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Chandigarh 18^th August:-You call it a biography, you call it a drama, call it an action movie or simply call it a question to the audience. Punjabi film 'Rupinder Gandhi – The Gangster..?..The movie left a mark on the Punjabi Film Industry for being a hit blockbuster of Year 2015 and created a history in the industry. The biopic on Sarpanch Rupinder Gandhi was made under the banner of Dream Reality Movies. The team gathered the truths and good aspects of Rupinder Gandhi and tried to show it to the audience and their effort to leave the decision on the spectators whether he should be called a Gangster or not, was, to some extent proved to be on the positive side of Sarpanch Rupinder Gandhi that the Producers thought of making a sequel, "Rupinder Gandhi 2 The Robinhood" which will definitely force the audience to believe it that he shoudn't have been called a Gangster.

The team again started working on the concept and plot of the film but this time they were very sure that this movie will be made with hard core facts of his life, and Dev Kharoud will only play the lead role as he had lived that character for a long time and he had done justice to the character.

The movie is completed and was ready to release on the 25^th of August, 2017 but the Producers are continuously getting one or the other true aspect and truth of Rupinder's life and they found few aspects to be so heart touching that they never wanted to leave those aspects untouched and they decided to change the date from 25^th August, 2017 to 8^th Sepetember, 2017 in order to bring out the complete true story of Sarpanch Rupinder Gandhi, so that the audience should know that he was not supposed to be called a Gangster but a Robinhood.

The Producers Ravneet Chahal, Daljit Singh Bola and Rajesh Arora said that they are very keen to show the exact life of Rupinder Gandhi and doesn't want to leave any aspect untouched and took this decision of changing the release date.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:-Pearl Academy, India's leading institution in design, fashion, creative businesses and media announced that it has commenced admission process for 11 months weekend professional programs in Fashion Design (women's wear), Fashion Styling, Fashion Make-up and Interior Decoration. Eligibility for the admission is open to all enthusiasts and duration for the courses is 11 Months (weekends).

The students can apply online by visiting Pearl Academy websitewww.pearlacademy.com. They can also call Pearl Academy's Toll free number 1800 103 3005 to register.

Fashion Design (women's wear) - This professional certificate course will equip the student for fashion design and manufacturing opportunity. It is based on active learning methodology and learning includes industry visits, craft fair visits, museums of textiles and art.

Fashion Styling: This course is aimed at equipping the learners with the ability to style themselves and others aesthetically, to enhance their personal style image, appearance and grooming skills. This course imparts holistic value addition through image management, personal styling, appearance management, social etiquette and others

Fashion Make-up:   This course aims at introducing the professional skills required of a makeup artist, increasing the awareness of different products available in the current market, covering the basics from pre- foundations to makeup on a variety of faces. It includes Traditional and contemporary bridal and bridal party makeup, Runway, Theatre and cinema make-up.

Interior Decoration: Course introduces elements and principles of Interior Decoration, and develops an understanding of Décor elements to create visually appealing and aesthetical interior decoration schemes for Residential and Commercial spaces like Homes, Hospitality (Hotels, Restaurants), Commercial and Retail Spaces.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:-The NSS Team of Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector-26, Chandigarh, organized Eye and Dental Screening Camp for their students and staff on August 18, 2017. In all, around 300 students were screened for dental and eye ailments. The aim of the camp was to promote good heath and prevent diseases. Dr. Monga, a volunteer from Sri Guru Grath Sahib Seva Society made necessary arrangement for the camp. Dr Nitin, Eye Surgeon and Dr. Harmit Kaur, Dental Surgeon were present with their teams.

Dr. Charanjeet Sohi, principal of the college inaugurated the camp and applauded the efforts of the volunteers.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:-Pandit Rama Krishna a.k.a Tenali Rama comes to Vijayanagar Kingdom to be part of King Krishnadevraya's court. With great difficultly and efforts Rama finally became part of King Krishnadevraya's darbaar. He was appointed as Vidushak which Tathacharya did not appreciate much. Later, Tathacharya creates all kind of trouble for Rama in the court but this time around Rama puts Tathacharya in trouble.

In the upcoming track, Rama who solves the problem of Sindoorpat by creating two duplicate Sindoorpats for both the Queens, he handovers the real Sindoorpat to King Krishnadevraya. Satisfied and happy with Rama's solution, the king gives the real Sindoorpat for a puja of the village Goddess to Tathacharya and narrates how Rama got two Sindoorpats for Queens to solve the problem. Tathacharya who hates Rama decides to take advantage of this situation. He blackmails Rama about revealing the truth to both the ladies in such a way that he gets exposed in front of the entire kingdom during a get-together. But Rama immediately gets an idea and provokes Saudamini, Tathacharya's love interest to get the real Sindoorpat from Tathacharya and kept it for herself. Saudamini innocently asks for Sindoorpat and Tathacharya is left with no option but to give it to her. What will happen when the three ladies come face to face?  

