The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, today launched its Smart Rupee System (Smars). Like a pre-paid debit card, the smart card has a microprocessor chip embedded in it. The money is loaded on the card chip by withdrawing from one's bank account or at valid reload stations. The card has to be inserted in a card reader to authorise transfer of electronic money

.Smart cards can also be used to carry other information like identity card, driving licence or a health file in an electronic format. Around 5,000 smart cards are being distributed in the IIT campus to students and staff. By May, 1999, final specifications of the card system applications will be submitted to the Reserve Bank of India for adoption at the national regulatory level.

RAWA starts chapter in city

The Mumbai chapter of the Renaissance Artists' Writers Association (RAWA), was inaugurated by the doyen of Indian classical music, Pandit Jasraj, t the Birla Krida Kendra, Girgaum, onDecember 5. Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari, former justice of the Mumbai High Court, was the chief guest for the evening.The organisation is dedicated to the promotion of art and literature `for service and blessedness'. RAWA has its other chapters in New Delhi and Calcutta. The organisation aims at holding concerts, symposia, kavi sammelans and a variety of cultural programmes to propagate classical music, dances and the folk arts. The inauguration was followed by cultural programmes. Pandit Aditya Pohankar and Anjali Pohankar presented songs composed by P R Sarkar. A dance-drama, Namah Shivaya Shantaya, choreographed and directed by Thankamani Kutty and Govindan Kutty was also performed.

Magistrate's house burgled

The residence of the magistrate at Cooper Coroner Court, Chandrakant Kamble, was burgled and electronic goods and cash worth Rs 12,000 stolen last week. Kamble had gone to Pune for a holiday on December 3, and on returning on Saturday evening, found his house broken into. A complainthas been lodged with the Kandivli police.