DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: You may be selling bananas, paav-bhaji, cosmetics, cigarettes, clothes or just about anything else either on a push-cart going round the streets or by simply standing on the wayside. Now, you will no longer be called a “street vendor” as the Government of India is all set to give you a new designation: “micro-entrepreneur.”
The National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, 2009, approved by the Manmohan Singh government, recognizes street vendors (or micro-entrepreneurs) as “an integral and legitimate part of the urban retail trade and distribution system.”
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation also drafted the Street Vendors (Potection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2009, and forwarded it to the state governments for enacting local legislations “to provide for protection of livelihood of urban street vendors and regulate street vending.”
The Union government has asked the state governments to enact legislation for regulating street vending in tune with the national policy.
While street vending is increasingly seen as a major menace in urban areas compounding the traffic problems, the national policy aims at giving street vendors a legal status and providing legitimate vending/hawking zones in city/town master or development plans. Each street vendor will be registered under the aegis of a Town Vending Committee, headed by the respective municipal commissioner, and given an identity card with a code number and category.
Though a similar policy on street vendors was brought out during the erstwhile NDA regime, the UPA government “re-looked” it since “that was found to be not practical.”
“It is estimated that in many cities street vendors account for about two per cent of the population. Women constitute a large segment of these street vendors in almost every city. Street vending is not only a source of self-employment to the poor in cities and towns but also a means to provide ‘affordable’ as well as ‘convenient’ services to a majority of the urban population,” the policy notes.
The revised policy was brought out after due consultations with all the stake-holders. This is a progressive policy, in that it addresses issues like social security, institutional finance and housing related to the street vendors. In fact, the policy has tried to give a new definition to the so-called street vending, making it more respectable.
The 2009 policy notes: “As the street vendors assist the government in combating unemployment and poverty, it is the duty of the state to protect the right of these micro-entrepreneurs to earn an honest living.” The policy has been conceived as part of a major national initiative towards alleviation of poverty in urban areas.
The spatial planning for earmarking vending zones will be done through photographic digitalized surveys of street vendors and their locations while a comprehensive digitalized photo census / survey / GIS mapping of the existing stationary vendors will also be undertaken for granting the lease. However, each street vendor will be allowed to carry out his business at a designated place only for a period of 20 years.
Other important initiatives under the 2009 policy include: providing access to credit, skill development, housing, social security and capacity building for street vendors.
“Street vendors, being micro entrepreneurs, should be provided with vocational education and training and entrepreneurial development skills to upgrade their technical and business potential so as to increase their income levels as well as to look for more remunerative alternatives,“ the policy says.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Passenger cars to be 'star' rated in India
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: Passenger cars in India will soon have to carry a “star label” indicating their fuel efficiency. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a body under the Union Power Ministry, has included passenger cars in a list of 21 products that are necessarily required to carry the star label for energy efficiency by 2011. “Passenger car is categorized as an ‘equipment’ under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Hence, it is required to carry a star label (1-5 stars) indicating the fuel efficiency,” energy economist in the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Sandeep Garg said. “No exact timeline has been fixed for this though we intend to bring 21 products into the star labelling scheme by the year 2011,” Garg said. Star labelling for energy efficiency also becomes mandatory for air-conditioners, refrigerators, power distribution transformers and tube lights (TFL) from January 1, 2010. From then, these electrical appliances will be required to carry a label indicating the power consumption details and efficiency as per the Energy Conservation Act, according to Garg. Washing machines, computer monitors, kerosene stoves, microwave ovens, uninterrupted power supply systems and consumer electronic items would also be required to carry star labelling under the Standards and Labelling procedure. Only six states – Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – have made it mandatory to buy only three-star rated power distribution transformers. “Our objective is to save at least 10,000 MW of power by the end of the XI Five Year Plan period by enforcing energy efficiency measures, mostly on the demand side. We could save 2104.1 MW of power in 2008-09, compared to only 623.1 MW the previous year. All this has come about with a series of energy efficiency measures we have put in place,” the energy economist explained. He said discussions were on with manufacturers for labeling high-end products like LCD and Plasma television sets and also set-top boxes. Even mobile chargers could require a star label in the near future. “The bigger the size of an LCD\Plasma TV, the higher is the power consumption and the resultant power bill. Hence, the need for star rating and labelling,” Sandeep pointed out. He also said the BEE has mooted a differential tax system for star-rated products. “A five-star rated appliance should have a zero per cent tax while a 4-12 per cent tax could be imposed on those rated between 4 and 1. Since a lesser taxed product benefits them, consumers will go for a better rated one and thereby push the demand for star labelling,” he reasoned.
