TORONTO: Giving a fillip to Indo-Canada trade relations, Toronto has announced a new visa regime that will allow Indians 10 years multiple entry visa to the country.
The announcement was made by Canadian minister of international trade Edward Fast at a meeting with delegates of the Indian government and business community at the two-day mini Parvasi Bharatiya Divas Canada 2011 convention that began here on Friday.
Fast said the new visa process would be available to Indians who travelled to Canada frequently.
"After an initial visa screening, applicants can get a visa that allow them to visit Canada often - as long as their passports are valid up to ten years," Fast said.
Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaurwho is leading the Indian delegation said both countries were committed to strengthen their bilateral trade relations.
"The Indo-Canadian community is a microcosm of the people of Indian origin living abroad," she said.
" India and Canada will soon sign the Social Security Agreement, conclude a bilateral Investment Protection Agreement, negotiate a revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement and complete an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement," she said, adding both nations aim at a bilateral trade target of USD 15 billion in next five years.
Both countries were in talks for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that would yield significant economic benefit and lower tariff on a large number of products for both the countries.
July 6, 2011
Indian-American creates world's largest tricolour
CHICAGO: Exuding unflinching patriotism, an Indian-American here has created the world's largest Indian flag, weighing 250 kg, as a symbol of peace and harmony in the country.
The tricolour, which stretches 153 by 102 feet, was created by entertainment businessman Monty Saiyed and has found place in Limca Book of Records in April this year.
His creation will feature at the two-day Vibrant India event to be held here on July 16 and 17 with performances from Bollywood actors and singers.
"The flag is a message of peace and unity. This is an occasion of unity where everybody should stand together and support the cause of the flag and take the honour of it," Saiyed, 35, said.
It took 15 days for seven Porbandar tailors, recruited by Saiyed, to sew this cotton flag.
After the Vibrant India event, the flag will be flown back to Navsari in Gujarat and could be used in other events in different Indian states.
"Next year, the flag will be used for the same purpose of peace and unity in different states in India," Saiyed said.
Saiyed, who is living in the US since the age of seven, said his great grandfather first came to India 1100 years ago from Medina in Saudi Arabia, when King Siddhraj Jaysingh was the ruler settled in Navsari. His family members also run a foundation called "Gandhi Peace Mission" in Gujarat for the last 7-8 years.
The tricolour, which stretches 153 by 102 feet, was created by entertainment businessman Monty Saiyed and has found place in Limca Book of Records in April this year.
His creation will feature at the two-day Vibrant India event to be held here on July 16 and 17 with performances from Bollywood actors and singers.
"The flag is a message of peace and unity. This is an occasion of unity where everybody should stand together and support the cause of the flag and take the honour of it," Saiyed, 35, said.
It took 15 days for seven Porbandar tailors, recruited by Saiyed, to sew this cotton flag.
After the Vibrant India event, the flag will be flown back to Navsari in Gujarat and could be used in other events in different Indian states.
"Next year, the flag will be used for the same purpose of peace and unity in different states in India," Saiyed said.
Saiyed, who is living in the US since the age of seven, said his great grandfather first came to India 1100 years ago from Medina in Saudi Arabia, when King Siddhraj Jaysingh was the ruler settled in Navsari. His family members also run a foundation called "Gandhi Peace Mission" in Gujarat for the last 7-8 years.
July 5, 2011
Employers lagging behind in employing citizens will face punitive measures: Saudi labour ministry
Mohamed Akbar | Jul 4, 2011, 02.57pm IST
JEDDAH: New employment nationalization program, 'Nitwaqath', will be in effect in its third phase as on November 26, when the punitive measures against the companies lagging behind in employing citizens would begin, it was announced by the Saudi ministry of labour. The third stage of the program is to assign punishments to the private sector employers who are in the red category, said Ahmad Al-Humaidan, undersecretary for workers' affairs at the ministry.
Under the Nitwaqath system, private sector companies are to be labelled "green," "yellow" or "red" depending on the level of Saudis working for them. Companies in the "yellow" category will not be able to extend their foreign employees' work visas beyond six years while "red" companies will not be able to renew their foreign workers' visas at all.
"Green" companies will be entitled to a number of benefits, such as expedited services for foreign workers' visas and the ability to change the job categories of foreign workers into job categories reserved for Saudis, except for human resources managers, liaison officers, cashiers, receptionists or security guards.
