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| Thursday, March 29, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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India’s first smart home starts
Tranz Infotech goes global HLL, ICI to make fragrances
Be a millionaire via Internet Steps to prevent AI, IA distress sale |
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Gillette India net profit rises 36 pc No decision on NTC revival Coke warns Pepsi
of legal action ‘Cut duty on palm oil’ Govt bans
combination of 8 drugs Connect phones
for Jalandhar
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India’s first smart home starts Bangalore, March 28 A Bangalore-based software company has now implemented the smart home concept, which exists in the West, to facilitate telephonic or Net-enabled directions to keep the lights on or the rice cooked before the occupant enters the house. “It does not cost much if you seriously calculate. It would cost anywhere between Rs. 2,50,000 and Rs 7,50,000 depending upon the number of devices that are used,” N. Satyanarayanan, president, Control Solutions, told
IANS. A smart home networks the entire range of utility services like water, electricity, security and appliances on a computerised panel that is linked to a telephone. The occupant could call his residential telephone number, key in the code to keep the sandwich ready or control the temperature of the air conditioner. In case of an emergency, the occupant could press the “panic switch” located close to the bed. This would help the auto-dialer call up predetermined numbers and inform the nearest kin of an emergency. “You can also get an indication of a gas leak or a glass pane broken,” said Satyanarayanan. The networking system is connected to a 36-hour standby battery to take care of the “unreliability” of the country’s power supply. Satyanarayanan insisted that the electricity bill at the end of the month would be “peanuts”. “It is like the consumption of a 25 watt bulb,” he said. But the cost could go up if the occupant is using Net connectivity. “If you are using the Net, the computer has to be connected to a Web server. But even this could lead to an increase of (only) 6 to 7 percent in the electricity bill,” he said. And, if the battery also fails, does the occupant have to repeat the settings for each one of the appliances linked to the network? “It is not necessary. The RAM or the rapid access memory inside the PCB (printed circuit board) would prevent erosion of the settings for a minimum of 30 days,” said Satyanarayanan. Most of the devices being used are imported. Control Solutions has an arrangement with Home Automation Inc. of the USA for X10 technology. Control Solutions, which is four-and-a-half-years old, has been providing intelligent building management system (IBMS) solutions to companies like ANZ Grindlays, Birla 3M, Compaq, ITC Welcomegroup of hotels, Oracle, Novell and Citicorp Information Ltd. It is currently in talks with a builder constructing a 50-villa complex on the outskirts of Bangalore for the setting up of smart home technologies. “It is too early to name them,” Satyanarayanan said. The company is also scouting for joint ventures with house finance companies.
IANS |
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Tranz Infotech goes global Chandigarh, March 28 Floated by a young couple, Randeep Singh and Harpreet Kaur, with an investment of Rs 30 lakh, the company has trained and absorbed three batches of about 50 students at its two training centres — one in Sector 35 and the other in Sector 8. A Director of the company, Mr Randeep Singh, said, that two types of courses are offered — CCMT (Certificate Course in Medical Transcription) and ACCMT (Advanced Certificate Course in Medical Transcription) of six and nine months duration to plus two students for Rs 24,000 and Rs 44,000 respectively. Mrs Harpreet Kaur, also a Director, said the company provides an appointment letter the moment a student joins a course. A medical transcriptionist earns Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000. Those with an advanced course can expect Rs 12,000 a month. She said earlier Americans were
outsourcing medical reports from Latin American countries, but lately they shifted to India where
talented, English-speaking professionals could do the job cheaper. The time gap of 11 to 12 hours between India and America was an additional advantage. Tranz Infotech also plans to offer IT-enabled services and venture into software development. Mrs Harpreet Kaur said Nasscom expected Rs 4,000 crore worth of business in MT and jobs for 50,000 Indians by the year 2008. What problems did they face in setting up this venture? ‘‘Our only problem is that we are too young. Banks did not believe that we could do it’’, she said.
