INDIA SWOT ANALYSES YB

The indications are that France is going to adopt a conservative protectionist economic policy which will be in conflict with the liberalism of EU Constitution or EU Treaty.

Every country has to protect its own interests. Facades are for consumption by others. There is nothing wrong in being protective, then what for is WTO armtwisting developing countries?

Labels: ECONOMIC CONSERVATISM, EU CONSTITUTION, LIBERALISM, PROTECTIONISM

INDIAN MISSION AT UN, situated in a grand premises whether doing great work or mediocre work, has to think of more materialistic things like renewing lease of the premises or buying an independent premises, not just timebound leases. This world of Real Estate is always in a mode of craving the sky heights. A stitch in time saves nine.

Labels: INDIAN MISSION, INDIAN MISSION AT UN, UNITED NATIONS

INDIAN MISSION AT UN, situated in a grand premises whether doing great work or mediocre work, has to think of more materialistic things like renewing lease of the premises or buying an independent premises, not just timebound leases. This world of Real Estate is always in a mode of craving the sky heights. A stitch in time saves nine.

Labels: INDIAN MISSION, INDIAN MISSION AT UN, UNITED NATIONS

INDIAN MISSION AT UN, situated in a grand premises whether doing great work or mediocre work, has to think of more materialistic things like renewing lease of the premises or buying an independent premises, not just timebound leases. This world of Real Estate is always in a mode of craving the sky heights. A stitch in time saves nine.

Labels: INDIAN MISSION, INDIAN MISSION AT UN, UNITED NATIONS

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• FREETHOUGHTINDIAYB
  
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BHAGAVAD GITA
BHARTRUHARI
SANSKRIT ENGLISH SIMPLE MINI DICTIONARY

• SUMATI SATAKAM

VEMANA SATAKAM
• RECIPES

CONTENTS (Alphabetical order)
AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS
OIL SEED PRODUCTION
PALM OIL IMPORTS
FRUITS CULTIVATION
PADDY CULTIVATION
SUGARCANE CULTIVATION
VEGETABLES CULTIVATION

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY	MILK PRODUCTION	DAIRY SECTOR OPERATION FLOOD WHITE REVOLUTION
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
	LIFE INSURANCE	AUTO INSURANCE
	BANKINGPLANNING
	SLOW GROWTH RATE
	AFFLUENT CLASS
	CONSUMER CREDITRETAIL MARKETS
	SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS
	EDUCATION CONTROLLERS IN INDIA
	COLLEGE EDUCATION
	SCHOOL EDUCATION	>
	FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES BOGUS UNIVERSITIES BORDERLESS EDUCATION
	WORLD EDUCATION
	DISTANCE EDUCATION
	HONORARY DOCTORATES
	LITERACY
OPEN UNIVERSITIES
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
	BRAZIL;CHINA;FRANCE;NON ALIGNED MOVEMENT PAKISTAN
	INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS	INDIAN STEEL INDUSTRY IRON ORE EXPORTS
INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR
	POWER SECTOR
	TELECOM SECTOR MOBILE PHONES
	INTERNET
LAW AND JUSTICE	PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION	PIL MISUSE
NATIONAL HEALTH AFFAIRS
	ALGHEIMERS DISEASE
	blindness	MACULAR DEGENERATION
	CARDIO VASCULAR DISEASES
	ChikUnGunya
	DENGUE FEVER
	DIABETES	GLYCEMIC INDEX
	NUTRITION	TRANSFATS
	POLIO
NATIONAL POLITICAL AFFAIRS	INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES INHERITANCE POLITICS CRITICISM AGAINST MAHATMA GANDHI	Indian National Congress Bharatiya Janata Party Communist Party of India (Marxist)
RELIGION AND SECULARISM	Religions Secularism
SCIENCE AFFAIRS	RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT	COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR)
CONSTITUTIONAL LANGUAGES

