – BJP.  People have pinned lot of hopes on the new dispensation after throwing out the incumbent government. Challenges are of varied types in the sensitive border state which is pining to get rid of drug menace, massive unemployment, slow growth and poor civic facilities. Following his party’s rout in other states like Uttar Pradesh, challenge to resurrect the party on a robust platform rests on his shoulders. Party men feel that Punjab will be able to radiate positive vibes. Punjab is near to the national capital, his government’s performance will always be under scanner and the Panjab government’s tackling of the state’s aspirations will reflect on the Congress party’s prospects in the bordering Himachal Pradesh which goes to poll next year. The elections are d...