approximate pay : for various govt services

Dear Readers


1. I just compiled an approximate pay drawn by some of us. Here DA is @ 27% and Performance Related Incentive Scheme (PRIS) is in place for ISRO and likely to come through for IITs too.


2. For DRDO also there is a scheme to give upto 6 increments under incentive scheme.


3. I am leaving the conclusions for all of you to make. But just a "food for thought" :- Has MSP given any edge to Armed Forces ?


4. Plz note I ve made certain approximations at places. But the broad picture is there for you all to judge.


Regards


Hardcore (as usual)

IITs set up committee for incentive scheme to faculty

The IITs have set up a committee to evolve a performance-related incentive scheme (PRIS) to encourage well-performing teachers by giving them special incentives as available to ISRO scientists.

The committee, headed by IIT Madras Director Prof M S Ananth, comprises six members, including two from the IIT Faculty Federation. It is expected to submit its report by December 15, an IIT Director said.

The committee will study the existing PRIS in Indian Space Research Organisation where the scientists are rewarded with 20 to 50 per cent of their basic salary per month as incentive for their performance at organisation, department and individual levels.

"We hope the committee to submit its report before December 15. It will take into account the performance of teachers in terms of research work and publications and suggest a suitable incentive scheme," the director said.
Source: PTI

Promotions cum Cadre Review : Civil Services

1. Ashok Tewari has been appointed new DIG(GP 8900) in CBI for a period of Five years. He is 1993 batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre.

2. Sujeet Pandey has been promoted to the rank of DIG(GP 8900) in CBI. He is 1994 batch IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre.

3. V.P.Rao an IAS officer of the UT cadre has joined the Goa Government from Delhi as Secretary (State Govt) (Civil Supplies & Price Control). He belongs to the 1999 batch. 

4. In the wake of a recent cadre review of IPS officers in Madhya Pradesh, the number of ADGs (Lt Gens) will go up from Eight posts to 13 posts . 

5. G M Srivastav, IPS, Retired DGP, Assam has been appointed as Security Adviser to Chief Minister of Assam in the Rank of Cabinet Minister.  ( NEW FUNDA : STATE SECURITY ADVISOR)

6. In the wake of a recent cadre review of IPS officers in Madhya Pradesh the number of IGs will go up from 20 posts to 41 posts .

SOURCE : WHISPERS IN THE CORRIDOORS

 

Army overhauls T-90 tanks indigenously

In a move that will ensure fast deployment of tanks, the Indian Army’s base workshop has carried out the first-ever overhaul of the Russian-built T-90 tanks, which form the frontline of the attack formations.

This will be a major step in sustaining the readiness of T-90 fleet of the Army, said Lt Gen Vinay Sharma, Master General Ordnance, as the first such overhauled tank rolled out of the 505 Army base repair workshop. Lt Gen AKS Chandele, DG EME, and Lt Gen D Bhardwaj, DG mechanised forces, were present when the first tank was handed back to the Army, a spokesperson said.

A team of three officers and 26 technicians trained in India and abroad completed the overhaul of the first tank in 214 days. The overhaul carried out at a cost of Rs 4 crore gives a life extension of about 15 years to the tank and will save Rs 14 crore to the exchequer which would have been the additional cost of sending the tank to Russia getting the overhaul done.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091104/nation.htm#7

Of men and minds

An institute that prepares armed forces personnel for all situations – from the icy winds of Siachen to the cramped confines of a submarine. 

R.V. MOORTHY

The cockpit simulator developed by the DIPR for its computerised pilot selection system.  

“TOMORROW’S war will be a war of minds,” says Manas K. Mandal, Director, Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR), New Delhi, a premier institute of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). “So the importance of our laboratory has gone up. The range of activities we do with a small band of people is enormous.” The DIPR, according to its Director, has the largest number of psychologists under one umbrella. Its staff includes 45 psychologists, 30 scientists and six officers belonging to the services. They psychologically fortify soldiers to face low-intensity conflicts, devise tests for the selection of officers of the armed forces, test the aptitude of those aspiring to be sharpshooters or drivers of battle tanks, carry out personality profiling of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos and conduct mass counselling for victims of natural disasters. Mandal himself is a reputed psychologist who was a professor of psychology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur before taking over as Director of the DIPR in January 2004. A Fulbright Fellow, he was a researcher in cognition and experimental neuropsychology, and a Fulbright lecturer at Harvard University. 