STATES OF INDIA
STATE	CAPITAL	STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES
Andaman & Nicobar	Port Blair.	Cellular Prison
ANDHRA PRADESH	HYDERABAD	Developing Information Technology Sector; Software; Call Centers;	Maoist Violence; State Violence; Landgrabbing Mafias;
Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar	Archids; EcoTourism Potential	Inadequate Infrastructure;
ASAM (Assam)	Dispur	Assam Tea Gardens;	Brahmaputra Floods; Child Mortality in Urban Areas; Terrorist Groups; Wastage rate of technical graduates;
Bengal	Kolkata	Top in Fish Consumption; Top in Fish Production; Top in Health Care of Women;	Top in Industrial Disputes;
BIHAR		Good river water resources	Atrocities on Dalits; Custodial Deaths; Lawlessness;
Chandigarh
CHATTISGARH (also: Chattisgadh)		Road Construction Projects;	Tribal Backwardness; Terrorism;
Dadra and Nagar Haveli			Discrimination against Women; Universalisation of Elementary Education;
Daman and Diu			High Male Female Ratio; MalNutrition; UnderNutrition;
Delhi		Good Bus Transportation in tandem with Metro Rail; Good Business Opportunities	Air Pollution; Overcrowding Parking Facilities; Power Shortages; Sealing of Unauthorised/Irregular Constructions;
Goa			Government in Debt
GUJARAT	Ahmedabad	Developed Soda Ash Industry; Longest Coastline in India with good rail and road connectivity; Enterprising people; Second in Fish catches; Strong Vegetarianism;	Failure of Cooperative Banks; Hindu Muslim Reconciliation; EarthQuakeProne; Resettlement of Displaced People by Projects under Execution; Water problems; Weak multi story buildings;
Haryana (HARIYANA)	Chandigarh	Good communications network; Roads; Power;	Groundwater Salinity; Groundwater Scarcity; Hypertension among Police Personnel
Himachal Pradesh	Shimla	Good Communications (Telephones) and Roads; Potential for Biotechnology Industries;	Bronchitis; Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix in Women; Hilly State; Mental Health Problems of People; TB;
Jammu and Kashmir	Srinagar	Tourist Paradise;	Poverty; Terrorism; Unemployment;
Jharkhand		Mineral Wealth; Potential for rose and vegetable cultivation;	Poverty; Power Thefts; Widespread Illiteracy;
Karnataka	Bangalore	Historic sites; HydroElectric Power Potential; Silicon Valley of India; Silk and blended fabrics; Wind Energy Potential;	Non Profitability of Agriculture; Suicides of Farmers; Threats of Terrorist Attacks;
KERALA	Tiruvananthapuram	High Literacy; Life Expectancy on par with US (77 years); Potential for food processing industries; Spice and Cashew Basketr of India; Tourist Paradise;	Diabetes; Disputes within the Church; Hotel Room Shortages; Joblessness; Numerous splinter political parties; Power Shortages; Severe Deforestation; Privatisation of Health Services;
Lakshadweep	Kavaratti	EcoTourism;	Tourism Dilemma
Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal		Conservation of Biodiversity; Power Shortages ; Shortage of Trained Medical Practioners;
Maharashtra	Mumbai	Most Industrialised State	Gay Bars and Clubs; Heavy Debt of the Government; Power Crises; Prmary Health Care Delivery Failures; Shiv Sena;
Manipur	Imphal	Potential for Silk Production;	Addiction to Liquor; Chronic Unrest; Drugs from Myanmar;
Meghalaya	Shillong;	Potential for mushroom cultivation; Potential for Agrobased and Plantation Industries;	Domestic Violence; Illegal Migrants from Bangla Desh
Mizoram	Aijwal	Potential for Arecanut, Pineapple and Plantain Trees and fibres; Tourism;	Drugs from Myanmar; HIV AIDS; Influx of Migrants; Rats;
Nagaland	Kohima	Hill Top Villages;	Extremist Groups; Shortage of Doctors in Government Hospitals; Top in Malarial Deaths;Top Population Growth Rate;
Orissa	Bhubanesvar	Granite Mining Projects;	Cyclones and Natural Disasters; Ecological Plunder by Mining Companies; Maoist Threats to Upcoming Industries; Severe Food Insecurity; Top Infant Mortality Rate; Top Malaria State;
Pondicherry	Pondicherry	Good education infrastructure;	Cyclones, Hurricanes, Tsunamis
PUNJAB	Chandigarh	Wealthiest State; India's Bread Basket;	Falling Groundwater Table; Fiscal Woes; Milk Scarcity; Fossil Fuel Scarcity; Paucity of Warehouses for storing Wheat; Shortage of Doctors; Suicides of Rice Farmers;
Rajasthan	Jaipur	Fort Tourism; Potential for ceramic and glass industries;	Eye Diseases; Power Transmission and Distribution Losses; Desert Terrain and Severe Droughts;
Sikkim	Gangtuck	Tourism	Lack of Infrastructure (roads);
Tamil Nadu	Chennai	Large English Speaking Population; Software Parks; Top in Urbanisation; Wind Energy Generation;	Droughts; HIV-AIDS; Power Shortages; Top in migrant workers; Water Scarcity;
Tripura	Agartala	Ecological Diversity;	Decay of handicrafts; Insurgents from Bangla Desh on three sides;
Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow	Politicla Heavyweight; Potential Biotechnology Industries;	Class Caste Divides; Dacoits of Chambal VAlley; Entrenched Poverty; Lawlessness; Power Shortages; Top in crimes against Dalits; Top in Malnutrition; Top in Polio Cases;
Uttaranchal	Dehradoon	EcoTourism;	Drinking Water Crisis; Goiter; Shortage of Police Personnel;

AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS
ABOUT	NEWS/DEVELOPMENT	COMMENT
FRUITS CULTIVATION		World Second Rank
OIL SEED PRODUCTION	PALM OIL IMPORTS	Govt.'s decision to cut import duties on import of palm oil hurts the small and marginal farmers who cultivate oil seeds, due to depressed domestic prices for their produce.
PADDY CULTIVATION		World Second Rank
SUGAR CANE CULTIVATION		World Second Rank
VEGETABLES CULTIVATION		World Second Rank

DAIRY SECTOR
ABOUT	NEWS/DEVELOPMENT	COMMENT
MILK PRODUCTION	WHITE REVOLUTION	World Top Rank in Milk Production. Also called OPERATION FLOOD

EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
EDUCATION CONTROLLERS IN INDIA
	AICTE (ALL INDIA COUNCIL OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION)	Controls Engineering Education
	NCTE (NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHER EDUCATION)
	BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA	Supervises Legal Education in India
	MCI (MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA)	Supervises Medical Education in India
	UGC (UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION)	Supervises the functioning of Universities. Provides them financial support.
COLLEGE EDUCATION	POST GRADUATE DEGREES	FIVE YEAR PG COURSE : Some State Govvernments are going ahead (eg. Andhra Pradesh) with five year Post Graduate Degree Courses. Existing three year Degree Courses will go. The object is to raise standards, increase project work and make the PG Degrees acceptable to employers
DISTANCE EDUCATION	Distance Education Revolution	Distance Education is spreading at Supersonic Speed. Yet, a long way to go.
OPEN UNIVERSITIES	Open Universities will change the total higher education scenario.	Without any formal educational qualifications, persons above a certain age, can pursue higher education, without going through the preliminary stages of school and intermediate education. Basis: In their struggle for the livelihood and interaction with the external world, they would have acquired the necessary knowledge and skils. It is logical that they will be ready to start at a higher plane.

CROSS BORDER HIGHER EDUCATION
AREA	EVENT/NEWS	COMMENT
FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES	BOGUS UNIVERSITIES BORDERLESS EDUCATION	UNESCO - REFORM, INNOVATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE SECTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION DIVISION initiated a process of establishing a website consisting list of accredited institutions recognised by NATIONAL AUTHORITIES. 1. Students can become INFORMED DECISION MAKERS. 2. Can get AUTHENTIC INFORMATION. In India AIU (ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN UNIVERSITIES) provides information on authenticity of Universities..

WORLD EDUCATION
AREA	EVENT/NEWS	COMMENT
STRENGTH	100 million students	China, India, US and Russia account for 53% of student strength

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
go top
BRAZIL

India, Brazil and South Africa are coming together and forming IBSAR. Hurrah!

France

Defence Minister visiting France to finalise sub-marine deal.


Considering what Mr. Natwar Singh did in Iraq, can we foresee what Mr. Mukharjee is going to do in France?

Non Aligned Movement

PM attending summit of Non-Aligned Nations at Hawana, Cuba.

What is the use? Already aligned to US. Proof: Nuclear Deal.
Back to Contents

PM's keenness to visit Pakistan

PM can SET RIGHT HOME FIRST. PAKISTAN CAN BE VISITED LATER."
Foreign Secretaries find that there is a marked improvement in the attitude of Pakistan. Whenever terrorists strike on public places all over India (latest: the attack on the RSS HQ, Nagpur), the Central and State Police declare that the Pakistan's Govt. Intelligence Agency ISI is involved. This means that Pakistan is not relenting in its cross border terrorism and is bent upon in creating unrest not only in Kashmir but throughout the India. Pakistan being a small and weak country, with its origin in India, may have fraternal sentimental attachments to India. Still, if it ventures on large scale All India destabilising operations, there is a strong reason to deduce that a few other Islamic countries are encouraging and instigating it. If all is well in our relationship with Pakistan, either our Foreign Secretary or the Police should be misleading with feigned information. Both cannot be true at the same time.


