“GERMAN SUBSIDIARIES IN INDIA TO BENEFIT FROM CHANCELLOR ANGELA MARKEL’S VISIT TO INDIA” – RAJESH CHAWLA, DIRECTOR, VEKA INDIA

“German Subsidiaries In India To Benefit From Chancellor Angela Markel’s Visit To India” – Rajesh Chawla, Director, Veka India

Mumbai: Following the recent visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to India, VEKA India, a subsidiary of VEKA AG – the world’s second largest manufacturers of windows and doors systems has reiterated its plans to expand in India by introducing new products specific to the Indian market and by expanding its geographic footprint. The US 1.4 Billion company is one of the pioneers of uPVC door and windows systems in India and has recently completed ten years in India.

“The visit of the Chancellor is not only expected to boost trade ties between the two nations but is

Mr. Rajesh Chawla, Director
VEKA India

also expected to help German subsidiaries entrench their businesses in India. Both the leaders were very clear in their communication. While the Indian PM focussed on facilitating ease of doing business in India, removing concerns of investors and driving growth through software, the German Chancellor focused on the fusion of India’s IT expertise and German Engineering. Ms. Merkel also welcomed the fast-track approval agreement signed on Monday. This will ensure that German companies have a single point of contact with the Indian government, and thus avoid the layers of bureaucracy,” says Mr. Rajesh Chawla, Director, VEKA India.

In line with the Indian Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ vision, VEKA India will also be looking at boosting its growth by manufacturing the systems domestically at its facility in India in the near future. Currently its 20,000 sq feet facility in Navi Mumbai has a sophisticated display center as well as German made state-of-the-art testing rig to test windows for water and air tightness and other performance criteria. “The exacting standards and precision engineering that Germany is world renowned for are adopted by us to create uPVC windows and door systems that are suitable for Indian conditions,” added Mr. Chawla. “When VEKA AG entered the Indian market in 2003, the uPVC door and windows market was very rudimentary. We have invested time and efforts in familiarizing the Indian market with the benefits of uPVC fenestration and are planning on rapid expansion from here on.”

Between India and Germany, there is good room for expansion despite an annual trade volume of 16 billion Euros and German businesses want to emphasize their contribution in the making of smart industries’ age.

“The overall market size of PVC window profiles in India is about 40,000 tons in an annum. In Germany, VEKA by itself surpasses the figure in less than a month. Today, uPVC is the popular choice for windows and doors in all of Europe and America. Being rigid, durable and recyclable besides being cost-effective, this material is fast replacing the traditional wood or aluminium profiles across the world. With German technology on Indian turf, we intend to back the Make in India ideology with our commitment to quality offerings. With our latest range we hope to extend both choice and innovation to our customers and we are positive our profiles will be the future of window and door installations,” concludes Mr. Chawla.

About VEKA India: In India, the company started operations in Gurgaon – Delhi NCR a decade ago. Today, VEKA India is vendor to some of the leading companies and has provided uPVC window and door systems to India’s premier and well-designed homes and offices. Its 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Navi Mumbai houses a state-of-the-art warehouse and distribution set up, a fabrication training workshop and a Window Testing rig along with an application centre. VEKA India, as a part of the worldwide VEKA Group, remains a wholly family-owned business, just as it has always been since its foundation in 1967.

About VEKA AG: A US $ 1.4 Billion Group company with its origins in Germany, VEKA has been a leading player in the uPVC industry for almost as long as the material has been used for door and window frames. The Group employs more than 3600 people through 25 subsidiaries in three continents around the world. Its manufacturing facilities are spread across Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain, Poland, USA, Russia, Mexico, China & Malaysia. The VEKA Group generated US $ 896 million turnover in 2013. Internationally, more than 2200 fabricators use VEKA systems to create top-quality uPVC products.

NHAF IN ASSOCIATION WITH ICCR RECEIVE ENTRIES FROM STUDENTS ACROSS INDIA

Over 300 Students Participate In An Art Competition

on ‘Make In India’ and ‘Swachh Bharat’

Vici- Ist Position Devyani Parmar
Udayachal High School School

Mumbai: Niki Hingad Art Foundation (NHAF) in association with Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organization of the Government of India organized the fourth annual Inter School Drawing Competition 2015 titled ‘Make In India’ Art Competition for students on March 28 at Sir J J School of Art. The competition witnessed participation of over 300 students across Mumbai. The participants also included a group of children from Differently Abled Schools.

“This is the 4^th year of the inter school art and drawing event and being associated with ICCR was a big boon in increasing awareness on the event. This year our theme for the national competition was in sync with the government’s praise worthy initiative, ‘Make in India’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. We wanted children to express their imagination on these themes and were pleasantly surprised to see that these children have far better ideas on making India a better place. Art is one of the finest ways to express our impression of any said subject and today was no different. The collage of today’s paintings depicts a vibrant, progressive and an incredible India.

