Tata Motors’ People’s car Nano to hit headlines on March 23rd

The much awaited $2000 priced Nano is to hit the Indian roads on March 23rd, bringing an end of year long speculation and criticism after the Auto Expo in January 2008. Speculation as to whether at all Tata Motors would be able to deliver to the promise made by their chairman Ratan Tata with severe problems plaguing the original Singur plant and criticisms on the forefront from adding congestion to the Indian roads to being a cheap vehicle to accelerate further pollution and global warming.

But, I beg to differ here with regards to criticisms meted out against Tata Nano from environmentalists, media people to anti-industrialization intellectuals. This is because Ratan Tata’s Nano is just not the car of Tata Motors, it’s a people’s car and quite importantly India will once again reiterate its stand as a power to recon with in the international arena with quality standards. The launch of Tata Nano calls for a celebration as it is going to make a paradigm shift in the auto industry.

Tata Nano is criticized on the grounds of consumerism and congesting of roads. Why can’t our anti-globalization leaders also take into account the benefits from trickle-down hypothesis? With the launch of Nano and its subsequent manufacturing, it will trigger demand and help create job opportunities for many especially in this time of recession. The job creation will not remain restricted to the auto industry, it will be created in infrastructure sector too as India will require more roads and flyovers.

Many speak of Nano adding to pollution. But then, do you know that Tata Motors’ Nano is Euro IV compliant and moreover aren’t there too many government buses running on the Indian roads in dilapidated condition adding fuel to further carbon-dioxide emissions? So, why blame Nano that is already complying with International pollution control norms.

Moreover why not appreciate that it will help realize the dreams of many in this land of billion populations. Tata Nano will help many to experience a four-wheeler ride for whom driving was a far cry as it is only riding.

So, if you are convinced of buying a Tata Nano, cough up Rs 70,000 as the advance booking which is scheduled to begin in April. The standard model of Tata Nano will be available at Rs. 1 lac while the other two variants is expected to be priced at Rs. 1.24 lacs and Rs.1.34 lacs.

Tata Nano booking- Where you can do?
State Bank of India has gone into an agreement with Tata Motors and it is expected that initially 100 branches of SBI will cater to Tata Nano booking besides the Tata Motors dealers. The online booking of Tata Nano is yet to take off.

Further reading on Tata Nano... check the links

http://topics-today.blogspot.com/2008/08/big-issue-for-small-car-in-west-bengal.html

http://topics-today.blogspot.com/2008/01/auto-expo-2008-peoples-car.html

Aid to Pakistan continues…Does Obama administration have the answer?

In spite of repeated proclaims that international terrorism has roots embedded in the soils of Pakistan…the flow of funds in the form of World Bank and IMF aid continues. Why?
Pakistan has always been bailed out, doled out by unheard moves and unseen gestures… the question remains as why?

Since the year 1952, Pakistan has always been receiving foreign aid of varied types for specific purposes. But where did all the funds go? Did the aid help transform Pakistan to a healthier state economically? The truth lies in the gruesome statistical numbers of literacy, education, quality of living. Since then and till now, nearly 75 percent population lives hand to mouth with income of not more than $2 a day. Apart from this, check on their foreign reserve that is dwindling and is almost negligible. So, once again and one more time Pakistan wants soft loans and who else but US needs to dole out Pakistan. Again US is the major trade partner of Pakistan. Apart from US, Pakistan receives aid from China too. With the recent moves, almost 27 signatures made on the dotted lines with respect to space technology, defense and further trading relation with China.

To survive Pakistan needs the aid… and why cannot we simply stop giving aid and sever ties with a country that is unleashing terror on all fronts. The answer is simple, the closest allies of Pakistan need this country for their own geopolitical reasons.

India is still watching, only contemplating on Pak’s response to the dossier… or waiting for another 26/11 to make the next move …or just being cautious so that it’s once again Obama who needs to make the first move and others will follow.

And now with the Obama administration, Pakistan has been warned that the flow of non-military aid to the country will be made conditional. This move is a part of Obama’s first foreign policy and to bring about accountability in Pakistan, a country that is reluctant to fight terrorism. Reported figure says that $55 million aid to Pakistan has been withheld by Obama administration.

President Obama…. Please hear the cry of the far-off lands too as you take decisions on International Terrorism and Pakistan.

Outplacement-A concept that helps grow amidst loss

With worldwide economic slowdown and market indices touching low, retrenchment, downsizing, work force rationalization, job loss, strategic business units closure, mergers and acquisitions are the most common terms. What are the first-hand consequences of these business terms?

More often it is employees parting from their organization and being forced out of the job before they had planned. It is here that the services of an outplacement agency come in the forefront. Outplacement is a process by which the exit of an employee from the current organization is made smoother by placing the individual in another organization analyzing the potential and skill set of the person.