"The first phase of the system that we had started implementing on June 11 involves classification of the companies and giving them a three-month period for improving their Saudization status. The second phase of implementation will begin on September 10, when companies meeting their required Saudization quotas will start enjoying a number of special benefits," Al Humaidan said, while stressing that the Nitwaqath system was only one of the initiatives taken by the ministry to intensify the Saudization drive.
"Punitive measures against companies classified in the 'yellow' category will be effective as on February, 23 at the final stage of the Nitwaqath. Companies are being given grace time to improve their status by hiring more Saudis in place of the foreign workers, failing which will lead to punitive measures," he said.
Al-Humaidan was speaking at a meeting of businessmen at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the capital city, Riyadh.
JEDDAH: New employment nationalization program, 'Nitwaqath', will be in effect in its third phase as on November 26, when the punitive measures against the companies lagging behind in employing citizens would begin, it was announced by the Saudi ministry of labour. The third stage of the program is to assign punishments to the private sector employers who are in the red category, said Ahmad Al-Humaidan, undersecretary for workers' affairs at the ministry.
Under the Nitwaqath system, private sector companies are to be labelled "green," "yellow" or "red" depending on the level of Saudis working for them. Companies in the "yellow" category will not be able to extend their foreign employees' work visas beyond six years while "red" companies will not be able to renew their foreign workers' visas at all.
"Green" companies will be entitled to a number of benefits, such as expedited services for foreign workers' visas and the ability to change the job categories of foreign workers into job categories reserved for Saudis, except for human resources managers, liaison officers, cashiers, receptionists or security guards.
"The first phase of the system that we had started implementing on June 11 involves classification of the companies and giving them a three-month period for improving their Saudization status. The second phase of implementation will begin on September 10, when companies meeting their required Saudization quotas will start enjoying a number of special benefits," Al Humaidan said, while stressing that the Nitwaqath system was only one of the initiatives taken by the ministry to intensify the Saudization drive.
"Punitive measures against companies classified in the 'yellow' category will be effective as on February, 23 at the final stage of the Nitwaqath. Companies are being given grace time to improve their status by hiring more Saudis in place of the foreign workers, failing which will lead to punitive measures," he said.
Al-Humaidan was speaking at a meeting of businessmen at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the capital city, Riyadh.
50 ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਦੀ ਪਰੇਡ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪਰੇਡ ਪਹਿਲੇ ਸਥਾਨ 'ਤੇ
ਸਿਡਨੀ, 5 ਜੁਲਾਈ (ਹਰਕੀਰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧਰ)-ਬਲੈਕਟਾਊਨ ਵਿਚ ਪਰੇਡ ਕਰਵਾਈ ਗਈ ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ 50 ਤੋਂ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ ਦੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਨੇ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲਿਆ। ਸਿਡਨੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਭਾਈਚਾਰੇ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਬੜੀ ਮਾਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਗੱਲ ਹੈ ਜਦ ਗੋਰਿਆਂ ਨੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪਰੇਡ ਵਿਚ ਅਮੀਰ ਵਿਰਸੇ ਅਤੇ ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਂਚਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵਧੀਆ ਪਰੇਡ ਐਲਾਨਿਆ। ਬਲੈਕਟਾਊਨ ਕੌਂਸਲ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਪਰੇਡ ਨੂੰ ਵੱਡੀ ਟਰਾਫੀ ਅਤੇ 500 ਡਾਲਰ ਇਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਨਿਵਾਜਿਆ। ਆਸਟ੍ਰੇਲੀਅਨ ਸਿੱਖ ਐਸੋਸੀਏਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਜਨਰਲ ਸਕੱਤਰ ਜਗਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਅਤੇ ਉੱਪ ਪ੍ਰਧਾਨ ਮਹਿੰਗਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਖੱਖ ਨੇ ਖੁਸ਼ੀ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਇਹ ਜਿੱਤ ਸਾਡੇ ਸਾਰੇ ਸਿਡਨੀ ਪੰਜਾਬੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਜਿੱਤ ਹੈ। ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸੰਗੀਤ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਦੇ ਡਾਇਰੈਕਟਰ ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਧਾਰੀਆ ਨੇ ਵਧਾਈ ਦਿੰਦਿਆਂ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਸਿੱਖ ਕੌਮ ਅਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਸੱਭਿਆਚਾਰ ਇਕ ਅਮੁੱਲ ਭੰਡਾਰ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਖੁਸ਼ਬੂਆਂ ਨਾਲ ਸਾਰਾ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਮਹਿਕਦਾ ਰਹੇਗਾ। ਇਸ ਪਰੇਡ ਵਿਚ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲੈਣ ਵਾਲਿਆਂ ਵਿਚ ਬਲਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ, ਸਰਜਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧੂ, ਮਹਿੰਗਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਖੱਖ, ਲਾਭ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੂਨਰ, ਹਰਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੋਮਲ, ਮੋਹਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਪੂਨੀ, ਮੱਖਣ ਸਿੰਘ ਹੇਅਰ, ਗਿਆਨੀ ਜਸਵੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ, ਦਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਧਾਰੀਆ, ਤਜਿੰਦਰ ਤੇਜੀ ਢੋਲੀ, ਦਲਜੀਤ ਲਾਲੀ ਸਨ।
ਇਤਿਹਾਸਕ ਹੋ ਨਿੱਬੜਿਆ 'ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਡੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਮੇਲਾ'
ਟੋਰਾਂਟੋ, 5 ਜੁਲਾਈ (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਪਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੈਣੀ)-'ਕੈਨੇਡਾ ਡੇ' ਮੌਕੇ ਪੰਜਾਬੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਸੰਘਣੀ ਵਸੋਂ ਵਾਲੇ ਨੇੜਲੇ ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਵਿਖੇ ਕਰਵਾਇਆ 'ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਮੇਲਾ' ਯਾਦਗਾਰੀ ਹੋ ਨਿੱਬੜਿਆ। ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਦੀ ਮਿਉਂਸਪਲ ਦੇ ਸਹਿਯੋਗ ਸਦਕਾ ਹੰਸਰਾ ਗਰੁੱਪ ਵਲੋਂ ਕਰਵਾਏ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿਰਸੇ ਤੇ ਮਨੋਰੰਜਨ ਦੇ ਸੁਮੇਲ ਇਸ ਪਲੇਠੇ ਨਿਵੇਕਲੇ 'ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਮੇਲੇ' ਨੂੰ ਵੱਡੀ ਗਿਣਤੀ 'ਚ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਪਰਿਵਾਰਾਂ ਨੇ ਮਾਣਿਆ। ਸਵੇਰੇ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਦੇ ਦੋ ਮੁਕਾਬਲਿਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਅਖਾੜੇ 'ਚ ਹੈਰੀ ਸੰਧੂ, ਹਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ, ਹੈਪੀ ਅਰਮਾਨ, ਕਲੇਰ ਕੰਠ ਤੇ ਵੱਖ-ਵੱਖ ਸਥਾਨਕ ਗਾਇਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਫਨ ਦਾ ਮੁਜ਼ਾਹਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ। ਹਰਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਹੰਸਰਾ ਤੇ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਸਮੁੱਚੀ ਟੀਮ ਵਲੋਂ ਸਾਰੇ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਵਧੀਆ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਵਿਊਂਤਣ ਸਦਕਾ ਮੇਲੇ 'ਚ ਲੋਕ ਕਲਾਵਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਰਵਾਇਤੀ ਵੰਨਗੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਵੰਨ-ਸੁਵੰਨੇ ਖਾਣੇ ਤੇ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਸੱਜਾ ਦੇ ਸਾਮਾਨ ਆਦਿ ਦੇ ਸਟਾਲ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਮੇਲਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰੰਪਰਿਕ ਰੂਪ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਸਨ। ਸਟੇਜ ਸਕੱਤਰ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਸ. ਗੋਗਾ ਗਹੂੰਣੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਨਿਭਾਈ। ਅੰਤ 'ਚ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਬਰੈਂਪਟਨ ਦੀ ਮੇਅਰ ਸ਼ੂਜਨ ਫੈਨਲ, ਸਿਟੀ ਕੌਂਸਲਰ ਸ. ਵਿੱਕੀ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ, ਪਰਮਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਢਿੱਲੋਂ, ਅਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਗਰਚਾ, ਹਰਜਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਧੂ ਤੇ ਰਾਜਾ ਬਾਈ ਵਲੋਂ ਮੇਲੇ ਦੀ ਸਫਲਤਾ ਲਈ ਪਾਏ ਯੋਗਦਾਨ ਲਈ ਵਿਸ਼ੇਸ਼ ਸਨਮਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ।
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)