The DIPR began in 1943 as an experimental board in Dehradun to select officers for the armed forces. After Independence, when the armed forces were reorganised, a need was felt to establish a dedicated research cell that would look into not only the scientific aspects of officer selection but also the psychological requirements. So in 1949, the experimental board, renamed the Psychological Research Wing, was mandated to devise tests to probe the intelligence and persona of those aspiring to become officers in the services, to follow up on candidates during training, and to assess on-job performance. In 1962, the Psychological Research Wing was redesignated Directorate of Psychological Research (DPR) to carry out research on soldiers’ morale, ideological convictions, job satisfaction, behaviour in high-altitude tests, civil-military relationship, and so on.

In 1982, the DPR was renamed the DIPR. Since then, “it has emerged as a centre of importance in military psychology, dealing with research activities pertaining to personnel selection, placement and trade allocation”, said Mandal. However, what makes the DIPR’s job difficult is that India’s armed forces are man-intensive. “Besides, this job cannot be outsourced,” Mandal noted. Over a period of time, the DIPR has standardised a battery of tests to assess the intelligence and personality of those wanting to become officers and to allocate a trade to them. These tests are validated constantly. The DIPR interacts with the headquarters of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and with the 15 service selection boards and the Air Force selection boards, providing them with psychological inputs in the selection of officers and personnel.

Arunima Gupta, scientist, DIPR, said, “There is no hire and fire in the armed forces. So the right kind of selection is crucial.” 

According to Arunima Gupta, the DIPR assists soldiers to cope with extreme conditions such as the icy winds of high-altitude Siachen, the heat waves of Rajasthan and the confined atmosphere of submarines. It prepares soldiers to face qualitatively different situations in non-conventional warfare. “Psychologically training people to fight at high altitudes and in low-intensity conflict areas is not a joke,” said Mandal.

Low-intensity conflicts pose special challenges to soldiers. “It is not clear who the enemy is. It is not a declared war. The DIPR has to look into all this and how to match the human resources with these situations,” said Arunima Gupta. The main thing in such situations is maintaining the morale of soldiers. “We give psychological inputs to young commanders and soldiers and tell them to be on the lookout for warning signals [of aberrant behaviour] and how to manage a crisis,” she said. They are trained to manage combat-related stress.

K. Ramachandran, Additional Director, DIPR, said the DIPR takes the help of priests in temples attached to Army cantonments or camps to counsel stressed-out soldiers. “We have trained them to play the role of counsellors for soldiers under stress,” he said.

Mass trauma

R.V. MOORTHY

Manas Mandal, Director, DIPR.

During times of mass trauma, the DIPR’s experts play a critical role. Mandal said: “When there is a bomb blast, 10 persons may die, but hundreds around are traumatised.” In such situations, groups of DIPR psychologists visit the injured persons or the families of the victims of mass trauma, speak to them, get to know their problems and counsel them. “We take care of their psychological problems while the DRDO’s doctors take care of the victims’ medical problems,” said Ramachandran. Psychologists of the DIPR made repeated visits to Latur in Maharashtra after the earthquake in September 1993, to Orissa after the super cyclone of October 1999 and to Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu after the tsunami in December 2004 and counselled hundreds of traumatised people. For soldiers posted in the icy expanse of Siachen, “our role is to help them adapt quickly”, said Ramachandran. For those who are on the threshold of breaking down, “we provide stress inoculation courses – the mental stubbornness that is needed during their stay in Siachen”.

The DIPR has devised a computerised pilot selection system (CPSS). As a booklet on it points out, a fighter pilot in addition to having flying skills should be a systems manager. The CPSS evaluates qualities such as psychomotor and information-processing skills and the candidates’ ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. It entails 12 tests to assess psychomotor skills and nine cognitive tests.

The main controller unit, that is, the Black Box, for the CPSS was developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bangalore, and the DIPR. The Black Box is “a kind of password” because the tests cannot be run without it. The tests are backed by 20 years of research and development of DIPR scientists. The simulator on which the CPSS is run received the Agni award in 2005 from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for self-reliance in technology.

The DIPR has a number of publications to its credit. Its psychologists and scientists have brought out manuals such as “Stress and its Management”, “Deceit Detection and Interrogation”, “Suicide and Fratricide: Dynamics and Management: A Field Manual for Officers”, “Managing Emotions in Daily Life and at Workplace”, “Propaganda – Field Manual for Armed Forces”, and “Overcoming Obsolescence and Becoming Creative in R&D Environment”.