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HLL, ICI to make fragrances New Delhi, March 28 While ICI India will hold majority in the joint venture called Quest International India Ltd, Quest International B.V will hold about one per cent and the balance 49 per cent will be held by HLL, a company statement said here. ICI India will be invest about Rs 150 crore in the JV. “The JV combines ICI India’s long-standing knowledge of India, HLL’s detailed understanding of the Indian consumer preferences and Quest’s international consumer understanding, technology and creative expertise,” the statement said. The JV is expected to become operational by mid-year and would own HLL’s current operations covering these activities, along with 80 people and associated facilities. Hero Honda The custodian appointed by the Special Court hearing the 1992 securities scam has sent for dematerialisation 1.2 lakh physical shares of Hero Honda Motors Ltd, which were purchased by the big bull Harshad Mehta. The shares, purchased by Mehta some years back, were seized by the Income Tax Department before they could be registered in his name, following the scam, Hero Honda Director (Finance) Ravi Sud told PTI here. At the current face value of Rs 2 each for a Hero Honda scrip after the recent split of a Rs 10 stock into five shares in the ratio of 1:5, it would amount to six lakh shares worth about Rs 9 crore at an average market price of Rs 150 each. DSQ Software The Chennai-based DSQ Software said today it had no intention of extending advance to any company and had instead invested its surplus funds in fixed deposits with banks. “We would like to convey that the news items published in a section of the media is totally distorted and incorrect and we do not intend to extend advance of Rs 84 crores as published,” DSQ Managing Director Dinesh Dalmia told PTI. The company had included a special business in the notice to the annual general meeting scheduled tomorrow for ratification of some of the transactions that took place in the year 1999 and early 2000, he said. “As can be seen from the explanatory statement to the notice and also notes of accounts forming part of the balance sheet, the company is only taking the members’ ratification for some of the transactions it entered into earlier by investment of surplus funds through some companies/firms,” he said. SmithKline Beecham SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare Ltd has appointed three Horlicks Ltd’s nominees on its board effective from today. The Horlicks nominated Directors are George Quesnelle, Colin Handcock and Venkataraman Thyagrajan, the company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange. These appointments are in addition to that of S.J. Scarff, Managing Director, who has been appointed Chairman of the board. Paul Parsonson has ceased to be a Director of SBCHL, Consequently John Squires also ceases to be an alternate Director to the former while R. Subbarayam and P. Dwarakanath have been appointed alternate Directors to George Quesnelle and Colin Handcock respectively. The company has also appointed A. Chatterjee, Ashok Dayal, A.S. Lakshmanan, Kunal Kashyap, P.S. Mukherjee, P. Murali, Sangita Reddy, S.S. Dugai. Bharti Televenture The Bharti group said today its plans for listing group company Bharti Televentures has been “put on hold” due to unfavourable market conditions. It was earlier slated to mop up to $ 200 million from the Indian or overseas market for funding the company’s expansion plans in national long distance (NLD), basic and cellular operations, Rajan Bharti Mittal, Joint Managing Director of Bharti Telecom, said. Jindal Strips The Board of Directors of Jindal Strips Ltd, at its meeting held today, has approved an interim pro-rata dividend on 10.5 per cent cummulative non-convertibloe redeemable preference shares of Rs 100 million. According to company’s communique to the BSE, it has also approved payment of interim dividend on 12.5 per cent redeemable cummulative non convertable preference shares of Rs 50 million for the year ending March 31, 2001. Bausch & Lomb The extraordinary general meeting of Bausch & Lomb India Ltd has approved a special resolution in respect of changing the company’s name from Bausch & Lomb India Ltd to Bayban Sun Optics India Ltd. The board also approved the appointment of new Directors Mr Harsh Veer Chopra, Mr Virander Nath Kaura and Mr Giovanni Colazzo.
UNI, PTI |
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Be a millionaire via Internet London, March 28 The hosts of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” — the parent game show of India’s “Kaun Banega Crorepati?” — are opening the show to simultaneous participation on the Internet. The million is not on offer straightway, but contestants will soon be able to play for the million sitting at home. The big bucks show was first developed the Britain-based Celador Productions and then syndicated around the world, including the USA and India. Once the show in Britain goes on to the Internet, similar offers can be made around the world. A $3 million deal between Celador and broadcasters ITV will enable viewers to play along with the show on their TV sets, and key in answers on the computer via Internet. The home contestants will not, at first, play alongside the actual contestants, but Celador is considering moves by which they can play against one another for the prize money. “This is going to be experimental at first, and we will review the rules as we go,” a spokeswoman for Celador told IANS. Celador believes the Internet will bring new life into the show. “A lot of people watching from home are virtual participants anyway,” the spokeswoman said. “It will now make their participation real through a virtual show.” Celador is considering new rules because it will be impossible to stop cheating by home participants. One method being considered is response time that is no more than a few seconds so as to prevent “consulting data sources.” But Celador aims to make the million the final prize even for virtual players. If the Internet game is introduced in India, it can make millionaires of people just sitting at home. ITV is also introducing other quiz shows and games that will allow people at home to compete with players in studios.
