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US
Legislator Bobby Jindal has-been appointed
on three committees in the Congress,
including the one on Homeland Security.
The permanent committee on Homeland
Security was created at the start
of the new Congress and has been given
oversight over the Homeland Security
Department and the Federal government's
efforts to keep the country safe from
terrorism. Jindal, a first term Congressman,
has also been asked to serve on two
other committees - education and the
workforce, and resources.
Courtesy:
The Indian Express, January 08, 2005
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India
has displayed maturity in its management
of the ravages caused by last week's
tsunami - helping other countries
in the region and in helping itself
- leading to a changed perception
of the country in the eyes of the
international community. "It's a new
and confident India which also recognizes
its responsibilities," asserted renowned
economist Jagdish Bhagwati. In an
interview, Bhagwati says in helping
other countries around the world in
its own time of crisis, "It's not
just international power play but
rather a display of maturity. It's
not with a sense of pride but rather
as an obligation." "There will be
a changed perception of India following
this disaster," says Anirban Basu,
former director of the Towson University
Regional Economic Studies Institute
in greater Washington. "India is not
just a technical leader in South Asia
and Southeast Asia, but a leader in
taking up the tsunami warning system.
I think people have looked at India
till now not much more than a leader
in South Asia," said Basu, CEO of
Sage Policy Group, advisors to state,
federal and private companies. New
Delhi promptly began helping Sri Lanka
with ships and army personnel to reach
difficult areas and deliver aid, even
as it coped with its own death toll
that touches 9,000 with thousands
still unaccounted for. "The fact that
it is able to take care of itself
also comes out in the Bush administration's
response - and the work of the Indian
government which has cemented the
bond - President Bush clubbed India
with Japan and Australia. So it has
worked out very nicely for India's
image even for altruistic purposes,"
Bhagwati emphasized. "India also took
matters in stride although it did
not suffer as huge a loss as Sri Lanka
or Indonesia," Bhagwati noted. "It
showed it doesn't really need these
huge organisations like Oxfam etc,
who want to get mileage out of this.
Our own people have the commitment
- big and small NGOs who don't need
to get on CNN," he added. "Ultimately,
Indian ships are going out to help,
just like the US - that shows its
status." "India will remain a study
in contradictions - home to cutting
edge technology and also to millions
of poor, but a rising tide lifts all
boats," he said metaphorically without
intending a pun in the current disaster.
Courtesy:
The Times of India, January 05, 2005
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