Hyderabad: Passenger cars in India will soon have to carry a “star label” indicating their fuel efficiency. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a body under the Union Power Ministry, has included passenger cars in a list of 21 products that are necessarily required to carry the star label for energy efficiency by 2011. “Passenger car is categorized as an ‘equipment’ under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Hence, it is required to carry a star label (1-5 stars) indicating the fuel efficiency,” energy economist in the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Sandeep Garg said. “No exact timeline has been fixed for this though we intend to bring 21 products into the star labelling scheme by the year 2011,” Garg said. Star labelling for energy efficiency also becomes mandatory for air-conditioners, refrigerators, power distribution transformers and tube lights (TFL) from January 1, 2010. From then, these electrical appliances will be required to carry a label indicating the power consumption details and efficiency as per the Energy Conservation Act, according to Garg. Washing machines, computer monitors, kerosene stoves, microwave ovens, uninterrupted power supply systems and consumer electronic items would also be required to carry star labelling under the Standards and Labelling procedure. Only six states – Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – have made it mandatory to buy only three-star rated power distribution transformers. “Our objective is to save at least 10,000 MW of power by the end of the XI Five Year Plan period by enforcing energy efficiency measures, mostly on the demand side. We could save 2104.1 MW of power in 2008-09, compared to only 623.1 MW the previous year. All this has come about with a series of energy efficiency measures we have put in place,” the energy economist explained. He said discussions were on with manufacturers for labeling high-end products like LCD and Plasma television sets and also set-top boxes. Even mobile chargers could require a star label in the near future. “The bigger the size of an LCD\Plasma TV, the higher is the power consumption and the resultant power bill. Hence, the need for star rating and labelling,” Sandeep pointed out. He also said the BEE has mooted a differential tax system for star-rated products. “A five-star rated appliance should have a zero per cent tax while a 4-12 per cent tax could be imposed on those rated between 4 and 1. Since a lesser taxed product benefits them, consumers will go for a better rated one and thereby push the demand for star labelling,” he reasoned.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Vijayawada BRTS may be ready in 2010
DESARAJU SURYA
Looks like the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) will become operational in Vijayawada only early 2010.
Necessary infrastructure for the BRTS like roads and bridges is still being built and many structures will be ready only towards the end of this year, if everything moves in accordance with the plans of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.
Initially, the VMC wanted to operationalise the first phase of BRTS in February 2009 but necessary infrastructure was not ready by then, forcing the authorities to put off their plans.
Now, a new bridge is under construction at Seetannapeta across the Eluru canal while one more bridge is coming up at Madhuranagar on the Ryves canal. The Madhuranagar bridge will be ready only next year and from there a 90 feet road will be laid connecting the Eluru Road.
A subway has been planned at Krishna Lanka beneath the National Highway-9 connecting Raghavaiah Park on the Mahatma Gandhi road. A foot-over-bridge will be built at Veterinary Hospital junction and another at the Ramavarappadu Ring Road for the convenience of passengers.
The VMC is planning to buy 10 specially-designed air-conditioned buses and 30 normal buses for BRTS operations. A model bus stop is being built at Satyanarayanapuram which will have an automatic ticket vending machine installed in it.
For now, the VMC authorities are tightlipped about the exact date from which the BRTS buses will start running.
Plans are also afoot to float a Special Purpose Vehicle for the BRTS operations. The SPV will be headed by the district Collector with Vijayawada police commissioner, municipal commissioner, Urban Development Authority vice-chairman and other officials as members.