The outfall of a major business decision in the face of globalization might be parting with few hundred employees to several thousand working people. Thus retrenching becomes the order of the day and it is quite a complex process. An executive business decision for an organization might be a life changing situation for the parting employees. For some, it becomes a blow to their morale and often people begin to suffer from low self-esteem upon this eventuality. Additionally in countries like India, there is no unemployment benefit and neither any social security system exists, further fuelling extremely low self confidence.

It is here that the outplacement consultants can help motivate the parting employees to work effectively for a better opportunity. Outplacement agencies can help people find alternate jobs matching with their skill set without much compromise on the financial standpoint. The services of the outplacement agency can be beneficial for all-for the parting employees who get opportunity to work elsewhere; employees who are working need not to be scared and hence the productivity and efficiency is not hampered as they can feel assured that an alternative is possible and last but not the least the organization benefits from its brand image remaining unscathed.

The outplacement agency provides with programs of counseling, coaching and training to meet a specified personal goal and to achieve greater benefit from a systematic job-search process. Thus, a transition at no cost can be made smoother if the concept of outplacement is more formalized particularly in the emerging economies of the world.

Thus, an outplacement agency can ensure better lifetime career management but one thing must be kept in mind that some norms also need to be put in place so that the under performing employees might not develop any kind of feeling of complacency that might lead to counter-productivity.

With the given economic situation, I feel an efficient outplacement agency can bring forth a win-win situation for all.

Hope of Change as Obama delivers his inaugural speech

My blog had posts of Hilary Rodham Clinton running for the Presidential election, there was few knocks and punches of words that found space in my thoughts and hence in my writing between Mc. Cain and Barack Obama as they raced for their seat in White House and finally when it was President elect Barack Obama won an overwhelming victory, I chose to write few lines on people’s expectations of a change.

And today when the 44th President of United States of America takes oath, the whole world looks up to him with a ray of hope for streak of changes that would leave an indelible mark in the lives of millions and especially on the ailing US economy.

From Cuba to China from Kongolo to Japan all is geared up to witness a historic moment in the international arena, only showcasing the fact that there is no geographical barrier to celebration. And what an appeal the man has made with his true statesmanship.

Kongolo being Obama’s birth place will soon witness a transformation into a great tourist hot-spot. And do you know even in Japan, the name is selling and people are making money? Yes, in the land of the rising sun, several hundred thousand masks of Obama is being sold as the inauguration has generated scintillating senses of excitement even amidst deep feeling of insecurity.

As Barack Obama takes his oath on the Bible used by Abraham Lincoln, speculation on the content of his speech is far too many. According to him the road ahead would be long and the climb would be steep but he says “Its not a day to pause and reflect-it’s a day to act”

So said, with an inspiring life story of Barack Obama and his great oratorical ability to instill and infuse confidence into the hearts and minds of millions, he is inheriting a weak global staggering economy, innumerable cases of bankruptcy, aftermath of war, nuclear proliferation to climate change…

Here are we on the other side of the subcontinent waiting for the wave of Change to engulf one and all for a better and brighter tomorrow.

Obama or McCain : Wait n Watch !!!

As the world superpower goes to voting its 44th President amidst fear of economic crisis, financial crash with bankruptcy and bail out package being the buzz word, the entire world is keenly following the debate, the policies, the issues and the areas of improvement talked about, by the Democratic leader Barack Hussein Obama and the 72 years old, Republican Senator McCain.

Many might ask that it is America going on election, so what is there on the other side of midnight? The truth is, there is no denying the fact that even with a reflection in reality of a failed leadership of Bush regime, America still dictates the world economy. Everywhere, people will follow the proceedings as Americans go voting before or after their working hours to give shape to America's future. America's Presidential election holds importance everywhere, be it Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei or Indian Sensex. The need of the hour is Wait n Watch.

US Presidential Election has a manifold interest for people to flip on news channels, read through media reports as well post comments on debates. The year 2008, race to Whitehouse got hotter initially with the entry of Hillary Clinton, who raised the bar for American Women. The heat generated continued to refract enthusiasm and gather momentum as the 47 year old Law graduate from Harvard, Barack Obama stepped in with its contrasting reform measures and policies on outsourcing, nuclear proliferation, fighting terrorism and deadline to withdraw troops from Iraq. On the other hand, McCain, still promises to carry on the legacy of Bush administration with regressive thoughts and beliefs of Sarah Palin. So here again it’s the Wait n Watch once more.

The bleeding American economy still has a critical global influence. Hence, it’s President and policies will cause differences even to the common man in the streets of the entire world. The final bell of the world's most robust American Presidential election campaign is about to ring and the rest of the world is waiting to hear its consequences.