Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at the Centre for not selecting any city from Bihar in the the list of 20 smart cities and said the BJP-led Union government has no consideration to maintain regional balance. ...... "There is no rule or law before them...something other is going in the country these days," he said........ "There is no 'maryada' (decency), 'niyam' (rules), neither they have any consideration to maintain regional balance," Kumar, who is senior leader of JD(U) said. ....... "This is example of 'andher nagri' (misrule)," the Bihar CM said.Microsoft wants to bring cheap broadband to 500,000 Indian villages
Last November, the company began experimenting with the unused spectrum between TV channels, known as ‘white space‘, to provide internet services to a school in the Srikakulam district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. ...... It’s now extended its pilot testing to the city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Nadella said Microsoft plans to work with the central and state governments to bring connectivity using this technology to 500,000 villages across the country. ...... That could be huge for India, where roughly 70 percent of the population inhabits nearly 640,000 villages. ...... Between Nadella’s announcement and Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s plan to bring public Wi-Fi to 400 train stations in India, it looks like Narendra Modi’s visit to Silicon Valley is proving to be rather fruitful for the millions of citizens who are yet to log on to the Web for the first time.Report: Google testing 5G drones that deliver internet 40 times faster than 4G
Google is testing solar-powered drones at Spaceport America, a New Mexico facility that formerly played host to Virgin Galactic. ....... The project, codenamed SkyBender, aims to test several prototype transcievers and drones using millimeter wave radio transmissions. ...... Millimeter transmissions occupy the 28GHz frequency and although the range is shorter than that of current 4G technologies, the speeds are incredible. ..... Theoretically milimeter wave technology can transfer multiple gigabits of data per second, up to 40 times more than current 4G LTE systems.Microsoft plans to provide free Internet across India using ‘white space’ TV spectrum
Microsoft has announced its plans to bring Internet connectivity across the country completely free of cost. ...... Microsoft has proposed to make use ofWhite spaces (radio)
the “white space” or the unused spectrum between two TV channels
, to make Internet connectivity to a vast population an economically-viable solution. .......
Unlike Wi-Fi, which has a range of only about 100 metres, the 200-300 MHz spectrum in the white space can reach up to 10 km. This spectrum currently belongs to the government-owned Doordarshan TV channel and is not used at all.
....... The initiative seems to have come right in time when PM Narendra Modi has announced his Digital India project. The project that would cost $1.2 billion aims to connect 250,000 gram panchayats in order to make Internet connectivity accessible to every part of the country. The project has garnered the interest of several tech giants, including Facebook and Microsoft, who have shown their willingness to offer support to make it a reality.
National and international bodies assign different frequencies for specific uses, and in most cases license the rights to broadcast over these frequencies. This frequency allocation process creates a bandplan, which for technical reasons assigns white space between used radio bands or channels to avoid interference. In this case, while the frequencies are unused, they have been specifically assigned for a purpose, such as a guard band. Most commonly however, these white spaces exist naturally between used channels, since assigning nearby transmissions to immediately adjacent channels will cause destructive interference to both. In addition to white space assigned for technical reasons, there is also unused radio spectrum which has either never been used, or is becoming free as a result of technical changes. In particular, the switchover to digital television frees up large areas between about 50 MHz and 700 MHz. This is because digital transmissions can be packed into adjacent channels, while analog ones cannot. This means that the band can be "compressed" into fewer channels, while still allowing for more transmissions. ...... In the United States, the abandoned television frequencies are primarily in the upper UHF "700-megahertz" band, covering TV channels 52 to 69 (698 to 806 MHz). U.S. television and its white spaces will continue to exist in UHF frequencies, as well as VHF frequencies for which mobile users and white-space devices require larger antennas. In the rest of the world, the abandoned television channels are VHF, and the resulting large VHF white spaces are being reallocated for the worldwide (except the U.S.) digital radio standard DAB and DAB+, and DMB.White Space, the next internet disruption: 10 things to know
In even the most developed countries, there are huge gaps in internet access. Fixed broadband access is unaffordable for 3.9 billion people around the world. In the U.S., about 72 percent of people have home broadband internet access, but 60 million people are still living without it. ....... White Space stands to transform the way we purchase and use wireless internet. It isn't yet widely adopted, but this unlicensed, free form of broadband is gaining traction. ........... Typical home Wi-Fi can travel through two walls.
White Space broadband can travel up to 10 kilometers, through vegetation, buildings, and other obstacles.
