New Delhi, February 10
Telecom regulator TRAI may announce the new access deficit charge (ADC), a levy paid by private operators to BSNL, next week, Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran today said.

“New ADC regime based on percentage of revenue share is likely to be announced next week. This will provide a level playing field to all operators,” Mr Maran said, adding, “I am sure private corporates will bring many surprises for their customers.” Asked whether the quantum going to BSNL as ADC at Rs 5,000 crore currently would be retained, the minister declined to comment saying this is for the regulator to see.

Complementing the two PSUs — BSNL and MTNL, he said both have done a great job and the ‘OneIndia’ plan would be a win-win situation for both customers as well as telecom PSUs.

With Re 1 a minute STD expected to do wonders for BSNL’s mobile traffic, the PSU is not in a mood to delay its mega 60 million mobile line tender beyond this month.

“The tender will be out in next 10 days... we can’t afford to delay it further everything is being readied,” BSNL CMD A.K. Sinha said after the announcement of ‘OneIndia’ tariffs.

The tender is estimated at $4.5 billion and is expected to hot up the fiercely competitive Indian telecom equipment market fought by MNCs like Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola among others mainly.

BSNL officials said the tender would have 30 per cent reservation of 15-18 million GSM lines for public sector ITI.

This leaves about 42-45 million lines for other bidders who will participate in it.

BSNL, with currently over 1.4 crore mobile subscribers, has been planning to cut the waiting list for a long time.

Since the tender is going to be open, it cannot bar any applicant bidder.

That paves the way for Chinese company Huawei Technologies, once show-caused by BSNL for dishonouring a CDMA project of the PSU after bagging it by bidding lowest, for participating in the tender.

“Huawei cannot be barred… it is an open tender and the law is where the company has defaulted (CDMA) for that segment only some actions can be initiated but not in other tenders which are open,” BSNL officials said. — PTI

New Delhi, February 10
ONGC Mittal Energy Ltd, the high-profile joint venture between the ONGC and steel tycoon Lakhsmi Mittal, will part-fund ONGC Videsh Ltd’s acquisition of an oilfield in Syria.

OVL, the overseas arm of ONGC, and China’s CNPCI had jointly bid for the first time to acquire Petro-Canada’s interest in Syrian production sharing contracts, namely Ash Sham (33.33 per cent), Dier EZ Zor (Old) (37.5 per cent), Dier EZ Annex IV (37.5 per cent) and Gas Utilisation Agreement (36 per cent), covering 36 producing fields in Syria.

“ONGC Mittal Energy was now being roped in for funding of OVL’s share,” a source familiar with the development said.

As per the deal, Himalaya Energy (Syria) BV, the Amsterdam registered 50:50 joint venture of the ONGC and China National Petroleum Company International, was to acquire 100 per cent share of Petro-Canadia’s Syria interests.

While the CNPCI equity would come through its subsidiary Fulin Investments SARL, the ONGC would directly fund 55 per cent of ONGC Videsh Ltd’s share amounting to $ 156.75 million. The balance 45 per cent amounting to $ 128.25 million would come from ONGC Mittal.

The Syrian fields produced oil at an average rate of 187,350 barrels per day during the first half of 2005. The remaining recoverable reserve potential of the asset is estimated to be more than 300 million barrels of oil. — PTI

New Delhi, January 10
Concerned about the adverse impact of rising imports, the domestic electronics industry has sent an emergency message to the government demanding “concrete steps in the coming Budget” to save it from the onslaught of imports.

“Only about half the demand of over Rs. 1,00,000 crore in the electronics component sector is met by domestic production,” said Mr. P.K. Sandell, Chairman, Assocham Electronics Committee, claiming the current tax regime in the domestic electronics industry was highly unfair to it as it restricted its growth due to inadvertent tax structure which included high sales tax, VAT and excise duties.

In a pre-Budget memorandum, he said, the employment potential of this level of demand in the time slot of 2005-15 is that 7 million jobs directly and 14 million indirectly, a total of 21 million jobs could be created within the country if the large majority of the demand is met through local production. This demand would need 70,000 enterprises of average Rs 3 crore investment each.

He said the current electronics production at $11.2 billion was only 1.7 per cent to total GDP. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in so many other countries — in South Korea it is 15.1 per cent, in Taiwan it is 15.5 per cent, even in China it is 9.6 per cent compared to our 1.7 per cent. Most of our demand is met through imports only. Is that a situation we should be complacent about, he asked?