All entries were evaluated by a panel of judges from the fraternity of Sir J. J. School Of Art and were rated on the basis of creativity and originality of the artwork. The jury selected a total of 12 winners in 4 categories from Mumbai and 6 winning entries from all other regions. NHAF then announced the winners at the art competition.

Veni A-Ist position Maisha Gupta
Vibgyor International School

This was an open competition fully supporting the idea of freedom in the world of art and were categorized in four different age groups i.e. ‘Veni-A ' – Age 5 – 7 yrs, 'Veni-B' Age 8 – 10 yrs, ‘Vidi’ – Age 11 – 14 yrs and ‘Vici’ – Age 14 -16 yrs.

The competition was open to participants across the country for a period of three weeks. Drawings and paintings received from other places (except Mumbai) were displayed during the art competition today at Sir J J School Of Arts.

Veni B - Ist Position Sanika Daga
Dhirubhai Ambani International School

About Niki Hingad Art Foundation (NHAF): NHAF Foundation is involved with various art activities for the last few years. The foundation aims to ignite an immense interest in the perception of art in the younger generation and hence has been actively involved in creating a difference in the world of art. With the help of eminent professors of the Sir J. J. School of Arts and its team, NHAF works in various fields of Art round the year. These activities are held in various schools and include special courses in various fields and techniques of Sketching, Charcoal, Calligraphy, Pen and Ink, Clay modeling, Water colors, Acrylic colors, Cartoon caricature, Landscape, Portraits, Still life, Sculptures. The foundation conducts various workshops on famous Artists, mediums of art, various eras of art like Op art, Modern art.

NHAF in Association With ICCR Announces Art Contest For Students Across India

Art Competition For Students on ‘Make In India’ and ‘Swachh Bharat’

Mumbai:  Niki Hingad Art Foundation (NHAF) in association with Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), an autonomous organization of the Government of India has announced the fourth annual Inter School Drawing Competition 2015 titled ‘Make In India’ Art Competition for students across India.

 NHAF has invited entries from schools and students all over India for partaking in the art-drawing contest to be held on the 28th of March 2015 at Sir J. J. School of Arts, Fort, Mumbai between 10:30 AM to 12:45 PM.

Talking about the initiative, Ms. Niki Hingad, Founder, NHAF says, “This is the 4^th year of the inter school art and drawing competition with social awareness playing the main scheme of things. This year our theme for the national competition is in sync with the government’s praise worthy initiative, ‘Make in India’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. We believe that art is a sole journey from an artist’s mind to the heart and has its own language of self-expression. We would like these young artists, the future of our nation to explore their inner selves and sketch some brilliant ideas out around these initiatives. We want this message to reach across all parts of the country”.

Interested students outside of Mumbai are requested to register their entries with the participant’s full

name, age, name of school, residential address and contact number via email at nhafnationals@gmail.com and send the original artwork titled as ‘National Entry’, duly signed and attested by the school authorities to NHAF base, 1-1, Ratnakar Building, Narayan Dhabolkar Marg, Off Nepean Sea Road, Mumbai 400 006 till 20^th March 2015.  The theme for the participant will be a) Make In India, b) My Dream, c) Swachh Bharat.  The artwork will be displayed during the art competition at the Sir J J School Of Arts.

For the participants in Mumbai and neighboring areas the participation is through schools enrollments. All participants will be physically present to participate in the competition to be held on 28^th March at the Sir J J School of Arts. The theme for the competition will be Green Thumb. Emphasizing on the need of saving our environment, the competition theme will focus largely on saving the remaining green cover.  There will be a special category for children from Differently Abled Schools.  Interested students from Mumbai may register through schools or individually by providing their name, age, name of the school, contact number and other details via email: nhafgenius@gmail.com or nhafforyour@gmail.com latest by 24^th March 2015.

All entries will be judged by a panel of judges from the Sir J. J. School art fraternity and will be rated on the basis of creativity and originality of the artwork. The jury will select a total of 12 winners in 4 categories from Mumbai and 6 winning entries from all other regions. NHAF will announce the winners at the art competition.

This will be a free competition fully supporting the idea of freedom in the world of Art and will be categorized in four different age groups i.e. ‘Veni-A ' – Age 5 – 7 yrs, 'Veni-B' Age 7 – 10 yrs, ‘Vidi’ – Age 11 – 14 yrs and ‘Vici’ – Age 14 -16 yrs.  

For further details please call on 022- 40441999, between 10am – 5pm or join NHAF on NHAF/ Nikihingad.artfoundation via Facebook account.

Address: NHAF base, 1-1 Ratnakar bldg., Narayan Dhabolkar Marg off Nepean Sea road, Mumbai -400006.