Commenting on the track, Krishna Bharadwaj said that Rama is always in trouble because of Tathacharya and now he gets a chance to put Tathacharya in trouble. The track gets hilarious when all the three come face to face wearing the same Sindoorpat. Tathacharya feels helpless and asks Rama for help. The twist is will Rama help Tathacharya this time.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:-Chef de Cuisine EdridgeVaz adds a Goan gourmet flavour to the monsoons of City Beautiful, as he takes over the Dera kitchens at Taj Chandigarh for a ten day food festival from 18^th to 27^th August 2017.

Having collected over a decade of experience while working at various hotels like Vivanta by Taj–Panjim, he recently took over as Chef de Cuisine for the Goan speciality restaurant Alegria, at Taj Exotica Goa. Chef Edridge played a vital role in enhancing the menu at Taj Exotica, Benaulim and was promoted from Demi Chef de Partie to Chef de Partie within a span of a year

The menu that Chef offers is a comprehensive collection of almost all the signature dishes of Goa. Right from the very famous prawn curry to mutton xacuti one finds it all on the menu. Vegetarian delights like potato cafreal and tendli sukka and more will have you transported to the land of sand and sea. Some very interesting and authentic dishes like chouris pao and Goan rice must not be overlooked by those wanting to experience the local flavours of this port town. Those with a sweet-tooth will be able to relish some authentic bebinca and dodol too.

While Chef has trained extensively, he does attribute the genuine flavours of his dishes to his growing up in Chorao, a small town near Goa. Smiling about the secret spices that his mother used, he tell us how he enjoys making pork vindaloo a lot even today and rates it as one of his best and favourite dishes.

Surinder Singh General Manager Taj Chandigarh is 'always looking to bring in new cuisines to the city'. Having spent enough time in Goa himself, he is well adept with the various dishes on the menu and is very excited about the festival. He goes on to state that 'not only are the dishes cooked in authentic spices for the perfect flavour, the music and ambience of the restaurant has also been adapted in keeping with the region.'

Open for lunch and dinner, the Goan Food Festival at Taj Chandigarh promises to bring in several gourmet delicacies from 'the perfect holiday destination.'

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Chandigarh 18^th August:-The Role of photojournalists in media world is too vital, hence this work field has got immense new dimensions, this was stated by Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amrinder Singh while inaugurating the three day long photo exhibition being organized by Photojournalists Welfare Association to mark the 178^th World Photography Day at Punjab Kala Bhawan, Sector 16, Chandigarh. Present also on occasion were MLA Mohali Balbir Singh Sidhu, Former Minister Balwant Singh Ramuwalia, Advisor to CM, BIS Chahal and Media Advisor to Chief Minister Raveen Thukral.

Photojournalists Welfare Association has attributed this edition of photo exhibition to Late S Paul, legendary photojournalists of Indian Media who died very recently.

The exhibition houses a total of 110 frames which represents the best work of photojournalists of region.

Akhilesh Kumar, President, PJWA, said that we want to serve this exhibition as the platform of those clicks of our photojournalists which do not get due space in publishing newspapers but deserve a mention at exhibition. We have received an overwhelming response across Canada and Gulf countries from our Chandigarh based photojournalists so that locals can have a feel of overseas culture.

Exhibition is also displaying the work of Chief Minister and Governor. "It is a matter of pride for us Chief Minister has sent three frames of his photography collection of his South Africa wildlife tour. Also His Excellency, the Governor Punjab VP Badnore is a class photographer. We have displayed his nine frames which he had clicked of his Rajasthan and Ladakh sojourn.

The exhibition will be concludes on August 20 in the presence of His Excellency Governor Punjab VP Badnore. A total of nine veteran photojournalists will be felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the occasion.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:-Quadrant Televentures Ltd. Mohali the organization behind the brand Connect Broadband in Punjab has been organizing voluntary Blood Donation Camp since 2010 at their Head Office in Mohali.

The camp used to be organized every year on the eve of the Independence Day in collaboration with the PGI Blood Bank Society. All over 790 units have been donated at the camps in the 8 years combined.

The Management & Employees of the Company are committed towards contributing to the society by participating in various CSR activities from time to time.

They believe that it is very important for all the business houses & organizations to actively participate & contribute towards the welfare & development of the society.

