Think India Foundation

CEO Forum for fighting trade barriers

New Delhi : Top executives of 20 large companies from both countries today vowed to jointly oppose trade protectionism to create a conducive environment for investment.

The chief executive officers of these companies resolved to expand the scope for trade and eliminate trade and investment barriers to promote balanced trade. The Chinese delegation urged the Indian government to relax the restrictions on entry of Chinese banks and opt for a more open policy. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Will diamond industry lose its workers to Bihar?

SURAT: Will the world's biggest diamond cutting and polishing centre in Surat lose its 35,000 migrant diamond workers to Bihar? Yes, the industry leaders believe so.

Nitish Kumar government in Bihar has been able to lure one of the world's top five Indian diamond companies. Shrenuj Company Limited has set up a diamond manufacturing unit in Bihar. The industry leaders say this would lead to gradual exodus of Bihar workers from the city. Surat's diamond industry was established six decades ago by Palanpuri Jains and Saurashtrain Patels. Until, one-and-a-half-decade ago, the industry was ruled by diamond workers from Saurashtra. Over the years, workers from Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh started to penetrate the diamond industry. In the last one decade, the number of workers from Bihar in the diamond industry has increased from 4,000 to 35,000. The diamond industry employs four lakh workers. Those from Bihar are largest in number after Saurashtrians. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Centre to set up four electronics clusters in AP

Chennai/ Visakhapatnam : India under its national electronics policy aims to achieve $36 billion in hardware and electronics exports by 2020 by promoting the proposed clusters

The Centre is planning to set up 200 electronics manufacturing clusters (EMCs) across the country over the next eight years. Of these, Andhra Pradesh is expected to get four, said Killi Kruparani, minister of state for communication and IT.

The minister was addressing a workshop organised by the Software Technology Parks of India and Visakha Information Technology Association here recently. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Net telephony providers will be asked to set up servers in India

NEW DELHI: India will mandate that all firms offering internet telephony, including popular online phone service provider Skype owned by software giant Microsoft, must set up a server in the country if they want to continue offering this facility here.

Net telephony providers will be asked to set up servers in India

The move is aimed at allowing law enforcement and security agencies get access to newer forms of communication that can't be tracked by traditional monitoring systems. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

VMC revives A2Z ties for solid waste mgmt

VARANASI: Gurgaon-based private group A2Z is being roped in once again to manage solid waste from 90 wards of the city. However, the group would have to complete pending work in the Karsada plant before the deal is finalized. The group had already completed 75% of the work in the plant before it fell out with Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) in August 2012.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by principal secretary, urban development, in the state capital on Friday. Municipal commissioner RP Singh on Saturday said that roping in A2Z to complete the Karsada plant was a better option as it would not put any additional burden on the treasury. Besides, the group would also be responsible for management and disposal of the solid waste. The door-to-door collection of the garbage and its transportation to Karsada plant will be managed by the VMC.'' The company representatives admitted to their faults and assured us of no repetition of such mistakes.'' he added. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Trees pay price of development: report

Gurgaon : In the past ten years, Gurgaon has grown by leaps and bounds when it comes to industry and infrastructure. But this has reportedly been at the cost of the city’s green cover. According to data provided by the Haryana Forest Development Corporation (HFDC), Gurgaon chapter, 61,050 trees have been felled here in the past 11 years (2001 to 2011).

The highest number of trees was felled in 2002, with the count at 13,843. This was the year when the four-lane National Highway-8, which connects New Delhi and Mumbai, was being laid. Further, when the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, a part of NH-8 that cuts through Gurgaon, was being widened to six lanes, 8,312 trees were cut along the 28-km stretch. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Local content norms for solar projects ineffective: First Solar

NEW DELHI : Emphasising that local content requirements for solar projects are “ineffective”, solar gear maker First Solar has said creating a transparent market with significant demand is the best way to promote local industry.

The comments from US-headquartered First Solar come against the backdrop of the US dragging India to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over alleged discrimination by New Delhi’s national solar mission against American products. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

West Bengal government announces draft industrial policy

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee's government will complete two years in office on May 20 and two days before that the government on Saturday announced its draft industrial policy to attract investment and to give incentives to the new entrepreneurs.

