ECONOMIC NEWS
FROM INDIA
April 2009
Indian General Elections: world's largest democratic exercise
In April-May 2009 the people of India will choose 543 members of
the 15th Lok Sabha (the House of the people of the Indian
Parliament) in free and fair elections. General Elections in India are
the largest popular democratic political process in the world. In this
country of 1.1 billion people, General Elections involve an electorate
of 714 million persons, over 828 thousand polling stations, 1.37
million electronic voting machines, and 5.5 million polling officials.
Estimated amount of paper saved by use of electronic voting
machine would be 10,000 tonnes. The people of India have
consistently reaffirmed their faith in democracy, pluralism and
tolerance on every occasion. The ongoing General Elections will be
no exception.
India received USD 45-bn remittances in 2008: World Bank
India received remittances to the tune of USD 45 billion in 2008,
making it the top recipient ahead of neighbouring China, which got
USD 34 billion, according to a World Bank report.
Sulabh founder named Stockholm Water Prize Laureate
Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh Sanitation Movement,
known for his wide ranging work in the sanitation field to improve
public health, advance social progress and improve human rights,
will formally receive the award at a Royal Award Ceremony and
Banquet during the World Water Week in Stockholm this August. It
is one of the world's most prestigious prizes and the annual prize
includes a USD 150,000 award and a crystal sculpture.
FINANCIAL FIT
IT-BPO sector exports to touch $60 b in 2010-11 – Nasscom
The Information Technology (IT) and Business Process Outsourcing
(BPO) sector exports would touch $60-62 billion in 2010-11,
according to National Association of Software and Service
Companies (Nasscom). In the fiscal year 2008-09, exports were
likely to touch $47 billion. Exports stood at $31.4 billion in 2007-08.
Nasscom said: “With a young