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PUNJAB CM MOURNS SAD DEMISE OF SUKHJINDER SINGH
CHANDIGARH, JULY 10, 2010:
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal expressed profound grief and sorrowed over the passing away of former Education Minister Punjab Mr. Sukhjinder Singh.
In a condolence message to the bereaved family, Mr. Badal recalled his long political and personal association with Mr. Sukhjinder Singh and said,“ Despite difference of opinion on some issues, we shared a wonderful personal equation for many years.”
The Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to give strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss to the family and grant peace to the departed soul.
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SUKHBIR, SEKHWAN CONDOLE THE DEATH OF
FORMER EDUCATION MINISTER SUKHJINDER SINGH
Chandigarh, July 10, 2010:
Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister and President, Shiromani Akali Dal today expressed profound grief at the demise of former Education Minister and veteran Akali Leader Mr. Sukhjinder Singh.
In a condolence message Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal described Mr. Sukhjinder Singh a grass root level leader who worked throughout his life for the welfare of oppressed and deprived classes of the society. He said his significant role in strengthening the school education infrastructure would always be remembered by one and all.
Meanwhile, Punjab Information & Public Relations Minister Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan has also condoled the death of Veteran Leader Mr. Sukhjinder Singh.
The Deputy Chief Minister and Information & Public Relations Minister expressed their heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed to Almighty to give peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear this irreparable loss.
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Health Minister, Pb and Health Secretary Vists flood affected areas
Chandigarh, July 10
Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Health Minister, Punjab and the senior officials of the Department of Health and Family Welfare today visited the flood affected villages and areas in different districts of Punjab to review the preparedness of the department to deal with the medical emergencies and to prevent and control any outbreak or spread of communicable diseases related to floods.
Prof. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Health Minister Punjab along with Sh. Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare visited District Patiala today where 16 villages in Doodan Saadan block have been affected and reviewed the assistance being provided by the 13 static and 10 mobile medical teams in the area which are even travelling by boats to provide health care to people at their door step. The Health Minister also convened a meeting of the District Health Officials including Civil Surgeon and the senior Medical Officer of the block and laid stress on effective, timely and prompt medical relief to the people in the affected areas. She further directed to establish block level control room to provide round the clock information and assistance on the lines of District and State level control rooms. It was revealed that there was no shortage of medicines, vaccines and other logistics.
Sh. Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary advised to spread awareness regarding steps to be taken for prevention and control of flood related communicable diseases. He further laid stress on educating people to drink boiled water and use chlorine tablets for purification of drinking water as well as to avoid consumption of cut and over ripe fruits and vegetables to prevent diseases like diarrhea, gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis etc.
Dr. J.P.Singh, Director Health & family Welfare, Punjab visited District Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib. In Ludhiana, 35 villages of Machhiwara block and 13 villages in Fatehgarh Sahib were affected but now water is receding and situation is under control.
Dr. Ashok Nayyar, Director Family Welfare visited District Ropar and Dera Bassi and Boothgarh blocks in SAS Nagar to review the arrangements being undertaken by the Department to deal with the sudden floods like situation in certain parts in the State. He prompted officials to take effective measures to prevent and tackle flood related diseases. Dr Deepak Bhatia informed that a control room has already been established in state head quarter 0172-2621986
At the time of reporting, the Health Minister and Principal Secretary Health were touring the flood affected areas of Moonak block in District Sangrur.
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SUKHBIR URGES PM TO IMMEDIATELY SEND CENTRAL TEAM TO ASSESS FLOOD LOSS
- PUNJAB SUFFERS MORE THAN RS. 350 CRORE LOSS
- FLOODS IN PUNJAB SUBMERGES OVER TWO LAC ACRES PADDY CROP
- PERMANENT DAMAGE TO FLOOD HIT FIELDS WITH SEDIMENTATION
- 21 HUMAN LIVES LOST IN FLOODS
Chandigarh, July 10, 2010:
Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Punjab today reviewed the flood situation and relief operations in the state and requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to immediately send a central team to assess the loss in the State as floods in seven districts of Punjab have submerged more than 566 villages, fully destroying crop over two lac acres.