• 

(The West Bengal government…

Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee told reporters that the government was keen to develop industrial park and industrial hub on PPP model. Read more

Source : articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

ONGC yet to decide on Haldia bid

Kolkata : If the ONGC decides to bid for HPL, it would do it either through ONGC or its subsidiary MRPL

Days after the West Bengal government invited expressions of interest (EoIs) for selling its stake in Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL), Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) today said it was “examining” whether to bid for the beleaguered petrochemical company. “It is to be decided in the boardroom. We are examining now,” ONGC Chairman and Managing Director Sudhir Vasudeva said to a query.

Sudhir Vasudeva, Kallo Datta & Partha Chatterjee

As The Chatterjee Group (TCG), one of HPL’s key promoters, has brought out an advertisement cautioning probable bidders for the government’s stake citing the dispute over 155 million shares, Vasudeva said, “We are aware of the matter. Everything will be taken into consideration by the board.” Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Buy land directly to invest in Bihar, says official

Kolkata : 

Entrepreneurs wanting to invest in Bihar should acquire land directly from farmers as land acquisition by the government would cost more, a top government official said Friday.

"If you purchase land directly from the farmers, you will get it at a much cheaper rate than we can provide it to you," said Naveen Verma, director of Food Processing Industries, Bihar. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

‘Growth of informal sector, a challenge to banking business’

MANGALORE : The challenge before the banking industry is the growth in the informal sector, according to a bank executive.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new campus of Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD) here on Friday, B. K. Srivastav, Executive Director of Corporation Bank, said the challenge before the banking industry is to outgrow the informal sector. So many incidents have been happening in different parts of the country with the latest one in West Bengal. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Special status will boost private investment in Bihar, says Nitish

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar defended on Thursday his repeated demand for special status to the state saying it (the status) will boost private investment in a big way to accelerate its industrial development. "I am pushing for grant of special status to Bihar only to bring private investment in a big way to expedite industrialisation process for generation of employment opportunities," he said in a function at Pataliputra industrial area after inaugurating a diamond cutting unit, the first of its kind in the state.

Kumar said the present was as good as it gets for investors, who should take advantage of the positive atmosphere and make investments in Bihar.

The special status brings with it tax concessions and the investors pumping their money in industrial units in Bihar will benefit from the incentives if the Centre grants his demand, the chief minister said. Claiming that the law and order situation in the state has improved, he said the present was as good as it gets for investors, who should take advantage of the positive atmosphere and make investments in Bihar. "If any investor has doubt about the law and order situation in Bihar, then such an investor should confirm it with the director general of police before taking the decision," Kumar said. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Sharecroppers stall road project over compensation

PANAGARH: Demanding compensation from the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) that acquired land for the Panagarh Industrial Park long back, some 200-300 sharecroppers who once tilled the 1,458-acre land forced workers of a contractor -building an internal road there - to stop work.

As workers of BLA Projects Pvt Ltd - that bagged the Rs 65 crore project for the 10-km road to connect the park with NH-2 - got down to work on the stretch in Kota on Thursday, some 300 sharecroppers, claiming that they hadn't been compensated, prevented construction work. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Cement-makers want green status for power generated through waste-heat recovery

HYDERABAD : Co-generation of power through waste-heat recovery process in cement plants should be given renewable energy status, according to N. A. Vishwanathan, Secretary-General, Cement Manufacturers Association (CMA). The two-day conference has about 80 presentations from industry experts.

Greener power: Green tech motors from Seimens displayed at the Green Cementech in Hyderabad on Thursday. — P. V. Sivakumar

Speaking at inaugural session of Green Cementech 2013 here on Thursday, he said Indian cements plants were trendsetters in energy conservation measures. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Calcutta HC restrains altering disputed 155 million shares in HPL

There is no injunction on balance 520 million shares offered by the government

Bhubaneswar : The Calcutta High Court today restrained the state government from altering shareholding pattern in Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) to the extent of disputed 155 million shares.

Gavel image via Shutterstock

HPL chairman and state industries minister Partha Chatterjee said that the high court ordered stay on the 155 million shares only and this would not stall the stake sale process of WBIDC. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Google India To Train Engineering Students In Andhra Pradesh On Cloud & Mobile Computing

Google India has taken an important steps to educate engineering students in Andhra Pradesh on latest technologies in the cloud and mobile domain. The company has signed MoU with the Government of AP to train students of the Jawahar Knowledge Centres (JKC) which is run in select engineering colleges across AP. As a part of the agreement, Google will train the trainers & mentors at the AP Society For Knowledge Networks (APSFKNW) and also offer required Google services & software absolutely free of cost to the students. Office of Minister for Information Technology, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, has confirmed the development.

