Policy Scan Govt. Policy, Business Procedures & Regulations

Self Assessment System helps bring sea-change in customs’ operations

Winds of change are blowing across the Department of Customs, thanks to the introduction of proposals to simplify its procedures made in last year’s Budget. Perhaps the most impactful measure is the introduction of self assessment for Customs duties levied on exim consignments.

Customs is no longer in the process of assessment of duties, the power for which is now entrusted with importers and exporters.  Only 25% of bills of entry would be routed through the Customs officials, who would do the checking.  As per the programme design, the rest would be routed through Risk management Systems (RMS).

Any document that is filed with the Customs, it is presumed that it is self assessed.  If an importer does not or cannot assess, he could approach the department for help.  With the new system, the responsibility of deciding the duty, the policy and the valuation of the cargo is rested with the importer himself and not with the department, which stands relieved of the onerous job.

The new dispensation has substantially changed the procedural rules and now even an importer or exporter could get release of his goods which are disputed.

(ET, Mar 26, 2012)

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Latest Cenvat credit rule implications: 

The government has made some helpful and some not very helpful amendments to the Cenvat Credit Rules, 2004.  Exporters can hope to get refunds without much hassle and input service distributors can expect some nuisance in distributing the credits.

Rule 5 now allows refunds on the basis of a prescribed formula.  The new scheme does not require the correlation needed at present between exports and input services in such exports.  Duties or taxes paid on any goods or services that qualify as inputs or input services will be entitled to be refunded in the ratio of the export turnover to total turnover.  This is subject to the condition that the same duties or taxes should not have been claimed through the drawback route.  The conditions, procedures and safeguards for grant or refund will be notified later.  The new dispensation will apply for exports made from April 1.  Refunds under the existing dispensations must be claimed before March 31.

(Source Mr TNC Rajagopalan, BS, Mar 26, 2012)

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Industry Scan

In its editorial dated March 2012 Economic Times strongly argues that GST should be rolled out.  The article goes on “it can be a revenue spinner for States”.

The Centre is correct in telling states that it cannot endlessly give them money for revenue loss on Central Sales Tax (CST), a tax on inter-state sale originates.  CST was cut in two phases from 4% to 2%.  The Centre had promised to compensate states only for three years on the premise that they would adopt the goods and service tax (GST).  However, GST is poised to miss the April 2012 deadline, with BJP-ruled States and the AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu refusing to come on board of India’s most significant tax reform.  Instead, States are now asking the Centre to raise CST to 4% if it cannot continue to give them compensation.  That’s the location of industry and production.  Ideally, the levy should be phased out in the interest of creating borderless national market and to reap efficiency gains from prudent production.  BJP Leader Sushil Modi, who heads the panel of state finance ministers on GST, should convince all BJP Chief Ministers to adopt the new indirect tax system at least from September 2012.  That is how a constructive must work in a democracy.  UPA’s political leadership too should reach out to the Opposition to roll out GST.  A vital step for its rollout is the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill that will empower states to tax services and the centre to tax goods up to the retail stage. However, States can make legal changes needed only after the Bill is passed by Parliament.  Therefore, it makes little sense for a Parliamentary panel that is vetting the Bill to drag its feet.

GST will ensure that revenues grow faster for states that have been categorically told by the Centre that no further compensation would be paid to them.  It will simplify the tax system even further, widen the tax base and improve compliance.  This is precisely what happened after states adopted the value-added tax system.  However, there is also a need to revisit the Centre’s sharing of tax revenues with states on a more equitable basis, in keeping with their responsibilities.

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Defence Ministry reviewing procurement procedures

Defence Ministry signals growing acceptance of private sector.

The defence ministry on Thursday said that it is reviewing procurement procedures to ensure impartial, transparent and swifter acquisitions for the Armed Forces, even as the Army Chief’s recent assertions about corruption in big-ticket defence spending have created a major controversy.

The minister of state for defence MM Pallam Raju said that the government is developing a long term integrated perspective plan for the technology and capability needs of the Armed Forces over 15 years.

The lack of adequate information regarding defence requirements has been one of the major impediments in the growth of the defence industry… The (plan) would enable domestic industry to plan investment in defence sector and take up R&D, tech upgradation & forge tie-ups.

A series of policy statements by top Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials have highlighted the government’s growing belief that India’s private sector should be entrusted with a significantly large role in defence production.

