India unable to make realistic economic choices: China

Beijing: India`s domestic issues are stopping it from making realistic economic choices, according to a leading Chinese daily.

In an article Tuesday, the Global Times said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh managed to raise issues like the trade imbalance and Sino-Pakistani ties with the Chinese side during his visit to China earlier this month.

But China`s plans of setting up industrial parks in India, promoting regional economic cooperation and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor were not fulfilled, said the article, written by Liu Zongyi, a research fellow in the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. 

"China and India are the two largest emerging countries, and their bilateral ties are of global strategic significance," it said.

"That Beijing was unable to realise its hopes can be attributed to some internal factors in India, including the obstacles from opposition parties, the public resistance against foreign capital, the outdated labour law institutions and the existence of established interest groups."

According to the article, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "did not get any substantial commitments from the US during his visit there last month, since Washington primarily intends to take advantage of its military force to contain China". 

Which was why "cooperation with China to develop the economy has become a realistic choice for New Delhi". 

It also pointed out that the development of the BCIM corridor was necessary for tne security and prosperity of India`s northeastern region, but India`s concerns over the corridor come from three main reasons.

"Given the unsettled Sino-Indian border disputes, the opening-up of the northeastern area may pose a threat to its defence security once conflicts take place," the article said. 

"A number of rebel groups that share ethnic ties with people in both Myanmar and China have been causing turbulence in this part of the country, and regional frictions are likely to turn into international conflicts once the district is opened up. 

"Further, commodities from China and some southeast Asian nations sell well in the Indian market, which, therefore, may be occupied by foreign products amid regional economic integration."

Stating that exchange of high-level visits from both sides this year is a milestone in Sino-Indian ties, the editorial said India has to overcome its domestic problems more than China.

"Its (India`s) democracy should not become an excuse to hinder the development of its relations with Beijing," the article concluded.

IANS

Every Photographer.......

"Watch Cash Flow"

 

Once upon a midnight dreary as I pondered weak and weary

Over may a quaint and curious volume of accounting lore,

Seeking gimmicks (without scruple) to squeeze through some new tax loophole,

Suddenly I heard a knock upon my door,Only this, and nothing more.

Then I felt a queasy tingling and I heard the cash a jingling

As a fearsome banker entered whom I'd often seen before.

His face was money-green and in his eyes there could be seen,

Dollar-signs that seemed to glitter as he reckoned up the score.

   "Cash-flow", the banker said, and nothing more.

I had always thought it fine to show a jet black bottom line,

But the banker sounded a resounding, "No",

Your receivables are high, mounting upward toward the sky;Write-offs loom. 

 What matters is cash flow." He repeated, "Watch cash flow".

Then I tried to tell the story of our lovely inventory

Which, though large, is full of most delightful stuff.

But the banker saw its growth, and with a mighty oath

He waved his arms and shouted, "Stop ! Enough !

   Pay the interest, and don't give me any guff !"

Next I looked for non-cash items which could added infinitum

To replace the ever-outward flow of cash,

But to keep my statement black I'd held depreciation back,

And my banker said that I'd done something rash.

   He quivered, and his teeth began to gnash.

When I asked him for a loan, he responded, with a groan,

That the interest rate would be just prime plus eight,

And to guarantee my purity he'd insist on some security

All my assets plus the scalp upon my pate.

   Only this, a standard rate.

Though my bottom line is black, I am flat upon my back,

My cash flows out and customers pay slow.

The growth of my receivables is almost unbelievable;

The result is certain --- unremitting woe !

And I hear the banker utter an ominous low mutter,

    "Watch cash flow".

 Herbert S. Bailey, Jr.

Copyright 1975 by Xerox Corporation.

GOOD THINGS ABOUT INDIAN MEN !

( from the New York Times , Sunday Review...)
In this context, it might appear odd to examine any other variant of the Indian male. But it is important to do so and to do so now. To bear witness to an alternate male reality that also pervades India on a daily basis.

This is what I witnessed on a recent flight from Kolkata to Bangalore. The plane was typical of budget air travel: full of businessmen and mothers. The smart flight attendants were young men. The pilot, captain of the flight deck, was a woman. This is not an uncommon combination in India these days. I was struck instead by the behavior of the male passengers.

