Travel India News

To call any Indian city you need to know the India code (or India country code) for these cities. An India code or STD code (also known as India country code) is unique for a given India city. So unless you know the correct India code you will not be able to call a person in India.

Telecommunication services in India have improved considerably over the years. The National Long Distance service was opened to the private sector in the year 2000. In addition to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) many other companies have signed license agreement for National Long Distance service. This competition has resulted in the lowering of STD tariffs in the country.

India’s 21.59 million-line telephone network is the largest in Asia, 3rd largest among emerging economies (after China and Republic of Korea) and the 12th largest in the world. India’s telecom network comprises 27,753 telephone exchanges, with a total equipped capacity of 272.17 Lakh lines and 226.3 Lakh working telephones.

The Long Distance Transmission Network has nearly 1,70,000 route kilometers of terrestrial Microwave Radio Relay & Co-axial cables and about 171,000 route kilometers of Optical Fiber Cables. Fully automatic International Subscriber Dialing (ISD) service is available to almost all the countries. The total number of stations connected to National Subscriber Dialing (NSD) is over 18,000 and this is increasing fast. Yet the present tele-density is very low at about 2.2 per hundred persons, offering a vast scope for growth. In the field of International communications, tremendous progress was made by the use of Satellite Communication and submarine links.It is therefore not surprising that India has one of the fastest growing telecommunication systems in the world with system size (total connections) growing at an average of more than 20 percent over the last 4 years.

The voice and non-voice telecom services include data transmission, facsimile, mobile radio, radio paging, V-SAT and leased line services to cater to variety of needs, both residential and business. A dedicated Packet Switched Public Data Network (I-NET) with international access for computer communication services is also available. ISDN service has already been introduced in the major cities. Other services like Intelligent Network (IN), Frame Relay (FR) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) for wide band multimedia applications will be introduced in the near future.

In the field of international communications, India’s overseas service carrier Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL) has made tremendous progress by using extensive infrastructure of satellite earth stations, state-of-the-art digital gateways, Optical Fiber Multi Media submarine Cables and Multi Media Data Switches. Fully automatic international subscriber dialing (ISD) service is provided to almost all the countries in the world. In future, VSNL is positioning itself to provide bandwidth on demand, Global Virtual Private Networks, ISDN, B-ISDN, VSATs, Mini-M and hand held Personal Communications.

The telecommunications initiative in the country is led by Ministry of Communications through the Department of Telecommunication & Department Telecom Services and its undertakings for provision of basic telephone services, national and international long distance communications, manufacture of complete range of telecom equipment, research and development, and consultancy services. The Telecom Commission performs the Executive and Policy making functions. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India performs the functions of an independent regulatory body.

Today in India, every city is assigned with an unique India code or India country code to facilitate easy calling. Here are the main India country code or India code or STD codes of some of the important Indian cities:

If you are in India and is planning to travel by train don’t forget to check your Indian railways seat availability. There are several abbreviations which you need to know when you are checking your Indian railways seat availability. They are listed bellow for your convenience:

RAC - Reservation Against Cancellation
WL - Wait List
RLWL - Remote Location Wait List
PQWL - Pooled Quota Wait List
REGRET/WL-No More Booking Permitted

If your Indian railways seat availability shows RAC, it means you can board the train. WL or Waiting List means your Indian railways seat availability is not confirmed and you will not be able to board the train.

Tatkal Booking:
Tatkal booking can be done two days prior to your date of journey. If you book your ticket via Tatkal booking it means your Indian railways seat availability is confirmed. your ticket will have the coach No and Seat No which is unique for a particular train for that particular day.

However it is important to know that this facility provides confirmed/ Waitlist E-tickets to passengers on payment of premium on ‘first come first served’ basis in all mail/ express trains including Rajadhani, Shatabdi,Jan Shatabdi Express trains. However Tatkal bookings are not allowed in 1AC.

With the recent turmoil in Andhra Pradesh on the issue of separate Telenga State, a question everyone is asking is: India has how many states? Indeed it’s a tricky question to answer ‘India has how many states.’ In the past few years several states have been carved from existing Indian states including Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Chhatisgarh, and more.

As of now if you are still confused on on the question ‘India has how many states’ here are the states and union territories of India:

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Meanwhile, Representatives of the UPA’s allies protested strongly against the Congress’s announcement of a separate state of Telangana without consulting them, at the meeting of the cabinet committee on political affairs on Tuesday evening.

The rift within the Congress over the issue also came out into the open in Parliament when Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, joined Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs in opposing the creation of Telangana.The Nationalist Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar, the DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran and Trinamool Congress’s Mamata Banerjee were all angry over the Congress’ “unilateral decision”.

The allies claimed that the Congress had not taken the coalition partners into confidence before making the announcement.

The meeting was also attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chidambaram and External Affairs Minister SM Krishna. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will host a dinner on Wednesday to placate the allies.