In communiqué to the Prime Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister urged that Punjab suffered extensive damage with the record rainfall in the catchments area of Ghaggar that has breached at 32 places, causing far-reaching damage to crops, human life, houses, roads and other infrastructure of the State, cutting off these districts from the rest of the country. He said that according to initial estimates Punjab has suffered loss of more than Rs. 350 crores.
Reviewing the situation, he said that priority should be given to expeditiously assess the loss to the farmers so that compensation could be provided to the affected people. He also directed Chief Secretary to depute Financial Commissioner Revenue Mrs. Romila Dubey and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. D.S.Guru to personally visit flood hit areas of affected districts today and monitor the relief and rescue operations going on their. In the afternoon Mrs. Dubey and Mr. Guru visited worst affected villages of Devigarh block that had been marooned by breaches in Ghaggar and Tangri. Both officers directed the district administration to expedite the relief disbursement operation especially in the remote and worst affected villages. Expressing concern over fear of outbreak of epidemic after receding flood water, both officers directed district administration to distribute chlorine tablets in the villages besides vaccinating the people and livestock struck in the floods.
The Deputy Chief Minister also instructed Director Agriculture to advise flood hit farmers for sowing appropriate crops, once flood water recedes. He said that Agriculture department and PAU should coordinate for providing sapling of paddy to the farmers so that they can sow paddy after water recedes. He said that Department should also fully stock up the seeds of other alternate crops, to the distributed to the farmers. Mr. Badal said that agriculture department should also work out a strategy to remove sand from the soil of flood hit land and make it productive again.
Mr. Badal said that the floods in Punjab have been damaged/ washed away over 1500 KM roads besides damaging over 350 houses in the state completely. The Deputy Chief Minister said that district administrations have already disbursed relief worth Rs. 30 crore to the flood hit people and medical and animal husbandry team were vaccinating the people.
Meanwhile though there was 42 mm rain in Barnala district besides scattered rain in Kapurthala, Ludhiana , Patiala and Sangrur districts during last 24 hours, the flood water has started receding in several parts of the state. He said that the worst affected area was at upstream of siphon aqueduct of Hansi Butana Canal across River Ghaggar.He said that in this area total 32 no. breaches have been identified so far , out of which works for plugging of 14 breaches have already been taken up. Mr. Badal said that the work of plugging on the remaining breaches would be taken up as soon as the sites become accessible.
Meanwhile level in Bhakra Dam touched the level 1548.91 feet, which was 16.64 fleet above the last year level. The inflow in Bhakhra was 40546 cusecs against the in flow of 37802 cusecs last year. Similarly level in Pong Dam was recorded 1291.96 feet, 19.26 feet above the last year level. The inflow in pong dam was 19638 cusecs against the 60090 cusecs inflow of last year. The level in Ranjit Sagar Dam was also 3.33 feet above the last year level.
Mr. Badal said that cumulative rain falls of 380.50 MM in Mohali District, 214.77 MM in Nawanshaher District, 332.13 MM in Patiala District; 400.75 MM in Ropar District besides 262.25 MM in Fatehgarh Sahib District was much more than the last year rainfall and has caused extensive damage to Seven Districts of Punjab.
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SUKHBIR RELEASES RS 28 CRORE FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO FLOOD
VICTIMS AS TOLL IN PUNJAB FLOODS MOUNT TO 15
- DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER ORDERS IMMEDIATE RELIEF OF RS. 1 LAC TO THE FAMILY OF EVERY DECEASED IN THE FLOOD
- CHIEF SECRETARY REVIEWS THE FLOOD RELIEF IN CHANDIGARH
- 30 BREACHES IN GHAGGAR FLOOD IN PARTS OF SIX DISTRICTS MOHALI , PATIALA, LUDHIANA, ROOP NAGAR, FATEHGARH SAHIB AND SANGRUR
CHANDIGARH JULY 09, 2010:
The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today sanctioned the release of Rs. 28 crore to provide immediate relief to the flood victims as over 30 braeches in Ghaggar have flooded 6 districts of Punjab claiming the lives of 15 persons so far. The Deputy Chief Minister who is away to Delhi for an urgent meeting took a detailed briefing from the Chief Secretary on the flood situation and ordered immediate release of compensation of Rs. One lac to each in death cases in the floods. The Deputy Chief Minister has also asked the Chief Secretary to personally monitor the flood relief programme and speed up the process.