Said Mandal: “We began our journey with a selection system in 1943. We have now spread our wings.” 

http://www.frontline.in/stories/20091120262310500.htm

Army chief signals long-drawn offensive

New Delhi, Nov. 3: Army chief General Deepak Kapoor today said the offensive against Maoists would be a “long-drawn battle” but asserted the army would continue training police forces for the task.

“The battle against Naxalites will not be over in one day. To eradicate Naxalism, it is going to take time. It is going to be a long-drawn battle,” he said.

The army chief compared the situation with the counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast to suggest such conflicts could spread over decades.

But the army would continue to train and equip central and state police forces now and in the future, Kapoor said.

The Indian Air Force has constituted a task force for the anti-Maoist offensive and its helicopters are already deployed with central paramilitary forces in the affected zones.

The army has been training state and central police forces for more than four years for the job. In 2006 alone, 14,000 policemen drawn from central and 12 state forces as “trainers” were coached.

A former commandant of the army’s Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Mizoram, Brigadier (retired) B.K. Ponwar, is now the director of Chhattisgarh’s Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College, established to train the police in counter-Maoist tactics. The army, which supports the Chhattisgarh institute, has seconded two officers to its faculty.

Kapoor, asked whether the army could be deployed, said its role would be limited to giving assistance to the governments, echoing the line laid down by the Centre.

Last week, defence minister A.K Antony had said “the government is aware of the seriousness of the Naxalite threat” but indicated that the problem had not yet crossed the threshold beyond which New Delhi would have to push the army into the trouble zones.

“Law and order is the responsibility of the state governments and we are there only to give support. Whether in Bengal or any other area, our view is that employing armed forces for internal security is the last resort. Only as the last resort we will deploy armed forces in Naxalite areas,” Antony had said.

Today, Kapoor also touched on terror, saying the armed forces were taking steps to “prevent any Mumbai-type attacks” but added that the possibility of such strikes could not be ruled out.

“The whole region (Afghanistan-Pakistan) is affected by terrorists. We need to be on guard,” the army chief said.

 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091104/jsp/nation/story_11697056.jsp

'Security breach' minutes before Manmohan Singh's plane lands

CHANDIGARH: Despite best efforts of all agencies, the security for PM Manmohan Singh’s visit was ‘breached’ barely minutes before his plane was to land at Chandigarh airport on Tuesday, leaving the line of dignitaries and top brass of security organisations with their heart in their mouth.

As they watched in horror, the four-legged threat bounded uncaring across the tarmac, near the dispersal area where the PM’s plane was to land. Though the ground crew swung into action, the animal was too swift for them. Fortunately for everybody, it scampered away without causing any damage.

Shrugging off any responsibility, an airport official said the Indian Air Force (IAF) was responsible for the security arrangements at the airport. No IAF official was, however, available for comments.

According to a retired defence officer, in case of such a happening, the air traffic controller warns his crew, who are supposed to shoo off the animal or even shoot it if required. And if the animal is right in the aircraft’s path, he is supposed to tell the pilot to not land.

This is also not the first instance of an animal streaking across the runway after crossing the airfield perimeter fence, with sambars and blue bulls being spotted several times in the past.

Such instances also don’t just occur in India. In February, Miami international airport?s security were involved in an hour-long pursuit on thetarmac of a German shepherd-chow mix, that entered the restricted area through a gate.

The canine jogged through a cargo area and under a jumbo jet, with at least one inbound 747 aircraft preparing to land amid the cat and mouse chase.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Security-breach-minutes-before-Manmohan-Singhs-plane-lands/articleshow/5194326.cms

Indian Coast Guard Station to be commissioned at Karwar

Karwar (Karnataka), Nov 3(ANI): The Government will commission the Coast Guard station at Karnataka’s Karwar district on Wednesday for strengthening maritime and coastal security.

Director General Coast Guard Vice Admiral Anil Chopra will commission the station, which is being established based on the security assessment undertaken by the Government.

The station will function under the operational command of Inspector General SPS Basra, Commander Coast Guard Region (West), while Commandant (JG) Anil Sharma has been appointed as the Commanding Officer of the station.

The station will have two fast speedboats, to undertake search and rescue, close coast patrol and respond to emergency calls on as required basis.

Post 26/11, the responsibility of the Coastal Security from shoreline up to territorial waters has also been entrusted to the Coast Guard due to which 14 more stations will be established to address the security gap along the coastline.

In addition, the Director General Indian Coast Guard has been designated as the Commander Coastal Command, with the responsibility for overall coordination between various Central and State agencies, in all matters relating to the coastal security.