In most countries, a woman clambering aboard a plane with a fretful infant and turning a crowded row of six into a de facto row of seven is usually met with hostility. Here, every other row seemed larded with these women and their babies. But those stuffy Indian businessmen — men of middle management, dodging bottles and diaper bags and carelessly flung toys — they didn’t grumble. Instead, up and down the plane, I saw them helping. Holding babies so that mothers could eat. Burping infants and entertaining toddlers. Not because they knew these women, but because being concerned and engaged was their normal mode of social behavior. So, I will say this — Indian men can also be among the kindest in the world.

Women know this. When I asked my friends and acquaintances — both Indian and expatriate — about their perceptions of Indian men, they mentioned intelligence, wit and a reverence for learning. Others described gregarious partners who knew how to relax and enjoy themselves. All of them talked about commitment and caring. One said, “I love that he is deeply concerned about his parents.” An Englishwoman said of her long-term Indian partner, “He makes me feel cherished and taken care of in a manner I never experienced in the U.K.” Another said of her father, “He supported my mother through their marriage, through her job, with the kids, her health, everything.” A 16-year-old schoolgirl echoed this: “You feel safe with them. No matter what, they will see you home safely.”

Strong familial commitment is not a phenomenon restricted to the urban middle classes. Migrant laborers care for wives and children, and still send money home to their parents. The young woman who was gang-raped on a New Delhi bus on Dec. 16 had a village-raised father who supported her ardently. This part of the story is so unsurprising, it rarely makes the news.

Let me introduce the Common Indian Male, a category that deserves taxonomic recognition: committed, concerned, cautious; intellectually curious, linguistically witty; socially gregarious, endearingly awkward; quick to laugh, slow to anger. Frequently spotted in domestic circles, traveling in a family herd. He has been sighted in sari shops and handbag stores, engaged in debating his spouse’s selection with the sons and daughters who trail behind. There is, apparently, no domestic decision that is not worthy of his involvement.

There is a telling phrase that best captures the Indian man in a relationship — whether as lover, parent or friend: not “I love you” but “Main hoon na.” It translates to “I’m here for you” but is better explained as a hug of commitment — “Never fear, I’m here.” These are men for whom commitment is a joy, a duty and a deep moral anchor.

At its excessive worst, this sensibility can produce annoyances: a sentimentalized addiction to Mummy; concern that becomes judgmental and stifling; and a proud or oversensitive emotional landscape.

But when it is at its best, the results, in women’s lives, speak for themselves. If the image of the Indian female as victim is true, so, too, is its converse: the Indian woman who coexists as a strong survivor, as conqueror, as worshiped goddess made flesh. Indian women have served as prime minister and president. They head banks and large corporations. They are formidable politicians, religious heads, cultural icons, judges, athletes and even godmothers of crime.

Modern India has a muscular democracy and a growing economy, both of which have significantly transformed the lives of women. But female success, in a place like India with complicated social structures and a tradition of the Old Uncle Network, doesn’t happen in isolation. A successful woman is very likely to have had a supportive male in her life: a father, a spouse, a friend, a mentor.

For his part, the Indian male, when nested in family and community, is part of a domestic tapestry that is intricately woven and vital, it seems, to his own sense of well-being. Take that away from him, hurl him away — and a possible result is a man unmoored, lost, adrift and, potentially, a danger to himself and to his world. Disconnection causes social disengagement and despair — and the behavior that is the product of alienation and despair.

Lavanya Sankaran is the author of the novel “The Hope Factory.”