Defence Minister A.K.Antony, while inaugurating Defexpo India 2012, the seventh in a series of Indian Land and Naval Systems Expositions that began in 1999 and is organized every alternate year, also indicated that India’s defence spending would remain at a modest level of about 2 per cent of the country’s GDP, which he termed “consistent without security needs as well as our requirements in the area”. 

(ET, Mar 30, 2012)

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Evolving technologies: the need of the hour

Banks need to evolve from using the conventional modes of reaching out to customers through emails or attractive websites and move on to increased usage of blogs and other online communities.

Emerging technologies have carved a niche for themselves amidst various degrees of IT innovations driving business transformation.  Businesses are adopting technologies such as Cloud Computing 5X taster than IT operations, while 70 per cent of IT resources captive in maintenance and operations are looking at improved utilization in other business areas, maximizing efficiency and building economies of scale.

Bank executives need to manage their organizations through the current economic conditions without losing sight of the critical elements that define their future survival.  Financial institutions that innovate will enjoy significant advantages over banks encumbered by antiquated technologies and manual processes.  Organizations should define how and when emerging solutions, technologies, processes and organizational models should be adopted in order gain a competitive advantage.

Technology has been elevated to great heights with the adoption of cloud computing progressing steadily.  Banks and insurance companies are usually seen to struggle with the burden of huge data centres equipped with great degrees of computing power, most of which is under-utilized.  Cloud computing can provide answers to optimum data centre utilization and speed and cost efficiencies.  The predominant advantage of this technology for banks is the storage of huge volumes of data, without the need to construct a centre for IT storage.  It also yields cost savings with optimal use of IT and removes the hassles of infrastructure expansion. 

(BS, Mar 28, 2012) 

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Korean investment a priority says PM

Investment from South  Korea is a “priority” for India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on a recent visit to Seoul.

“Investment from Korea is a priority for India”, Singh said in his address to South Korean CEOs during his two-day official visit to the country.  “We will take pro-active steps to address investor grievances and improve the business climate in the country.  I urge Korean industry to have faith in India.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked South Korean businessmen to help India expand its burgeoning solar and nuclear power sectors by investing in these environment-friendly technologies.

(HT, Mar 27, 2012)

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China’s factory activity falters, markets take fright

China’s economic momentum slowed in March as factory activity shrank for a fifth straight month, leaving investors fretting about the risks to global growth and anticipating fresh policy support from Beijing.

The HSBC flash purchasing managers index, the earliest indicator of China's industrial activity, fell back to 48.1 from February's four-month high of 49.6. New orders sank to a four-month low, an expected rebound in export orders failed to emerge and new hiring slumped to a two-year low.

“With new export orders sluggish and domestic demand still softening, China's slow down has yet to finish. This calls for further easing to come from Beijing,” HSBC chief China economist, Mr. Qu Hongbin, said in a statement.  

(FE, Mar 23, 2012)

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World GDP figures, the news isn’t all bad. The US job market has started to pick up speed again

The World’s economic Growth continued to slow in the final quarter of 2011, according to the Economist’s measure of global GDP, based on 52 countries. Year-on-year growth fell by just under one percentage point to 2.5%. Developed countries average growth slumped to less than half a percent despite a small uptick in the third quarter. The BRIC economies saw declining growth for a seventh successive quarter. In Europe, heavy austerity measures have shifted growth; the economies of the Netherlands, Greece and Italy all contracted in the fourth quarter. Oil prices, which recently rose over $128 per barrel, are placing new pressure on the global economy.

(FE, March 23, 2012)

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China set to be top importer, topple US

China has said it is set to overtake the US as the world's biggest importer over the next few years. The position of the biggest buyer will give China bigger political influence in international affairs, sources said.

Chinese minister of commerce Mr. Chen Deming said his country will become the world's biggest importer because there was a lot of potential for growth in its industrial and retail sectors.

(TOI, March 23, 2012)

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Indian IT supports 2.8L jobs in US

The Indian IT Industry Supports 280000 jobs in the US, including 107000 direct jobs and over 175000 ancillary jobs, a new study for IT industry body Nasscom has said.

The study – undertaken clearly to blunt the edge of the anti-outsourcing campaign in the US – finds that locals constitute three out of four jobs supported by the India IT industry in the US.