PM's keenness to visit Pakistan may be appreciated considering that such visits flash him on the tent of the global circus, as a Head of a Government. In India, he is not the SUN. He is Mr. SUNia. When he goes to foreign countries, he need not worry about TRS leaders meeting him or CPM leaders meeting him.


The problem is, after a scam is announced by a foreign news agency, every dignitary claims that he is not aware or that he has not been sufficiently appraised or that Mr. X has misled him. Efforts are made to find scapegoats. Why not the PM and the President spare some time for the Petro deals analyses? The appointment of the CEOs of the Public Sector Petro Companies also does not get adequate media attention. Of course, the CEOs may be Technical Experts in the field of Oil Drilling and Refining. But do they have enough experience in handling Oil Purchases?

Who aid them and advise them? Is there any watch on the personal properties of the CEOs, Purchase Managers, Advisers and the Consultants?


INVITING TOURISTS FROM P.O.K.

PM inviting those who crossed over to PAK OCCUPIED KASHMIR back to India, promising amnesty and zero tolerance does not seem to be proper. PM's promising autonomy to J and K appears to be short-sighted. All these placative measures will open Pandora boxes and chains of demands from others such as Khalistan, Dravid`astan, Bodoland etc.

If India is to survive as a strong nation, the Central leadership should be firm. There is nothing wrong in being kind and soft. Simultaneously, there should be a clear recognition that Constitutionally all States in India are and should be equal. J and K already enjoys some privileges which cause inequalities such as the Kashmir being given freedom to choose whether a particular Central law will apply to it or not and to impose restrictions on Non-Kashmiris on settling down in Kashmir etc. Prolonging them for indefinite period into future itself is fraught with generation of similar demands from other States.

AUTONOMY TO KASHMIR

Now, offering autonomy and self rule take the inequalities to culminating levels of non-acceptability. One need not be a former Governor or RBI or an Oxford alumni to recognise that such offers will be destructive and fissiparous for the country. It is not the case for India to retain Kashmir by paying any price to becalm vociferous sections who instigate common people in Kashmir. The confidence building measures will have to confine only to the extent of convincing that the people in Kashmiris are not being treated inequitably. This does not require huge budget or making somebody beyond law.

What the Kashmiris need is not quantitatively or qualitatively different from what the poor of other States in India need. Then the question that arises is: "Is Kashmir being neglected in law and order and the development or any other critical sector? Is there any discrimination?" For identifying areas where Kashmir has hitherto been neglected, an expert group can be appointed and their recommendations be implemented in right earnest.

Just as in a game of chess every step leads to uncountable possible consequences, permutations and combinations, the decisions PMs take will have far-reaching effects some of which will be wholly unpredictable and injurious to the nation. This problem is of great significance because the Central Cabinet is filled with'yes men' who take delight in supporting whatever the PM proposes. Expressing and recording dissent is deemed shameful for clever cabinet ministers After all, a decision which appears to be the best, most intelligent and praiseworthy today may tomorrow turn out to be a foolish and disastrous thing.

Creating a special cell in PMO exclusively for Kashmir will also not solve the problem. As the PM himself will not have time to attend to everything personally, the Kashmir becomes a bureaucratic affair not taking any responsibility or accountability. Instead, appointing a "Cabinet Minister in charge of Troubled States" would have brought all critical matters to the notice of the Cabinet, Opposition Parties and answered questions in Parliament. He would have strived to work out a consensus with the Opposition.

For small things, the PM speaks of consensus and delays matters indefinitely. Ms. Sonia Gandhi, his adviser and the UPA chair person spends years without revealing her mind making leaders of her own party to guess what is in her chest or heart or head. Any concessions to J and K should, therefore, be a subject of consensus not only among the partners of UPA but also with the opposition parties in Parliament. The Lok Sabha should discuss the pros and cons thoroughly before offering concessions which are not offered to other States.

There is also a need for public discussion in media followed by a referendum on All India basis, because the proposal can change the history of the nation for the next 1000 years.

CHINA
GO-TOP

China hesitates to support India's permanent membership of Security Council.
But India supported China's permanent membership. What is China's true nature?














CARDIO VASCULAR DISEASES
12% of Indians suffer. 25 to 40 age group vulnerable

Back to Contents NATIONAL HEALTH AFFAIRS
AREA	ISSUES/NEWS	COMMENTS
ALGHEIMER'S DISEASE	1.09% of Indians suffer.	Neuro degenerative disease. A common cause of demetia. First indication: Loss of short term memory. Often caused by genetic causes.
BLINDNESS	MACULAR DEGENERATION	Age related macular degeneration is common. Also due to Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (Smoke etc.)
CHIKUN GUNYA		Central Health Minister acknowledged that ChikuNGunya fever entered India. It is a fever resembling Dengue. Dictionary.Com mentions ChikuNGunya as existing in India, even earlier. According to it: ChikunGunya is caused by a togavirus of genus Alphavirus, spread by the mosquito Aedes.
DENGUE FEVER		Spread by the mosquito Aedes.
DIABETES	GLYCEMIC INDEX	Indians mix different types of flours in making their food. They have different glycemic values. Difficult to follow intake of carbohydrates on the basis of Glycemic Index.

NUTRITION
AREA	ISSUES/NEWS	COMMENTS
TRANS FATS	Trans fats are hydrogenated oils in semi solid condition .	Indians consume large quantities of trans fats, when they eat sweets made of Vanaspati bought from outside. Ghee (clarified butter ) also contains elements of trans fats. High in take of trans fats can cause susceptibility to heart attacks, diabetes and rise of bad cholesterol.

POLIO
AREA	ISSUES/NEWS	COMMENTS
	National Polio Surveillance Project-India is being executed with help of WHO. Polio not totally extinct in India.	2006: About 400 cases. Top State: Uttar Pradesh

INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
INDIAN STEEL INDUSTRY	IRON ORE EXPORTS	India is exporting iron ore vigorously on the basis of economies of scales of steel production. The exports deplete reserves. China is buying the ore for its steel industry, though it has abundant iron ore reserves. China is preserving its reserves..

INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
INTERNET		No. of internet users in India touch 37 million (3.5 crore). Bulk is youth.
TeleCom Sector	MOBILES	Aiming to become the third largest network in the world after China and US. 201 million users by 2010. To offer 3G (Third Generation Services with cost effective broadband access.

POWER SECTOR
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
ELECTRICITY		High Transmission and Distribution Losses.

NATIONAL POLITICAL AFFAIRS

SONIA SHOULD READ CRITICISING LEADERS This refers to the letter "Cheap Talk" a criticism against criticism of leaders. Leaders of Indian freedom movement deserve great respect for all the hardships they had undergone and the sacrifices they made. A few of them might have on an occasion or two acted foolishly or even selfishly which might have been under personal compulsions and idio-syncracies. (example: Gobinda Ballabh Pant was fond of foreign cars) It will be in fitness of things for us to forgive such omissions and commissions, and be reverent to them in spite of the faults. The problems faced by this country, need wide in-depth discussion - This sacred land India has become a towering inferno. Once a discussion is taken up, some of the actions of our leaders come up for analysis. Discussing their omissions become unavoidable. Without losing our objectivity and without forgetting that our leaders were acting under financial, individual, group and regional constraints, we can identify their errors While discussing we should not have any secret selfish agenda of our own or indulge in character assassination. We should not derive mischievous pleasure or derive some politicla mileage from the criticism. Once criticism is made, we have to learn from the errors made by our great leaders, at any cost, we should not repeat them. CRITICISM AGAINST MAHATMA GANDHI There were thousands of martyrs who opted for the violent route of a freedom movement and languished in the Cellular jail of Port Blair or were hanged/shot by the British. Even among those who participated in the non-violent movement, thousands were forced to rigorous labour like being tied to an oil expeller like bullocks, breaking stones and cutting firewood. They were not given any political class comforts like the elite group of leaders like Gandhi, Nehru and Patel. Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi though having made sacrifices for the country, were not totally blame-free while ruling. There is a proverb "Raajyaamteena narakam (A king goes to hell) holds good for all our PMs. Mrs. Gandhi played a great role in making this country most corrupt; straightaway she defended herself by declaring that corruption is universal. Her consent to subvert the Constitution during emergency just for the sake of continuing in power, is well known. Therefore, it will not be a cheap talk, if a great leader is criticised. Two questions are important. 1. Is it true? 2. Do the circumstances justify? CRITICISM AGAINST MS. SONIA GANDHI

INHERITANCE POLITICS
AREA	ISSUES	ANALYSIS
Sachin Pilot	Sachin Pilot's article in (NIES 22.5.06).
Supriya Sule (daughter of Sharad Pawar)	Rajya Sabha Member	On the way to annointment as her father's successor.

INDIAN POLITICAL PARTIES
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS	Party in the grip of the Nehru dynasty.	Solidly behind Ms. Sonia Gandhi, despite intrigues.
BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY	Eager to go back to its roots (HIndutva).	Top veterans. Vajpayee and Advani have become old. No matching second rung leaders.
COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (CPI)	Less red than CPM. More sympathetic to Congress.	Not dominant in any particular State.
COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MARXIST)	Mr. Prakash Kamat, CPM All India General Secretary said that Congress Party failed to protect MINORITIES. .	Marxism does not divide people on the lines of caste or region or religion. Whether the unprotected belongs to minority or majority community is a non-issue. In Marxism birth does not decide the PROTECTABILITY. Whether the unprotected live in BJP ruled States or UPA ruled States, it is immaterial. The CPM G Sec. should look beyond political expediency. CPM should foresee a day lurking behind it when it must receive support from BJP.

ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
BANKING Indian Bank	Centenary Indian Bank celebrated its Centenary.	In Profits President asked Bankers to go to villages.
Slow Growth Rate	Fashionable to blame democracy for the slow growth.	Do the critics want dictatorship or Communism?
LIFE INSURANCE	Life Insurance Corporation of India completed 50 years (Golden Jubilee). India's biggest Insurer. It is now facing great challenges.	Islamic Clerics issue a Fatwa According to the Fatwa Life Insurance is not permitted by Shariat.
PETRO PRICES	The Govt. recklessly increases Petro Prices. The Planning Commission is irresistably keen.	The PM non-chalantly declared that he will not roll back he petro price hike. He just echos the demands of the petro Companies. True, there is a steep rise in the international crude prices. But the international price rises are not unexpected. The petro Companies should have and even might have foreseen the rise and booked adequate forward contracts to buy crude at stable prices. If they have foreseen and made forward arrangements for safe procuring crude, the prime question that arises is, are they not passing on the benefits to the Nation? The whole crude purchase operations of the Indian Petro Companies is shrouded in mystery. If there are transparent arrangements like tender-cum-auction platforms inviting foreign crude suppliers to compete openly, at least people know what is happening. There may be syndicates of suppliers and jacking up of prices. Yet, the nation will know who is doing what. Now, nobody knows, the nature of contracts entered into by Indian Petro Companies with foreign suppliers? Have there been any commissions and kickbacks? Does the PM scrutinise the crude purchase contracts or get them examined by experts? Does the President ever make any passing enquiry about the crude purchase arrangements such as who are the major supplying Companies, for what periods and at what prices the contracts have been made? -- Govt. should publish a white paper on the movement of international crude prices with details of crude purchased at old contracted prices and the new market prices. The PM and the Petroleum Minister appeal to the States to reduce the Sales Tax on petro products and pass on the benefits to consumers so that the increase in petro prices is offset by the reduced taxes. This no State Govt. will accept. Every petro price increase is a God sent bonanza for them.

