New Delhi, November 4
After preparing the blueprint of the food-for-work and employment guarantee programmes, the UPA government is mooting another major initiative of setting up rural business hubs through a panchayat-private sector partnership.

It will be aimed at setting up industrial units at the block level based on local raw materials like crop waste, sugarcane byproduct, bamboo, vegetables and fruits. It is expected to create an additional income in the farm sector, besides jobs for unskilled and semi-skilled rural youth.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Panchayat and Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar are taking a keen interest to implement this initiative. The government has also roped in industrial chambers, including the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), to encourage industrial houses to participate in the process.

The ministries of Small Scale Industries and Agro & Rural Industries, Food Processing and Textiles would also coordinate to empower the rural sector to set up new ventures. The Planning Commission has also been asked to discuss this issue.

Mr Aiyar today disclosed, “We have successful models of rural-cooperative sector partnerships in the sugar and milk sector. If Amul can successfully collect milk from millions of small and marginal farmers from hundreds of villages, I think, the private sector can also utilise panchayats to collect raw material from the farmers.”

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Babu Ram Gaur, he said, had already announced his cooperation. He said, “We are looking at panchayats to become entrepreneurs and equity partners by offering land to private ventures. There is vast scope in the field of bio-diesel, captive power units in North India and bamboo work in the North-East. Three-tier panchayat system at the village, block and district levels can be effectively utilised for the promotion of jatropha plantation for bio-diesel production,” he added.

Incidentally, ITC Ltd has already set up e-chaupals in thousands of villages in South and Central India to connect farmers with the urban markets. Prof Ashok Jhunjunwala from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, known for C-Dot technologies, ICICI Bank, Nabard and public sector units will also be associated to help rural enterprises to set up units at least at the block level.

To push this new idea, the Prime Minister will tomorrow address about 1000 district level panchayat representaives from across the country to “prepare a roadmap to implement this historical out-of box idea.”

Amritsar, November 4
One of the country’s foremost fashion designers, Ritu Kumar, today displayed finest traditional fabrics here, her hometown. The varieties of outfits adorned by some classy models at a local hotel bedazzled the largely elite crowd with rich multi-hued designs.

Talking to The Tribune after presenting 109 ethnic ensembles in nine sequences, Ritu praised the beautiful and fashionable women of the city. She said it was a homecoming for her as she presented her Winter 2004 collection in the Holy City.

The one-hour show opened with a bridal display showcasing fine Benaras silk and richly embroidered tops presenting a blend of Indian princely and Mughal finery of the ancient era. Ms Kumar said the youth at weddings preferred to relive the glorious past, bringing feminine beauty to the fore. She added that the international designers were being inspired by India’s fashion statement.

Mumbai, November 4
Haier, the world's second largest home appliances brand, today unveiled India's first detergent-free washing machine priced at Rs 34,990 for 6 kg capacity.

Considered a technological marvel, Haier said the detergent-free washing machine works on the principle of membranous chemistry that uses electrolysis and water treatment technology for getting the desired results.

Speaking after the launch, Haier Appliances (India)'s President and CEO T.K. Banerjee said his company had a world patent for the path-breaking technology used in manufacturing the detergent-free washing machine.

The state-of-the-art washing machine - to be made available at leading retail outlets selling Haier products across the country shortly - cleans as well as gives a softening effect to the fabric, he claimed.

It utilises Haier's patented technology to electrolyse the tap water and change the PH level to that of water containing detergents. This provides enhanced cleanliness to the washed fabric, he said. — UNI

New Delhi, November 4
To cater to the growing number of global hotel chains, US-based Meso America today announced a 50:50 joint venture with Polar Ware, USA for setting up a greenfield plant in Manesar, Haryana with an initial investment of $ 15 million and market high-end products for the food service industry.

"The new plant will manufacture high-end stainless steel products for the $ 100 million Indian food service industry and will also cater to the global market," Meso America Inc President Sampath Ramesh told reporters here.

The $ 30-million, Meso America Inc operates plants in Delhi, Moradabad and Mumbai which manufacture branded silverware and products for the food service industry apart from its operations in other parts of the globe.

"The Manesar venture is expected to help us reach a target of Rs 100 crore of sales from India in three years from the current level of Rs 35 crore and will also assist in tapping the $ 100 million domestic food service market," Mr Sampath added.

The company will also operate a 50-member back office operation facility for its global customers in the food service industry from its Manesar facility on the lines of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industries.

The $ 50 billion Polar Ware USA, a leading deep drawing stainless steel shape makers, will bring capital, technology and equipment to the new plant while Meso Ware America will provide land, building, marketing facility and support systems.