This was the 9^th Blood Donation Camp in 8 years at Mohali in addition to many Blood Donation Camps organized at zones.

These Blood Donation Camps are a part of the Company's commitment towards development & well being of the Society & the Nation.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:- Asha Jaswal, Mayor, B. Purushartha, Commissioner, Saurav Mishra, and Uma Shankar Gupta, Additional Commissioners, N.P. Sharma, Chief Engineer, all officers and employees of MC of offices located in Sector 17 office pledged for the observance of "Sadbhavana Diwas" for maintaining the harmony and Integrity of the Nation.

They committed that they will work for the emotional oneness and harmony of all the people of India regardless of caste, creed, region, religion or language. They shall resolve all differences among them through dialogue and constitutional means without resorting to violence.

They shall work unstintingly for eradication of corruption in all spheres of life and shall remain vigilant and work towards the growth and reputation of the organization. Through their collective efforts, they shall resolve all differences among them through dialogue and constitutional means without resorting to violence.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:- Chief Minister, Punjab  Capt. S. Amarinder Singh had visited  in the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association  for inauguration  of Digitized New Section of Library and share his views with the Members of the Bar Association. Hon'ble Justice S.J. Vazifdar, Chief Justice & Other Hon'ble Judges of Punjab & Haryana High Court have presided over the function. A large number of Advocates including, Advocate General Punjab and Advocate General Haryana, Additional Solicitor General of India and Assistant Solicitor General of India have also attended the function.

On this occasion Capt. Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, Punjab has announced Rs. 50 Lacs (Fifty Lacs ) for the Welfare of the Members of the Bar Association and the Development of the Bar Association of Punjab & Haryana High Court.  Dr. Anmol Rattan Sidhu, President, Ms. Puneeta Sethi, Vice President, Ravinder Singh Randhawa, Honorary Secretary, Gagandeep Jammu, Treasurer and Ms. Loveinder Kaur Brar, Joint Secretary of Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association have thanked the Chief Minister Punjab for the above said announcement. The Office Bearers of the High Court Bar Association have also given a Charter of Demand on behalf of the Members of Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association, Chandigarh. The Chief Minister Punjab has also given a assurance to the High Court Bar Association that in future also he will  work  for legal fraternity  and he will try to fulfill all the demands  of the Members of the Bar.

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Chandigarh 18^th August:- Daler Mehndi is India's coveted Pop Icon, the country's celebrated Live Performer and a prolific songwriter, composer, musician, environmentalist and philanthropist.

Born into a family of Gurbani singers, Daler Mehandi began performing on stage with his father at the age of 4. Endowed with a distinctive, perfect pitched voice and a pugnacious spirit, he ran away from home to seek training in the classical Indian vocal tradition from the Late Ustad Rahat Ali Khan of Patiala Gharana of Gorakhpur, UP.

In a country hooked onto film music, his 1995 breakthrough album Bolo To Ra Ra went double- platinum and created a new genre that came to be labeled Indipop. His fourth consecutive chart toping albumTunak Tunak Tun is probably the greatest grosser in non- film music in India to this day. India's first green technology video become an Internet phenomena and the song that became an anthem worldwide and also got adopted by the World of War craft community.

Non drinker, deeply spiritual, always dressed in signature long flowing robes, bejeweled, turban and jewelry, his snappy fashion and eye- catching outfits have earned him Elle magazine's "Most Stylish Person in Music"award.

His extensive body of work and the stage have earned him many titles like the "Messiah of Masti,""Sardar of Swing", He is all that He is Bigger than the Beatles."

Daler Mehndi is currently one of the highest paid play back singers of the motion picture industry of India. With 52 million views in the Telugu version of the super duper successful FilmBaahubali , 28 million in Tamil and 20 million in Hindi, Daler Mehndi etched his named as a voice to reckon with. Not only has he vowed his Punjabi fans, but also fans across languages, cultures, faiths, countries.  The motivational singer has inspired the nation with his Sher Ki Dahaad in Dangal and moved every soul with his par excellence performance in Mirzya which he calls, the song of his soul. With Kudiyan Shehr Diyan for the Deol brothers to be released in September, another Kannada song, and the title track for Saif ALI's Chef in the pipeline and back to back concert performances, Daler Mehndi is enjoying entertaining his fans.

The award winning recording artist is a noted environmentalist, promoting and advocating taking care of mother nature by setting an example by planting 12,00,000 trees in New Delhi , he is humanitarian and philanthropist running a 24 hour free kitchen for the homeless. 

He has to his credit an invention of an instrument which he has named Swar Mandir a combination of Rabaab Tanpura and Swar Mandal, which was released with the blessings of the Late Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar ji in the capital in 2012.

