Janmashtami pushes flower demand 3-fold

Sunday, August 24, 2008
Janmashtami pushes flower demand 3-fold
Prices of all types of flowers rise at Vadodara flower market
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Thanks to the Janmanshtami festival, the Vadodara flower market is in full bloom. Demand and prices of almost all types of flowers in the wholesale flower market in Vadodara have seen a sharp rise. In spite of the market being flooded with fresh stock on Saturday, burgeoning demand has catapulted flower prices in the citys flower market. However, vendors are very happy with the high volume of business surging prices, which have almost increased to three times.Prices of most of the flowers which is normally used for puja has increase from 20% to 150%. While rose saw an increase of 150%, Jalbara rose by 75% and prices of other varieties like orchids, Jasmine and Rajanigandha, too, have increased. Jalbara prices also fluctuated sharply when it went up to Rs80 a kg from the Rs50 last week. However, local flowers like paras and desi rose have been left untouched by the rise.“Already, demand for flowers was good owing to the ongoing Shravan month. But Janmashthami festival shoot up the prices to its peak,” said Ajay Yadav, a flower vendor.Hajariya, another flower vendor said, “Different temples in Vadodara has purchased flowers in bulk. Not only in temples, Janmashthami is also being celebrated in societies now which has also pushed up the demand and prices.”

MSU elections: Last-ditch efforts to woo voters

MSU elections: Last-ditch efforts to woo voters
Today being the last day for campaigning, candidates will go all out with their promotional strategies in an attempt to tap the student vote-bank
Devanshi Joshi & Maulik Buch. Vadodara/DNA

With the MS University student union elections just one day away, student leaders will use every trick in the book to spread their messages to a maximum number of students in the final round of election campaigning on Friday.Supporters of ABVP and NSUI and independent candidates will engage in a final flurry of promotions. Various departments, hostel halls, canteens, library and each and every corner of the university campus have been smothered by propaganda cards. Rallies, door-to-door publicity, SMSes, phone calls and social networking sites are being used to win voters' favour.However, after having delivered speeches at the different faculties, departments and hostel halls, the strategy is now going to shift towards a more hands-on and personal approach, and to that effect, supporters have started going to the homes of students, requesting for their vote in person.In order to facilitate a final, convincing campaign, the parties have let no stone unturned, making various provisions for supporters helping them in the election promotions. As per sources, "About 10,000 SMSes have been given free to supporters of candidates. Pre-paid connections have also been provided in bulk by the candidates. From petrol to vehicles and food - everything has been provided to make the supporters happy."Candidates and supporters are also reaching out to students through social networking websites, where university communities and student-group forums are being flooded with messages requesting support and highlighting negative aspects of the other contestants. Videos on websites like Youtube have also been uploaded besides sending SMSes and making personal phone calls. Bhavik Shah, a BCom Student and NSUI supporter, says, "We have posted messages on websites like Orkut to get the votes of the students. We are also meeting the students personally by going to their homes and by sending SMSes to increase their awareness about the party; to build a rapport. We have also posted a video on Youtube."An ABVP candidate for the post of VP (vice president), Amita Mistry, says: "As the countdown for the election has now begun, we are going for one-on-one contact to get the trust of students. Using technology such as social networking websites and SMSes has proved helpful in reaching the masses.''

