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Power Ministry SOS to PM on coal shortage
Paswan rules out selling stake in steel PSUs
BSNL told to stop levying transit fee on cellular firms
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SBI to merge associate banks
Haryana industrial policy, budget initiatives welcomed
Policy package for SSI sector on anvil
Indian food empress wins award in UK
FinMin bullish on growth
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Power Ministry SOS to PM on coal shortage
New Delhi, June 9 The Prime Minister has reportedly appointed a secretary to coordinate the supply of coal to the steel, power and cement sector. The ministry has informed that six thermal plants in “super critical” stage can be shut down any time due to coal shortage. Power Minister P.M. Sayeed today admitted that NTPC has been forced to close down one 500 MW unit in 3,000 MW Talchar plant in Orissa. “We are keeping a close watch on the day-to-day situation on the supply of coal to the thermal plants across the country,” said Mr Sayeed. The power sector has already suffered a loss of over 18 billion power units this year due to coal shortage. Significantly, over 60 per cent of the power is currently generated through coal based plants. The Ministry has asked state and central power utilities to import coal immediately to meet the crisis. A minor accident, say on the single rail line from Paradeep to
Cuttack supplying coal to the thermal plants in the coastal belt, can result in to power black out in 60 per cent of the Southern India. Most of plants there are working on day-to-day supply of coal, say officials in the Power Ministry. The NTPC, producing about 32 per cent power in the country and running 22 thermal plants is likely to import 3.2 million tonnes coal this year. It has indicated that with rise in cost of fuel, due to high import prices, the fuel costs are likely to increase by 10-15 paise per unit. “Out of 75 thermal plants in country 22 thermal power plants do not have stocks even for seven days, and six plants had stocks for less than four days as against mandatory provision of at least 15 days of stocks,” said a senior official in the ministry adding that situation was not likely to improve for the next six to seven months. “Coal shortage is here to stay and the country should prepare itself for producing power from imported coal at a price,” said Mr Arvind Jhadav, Joint Secretary in the Power Ministry.
PM to lay power plant stone
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone for two hydro-electric power projects in Ladakh region of Jammu-Kashmir on Saturday as the Public Investment Board (PIB) today cleared these projects worth Rs 5,055.13 crore, including one in Bihar.
— TNS
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Paswan rules out selling stake in steel PSUs
New Delhi, June 9 After Mines Minister, Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has strongly opposed the move claiming that it is against the spirit of the common minimum programme agreed by the coalition partners of the UPA government. Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Paswan said: “There cannot be any disinvestment of PSUs under my ministry, not even of loss-making PSUs.” “If at the end of the day there is disinvestment of a profit-making PSU, then every PSU would like to run in losses,” he remarked. Significantly, the Finance Ministry had sent a letter to the all ministries with commercial interest to consider disinvest government’s stake up to 20 per cent in the profit-making public units under them. The proposal has received a strong opposition. On the merger of Burnpur-based Indian Iron & Steel Company (IISCO) with parent Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Mr Paswan said it had already been approved by his ministry, and would be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting. “It was supposed to come up before the Cabinet last month.” On the merger of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) with
SAIL, he said there were both supporters and opposers to the move, and the Andhra Pradesh government’s sentiments were also to be taken into account. “We can’t say we are examining the issue. There is only a suggestion that the issue be discussed,” he said. Mr Paswan said MoU with POSCO for setting up a plant in Orissa would be signed by June-end. He said the Steel Ministry was considering the proposal of merging smaller companies with SAIL. “After a compete study of all operational aspects, the proposal, if found feasible, will be implemented in a time-bound manner.” He said Ferguson had been appointed as consultants to work out a revival package for the revival Hindustan Steel Construction Ltd (HSCL). Only after their recommendations, will the revival plan move forward, he said. Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is likely to take the new steel policy by month end, said Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan here today. He said: “The steel policy of 2002 was nothing but in name, so a committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary, was set up work out a new policy. The new policy will be taken to the CCEA by June-end.”
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BSNL told to stop levying
New Delhi, June 9 Wherever the MSCs (mobile switching centres) of both BSNL’s CellOne and private cellular mobile operators’ are connected to the same BSNL switch, BSNL should stop charging 19 paise from cellular operators by way of transit charges for accessing BSNL CellOne subscribers, TRAI said in a regulation notified today. The regulation is in compliance with TDSAT’s order of May 3 and comes into effect with a retrospective effect. There has been no direct connectivity between BSNL Cellular and other private cellular companies. Traffic terminating on the BSNL CellOne network was being routed through BSNL’s PSTN switch and was being charged at 19 paise per minute, TDSAT had said. Meanwhile, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is all set to issue a notification on the increase in the FDI limit to 74 per cent from 49 per cent this month with the department concluding discussions with the Finance Ministry on various provisions in the Cabinet proposal. Cellular companies have been given a maximum of four months to comply with
the 74 per cent FDI in the sector. TRAI today directed all access service providers to ensure that the coverage was restricted to the licensed service area only to minimise radio frequency (RF) spillage. It was brought to the notice of TRAI that wireless service was being provided by some service providers outside the licensing service area of the respective operator.