He continually re-inventes himself and his art at breakneck speed and illogical disjointedness.  It seem as though time was always at a premium. He deconstructs that which makes him singular, and then a new element arises to confound and entice the masses who think they have just figured out his latest incarnation. His USP is his Originality.

Daler Mehndi is regarded for the intellectual depth of his work both by the critics and the Music industry. MTV refers to him as the Artist whose art straddles the classes and the masses.

He has pioneered with technology over the years. Introduced the green screen technology in India in 1998 with Tunak Tunak, then introduced HD cameras in music videos in 2003 and this August he has taken a notch higher by being the first Asian to produce a VR (Virtual Reality) music video for Samsung USA. 

By 121 News

Chandigarh 19^th August:-Mirchi, India's No. radio station, has always championed contemporary issues which are relevant to society. One such issue is women's safety and sexual harassment against women. Mirchi Chandigarh organized a "Power Drive" in the city on 18^th August led by its Gang of Girls (Mirchi's team of spunky female RJs Charu, Aashi and Mehak). This Power Drive involved a large group of women who rode through Chandigarh making a statement for women's safety in the city especially at night.

The rally started from the Sector 7 Market–Madhya Marg to Housing board 10 PM covering approximately 5 kms. The Chief Guests for the event were the stars of the new Punjabi movie Rocky Mental–ParmishVerma and Tannu Kaur Gill.

When asked about the initiative, ParmishVerma said that this is an issue that is very close to my heart. The safety of women, especially in this beautiful city of ours, is something we all need to work together to ensure. He commends Radio Mirchi for taking up the cause of raising awareness about it.

Tannu Kaur Gill agreed and said that she is so happy to be able to be a part of this event. Women should feel safe anywhere and anytime in Chandigarh and we need to raise awareness about this.

On the initiative, Bhanu Pratap Singh Chauhan, Cluster Head , Punjab & HP, Radio Mirchi said that we were excited to be a part of this initiative of a power drive for women. At Mirchi we have always strongly supported progressive thinking and consider women's safety as a matter of great importance. Through this initiative we want to convey this message to our lakhs of listeners in and around the tricity area. We are very happy that so many people came out in support of this event as it shows how important this is, not just to us at Mirchi, but also to the people of Chandigarh.

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Chandigarh 19^th August:-The gap between demand and supply is burgeoning with every passing day in view of the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases. We need intensified and impactful awareness campaigns to reduce this gap. People must come forward, pledge their organs and keep their families informed about their decision. This move will save thousands who die for want of organs. This was stated Prof. Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER while addressing at the Concluding Ceremony of ROTTO PGIMER's Organ Donation Awareness Campaign here at PGIMER today. The Campaign was kicked off on 3^rd August.

The other dignitaries present on the occasion included the top leadership of PGIMER including Prof. D. Behera, Dean (Research), Prof. Rajesh Kumar, Dean (Academic), Amitabh Avasthi, DDA, Prof. Anil K. Gupta, MS-cum-Head, Dept. of Hospital, Sushil Thakur, I.A.A.S, FA, and Dr. Vipin Koushal, Nodal Officer, ROTTO, PGIMER, Chandigarh

Though PGIMER has to its credit some pioneer work done in the space of organ transplantation space, but every transplant begins with a donation. So it is not simply a clinical endeavor, but at its core, it reflects a humanitarian act of compassion and kindness. Whenever any patient receives this gift of life, we see the impact of this kind act of Organ Donation." added the Director who had been rightly pitching for community involvement to promote the cause. He opined that the problem of low donation rates can be overcome by engaging with multiple stakeholders through these awareness drives.

The director also felicitated 28 volunteers including students, teachers, NSS coordinators from various schools of the city who had spearheaded different infotainment activities organized to promote the altruistic cause of organ donation during the campaign launched on 3^rd August by ROTTO PGIMER.  

Through the campaign, ROTTO PGIMER collaborated with multiple stake-holders ranging from religious outfits, educational institutions and NGOs to media houses, corporate bodies, financial institutions including Vishwas Meditation, NDTV, Fortis, Canara Bank, Chandigarh College of Engineering & Technology, Sector 26, Govt. Senior Secondary Schools of Sector 20, 20-D, 19 and 32, Carmel Convent, Rotary Club, Himachal Youth Brigade, PGIMER Faculty Association to mention a few and organized engagement activities and awareness sessions in Chandigarh and adjoining states.  