The MoU was signed between IT minister & Nelson Mattos, VP (Europe & Emerging Markets) Google. The state government has allotted 20 acres of land to Google India to setup their campus. The company, in return, has committed to employ 6000 software engineers. Read more

Source : www.crazyengineers.com

New water supply network for Pandesara Industries to be set up

SURAT: Tender scrutiny committee (TSC) of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) approved the proposals to set up water distribution network for providing potable and treated water to industrial houses of Pandesara.

For providing drinking water to these industrial houses , a new network of pipelines would be set up that will cost SMC Rs 6.25 crore . It will also set up separate network for providing treated water from Bamroli Tertiary treatment plant that is likely to start functioning in coming six months. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Japan can help India in waste water management

Tokyo (ANI): A growing population combined with a huge demand of water for development purposes, has put excessive stress on available water resources in India.

From 813 billion cubic metres in 2010 the demand of water is set to reach 1,093 billion cubic metres by 2025 in the country. Read more

Source : www.newstrackindia.com

Plan to Revive Mythical River Dries Up

A project, spearheaded by India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corpo ration, to make water flow in the Saraswati, a sacred river that dried up around 4,000 years ago, has stalled and prospects of getting it moving again appear bleak.

A Hindu devotee prayed as he stood in the waters of Sangam, the confluence of the Yamuna, River Ganges and the mythical Saraswati rivers at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, Feb. 10.

ONGC, a state run oil company, began drilling in 2005 near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in order to revive the river with the hope of eventually bringing a new water source to parts of Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Read more

Source : stream.wsj.com

Indian IT infrastructure spending to hit $2.1b

NEW DELHI The market for information technology (IT) infrastructure, including servers, storage and networking equipment to grow 9.7 per cent, to reach $2.1 billion (Rs115.29 billion) in 2013, according to research firm Gartner.

The business will grow steadily to reach $2.3 billion (Rs126.27b) in 2014, and will hit a high $2.9 billion (Rs159.21b) in 2017. “Despite global economic challenges, India provides strong growth opportunities across infrastructure. Big data, cloud, social and mobility are finding real-time business driven use cases,” said  Naveen Mishra, research director at Gartner. Read more

Source : www.omantribune.com

Nasscom targets $10 billion from software products by 2020

BANGALORE: India's information technology industry body Nasscom has created a separate unit to drive its newfound enthusiasm for software products, and has set a target of increasing by nearly five-fold revenues from products by 2020.

India’s information technology industry body Nasscom has set a target of increasing by nearly five-fold revenues from products by 2020.

The product council of the National Association of Software and Services Companies will be chaired by Ravi Gururaj, a serial entrepreneur who is the cofounder of a seed-stage angel fund Frictionless Ventures. The formation of a product council is one of the measures proposed by a committee headed by NR Narayana Murthy, the chief mentor of Infosys. The panel was established to bring Nasscom up to date with the current needs of the industry. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

American Business Centre launched in Patna

PATNA: US ambassador to India, Nancy J Powell here on Monday launched American Business Centre (ABC) which, she said, would act as a virtual incubator for stronger US-India business relationship. This would help Bihari entrepreneurs access technology and other information.

The ABC will function from the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) office here. It will act as a clearing house to connect Bihar-based companies with US-based companies with dissemination of catalogues of US products to potential buyers. ABC will also arrange workshops, including one on cold chain logistics programme. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Slums turn haven for consumer firms

Mumbai : About 6% of India's population, or about 7.2 crore people, live in slums, according to the 2011 census.

Consumer companies have been going that extra mile to tap rising incomes and product awareness in hinterlands.

However, they need not go that far as a huge potential lay in the backyard: city slums. 
With products like Maggi noodles also becoming a staple for slum kids and branded talcum powder, hair oils household items, a huge entry-level premium product market awaits consumer firms, according to a report by Ritika Mankar Mukherjee, research analyst of Ambit Capital. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

Plots given to private firms in Kolkata under lens

KOLKATA: Taking a cue from the Saradha row, the state government is preparing a list of several private firms which have taken KMDA plots off EM Bypass and other areas.