Tablets, phones, and computers can all access this wireless internet using White Space through fixed or portable power stations. The actual amounts of spectrum vary by region, but White Space spectrum ranges from 470 MHz to 790 Mhz........ In 2011, Wilmington, North Carolina implemented White Space technology to connect the city's infrastructure, allowing public officials to remotely turn lights on and off in parks, provide public wireless broadband to certain areas of the city, and monitor water levels. At West Virginia University, White Space technology is used to power a "super Wi-Fi network". It started in 2013 with wireless internet on the campus public transit platform, which transports about 15,000 students a day. WVU is the first campus to utilize White Space broadband internet. ....... "The Gigabit Libraries program is using TVWS devices to deliver Internet service to local libraries and a number of operators in rural areas are using these devices to provide service to homes and businesses in rural areas" .........
Google and Microsoft are already chasing the emerging White Space market in Africa, where only 16 percent of the population is online. Because the waves can travel up to 10 kilometers in radius, it is great for remote, off-the-grid villages.
...... Microsoft's 4Afrika initiative is focusing on White Space technology throughout the continent, hoping to bring millions of people online, and has projects in place in Tanzania and South Africa. ...... Rural areas, both in the U.S. and abroad, are often inhibited from wireless access because they are inaccessible and off the local power grid. Cell towers are difficult to install and can't connect, either. Fortunately, White Space power stations can be charged with solar panels, and the excess electricity generated can also power other institutions in the area such as schools....... With a cell tower or other device, the White Space technology can travel 10 kilometers and service many more customers at one time. ....... Microsoft has implemented White Space projects throughout Asia, including a recent deployment in Singapore through partnerships with Singapore government research agencies and a UK wireless service provider in areas where vegetation makes wireless access difficult. In conjunction with its projects in Europe, Microsoft is also creating a database for White Space in the U.S., much like Google's. ........Internet service providers were ranked the lowest customer service satisfaction of any industry in America, according to American Customer Satisfaction Index's most recent survey. The two largest providers, Comcast and Time Warner, were ranked the lowest out of all internet service providers.
...... So far, the FCC has allowed very few internet service providers to license the White Space spectrum. Hopefully, they will continue to be cautious about who they allow to purchase the spectrum so that it can be a disruptive force in connecting more people to the internet.
White space, or buffer channels, refers to the unused channels between the VHF and UHF spectrum. In the pre-cable era, when over-the-air broadcasts ruled the day, these buffers were used to prevent broadcasters from interfering with one another. We all know how prevalent over-the-air broadcasting is now; today this spectrum is largely unused. ...... a super Wi-Fi network knitted together with next-generation TV or smart remotes. ...... wireless data could be transmitted over UHF channels during active TV broadcasts without interference. ......TV white space will connect the internet of things
The UHF spectrum, which ranges from 400 to 700 MHz, is superior to the higher-frequency signals used for existing Wi-Fi hotspots
...... as these signals carry for miles and are not blocked by walls or trees.
White spaces in the radio spectrum can now be used for anything from wireless flood defences to city-wide Wi-Fi. Services using the technology could appear before the end of the year with surplus spectrum filling in gaps where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth fail. ........ The spare spectrum comes from bands currently shared by digital TV and wireless microphones. ..... Broadly the technology will allow internet of things devices to communicate with one another and the internet. White space spectrum could also improve broadband coverage in rural areas and boost Wi-Fi signals in crowded cities. ...... King's College London is currently researching how white space spectrum could be used to improve broadband coverage by linking white space connections between buildings. The technology could also be used to add extra capacity to crowded networks.
@NitishKumar How To Turn Patna Into A Smart City For Free https://t.co/dTag4WGzpY @RJDforIndia @JDUCENTRAL
— Paramendra Bhagat (@paramendra) January 30, 2016@satyanadella How To Turn Patna Into A Smart City For Free https://t.co/dTag4WGzpY @BillGates @Microsoft @sundarpichai @google
— Paramendra Bhagat (@paramendra) January 30, 2016The US and Israel have successfully played the role of catalyst to do this and the Rs 10,000 crore fund-offunds will do the same. It would not invest in ventures itself but contribute to, say, a fifth of the corpus of India-focused and professionally-managed venture funds. They will have to raise five times that amount from non-government sources, making Rs 50,000 crore available for startups and early-stage companies. As these companies grow, they will typically raise at least 10 times that amount from later-stage global investors before going public. Hence the government’s Rs 10,000 crore may result in attracting almost
Rs 500,000 crore
for innovative Indian companies, helping create possibly the next Google or Facebook. ..... Our information technology industry, driven predominantly by startups and first generation entrepreneurs was backed by the STPI scheme and tax-breaks that helped reinvest earnings for growth. The industry has grown from $50 million to $150 billion in 25 years, becoming the largest employer in the organised private sector and accounting for over a fifth of our forex earning!!