Encouraged by the positive response towards the Organ Donation Campaign, Prof. Anil K. Gupta, Medical Superintendent-cum-Head, Dept. of Hospital Administration, PGIMER shared that many people find talk of organ donation uncomfortable and perhaps morbid, and others believe organ donation is a good thing but put off doing something about it for another day. So the campaign was launched with intent to reach out and engage with multiple partners to educate them about the cause, dispel myths around the subject and encourage them to sign up as organ donors.

Reiterating the same sentiment, Dr Vipin Koushal, Nodal Officer, ROTTO PGIMER said that considering the fact that organ donation is not less because there are no potential donors but because the potential donors do not convert into actual donors due to the lack of knowledge, awareness and socio-cultural views. To address this issue, ROTTO PGIMER has been proactively tapping multiple windows of opportunities to embed awareness about organ donation in public conscience. In our country with high rate of road accidents, probably one death every 3.6 minutes in road accidents, deceased donor transplantation offers a second chance of life for many. Hence awareness can really play a savior.

Established in March, 2016 under the aegis of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the Union Ministry of Health, PGIMER designated as ROTTO (Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization) has been creating awareness among people on deceased organ donation to garner traction for the cause. As an outcome of these consistent efforts, PGIMER is witnessing an increasing trend in organ donation with 33 cadaver organ donations already in this year till date as compared to 27 throughout in 2016. Till date, the transplants done by PGIMER are as follows :  Kidney : 3586 (Live 3340; Cadaver 246); Liver : 32; Heart : 4; Pancreas :11, Lung : 1 and Cornea : 3405.

Vikram Rana, NSS State Liaison Officer, Chandigarh Administration, awarded on the occasion, stated that encouraging participation from the students to inculcate awareness among family members to promote Organ Donation can have huge impact in changing the mind sets as the students can act as 'change agents.

Sanya Chhabra from Carmel Convent School and one of the awardees shared her happiness as she said that it is an incredible gesture on the part of PGIMER. We will try our best to disseminate the information about this noble cause.

The event concluded with the felicitation of the volunteers.

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Chandigarh 19^th August:-Joyful exuberance and high spirits marked the Fresher's Party organized by students and staff of Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Sector 26 on August 19, 2017. Aptly called Fresher's Party, the purpose of the event was to make the new students feel like an integral part of the college family. The enthusiasm of young girls dressed in their best attire filled beautiful colors to the campus.

The event was set on course by spectrum of dance items with foot tapping music, including Manipuri, Rajasthani, Western and Punjabi dance performances. The audience was kept enthralled with dance and modelling which was artistically presented. The students on stage were encouraged and supported by their seniors and teachers.

Dr. Charanjeet Kaur Sohi, Principal welcomed the "daughters" of GGSCW and highlighted that such programs generate feelings of fraternity among students of the college. The Principal admired the whole-hearted effort made by them and at the same time reminded them to be true to their academic goals too. 

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Chandigarh 19^th August:- OPDPA (Oil Palm Developers and Processors Association), the nodal agency for oil palm development in India, cheered the latest move by the government to increase the import duties on Palm Oil. This is a tremendous boost to the industry as the duty hike will help farmers to get remunerative price for their produce and help the domestic processing industry remain self-sufficient.

The government has announced raising of import duty on crude Palm Oil to 15% from current 7.5% and refined palm oil to 25% from the current 15%.  The impact of increase on crude Palm Oil alone translates to around Rs.40-60 crore extra in the hands of the farmer.

Sanjay Goenka, President of Oil Palm Developers and Processors Association (OPDPA), said that the move by government brings in a strong sense of self-sufficiency to the Oil Palm ecosystem. The price paid to the farmer is based on the realization that Palm Oil fetches in the market. Increase in import duty helps in increase of price of palm products, thereby resulting in higher price of the produce to the farmers.

While this development is extremely positive and addresses some of the challenges – there is a need to ensure that the farmer is protected from price fluctuations. Currently, the price of the produce is fixed by a scientific formula, derived by the CACP committee, which links the price payable to the farmer to the landed cost of crude palm oil. A price stability mechanism is required to keep farmer's price remunerative at all times.

The association is continuing its persuasion with the Government to protect the interests of the Oil Palm farmer by requesting the Government to bring in a strong MSP framework that insulates the farmer from market forces.

Commenting on the developmentP. Narender Reddy, Sales Head 3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd. said that the Oil Palm industry can play a very important part in making India self-sufficient towards its edible oil needs. Oil Palm is a very versatile product that finds multiple uses in industry, generating large scale employment and contributes to the growth of the underdeveloped regions. If it continues to receive the encouragement it deserves and its potential is fully leveraged, it can help in saving millions of dollars of valuable foreign exchange against import of Palm Oil.