STOCK EXCHANGES
The crash of Indian Stock Markets on the 18th and 19th May 2006 does not surprise close watchers. The recent explosive boom also does not. Whether SEBI exists or not, the Indian Stock Exchanges function like Casinos. Foreign Institutional Investors or Foreign Individual Investors or Mutual Funds or Indian financial Institutions or the individual personal investors, it makes little difference. These comments may appear to be sheer uncalled for scepticism. Yet, truth is stranger than fiction!	The Indian Finance Minister wanted to take credit for the new peaks which the Exchanges climbed. Now, the same man says that there is no need of comment for every change. Later he says that uninformed reporting is the cause. This shows that the Govt. is not keen on cleansing the Stock Exchanges, which anyway it cannot do, for numerous reasons like mobilisation of election funds, the politicians and the bureaucrats themselves playing on the markets etc.	Today, whoever enters the market does not do so searching for healthy investments. He wants to make a quick buck. Whether the Unit in which he is going to invest really exists or not it is immaterial to him. Whether it produces really some goods or not, it is immaterial. He is interested mostly in rumours and tips. He wants only capital appreciation and not dividends. The Govt. wants only taxes. The politicians and the bureaucrats want to the Banks and Mutual Funds to buy only those scrips which the rulers own and want to dispose off or at least propose to deal in. The investors have stopped studying even the fudged balance sheets. The analysts do not whet the statements thoroughly, but only glance at them as a token of respect to them or as a matter of formality. The media, pity, what it can do, except go on beating the drums and blowing the trumpets. As a matter of fact, if our Corporates and Stock Markets are run on healthy lines without being exposed to the foreign sharks and the domestic crocodiles, they can serve as instruments of social ownership of wealth. If corporate democracy worked systematically it would have provided as a dependable system of redistributing opportunities and wealth both between the rural and urban areas and between the wealthy and the moderately resourceful. It did not happen because both the Family Companies and the Professionally Managed Companies failed to function with sense of social responsibility. Consequently every public issue, every IPO, every amalgamation and merger has become a tool in the hands of the businessmen and managers to manipulate and skim more money in the market openly as premium and secretly through insider trading. Banks and Mutual Funds hitherto worked and even now work only as servant maids in the kitchen of the businessmen and brokers. If we really want our markets to have uniform healthy normal growth, the investors should be thousand times alert. First, they should abandon the very ideas of making capital appreciation. They should keep feel as though they manage the industries/units personally, even if they hold 100 shares. There is also a need to scrap the broker system prevailing now. It is high time that the purchases and sales are made only through banks on a real time settlement basis, with at least one dividend period as the minimum lock-in before a resale. Otherwise, this speculation will not stop. Markets will only stoop.

INSURANCE
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
LIFE AND NON INSURANCE COMBINED POLICIES	IRDA is going to permit Insurance Companies to market a composite policy combining both "Life Insurance" and "Non-Life-Insurance" in rural areas.	IRDC is willing to reduce mandatory minimum training of 100 hours to 25 hours.
LIFE INSURANCE	60% Salaried Class prefers Insurance Schemes promoted by Public Sector Banks.	Reliable, secure and Trustworthy. (Assocham Study)

AUTO INSURANCE
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
ONLINE AUTO INSURANCE	Online Auto Insurance is yet to become popular in India.

RETAIL MARKETS
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
CONSUMER CREDIT	Global Corporates entering Indian Retail Markets	Indian consumers, particularly in mofussil retail markets are accustomed to monthly retail consumption credit. The small traders know them personally and extend credit without any written documents or guarantees. How the global giants will introduce this "personal" element? Will they rope in the small traders as their franchaisees or agents or employees?
	AFFLUENT CLASS	0.7 million people with an income of US$ 0.1 million per annum is eager to spend. Foreign Retail Marketers are keen to capture the markets both for FMCG and Consumer Durables.
	Indian Corporates are entering Retail Markets.	It is worth seeing the Global Giants like Walmart and the Indian Corporates like Reliance competing with one another. Will the small trader be trampled under the feet of the big tuskers?

SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES
AREA	ISSUES	COMMENTS
	Latest Fad of the Central Govt.	USD 2.5 billion to be invested. Half a million to be employed by 2007. Will be outside the Labour Laws according to news reports. Is the Govt. going to neglect existing industries outside SEZs?

AFFAIRS OF LAW AND JUSTICE
ABOUT	NEWS/DEVELOPMENT	COMMENT
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL)	PIL	PIL is intended to help poorer sections who are unable to use the regular judicial channels and processes. Introduced in 1980. Contributed significantly in bringing enironmental problems, the issue of bonded labour to the fore.

RELIGION AND SECULARISM

India has been defined in its Constitution as a Sovereign Democratic Secular Socialist Republic. RELIGIONS Hinduism is the main religion. Islam and Christianity are two foreign religions which have entered India. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism are reform movements of Hinduism and they have common tenets. SECULARISM In real secularism, the Govt. should have nothing to do with religion. Religion should be a private affair. Today most political parties interpret secularism as "Equal treatment to all religions" in theory and practise whatever they consider politically expedient.

SCIENCE AFFAIRS
ABOUT	NEWS/DEVELOPMENT	COMMENT
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT	COUNCIL FOR SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (CSIR)	This Apex body for Science and Technology guzzles budgetary funds. How far common people benefited from its research is a matter of speculation.

STATES OF INDIA
AREA	ISSUES	BRIEF
Demand for New States	Appointment of States Reorganisation Commission (2nd SRC)	Once the 2nd SRC is constituted, it will open a pandora box. There will be demand to form at least 30 more States.

ANDHRA PRADESH
Location: South East Coast. Capital: Hyderabad. Language: Telugu, Urdu. RANKS Second : Spread of AIDS; Second : Rapes and assaults on women;.
DISTRICT	FEATURES	STRENGTHS/OPPORTUNITIES	WEAKNESSES/THREATS
SRIKAKULAM
VIJAYANAGARAM
VISAKHAPATNAM
EAST GODAVARI
WEST GODAVARI
KRISHNA	GHANTASALA	Buddhist Centre	Cycloneprone
GUDIVADA	Rice Town
KUCHIPUDI	Famous for the dance style Kuchipudi Village where Siddhendra Yogi lived who was the father of Kuchipudi dance style.
MASULIPATNAM	--Also called Bandar. --Historical port. Modern port under construction at a cost of $300m. on Build Operate Transfer basis.
VIJAYAVADA	City with a population of about a million. --Kanaka Durga Temple. --Rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh along with Godavari and Guntur Districts.
NUZIVIDU	Banginapalli and Chinna Rasam mangoes.
GUNTUR
PRAKASAM
NELLORE
CHITTUR
KADAPA
KADAPA		RIMS: Royala Seema Institute of Medical Sciences
KURNOOL
ANANTAPUR

SATYA SAI BABA

MAHABUBNAGAR
NALGONDA
RANGAREDDY
MEDAK
KHAMMAM
WARANGAL
KARIMNAGAR
ADILABAD
NIZAMABAD
HYDERABAD		Hyderabad has a population of about 80 lacs along with its twin city of Secunderabad. One of the leading cities in India in Information Technology Software and BPO. Emerging as one of the top Cities in India for car purchases. Well connected by International Airport, broad guage train link. Historical tourist places: 1. Charminar 2. Golkonda Fort 3. Buddha Statue on the Hussain Sagar Lake. 4. Salar Jung Museum.
HONORARY DOCTORATES CONFERRED BY ANDHRA UNIVERSITY, VISAKHAPATNAM