In response to the enhanced responsibilities, the Coast Guard is pursuing urgent enhancement of its surveillance capabilities so as to meet its tasks and responsibilities effectively.

The present force-levels and manpower are projected to double in a few years by graduated procurement, with proportionate corresponding infrastructure development and augmentation of the trained manpower. The setting up of 15 additional stations is part of this effort. (ANI)

http://trak.in/news/indian-coast-guard-station-to-be-commissioned-at-karwar/19868/

India strengthens military in Persian Gulf

Kolkata, India — Indian strategic planners often talk about the country’s area of privileged interests extending from the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca. The Persian Gulf in particular is of crucial importance. India sources most of its oil from the potentially unstable region, and so has been raising its military profile there.

After successful anti-pirate patrols in the Horn of Africa by the Indian Navy, it was the turn of the Indian Air Force to mark its military reach in the region. In September 2008, India conducted its first joint air force exercise with the United Arab Emirates at the Al Dhafra base in Abu Dhabi.

This year it conducted a similar joint exercise with Oman from Oct. 22-29, codenamed Eastern Bridge, at the Royal Air Force of Oman base at Thumrait. The IAF fielded six single-seat Darin-I Jaguars alongside Omani Jaguars and F-16s. It also flew two IL-78 MKI air-to-air refueler aircraft for fuelling the Jaguars en route to Oman.

The exercise, though ostensibly conceived to increase interoperability between the RAFO and the IAF, also served to underline the strategic reach of the Indian Air Force.

India and Oman are the last remaining operators of the Jaguar strike aircraft, so it was felt in both quarters that cooperation between the two air forces would allow high serviceability rates. RAFO fighter pilots in any case have been training at the IAF’s Jaguar simulator training center in Gorakhpur in India’s Uttar Pradesh state for some time now.

Cooperation is the buzzword for India’s engagement in the Gulf region, and it has painstakingly convinced the Gulf countries that its intentions in their region extend only to its legitimate economic interests and preventing acts of terrorism against its soil. This diplomacy seems to have worked, as countries like Oman now view India as a force for enhancing stability in the region.

Oman, after all, also hosts over 550,000 Indian nationals in its territory and has received major investment in the vicinity of the Thumrait airbase from Indian majors such as Larsen and Toubro, India's largest engineering and construction conglomerate, and Punj Llyod, which provides integrated design, engineering, procurement, construction and project management services in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

The Indo-Omani strategic undertaking is guided by a defense agreement signed by the two countries in 2006, which incidentally was the first of its kind signed by India with a Middle Eastern country. The agreement serves as a model for Indian defense engagement in the Persian Gulf region. As part of the agreement, Oman offered berthing facilities to Indian Navy warships patrolling the piracy-hit waters off the coast of Somalia.

Oman has also been seeking help from the Indian armed forces to set up credible supply systems for its military equipment. However, it must be said that much more progress needs to be made on this front.

Oman features on the IAF’s list of top-priority countries for defense cooperation. RAFO airbases such as Thumrait serve as refueling and maintenance points for transiting IAF aircraft. Apart from making its presence felt in the region, the IAF is also familiarizing itself with the terrain.

As the IAF vice chief, Air Marshal P.K. Barbora, told reporters a week prior to the Indo-Omani exercise, “The bilateral exercise would also be cost-effective in terms of benefit realization of operational and tactical preparedness over an unknown mixed terrain of land and desert."

Indeed, the exercise may also serve as a pathfinder to the IAF joining the Indian Navy in the anti-pirate fight. Specifically, "The IAF may be called upon to conduct aerial surveillance of the swathe of the Gulf of Aden region, where pirates are widening their area of operations fast," said Barbora.

However, the IAF is at pains to make it clear that it is not about to embark on an offensive against pirates but will essentially assist the navy to overcome speed and manpower constraints in their operations against the pirates, if called upon to do so.

It seems the IAF is keen to tell the navy that the anti-piracy fight will continue to be the navy’s show, while it will only play a supplementary role. The IAF and the Indian Navy have had tiffs in the past over the exercise of air power in the naval domain.

Almost a decade ago the navy was enraged when air headquarters proposed the induction of more land-based long-range Sukhoi flanker aircraft, backed by air-to-air refueling, as an alternative to building aircraft carriers for the purpose of providing air cover at sea.

However, at this juncture the navy will in all probability welcome the IAFs involvement, since both are undergoing development. India’s third carrier force is now 50 years old and has just undergone its fourth mid-service refit.