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Chandigarh 19^th August:- A Round Table Meet titled 'Developing Country Specific Models for the Promotion of R&D via Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode' was organized by the DST-Centre for Policy Research, Panjab University(PU), Chandigarh, here today with the objective of promoting Industry-Academia Partnership of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy of the Government of India.

Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog and Chancellor, JNU in his inaugural address, emphasized strongly for linking universities with industries & national research laboratories and setting up of dedicate funds for state universities for strengthening their R&D. He also shared the importance of Industry-Academia Research Collaborations in the success of ISRO for the development of Satellites and Rockets. He defined the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders in order to overcome the impediments in pursuing successful collaborative research. Dr Saraswat congratulated DST-CPR team at Panjab University, on compiling large scientific information. He stated this information as precious and underlined that it can be used as a database and finally integrates into guidelines for Science, Technology, and Innovation & Research.

The Guest of honor, Dr. Girish Sahni (DG, CSIR), apprised the audience about the acceptance of CSIR by the international bodies in the domain of Science & Technology. Dr. Baldev Raj (Director NIAS, and Chairman of Policy Research Cell, DST, New Delhi) & Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Head PRC, DST, New Delhi informed the audience about the genesis of establishing Centers of Policy Research at five locations in India.

Prof. Rupinder Tewari, Coordinator, DST-Centre for Policy Research at Panjab University, Chandigarh gave a compact presentation on the activities undertaken by DST-CPR at PU, Chd in promoting Industry-Academia interface and PPP  in India. He also presented successful models of PPP in R&D in India, compiled by DST-Centre for Policy Research. The participants shared their experiences for the development of institutions, Centers for Excellence, Innovation Parks, incentivizations of R&D activities being performed in Public and Private R&D Sector. It was unanimously agreed that there should be free exchange of scientist of universities and industries. In addition, Emphasis was laid upon for establishment of independent Industry-Academia Interface at Regional Level.

Prof. Arun K Grover (Vice Chancellor, PU, Chd.) informed the audience about creation of Chandigarh Region Innovation & Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) as a single window for the industry for gaining access to the Academic Excellence & Infrastructure of 27 Institutes of Higher Learning & Research located in and around Chandigarh. The recommendations of the Meet will be submitted to DST, GoI, New Delhi for further deliberations.  

The meeting was attended by directors of large corporates (Reliance India ltd., HCL Technologies), Innovation Research Parks (IIT-Madras & IIT-Delhi), National Research Laboratories & Universities.

 Later, while talking to the press, Dr. V. K. Saraswat elaborated that  Think tank has been created for supporting the Govt. in the policy analysis and framework to ensure that the participation of the States is 100% in the planning, execution and monitoring process. He informed that NITI Ayog is focusing on heath, agriculture, education, Make in India, and other schemes of Govt. of India initiated by Hon'ble PM. He appreciated the efforts of PU and said that PU has compiled entire information under the leadership of Prof Rupinder Tiwari on India's R&D system  and the basic purpose of this meet was to bring entire domain of policies for research and technical development so that synergy between Industry, Academia, National Laboratories could be improved by policy guidelines. It is to find out ways to improve utilisation of equipment in various National Labs by the Industry and Academia, how to provide facilities of the Industry to the Universities, he added. Also, need of the hour is to see that the teachers go to the Industry to know their demands and also to bring Industry to Universities for helping in Innovation and Development he stressed.

The purpose of the policy guidelines will be to systemize across the globe so that the Central/State Universities and the IIT's have a model. 

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Chandigarh 19^th August:- Property Consultants Association (Regd), Chandigarh, held its urgent Executive Body meeting in Chandigarh Club. The meeting was attended by many members  to discuss and welcome the decision of Chandigarh Administration regarding Conversion of Residential Property in Chandigarh from Lease hold to Free hold and for giving special thanks to H.E. V.P.Singh Badnore, Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T., Chandigarh for giving this relief to the residents of Chandigarh.  It was the long pending demands of the residents of City Beautiful.

In the meeting it was also discussed that Administration is planning to co-relate the conversion charges with the collector rates which are already very high and various associations of are already requesting the Administration to reduce the collector rates.  It will not be out place to mention here that Punjab and Haryana Govt. have already reduced the collector rates in view of slow down of the market. 

Kamaljit Singh Punchhi, Chairman, suggested that the administration should covert the properties of those applicants who had already applied on the old rates i.e. @ 1710/- per S.Yds in the public interest.

Kamal Gupta,  General Secretary, suggested that if at all Govt. wants to change  the conversion charges a nominal change should be done which should be within the reach of public, so that maximum number of persons should be able to take benefit of the scheme and also generate revenue for the Administration.

