Poojapura Chappathis – the latest buzz word in the culinary world
Published January 24, 2012 | 
The poojapura central jail in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, which houses some of the hard core criminals convicted in various criminal offenses is grabbing headlines for all the good reasons these days. The commercial chappathi making unit in the jail premises, which started functioning recently has already become a huge hit and a profitable venture.
The prison inmates of Poojapural jail are engaged in making soft and tasty chappathis in hygienic conditions, which are sold through the outlets at the Poojappura central jail premises and Attakulangara jail premises. Priced only at Rs. 2 per piece Poojappura Chappathi is sold out in no time as there is a huge demand for these tasty chappathis that are delivered fresh off the pan at unbeatable prices. At present over hundred inmates are involved in chappathi making and they are overwhelmed by the positive response from the customers.
Chappathi making is turning out to be a profitable venture like its gardening and horticulture activities, which had been tried out successfully in the jail premises earlier. Everyday about 16,000 chappathis are made daily and they have already made a profit of three lakh in a span of only a few months.Encouraged by the tremendous response for the chappathis, the prison authorities are planning to launch vegetable curries too in the market. By directing the prisoner’s time and effort in a constructive manner, the jail has become a trend setter in tapping the tremendous man power potential.
Everyone is born good; villains emerge due to the environmental influences and their upbringing and it is never too late for them to come back to goodness as this success story of Poojapura jail inmates would prove!
Pay your bills on the move
Published January 10, 2012 | 
Gone are the days when people used to stand in serpentine lines to remit the payments of their phone or electricity bills. Many a time, customers find it difficult to reach their work places on time after these errands as the staff in the counters fail to turn up at the dot of time! Now the users can pay their bills, get the bill details and payment date details through their mobile phones as the M-governance is being extended to more services like Kerala Water Authority, Kerala State Electricity Board and Kerala State Financial Corporation. Already, the motor vehicles department is using this mobile alert based information service where the users can access the details of the vehicle if the registration number is known.
However, the role of M-governance will not replace the existing system but will act as a supplement to e-governance to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas. In addition, a range of facilities including the complaint registration system at Kerala Women’s Commission, helpline and information system for Sabarimala pilgrims bus timings of KSRTC, mobile ticket reservation at Kerala State Film Development Corporation theatres and timber auction alerts at Forest Department have also been introduced. As Kerala moves a step closer to paperless transactions with these smart services, booking your movie ticket or paying the electricity bills have become as simple as a few clicks! Well, that is what we all call smart living!
Kerala to get a space museum
Published December 20, 2011 | 
A space science museum is coming up in Pallikkara in Kochi, which is made famous by the water theme park of Veegaland. The Phase I of this facility has gone live a few days back when it was formally inaugurated by the former president APJ Abdul Kalam. This museum is being jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Indira Rajan, a leading educationist in Kerala, who also heads the Minerva Educational Institutions in Kerala and is the chairperson of the Resul Pookutty Foundation. The selfless act of Indira who donated this prime piece of land in Pallikkara for the museum purely out of her passion for science and technology, deserves special mention. She was inspired to do something for the students to develop their interest in science after her visit to the NASA. She took up the matter with DRDO officials who promptly extended all their support for this novel venture.
During the inauguration function, a massive model of PSLV weighing a staggering 1,800kg was unveiled on December 17, which is celebrated all over the world as Wright Brothers’ Day, in commemoration of their historic 12 second flight on December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk.
This museum, which is modeled after the Smithsonian Museum in the US, though as a scaled down version, when completed will be a comprehensive facility featuring special sections of natural and physical science, space and defense. At present only the Space Wing is being opened in an existing building. The main objective of this museum would be to inspire the students in science topics according to the former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair.
The museum will be one of the best centres of excellence in Indian aerospace and defense sectors that would not only attract scientists and students but curious tourists as well. When completed, the museum will have separate sections for atomic energy, industrial revolution and scientific research apart from live experiment sections on every live and scientific phenomenon. A contest is currently being conducted for the school children in Kerala to find a logo and an apt name for the museum, which will be announced soon. Though Kerala is a 100% literate state, it is astonishing that it has not produced many scientists or researchers of national and international acclaim. This museum might go a long way in igniting the passion of science and research among the youth and help to make the world a better place to live.
Sentinel – The Women’s security app that is only a few clicks away
Published November 18, 2011 | 
The women in Kerala can engage this super smart cop, ‘Sentinel’ to be on their guard duty 24 x 7! With the launch of ‘Sentinel’, a smart phone app exclusively for the safety of women, the women in Kerala has one more protective tool in their arsenal in dealing with the hostile elements of the society. This simple and user friendly app sends alerts in the form of emails and SMS to a host of pre-configured numbers.