About Niki Hingad Art Foundation (NHAF): NHAF Foundation is involved with various art activities for the last few years. The foundation aims to ignite an immense interest in the perception of art in the younger generation and hence has been actively involved in creating a difference in the world of art. With the help of eminent professors of the Sir J. J. School of Arts and its team, NHAF works in various fields of Art round the year. These activities are held in various schools and include special courses in various fields and techniques of Sketching, Charcoal, Calligraphy, Pen and Ink, Clay modeling, Water colors, Acrylic colors, Cartoon caricature, Landscape, Portraits, Still life, Sculptures. The foundation conducts various workshops on famous Artists, mediums of art, various eras of art like Op art, Modern art.

Manufacturing Summit 2015 Presents A Knowledge Paper On MSME Sector in Maharashtra

Industries In Maharashtra Echo MAKE IN INDIA Ideology For Actualizing ‘India Growth Story’

Mumbai, January 29: Shri Jayant Patil, Former State Finance Minster today inaugurated the Golden Maharashtra Manufacturing Summit 2015. Held at the Y B Chavan Centre, it was attended by Shri Subhash Desai, Honourable Minister for Industry along with several leading luminaries. The summit holistically addressed the state-of-affairs of the manufacturing sector in Maharashtra, which was preceded by a Knowledge Paper on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) being presented to the dignitaries.

Minister for Industries (GoM), Shri Subhash Desai
addressing at the Manufacturing Summit 2015
organized by
Golden Maharashtra Development Council

Congratulating the efforts made by the Golden Maharashtra Development Council (GMDC) for providing a platform for MSMEs to voice concerns and open a dialogue with the government, Minister for Industry – Shri Subhash Desai said, “The government wants to fast-track progress in this sector and make Maharashtra the preferred destination for industries to prosper. Presently, there are a total of 76 licenses required for industries to operate their business. However going forward, businesses will be required to obtain only 25 licenses and this too in the future will be further reduced. This will help cut the response time for clearances for projects and will help curb red tapism. We would like to take inputs from this council from time to time and work inclusively for the betterment of Maharashtra.”

“The Planning Commission Report estimates a funding gap of about Rs.5,000 billion for the MSME sector by March 2017, a shortfall of finance to the tune of almost 43% of the total requirement of the sector. Even at present, 9 out of 10 MSMEs are yet to get access to banking finance,” said Mr. Vinod Gupta, President, Golden Maharashtra Development Council.

“MSMEs have historically co-existed along with the large corporates in the Indian economic demography; however, they have been made more formal and have been brought under an institutional window recently. The sector contributes close to 38% of India’s total industrial output and its presence is spread across the several industries. Its key trait of generating employment can be tapped to make it a driving force for battling unemployment in the country. As per the latest economic survey (2013-14), the state of Maharashtra as on December 31, 2013 was home to 181,117 MSME units employing 23.36 lakh persons,” he added.

The knowledge paper also examined and analysed the crucial role played by MSMEs in Maharashtra

(L-R) D R Dorgra, MD & CEO Care Ratings, Shri Jayant Patil,
Shri Subhash Desai, Vinod Gupta, President, GMDC,
Pradeep Bhargava, Director, Cummins India
Minster for Industries release Knowledge Paper on MSMEs
in Maharshatra

and the roadblocks encountered by them. The paper further went on to recommend solutions that included creation of a financial ecosystem to aid and procure finances from banking institutions; creation of infrastructure; and skill development.

Another key highlight of Manufacturing Summit 2015 was the presentation of awards in five categories viz. Medium enterprise won by ASHISH LIFE SCIENCE PVT LTD, Small enterprise won by HD FIRE PROTECT PVT LTD, Micro enterprise won by MATCHBOX ACCESSORIES PVT LTD, Innovative enterprise won by ELKAY CHEMICALS PVT LTD and Woman entrepreneur of the year was awarded to MUSTANG ENTERPRISES.

Some of the key topics discussed at the summit included the Future of manufacturing; Policies, reforms, compliances impacting the sector; access to capital and finance and the announcement of workshops for guiding MSMEs across all aspects of doing business.

“The ‘Make in India’ campaign introduced by the Central Government will play a crucial role for the MSME sector. The sector holds tremendous potential to serve as the backbone of this ambitious project of the government given its spread, labor reach and product range. This campaign is likely to attract foreign MNCs by inducing them to set up venture/angel funds to nurture and develop further the inherent depth of the MSME sector in terms of range of products and services, marketing networks and ability to grow fast,” concludes Mr. Gupta.

Golden Maharashtra Development Council is a not-for-profit organization and the catalyst for the holistic development for Maharashtra. The organization is committed to facilitate a better business environment and positivity in the State. In the past, Golden Maharashtra banner has created series of interactive platforms on the areas like Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Textile, Tourism and Women Empowerment et.al. The Council enjoys strong network with Industries, MSME, Cultural Organizations, Trade Associations and NRIs from Maharashtra as well as from other parts of the World.