According to Assocham, the demand for electronics would be fuelled by the growth of telecommunications , PCs and notebooks, broadband, software and ITES.

The industry has drawn a roadmap for progress under the zero-duty regime calling for radical changes to promote real local manufacturing.

The industry demanded that there should be no differentiation between IT and non-IT sectors and all CST on electronic hardware should be abolished.

The Assocham said the multi-level growth of the Indian economy in the next 10 years 2005-15 is estimated to create a demand for a huge increase in electronics production from the current level of $11.2 billion (Rs. 44,000 crore) to $159 billion (Rs 7,00,000 crore).

“As for cellphones, if the government is serious in promoting real local manufacture input customs duties be kept at zero and other conditions be maintained. On all electronics production there should be an income tax exemption for five years, that should help make up for the opportunities lost in the past,” said the chamber.

New Delhi, February 10
Taiwanese two-wheeler giant Sanyang Industry Co Ltd (SYM) today announced plans to introduce its advanced two-wheeler technology in India through its tie-up with the Kinetic Motor Company.

This announcement comes after the $ 1 billion automobile giant acquired an 11.1 per cent stake in the Kinetic Motor Company.

SYM Vice-Chairman Taka Huang said: ‘’We plan to bring to India our advanced technology and hope that the customers here will receive them as well as the other countries have. Our team is impressed with Kinetic’s facilities, distribution network and management and we are looking forward to working together.’’

SYM’s research and development lab has developed and perfected key technologies such as four valve engines, ceramic-coated cylinder engines which offer extraordinary durability and longevity (with lifetime warranty), one-piece cylinder head 4v, MIS intelligent ignition system and steadlite water resistant alloy cylinder technology.

SYM makes a complete range of two wheelers, including scooters and motorcycles. The first launch from the SYM-Kinetic alliance is expected within nine months. — UNI

New Delhi, February 10
In a bid to do away with the double tariff regime, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked various ministries to work towards a system that is not “discriminatory” towards foreign visitors and NRIs when they avail themselves of certain facilities in this country.

Dr Singh has directed Cabinet Secretary B.K. Chaturvedi to review with ministries concerned the discriminatory charges being levied for services to foreign passport holders, including NRIs, the Prime Minister’s media adviser Sajaya Baru said here today.

The Prime Minister has suggested that the ministries should examine the feasibility of ending this “anomaly and treat all consumers of such services on a par irrespective of nationality”.

India is one of the few countries where a foreigner is required to pay more on various counts.

Presently, higher charges are levied on foreign passport holders for hotel tariffs, entrance fee to historic monuments and tourist sites and domestic airfare.

Ludhiana, February 10
The Ludhiana Stock Exchange (LSE) has become the first institute in the region to provide training in capital market. The exchange, in association with the Centre for Industry Institute Partnership (CIIPP), Panjab University, has launched a certification programme in capital market with a view to fill the gap for skilled professionals in capital markets in the region.

“With the launch of this programme, LSE has become the first institution in the region and the second in the country to offer such training programme,” said Mr H.S. Sidhu, Executive Director, LSE.

The exchange plans to launch a diploma programme in capital market soon. “Besides, PU would soon launch a degree course in capital markets and those who have done this course would get exemption in terms of fee or lectures as we have a tie-up with the university.”

Mr Sidhu said though such type of training programmes are being offered by the national Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), but those are either offered through online mode or through classroom sessions that are conducted in Mumbai.

The training programmes started by the LSE would include theory and practical lessons in topics ranging from Indian capital market, primary markets, secondary markets, depository system, derivatives market, stock exchanges, risk management in stock exchanges and investor protection.

New Delhi, February 10
The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has urged the government to set up a Rs 1,000 crore corpus fund to improve the quality, designs, packaging and marketing techniques of Indian handicrafts to increase in country’s share in the world market.

“A corpus fund of Rs 1,000 crore in the coming Budget will help in increasing handicraft exports by about three-fold in the next five years and India’s share may grow up to 4 per cent in the world market estimated at $235 billion annually,” said council Chairman Sudhir Tyagi in a pre-Budget memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister.

The fund will also help in developing handicrafts from unexplored regions like Orissa, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Chhattisgarh, J&K & North-Eastern regions, he said.

To strengthen the marketing of handicraft products through a special purpose vehicle (SPV)—India Expo Mart Ltd—the EPCH had constructed the India Expo Centre & Mart at Greater Noida at a cost of about Rs 400 crore.