ARUNACHAL PRADESH
North Eastern State. Arunachal = 'Red Hill'. In India the Sun rises first in Arunachal. Capital: Itanagar. Among full-fledged States, smallest in terms of population.
DISTRICT	FEATURES	ANALYSES
ANJAW
CHANGLANG
DIBANG VALLEY
EAST KAMANG
EAST SIANG
KURUNG KUMEY
LOHIT
LOWER DIBANG VALLEY
LOWER SUBANSIRI
PAPUM PARE
TAWANG
TIRAP
UPPER SIANG
UPPER SUBANSIRI
WEST KAMENG
WEST SIANG

ASAM (ASSAM)
Asama means unequalled. Peerless. Capital: Guwahati.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
1 Dhubri:	Dhubri,
Bilasipara	South Salmara
2 Goalpara:	Goalpara
3 Kokrajhar:	Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon
4 Bongaigaon:	Bongaigaon, North Salmara, Bijni
5 Kamrup: (Metro)	Guwahati	On the banks of Brahmaputra River
6 Kamrup:	Rangia & part of old Guwahati SD
7 Barpeta:	Barpeata, Bajali
8 Nalbari:	Nalbari
9 Nagaon:	Nagaon, Hojai, Kaliabo
10 Morigaon:	Morigaon
11 Sibsagar:	Sibsagar, Charaideo, Nazira
12 Jorhat:	Jorhat, Majuli,Titabor
13 Golaghat:	Golaghat, Dhansiri,Bokakhat
14 Lakhimpur:	North Lakhimpur,Dhakuakhana
15 Dibrugarh:	Dibrugarh
16 Dhemaji:	Dhemaji, Jonai
17 Tinsukia:	Tinsukia, Margherita, Sadiya
18 Sonitpur:	Tezpur, Gahpur,Biswanath.
19 Darrang:	Mangaldoi, Udalguri
20 Cachar:	Cachar, Lakhipur
21 Hailakandi:	Hailakandi
22 Karimganj:	Karimganj
23 Karbi: Anglong Diphu, Hamren, Bokajan
24 North cachar:	Haflong, Maibong

WEST BENGAL
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Bankura
Bardhaman
Birbhum
Cooch Behar
Darjiling
East Midnapore
Hooghly			Tata Car Plant Site Problem at Singur (2007)
Howrah
Jalpaiguri
Malda
Murshidabad
Nadia
North 24 Parganas
North Dinajpur
Purulia
South 24 Parganas
South Dinajpur
West Midnapore

NETAJI'S BIRTH DAY

Future of Congress in Bengal

BIHAR
Bihar or Vihar means a place for picnicing or joyful movement. Buddhist religious dwellings of monks are also known as Viharas. Top Ranks: 1. Corruption.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
1. Patna
2. East Champaran
3. Muzaffarpur
4. Madhubani
5. Gaya	Pilgrim Centre; Tourist Centre	Bodhgaya, Parasnath Caves
6. Samastipur
7. Darbhanga
8. Saran
9. West Champaran
10. Vaishali
11. Siwan
12. Sitamarhi
13. Purnia
14. Rohtas
15. Bhagalpur
16. Katihar
17. Nalanda
18. Begusarai
19. Bhojpur
20. Gopalganj
21. Araria
22. Aurangabad		Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, Tomb of Aurangzeb
23. Nawada
24. Supaul
25. Banka
26. Madhepura
27. Jehanabad
28. Saharsa
29. Buxar
30. Jamui
31. Kishanganj
32. Kaimur
33. Khagaria
34. Munger
35. Lakhisarai
36. Sheikhpura
37. Sheohar
GAYA	Great Hindu Pilgrimage Center.
PATNA	Capital of Bihar.	On the banks of River Ganga.

CHATTISGARH (CHATTISGADH)
Chattisgadh is in Central India. Capital is Raipur.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Bastar
Bilaspur
Dantewada
Dhamtari
Durg
Janjgir-Champa
Jashpur
Kanker
Kawardha
Korba
Korea
Mahasamund
Raigarh
Raipur
Rajnandgaon
Surguja
BHILAI	Bhilai Steel Plant	in Public Sector.

GOA
Location: South WEST Coast. Capital: PANJIM. Language: KONKANI RANKS 1. Top: 1. tobacco regulation. 2. Rural education.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	ANALYSES
NORTH GOA
SOUTH GOA

GUJARAT
Gujarat is on the West Coast of India. Capital is Ahmedabad. The magazine India Today ranked it No. 1 in Investment Environment. Spends one month (approx. 15th Sept. to 15th October) every year performing GARBA and DANDIYA dances.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Ahmedabad
Amreli
Anand
Banas
Kantha
Bharuch
Bhavnagar
Dahod
Gandhinagar
Jamnagar
Junagadh
Kachchh
Kheda
Mahesana
Narmada
Navsari
Panch Mahals
Patan
Porbandar
Rajkot
Sabar Kantha
Surat
Surendranagar
The Dangs
Vadodara
Valsad

HARYANA (Hariyana)
Haryana means a Green land. Hariyana is a State, just adjacent to India's Capital Delhi. Capital is Chandigarh.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Ambala
Bhiwani
Faridabad
Fatehabad
Gurgaon
Hisar
Jhajjar
Jind
Kaithal
Karnal
Kurukshetra
Mahendragarh
Mewat
Panchkula
Panipat
Rewari		Bandhavgarh Tiger Sanctuary
Rohtak
Sirsa
Sonipat
Yamunanagar

HIMACHAL PRADESH
Northern State, just South of Jammu and Kashmir. Capital: Shimla. Famous for Apples. A part of Bhakra dam is in Himachal. Kalka-Shimla rail journey is a tourist attraction. Solan has Mohan Meakin Breveries.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Bilaspur
Chamba		Dalhousie Hill Station, Tourist Center
Hamirpur			HIV-AIDS; STDs;
Kangra
Kinnaur
Kullu
Lahaul & Spiti Mandi
Shimla
Sirmaur
Solan
Una

JAMMU AND KASHMIR
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Anantnag
Baramulla
Budgam
Doda
Jammu	Winter Capital of Kashmir. Well connected by air, road and train..	50 km. away Vaishnodevi Temple at Katra Town. Helicopter Service is also available.
Kargil
Kathua
Kupwara
Leh
Poonch
Pulwama
Rajauri
Srinagar	145 km. Amarnath Yatra. Himalayan trekking at 14,000 ft. height.
Udhampur
Electricity	Hydroelectric Power	Baglihar Hydro Electric Project under construction on Chenab river. Under dispute with Pakistan.