IANS
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Steps to prevent AI, IA distress sale New Delhi, March 28 “We have taken several measures to strengthen the two carriers (which are in an advanced stage of disinvestment) and we will be able to prevent their distress sale,” Yadav told reporters on the sidelines of a conference of pilots and other technical experts on aviation safety here. His comments came in the backdrop of Air India registering an operating profit of over Rs 76 crore in the last fiscal and turning around its loss-making performance for the first time in five years. As per its 1999-2000 annual report, the airline also recorded a net loss of Rs 37.63 crore, the lowest two digit figure during the past five years coming down from Rs 174.48 crore in 1998-99. To questions on ending sales tax on aviation turbine fuel (ATF), Yadav said all concerned ministries, whose reaction had been sought on the issue by the Civil Aviation Ministry, had submitted their reports and the matter was under government’s consideration. “A decision will be taken soon,” Yadav said. He said a level-playing field should be provided to Air India, which had to pay the tax foreign carriers did not. Air India recorded an additional fuel outlay of Rs 178 crore for the hike in ATF prices which reached a nine-year peak in 1999-2000. While inaugurating the conference, Yadav elaborated on the safety and security measures being undertaken by the government in accordance with the standards and procedures laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and said almost the entire Indian sky had been covered by radars and over 1000 trained personnel. Modern equipment was being acquired to strengthen air traffic control and management systems and aircraft maintenance, he said, adding ICAO, which carried out audits of aviation safety and security systems in India, had expressed satisfaction with the existing systems and practices. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Chaman Lal Gupta said efforts should be made to achieve the “ultimate aim of providing a comfortable journey and zero accident rate.” The statistics had shown that 80 per cent of all air accidents were caused by human error, he said adding a thorough interface between man and machine “is yet to be achieved to avoid such mishaps”. Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Vinod Patney said human error was “spread across the board” and did not necessarily involve the pilot only. He elaborated on various aspects of aviation in which civil and military sectors could cooperate, including provision of technical education, cockpit resource management and risk management. Director General Civil Aviation H.S. Khola, Airports Authority of India Chairman D.V. Gupta and Air India Managing Director M.P. Mascarenhas also addressed the conference organised by the Federation of Indian Pilots.
PTI |
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Gillette India net profit rises 36 pc New Delhi, March 28 The company, erstwhile Indian Shaving Products Ltd (ISPL), also recommended a dividend of 15 per cent on the enhanced share capital of Rs 32.59 crore from Rs 12.87 crore. ISPL had recorded a net profit of Rs 19.43 crore over sales of Rs 250 crore last year. Gross profit went up by 39 per cent at Rs 67.16 crore as against Rs 48.35 crore achieved in 1999. “The new Gillette India is twice as large as the pre-amalgamation entity with a portfolio that encompasses both personal grooming and portable power. We are looking ahead to a very exciting period with mass brands like Geep, 7 O’ Clock and Wilkinson in our portfolio along with the premium, superior products like Mach 3, the Sensor Range, Gillette series and Duracell,” Gillette India Managing Director Zubair Ahmed said.
PTI |
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No decision on NTC revival New Delhi, March 28 Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who chaired the meeting told newspersons, that he took note of only the executive suggestions. Asked whether any financial package has been finalised, Mr Sinha said it could be disclosed only in Parliament. The GoM was expected to clear the proposal for conversion of Rs 1500 crore loan into equity and waiver of Rs 950 crore interest for the NTC mills which have received show cause notices for closure from the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction. “We discussed all the points suggested by the report made by the Textile Research Association which went into the restructuring of the mills”, Mr Rana said. He said 16 mills of the eight NTC subsidiaries which have received winding up notices are running. “We want to increase the number. The government wants to run the maximum number of mills”. The GoM met in the backdrop of the BIFR sending closure notices and the Supreme Court giving the government time up to end of April for finalisation of the revival plan. Among suggestions like conversion of loan and waiver of interest, it was also proposed to issue NTC bonds backed by the government counter-guarantee for meeting expenses like the voluntary retirement schemes. Unlike the past, the government seems to be coming round the view that the mill-wise revival package should be worked out rather than taking the subsidiary as a unit. Sale of surplus land is one of the important revenue raising proposals under consideration of the Centre for NTC revival.