Mr. Badal asked the Chief Secretary to ensure that every flood victim was provided food, potable water and dry milk. He said that all affected district should arrangements for supplying green fodder to the domestic animals in the affected areas. Mr. Badal said that medical teams must remain fully prepared to vaccinate the flood vicitms as flood situation may not cause any epidemic. Mr. Badal directed the Chief Secretary to ask health department to send the consignment of essential drugs and vaccinations to the each affected area. He said that he has already ordered the district administrations to remove encroachments from the rivulets that were blocking the natural flow of rain water.
Earlier in the day Chief Secretary Mr. S.C. Agrawal took a meeting to review flood situation in the state and asked the irrigation and revenue department to work in tandem to extend all possible help to the flood victims on the priority and also directed the district administration to keep a close tab on the situation.
It was informed in the meeting that six districts of SAS Nagar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Sangrur have been badly affected due to incessant rains during past 4 days in the different parts of the state. The state irrigation department apprised the Chief Secretary about the 30 breaches in the distributaries of river Ghaggar caused due to heavy floods. The floods have caused damages to property, human lives, livestock, crops etc. Till date 15 casualties have been reported out of which one at Amritsar is due to wind storm. Breaches in embankments of Canals, Rivers and Seasonal Rivulets/nadis have caused heavy floods.
Referring to the steps taken by the state government to effectively combat the flood situation in the state, the Chief Secretary pointed out that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 127 persons in District Patiala and 40 persons in District Sangrur to manage the situation. The governemnt is closely watching the situation. Mr. Agrawal apprised that the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal had conducted an aerial survey in the flood affected areas. Relief camps have been established in district Patiala.
The Financial Commissioner Revenue Mrs. Romilla Dubey informed in the meeting that the Revenue Department had so far released Rs. 21 crore to the Deputy Commissioners of the flood affected districts. Besides Rs. 1.6 crore to the Health Department Rs. 5.00 crores to the Animal Husbandry have been provided. The damage to roads, water pipes and other community assets is being assessed by the different departments. The Department of Food and Civil Supplies has been directed to provide packets of ration, kerosene oil etc. The Department of Drainage has been directed to clean the drains and storm water channels. The assessment of Crop loss will be done through special girdawari after the water recedes. The Departments of Health and Animal Husbandry have dispatched their teams on site at various places.
It may be recalled that on the directions of Deputy Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner Revenue are closely monitoring the flood situation across the state. The non-affected districts have also been asked to gear up their flood preparations in case of any exigency.
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Revision of Electoral Rolls for Punjab Vidhan Sabha
Constituencies announced
Chandigarh, July 9, 2010
Chief Election Commission of India has chalked out the revision plan of photo electoral rolls for Punjab Vidhan Sabha Constituencies according to the new delimitation from January 01, 2010.
Disclosing this here today Mr. Ramesh Kumar Ganta, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Punjab said that those citizens who have attained that age of 18 years as on January 1, 2010 fulfilling all the conditions required for voting can get their names registered with the electoral registration officer or deposit their form NO. 6 dully filled up with any of the designated officers. Any kind of correction or objection can be presented on form No. 8 and form No. 7 respectively. He also said that draft publication of the voter list would be done on July 16 where as the claim or objection can be given till July 31.
Mr. Ganta has made an appeal to the eligible citizens to submit their form No. 6 together with form No. 001A with two passport size photographs to the Electoral Registration Officers concerned and Booth Level Officer (BLO) so that their photo identity cards could be made. He also said that the citizens whose names are included in the voters list but they have not been given the photo identity cards can submit the form No. 001B duly filled with two passport size photographs to the concerned Electoral Registration Officer. For more information concerned district Electoral Officer, Electoral Registration Officer, Asstt. Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Tehsildar and Booth Level Officer can be contacted.
Mr. Ganta has urged the general public and the political parties to extend full cooperation to the officers concerned, so that the task of revision of Electoral Rolls planned by the Chief Election Commission could be completed in time.