(TOI, March 23, 2012)

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Relief for Central Sales Tax may derail GST

The sticky issue of compensation to states for the reduction in the Central Sales Tax is widening the gulf between  the Centre and State Governments, threatening to derail the UPA government’s most ambitious indirect taxes reform – the goods and services tax (GST), reports our Bureau from New Delhi.  Further hardening its stance on the issue of compensation, the Centre has said it could not go on compensating states even if they refused to support GST.

In a rebuttal of states’ allegations that the Centre did not keep its commitment on compensating loss of Central Sales Tax revenue, the Finance Ministry today said it cannot go on dishing out money to states if they were not  willing to move ahead with the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“CST (Central Sales Tax) compensation is being taken as an excuse by the states (to delay GST).  The government cannot keep on paying the compensation endlessly if the states don’t come on board for GST.” R S Gujral, secretary, finance, said today at a post Budget seminar organized by industry chamber FICCI.

(ET, Mar 21, 2012)

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J Satyanarayana is new IT Secretary

Satyanarayana, a 1977 batch IAS Officer, has been appointed as the new IT Secretary at Ministry of Communications and IT.

Satyanarayana, who was serving as additional chief secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, replaces R Chandrasekhar, who was handling the additional role of IT Secretary.  Chandrasekhar continues to be the Secretary, Department of Telecom. 

(ET, Mar 20, 2012)

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China eyes growth. Stable prices, reform

China cannot delay reforms to rebalance its economy and will set policies to achieve relatively fast growth and stable prices that should help total trade maintain double digit growth this year, Vice-premier Li KIequiang says.  Li is widely expected to succeed Wen Jiabao as Premier later this year.

(HT, Mar 19, 2012)

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A new paradigm: How trade drives India story

International trade now accounts for nearly 53% of the gross domestic product (GDP), pointing to increased integration with the global economy, which is not limited to the stock market and the banking system alone.

The country has come a long way from the days when export-import was looked down upon.  In 2004-05, global trade accounted for 37% of the GDP.  It is the rapid growth in shipments in and out of the country, driven by lower customs duty, which has spurred this sharp growth.

India’s share in global trade is now near the 2% mark, compared to a mere 0.7% in 2000.

(TOI, Mar 16, 2012)

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IT & Services

Microsoft, Google begin war of Words over Indian Cloud

Google and Microsoft, two of the world’s largest technology firms, are raining blows on each other as they hard sell their so-called cloud services and claim  for dominance in a market estimated to grow to $15-18 billion by 2020.  Although these companies used to be thought of as being fundamentally different, similarities are beginning to show more prominently with both offering office productivity software, besides computer operating systems.  While it may be too early to gauge business gains, the war of words has begun.

“Google is the largest cloud services company in India”, claimed Rajan Anandan, Google’s India head since January 2011.  “We have 2,00,000 businesses that use Google  cloud solutions.  We have orders of magnetic bigger than Microsoft”, added Anandan, who used to head Microsoft India before he took up the Google job.  Cloud computing is causing a fundamental shift in the way technology services are delivered.  Unlike in the traditional model, software or hardware need not be on-premise but be bought as a service and can be paid for depending on usage, instead of a lumpsum  up-front payment earlier.

While Google proudly cites cloud sales successes, including to the Indian Youth Congress, IndiaMart, Indiainfoline, Flipkart and Sterlite Technologies, Microsoft boasts of logos such as Essar Sporting Mindz, Idhasoft and Gradatim. 

(ET, Mar 29, 2012)

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Business Competitiveness hinges on cost-efficient IT

Innovation is pivotal to business today, and cost-effective IT infrastructure is critical for competitiveness.

In light of tough economic conditions, optimization has become the credo in every organization, whether big or small.  Every company has made the activity of optimizing its resources, improving productivity and reducing costs its core strategy.  All companies require IT solutions suited for different functions and at different levels of their organization to develop efficiency and become competitive.  Yet, despite so much being discussed about IT in every news media, it continues to remain under-utilised, particularly among India’s SME and MSME population.

Ultimately the challenge for every CIO is aiding the CEO’s strategy, while saving time and cost and driving innovation.  Cost-effectiveness is vital, but innovation is the life-blood of a business.  Companies cannot afford to not be innovative in this competitive world.

