Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Vande Gujarat Golden Jubilee Mega Festival 02

Gujarat wins Top UN Public Service Award

The Chief Ministers Office, Government of Gujarat has been named esteemed recipient of the prestigious 2010 United Nations Public Service Award (UNPSA). State Wide Attention on Grievances with Application of Technology (SWAGAT) has won the UN Public Service Award in the category ‘Improving Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in Public Service'.

Spoeks persons Ministers of the state government Shri Jaynarayan Vyas & Saurabh Patel outlined the brief of award & said that Gujarat's award was handed out at the 2010 UN Public Service Awards Ceremony on 23rd June, in Barcelona, Spain, coinciding with the United Nations Public Service Day and Secretary to the Chief Minister, Shri A.K. Sharma received the Award.

The UN Public Service Award recognizes the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public service administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promote the role, professionalism, and visibility of public service.

The Chief Minister of Gujarat said: “People's voice is the key driver of a democracy, and listening to that voice is the key test of Good Governance”. The award comes as a result of the hard work of the administration at all levels: State, District and Taluka. Winning the 2010 UNPSA has rewarded the dedication of all the administration who have invested in the project.

Few countries win the UN Public Service Award yet Gujarat has successfully managed to win this award in 2009, and now again in 2010. In 2009, Gujarat won the UN Public Service Award for Water and Sanitation Management Organisation (WASMO) in the category ‘Fostering participation in policy-making decisions through innovative mechanisms'. Gujarat is the only State in India to win the UN Public Service Award for the second time.

SWAGAT operates on the principle that grievance redressal is essential for good governance especially to vitalize a democracy. Every month the Chief Minister considers grievance cases through multi-video conferencing with all 26 Districts and all 225 Taluka Offices. SWAGAT is outcome focused and cases are redressed on the same day or in a time-bound manner. This is the first time that the common citizen can access the highest level office with other officers present in real-time through video-conferencing.

The advanced technology system allows attention and monitoring of grievances across the State to ensure resolution. SWAGAT operates across the state and has dealt with 50,585 cases at State and District level and 43,621 cases at Taluka level. 97% of grievances have been resolved since SWAGAT began in April 2003. At monthly State Sessions, Hon. CM reviews District and Taluka cases for quality of redressal and understanding the nature of problems at local level.

All grievances & redressal information (State, District & Sub District) are fed into the same system, through an internet portal. Total Transparency is given as applicants are given a unique ID through which applicants can access their case details and status online.

A number of SWAGAT cases have been highlighted at the UNPSA Forum in Spain, and on the UNPAN website.
Gujarat's winning entries for this award exemplifies the excellence the State has achieved in harnessing good governance to serve the community at large. It is a great achievement for Gujarat as this award is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service.
 
Commissionerate of Information, Gujarat

New UK immigration norms to hit Indians

LONDON: Indians -- comprising the bulk of non-European Union skilled immigrants to Britain -- could be the worst-affected after the British coalition government on Monday confirmed a stringent interim limit of 24,100 on work permits to be issued between July 19 and March 31 next year.

Home secretary Theresa May said: "The government believes that Britain can benefit from migration but not uncontrolled migration. I recognize the importance of attracting the brightest and the best to ensure strong economic growth, but unlimited migration places unacceptable pressure on public services."

The new permanent limit on the number of non-EU workers entering the United Kingdom will come into effect from April 2011. It will be announced after 12-week consultations within the government and with businesses and other interested groups. "While we consult on our tough new limit, it's important we have an interim measure to avoid a rush of applications for migrants and ensure that the number of work visas issued stays below 2009 levels," May said.

Amit Kapadia, director of Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, said, "Any such cap will hit Indian professionals because most non-EU migrants to the UK come from India."

Net migration will be reduced to the levels of 1990s, to tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands.
The results of the consultation on the permanent limit is expected to make fundamental changes in the way workers from outside the European Union will be chosen.

Reports suggest that high-income group professionals may be excluded from the immigration curbs, even though there is no such indication in the official announcement.

The Conservative Party's demand for an immigration cap gained popularity during the election campaign. Economists, however, have warned that restrictions will hit economic growth.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Gujarat next gateway point of India: Minister

Ahmedabad, June 24 (IANS) Gujarat is going to be the next gateway point for business, leisure and medical tourism in the country, state Tourism Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said here Thursday.

“We have the best infrastructure. We have good roads, peaceful and tranquil atmosphere, nice people, everything… We are on the move. We shall go full steam and full throttle as far as tourism in the state is concerned,” Vyas said.

“Gujarat would be the gateway of India for leisure, medical and business tourism,” he added.

Vyas was here as the chief guest of the Gujarat Tourism Conclave 2010.

The conclave deliberated on key focus areas such as capitalizing on tourism opportunities, air connectivity, health and wellness tourism to lay down a tourism road-map for the state.

Vyas also urged the national and state tour operators to consider Ahmedabad as the “gateway point” to travel to the rest of the country.

“We are dreaming of an airport which will be by far the largest airport near Ahmedabad despite being the only state to have the highest number of domestic airports (12) and an international one too,” he added.