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| First President of India Deshratna Dr Rajendra Prasad,Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru & Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha at Anugrah babu's residence in Patna(Bihar) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| (Sitting L to R)Rajendra Prasad and Anugrah Narayan Sinha during Mahatama Gandhi's 1917 Champaran Satyagraha (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: Bihar Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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| English: Map of Bihar (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
According to BJP insiders, Thakur's statement is a reflection of a deep-rooted tussle between leaders of upper castes and OBCs within the party...... In his early 80s, Thakur belongs to the powerful landed upper caste Bhumihars, who are said to be overwhelmingly backing the BJP in post-Mandal politics in the state. ...... "The BJP is likely to announce the name of former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi as the chief ministerial candidate soon," a BJP leader close to Sushil Modi said. ....... Sushil Kumar Modi, who is from a backward caste, is the most influential face of the BJP in Bihar and commands respect even among the upper castes, say some leaders. ....... However, the former Bihar deputy chief minister's disadvantage lies in the fact that two BJP leaders from the backward caste are dead set again .. .... "The BJP in Bihar is a divided house. To project a leader from either the OBCs or the upper castes as a chief ministerial candidate will antagonise the other group. The BJP is not in a position to project any one person against Nitish Kumar, who was declared chief ministerial candidate by the alliance of Janata Dal-United, Rastriya Janata Dal, the Congress and National Congress Party," said a senior BJP leader, who did not wish to be named. ....... In the caste-ridden Bihar politics, there are over half a dozen leaders from the upper castes and the backward castes who have staked claims as chief ministerial candidate of the BJP. "All of them are lobbying hard," the BJP leader said.कुशवाहा को दिल्ली में मन नहीं लग रहा होगा। गुमनाम रहते होंगे। मीटिंग अटेंड करते होंगे तो कितनों को पता भी नहीं चलता होगा कि ये कौन हैं। तो सोंच रहे होंगे दिल्ली से पटना शिफ्ट हो जाते तो थोड़ा visibility बढ़ जाता। उनको कुर्सी भी खाली ही दिख रहा है। सुशील मोदी इंटरेस्ट नहीं दिखा रहे है -- क्या बात है? तो उन्होंने अपने पार्टी में unanimous resolution पास करबा लिया।
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| हिन्दी: देश के उप राष्ट्रपति मोहम्मद हामिद अंसारी पटना में पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री सत्येन्द्र नारायण सिन्हा(छोटे साहब) की 94वीं जयंती पर आयोजित व्याख्यानमाला श्रंखला पर पूर्व सांसद किशोरी सिन्हा और मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार के साथ (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The RLSP also announced that the party would contest 67 seats and would hold public meetings in 125 constituencies ahead of the elections. Under its seat-sharing formula, the RLSP has allotted 74 seats for Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party and 102 seats for the BJP. The party has ignored the latest entrant into the NDA, former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular).RJD to cross swords with BJP in saffron strongholds in Bihar polls
Sources in JD(U)-RJD combine said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s outfit will contest those seats it had won last time when it fought in alliance with BJP. Though RJD is likely to contest about as many seats as JD(U), it will get seats where BJP had won. ...... JD(U) had clinched 112 seats in 2010 Assembly election, BJP 94 and RJD only 22. Lalu will thus have the difficult task on hand contesting seats it had lost last time, while JD(U) will battle to retain those already in its kitty. ....... NDA sources said BJP will field nominees in almost all seats it had won besides some more, leaving anywhere between 55 and 70 seats for its allies like Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP, Upendra Kushwaha-led RLSP and its new partner and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Aawam Morcha. ...... Almost all the seats the saffron party will spare for its allies are those that had been won by JD(U) last time. ....... The concern for BJP is, however, that Lalu’s core support base of Yadavs and Muslims is bigger and cohesive and has mostly stood by him even in the worst of times. Kumar’s base is relatively small but he believes his track record in governance will win him votes across communities.BJP's ally declares its chief Upendra Kushwaha as CM candidate in Bihar