Death Management

Claiming Assets after Death ? Here are 4 Important documents you need to know about ! Posted: 20 Oct 2013 09:57 PM PDT Are you sure that when you inherit your parents assets or any other bank accounts later in life, its going to be a smooth process? Will it be hassle free and without any complexities? Are you sure you will not get dragged into life long legal battles with siblings or any other relatives who will fight for the same assets and properties ? Have your parents taken care of all the succession planning like nominating you for those assets and writing a WILL and registering it with help of a lawyer ? On an average, almost all the families are very weak in their estate planning. They are so much engrossed into their “current” life, that they are not bothered about future much. Its their children and legal heirs who have to suffer later, due to their laziness or ignorance about these matters. In this article I want to highlight few important documents and processes which you should be aware about, so that when the time comes – you are familiar with them. After the death of the owner of assets ? After the death of asset holder, after few weeks/months – its time to claim their assets and properties. That time, there are lots of paperwork and procedure to be followed. You have to claim their Fixed deposits Saving bank accounts Bank lockers PPF (Public Provided Funds) EPF (Employee Provided fund) Post Office Deposits Mutual Funds Stocks and Shares Life Insurance Policies NSC Real Estate Property Bonds (If any) Can you see how long is the List ? You will have to run around to claim all of these one by one and might also have to do few rounds because of the process and procedures to be followed. Now this verification and processes is very critical for the banks, mutual funds houses, or companies to make sure that the asset is passed to the right hand, who ever is entitled to get it legally and not just anyone making the claim. Just saying that “I was his Brother” or “I was his wife” will not help much because its not so straight forward process, especially if things dont match on nomination or the WILL. And if the nomination is blank or not on the right person name (who is wanting to file a claim) or worst if WILL is not written at all, then its the start of that frustrating phase, which is about to come. In your world, you might be very clear, who are legal heirs and who deserves the assets, but that’s not the point here. You need proof and all the legal documents and process in place to claim the assets. So there will be documents asked, forms to be filled and rounds to be made to court to obtain some documents – even if it means frustration and disappointment for the family member of deceased. So you can now get a sense of how important is succession planning, and if one is careful and responsible enough, they will at least do basic things in place like  putting nominations in place and writing and registering a WILL in a standard manner with help from a lawyer. Some mistakes which most of the investors make  Let me first list down few mistakes or incomplete things done by investors which create the problems in future. These mistakes happen due to sheer ignorance or because of casual attitude of investors. You or your parents might be doing these following mistakes. They do not mention anyone in Nomination when they open a bank account, open a fixed deposit etc Once they put a nominee, they do not bother to change it ever, even if nominee has died or is now not on their preferred list They do not keep receipts or save important documents They do not write a WILL They write a WILL, but do not register it They write and register a WILL, but do not inform anyone in family They do not consult a lawyer while write a WILL and make mistakes in it They do not do proper paperwork when they execute a buy/sale transaction (Here is areal life experience) They rely too much on words of others and have feel “legal battles” happen only in movies Can you relate to any of these above ? Are you doing something similar in your financial life. It answer is “YES”, your family or you yourself might face lot of issues in future as explained above. You seem to be too much busy in earning money or just making investment – without realising that one day it might not even go to someone important in your family or reach very later after a lot of work to be done. 4 Important Documents required to Claim an Asset after death Lets finally come to the main point and now I will just explain to you some documents which generally come into picture at the time of claiming assets. Here they are - 1. Death Certificate The first thing in the list is Death Certificate. Its one of those documents which will surely be required no matter what. Death certificate is a document which officially certifies that a person is dead . Death certificate also records the date and time of death, which can be a crucial information for things like life insurance claim. Anyways, as per Registration of Births & Deaths Act, 1969, its mandatory to register death within 21 days of its occurrence and if you are late, then again you will have to do more paperwork and pay some charges. Death Certificate is issued by Municipal Corporation (Urban areas) or Gram Panchayat (in case of rural areas) after proper verification is completed by them. Death certificate is required by all the institutions (Banks/Fund Houses/Insurance Companies) irrespective of presence of WILL or nominations. So make sure you take death certificate immediately after the demise of the concerned person. Depending on the nature of death, the process of obtaining death certificate changes. If its death at home