(ET, Mar 29, 2012)

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Internet Risks

As internet usage grows, increasing power in the hands of ISPs could pose threats to open competition and free speech.

Companies which offer internet access should treat all internets content equally, in terms of its speed, pricing and access.

ISPs may decide what content to censor or give preference to telecom companies and ISPs try to be ‘Internet gate-keepers’ and decide the speed of the websites and apps on their network.  ISPs want to charge content providers to provide speedy delivery of their data and give preference to their own services and content.

India is unique as most users surf internet on smart phones rather than on fixed broadband.  Bandwidth allowances for consumers in India are among the lowest in the world.  ISPs and telecom operators may use bandwidth restrictions as a reason for not supporting net neutrality.

Some important voices on the issue including that of US President.  “Those of us who can’t pony up the cash for high-speed connections will be relegated to the slow lanes… We can’t have a situation in which the corporate duopoly dictates the future of the internet and that’s why I’m supporting net neutrality” says Barack Obama, US President.  “Allowing broadband carriers to control what people see and do online would fundamentally undermine the principles that have made the net a success” says Vinton G Cerf, ‘Father’ of the Internet.  “Every Customer should be able to access every service… The web has grown so fast because we have had two independent markets, one for connectivity, the other for content & applications” says, Tim Berners Lee, Director of the World Wide Web Consortium.

(ET, Mar 27, 2012)

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Hardware giants eyeing India as alternative production hub

The world’s most coveted technology companies could begin manufacturing operations in India if enabling policies are put in place, says Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology President Alok Bharadwaj.  IN an interview with FE’s PP Thimmaya, Bharadwaj talks about the issues faced by the hardware sector. 

The hardware industry continues to face many hurdles and one of them is the inverted duty structure wherein import of parts and components attract higher duties than the finished products.  This has resulted in many manufacturers closing down their facilities and turning into traders in a highly competitive global market condition, already down by recessionary perils, it would be really hard for Indian hardware manufacturers to have a level playing field with competitors in China  or Taiwan, or even Vietnam.

The biggest argument is that if Indian wants to create millions of jobs and if manufacturing has to get topmost priority, the policy has to be the driver.  India has focused on IT software and services during the last decade and turned a sleepy sector into a vibrant global force.  The time for scripting a similar success story for IT hardware sector has come.  While for software and services, lack of government intervention helped the industry to prosper, in case of the hardware industry, lack of intervention will cause a demise of local value creations.  Hence the alarm bells are ringing and the industry expects more hand holding from the government.

India lags far behind Thailand, China and Taiwan, when it comes to manufacturing.  After the 2011 Japanese tsunami and Thailand floods, diversifying risk is a big factor for all global companies and indeed, the world is looking at India as a possible alternative destination.  Better infrastructure, political stability, consistency in policies and strong visible intent that such investments are wanted and welcomed are few of the points that need discussion at the macro level.  The best way is to ask the investing companies what will make them come to India and let them answer.  We do not need to create our own answers.

The most important task of any government is to provide drivers for the growth of industry.  In case of the IT hardware industry, there are two ways such drivers are injected.  One, by higher absorption of IT in various government investments, and the other is by creating environment that expands private investment and penetration of IT.  Some positive announcements like the move to allow external commercial borrowings for modernizing toll systems throughout the country will increase ICT adoption and increase efficiency.  The decision to fully computerize the PDS system is a big move, which will definitely have positive implications for the hardware industry.  One negative implication is the increase of excise duty as well as the service tax from 10 to 12%.

(FE, Mar 27, 2012)

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Now, a tablet that’s also a mini lab for doctors

Imagine a cutting edge software – a tablet computer and an Android phone rolled into one – that works as a diagnostic tool for multiple activities like conduct ECG, measure heart rate, test quality of water and also take body temperature.

Swasthiya Slate (Health Tablet) – a first-of-its-kind diagnostic tool – created by a US-returned Indian bio-medical engineer Kanav Kahol will not only perform all these tasks but will also test blood pressure and blood sugar on the spot.

Kahol, who has worked with Noble laureate Dr Lee Hartwell at the University of Arizona’s Biodesign Institute on creative “persuasive technology,” said the slate will now help auxillary nurse midwives (ANMs) and accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) working in far-flung villages to diagnose diseases on the spot.,  Swasthya Slate is likely to be rolled out in the next three months. 

