Punjab Set for International Acclaim

In order to encourage the urban local bodies to guide the cities in becoming ‘eco-green cities’, the state government has given a nod to convert Amritsar and Ludhiana into solar cities.

Also, the Indian music industry has launched a service to curb the music piracy in the state.

Punjab to become key biz and tourist hub
With the commencement of international flights from Mohali airport, domestic flights from Sahnewal Airport (Ludhiana) and up-gradation of Guru Ramdas International Airport at Amritsar by 2010, it is expected that Punjab will become one of the key destinations for international tourists and businessmen.

Authorities foresee that this move will not only push the state into the international trading sector but will also act as an economic booster for the Northern India.

Earlier this month, the government had joined a joint venture with Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Governments of Punjab and Haryana for up-gradation of the Mohali Airport.

Commenting on this, Sukbir Singh Badal, deputy chief minister, Punjab, said that the state will become one of the finest and most easily accessible tourist as well as business hub in South Asia with the commencement of this joint venture.

Badal informed that the domestic flights from the Mohali airport will begin from June 2010. Also, work on the up-gradation of airstrip, taxiway and civil lounge building has already begun and all major roads reaching to the airport will be made six-lane, he said.

Amritsar and Ludhiana to be remodeled into solar cities
In a bid to encourage the use of solar energy, the Centre has given a nod to master plan under which Amritsar and Ludhiana would be developed as solar cities in the near future.

It is expected that the master plan would provide total and sector-wise projections for energy demand and supply for next 10 years. It would also lay down a complete sector-wise base-line on energy utilisation and year-wise targets for energy conservation. Furthermore, potential sources of funding will also be identified in the master plan.

Shedding more light on the project, the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) director, Balour Singh, said, “Already, we have floated tenders for hiring consultant for preparing master plan and nine companies have shown interest. We are in the process of evaluating the bids and very soon, the consultant would be finalised.

“The consultant will prepare master plan for these cities that will include complete information about the population of the city, energy consumption by domestic household, commercial establishments, industrial household etc.”

MMX service to restrain music piracy in Punjab
The Indian Music Industry (IMI) has launched its licensing initiative called Music Mobile Exchange (MMX) in Punjab in a bid to keep an eye on music piracy in mobile downloads.

"MMX licensing would help in curbing the growth of illegitimate music content on mobile chips," said Savio D'Souza, Secretary General, Indian Music Industry.

Depending on the kind and location of the shop, the license could be obtained for a period of one to three years, costing Rs. 1500-5,000 per month.

"MMX office has been opened in Chandigarh and mobile stores and retailers offering mobile music services could obtain license from office to sell music without infringing the copyright act," added D'Souza.

Presently, music companies, including Saregama, Aditya Music, Tips, Venus, EMI, Sony and Universal, have joined hands in the MMX initiative.