UNI |
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Coke warns Pepsi of legal action New Delhi, March 28 “They know they (Pepsi) can’t fight us in the consumer market so they are harassing us by making misleading media claims. “They sent us a legal notice a month ago and we replied to the same... Now we read in the papers about another notice which we are yet to receive,” Shripad Nadkarni, Vice-President (Marketing) of Coca Cola’s Indian operations, told PTI. Coke’s reaction came in wake of the salvo fired by Pepsi yesterday when it said that it had issued a legal notice alleging disparagement of trade-mark and punch line ‘yeh dil maange more’ in Coca Cola’s latest advertisement campaign. Nadkarni dubbed Pepsi’s action as an ‘act of desperation’ saying they could not follow their first legal notice after the reply in absence of any substance. “Now we are consulting legal experts for further course of action,” Nadkarni said. Coke was not withdrawing any advertisement from any of the TV channels, he said while emphasising “they (Pepsi) are the world’s best number 2 brand and we will oblige them by keeping them at their rightful place.”
PTI |
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‘Cut duty on palm oil’ New Delhi, March 28 “The unjustified threefold hike in duty on the primary raw material of vanaspati industry i.e. crude palm oil has become a major threat to the very survival of the industry in the face of increased competitive strength of the Nepalese vanaspati manufacturers”, Executive Secretary of Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (VMA), Mr S. Gurumoorthy said. According to Mr Gurumoorthy, the 200 per cent hike in crude palm oil has nullified the intention of the government to discourage import of finished products. Urging the government to restore the duty to the previous level of 25 per cent, the VMA has said that the government’s move has actually benefited the traders who had built up huge inventory bases. “They have got a very favourable climate to enter into speculative trading, taking advantage of rising Malaysian palm oil prices low domestic oil seeds production”, Mr Gurumoorthy said adding that the net result of the duty hike has increased the impact on processing industry and consumers. In a representation to Union Ministry of Food, Consumer and Public Distribution, the Vanaspati Consultative Committee, consisting of the Indian Vanaspati Producers Association (IVPA) and VMA, said that the move to hike duty is diametrically opposite to the earlier policy of the government which was aimed at reviving the vanaspati industry. The Executive Director and CEO of IVPA, Mr I R Mehra said that the decision to raise the duty on crude palm oil is “ totally against the interests of the domestic industry”. |
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Govt bans
combination of 8 drugs New Delhi, March 28 The combination drugs, which were being phased out with effect from January 1, 2001, were marketed under different brand names, an official release said adding that they were required to be prohibited in public interest as they do not have the therapeutic value claimed or purported to be claimed for them. Some of the formulations have ingredients in such a quantity for which there was no therapeutic justification and the decision to prohibit them was taken based on the approval of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, a statutory body under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, which examined the recommendations of an Expert Committee, according to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry. Manufacturers of these formulations were required to restrict the manufacture of these products in such a way that no stocks of these products were available in the market after December 31, 2001, after which they stood prohibited.
PTI |
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Connect phones
for Jalandhar Jalandhar, March 28 Mr Vijay Kaul, Chief Marketing Officer, HFCL Infotel, said telephone connections from Connect are now being provided commercially to subscribers. Prior to this services were soft-launched to test the network and services were offered free to subscribers activated during this period. The network has been tested and fine-tuned to meet world class standards. Connect is already operational in Chandigarh, Mohali, Patiala and Ludhiana. HFCL Infotel Ltd recently launched its Internet services in Chandigarh and Mohali and the same will be available in the rest of the state shortly. On a connect line, the subscriber can avail voice and data transmission (basic telephony, fax, termination on EPABX s,Internet access). The company also offers direct inward dialing, line hunting and other value-added services, said Mr Kaul. Connect also offers enhanced services like ISDN, leased lines, Internet leased lines for high speed data transmission enabling hi-end applications like high speed Internet access, videoconferencing etc.  |
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