State urban development minister and KMDA chairman Firhad Hakim said that the department was working on a list of private companies who have taken KMDA land off EM Bypass or other areas. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Tea-coffee war brewing, national drink tag at stake

New Delhi : An intense rivalry brewing between India's tea and coffee sectors, as each vied for national drink status, has been simmered by the commerce ministry as it took the decision to not promote one drink over the other. 

Tea promoters were left with an especially bad aftertaste as a parliamentary standing committee on commerce had recommended national status for tea. The panel had said the recognition would help the export market for the beverage. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

India Rides on a Growth Curve

The year 2012 was important in India’s perspective as the plan for the next five years was laid in this year. Based on those plans, the country will continue its further journey towards attaining the economic growth. Therefore, 2013 is expected to witness implementation of plans, schemes and decisions that have been taken a year before.

The new year has brought in new hopes, especially in the Indian businesses. The Government of India has released its Five Year Plan 2012-17, which is expected to boost the Indian businesses in many sectors. At the same time, foreign companies continue to look at India as an investment destination. This approach has led towards many partnerships and joint ventures. One of such notable joint ventures (JV) in 2012 was between Russian oil giant Sibur and Reliance Industries (RIL). Read more

Source : www.bulk-solids-handling.com

Reliance Power Solar-Thermal Plant Stalled by Water Delay

A Reliance Power Ltd. (RPWR) solar-thermal plant should start up next month after missing a May deadline because Indian authorities failed to lay a water pipeline to the site in time, Chief Executive Officer Jayaram P. Chalasani said.

The 100-megawatt project “is ready to go” as soon as the water arrives, Chalasani told reporters today in Mumbai. The Rajasthan state government is completing the pipeline and the plant should begin generating after testing, he said. Read more

Source : www.bloomberg.com

Authority to regulate and control water uses coming

NEW DELHI : National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency will focus on irrigation, drinking water supply

The Centre will establish a National Bureau of Water Use Efficiency as an “authority” for “promotion, regulation and control of efficient use of water in irrigation, municipal and industrial uses.” Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

'Indian regulatory environment supportive of biz growth'

New Delhi: Buoyed by reform initiatives, majority of senior corporate executives are convinced that the current regulatory environment is supportive of business growth in the country, according to an E&Y survey.

Global consultancy Ernst & Young's survey also found that around 86 percent of the executives consider domestic economy to be stable or improving while investing capital is the priority for about 40 percent of the respondents. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

Spend more on R&D to spur innovation: Pranab

NEW DELHI : ‘To compete in the global arena, India has to unleash its innovation potential’

President Pranab Mukherjee, along with Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences S. Jaipal Reddy, presenting the National Award for Technology Business Incubator to P. Sathiya Moorthy and S. Kuppuswami of Tamil Nadu’s Kongu Engineering College, during National Technology Day celebrations in New Delhi on Saturday. Photo: V.Sudershan

India needs to step up expenditure on research to pursue innovation in a big way, said President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday, while expressing concern that the country’s innovation bottom line was “not very encouraging.” He urged the private sector to increase their share of spending to the levels prevailing in countries such as South Korea, Japan and USA. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Sale of stake in HPL: West Bengal government invites EoI

KOLKATA : Keen to divest its stake in the joint venture Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL), the West Bengal government, through Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India, has invited expressions of interest.

The 39.99 per cent equity held by the state government through a clutch of state entities is being put on the block. Deloitte is the transaction advisor to the state’s apex industry promotion agency, and will advise and manage the disinvestment process. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Apex court restores Posco’s iron ore licence

New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the Orissa High Court order that quashed the state government’s recommendation to the Centre to allot an iron ore mining licence to South Korean steel major Posco in Khandadhar hills in Sundergarh district for a multi-crore rupee steel plant.

A bench headed by Justice RM Lodha, however, held the Centre to would take a final decision on the issue of allotting the mine after considering objections raised by other mining companies including ones that approached the HC and the apex court. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Solar power market sees growth, but challenges remain

Solar power tariff is comparable with commercial rates applied for conventional power obtained from fossil fuels.

Powering ahead: An employee rides a battery powered bike in front of an array of solar panels at the Renergy 2013 conference on renewable energy where solar power was the central theme in Chennai on Thursday. — Bijoy Ghosh

CHENNAI : Correcting the misconception of solar power being expensive, getting bank funding and bottlenecks in acquiring land for solar projects are among the major challenges for those keen on investing in this form of renewable energy say industry experts. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Quality rating of rooftop solar products on cards

Chennai : As numerous solar rooftop products are being rolled out in the country, the Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is contemplating launching a quality rating system for such products on the lines of the star rating model introduced in consumer goods like air conditioners.