A FICCI-Yes Bank Study on “Furthering the Growth of Gujarat Tourism; With Special Emphasis on Health & Wellness Tourism” was also released by the minister during the conclave.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

GUJARAT TOURISM CONCLAVE TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY

Our Bureau

Ahmedabad

In order to emerge as a leading player in the fast growing market medical tourism, Gujarat will add substantial infrastructure for attracting foreign tourist. It is betting on NON RESIDENT GUJARATIs (NRGs), corporate as growing rural income to consolidate its position. The state is also in the process of preparing a tourism policy and as a part of it, “Gujarat Tourism Conclave” will be organised in Ahmedabad on June 24th, during which all the stakeholders in medical tourism will converge to deliberate on the ways to make Gujarat a global leader. Efforts are also on to make Gujarat a “Gateway to India” in the tourism sector, banking on its road and rail links with tourist place in the North as well as South India and making the sector the engine of growth b 2025.

Addressing media persons in Ahmedabad, tourism minister Jaynarayan Vyas, who also holds the health and family welfare portfolio, said Gujarat`s leading place in the pharma industry as well as established infrastructure will provide a strong foundation for growth in medical tourism in the state. “Gujarat tops in body donation, eye donation, knee joint replacement operations, kidney transplant and piles operation in the country. Moreover, it has highest per capita blood donation in the country. Gujarat is a unique state, where its hospitals, PHCs, drug laboratories, medical colleges and blood banks are accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare (NABH) as well as National Board of Accreditation for Laboratories (NABL).”

The Gujarat Government is expanding its medical facilities in a big way. The Government will invest Rs.1500 crore in setting up a state of art building in the civil hospitals campus, as a part of which 10,000new beds would be put in place in the next three years. Arrangements will also cathlabs at U N Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research. “From 1960 to 2008, the state had mere 500 seats in medical science but we have added seats each during 2009 and 2010. The coming years will see even larger addition. We have also increased the PG and super speciality seats in our colleges.

The government will act as a facilitator and will encourage private players to come up with infrastructure for medical tourism. Efforts are on to promote hill station of Saputara and pilgrimage site of Ambaji as ayurvedic treatment and rejuvenation hubs.”

However, insufficient facility of medical and health insurance for foreign tourist in the hospitals of the state is acting as a deterrent for Gujarat to emerge as a favourable destination, said Tushar Pandey, executive VP and country head (strategic Initiative and Relationship Management) of yes Bank. Acknowledging the drawbacks, the minister assured the audience that efforts are already on this front.

The Government is looking at tourism as the growth engine of the state as well as leading employers in the next 15 years. “By 2025 tourism sector would overshadow industries, agriculture and services sector in terms of growth,” said Jaynarayan.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Golden Moments NRI Gujaratis


NRI Gujaratis taking part in the State`s Golden Anniversary celebration at "Swaminarayan Temple " at New Jersey, USA, on Saturday.
Gujarat`s Golden Jubilee that kicked off on 1st May, 2010 will is being celebrated over the year.

Monday, June 14, 2010

NRG Centre at VCCI

NRG Centre at VCCI welcomes the clearance of a proposal by the group of ministers to let NRIs have the power to exercise their Right to Vote. The Government of Gujarats NRG Centre at VCCI now hopes that the bill will meet with safe passage in the parliament.

Congratulations.
NRG Centre at VCCI welcomes the clearance of a proposal by the group of ministers to let NRIs have the power to exercise their Right to Vote. The Government of Gujarats NRG Centre at VCCI now hopes that the bill will meet with safe passage in the parliament.

Congratulations.

Friday, June 11, 2010

NRG Centre at VCCI

NRG Centre at VCCI welcomes the decision by the Department of posts as it launches Cash Remittance Service in Gujarat. NRG Centre believes that thus services will help large number of NRG`s ( NRI`s) to remit cash to their kin even in the remotest part of the state and vice versa where parents send money to their kids.

NRG Centre at VCCI is committed to take up all issues of relevance for the NRG`s.

Congratulations.

Monday, June 7, 2010

All NRGs are invited!

All NRGs are invited in this blog. They can post their queries related to our activity coverage.

Welcome Message!

Welcome to Vadodara NRG Centre.
Proposed by Government of Gujarat & Managed by Vadodara Chamber of Commerce (VCCI)

Purpose of this Institute :

To establish effective communication with Non Resident Indians of Gujarati origin in various parts of the world, prepare and maintain a comprehensive database about NRIs of Gujarati origin.

To study from time to time social and cultural issues of NRI of Gujarati origin and take steps to formulate schemes for meeting their requirements.

To take effective steps to survey and assess the technical and professional skills of NRIs and to dovetail the same in the developmental efforts of the State.

To create a database on (Non Resident Gujaratis) NRGs, highlighting the professional areas of interest.

To enable Government of Gujarat and its agencies to communicate with NRGs with relevant interest.

To facilitate Government of Gujarat to initiate steps to address the specific needs of NRGs in different fields.

To tap the technological, managerial and financial resources of the NRI so as to upgrade the technical and professional skills and the human resources of the State, for the economic and industrial development of the State.

To channelize the savings and surplus financial resources of the NRI in to the developmental efforts of the State for mutual benefits.

To monitor the general welfare of the NRI and in times of crisis identify specific problems of Gujarati Non Resident Indians groups and take up the same with and through Govt. of India.

To facilitate in achieving the above objective the government have in addition set up the.