Double whammy hits NSUI ahead of MSU elections

Friday, August 22, 2008
Double whammy hits NSUI ahead of MSU elections
Thrashing of one of the unions members queers the pitch
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
The rejection of application forms of NSUI (National Students Union of India) candidates for the soon-to-be-held MS University students union election has sparked off furore. What has added to the chaos is the assault on Jigar Shah, a leading member of NSUI, allegedly by ABVP supporters on Thursday. Protesting against the incident, NSUI has demanded the V-C to postpone the polls. University authorities have refused to reveal reasons for rejecting application forms of NSUI candidates today. The candidates had applied for the posts of class representative (CR), faculty general secretary (FGS) and department representative (DR). On getting the news, NSUI student leaders Rutvij Joshi, Rupesh Prajapati, Kunal Patel, Senate member Narendra Rawat and other supporters rushed to the polytechnic faculty to protest against the administrations decision. They alleged that “those involved with election work had a nexus with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and they have done it on purpose".“The forms have been rejected deliberately. ABVP fears losing the election and that's why they are doing this. More than 50 ABVP members, including Vikas Dubey, attacked Jigar Shah and injured him badly. We want V-C to postpone the elections. We also met the commissioner today to urge him to take action against ABVP,” said Kunal Patel.Shah, a student of the department of Sanskrit Mahavidyalay was beaten up by a mob of ABVP members, during peak hours of the college on Thursday. Shah said, “While I was giving a speech in the faculty of science, I was beaten up by a mob of around 15 to 20 ABVP members. When I went to the commerce faculty on the third floor to give another speech, I was kicked and thrashed with pipes and chairs. Even as I ran to the deans office for cover, the mob followed me and assaulted me.”Sayajigunj police arrived at the place and took the situation under control. Shah has lodged a complaint against ABVP members in the Sayajigunj police station.

Girls hostel baffled over disappearing undergarments

Friday, August 29, 2008
Girls hostel baffled over disappearing undergarments
Experts say the tendency to steal undergarments is a kind of deviant sexual behaviour
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara
It is not unusual to hear of hostel residents stealing the money, books and stationary of fellow students staying at the hostel but it is rare indeed to come across instances of the thief showing a fondness for the undergarments. MS University of Vadodara has some students staying at its girls hostel who steal not only money, food, watch and jewellery of fellow residents but also their undergarments. Sometime back, a girl student staying at the university hostel was found in possession of missing money and undergarments belonging to other students. Mallika Singh, a sociology student who stays in the girls hostel, said, “All residents of the hostel can enter each others room because each room is usually shared by three-four girls. So it is difficult to keep watch for potential thieves.” Pooja Ranawat, a commerce student staying in the same hostel, said, “Ever since undergarments started disappearing from the rooms, we have been keeping an eye for responsible students. We have also started keeping our belongings locked in cupboards. Girls are now even locking up their rooms with a separate key for each room-mate.” Indrani Chatterji is a psychology student who stays in the same hostel as Mallika and Pooja. She has tried to assess the psychological reasons behind girls stealing the undergarments of fellow hostel inmates. “Girls who steal even undergarments are addicted to the act of stealing. The urge to steal may have deep roots in the psychology of the individual. They do feel guilty when caught but they are unable to give up the habit of stealing,” she said. Some victims of the thieves, however, say the girls, when caught, say they are kleptomaniacs simply to gain sympathy and be let off without punishment. Psychoanalysts, however, insist that there are deeper reasons for the pathological behaviour of some girls. “It is a kind of deviant sexual behaviour. People exhibiting this behaviour derive strange satisfaction from wearing other peoples undergarments. It is much more common among men. Men exhibiting such behaviour tend to steal the undergarments of women,” a Vadodara-based expert explained. Dr Rashmi Vyas is a psychiatrist who was a resident of the hostel during her days as a medical student. “One of the reasons for girls stealing the undergarments of other girls could be poverty. It is possible that the thief has a craving for expensive undergarments which she is unable to buy herself. She, therefore, steals what she cannot buy,” Vyas said. On the other hand, Dr Anjuli Verma, head of the department of psychology, MS University, said girls sometimes get addicted to the act of stealing but, in many cases, “it is the symptom of a psychological disorder that has sexual underpinnings”.