due to some illness or high age, there not much is required, but if its a death by accident or murder etc, a copy of FIR might also be required. So make sure you get this document after the death, it might take some good amount of time and running around , so start the process sooner you can. TIP – You can find state wise procedure and which department to contact on this website. Visit the website and you will see a dropdown at the end of the page. 2. Claim Application Form Claim form is the form which needs to be filled by you at the time of making the claim. Depending on the asset type, the organisation will provide you. Each bank has its own claim application form, Post Office has its own and mutual funds companies have their own forms. You have to fill in details like – relationship with the deceased and your identity details along with proofs and more. You also have to give your bank details or other KYC details if the assets has to be transferred to your account like in case of shares in demat account or mutual funds portfolio. Just to give you a feeling of how it looks like  below is a sample claim application form for saving bank account from SBI Bank. 3. Probate of WILL  One of the most common problems in India is unregistered WILL. Lots of people write a WILLwithout consulting a lawyer, and do not feel the need to register it. Just because its not registered in the registrar’s office, its bound to raise questions on its authenticity. Lots of times in families, someone claims that there was a WILL written in their favour and then the other parties challenge it saying that its fake. Sometimes two parties come up with their own version of WILL claiming that the other one is fake!. This all happens because the WILL was not registered. In which case, a “Probate of WILL” is required from Court. Probate is a way to certify that the WILL is authentic. So if you have to claim an asset and the WILL you have raises questions, you might be asked to get Probate from court to prove that the WILL is authentic.In that case you will have to reach to court, catch a lawyer and apply for Probate. There will be fees to be paid and lots of time might go in this process. Probate will have court seal on it and also the WILL copy will be attached to it. Below is one comment which I had got long back on a issue which involved fake WILL. You might be able to see the role of Probate here. My father in law has died without WILL, he left wife, 2 sons and 1 daughter. Both son prepared ZABARDASTI WILL of my mother in law , stating that both sons will get 40 % each & sister will get 20%. This flat is owned by father in law. Can widow’s (mother in laws) WILL will be considered after her death ? Now daughter wants equal share in her fathers property. Is this property is earned or ancestral for mother in law, can daughter give challenge for equal share after her mothers death, or this REGISTERED WILL prepared by mothers will be considered by cour ? plz advice in brief You can see that the above WILL can be challenged and in that case, a Probate would be asked for to prove that the WILL is authentic or not. 4. Succession Certificate Succession Certificate comes into picture when there is no written WILL, absense of nomination, or when your name is not on nominee list, but you want to claim the asset because you are legal heir (you know about it, but there is no legal document saying that). At that time, you will have to bring succession certificate from court, which is a proof that you are a valid legal heir. Note that just saying that you are legal heir and bringing some relationship proof will not work here, you have to actually follow the process and get succession certificate to prove that you are a legal heir as per the succession laws. Once you get succession certificate,  you will be then seen as a valid legal heir and then the assets will be transferred in your name. At times when there is no nomination in place or more than one person comes into picture claiming for assets, then also succession certificate is demanded and the assets are passed on as per that document. Note that only one succession certificate per asset is issued and if there are more than on person claiming the assets, their names will be mentioned in that succession certificate, so its better to support each other and not fight with each other, otherwise situation will get tougher for you. To get succession certificate, you can reach to district or high court of the jurisdiction, under which the assets fall (bank or property location) . You have to take help of a lawyer and file a petition for obtaining succession certificate and give details like your relationship with the deceased, you date of birth, your other details asked. Then court will put a notice in newspapers inviting any objections for next few weeks, and if there are no objection, then you are granted the succession certificate. This can take time, money and some rounds to court along with anxiety especially when there is someone else who claims to be the legal heir and you do not have good terms with the other party  . So this was all for now. References –  http://www.bemoneyaware.com/blog/paperwork_documents/ Conclusions The more work you do on your succession planning part. The lower will be the headache and frustration for your family members later when you leave this world as a surprise. The minimum you can do is fix your nominations for all the assets like bank accounts, life insurance policies, mutual funds, demat account, PPF / EPF and real estate etc. Sir, it takes 1 day! of your life or some hours only. Apart from that, you should write a WILL and get it registered too with help of a good lawyer, spend on it  .