(TOI, Mar 26, 2012)

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Aakash gets Rs.765 crore in Budget

The world’s cheapest tablet project has been allocated about Rs.765 crore in Budget 2012-13, which is likely to trigger the second phase of the project expected to begin in April, even as the first phase is stuck in a deadlock.

The allocation for Aakash has been made under the national Mission for Education through ICT of Ministry of Human Resource and Development.  The mission had launched the low cost tablet project, last year.  According to official sources, the money allocated is ‘sufficient’ for the second phase of the project.  Aakash-II is likely to cost the government about Rs.569 crore for about 50 lakh tablets.  “Most of the money is likely to be utlised for  the Aakash project.  Some of it will be utlised for developing e-content,” said a senior government official involved in the project. 

(ET, Mar 22, 2012)

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PC prices to go up 2-4% on higher excise

The personal computer (PC) industry is set to hike prices in the range of 2-4% to offset the impact of an increase in excise duty as proposed in the Union Budget.

The PC manufacturers who operate in an environment of very thin profit margins are unlikely to absorb the hike in excise duty and will pass it on to the customers.  The Budget has proposed 2% increase in excise duty, besides other small hikes in customer tariff rates.

What is true of PCs equally applies to all electronic and hardware products manufactured within the country.

(FE, Mar 19, 2012)

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Fingerprint-checking smartphone patent

To allow smart phones to scan their users’ fingerprints through their screens an identity check has been patented by Sony.  It describes a range of ways to build “light-transmissive displays” to allow sensors to look out of the screens.  It says an unidentified material would obscure the sensors to users would only see graphics telling them where to place their fingers.  Sony has not given any indication of when it might introduce the feature.  The innovation of when it might introduce the feature.  The innovation has been submitted to the US Patent and Trademark office and was flagged up by the website Unwired View.

(ET, Mar 27, 2012)

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Microsoft, Nokia to invest $24 mn to boost Windows phone apps

Apps, apps, apps!  That is the main challenge that Microsoft and Nokia, who are trying to claw back market share from Apple Inc’s iPhone and Google’s Android in the red hot smartphone market, face now. 

Apps, short for applications, are small pieces of software that do useful or fun things on cell-phones.  The huge number and variety of apps in Apple and Google stores are a key factor that has helped the companies emerge as dominant players in the smartphone market. 

Microsoft and Nokia said they would invest a total $23.9 million into a new mobile application development program, AppCampus, at Helsinki’s Aalto University during the next three years.

(HT, Mar 27, 2012)

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Telecom players divided on 4G spectrum reserve price

Sharp differences have emerged among major telecom, broadband wireless access (BWA) service providers and related industry associations over the fixing of reserve price for 4G spectrum, reports Ashish Sinha in New Delhi.  Reliance Industries’ subsidiary Infotel Broadband, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Reliance Communications have given varied opinions on a consultation paper floated by Trai on spectrum auction issues.

While infotel broadband wants the reserve price fixed at 7-8 times higher than that for 3G radio waves, Bharti Airtel wants the reserve price at Rs.930 Cr per MHz for Pan-India licence.  Vodafone wants the prices on a par with the reserve price applied in the 3G and BWA auction.

(FE, Mar 26, 2012)

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Poor returns may force telcos to go easy on spectrum auctions

Hyper Competition , rock-bottom tariffs and huge payouts for 3G spectrum have hammered  telecom companies’ return on capital employed (ROCE), limiting their capacity for aggressive bidding in spectrum auctions and upsetting the government’s revenue calculations.

Consequently, the Budget target to raise Rs.40,000 crore from spectrum auctions this fiscal may come a cropper, just like last fiscal’s ambitious target for PSU disinvestment that ended in a botched ONGC auction.

(FE, Mar 22, 2012)

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Smartphones to have mini projectors

As much as mobile-phone technology improves over time, there’s one aspect guaranteed to remain the same-screen size.  Any bigger and you start creeping into tablet territory.  That’s why laser-based mini projectors have become popular.  Connect one to your phone, and you can display a much larger version of you screen onto most surfaces.  Now researchers from VTT Technical Research Center, the Aalto University and laser-maker Epi Crystals, in Finland are looking to integrate mini projectors into the phone itself.  The key is making a small, energy efficient and luminous three-color laser light source that can be embedded without driving up handset costs.