Lord Ganesha idols get a taste of inflation

Sunday, August 24, 2008
Lord Ganesha idols get a taste of inflation
Idol-makers to place heftier price tags on the statues
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
The compelling increase in raw material, labour and transport costs stemming from a bulging inflation rate is forcing idol-makers in the city to raise prices of Ganpati idols by 20-25% compared to last year. This year, Vadodara targets to make more than 20,000 Ganpati idols between five and 25 feet each, besides thousands of smaller ones, and the artists are bound to pass on their cost burden to buyers by increasing the idols rates.Prices of ingredients like POP (Plaster of Paris), colours, iron scrap, plastic, jute and other raw material have been affected by around 50%. The price of 23 kg of POP has increased by 44% to Rs65 compared to last years Rs45. The price of colours used in painting the idol has been increased to Rs160 per litre from Rs110 per litre. Prices of Katho, one of the basic materials for idol making, and iron scrap has gone up by 20% and 60% respectively as compared to last year. Prices of labour and raw wood have also increased by 50% as compared to last year.Bharat Ajmeri, an idol maker and artist at Navabazar in Vadodara whose forefathers were also in the same business, finds the current year the most expensive period for idol-making due to inflation. Ajmeri says, “Inflation has badly affected the business this year. Price of raw material has almost doubled as compared to last year. This year we will send the idols at 25% higher prices, to cushion the impact of the cost. However, we would have to haggle for our profit margins as the buyers are bound to bargain.”Sunil Swami, an idol maker at Dandiabazar, says, “The bookings for Ganpati idols generally start three months before Ganesh Chaturthi. This year, we are making around 50 large-sized idols and a number of small ones. Price rise in labour and raw material has increased the cost of the idols. We have increased the price of big Ganpati idols from Rs1,500 to Rs2,000 to deal with expenses.”To avoid unnecessary investment, the idol makers in Vadodara are not stockpiling Ganpati idols this year. Businessman Hemal Bhatt has booked a 16-feet idol for Ganpati pandaal this year. He says, “Every year we bring Ganpati in our pol but this year, the price of Ganpati idols is 10% to 15% more than last year. The option we have is to collect more funds

Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Six Sigma concept mooted for growth
This business strategy is used in different sectors of industry, including IT, ITeS and government services
Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
“Improvement in the internal and external processes in an organisation, with the involvement of the people in bringing changes, would encourage originality, creativity, improve standards and allow space for individual growth,” said Goutam Dutta of IIM Ahmedabad, in an orientation programme on 'Quality and Six Sigma' held at the department of statistics at Vadodara's Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU).Six Sigma is a business management strategy, which uses a set of quality management methods, including statistical methods, and creates a special infrastructure of experts in these methods within the organisation. Each Six Sigma project follows a defined sequence of steps and has quantified financial targets.Dutta, along with P Vijayaraghavan, president of Reliance Industries, Vadodara, and K Muralidharan of the department of statistics, MSU, conducted the Six Sigma session for students, research scholars, industrialists and faculty from various universities, colleges, and research institutions.“To achieve satisfactory quality, we need to define parameters as they decide the specifications and conformance to quality. Six Sigma is driven by a close understanding of customer needs, disciplined use of facts, data and statistical analysis and diligent management, improving and reinventing business processes,” said Muralidharan.According to Vijayaraghavan, “The Six Sigma approach helps the management achieve a high level of quality. It is an important business process for achieving customer satisfaction. It helps to reduce defects significantly, and raises the level of performance.”

Shop for free & get paid for effort!

Shop for free & get paid for effort!

Devanshi Joshi. Ahmedabad/DNA
Sunday, June 08, 2008

Want to shop without spending any money, and then get paid for the effort? The baffling deal is too good to be true, you say? It is, unless you are a mystery shopper — someone who is contracted by such facilities as retail stores, movie theatres, and restaurants to secretly evaluate services and products in the guise of an ordinary shopper. Trained researchers who operate with carefully defined assessment parameters engage in mystery shopping. Raj Sharma, the co-founder & president of Majestic Market Research Support Services, said, “The most common places where mystery shopping is carried out are retail stores, movie theatres, restaurants and fast-food chains.” He added that banks, gas stations, car dealerships, apartments and health clubs, and healthcare facilities also used mystery shoppers.“Mystery shopping originated in developed economies but now it has become popular in India too,” Sharma said. “We have 800 to 900 mystery shoppers in Gujarat, out of whom 45% to 50% are based in Ahmedabad.”Companies invest anything between Rs30 lakh and Rs40 lakh per year in mystery shopping. Such huge investments have been drawing an ever-growing number of people to mystery shopping assignments. It is easy to see why: the task offers extra income for easy work, and mystery shoppers enjoy free products and services. A mystery shoppers income depends on the assignment and on his or her profile. At the entry-level, the earning is Rs300 per assignment but experienced mystery shoppers who have carried out splurging expeditions for large corporations can earn up to Rs5,000 per outing. Mystery shoppers contend that they are an important part of consumer research initiatives because their feedback helps companies retool services, attract new customers, and reward valuable employees.