“There are some rating systems but these are intended for the companies, not for the products. We are planning to come out with some quality grading system like the star-rating system for air conditioners. We are working out some mechanisms and will come out with a quality rating system for solar rooftop products,” Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary, MNRE told Financial Chronicle at the renewable energy conference, Renergy 2013, here. Read more

Source : www.mydigitalfc.com

Companies vie for Punjab solar energy project

CHANDIGARH: A large number of companies have bid for the proposed 300 MW solar photovoltaic power projects by the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA).

Punjab non-conventional energy minister Bikram Singh Majithia said more than 30 companies participated in the bidding process and total bids for 270 MW were received against targeted allocation for in-house capacity of 300MW of solar power projects. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

OMDC moves high court for mine restart

Amid talk that another of its mines has got a clearance, Orissa Minerals Development Company (OMDC), the leaseholder of six major iron ore mines in Odisha, has moved the Cuttack High Court to direct the state government to give the company a nod to start mining at Kolha Roida mines.

The company’s one of the biggest assets – the Kolha Roida iron and manganese mine located in Barbil in Keonjhar district – had been stuck in inactivity for the last several months in spite of having cleared the maze of approvals from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

Karnataka poll results: India Inc pins hope on a clean and stable govt

BANGALORE: Business leaders in Karnataka are relieved that voters have given their mandate to a single party, thus promising the prospect of a stable government for the next five years. Unsurprisingly, their main demand is good governance in a state which has been hobbled by instability and a series of scandals.

Ramesh Ramanathan, the founder of Janalakshmi Financial Services, remarked that there is an “overwhelming sense of relief” that a single party has won the mandate.

"This is a clear anti-incumbency verdict against corruption and political instability. The mandate calls for a clean and stable government," said Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the chairman and managing director of biotechnology company BioconBSE and a leading voice for greater civic participation in elections. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Mamata Banerjee: Land acquisition not to be a problem for projects in hand in West Bengal

Kolkata : With land acquisition being perceived as the main obstacle to industrialisation in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today assured the industry that it will not be a problem in case of projects in hand.

The government sought the opinion of industry on the issue of land, and its stand was that it would not be a problem if a project was in hand, ITC Chairman Y C Deveshwar said after the first meeting of the core committee on industry chaired by the Chief Minister. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

India May Defer Fines on $1 Billion of Solar Thermal Plants

India plans to defer fines for solar-thermal power developers that failed to complete $1 billion of plants in time as it seeks to spur investment in the industry.

Reliance Power Ltd. (RPWR), Godawari Power and Ispat Ltd. and Lanco Infratech Ltd. (LANCI) are among companies that failed to finish seven projects totaling 470 megawatts by May because of a lack of water and equipment and financing problems, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Joint Secretary Tarun Kapoor said by phone. Read more

Source : www.businessweek.com

Incentivise relocation of water-guzzling plants

Water is back in the news. It's drought time in Maharashtra. Some legislators have even begun demanding water supply cuts for industry and residences.

In Delhi, there is a clamour for privatisation of water supply. Somehow, India’s policymakers appear to have forgotten that this was how an attempt was made to privatise power supply as well, giving rise to Enron’s entry into India with sovereign guarantees. Without a public utility omnibus law protecting citizen’s interests – as in the US – it’s dangerous to privatise any public utility. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

SIDCO asked to mobilize investment for economic, employment growth

Srinagar : Maintaining that industrialization is the “most powerful tool” for massive economic and employment generation, Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Sajad Ahmad Kichloo today stressed for bringing hitherto uncovered areas in the state under industrialisation.

Speaking at a review meeting of Jammu and Kashmir State Industrial Development Corporation Limited (SIDCO) here this afternoon, Kichloo said there should be no discrimination with any area with regard to exploitation of Industrial potential and investment of funds for setting up of Industrial Estate. Read more

Source : www.greaterkashmir.com

BIADA introduces exit policy for closed and sick units

Kolkata/ Patna : Under this new scheme, the interested allottees have to apply till October 31 for this

The state government has introduced an exit policy for closed or sick units in various industrial parks in the state. Under this new scheme, these units can return their land and get their money back.