Women Car-Makers of India.....

At a recent strike at Bajaj Auto's factory in Chakan, Maharashtra, that lasted almost 50 days between July and August, most of the 900-odd permanent employees stayed away from work, a few because they supported the unions' call for a strike and most because of the fear of violence.

If the two wheeler maker was still able to keep production humming — not at full capacity though — it was thanks to two sets of workers: one, the 500-odd trainees who aren't part of the unions; and another 100-odd permanent shop floor workers who weren't fazed by the unions' call to strike work. Out of the 100 odd permanent workers, 53 were women. "They didn't miss a single day," says a beaming Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto.

"As Aristotle said, 'courage is the first of human virtues because it makes all others possible'. I wish there were more [workers] like them." Some 2.2%, or a little over 200, of Bajaj Auto's workforce comprises women, of which 170 are on the shop floor (the others are in the R&D, HR and marketing departments).

No Longer a Male Domain

Bajaj isn't the only auto head honcho singing paeans of women working on the factory machines to assemble and produce bikes, three-wheelers and passenger vehicles. Women are increasingly breaking into what has traditionally been a male stronghold. At India's No 1 carmaker Maruti Suzuki, for instance, the number of women employees on the shop floor has increased five-fold to 75 in the last three years. It gets better at Renault Nissan's factory in Chennai, where 7% of the workers in the factory are women; the plan is to increase it to 15-20% in two years. Ford India has roughly 300 women on the shop floor across different departments.

And 10% of Yamaha India's factory workforce has women in it. To be sure, hiring women to produce automobiles is no token gesture to address gender bias; rather, there are some very real advantages of having women on the shop floor. "The women are engaged in hardcore areas of automation, designing of assembly lines, inspection of new components and engineering support; they bring in versatility and out-of-the-box thinking," says S Y Siddiqui, chief operating officer (administration), Maruti Suzuki. There is potential to groom women on the shop floor for leadership roles in 2-3 years, he adds. Maruti has tied up with ITI-Gurgaon to build a talent pipeline of women, and is currently grooming an additional 15 for the shop floor.

Women are more dexterous and nimble and bring in that edge to the manufacturing process, says Tom Chackalackal, executive director, manufacturing, Ford India. They work with a greater precision in the trim and chassis, stampings and the welding areas. And the best part, according to Chackalackal: they don't waste time and are more dedicated. Ford India has 358 work groups of 10-15 members each.

"Our aim is to have at least one woman employee per work group," says Chackalackal. The US auto major has also started a project called KRUTYA to improve skills of women on the shop floor, including training in the areas of team building, continuous learning, soft skills and confidence enhancing skills. Abha Garg, HR head at Bajaj Auto, points out that women bring a different set of skills. "They approach a problem differently, offering better solutions, and do not easily give in to pressure."

Floored!

Yamaha has all-women lines on which productivity is 20-25% higher than the norm. It has around 15-20 women group leaders who manage a team of women being groomed to take charge as supervisors, says Ramesh Sharma, group head manufacturing, Yamaha India. Ramuni Nair, head of HR at Renault Nissan, explains that initially there was plenty of resistance from the male workforce on employing women on the shop floor, as it is perceived to be a tough place. But after seeing the gains in productivity, that resistance has met a quick death. As Bajaj puts it: "If women can manage my home and my country, why not my company too!" ET Magazine profiles five such women who are living their childhood dream of working in the midst of fuel pumps, control valves and flywheels:

Driving it Home

She started as an associate 15 years ago; today Pushkala Chandramouli Eswaran is a team leader managing 45 workers — 20 women and 25 men — on the shop floor. Educated till the 12th standard, Pushkala is now pursuing a diploma in mechanical engineering. Her role model: Vijaya Lakshmi, who rose from the shop floor to become general manager for product development. Pushkala stresses that in the factories of Ford India both men and women are given equal growth opportunities. As evidence she points to the trips she and other women from the Chennai plant have made to Germany and the UK to learn how quality cars are made there.

"Working on the shop floor has been motivating for me, and through my experiences I have been able to encourage more women to work on the shop floor," says Pushkala. Perhaps what makes it easier for Pushkala is that her husband also works on the shop floor at Ford India — he is a team leader in the quality department. The mother of two (a 10-year-old and a six-year-old) is clear about one thing: it's not only a man's job to make a car; even a woman can do it.

 

For Women, by Women

As a group leader, Rubina Khatul oversees nine women on the scooter line of Yamaha's plant in Surajpur, greater Noida. Her ambition: to be the group leader, in charge of the two-wheeler maker's eight other teams, thereby having a team of 72 women under her. Rubina who lives with her family in Shahdara, one of the oldest localities in Delhi, works with her team on the line that assembles the Ray scooter, which is "made by women for women." "I had always dreamt of working in a motorcycle plant," says Rubina who joined Yamaha after graduating from Delhi University.

A unique feature of the Japanese motorcycle major's India operation is that it provides on-site education: It conducts a UP government-certified ITI course that entitles women to practical and theory classes. Rubina who started on the shop floor in mid-2012 earns a stipend of `8,000 per month; after completing three years, she is eligible to write an exam to get ITI certified. Her role model is Chandrashekhar Vashisht, the group leader whose position she aspires for. "I want to be like him, have his ability to take quick decisions and solve any problem in the smartest possible way."

