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Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Mumbai world's 7th most costly place
As India witnesses a rise in property prices, its financial capital Mumbai has been ranked as one of the world's top 10 expensive locations in terms of accommodation cost.
Mumbai, which is ranked seventh, is followed by Shanghai, on whose lines the government is planning to develop the Indian financial hub.
The list comprises of Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Moscow, Seoul, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Caracas (Venezuela) and Paris, according to a study by International Human Resource organisation ECA International.
"High rentals in Tokyo, New York, Seoul, Moscow, London and Paris largely reflect high living costs in these locations, while Mumbai, Shanghai and Beijing suffer from a shortage of modern and well-equipped properties, pushing prices up for those properties that do," ECA International Hong Kong General Manager Lee Quane said.
However, Caracas, capital of Venezuela, makes to the list of top 10 expensive cities for renting a three bedroom apartment as people have to spend huge amounts on security, Quane said.
In April, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the government will shortly set up a committee to lay a roadmap to make the city the heart of international financial activities.
Mumbai is the prime choice for many multinational firms for establishing their base as they expand operations here, which is on the way to be transformed into international financial hub, Quane said.
Though five of the top 10 expensive locations are in Asia, the list of world's cheapest locations to rent a three-bedroom apartment does not include any Asian city.
Mumbai, which is ranked seventh, is followed by Shanghai, on whose lines the government is planning to develop the Indian financial hub.
The list comprises of Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, Moscow, Seoul, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Caracas (Venezuela) and Paris, according to a study by International Human Resource organisation ECA International.
"High rentals in Tokyo, New York, Seoul, Moscow, London and Paris largely reflect high living costs in these locations, while Mumbai, Shanghai and Beijing suffer from a shortage of modern and well-equipped properties, pushing prices up for those properties that do," ECA International Hong Kong General Manager Lee Quane said.
However, Caracas, capital of Venezuela, makes to the list of top 10 expensive cities for renting a three bedroom apartment as people have to spend huge amounts on security, Quane said.
In April, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the government will shortly set up a committee to lay a roadmap to make the city the heart of international financial activities.
Mumbai is the prime choice for many multinational firms for establishing their base as they expand operations here, which is on the way to be transformed into international financial hub, Quane said.
Though five of the top 10 expensive locations are in Asia, the list of world's cheapest locations to rent a three-bedroom apartment does not include any Asian city.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Do you have a question for the President of India?
Do you have a question for the President?
APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India
Write to me at bibhubhusan@hotmail.com or post in the comment.
I will help you to get it delivered.
APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India
Write to me at bibhubhusan@hotmail.com or post in the comment.
I will help you to get it delivered.
SENSE YOUR IDENTITY
There is a fuss being made about a Communist minister in West Bengal having worshipped at a Kali temple. He has even said that he is a Hindu first and a Marxist later. In Gujarat, Buddhists and Jains are peeved they have been clubbed as Hindus in a state government legislation on conversion.
There is no need to get worked up about this. All of us have multiple and elective identities, which we slip in and out of whenever we need. As Amartya Sen has written in his book, Identity and Violence, a person can have several different identities — a liberal, a woman, a vegetarian, a long-distance runner, a historian, a schoolteacher, a novelist, a feminist, a heterosexual, a believer in gay and lesbian rights, a theatre lover, an environmental activist, a tennis fan, a jazz musician etc. None of these identities define a person — they are taken on at different times and discarded as easily.
If one works with this idea of an identity, then many of today’s conflicts would lose their sting. It is in the state’s interest to confine people to a singular identity. But in today’s interconnected, globalised world such notions don’t have relevance.
What is your sense of your own identity?
If you were to be born again, would you choose to be born an Indian, in India? Or as a foreigner in India? Or as an Indian but staying abroad?
There is no need to get worked up about this. All of us have multiple and elective identities, which we slip in and out of whenever we need. As Amartya Sen has written in his book, Identity and Violence, a person can have several different identities — a liberal, a woman, a vegetarian, a long-distance runner, a historian, a schoolteacher, a novelist, a feminist, a heterosexual, a believer in gay and lesbian rights, a theatre lover, an environmental activist, a tennis fan, a jazz musician etc. None of these identities define a person — they are taken on at different times and discarded as easily.
If one works with this idea of an identity, then many of today’s conflicts would lose their sting. It is in the state’s interest to confine people to a singular identity. But in today’s interconnected, globalised world such notions don’t have relevance.
What is your sense of your own identity?
If you were to be born again, would you choose to be born an Indian, in India? Or as a foreigner in India? Or as an Indian but staying abroad?
8 yrs to avoid climatic disaster: UN
The United Nations has warned of a climatic catastrophe on Earth if nothing is done to curb global warming in the next eight years.
A report by UN panel of experts has said the world must begin immediately to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions, which is the main culprit in bringing about climate change. The International Panel on Climate Change has, in fact, called for global warming to be halted at 2ºC above pre-industrial age levels.
It says the cost of avoiding a climatic catastrophe would be minuscule compared to the potential damages of global warming. The report is the third to be released this year by the panel and specifically looks at available technologies and cost of instituting these measures. The previous two reports painted a grim future with more droughts, heat waves and rising sea levels.
"This report for the first time has dealt with lifestyles and consumption patterns as an important means by which we can bring about mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Of course you can look at technology, you can look at policies, but what is an extremely powerful message in this report, is the need for human society as a whole to start looking at changes in lifestyles and consumption patterns,” says IPCC Chairman, Rajendra Pachauri.
The report goes on to say that emissions should decline by 2015 to prevent the world's temperature from rising more than two degrees celsius.
“We need drastic changes in the emissions levels to control global warming said Director of Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain : “The developed countries are responsible for global warming and we need drastic changes in the emissions levels and this is more from the transport section. The larger message is that a lot more serious action needs to be done,” she added.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its report on Friday after five days of deliberations in Bangkok.
A report by UN panel of experts has said the world must begin immediately to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions, which is the main culprit in bringing about climate change. The International Panel on Climate Change has, in fact, called for global warming to be halted at 2ºC above pre-industrial age levels.
It says the cost of avoiding a climatic catastrophe would be minuscule compared to the potential damages of global warming. The report is the third to be released this year by the panel and specifically looks at available technologies and cost of instituting these measures. The previous two reports painted a grim future with more droughts, heat waves and rising sea levels.
"This report for the first time has dealt with lifestyles and consumption patterns as an important means by which we can bring about mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Of course you can look at technology, you can look at policies, but what is an extremely powerful message in this report, is the need for human society as a whole to start looking at changes in lifestyles and consumption patterns,” says IPCC Chairman, Rajendra Pachauri.
The report goes on to say that emissions should decline by 2015 to prevent the world's temperature from rising more than two degrees celsius.
“We need drastic changes in the emissions levels to control global warming said Director of Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain : “The developed countries are responsible for global warming and we need drastic changes in the emissions levels and this is more from the transport section. The larger message is that a lot more serious action needs to be done,” she added.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its report on Friday after five days of deliberations in Bangkok.
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