Rajiv Avasthi, President and J.D.Gupta, Legal Advisor urged the authorities for introduction of conversion policy for commercial and industrial properties also from lease hold to freehold.  If this is done it will lead to increase in sale purchase of properties in Chandigarh.  The Buyer of Chandigarh will not go to Mohali and Panchkula.

It was also decided to meet the Administrator on this issue very soon.

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Chandigarh 22^nd August:-DishTV, Asia's largest direct-to-home (DTH) brand to has announced the appointment of Pushkar Singh Kataria, as Chief Human Resources Officer with immediate effect. In his new role, Pushkar Singh Kataria will be responsible for reshaping the organizational design and rewards structure to reflect the dynamics of the business environment. He will also provide strategic leadership, oversee talent management and drive HR excellence. The announcement comes ahead of DishTV and Videocon's merger post which Pushkar Singh Kataria will be leading the HR operations of the merged entity Dish TV Videocon Limited.

Speaking on the occasion Anil Dua, Group Chief Executive Officer, DishTV statedthat he is delighted to welcome Pushkar Singh Kataria into the DishTV family. Having worked across all specialized areas of the HR domain, he comes with solid experience. With DishTV at the cusp of significant transformation, this experience should stand us in good state, on both business and employee fronts. Pushkar Singh Kataria leadership and dynamism will help us steer future growth in this new phase of our journey."

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Pushkar Singh Kataria has worked in various organizations such as Reliance Capital, Vedanta Resources and Praxair. Pushkar Singh Kataria brings in profound understanding and knowledge about the industry, and showcases expertise in many aspects of human resources management including organizational development, talent management and performance management. He has also introduced several change management initiatives. Prior to joining DishTV he served as the Chief People Officer and President at Reliance Capital. He is an engineer by qualification and done Post Graduation in HR. His interests include travelling and cricket.

By 121 News

Chandigarh 22^nd August:-C K Vineeth, Indian footballer officially flagged off the Paithalmala marathon, organized by District Tourism Promotion Council of Kannur in the presence of K C Joseph MLA. The tourism board organized a vertical marathon in the districtfor about 4.5 km, out of which about 3.5 km were uphill.80contestants from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka participated in the marathon.

Mr. Shiju C.P won the marathon and was awarded with a cash prize of Rs. 10000, certificate and medal. Karthi P - second runner up and Josbin Dominic third runner up of the marathon were awarded with cash prizes of Rs. 8000 and Rs. 6000 respectively. Moreover, Athira Michael received prize, which stood first amongst the three ladies participants.

The district tourism board is keen on promoting the unexplored and pristine destinations of Kerala across the world. Paithalmala, the scenic hill station in Kannur is one of the destinations that have immense untapped tourism potential in Kerala.

Speaking on the occasion, Mir Mohammed Ali, District Collector, Chairman-DTPC, Kannur stated that through this event, our objective was to promote the picturesque beauty of this magnificent destination. It was an opportunity for the travelers to experience amazing trekking experience in Paithalmala. Through such events, we attempt to promote the unexplored destination of Kerala to attract domestic as well as foreign tourists.

Speaking on the occasion, C K Vineeth, Indian footballer stated that it gives me immense pleasure to inaugurate the marathon, which was organized to promote the pristine destinations of Kerala. It is moment of pride to be associated with the state tourism's initiative as I have played for Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL) last year. It would be my pleasure to be associated with Kerala Tourism in future as well.

Kadakampally Surendran, Minister of Tourism, Government of Kerala extended heartiest congratulations to all the winners of the marathon. Kadakampally Surendran said that with the aim to double the domestic tourist arrivals and 50% increase in foreign tourist arrivals in the next five years, the tourism department will keep on organizing such events to promote the state tourism. The state has a lot of untapped tourism potential to attract maximum domestic as well as foreign tourists.

Paithalmala, formerly known as Vaithalmala, is a beautiful hill station located 4,500 feet above sea level near the Kerala-Karnataka border. The mountain is spread across 500 acres of dense forest. It is the tallest geographic peak, which is a perfect trekking destination for adventure enthusiasts. While trekking through waterfalls and dense forest, vacationers were thrilled and had a challenging experience. The beautiful view of the valleys and hills covered with mist is really breathtaking. One can indulge into the lush greenery amidst the showers throughout the day.

Towards the north of Kozhikode and Wayanad districts lies the district of Kannur, which is famous for its dazzling ritual performance called Theyyam. The land is a lively mélange of beautiful beaches, historic sites, interesting folk arts and folk music, rituals, religious practices and festivities. The district also is home to some of the traditional industrial sectors of Kerala. The region also has its place in the freedom struggle against the British.