"Polar Ware has proven global leadership in high commercial food services products, healthcare products and this joint venture will help us in bringing world-class products for the Indian market apart from exporting to our global customers," Meso America Inc Vice President R P Sharma said. — UNI

Kolkata, November 4
Jindal Steel Limited is planning to set up a new steel plant in West Bengal at an investment of Rs 10,000-12,000 crore.

The plant having a capacity of 5 million tonnes would be located near Asansol, company Chairman, Mr O.P. Jindal said here yesterday.

"It will come up in two phases of 2.5 m tonnes and will be completed in 3-4 years since the commencement of project," he told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar 'Metals 2004', organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

However, the fate of the project depends on availability of iron ore from neighbouring states of Jharkhand and Orissa.

He said, "The project cannot come up until and unless linkage of iron ore and coal is ensured by the West Bengal Government. The Orissa Government currently does not allow export of iron ore outside the state."

The finance of the project, if taken up, would be at the debt equity ratio of 1:1, with the equity component coming from the company's resources. Initially the blast furnace technology-based plant would produce semi-finished products, later it would yield long and flat products, he said.

Mr Jindal said the company selected West Bengal for the plant because of its proximity to port, availability of coal reserve and skilled manpower.

He said the project would have a direct employment of 10,000 workers and provide indirect employment for another 10,000 persons.

Regarding the problem of sourcing iron ore, he said there should be a national policy on inter-state movement of the raw material.

Welcoming Jindal's investment plant in the state, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee called for a national policy for inter-state movement of iron ore which would benefit the industrialisation process in the entire eastern region. — PTI

Kumarhatti, November 4
Even as the record number of industries were making beeline to Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh industry belt, lack of proper residential facilities to accommodate the manpower has proved to be a big blow on the industry growth.

While the number of industries have doubled in the recent past, the accommodation available remains the same. The worst affected are the supervisory and managerial staff who have to up down daily from places like Pinjore, Panchkula and Chandigarh. The plight of workers class is no better as they have to adjust in limited accommodation available in and around the industry belt.

According to an estimate, the number of total industries in belt has crossed the 1,000 mark. The number of manpower in this belt has crossed 1 lakh mark. The problem of lack of residential accommodation was also there when there were around 400 industries. However, the problem has multiplied manifold after the Central Government announced industrial package. After the announcement of package, this belt has witnessed unprecedented inflow of new units.

Mr Rajinder Guleria, president of the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industries Association, said this problem had become a major cause of concern and it was high time for state government to provide the adequate facilities in this industrial belt. The availability of accommodation would not only cut down the transportation cost of the companies, but would also ensure the availability of managerial staff for more working hours, he maintained.

The absence of a direct approach road to Baddi from Chandigarh was another factor that had added to the problem. By linking Baddi directly to Chandigarh, distance of 20 km can be reduced easily.

Meanwhile, the proposed plan of housing board to construct 64 residential flats in a village near Baddi has suffered jolt following the retirement of its Chief Executive Officer-cum-Secretary, Mr Rajinder Kumar Makkad recently. According to well-placed sources in the housing board office at Shimla, the board has a plan to develop 340 bighas of land at Batoli Kalan village but the matter was getting delayed for want of clearance from the officiating authorities.

To increase the accommodation facilities, another area measuring 614 bighas of land has recently been identified at a village near Baddi. The housing board has already got the approval of its Board of Directors in this regard and the acquisition process was underway, pointed a senior official of housing board.

New Delhi, November 4
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today recommended to the government to allow it to have certain percentage of annual license fee paid by the telecom service providers and cable operators to the government.

Trai said the revenue base of the telecom service providers is about Rs 55,000 crore and those of the cable service providers is about Rs 15,000 crore.

With an annual share of 0.05 per cent on this revenue base, Trai will be able to meet its recurring expenditure and also have a provision for capital expenditure.

"This will make Trai independent of government funding", Trai said in a statement.

At present, all expenditure of Trai is met through the grants from the Centre. The Trai Act provides for constitution of a Trai General Fund in which the grants received from the government and other receipts in the form of fees and charges are to be credited, it said.

The Trai Act provides legal authority to Trai to frame regulations for levying fees and charges as a source to generate its own fund.

In several countries, the source of revenue for the telecom regulatory authorities is mostly the license fees, spectrum fee, numbering fee and regulatory fees etc.

"In India also, regulatory authorities like Sebi and IRDA are self-sustaining in the sense that they are able to generate adequate amount of revenue through cess and fees.