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Direct train service from Amritsar to Chandigarh will be started soon
Chandigarh, 8th July, 2010
Prof Laxmi Kanta Chawla, Health Minister, Punjab, here today revealed that she has been assured by Northern Railways that a direct train service from Amritsar to Chandigarh will be started soon. She expressed her gratitude towards Union Railways Minister and Railways Administration for conceding her demand for a direct superfast train facility between the holy city and the capital. Prof Chawla added that the Railway Department was earlier planning to schedule the train that would depart from Chandigarh towards Amritsar in the morning and come back to Chandigarh in the evening. However, once she wrote to Union Railway Minister as well as personally apprised the Railway authorities, that people indeed need a train service that should start from Amritsar in the morning to reach Chandigarh and similarly reach back at Amritsar in the evening as Chandigarh is capital of the state and people often have to visit there for official and other reasons, the GM Railways agreed to her point of view and consequently the matter has now been referred to an Expert Committee to make appropriate arrangements. Prof Chawla said that this train facility will discourage the transport mafia operating on the Chandigarh Amritsar route and would also provide a great sigh of relief to the general public.
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FRAMING OF MURDER CHARGE AGAINST SAJJAN, A FIRST STEP TOWARDS JUSTICE-HARSIMRAT
Chandigarh: July 8, 2010:
Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal member Parliament from Bathinda constituency today said that framing of murder charge against Sajjan Kumar, one of the main architect of ’84 anti Sikh carnage of 7000 innocent Sikhs, was the first step towards getting justice to victims after prolonged struggle of 26 long years by Sikhs and all justice loving people.
In a statement issued here today, Mrs. Badal said that framing of charges of murder against Congress leader has confirmed the long known fact that anti Sikh carnage that claimed the lives of 7000 innocent Sikhs was orchestrated Congress party at the instance of 10, Janpath. She said that it was matter of shame that in the largest democracy of the world, Sikhs had to fight for 26 long years to get the FIR of murders registered and first murder charge after the carnage of 7000 persons could be framed after 26 years. Mrs. Badal said that for reasons known to everyone Congress party besides shielding the main culprits of ’84 anti Sikh carnage, bestowed them with powerful official posts like union minister to empower them to influence and coerce vulnerable witnesses to retract from their original statement.
Thanking all those people who selflessly who fought a struggle against high and mighty and sustained this struggle for 26 long dark years, Mrs. Badal said that if Sikhs were not united in this struggle, Congress party would have crushed them long ago. She said that even the present Congress led UPA government sat over granting sanction for prosecution to Sajjan Kumar for more than three years and impassioned plea by Shiromani Akali Dal supported by all non-Congress leaders and MPs rising above the party lines shook the government from deep slumber to allow his prosecution.
Reiterating the resolve of Shiromani Akali Dal to continue its fight till all those responsible for ’84 anti Sikh carnage were brought to book, Mrs. Badal said that it was not easy journey to justice and we should not be complacent with this small success. She said that our fight has just begun and we have to continue our fight till everyone responsible was given exemplary punishments. She said that intentions of Congress led UPA were clear with clean chit to Tytler and justice for carnage victims can not be ensured till Union government concedes to the demand of SAD for constituting special investigation team under the supervision of Supreme court for reinvestigating all ’84 carnage cases, coverage of all witnesses in witness protection programme besides day to day trial in all these cases.
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GET CLEARED ENCROACHMENTS IN RIVULETS, CHOES BLOCKING NATURAL
FLOW OF WATER- SUKHBIR ASKS CHIEF SECRETARY
- 24 HOUR FLOOD CONTROL ROOMS ACTIVATED IN ALL THE DISTRICTS
- RS. 10 CRORE SANCTIONED FOR FLOOD PROTECTION AND RELIEF WORK
- DCs ASKED TO SEEK HELP OF ARMY, IF REQUIRED
Chandigarh, 7 July, 2010:
The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today issued strict instructions to get the illegal constructions, unauthorized Bandhs and encroachments blocking the natural flow of rain water removed within one month.
Reviewing the flood protection measures inview of record 144 mm rain in Punjab during last 24 hours and amidst forecast of 100 mm more rain in next 24 hours, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the Chief Secretary to issue strict instruction to all Deputy Commissioners to get the rivulets, drains cleared of all encroachments within next 30 days without any failure. He said that Deputy Commissioner of concerned district should be made accountable and they should send compliance report to the Chief Secretary. Mr. Badal said that besides the record rain in last 24 hour, most of the flooding was man made as we have failed to clear encroachments from the path of natural flow. Mr. Badal felt that after visiting the flood hit area of Samrala, Patiala , Fatehgarh Sahib and Mohali districts yesterday he has seen that problem of encroachments was acute in Mohali and Fatehgarh District that required immediate attention. More over encroachments in Buddha Nala in Ludhiana could flood Ludhiana City in the case of excessive rains, Mr. Badal pointed out.