Developed by MindHelix Technologies LLP, this product has been created keeping the specific needs and vulnerabilities of the urban women in mind by making the best use of the multi-faceted technologies. Apart from the contact details and information of close friends or family, the alerts sent by ‘Sentinel’ will have many other important information like the last known location, direction of travel along with details like mode of transport and vehicle number that the traveller can update. This application can be run on smart phones with Android, Blackberry, Symbian, iPhone and Java operating systems and can be downloaded from http://sentinel.mindhelix.com/
A recent survey of Assocham Social Development Foundation shows that over 53 percent of women feel insecure at workplaces, especially at night. This startling fact inspired the innovative team of an engineer and two engineering students to develop this exclusive safety app for women, ‘Sentinel’
Kerala reported the highest crime rate at 312.5% among all other States, with the cases of domestic abuse and instances of outrage against women on a steady rise. This has made many cities in Kerala including Cochin, unsafe for women even during broad day light. Now that this smart app of “sentinel” is on guard duty, women are rest assured of a fool proof protection outside the comfort zone of their homes. As there is a range of smart phones designed exclusively for women and smart phone penetration is at an all time high among professionals, this alert mechanism is expected to catch up the fancy of women users in the days to come.
Kochi gets a direct service ship to the European ports
Published November 15, 2011 | 
When MV Lahore Express, a Hong Kong flagged vessel got berthed at the International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) , it became the first ever weekly direct service vessel between Kochi and the European ports. The vessel that will make service calls to the major ports in Europe such as Genoa, Tilbury, Hamburg, Rotterdam and Le Havre, will ensure a major a boost to the trade and commercial activities in Kochi.
The commencement of this service from ICTT will offer a faster transit option that will considerably reduce the supply chain cost, making Kochi one of the most important ports in the country. With this facility, the South Indian trading fraternity in Bangalore, Tirupur, Salem and Coimbatore among others can directly export goods to Europe from ICTT on a weekly basis without having to rely on the expensive option of transshipment facility. ICIT not only offers the shortest transit time but also the best rates and facilities at par with the best international ports. ICTT,which was set up on BOT basis by the DP World will play a significant role in making Kochi a trading hub of international standards, in the days ahead.
Afghanistan turns the hottest job destination for Keralites
Published November 8, 2011 | 
The bleak images of the war torn country of Afghanistan where bomb blasts, air strikes and trails of destruction have become part of every day life wont make it the best place to look for a job for anyone for sure! However for the cheeky Malayalis, it has become the hottest job destination after the Middle East boom. There is a classic joke that even if someone lands in the moon, he will find a Malayali tea shop owner there! Many a time, it is not just a figment of imagination but hard truth as the overzealous labour force of Kerala are more than willing to take chances for a better future.
The hefty pay packets and the massive reconstruction activities in Afghanistan are tempting the employees from the distant land of Kerala to try out their luck here. Many international companies have already set up businesses there, which has opened up numerous openings for the semi skilled labour force comprising of electricians, plumbers, welders, mechanics, masons and carpenters among others. While the US companies prefer cheap labour from Kerala, the labourers too find the deals better than the packages offered in the Middle East.
Iraq is the other war-torn country, which has seen a large scale arrival of Kerala labourers thanks to one of the best salary packages on offer. Now that there is a change of guard at Libya where Colonel Gaddafi who had ruled Libya with an iron hand for many decades has been replaced, a total revamp of infrastructure and developmental activities are expected there.
It is estimated that over 50 lakh Keralites work outside India, of which Saudi Arabia alone employs over 20 lakh Malayalis. An accurate data of Malayalees working in Iraq and Afghanistan is not available as they are often hired from the Middle East, often flouting emigration rules and keeping the Indian Embassy at dark. Instances where labourers are duped by bogus recruiting agencies too are not uncommon,as there is not much awareness of the recruitment process to these countries. However , none of these incidents seem to dampen the spirit of the Malayalees who are more than willing to take a risk to get the biggest pie of the employment opportunities. Has the lure of material pleasure made us so gullible that a few wads of currencies can prompt us to take up any job at any corner of the world?
The shout out at Karma Kerala!
Published October 14, 2011 | 
A shouting competition- In all probability, you might not have heard anything like this before in Kerala!! The brain child of Sholto, our boss from the UK, who wanted to try it out as a small experiment to find out why Kerala ladies almost always talk in muffled tones, this interesting shout out competition was held in our office at Karma Kerala. The ladies and the gents teams were drawn up and everything was well set for a high decibel shout and screech. The winning team would have been the one that made the maximum sound.
Obviously the all girls team of 17 was not a match for the men’s team and the ladies were clearly outclassed in the first round of the shouting competition. In the second round in a hotly fought contest 15 ladies shouted their lungs out as loud as they could against a truncated men’s team of just 5 and even then, the men won by a clear edge. When a combined round of both men and women was done, the sound tapered as it reached the female side. In this melee, a few anxious faces did came out from the adjacent buildings to see what it was all about.
At the end of it all, it was concluded that the women in Kerala have chosen to be soft spoken and quiet due to an array of social and cultural factors when they are outside the comfort zones of their homes. However, I feel that to measure the real power of the female vocal chords, one might have to step into their homes unexpectedly when all the male voices of the house will be drowned in the clamor of the females:). Share your views on this interesting topic !