In any case it is absolutely important that the IAF and the navy remain committed to the mantra of “jointness” – a euphemism in the Indian military for joint operations by various wings of the Indian armed forces – if India is to become a significant player in the foreign arena in its declared zone of privileged interests.

http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2009/11/03/india_strengthens_military_in_persian_gulf/5811/

26/11 attacks: Sea coast security strengthened

Mumbai: With the changing security scenario post 26/11 commando-styled raid by fidayeens at multiple locations in Mumbai, a full-fledged coastal security plan is in place now. At the same time the cooperation of the fishermen had been sought to act as "eyes and ears" on the seas.

Meanwhile, all the coastal villages along the coast of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and union territory of Daman & Diu is being profiled. As far as Maharashtra is concerned, identification cards would also be issued to the fishermen in the times to come.

Following the directives of Cabinet Committee on Security, a Joint Operations Centre (JOC-West) have been set up at INS Angre, the headquarters of Western Naval Command (WNC) which is being manned round-the-clock.

The move assumes importance as the 10 fidayeens of Lashkar-e-Toiba who carried out the November 26-29, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks has used the sea route to launch the terror in Mumbai. Similarly, prior to the March 12, 1993 serial blasts, RDX was smuggled by the sea route.

Defence Ministry officials said that since the last couple of months several initiatives have been taken to beef up coastal security.

Hotlines between JOC-West and various stake holders have been set up viz, Mumbai Police, Maharashtra Police, Fisheries department, Customs, Mumbai Port Trust, Headquarters Offshore Defence Advisory Group (ODAG), Harbour Defence Control Centre of Indian Navy and the Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (West).

A hotline will also be established between the NSG hub at Mumbai and JOC-West shortly. "Broadband facility capable of transferring tactical data of the western seaboard between Coast Guard Ops Centre and JOC-West has also been established. Nodes for availability of Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) with facility to communicate with ships and aircraft at sea and Vessel and Air Traffic Management System (VATMS) have been installed.

"A rapid messenger system to facilitate group messaging alerts to concerned personnel of State and Central agencies on any ‘developing’ situation, has also been installed," the officials said.

The JOC-West has been placed under the charge of the Commander-in-Chief Coastal Defence(West) who is also the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, WNC. It would be responsible for security on the coasts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and the union territory of Daman and Diu. The JOC will serve as the command and control centre of Naval and Coast Guard forces during joint operations, besides monitoring the coastal security scenario on the West coast and serve as a repository of database on all issues pertaining to coastal security.

The cooperation of the fishing community is being sought to serve as "eyes and ears" on the seas towards enhancing coastal security. Navy and Coast Guard personnel are being deputed for profiling of all coastal villages and the coastline under the jurisdiction of JOC(W) for collating Data towards enhancement of coastal security.

Another step towards joint coastal operations has been the conduct of joint exercises. Based on intelligence inputs of terrorists likely to sneak in through the sea route, a joint operation code named ‘Raah Bandh’ was undertaken from 28 April 28-30. This was followed by operation ‘Raasta Roko’ held from June 8-10.

"With the cooperation of various states and central agencies and sharing of intelligence, the JOC-West with assets under its command will be in a position to thwart any threat as it develops, in real time," the officials said.

Towards strengthening Coastal security along the Western Seaboard, the Navy in conjunction with the Coast Guard and various State agencies has undertaken a number of initiatives. Naval personnel have been visiting Coastal Police stations for interaction at the ground level for collection of data pertaining to Coastal security and conducting Coastal security awareness campaigns in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka to educate the Coastal population on issues such as changed security scenario post 26/11 Terrorist attacks and the role of Navy and Coast Guard in Maritime and Coastal security.

As part of the beefing up of Maharashtra's coastal security, the state government will import 36 patrol vessels in a span of next three years, police sources said.

These high-tech state-of-the-art vessel would be imported because of delays in Indian ship building yards. "In the wake of the security scenario, there is urgency and hence we have in principle decided to import it after a proper bidding process," the sources said.

They also said that each year 12 patrol vessels, which would have sophisticated navigation systems, advanced communication systems and state-of-the-art weaponry. 

 

http://sify.com/news/26-11-attacks-Sea-coast-security-strengthened-news-jleaaShfaha.html 

2 militants killed by beast in India-controlled Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Police in India-controlled Kashmir Tuesday said they have recovered the bodies of two militants killed by a wild bear. 