(ET, Mar 20, 2012)

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Trai proposes models to redistribute 2G spectrum in 900-MHz Band

Telecom regulator TRAI has proposed three models to redistribute the 900-MHz spectrum band, considered as the most efficient for second generation mobile services, most of which is currently held by incumbent mobile phone companies.

Redistributing the900-MHz band has been among the most controversial issues confronting the sector.  Later entrants and dual-technology players, such as Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices, content that incumbents, such as Bharti, Vodafone and BSNL, have made huge savings on their capex and opex as they were allotted the 900-MHz band, and have been demanding that this bandwidth be redistributed among all telcos. 

(ET, Mar 19, 2012)

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Telecom policy vision: seamless MNP

The economic survey has sought to take mobile number portability across state borders in the proposed new telecom policy (NTP).

Mobile number portability (MNP) allows a subscriber to change his operator within a circle (boundaries of a telecom circle roughly coincides with the boundary of a state).  If a subscriber shifts from one state to another, he cannot avail of the MNP facility.

Under the proposed full MNP, a subscriber can change his operator while retaining his number even if he moves to another state.

The economic survey states that NTP will be implemented from June.

(HT, Mar 16, 2012)

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Samsung offers new products at SW Asia Regional Forum

Samsung has announced a slew of new products across AV, Mobile, TV and IT categories at the 2012 South West Asia Regional Forum held in Bangkok.

At the event, B D Park, President & CEO of Samsung Electronics, South West Asia and Managing Director of Samsung India Company promised to “push the boundaries of innovation and consumer experience” with these new products, showcased in this special event for media from the South West Asia region.  All these products are expected to be launched in India over the next few months.

Samsung’s new ES8000 LED Smart TV features an ultra-slim bezel, a built in camera with microphone, voice control, gesture based control and face recognition.  Thanks to the built in camera, users can not only have face-to-face video chats over Skype, but it also enable advanced face recognition, gesture control and voice control. 

(ET, Mar 19, 2012)

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Innovative 3D Design for Solar Energy

Intensive research around the world has focused on improving the performance of solar photovoltaic cells and bringing down their cost.  But very little attention has been paid to the best ways of arranging those cells, which are typically placed flat on a rooftop or other surface, or sometimes attached to motorized  structures that keep the cells pointed toward the sun as it  crosses the sky.  Now a team of MIT researchers has come up with a very different approach: building cubes or  towers that extend the solar cells upward in three-dimensional configurations.  Amazingly, the results from the structures they’ve tested show power output ranging from double to more than 20 times that of fixed flat panels with the same base area.

The biggest boosts in power were seen in the situations where improvements are most needed: in locations far from the equator, in winter months and on cloudier days.  The new findings, based on both computer modeling and outdoor testing of real modules, have been published in the journal Energy and Environmental Science.  “I think this concept could become an important part of the future of photovoltaic,” says the paper’s senior author, Jeffrey Grossman, the Carl Richard Soderberg Career Development Associate Professor of Power Engineering at MIT.  The MIT team initially used a computer algorithm to explore an enormous variety of possible configurations, and developed analytic software than can test any given configuration. 

(ET, Mar 29, 2012)

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Business Opportunities/ Enquiries/ Meetings/New Products/Support

ELCINA Electronic Manufacturing Model Cluster

(Invitation to members & electronics manufacturers to join)

ELCINA has been advised by Department of Information Technology, Govt. of India to establish the first Electronics manufacturing Model Cluster in NCR Region. Establishment of clusters is one of the key recommendations of the DIT Task Force and the Draft National Electronics Policy 2011, which can help us achieve the ambitious growth target set for the country to grow electronics manufacturing from US$ 25 Billion to US$ 300 Billion by 2020 and achieve higher value addition and employment generation. ELCINA has been working on this project since last one year. The industry and Government are confident that such a project has immense potential and value for the industry and for all participants. This Cluster will provide significant benefits to all participants by way of world class infrastructure, lower land and building costs as well as support services such as test & certification, hostels for labour and staff, back-up power and logistics support etc. It can revitalize the electronics manufacturing sector and give it the much needed boost, and extricate us from the vicious cycle of high imports and low value added manufacturing.