(ICAI) plans to start a course for accounting technicians.

(ICAI) plans to start a course for accounting technicians.

Devanshi Joshi/DNA

The Western India Regional Conference organised the 23rd WIRC regional conference at C.C. Mehta Auditorium of M.S. University of Baroda on Friday. More than 750 chartered accountants participated.

To fulfill the demand for trained accounting professionals and to support chartered accountants (CAs), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) plans to start a course for accounting technicians.Uttam Prakash Agarwal, vice-president, ICAI said: "This course is aimed at supporting CAs and to meet the demand for accountants in the industry." Accounting technicians work in areas of accounting and finance, supporting CAs and associate CAs. Prakash said the institute plans to produce one lakh accounting technicians in the first phase. "The industry needs qualified accountants, and CAs require qualified support. The accounting technician course will bridge both needs at the same time," he said."Careers in finance and accounting have become popular, and chartered accountancy is the most prestigious option in the field. With the increase in job opportunities in finance and accounting, the demand for finance course is also rising," said B.M. Agarwal, chairman of the Western India regional council of ICAI.Enrolment to the one-year accounting technicians' course will be carried out through a centralised system. Anyone who has passed class XII can apply for the course, which will cover accountancy and finance.The ICAI president said campus interviews conducted by ICAI would give students fair placement opportunities within a year completing the course. With the increasing demand for accountants, accounting technicians could get job opportunities not only in financial firms, but also in other industries such as IT, Banking and BPO/KPO outfits.

Inflation throws education budget out of gear

Inflation throws education budget out of gear

Devanshi Joshi/ DNA MONEY Thursday, 12 June

The re-opening of schools has not been good news for many middle-class parents. For, they see a daunting task ahead to bear the additional expenses for their wards in the face of rising costs of everything.
Be it school fees, books and notebooks, uniforms or conveyance - the costs have gone up by an average 12% this year. Parents say this rise is over what the costs were during the last academic session.

This year, the price of digest has risen by 12 to 13% compared to last year's, while in case of notebooks the rise is more than 10%. In school uniforms, the rise has been anywhere between Rs 50 and Rs 100. To add to the woes of the parents, the rise in coaching class fees has been very frequent.
The hike in petrol prices has affected the costs of conveyance, too. Autorickshaw drivers are charging Rs 100 to Rs 150 more than what they charged last year.
Milan Patel, a shop-owner in Usmanpura, had to break his year-long savings to bear the educational expenses of his two daughters. "Bearing the educational expenses of my daughters, Simoli (class 7th) and Trisha (class 5th), has become a daunting task for me and my wife. The school has already taken an undertaking from us to the effect that we don't have any objection with increase in fees. Due to hike in prices of study material, uniform and school fees, I am finding myself helpless in setting a normal household budget," he said.
Avani Bhatt, a homemaker living at CG Road, says it is very difficult to meet the rising expenses. "My son Ayush is studying in class 8th and with the re-opening of his school, the tuition fee has increased by Rs 2,000 a year. Earlier, I used to pay Rs 12,000 a year as tuition fee but now I will have to pay Rs 14,000. The school also charges extra fees on different heads like computer, activity and project. It is really difficult to meet the expenses," she said.
In addition to these expenses, there is also another hurdle. Coaching classes have become sort of compulsory. And the fees in case of coaching classes have also gone up.

According to Kaushik Patel, a businessman living in Vadodara, education these days has become a business. "The fees of my children Varun (class10th) and Dhruti (class 8th) include coaching class fees Rs 26,000 a year and school fees Rs 12,000 a year. Apart from fees, one has to bear the costs of books, digests, uniforms, conveyance, etc," he said.

Another thing that troubles many parents is that the earnings are not increasing in proportion to the rising expenses. Ravji Chauhan, an employee in a private firm in Rajkot, said: "I don't have that much earning which can bear my children's educational expenses and that is why my son works part-time to support his educational expenses. This year due to rise in prices of study material and coaching fees, we are finding it difficult to cope up with educational expenses of our children."