    In the two decades of insurgency in the region, this is the first time that such an incident has occurred, they said. 

    The bodies of the militants were recovered by a joint party of the Indian army and police during their searches in the forests of Kulgam, 95 km south of Srinagar. 

    "On Nov. 1, a search party went deep into the forest area of Hakwas in Kulgam. The party was alerted after hearing the sound of gunshots in the forest. After launching an intensive search for two days, the party found two bodies of militants in Kathmandu zone of the forest. The bodies were brought to the nearest police station, where doctors declared that the death of the duo has been caused due to the injuries inflicted on them by some beast, probably a bear," Superintendent of police at Kulgam, Kesuram Churasiya, told Xinhua. 

    Police also claim the recovery of two assault rifles and some ammunition from the site. 

    The militants have been identified as locals belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant outfit. 

    The HM is the indigenous militant outfit of Kashmir active in the region since 1990.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/03/content_12377402.htm

Acclimatization holds key in China border

GUWAHATI, Nov 3 – Proper acclimatization of the Army personnel deployed in the posts along the border with China in Arunachal Pradesh is a major issue as no one can be deployed in such altitude without going through the different stages of acclimatization. Army sources told The Assam Tribune that no Army man is posted in the forward posts without going through the acclimatization schedule, which varies depending on the altitude in which the particular person is to be posted. All the persons will also have to be medically fit to adapt to the height.

Sources said that the Army has chalked out a thorough acclimatization regime for all the officers and men deployed along the border with China as no one can be deployed in such altitude directly from the plains. Any person working on any plain area for years cannot be expected to work properly in such heights without allowing his body to adapt to lack of oxygen, sources added.

Giving an account of the schedule followed by all the Army personnel deployed along the border with China, sources said that the acclimatization schedule is different for the Army men depending on the area in which they are posted and normally they have to undergo three to six stages of acclimatization.

The process starts at the height of around 9,000 feet above the sea level. The acclimatization schedule in every stage varies from four to six days. The personnel are allowed complete rest on the first day in every stage of acclimatization and on the next day, they are allowed to walk slowly for around 300 metres but they are not allowed to go for any climb on the way. Gradually, they are allowed to walk for longer distances and on the final day of acclimatization in every stage, the personnel are allowed to walk up to five kilometers and they are even allowed to climb on steep roads. The same process is repeated in every stage of acclimatization before the personnel are deployed along the international border.

Sources said that no human being can adapt to such altitude without proper acclimatization and there have been instances of people falling sick even while traveling on vehicles. During the different stages of acclimatization, the Army personnel are issued strict instructions to contact doctors immediately whenever they feel headache, cough, chest pain, and breathlessness etc so that they receive medical attention immediately as any delay in treatment can lead to serious consequences. Even after completion of the stages of acclimatization, the Army personnel have to go through a thorough medical check up to ensure that they are physically fit to work in the posts along the border, sources added.

The Indian Army has also established a high altitude training school near Tawang following the Kargil war to ensure that the Indian Army personnel are adapted to deal with heights while guarding the country’s frontiers. Army sources said that the training base is of immense help to the Army men as they are now better prepared to work in high altitude after going through the rigors of training in an altitude of around 14,000 feet above the sea level.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=nov0409/at04

A Cradle to Lead Indian Army’s Transformation Inauguration of New Office Complex of DGIS

The Indian Army (IA) took another leap in its efforts to empower its field formations to fight the Battles of the 21st Century. In an impressive ceremony held today, the Chief of Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM, SM, ADC inaugurated a state of the art building which would be the future abode of the Directorate General of Information System (DGIS) at Rao Tula Ram Marg, Delhi. The new building finally brings under one roof all the major components of DGIS, which were till date, spread all over Delhi.

DGIS, created in 2004 is spearheading the transformation of the IA from conventional warfare to information enabled warfare. DGIS is leading the development, testing, integration and fielding of the automated operational systems for the IA at different levels of operations from the Army HQs down to the soldier. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the COAS emphasised that the modern battlefield is a convergence of various technologies and thus there is a need for seamless and real time information dissemination. He added that there is a need to keep pace with the transformation required from the conventional ‘Platform Centric Approach’ to a ‘Network Centric Approach’. He felt that the new structure will be the cradle in which DGIS will more effectively execute the assigned role. The Army Chief also appreciated the MES and entire workforce for their efforts and also lauded the Project Management Committee of DGIS which oversaw the construction. 

