BANGALORE, Jan 30 (Agencies): The challenge before the country is to enhance rural connectivity and using evolving technologies for application in the field of education by facilitiating distance learning and creating virtual classrooms, according to National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda.
The country needed to focus on applications for education, e-governance, health, food and developing local applications in future, he said in his keynote address through tele-conferencing at the CII organised 'Comtel 2008' on the theme 'Breaking Barriers, Bridging the Divide' here today.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajiv Mody, Chairman and CEO, Sasken Communication Technologies Limited, said despite the significant growth in the Indian telecom industry, tele-density is low with a visible technology divide between rural and urban strata.
While the gap between the digital haves and have-nots has narrowed significantly, the aim is to reach the same level of growth in rural areas as in urban areas.
"Bridging the divide is all about making communication affordable, accessible and reliable for all classes of people, both urban and rural", he said.
Speaking about the future, Mody said a large part of the next set of telecom customers would in rural areas and rural connectivity would become the next hot issue facing the industry.
"There are numerous opportunities in the rural areas.
The key lies in encouraging local content to help implement e-governance applications and connect rural India for an overall inclusive growth", he said.
Committee constituted to examine HMT land deal THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jan 30 (Agencies): Kerala cabinet today constituted a high-level committee headed by State Chief Secretary P J Thomas to look into the sale of 70 acres of land by public sector HMT to a Mumbai-based private company to set up a Rs.4,000 crore 'Cyber City' at Kalamassery in Kochi.
The committee comprising of secretaries in Revenue, Industry, IT, Registration and Law departments, would make recommendations to the government on further steps to be taken on the deal.
It has been asked to submit the report within one week, State Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told reporters during cabinet briefing here.
LDF government was committed to protect public lands and recover them from landgrabbers, he said.
Irregularities, if any, in the HMT land deal and also in any previous land deals would be found out, Achuthanandan said.
As per the complaint against HMT, without government consent, it had made an agreement with Blue Star Realtors, Mumbai, to sell 70 acres out of the about 100 acres which had been assigned to it by the government.
The sale deed was finalised on Oct 16, 2006.
The land deal also sparked a row after Achuthanandan kept away from the stone-laying ceremony of the project on January 19, stating that his office did not get sufficient documents regarding the deal.
HMT has been charged with selling the land in violation of the clauses in the agreement reached between the PSU and the state government.
As per the agreement between the state and HMT, no portion of the land was supposed to be 'alienated' for any purpose other than setting up 'comprehensive industrial unit' by the PSU.
CBI inspector arrested while taking bribe PATNA, Jan 30 (Agencies): A CBI inspector was caught red-handed while taking bribe from a bank officer here, sources said today.
Praveen Kumar, an inspector posted at Patna, was arrested by a CBI team from Delhi at a hotel on Fraser road late last night when he was accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the manager of UCO Bank, Giddhaur, in Jamui district, H S Thakur.
The sources said the inspector had demanded money to save the bank officer in a case of alleged corruption.
Thakur had informed the CBI headquarters about the demand and a trap was laid to catch him red-handed.
Russia keen to set up aluminium plant in Orissa BHUBANESWAR, Jan 30 (Agencies): Close on the heels of world's largest steel maker Arcelor-Mittal and South Korean steel major POSCO turning to Orissa, the Russian government today expressed desire to set up industries in the coastal part of the state.
Russia had another plan for setting up a nuclear power station in Tamil Nadu, the country's envoy to India, Vyachesiav I Trubnikov told reporters on the sidelines of signing of joint venture agreement between his government and Saraf Agencies for a titanium project in the state.
The envoy earlier apprised Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of his country's interest in mining and allied sectors.
"We have already held discussion with the state government about Russia's interest in bauxite mining and proposal to set up an aluminium plant here," Trubnikov said.
To a query, the Russian envoy said his country was interested in steel sector and also power generation in the state.
"While we have spoken to the Chief Minister regarding the proposed aluminium plant, talks will be held on other projects," he said describing the Titanium project as a pilot one for future investment from the Russian side.
He said both the countries had experienced ups and downs on the economic front which perhaps worked in a way to bolster economic relations in the backdrop of a liberalised economy.
BJP demands removal of Election Commissioner Chawla NEW DELHI, Jan 30 (Agencies): Ahead of assembly elections in several states, BJP today again raked up its demand for removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, accusing him of favouring a particular party in his decisions.
A delegation lead by party general secretary Arun Jaitely submitted a petition to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami in support of its demand.
"We have submitted a petition to the CEC as per the directions of the Supreme Court seeking removal of Navin Chawla as he has been favouring a particular party in his decisions," Jaitley told reporters after submitting the petition.
The petition bears signatures of 180 Members of Parliament in support of the demand.
In reply to his petition in the apex court seeking removal of Chawla, the Supreme Court had directed party leader Jaswant Singh to approach the CEC.
Party leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Anant Kumar, S S Ahluwalia and V K Malhotra were part of the delegation.
In reply to a query on the Uttar Pradesh police's chargesheet over a controversial CD that surfaced during assembly polls, Jaitley said the matter would be dealt with by the party.
UP police have named party president Rajnath Singh and leader Lalji Tandon in the chargesheet accusing them of inciting communal feeling by releasing the CD.
"The matter has been raked up for political gains and the police have been used in the state as a political tool," he said.
Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi NEW DELHI, Jan 30 (Agencies): The nation today paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 60th death anniversary, with President Pratibha Patil leading the countrymen in paying rich tributes to the messiah of non-violence.
An inter-religious prayer meeting marked the death anniversary of the Father of the Nation at Rajghat, the samadhi of Gandhi, where leaders, children, youth and women paid their respects.
Gandhiji's favourite hymn "Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram" was also played at the venue.
Besides Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony and other ministers and three service chiefs also paid tributes to the Mahatma at the samadhi.
Hymns from various sacred texts were also rendered by Hindus, Jains, Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs and Judaists.
Gandhiji was shot dead by Naduram Godse on January 30, 1948 while he was going to attend a prayer meeting at Birla House in Delhi.