The first phase of the BRTS project covers a distance of 15.5 km. The road – which is meant to be an exclusive BRTS corridor – connecting the GS Raju Road and Madhuranagar is almost ready now. The old Satyanarayanapuram railway track has been converted into the BRTS road now.The first phase Green Corridor will have 31 bus stops – each at a distance of 500 mts and 17 traffic junctions. The signalling system which is the key to ensuring a smooth ride for BRTS buses is still not in place. Of the 15.5 km Green Corridor, only a 11-km stretch has a clear way for BRTS buses while the balance portion will have mixed traffic. The Rs 152.64 crore BRTS project, taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), will make Vijayawada the fourth city in the country after Indore, Pune and Ahmedabad and the first in south India to have such a better urban public transport system. BRTS, an environment-friendly and cost-effective urban public transport system, is an alternative between ‘unreliable’ conventional bus transport and the high-cost metro rail. Usually, it is also referred to as the ‘surface metro’ system that has a dedicated right-of-way on prime roads enabling high operating speeds. In Vijayawada, BRTS is being introduced on a pilot basis along the 15.5-km ‘Green Corridor’: from the police control room to the railway station, Satyanarayanapuram, Eluru Road, Ring Road, Benz Circle, Mahatma Gandhi Road and back to PCR. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation plans to introduce exclusive BRTS buses, each costing Rs 40 lakh, in the later stages. Though the state government approved the proposal to form the Vijayawada Metropolitan Transport Authority for operating the BRTS, it hasn’t been put in place.
Looks like the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) will become operational in Vijayawada only early 2010.
Necessary infrastructure for the BRTS like roads and bridges is still being built and many structures will be ready only towards the end of this year, if everything moves in accordance with the plans of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.
Initially, the VMC wanted to operationalise the first phase of BRTS in February 2009 but necessary infrastructure was not ready by then, forcing the authorities to put off their plans.
Now, a new bridge is under construction at Seetannapeta across the Eluru canal while one more bridge is coming up at Madhuranagar on the Ryves canal. The Madhuranagar bridge will be ready only next year and from there a 90 feet road will be laid connecting the Eluru Road.
A subway has been planned at Krishna Lanka beneath the National Highway-9 connecting Raghavaiah Park on the Mahatma Gandhi road. A foot-over-bridge will be built at Veterinary Hospital junction and another at the Ramavarappadu Ring Road for the convenience of passengers.
The VMC is planning to buy 10 specially-designed air-conditioned buses and 30 normal buses for BRTS operations. A model bus stop is being built at Satyanarayanapuram which will have an automatic ticket vending machine installed in it.
For now, the VMC authorities are tightlipped about the exact date from which the BRTS buses will start running.
Plans are also afoot to float a Special Purpose Vehicle for the BRTS operations. The SPV will be headed by the district Collector with Vijayawada police commissioner, municipal commissioner, Urban Development Authority vice-chairman and other officials as members.
The first phase of the BRTS project covers a distance of 15.5 km. The road – which is meant to be an exclusive BRTS corridor – connecting the GS Raju Road and Madhuranagar is almost ready now. The old Satyanarayanapuram railway track has been converted into the BRTS road now.The first phase Green Corridor will have 31 bus stops – each at a distance of 500 mts and 17 traffic junctions. The signalling system which is the key to ensuring a smooth ride for BRTS buses is still not in place. Of the 15.5 km Green Corridor, only a 11-km stretch has a clear way for BRTS buses while the balance portion will have mixed traffic. The Rs 152.64 crore BRTS project, taken up under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), will make Vijayawada the fourth city in the country after Indore, Pune and Ahmedabad and the first in south India to have such a better urban public transport system. BRTS, an environment-friendly and cost-effective urban public transport system, is an alternative between ‘unreliable’ conventional bus transport and the high-cost metro rail. Usually, it is also referred to as the ‘surface metro’ system that has a dedicated right-of-way on prime roads enabling high operating speeds. In Vijayawada, BRTS is being introduced on a pilot basis along the 15.5-km ‘Green Corridor’: from the police control room to the railway station, Satyanarayanapuram, Eluru Road, Ring Road, Benz Circle, Mahatma Gandhi Road and back to PCR. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation plans to introduce exclusive BRTS buses, each costing Rs 40 lakh, in the later stages. Though the state government approved the proposal to form the Vijayawada Metropolitan Transport Authority for operating the BRTS, it hasn’t been put in place.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Farmers' suicides in Andhra Pradesh
DESARAJU SURYA
Hyderabad: For the first time since he became Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy came out with the revelation about farmers' suicides in the state.