Under this new scheme, the interested allottees have to apply till October 31 for this. After receiving the applications, the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) will verify the papers regarding the land. If everything found in order, the Authority will refund the money to allottees after deducting proportional amount for the time the land was occupied and 10 percent administrative fee. A senior official at BIADA told, "The policy is still in trial phase, therefore we have introduced it only for those who have been allotted land after 2005. However, if the response is good, then we can extend the time line and last date." Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Reliance and IOC in Haldia warm-up

Calcutta : Reliance Industries Ltd and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s top two energy giants, are gearing up to bid for the Bengal government’s stake in Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL).

Mamata Banerjee, Partha Chatterjee

Industry sources said both companies were keenly awaiting the publication of the expression of interest by Deloitte on behalf of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), which holds the government shares in HPL. An expression of interest or EoI seeks responses from prospective bidders. Read more

Source : www.telegraphindia.com

TN offers incentives to boost tiny, SME industrial units

CHENNAI : Tiny, small and medium industrial sector is set to get a fillip with the Tamil Nadu Government announcing a number of incentives and support for investments in the sector.

Space will also be allocated at competitive prices to support the sector. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Despite coal shortage state utilities reluctant to buy fuel

As ironical as it may sound, on the one hand power capacity addition has taken a hit due to shortage of coal, on the other, some state generation utilities are refusing to buy more fuel as there are no takers for the expensive electricity produced from these stations.

"Utilities are reluctant to buy coal due to low power demand," a Power Ministry official told PTI. "Some state power distribution utilities in states including West Bengal, Haryana and Gujarat have shown their reluctance in accepting more coal in view of adequate coal stock at their power stations," he said. Read more

Source : www.moneycontrol.com

India refuses to commit on duty waiver for industrial goods in select sectors

NEW DELHI : India has refused to commit to the complete elimination of duty on industrial goods in specific sectors. Some of the major developed countries want developing nations such as India, China and Brazil to undertake complete duty elimination in specific sectors such as electronic products, chemicals and industrial machinery. “India has reservations on account of the effect of such a commitment on sectors and products, which are critical for employment generation and economic growth. There is also a proposal to eliminate tariffs on a list of environmental goods, which has not been supported by India and some other developing countries,” Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, D. Purandeswari informed Parliament in a written reply.

She said India had raised concerns relating to the unfair trade practices and policies being followed by the U.S. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Ooty model of bio-remediation to save urban waterbodies

CHENNAI : There is a ray of hope for hundreds of urban waterbodies, victims of urbanisation and industrial pollution. A combination of bio-ozolyte treatment process and bio-remediation adopted by the State government to save the Ooty Lake, can be used to recover these polluted water bodies.

According to officials, phosphorus and nitrogen are responsible for the rapid growth of water hyacinth, that has invaded many water bodies. The bio-processes will increase the dissolved oxygen (DO), by bringing down the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). DO improves quality of water and replenishes life in water bodies. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

US firm to invest $240mn to light up Bihar's Buddhist sites

Washington : 

A power venture formed by Indian and North American energy professionals plans to create a role model for the world by lighting up famed Buddhist sites in Bihar with a $240 million (Rs. 13 billion) solar energy project as part of a corporate social responsibility initiative.

Founded in 2011, FJS Energy LLC, USA, aims to work around the Buddhist Circuits starting with Rajgir-Nalanda and Bodhgaya in the first phase and then taking up Vaishali and other places. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Maharashtra shows exit route to SEZ developers

Govt has come up with a scheme to convert denotified SEZ into integrated industrial clusters under Maharastra Industrial Development Corporation

Mumbai : The new state industrial policy 2013-2108 has come up with exit route for special economic zone developers in the and at the same time evolve new strategy to tackle land availability for industrial purposes.

In order to solve the problem of availability of land, the state government has come up with a scheme to convert denotified SEZ into integrated industrial clusters under Maharastra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). Officials said this is an exit scheme for the SEZ developers who want to quit. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Pandesara units to get blended water by October

SURAT: Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) plans to supply 100 MLD of blended water to 120 industrial units in Pandesara in another few months as its tertiary treatment plant with a 40 MLD capacity is likely to be functional by September. SMC will also set up a separate 5 MLD capacity water supply network for potable water for the industrial units. At present, SMC supplies nearly 55 MLD of water on a daily basis to these industrial units at Rs 23 per kilo litre.

Tenders for re-modification of its current water supply network were discussed and approved by the tender scrutiny committee (TSC). Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com