Accompanied by Irrigation Minister Mr. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Mr. Badal said that Patiala, a part of Mohali district, Sangrur and Mansa face the threat of flood from the fury of Ghaggar as Union government has stopped the channalization and construction of flood protection bandh near Khanauri on the objection of Haryana. He said that district administration of these concerned districts should be put on high alert and they should remain ready with the sand bagging material for saving the lives and people of these districts.
Asking the Financial Commissioner Revenue Mrs. Romila Dubey to immediately release Rs. 10 crore from Calamity Relief Fund for flood protection and relief measures, Mr. Badal said that 24 hour control room with proper communication network should be activated in all the districts. He said that Civil Defence Department should be put on high alert. Mr. Badal said that Deputy Commissioners of all districts should monitor the vulnerability of bandhs, embankments and strengthen those portions that required immediate attention.
Asking the flood hit districts to make arrangements of green fodder to the domestic animals besides organizing community kitchen for the flood hit people. He said that medical teams and teams of veterinary doctors to provide medical aid to the flood hit people and domestic animals.
Prominent amongst those participated in the meeting included Mr. S.C. Agrawal, Chief Secretary, Mrs. Romila Dubey, Financial Commissioner Revenue, Mr. Arun Goyal , Principal Secretary Irrigation, Mr. Viswajeet Khanna, Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister, Deputy Commissioners of all districts besides senior officials of canal and drainage department.
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DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATION FROM JULY 26, 2010
Chandigarh, July 7, 2010
Central Committee of Examination, Punjab is organizing the next departmental examination of certain categories of Officers/Officials from July 26 to July 30, 2010 at local Lajpat Rai Bhawan in two shifts i.e. from 9.00 A.M. to 12:00 noon and 2:00 to 5:00 P.M.
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Punjab Government said that these categories includes Assistant Commissioners/ Extra Assistant Commissioners, I.P.S officers, Civil Judges (Junior Division), Tehsildars/ Revenue Officials, Officers of Forest Department I.F.S., Officers of the Agriculture/ Soil Conservation Services/Horticulture Services, Animal Husbandry & Fisheries department, Wardens/Inspectors of Wild Life Preservation department, Officers/Officials of the department of Jails, Excise and Taxation department, Cooperation, Dairy Development, Block Development and Panchayat Officers, Lady Circle Supervisors of Rural Development and Panchayat Department and Officers of Labour & Employment Departments.
The spokesman further said that those IAS/IPS/PCS (Executive Branch), PCS (Judicial) and other officers who intend to appear in the said examination should send their applications to the Additional Secretary to Government Punjab, Department of Personal and Secretary, Central Committee of Examination (PCS Branch), Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh, through their Departments in the prescribed Performa by 10th July, 2010. No direct application will be entertained under any circumstances. Incomplete applications will be rejected and no Roll No. will be issued. The candidate, who does not get his Roll No. by 15th July, 2010 should contact the Central Committee of Examinations, the spokesman added.
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"Kamagata Maru"
Chandigarh July 7, 2010
A non official committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab has been constituted to identify the families of the martyrs of "Kamagata Maru" so that the government could provide them with the benefits of freedom fighters.
This was stated here today by Mr. Hira Singh Gabaria, Tourism, &Cultural Affairs Minister Punjab while presiding over a meeting of Kama gata Maru memorial committee. Mr. Gabaria said that the government was in search of a few more relevant statistical details regarding the martyers and the committee would start its search operations so that the families could be traced at the earliest.
While recalling the Kamagata Maru incident which occurred in 1914, the seminars and talks would be organized where the details of the incident would be highlighted and memorials would also be raised.
A resolution to celebrate the centenary of Kamagata Maru event in 2014 at the State level has also been passed during the meeting.
The Minister urged the renowned scholars, writers and historians to bring all the relevant documents in the notice of the newly constituted committee so that a true picture of 'Kamagata Maru' event be given to the people. Next meeting of the committee would be held at Chandigarh on July 28, 2010.