— PTI India’s telecom regulator today said it was well within its powers to publish data on tariff plans of state-owned telecom companies, a day after BSNL accused the regulator of breaching “confidentiality.” TRAI shot out a letter to BSNL after reports quoting BSNL sources said the regulator had breached confidentiality by making public the details of the PSU’s tariff plans on managed leased line network (MLLN)-based direct-leased circuits. In its letter, TRAI said as per the law, the regulator had to maintain transparency in the process, particularly in the context of tariff fixation as mandated in the TRAI Act, 1997. According to the media report, TRAI had made public BSNL’s tariff, network diagrams and other commercially sensitive information on MLLN based-direct-leased circuit, which the PSU contends amounts to breach of confidentiality.
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SBI to merge associate banks
Mumbai, June 9 SBI and its seven associate banks are already working on integration of some functions and have 25 per cent market share of the banking system, SBI Chairman A.K. Purwar told reporters after inaugurating the new office building of local head office of the bank’s Mumbai circle here today. These seven associate banks are already working in co-ordination for treasury function and IT platform, which would help to work as virtually integrated entity, he said. Mr Purwar said five years down the line there could be one bank, an entity formed through merger of associate banks. This could happen even before, in about two years, he added. The government would have to put in place facilitating legal environment for consolidation, he said.
— PTI
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Haryana industrial policy,
Chandigarh, June 9 All key areas had been incorporated in the policy such as the service sector, agro-based and food processing industry, electronics and information and communication technology, automobiles and automotive components, handloom, hosiery, textiles and
garments, EOUs, footwear, leather garments and accessories etc. Mr K.N. Memani, President, PHDCCI, said the policy had given importance to the infrastructure by expanding the role of the HSIDC to look after its proper development. Talking about the budget, Mr Davar appreciated the Finance Minister’s commitment to reining in unproductive expenditure. On the agriculture front, the CII (Northern Region) appreciated the government’s thrust on promotion of agriculture in a planned way with focus on research, extension and support services including market intervention. The CII also welcomed the government’s decision to include enhanced power and water resources as the key areas of developmental activities. It also welcomed the proposal to construct a model school in every district.
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Policy package for SSI sector on anvil
Ludhiana, June 9 “Both initiatives including a comprehensive policy package for SSI and SME Entrepreneurship Development Bill are aimed at to boost the growth of SSI and SME,” Amir Subhani, Joint Development Commissioner, SSI Ministry, told PTI. Mr Subhani stayed in the city for a night to participate in a function being organised at Moga today. Elaborating on the new initiatives of the ministry, Mr Subhani said “the comprehensive policy package for the SSI, which is being given final touches, will entail the focus on the development of SSI sector through enhancing their competitiveness at domestic and international level while the bill will focus on addressing the problems related to
labour.” — PTI
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Indian food empress wins award in UK
London, June 9 Ms Warsi was honoured by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) First Women awards at a ceremony held at Hilton Hotel, where women achievers from different walks of life were felicitated. Indian-born Warsi, who began her food empire from a kitchen table, is one of the 100 richest women in the country with an annual turnover of £ 70 million. Ms Warsi had an arranged marriage with a doctor at the age of 17 and came to Britain a year later in 1975. A mother of two sons, Warsi, 48, was inspired to start a cooking business from her kitchen after buying a tasteless ‘samosa’ from a local shop in Derby. “I thought I’d buy my sons a ‘samosa’ to save me cooking, but when I tasted it, it was bland and boring and I couldn’t eat it. It was then I decided to cook my own and sell them to a local takeaway. I learnt my craft by doing it,” she said. She then created her own company, called S&A after her sons, Sadiq and Abid. “I think women are breaking through the glass ceiling. My message to women is: “Don’t hesitate. Go and do it. And enjoy it,” she said. Among awardees is renowned economist Sarah Hogg, who also won the Lifetime achievement award. Baroness Hogg, 58, has a pioneering role as the only woman to chair a FTSE 100 company. Her achievement, the judges said, would “open the door to many, many other women to follow.”
— UNI
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FinMin bullish on growth
New Delhi, June 9 Chief Economic Advisor Ashok Lahiri told reporters that the government might consider policy changes to boost the manufacturing sector in order to sustain 7 per cent growth. Though the Finance Ministry and the RBI expect the GDP to grow by 7 per cent this fiscal compared to 6.9 per cent in 2004-05, the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council recently raised doubts over the growth prospects and forecast 6.7 per cent GDP growth due to a lower 7 per cent growth in manufacturing and 2.2 pc growth in farm output.
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