By 121 News

Chandigarh 22^nd August:-According to the recently released report by Microfinance Institutions Network, the first RBI appointed Self-Regulatory Organization(SRO) and an industry association, Non-Banking Finance Company-Microfinance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs) have registered 8% growth over last quarter and 26% growth YoY in Q1 FY18.

The size of the microfinance industry stood at Rs 106,823 crore in Q1 FY18 basis the total outstanding loan portfolio.  Banks have become the largest provider of micro-credit with a loan outstanding of Rs. 38,486 crore and 36% share in the micro credit business. This includes both direct lending as well as indirect lending through business correspondent partnerships. NBFC-MFIs share stands at 31% with loan portfolio of Rs. 32, 820 crores. There has been a decline of debt funding by 20% on a YOY basis.

Other key lenders such as Small Finance Banks, NBFCs and Non-profit MFIs account for rest of the business. Speaking on the report Ratna Vishwanathan, CEO, MFIN said that the microfinance business has been stable over the past quarter. The latest data also shows that there was a minor increase in the total number of loans disbursed by NBFC-MFIs over the last year which stands at 55.82 lakh but the increase in loan amount disbursed registered 21% growth YoY. Portfolio at risk numbers have also seen improvement which shows that NBFC-MFI business is slowly returning to normalcy. However, we will have to wait for another few quarters as we expect it to come back to pre-demonetization level of under 1% by that period. We are optimistic about the industry growth in the coming months.

NBFC-MFIs witnessed the growth of 19% in number of clients which stands at 2.08 crore towards the end of Q1 FY18. The loan amount disbursed in Q1 FY 17-18 by NBFC-MFIs increased by 21% compared to Q1 FY 16-17 reaching to Rs. 11,959 crore. The latest data also shows that there was a minor increase in the total number of loans disbursed by NBFC-MFIs over the last year which stands at 55.82 lakh but the increase in loan amount disbursed registered 21% growth YoY. Post demonetization due to delay in repayments, there was a sudden deterioration in portfolio quality. However, PAR >30 (Portfolio at risk) has decreased from 10.80% in Q4FY17 to 7.46% in Q1FY17-18 which exhibits improvement in loan repayments.

The distribution of GLP is the highest in South India at 31%, followed by North India at 26%, West India at 22% and East India at 21%. Over half of the total disbursements (which accounts for 58%) during the concerned quarter came from five states, namely-Karnataka, Odisha, Bihar, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.

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Chandigarh 22^nd August:-India has been one of the richest centers of spirituality over the last four thousand years. Tourism opportunities have developed immensely in the last couples of decades. Religious places are ranked high in preferred tourist destinations for Indians.

The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report shows that between 2007 and 2015, the share of respondents in India who perceived religion to be very important increased by 11% to 80% now and the average expenditure on religious trips has more than doubled during this period. According to National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) half of the package trips were made for religious and pilgrimage purposes and about 28 percent for leisure and holiday purposes. These are clear indicators of the expanding sector.

A survey by SOTC was conducted in the age group of 18-55 years and above. Findings from the survey that 53% are interested to opt for a pilgrimage tour if a reputed travel operator offered their services.47% have travelled on a pilgrimage tour.38% sought assistance to plan a pilgrimage tour.19% sought assistance from a local travel agent.45% take a pilgrimage tour once in a year.15% take a pilgrimage tour once in 6 months.51% of the respondents look at a hassle free experience as the top requirement from a pilgrimage tour, and 38% want sightseeing and a guided tour as part of their pilgrimage tour.

To cater to this growing demand of spiritual tourism in the country, SOTC has introduced Darshans in association with ePuja, India's first online portal for religious ceremonies. Darshans by SOTC is a selection of over 40 specially designed religious and spiritual experiences across 60 holy destinations in India. The tours have been designed keeping in mind the specific needs of the travellers to seamlessly aid their spiritual journey. The package includes peaceful, quick, convenient, hassle-free religious experience, pooja, special 'havan,' abhisheka, assisted temple visit amongst others.   

Speaking about the launch, Vishal Suri, Managing Director, SOTC Travel said that spiritual Tourism is the single largest category in domestic tourism which is an untapped, fragmented industry, opportunity.  Indians are seeking a pre-planned, organized, comfortable, spiritual travel experience. SOTC Darshans, offers customers this very service. Religious travellers can now explore a new way of travel that aids their spiritual journey. Pricing of our products has been worked around to suit every budget, offering travellers a seamless spiritual journey.