The proposed project will facilitate establishment of small and medium sized enterprises for manufacturing electronic components, parts, materials and assemblies for the “Consumer Electronics, Lighting and Power Electronics” segments. Large units which will serve as an anchor are welcome to join the Cluster. Presently it is envisaged that the cluster area  would be between 100-150 acres and the most likely location is in Rajasthan within 75 kms of Gurgaon on Jaipur Highway. The Cluster would be managed by a SPV constituted by the members.

Presently a detailed project report is being prepared by a reputed Infrastructure Management Company and the same would be ready within 3 months. The Central Government will provide up to Rs.50 crores on Infrastructure Development Support for the Cluster which will add more value and save costs for the manufacturing units established in the Cluster.

As on date we have 21 companies who have confirmed their participation in the Cluster.  Further enrolments for the Cluster had been postponed till such time as the location could be finalized.  However, now that the location is almost finalized and Project Report is under preparation, ELCINA invites its Members to join the Cluster at the earliest date and get best advantage of lower cost for enrolment and obtaining the land and infrastructure.  Interested Members and Non-Members may kindly contact by e-mail to rajoo@elcina.com or Srinivasan@elcina.com.

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Coming Event & General Information

Modern Machine Shop 2012

India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, U.P - 05 – 08 April 2012

For details please contact Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association, Bangalore

Tel : 080-66246600, Fax : 080-66246661, E-mail : info@mmsinfo.in,

Website : www.mmsinfo.in

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15th International Trade Fair for Electronic Components (Expo Electronica)

Crocus Expo, Moscow – April 11-13, 2012

For details please contact Ms. Anna Semenova, Primexpo Ltd., Tel : +7 (812) 380-60-10/00, Fax : +7 (812) 380-60-01, E-Mail : anna@primexpo.ru, Website : http://expoelectronica.primexpo.com

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Electronica China 2012

Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China – April 20-22, 2012

For details please contact MMI (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., 11th floor, GC Tower, 1088 Yuanshen Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 200122, Tel +86-21-2020-5500, Fax: +86-21-2020-5688
E-mail: epc@mmi-shanghai.com, www.e-p-china.com.cn

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Automatica  5th International Trade  Fair for Automation and Mechatronics

New Munich Trade Fair Center, Germany - May 22-25, 2012

For details please contact  Indo German Chamber of Commerce, Mumbai

Tel : 022 6665 2127,  E-mail : munichfairs@indo-german.com

Website : www.automatica-munich.com

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Communic Asia 2012 The 23rd International Communications & Information

Technology Exhibition & Conference  

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore,  June 19 – 22 2012

For details please contact Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd.

Tel : +65 6233 6638, Fax : +65 6233 6633

E-mail : events@sesallworld.com

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India Manufacturing Show 2012

Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bangalore - 27–30 September 2012 

For details please contact India Manufacturing Show, Bangalore Tel : 080-26651234 / 41716085, E-mail : info@ims2012.in,  Website : www.indiamanufacturing show.com 

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Illuminex India 2012

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi - : 27 – 30 September 2012

For details please contact International Trade and Exhibitions Events Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi,

Tel : 011-40828282, Fax :011-40828283, E-mail : krishnavrajan@yahoo.co.in

Website : www.ite-india.com

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Electronica Asia 2012

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre – October 13-16, 2012

For details please contact Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 38/F, Office Tower, Convention Plaza, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, Tel: (852) 1830 668 , Fax: (852) 2824 0249, E-mail: hktdc@hktdc.org 

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Home Electronics Show 2012

Hall No.14, Pragati Madan, New Delhi, 26 – 28 October 2012

For details please contact iTEN Media Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi

Tel : +91 11 46577362  Fax: +91 11 26928611, -mail: sk@itenmedia.in 

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Hybridica 2012

Munich Trade Fairs – November 13-16, 2012

For details please contact Ellen Richter-Maierhofer, Exhibition Director, Phone: +49 89 949-20370, Fax: +49 89 949-20379, E-Mail: ellen.richter-maierhofer@messe-muenchen.de,

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5th Imtos India Machine Tools Show

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, July 04 – 07, 2013

For details please contact K And D Communications Ltd.