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=53798

China factor

China factor

RITU RAJ KONWAR

Indian Army Personnel at the India-China border in Bumla, Arunachal Pradesh, situated at an altitude of 4,700 metres.
THE elections in Arunachal Pradesh, which would have otherwise gone unnoticed owing to the small size of its voter population and of the State Assembly, got global attention because of the war of words and the subsequent diplomatic engagement between India and China over the latter’s claim to the border State. The dispute overshadowed the election campaign as well.
A meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Hua Hin, Thailand, on October 24 was followed by one between External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Bangalore on October 27.
Of the three States – Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh – that went to the polls on October 13, Arunachal Pradesh recorded the highest voter turnout, over 72 per cent – 7.25 lakh voters exercised their franchise. In 2004, the voter turnout was 68.77 per cent.
The Chinese objection to the elections came 10 days after the visit of Manmohan Singh to Pasighat, the headquarters of East Siang district, on October 3 to campaign for Congress party candidates. However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu’s statement on “an Indian leader’s visit to the disputed east section area of China-India boundary” was carefully worded so as not to name the “Indian leader” or Arunachal Pradesh or the Assembly elections there.
Ma Zhaoxu stated that the China-India border had never been officially demarcated. “The Chinese government’s position on the disputed area has been consistent and clear. China expresses its strong dissatisfaction on the visit by the Indian leader to the disputed area in disregard of China’s grave concerns. We urge the Indian side to take China’s solemn concerns seriously and not to stir up trouble in the disputed area with a view to ensuring the sound development of China-India relations,” the statement said.
India expressed its “disappointment and concern” over the statement and said that “this does not help the process of ongoing negotiations between the two governments on the boundary question”.
“The State of Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India. The people of Arunachal Pradesh are citizens of India, and they are proud participants in the mainstream of India’s vibrant democracy. The Chinese side is well aware of this position of the Government of India. It is a well-established practice in our democratic system that our leaders visit States where elections to Parliament and to the State Assemblies are taking place. The Government of India is deeply committed to ensuring the welfare of its own citizens across the length and breadth of our country,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vishnu Prakash stated in an official response.
He further stated that “India and China have jointly agreed that the outstanding boundary question will be discussed by the Special Representatives appointed by the two governments. India is committed to resolving outstanding differences with China in a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable manner, while ensuring that such differences are not allowed to affect the positive development of bilateral relations. We hope that the Chinese side will similarly abide by this understanding.”
The run-up to the polling also witnessed political parties and candidates raising the China bogey in their campaign. The increase in the voting percentage can perhaps be attributed to the impact of such campaigns and the fact of voters seeing the Assembly elections as an opportunity to demonstrate that they are proud to participate in the Indian democratic exercise. It could also be seen as an emphatic no from the people of the border State to the Chinese claim.
“China has nothing to do with the internal affairs of this border State. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India. All Arunachalis are citizens of India and they came out in overwhelming numbers today to participate in the democratic process to elect their new representatives,” said Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu in a statement issued to the press on the day of polling.
He expressed surprise at Beijing’s reaction to the Prime Minister coming to address a Congress rally. “Arunachal has a democratically elected government and is represented by three Members of Parliament. Arunachalis want good relationship with their neighbours across the border. Both sides should make efforts to reopen border trade through the traditional routes for mutual benefits and peaceful coexistence,” the Chief Minister added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made the “growing Chinese threat over Arunachal Pradesh” a major campaign issue and demanded that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government pursue a proactive policy on China to counter it and protect the country’s sovereignty.
BJP president Rajnath Singh, in an election speech, alleged that China had been making repeated claims over Arunachal Pradesh because of the weak policy of the UPA government. He demanded that the government issue a clarification on the actual status along the India-China border.
Manmohan Singh, in his election speech at Pasighat, refrained from touching the controversial issue; instead he highlighted the Rs.24,000-crore development package announced by him the previous year aimed at bringing the State on a par with the developed States of the country. It gave an indication of the kind of investment New Delhi was planning for it.
The diplomatic row was also over the anticipated visit of the Dalai Lama to Tawang in November. Beijing objected to the visit while New Delhi asserted that the Tibetan spiritual leader was free to visit any part of the country.
Although the Chinese Premier did not raise the issue of the Dalai Lama’s visit during the delegation-level talks at Hua Hin, Manmohan Singh said he himself brought the issue up during the dinner thrown by the Thai Prime Minister for all ASEAN and East Asia Summit country leaders. He said the Dalai Lama’s travel plans arose in the general context of a discussion about the Tibetan spiritual leader. “I told him [Wen], you have raised this issue [of the visit]. He is an honoured guest, a religious figure, but we do not allow him to indulge in political activities.”
The new Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh is eagerly awaiting the Dalai Lama’s visit and is ready to welcome him as a “state guest”. However, there was no official word from the self-exiled Tibetan leader’s office in Dharamsala about the visit. According to T.G. Rinpoche, an aide to the Dalai Lama, it was scheduled to begin on November 8. 