Kerala to get a Coastal shipping route soon
Published September 23, 2011 | 
The meandering waterways in the form of lakes, backwaters and rivers in Kerala puts it in the league of countries like the Netherlands, Denmark and Greece, where coastal shipping plays an important role in easing the traffic bottlenecks. With the proposed coastal shipping route that will be completed in 2012, Kerala will be making the best use of its long coast line like these European countries. In the initial stage, this channel will be used to ferry containers from Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal, which will take off a substantial part of heavy traffic from the roads leading to Kochi.
Various shipping companies and industrial representatives have evinced keen interest in this project, which will be of immense benefit to the cashew industry in Kollam, the rubber units in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta and especially the construction industry. Coastal shipping has become the need of the hour as road transport network has proved insufficient in handling the smooth slow of traffic considering the exponential growth in the goods movement in recent times.
The Great Sea Shipping Pvt Ltd based in Cochin has confirmed its plans to launch river-sea vessels on both fixed schedules and charter basis to ensure container transportation services. The company plans to start its operations with two vessels each with a cargo capacity of 52 containers connecting Kollam port and Vallarpadam terminal, by April 2012.
The coastal shipping route will infuse a fresh lease of life to the limping cashew and coir industry. It is estimated that over 10,000 containers of cashew kernels are transported from Kollam for exports and around 35,000 containers of imported raw cashew is brought back to Kollam by road and the exporters have to shell out an exorbitant sum on transportation charges. However , once the coastal route gets ready, the transportation charges can be brought down by over 40 per cent of what it currently costs by road. In the second phase of the project, the non-coastal pockets will be integrated with the minor and major ports in the state, that would make a comprehensive network of inland waterways, rivers and backwater routes, which will be of tremendous use for the rubber industry mainly centred around Kottayam and Pathanamthitta areas.
Kochi- the most preferred Indian city to live
Published September 20, 2011 | It seems that the clichéd statement of India being a land of paradox never goes out of fashion! The exponential growth of its rapid economic development hasn’t done much in managing the contradictions.
A survey has now revealed that cities such as Gurgaon, which are the most preferred places to earn a living are not the best places to live! This interesting data surfaced during the research conducted by the economics research firm Indicus Analytics on residences, earnings and investments. Paradoxically none of the top ten cities that offer the greatest career opportunities feature in the list of top ten Indian cities to live! Six vital parameters including health, education, environment, safety, public facilities and entertainment were taken into account while preparing the index of cities that are conducive for living. Whereas the list of cities that offered the maximum earning potential was based on growth rate of employment, per capita income and listings on popular job websites.
Interestingly the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai did not fall in either of the two lists as these failed to feature in the list of ten best cities to reside, earn or invest! Nonetheless, these bustling metros were listed among the cities preferred by the deep pocketed elite class to spend their life.
The top 10 places, which offer the best employment opportunities include Gurgaon, followed by Silvaasa, Noida, Faridabad, Rupnagar, Chandigarh, Surat, Bangalore, Gandhinagar and Pune. The best cities to live are Kochi, Kozhikode, Shimla, Thiruvananthapuram, Mysore, Goa, Thrissur, Pondicherry, Kannur and Thiruvalur. The fact that five of these cities are in Kerala, should be a matter of pride for any Malayalee though it could have come as a rude shock for many considering the pathetic state of affairs.
Let’s admit it! The ground reality that exist in all these cities in Kerala are far from rosy. From pot holed roads to garbage ridden pathways and ill planned cities and the infrastructure facilities that clearly fall short of the needs of the swelling population, the city life is nothing short of a struggle for any ordinary citizen! The local administration and the public should brace up their acts atleast now to make these cities truly the most preferred cities in India and to live up to the celebrity status bestowed upon them!
Nano cars turn friends of Kerala lottery agents
Published August 5, 2011 | 
The much hyped ‘car for the masses’ Nano, which hit the market with an unbeatable sticker price of just 1 lakh has failed to leave its mark among the masses as yet. However, Tata Nano has found a new set of patrons in Kerala in the form of lottery agents in Kollam district. It is interesting to note that the lottery agents in the district have already rolled out a fleet of Nano cars over the last few months. The small size of Nano gives it a top edge in maneuvering through the narrow and busy streets of the Kollam city, which enables the agents to do brisk business by being at the right place at the right time.
Apart from its good mileage and affordable price tag, the fancy appearance of Nano has endeared it among the lottery dealers. The cute looks also attract curious onlookers apart from the fortune bill fans. Some lottery agents have as many as three cars in their fleet and are only happy to add more in future. Nano is taking up the place of the old favorite, Ambassador, which is being sidelined due to its low fuel efficiency. Even if the soaring petrol prices are taken into account, buying a Nano works cheaper than hiring a shop in the city, where rented commercial spaces cost a fortune and are hard to find.
The lottery sales have plummeted to an all time low following restrictions on other state lotteries and number of draws of Kerala lottery. This has prompted the agents to look for cheaper options in selling lotteries and Nano has truly served this purpose. At present there are over 18 Nanos plying in the city of Kollam alone and as more lottery agents are planning to add Nanos to their fleet to ensure better market penetration and faster access to the niche zones, the future of Nano appears bright at least in this segment.