Tel : +91 79 264 69725, 264 60624

E-mail : info@imtos.com, info@engimach.com, imtos@imtos.com

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ELCINA Events, Activities & Services

ELCINA Directory for 2012

The ELCINA DIRECTORY OF INDIAN ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY 2012 was released on 17th February 2012 during EFY Expo at Pragati Maidan by Mr Ajay Shankar, IAS, Member Secretary, NMCC.. The new Directory will contain key industry production and market data in addition to the other regular sections. This is a handy compendium with easy-to-read format, available in Print & CD Version. 

Price of New Directory (Print + CD Version), including Postage & Handling charges:

For obtaining copies, please send a Demand Draft/at par Cheque favouring “ELCINA Electronic Industries Association of India” to Mr. V.K. Vadhwa/Ms. Tandra Majumder, ELCINA House, 422 Okhla Industrial Estate Phase III, New Delhi-110020, Tel: +91-11-26924597, 26928053, 41615985 Fax: +91-11-26923440 Email: vijay@elcina.com/tandra@elcina.com. Copies can also be collected personally from ELCINA House at New Delhi on payment  through Draft/Cheque/Cash.

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Conference Facility at ELCINA House

The following Conference Facilities are available in ELCINA House for holding conferences/workshops/meetings  etc:-

All the above facilities are available with full power back-up (including air conditioning) with all modern equipments like LCD Projector/Screen, Internet through Wi-Fi, Audio Systems, Collar/Cordless mikes etc..  Beverages/Lunch/Dinner can also be organized on request.  For details and booking, please contact Mr. V.K. Vadhwa in ELCINA House (Tel – 011-26928050, 26924597, email – vijay@elcina.com)

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Forthcoming ELCINA-CKM Programmes 

Continuing its efforts to establish an extensive source of knowledge to serve Indian Engineering and Electronics Industry and cultivate a manufacturing culture in the country, ELCINA-Centre for Knowledge Management (CKM), since its launch in 2008, has been conducting various workshops on a variety of topics of interest to the satisfaction of the industry with focus on quality improvement and enhancing competitiveness. It has also been organizing In-house training workshops in companies for the benefit of the industry and the number of workshops is growing every year. 

Workshop on “Refining Communication Skills”

Workshop on “Team Building”

Workshop on “Statistical Process Control (SPC)

Workshop on “Measurement System Analysis”

For more details and forthcoming programmes, please log on to - http://www.elcina.com/ckm/services-ckm.htm - and/or contact ELCINA Secretariat, New Delhi – rajesh@elcina.com or tandra@elcina.com

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OSRAM PRODUCT DISPLAY CENTRE at ELCINA HOUSE

The 'OSRAM DISPLAY CENTRE' in ELCINA House is a permanent Display Centre and serves to showcase the Indian electronics industry to visitors. The Display Centre has now 15 Full Stalls and 4 Half/Mini Stalls, presently occupied by the following Member-companies. 

Full Stalls

1. Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bangalore
2. EPCOS India Pvt Ltd, Bangalore
3. Vishay Components India Pvt Ltd, Pune
4. Teknik Electromeconic Pvt Ltd, Bangalore
5. SGS Tekniks Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon
6. Samtel  Group, New Delhi
7. Deki Electronics Ltd, Noida
8. Victor Component Systems Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
9. Osram India, Bangalore
10. Elin Electronics Ltd, New Delhi  
11. Bhagyashree Industries, Secunderabad

Half/Mini Stalls

1. Cosonic Components Pvt Ltd, Chennai
2. Servel (India) Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
3. CTR Manufacturing Industries Ltd, Aurangabad

A few Full and Half/Mini Stalls are vacant at present and members interested may kindly contact ELCINA House, New Delhi (saly@elcina.com) for booking the same

Terms and conditions for booking of stalls:-

• Manufacturing & Service Member-companies of ELCINA are eligible to display their products 
• Flexible shelves are provided inside the stalls.  Modification in fixtures of the basic structure will not be possible as it runs counter to uniformity.
• Lockable Storage space will be provided below the stall for brochures/publicity materials etc.
• Audio Visual clip/Power Point presentation will be displayed for the visitors on LCD Panel installed in the Display Area.
• The rental charges for the Stalls for two years – FULL Stall (Rs.20,000/-)  and HALF/MINI Stall (Rs.12,000) + Service Tax (10.3%), as per govt rules.
• Exhibits can consist of product samples, demo kits, brochures, posters etc.  
• Each stall has got one power supply point of 15 Amps.
• Renewal will be for a minimum period of two years or multiples there

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