http://www.frontline.in/stories/20091120262302200.htm

Retired senior army officer charged with corruption

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against a retired Indian Army major general and his wife for possessing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs.30.37 millions, officials said here no Tuesday.

The agency filed a chargesheet against Major General (retd) Anand Kumar Kapoor whose last posting was at Southwestern Command in Jaipur and also against his wife Mirdula Kapoor before the special judge in Patiala House Court here Oct 26.

"We registered a case against them October last year. Searchers were then conducted at 12 places in Delhi, Gurgaon, Shimla, Jaipur and Mumbai. Kapoor during his service of 35 years had acquired assets, which were hugely disproportionate to his known sources of income," a CBI official said here.

"He has acquired assets either in his own name or in the name of Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) or in the name of his wife even though she did not have any ostensible source of income or in the name of his two children," the official added.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/retired-senior-army-officer-charged-with-corruption/665794.html 

Mahindra Satyam bags Saab deal

HYDERABAD: Mahindra Satyam on Tuesday said that it won an IT outsourcing contract from Swedish defence and aerospace firm, Saab, to develop its operations for the global defence and security market in India in a deal valued at around $300 million.

The contract, which spread over a period of five years encompasses engineering services and technology maintenance, will enable both the companies jointly address the Battlefield Management System (BMS) for the Indian Army, according to a release.

Mahindra Satyam said that it has already initiated the setting up of a centre of excellence for network centric warfare (CoE – NCW) which will offer comprehensive skills and a repository of tools, systems, middleware, integration platforms and system showcases in the field of NCW.

The company through the CoE hopes to tap the high potential market for nationwide security, for which the Indian government has large investment plans. “This relationship will jumpstart our foray in mission critical areas of defense. Our commitment in the domestic market will be reaffirmed by this collaboration and also set the stage to enter uncharted territories in the global arena,” said C P Gurnani, CEO, Mahindra Satyam.

The centre, which will be accessible to both the partners, is for mission critical applications and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence solutions for global opportunities. The capabilities of the centre will also span areas of homeland security to provide end to end security solutions.

“We view this relationship with Mahindra Satyam as a strategic meeting of two highly skilled teams believing in technical and engineering excellence,” said Åke Svensson, President and CEO for Saab.
Mahindra Satyam, which counts Citigroup, GE, GlaxoSmithKline, Cisco Systems Inc and Nissan among its top five clients, has over 430 clients now. Over the last four months, the company, erstwhile Satyam Computers gained over 32 new customers including some large clients.

Satyam was acquired by Pune based IT services firm Tech Mahindra in April, after the firm’s defamed founder B Ramalinga Raju confessed to perpetrating India’s biggest corporate fraud. Customer confidence took a knock after Raju’s confession.

The company is attempting to regain contracts and enter into new strategic alliances to turn-around, even as its accounts are in the process of being re-stated. 

 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/ites/Mahindra-Satyam-bags-Saab-deal/articleshow/5194481.cms

Indian Army Chief General Warns India Against 26// Like Attacks

Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor has warned Indians to keep an eye on the spilling over of terrorism from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"The whole region (Afghanistan-Pakistan) is affected by terrorists. We need to be on guard against it," said Kapoor while addressing the media in New Delhi.

Pakistan has been facing a series of attacks from terrorists since Oct 5, with last attack being launched in Rawalpindi and Lahore, claiming the lives of 35 people.

Deepak Kapoor also brushed aside Pakistan’s claims that India was among the sources who were funding Taliban for creating unrest in Pakistan.

"I just want to say that Pakistan should remain stable. We do not have any interests there and we have not supported any group there," the army chief said. He also mentioned that the security forces should keep themselves on guar since there have been intelligence alerts that there are chances for India to face attack similar to the 26/11 Mumbai carnage. He has also asked the security forces to prepare themselves for the worst.

"The defence ministry and home ministry have already alerted us. We are prepared for any eventuality," he said. 

http://www.india-server.com/news/indian-army-chief-general-warns-india-15172.html