JHARKHAND
Capital: Ranchi. Top ranks: 1. Non coking coal Mineral rich state. 2. Iron Ore. 3. Copper Ore. 4. Mica 5. Asbestos 6. Uranium 7. Kyanite (A sort of blue colored gemstone).
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Bokaro
Chatra
Deoghar
Dhanbad
Dumka
East Singhbhum
Garhwa
Giridih
Godda
Gumla
Hazaribag
Jamtara
Koderma
Latehar
Lohardaga
Pakur
Palamu
Ranchi
Sahibganj
Seraikela
Simdega
West Singhbhum

KARNATAKA
Capital: Bangalore. Language: Kannada.
DISTRICT	IMPORTANT PLACES	FEATURES/NEWS
Bagalkot
Bangalore
Bangalore Rural
Belgaum	Proposed second Capital for Karnataka. Under border dispute with Maharashtra
Bellary
Bidar
Bijapur
Chamrajnagar
Chickmagalur
Chitradurga		15th Century Fort of seven walls
Davangere
Dharwad
Gadag
Gulbarga
Hassan		Belur Ornate Hoyasala Sculpture- 12th Century
Haveri
Kodagu
Kolar
Koppal
Mandya
Mysore
North Kannada
Raichur
Shimoga
South Kannada
Tumkur
Udupi

KERALA
Name and its meaning:'God's Land'. Capital: Tiruvananthapuram. Language: Malayalam. Location: South West India. Sea: Arabian Sea. Sea Port: Cochi (Cochin). Befittingly, it is a heaven with scenic hills and rivulets. Celebrates Onum festival every August. Famous for Kathakali dance. Famous for Ayurvedic Hospitals. Top Ranks: 1. Literacy. 2. Least Corruption. The State has the Sabarimalai Temple, visited by pilgrims from all over India. The God worshipped is "Ayyappan". The sanctum sanctorum is to be reached by climbing 18 stairs. The devotees have to follow a rigid schedule of discipline consisting of vegetarian diet, daily worship, celibacy etc. The devotees have to carry over their heads from their native place to the temple, a cloth bundle of sacred worshipping material such as coconuts, called "irumud`i". The temple is not hitherto open to women in menstruation age. Now, the State Govt. seems to be in favour of admitting women of all ages to the temple.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Alappuzha
Ernakulam
Idukki
Kannur
Kasargod
Kollam
Kottayam
Kozhikode
Malappuram
Palakkad
Pathanamthitta
Thiruvananthapuram
Thrissur
Wayanad

Lakshadweep
Laksha Dweep is a Union Territory, on the South West Coast of India, west of Kerala. In the Arabian Sea. Kavaratti (pop. 10,000c.) is the Capital. Approx. 30 sq.km. in area. Approx. 60,000 in population. There are 10 inhabited and 17 uninhabited islands. Coconut is the main crop.

MADHYA PRADESH
Capital: Bhopal. Language Hindi. Top Ranks: 1. Child Marriages.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Anuppur
Ashoknagar
Balaghat
Barwani
Betul
Bhind
Bhopal
Burhanpur
Chhatarpur
Chhindwara
Damoh
Datia
Dewas
Dhar
Dindori
Guna
Gwalior
Harda
Hoshangabad
Indore
Jabalpur
Jhabua
Katni
Khandwa
Khargone
Mandla
Mandsaur
Morena			Scarcity of Fertilizers
Narsinghpur
Neemuch
Panna
Raisen
Rajgarh
Ratlam
Rewa
Sagar
Satna
Sehore
Seoni
Shahdol
Shajapur
Sheopur
Shivpuri
Sidhi
Tikamgarh
Ujjain
Umaria
Vidisha

MAHARASHTRA
On the West Coast. Arabian Sea. Mumbai is the Capital. Commercial Leader in the country.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Ahmednagar
Akola
Amravati
Aurangabad
Bandra
Suburban
Beed
Bhandara
Buldhana
Chandrapur
Dhule
Gadchiroli
Gondia
Hingoli
Jalgaon
Jalna
Kolhapur
Latur
Mumbai
Nagpur
Nanded
Nandurbar
NASHIK	Malegaon: Textile Town. Experienced a severe bomb blast, killing 38.
Osmanabad
Parbhani
Pune
Raigad
Ratnagiri
Sangli
Satara
Sindhudurg
Solapur
Thane
Wardha
Washim
Yavatmal

MANIPUR
North Eastern State. Capital is Imphal. Famous for the Manipuri Dance Style.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Bishnupur
Chandel
Churachandpur
Imphal
East Imphal
West Senapati
Tamenglong
Thoubal
Ukhrul

MEGHALAYA
North Eastern State. Capital is Shillong. Famous for high rainfall at Chirapunji.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
East Garo Hills
East Khasi Hills
Jaintia Hills
Ri Bhoi
South Garo Hills
West Garo Hills
West Khasi Hills

ORISSA
On the East Coast of India. Sea is Bay of Bengal. Capital is Bhuvanesvar. Lingaraja Temple.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Angul
Balangir
Baleswar
Bargarh
Bhadrak
Boudh
Cuttack
Debagarh
Dhenkanal
Gajapati
Ganjam
Jagatsinghapur
Jajapur
Jharsuguda
Kalahandi
Kandhamal
Kendrapara
Kendujhar
Khordha
Koraput
Malkangiri
Mayurbhanj
Nabarangapur
Nayagarh
Nuapada
Puri
Rayagada
Sambalpur
Subarnapur
Sundergarh

PUNJAB
Northern State. Punjab means five rivers. Capital is Chandigarh. Amritsar Golden Temple. Anand Saheb Shrine. Bhakra Nangal Dam. Top Agricultural State. Farmers have debts. CM wants a package.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Amritsar		In the City Golden Temple.Wagha Border with Pakistan is nearby.
Bathinda
Faridkot
Fatehgarh
Sahib
Ferozepur
Gurdaspur
Hoshiarpur
Jalandhar
Kapurthala
Ludhiana	Industrial Centre	Woolen hosiery
Mansa
Moga
Muktsar
Nawanshahr
Patiala
Rupnagar
Sangrur