Prominent among others who present in the meeting included Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema, Members of Kamagatu Maru Memorial Committee Mr. Amarjit Singh, Mr. Inderjit Singh, Mr. Buta Singh, Mr. Nirbhe Singh and Mr. Gurdev Singh(Memeber Secretary).
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Social Rewards for Indian Businesses
More than half of Indian businesses report successful new customer acquisition through social networks
Mumbai, 7 July 2010, 2010
Social networking has become a mainstream business tool in India with fully 52% of businesses having successfully used social networks to win new business, reveals a new global survey commissioned by global workspace solutions provider Regus.
Testimony to the faith businesses are now putting in the social networking medium is seen in the revelation that well over a quarter of businesses world-wide (27%) have set aside a proportion of marketing budget – hard cash – specifically devoted to social networking activities.
Up to now, relatively little analysis is available regarding the real use businesses are making of social networking and whether hard business can be generated through this channel. To glean whether businesses globally believe that social networking is ready to take its place among an array of marketing tools, the Regus survey asked business leaders not only whether they had made any customer wins using social networking, but also whether they believed the channel effective enough to be awarded its own portion of marketing budget.
Globally, social networks are still used for their original range of functions. The most popular use of social networks is staying in touch with business contacts, with 58% of respondents globally declaring they use networks in this way. Joining special interest groups is also popular (54%). Although a number of sceptics (34%) believe social networking will never become a significant method of connecting to customers and prospects, a full 51% of firms organise, connect to or manage customer groups via social networks. 54% of firms use social networks to find out useful business information. Surprisingly, however, only 22% of respondents had found new employment through social networking, this in spite of the specific job search functions of networks such as LinkedIn.
In India specifically almost a third (32%) of businesses have set aside a proportion of marketing budget specifically devoted to social networking activities. 13% more respondents in India used social networking to keep in touch with contacts and a full 71% declared that the main usefulness of social networks was the possibility to manage and connect to customer groups. 20% more respondents than the global average of 44% declared that they were impressed by audio/visual animations on a company profile.
Mr. Madhusudan Thakur, Country Head, Regus, comments: “Our groundbreaking global survey has revealed that social networking has finally become a mainstream business tool. Although there is a hardcore of sceptics globally, who do not believe that social networks will become a significant method of reaching customers and prospects, a significant proportion of firms are devoting real marketing budgets through the medium to acquire new customers and keep existing ones. With 600 million wireless connections and 9 million broadband subscribers and Gupshup, the most popular mobile social networking application numbering over 25 million members closely followed by Orkut and Facebook it is not surprising to find Indian firms ahead of the game.
“Whilst the most popular function of these networks remains that of keeping in touch with contacts, businesses are also successfully acquiring new customers, supporting their retention efforts and interacting with customer groups. This survey indicates that organisations who have not yet ventured into the world of social networking may be missing out on sizeable business opportunities. This is particularly the case in the Netherlands (48%), India (52%), Mexico (50%) and Spain (50%), where the highest level of new customer acquisition via social networking was reported.”
The survey also analysed company size differences and found that overall small companies were a little more likely than average to use social networking. In India 55% of small companies compared to the global 40% average had successfully found new customers through social networks and 32% of small firms actively devote marketing budget to this activity. 73% of smaller companies believe that the main use of social networking is that of organising, connecting to and managing customer groups. Confirming the global trend employees of larger firms were more likely to have found employment via social networking (38%) compared to the global average (22%) and to small Indian companies (29%).
On a sector basis, 23% more consultancy companies had found new customers through social networking than the global average of 40%. It is thus unsurprising that in India this sector should have the smallest number of social networking sceptics (19%) compared to the 34% global average. 43% of ICT companies have devoted part of their marketing budget to social networking compared to the 27% global average. In addition to this a full 70% of ICT companies declared themselves impressed by audio/video animation on a company profile.
About Regus
Regus is the world’s leading global provider of innovative workspace solutions, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world’s largest network of video communication studios. Regus delivers a new way to work, whether it’s from home, on the road or from an office. Clients such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core business.
Over 650,000 clients a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of more than 1000 locations in 450 cities and 85 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to.
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