The CCPA also discussed the possibility of setting up a second State Reorganisation Commission in the wake of growing clamour for smaller states.

The rift within the Congress over the issue also came out into the open in Parliament when Jaganmohan Reddy, son of late Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, joined Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MPs in opposing the creation of Telangana.

Jaganmohan took a placard from TDP MPs and waved it near Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar’s podium to establish the point that “we want a united Andhra Pradesh.

Some Congress MPs have demanded action against Jaganmohan Reddy.

Elsewhere in Darjeeling, people are demanding for a separate Gorkhaland. So keep your eyes open and before you ask the question ‘India has how many states’ count again. You might not be counting two other Indian states.

Tourism Minister Kumari Selja has released three new Social Awareness Commercials of Ministry of Tourism featuring noted film actor Aamir Khan, who is also a Brand Ambassador for ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ campaign.

Minister of State for Tourism Sultan Ahmed and Secretary Tourism Sujit Banerjee with senior officials of the ministry were present on the occasion.

The Ministry of Tourism had launched the Atithi  Devo  Bhavah - Social Awareness Campaign in 2004-05 to  sensitize stakeholders in the tourism industry as well as the public about their conduct and attitude towards  tourists.

The campaign strives to influence a positive change in the outlook of the people and has been appreciated  by the travel industry. In 2008-09, the Ministry of Tourism associated with Aamir Khan noted film actor and  social activist who became the brand ambassador of the Ministry for spreading social awareness messages.

Earlier two TV Commercials, featuring Aamir Khan, were produced on the subjects: ‘Molestation of Women  Tourists’ and ‘Graffiti on Monuments.’ Print Ads and a radio jingle on ‘Molestation of women tourists’ were  also produced. The campaigns featuring Aamir Khan were launched on select TV channels, Radio FM stations  and newspapers including regional vernaculars.

The Ministry of Tourism also hosted an exclusive website www.atithi.org.in as an extension of the initiative of  the Ministry, seeking public participation to gauge the response and impact of the campaign.

Three new Social Awareness Commercials featuring Aamir Khan have now been produced on the following themes:

Commercial 1: On Which side you are?
Duration: 60 seconds
Film depicts contrasting situations showing positive and negative sides of human behaviour towards the  tourists. In the end, Aamir Khan asks viewers to decide the side where they would like to stand.
Shooting places: Mumbai and Agra

Commercial 2: Shoe Seller
Duration: 40 secconds
It’s about the feeling of a lady tourists who feels that the vendors are cheaters however she was forced  to   change her mindset when she meets an honest shoe seller. The film gives a message of honest practices in  tourism.
Shooting place: Delhi Haat, Delhi

Commercial 3: Lady in Ladakh
Duration: 60 seconds
The commercial is about getting help from a village lady when a Japanese girl misses her last bus. The Japanese tourists spends her night with the lady in her village and gets overwhelmed. It becomes an unforgettable lifetime experience for her.
Shooting Place: Leh-Ladakh.

Brand Ambassador: Aamir Khan
Scrip Writer: Prasoon Joshi
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Manipur Tourism Festival 2009, the annual cultural festival organized under the aegis of the Tourism Department, started with fanfare on Friday at Hafta Kangjeibung in Imphal.

The festival showcases the convergence of the culture of Manipur with other north eastern states of the country. The festival will conclude on December 19.

The tourism festival aims at promoting and sustaining tourism in the north-east by showcasing the richness of the Manipuri culture and heritage, by portraying its art and culture and exhibiting crafts, indigenous sports along with tourist spots of the state.

In all, 300 stalls including representatives from outside the state have been put up in the festival.

The development of tourism is vital in progress of the state, which has been affected by insurgency.

The Union Government’s policy to develop the north-eastern region, the ‘look east policy’, is closely related to the tourism scenario of Manipur.

“The tourism department can play a major role in making the ‘look east policy’ a success because the look east policy is a combination of many activities like industry, commerce, agriculture and tourism. It is indeed the most important area to make the look east policy successful,” said PC Lawmkunga, Principal Secretary of Manipur.

The most interesting aspect of the festival this time is the participation from Thailand.

“I am happy to be in Imphal. It feels like home. We are no different. We have 17 companies. We have jewelry, cloth stalls over here. I will like to invite all the Manipuri people and guests to visit the stalls and see the handicrafts and other products. We are in Imphal and we are happy. We enjoy food, we enjoy hospitality by Manipuri people. We are the same, said Tharadol Thongruang, Counselor of the Royal Thai Embassy.

He also pointed out that there is close cultural affinity between the people of East Asia and Manipur and expressed desire for organizing similar festival in Thailand as well.

On promotion of Manipur as an important destination of the tourists, it was noted by the authorities that there is an immediate need for improving the existing infrastructure and adding new one.