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RAJASTHAN
Geographically the largest State. North West. Landlocked. Capital: Jaipur. Produces 89% of Indian Asbestos, a carcinogenous fibre which causes: Mesothelioma- cancer of the thin membrane enclosing in the lungs; and lung cancer.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Ajmer	International Tourist Center	Dargah Sharif-tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti
Alwar		Bhartruhari's Place of Penance.
Banswara
Baran
BARMER.	A desert District. 2006: Three lakes arose in deserts due to heavy rains and floods.
Bharatpur		Keoldeo Bird Sanctuary; Siberian Cranes
Bhilwara
Bikaner	Tourist Centre	15th Century Fort
Bundi
Chittorgarh		16th Century Fort of Mewar Rajputs
Churu
Dausa
Dholpur
Dungarpur
Hanumangarh
Jaipur	Capital of Rajasthan	Pink City. Planned City.
Jaisalmer
Jalor
Jhalawar
Jhunjhunu
Jodhpur
Karauli
Kota
Nagaur
Pali
Rajsamand
Sawai Madhopur
Sikar
Sirohi		Mount Abu. Only Hill Station in Rajasthan. Dilwara Jain Temple. Achalgarh Fort.
Sri Ganganagar
Tonk
Udaipur

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TAMIL NADU
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Chennai
Coimbatore
Cuddalore
Dharmapur
Dindigul
Erode
Kanchipuram
Kanyakumari
Karur
Krishnagiri
Madurai
Nagapattinam
Namakkal
Nilgiris
Perambalur
Pudukkottai
Ramanathapuram
Salem
Sivaganga
Thanjavur
Theni
Thoothukudi
Tiruchirappalli
Tirunelveli
Tiruvallur
Tiruvannamalai
Tiruvarur
Vellore
Viluppuram
Virudhunagar

WHAT MS JAYALALITA WILL DO IN IN POES GARDENS
TOURISM MAHABALIPURAM PHOTOS MAHABALIPURAM SHORE TEMPLE, NEAR CHENNAI, INDIA PHOTO BY YJB FOOTPRINTS - PHOTO BY YJB CHENNAI SUNRISE AT CHENNAI BEACH, INDIA - PHOTO BY YJB SUNRISE AT CHENNAI BEACH, INDIA - PHOTO BY YJB

UTTAR PRADESH
Capital: Lucknow. Language: Hindi. Top Ranks: 1. Population 2. Polio incidence. 3. Child Labour.
DISTRICT	PLACES	STRENGTHS/OPPORTUNITIES	WEAKNESSES/THREATS
Agra	International Tourist Centre	World renowned Taj Mahal.
Aligarh		Muslim University. Reputed for Locks.
Allahabad	Prayag	Confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the legendary Saraswati, known as Triveni Sangam.
Ambedkar Nagar
Auraiya
Azamgarh
Bagpat
Bahraich
Ballia
Balrampur
Banda
Barabanki
Bareilly
Basti
Bijnor
Budaun
Bulandshahr
Chandauli
Chitrakoot		Pilgrim Center of Ramayana fame.
Deoria
Etah
Etawah
Faizabad
Farrukhabad
Fatehpur
Firozabad
Gautam
Buddha Nagar
Ghaziabad
Ghazipur
Gonda
Gorakhpur			Religious strife(2007)
Hamirpur
Hardoi
Hathras		A center for Hindustani Music.
Jalaun
Jaunpur
Jhansi		Historic fort of Jhansi Lakshmi bai
Jyotiba Phule Nagar
Kannauj
Dehat
Kanpur	Chief industrial city of U.P.	Leather industry. Reputed for its I.I.T.
Nagar
Kaushambi		Buddhist Center of pilgrimage.
Kheri
Kushinagar		Buddhist Centre of Pilgrimage
Lalitpur
Lucknow	Capital of U.P.
Maharajganj
Mahoba
Mainpuri
Mathura	Brindavan	Abode of Lord Krishna. On the banks of river Yamuna.
Mau
Meerut
Mirzapur		Carpet Making
Moradabad
Muzaffarnagar
Pilibhit
Pratapgarh
RaeBareli
Rampur
Saharanpur
Sant Kabir Nagar
Sant Ravidas Nagar
Shahjahanpur
Shravasti		Buddhist Center of Pilgrimage
Siddharthnagar
Sitapur
Sonbhadra
Sultanpur
Unnao
Varanasi	Also called: Banaras, Kasi	Top pilgrim center of Hinduism. On the banks of river Ganges. Shrine of Kasi Viswanath.

UTTARANCHAL
Northern State. Capital: Dehradun. Language: Hindi. Terrain: Hilly. Famous for pilgrim centres Hardwar, Rishikesh and tourist centers like Almora, Dehradun, Mussouri and Nainital.
DISTRICT	FEATURES/ISSUES	EXPLANATION/COMMENTS
Almora
Bageshwar
Chamoli	Badrinath	Vishnu temple at 10,200 ft. height
Champawat
Dehradun	Capital of Uttaranchal	645mt. from Sea Level. 235 km. from Delhi. Nearest Airport Jolly Grant 25 km.
Haridwar
Nainital	Naini Lake	Kathgodam 35 km. nearest railhead connecting to Dehradun, Howrah, Delhi. Pantnagar 70 km. daily flights from Delhi.
Pauri Garhwal
Pithoragarh
Rudraprayag	Kedarnath	Shrine of Lord Shiva @ 3548 mt. from Sea Level. Tomb of Adi Shankaracharya
Tehri Garhwal
Udham Singh Nagar
Uttarkashi	Gangotri	248km. from RishiKesh nearest railhead. 265km. from Jolly Grant Airport(Rishikesh). 3048 m. from sea level.
	Yamunotri	222 km. from Rishikesh. 3235mt. from Sea Level. Birthplace of the river Yamuna.

JAMMU AND KASHMIR

LANGUAGES RECOGNISED BY CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
LANGUAGE	SPOKEN IN THE REGION	STRENGTHS	WEAKNESSES
ASSAMESE	ASSAM
BENGAL	BENGALEE
BODO	ASSAM
DOGRI	SIKKIM
GUJARATI	GUJARAT
HINDI	UTTARPRADESH
KANNADA	KARNATAKA
KASHMIRI
KONKANI	GOA
MAITHILI	BIHAR
MALAYAAM	KERALA
MANIPURI	MANIPUR
MARATHI	MAHARASHTRA
NEPALI	SIKKIM, WEST BENGAL
ORIYA	ORISSA
PUNJABI	PUNJAB
SANSKRIT	KERALA
SANTHALI	JHARKHAND,WEST BENGAL
SINDHI	GUJARAT, MUMBAI CITY
TAMIL	TAMIL NADU
TELUGU	ANDHRA PRASDESH
URDU	UTTAR PRADESH

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