He finally admitted that as many as 2890 farmers committed suicide in the state since May 2004 when he took over reigns for the first time.
“We have taken every possible measure to help the farmers. But obviously their lot has not changed for the better,” the Chief Minister said.
“All along, we have been thinking only about improving agriculture production and productivity and not about improving farmers’ income. This left the farmers depressed,” the Chief Minister pointed out, while analyzing the reason for suicides.
Andhra Pradesh ranked only next to Maharashtra in the number of farmers’ suicides.
Rajasekhara Reddy recalled the assurance he had given to farmers while taking charge as the Chief Minister for the first time on May 14, 2004. “From today, not a single farmer in the state will be forced to commit suicide for whatever reason. This is a farmer-friendly government and we will take every step to improve your conditions,” Rajasekhara Reddy promised even as he signed the first file offering free power supply to the agriculture sector.
Now, the Chief Minister revealed that 1031 farmers committed suicide between May and December 2004.
“This was largely because of the earlier impact when thousands of farmers ended their lives during the Telugu Desam Party rule. However, the number of suicides fell to 631 in 2005, 530 in 2006, 427 in 2007 and 267 in 2008. This year, the number came down to a mere four till May,” the Chief Minister said and rebutted opposition criticism that more than 7500 farmers committed suicide under his regime.
Rajasekhara Reddy claimed that every possible measure was taken to prevent farmers’ suicides. A special economic package was offered to the kin of farmers who ended their lives while their debts were also rescheduled. The loan waiver announced by the Government of India also benefited the farmers while the state government too offered a Rs 5000 incentive to those who promptly repaid the loans.
Besides, the state government’s free power supply scheme helped each farmer save Rs 15,000 per year.
All these claims, however, proved hollow, given the fact that so many had to end their lives. SHAME!
Hyderabad: For the first time since he became Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy came out with the revelation about farmers' suicides in the state.
He finally admitted that as many as 2890 farmers committed suicide in the state since May 2004 when he took over reigns for the first time.
“We have taken every possible measure to help the farmers. But obviously their lot has not changed for the better,” the Chief Minister said.
“All along, we have been thinking only about improving agriculture production and productivity and not about improving farmers’ income. This left the farmers depressed,” the Chief Minister pointed out, while analyzing the reason for suicides.
Andhra Pradesh ranked only next to Maharashtra in the number of farmers’ suicides.
Rajasekhara Reddy recalled the assurance he had given to farmers while taking charge as the Chief Minister for the first time on May 14, 2004. “From today, not a single farmer in the state will be forced to commit suicide for whatever reason. This is a farmer-friendly government and we will take every step to improve your conditions,” Rajasekhara Reddy promised even as he signed the first file offering free power supply to the agriculture sector.
Now, the Chief Minister revealed that 1031 farmers committed suicide between May and December 2004.
“This was largely because of the earlier impact when thousands of farmers ended their lives during the Telugu Desam Party rule. However, the number of suicides fell to 631 in 2005, 530 in 2006, 427 in 2007 and 267 in 2008. This year, the number came down to a mere four till May,” the Chief Minister said and rebutted opposition criticism that more than 7500 farmers committed suicide under his regime.
Rajasekhara Reddy claimed that every possible measure was taken to prevent farmers’ suicides. A special economic package was offered to the kin of farmers who ended their lives while their debts were also rescheduled. The loan waiver announced by the Government of India also benefited the farmers while the state government too offered a Rs 5000 incentive to those who promptly repaid the loans.
Besides, the state government’s free power supply scheme helped each farmer save Rs 15,000 per year.
All these claims, however, proved hollow, given the fact that so many had to end their lives. SHAME!
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