BJP's ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) on Sunday passed a resolution demanding that its president and union minister Upendra Kushwaha be made NDA's chief ministerial candidate for forthcoming assembly polls in Bihar. ...... The resolution was passed unanimously at the party's two-day state executive meeting at Vaishali Garh near Hajipur, about 30 km north from state capital here, where the party also approved a proposal to contest altogether 67 seats in the assembly election ...... "LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan has withdrawn himself from being candidate for the CM post and our major ally BJP has so far not projected any name as CM face. We don't think that BJP will be able to decide any name in the next three months. Hence, the RLSP decided to offer the name of Kushwaha to be projected as NDA's CM face, because Bihar today needs a 'strong' face to effectively counter the CM candidate of RJD-JD(U)-Congress alliance," Singh said. ...... BJP is yet to decide on a CM candidate with many leaders in the party are of the view that it would be better to go to polls under a collective leadership with PM Narendra Modi's agenda of development. ......... In another resolution passed unanimously, the RLSP said that in the last 2010 assembly polls, the BJP had contested 102 of total 243 assembly seats. And LJP 74 seats. "As per the current political scenario and ground realities, both the parties BJP and LJP should contest same number of seats in 2015 elections and leave the rest 67 seats for the RLSP. It is natural claim of RLSP on the rest 67 seats. Hence the state executive committee unanimously decides to field its candidate on 67 seats in 2015 assembly elections," the resolution reads........ Political analysts say, the BJP, which is yet to finalise its seat-sharing agreement with its allies, is unlikely to concede to the RLSP demand of 67 seatsNo dispute in the NDA over a chief ministerial face for Bihar, says Paswan
Exuding confidence that the BJP-led NDA would sweep the upcoming polls with a three-fourth majority, Paswan said the secular alliance and its leaders would be compelled to do 'Yogasana' ....... On the NDA's agenda for electoral success in Bihar, Paswan said the BJP-led coalition would come up with a vision document proposing construction of roads and bridges, and slammed Nitish Kumar for failing to undertake repair of dilapidated bridges on the Ganga in Patna and Mokama.From wooing foreign investors to UPA bashing: 10 takeaways from Arun Jaitley's US comments
he is in the US "really to be in dialogue with a larger body of investors because the more the investment in India, the more it helps us in our growth process". He participated in a discussion organised by the think tank Council on Foreign Relations. President of investment firm Warburg Pincus and former US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner were also present at the event........ Jaitley said said there are economic reforms in the pipeline which can push the country's economic growth rate above the current 7-7.5 percent range. "Neither the government, nor the people, nor the industry whose representatives, some of whom are here, nobody is very excited about a 7-7.5 percent growth rate in India," Jaitley said during the discussion with Geithner. ......... the next two-three years are going to be very critical for the reforms. “Having covered this distance, the next two-three years are going to be very critical because the series of reform steps, which are in the pipeline, are all to be implemented," he said. ...... The Rajya Sabha has referred the Goods and Services Tax Bill a committee. He said this has shortened the windo of time required for the implementation of the key tax reform. "I now have to run faster to in order to catch up. If nothing unusual happens, hopefully I make it. So I am conscious of the time constraint,” he said. April 2016 is the deadline for the implementation of GST. ...... When asked if more sectors will be opened up for higher stakes of FDI, Jaitley said the government has reviewed FDI “in favour of opening out". "If you would expect these sectoral caps to immediately go up in all sectors, may be not but gradually that is the movement in that direction,” he has been quoted as saying.Why India needs to be wary of China's ambitious belt and road initiative
China pushing the pet project of its president Xi Jinping -- Belt and Road Initiative, a grandiose $21 trillion project aimed at connecting 4.4 billion people. ...... the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor ....... Much of China’s pledged $46 billion investment in Pakistan is predicated on the CPEC. ...... Ask the Sri Lankans for example! Wherever Beijing has landed it has left a trail of loans and grants with high interest rates. Sri Lanka today owes a debt of anywhere up to six to eight billion US dollars to China for Chinese involvement in infrastructure projects on it soil. ....... Perhaps a fundamental question is who is going to need these new transportation networks the Chinese are proposing as most goods travel around the globe via the cheaper and logistically simpler sea route rather than rail or air transport. ....... Yes, rail route would cut down by half the time taken by sea transport but the question is how such an international rail network would be put in place considering different gauge systems, financial costs and an unstable security environment, to name a few.Greater trade and people to people contact between Pakistan and China is a good thing. It will pave the way for eventually doing the same between India and Pakistan.