Coasting Along

The Chennai plant is the only one across the world in which Nissan has an all-women's line, declares Nisha Narayan proudly. The 14-year-old Renault-Nissan global alliance has translated into a jointly-owned manufacturing plant in India — which produces Renault models like the Pulse and the Duster and Nissan's Micra and Evalia. Nisha has been on the shop floor of this factory for the past two and a half years, after a four-year stint at auto components maker Gabriel India. Nisha, who completed her diploma in electrical engineering from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, chose Renault Nissan over other offers from rivals because she saw better opportunities at the Indian operation of this French-Japanese partnership.

In charge of a team of six women, she oversees inner body production and stamping car bodyparts on the pressline. The team has also contributed to making minor improvements at the plant — like changing locations of some machines and bringing a few of them together — that have helped improve productivity. Working on the shop floor is an attractive growth option for women employees, says Nisha, simply because the company sees merit in having women in the factories. "Not only has productivity improved for us, women are very supportive of company activities and policies," adds Ramuni Nair, head of HR at the Renault Nissan factory.

Lady Pluck

If you can't imagine piston rings and crankshafts figuring in girl talk, you obviously haven't met Manisha Rahagdale. The 23-year-old holder of a diploma in mechanical engineering from MP University has been working on the assembly line of KTM — Bajaj Auto's Austrian partner — for the past one and a half years. "I was always fascinated by how the cylinder and piston function, how the engine is fired and tested, the compression timings, increasing or decreasing excessive pressure in the engine, and all that. On the KTM assembly line I see it happen," says Manisha, who was campus-selected by Bajaj Auto.

The Pune-headquartered two- and three-wheeler maker gives the women on the shop floor the option to work only on the morning shift (6.30 am to 3.30 pm) and not on the second and the third shift, thereby making it safer for them. Manisha goes out of her way to exhort women who fear working on the shop floor to give it a shot; she makes it a point to stress that a shop floor is not a place just for men, that it is a place of learning, and that there few things in life as satisfying as being a part of the vehicle-manufacturing process. For her part, she intends to work herself up to a leadership role on the shop floor; and once that ambition is released she would be keen to fulfill her dream of starting up her own mechanical workshop. "After working on the shop floor, I have picked up the skills to start something on my own," she says.

On Autopilot

Laboni Dasgupta, 21, a diploma mechanical engineer from Kolkata, is a supervisor at the automation-design area on the shop floor of Maruti Suzuki's Gurgaon plant. "As a kid I was interested in designing car parts and wanted to work in a car plant," says Laboni who has been on the Maruti Suzuki shop floor for three years. In this period Laboni and her team have gone about automating certain operations, like lifting car seats and tightening nuts and bolts, which has led to increased productivity and reduced fatigue for the operator. "We make machines do more work, which has also led to improvement in quality and reduced manpower requirements at the plant," says Laboni. Maruti Suzuki has a total of 15 supervisors in the Gurgaon plant, of which five are women. "We are hoping that in the next 2-3 years, the automation area will be totally operated by women," says Laboni.

Women aren't Welcome Here!

Automakers like Toyota Kirloskar, Hyundai and Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) do not encourage women on the shop floor citing reasons of distance from the plant and the lack of ITI-trained women. Toyota Kirloskar, for its part, encourages women to work in sales and marketing, plant engineering, finance, human resources; but it's a no-no when it comes to the shop floor as shifts start very early and end late, which the company feels is not conducive for female employees. The plant is located around 40 km away from Bangalore city. "Given the distance and bad roads, women employees don't find it very suitable to commute to and fro," says Sandeep Singh, deputy MD and COO, marketing & commercial.

Clearly, such companies have traditionally been cool to women shop floor workers and hence even today don't go out of their way to attract them. Hyundai Motor India, for instance, hires ITI graduates for its shop floor production activities from across Tamil Nadu. These ITI graduates are typically fitters, motor mechanics, welders and painters. "Women graduates in ITIs in Tamil Nadu prefer to take up trades such as electrical, electronics, computer hardware, basic office automation and the like, which do not fit in with production requirements. This inherent and historic mismatch has led to a situation wherein women are absent in our production activities," says Sanjay K Pillai, vice-president, HR & GS, Hyundai Motor India. Perhaps it's time for these automakers to re-look their approach. Says Bajaj: "At companies that are circumspect about women managing their shop floors, the problem is not the competence of women but the attitude of their men."

Missed Call......