IT Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH: The success of Nano, their most challenging dream, and euphoria it has generated has infused zeal in the Tata Group. The group is all fired up and raring to leave its footprints all across the country, including Punjab.

The propensity of Tatas to concentrate their plants in western parts of the country is soon going to be passe.

Importantly, the announcement of pan-national plans came from none else than Ratan Tata, the chairman of the group, during a press conference in New Delhi on January 11.

In his deep baritone voice Tata charted out a future course of action: “We have taken a view internally that we should have footprints across the country. We are also looking at a possibility for plants in Punjab and other northern regions. Incidentally, our plant in Uttaranchal is ready.”

That Punjab figures on the big man’s mind entails a great opportunity for the region reeling under the impact of one of the worst industrial growth rates in the country. The state is in a dire need of investment and the presence of industrial entities like Tata can swing its sagging fortunes.

State’s industry minister Manoranjan Kalia appreciated Ratan Tata’s interest in the region and told The Times of India: “We will roll out a red carpet for Tata. If such a renowned group establishes ventures in Punjab, it will give a boost to the state’s investment and industrial potential.”
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CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has decided to spend Rs 750 crore for the construction of 20,660 flats belonging to the Economically-Weaker Section (EWS) at 10 districts of the state.

Chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is also chairman of the development authority, stated this on Sunday. He said the proposal for the construction of such units in the districts of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh, Rewari, Rohtak, Kaithal, Ambala, Hisar, Jind and Sirsa had been invited.

The work for the construction of 2,072 EWS units was already under progress at Panchkula at a cost of over Rs 50 crore. He said 5% rebate would be given on the lumpsum payment of total cost of the plots offered by HUDA in various sectors.

Speaking on the 32nd formation day of HUDA, the chairman said HUDA had offered more than 2,41,000 freehold residential plots, 20,000 commercial sites, 12,000 industrial plots in various urban estates, besides 948 acres of land to the cooperative group housing society, welfare organisations and urban group housing schemes.

Source: The Times of India News Service

Chandigarh: Tata Motors dealerships across the region say they have been inundated with calls for bookings of Nano, the small family car showcased by the Tatas a few days ago. A spokesperson of Hind Motors said, “We have entertained some hundred enquiry calls as to whether the bookings have started or not.”

The cars admirers aren’t restricted to the middleclass, who are aspiring to upgrade from two-wheelers to four-wheelers. In fact, people who own luxurious sedans have also been more than impressed by its arrival. Aman Bir Singh, a prominent hotelier, says, “If I say it is a revolutionary concept, it will be an understatement. Tatas have notched something amazing that India should be proud of.”

Sceptics, however, are of the opinion that once the initial uproar of the car’s launch subsides, people will start looking for comforts in the car and that could be its undoing. After all, not many people prefer to drive cars sans air conditioning and power steering these days.

Chartered Accountant Raman Aggarwal, who owns a BMW, explains, “You need to do a cost and benefit analysis. Look at the price. It is merely one lakh. Think of thousands of people who are commuting by two wheelers and face the elements. For them the comfort of travelling together with the family and protection from rain and sunlight is most important. This is what the car is doing.” He says it shall reduce the chasm between the haves and have -ots. “The majority of the population of India is lower middleclass. This vehicle will transform their lives for ever.”
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Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal announced that 2008 would be dedicated to education and employment generation in the state. He was addressing the gathering while inaugurating an international conference on “Global Competitiveness and Employability Skills Development for Youth”, organised by International Punjabi Chamber for Service Industry (IPCSI) on the sixth annual Parvasi Punjabi Divas 2008 here at Hotel Mountview.

Badal said the government had decided to undertake an extensive survey of the educated but unemployed youth with rural background, to enable them to get appropriate jobs according to their qualifications and experiences. He said the department of employment generation set up by the government would directly supervise the task and the compilation of data therefore would act as a reservoir to provide ideal jobs to the eligible candidates.

He said the government also intends to generate job opportunities for the unemployed by opening skill development centres to upgrade their skills so that they can be gainfully employed in the country as well as abroad. The state government has already tied up with a multi-national company, Larsen & Toubro, to set up a skill development centre to impart training to the youth in the field of construction and building.

There was ample scope for the youth to be absorbed into the avenues of electrical, mechanical, auto engineering, plumbing and marble fixing. With the coming up of malls, shopping plazas, multiplexes, industry and clubs, there would be considerable scope for their absorption.
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