Spotlight

New Delhi, 23 January 2007

NATIONAL MISSION TO PROMOTE BAMBOO CROP

NEW DELHI, January 24 (INFA): A Centrally-sponsored scheme to harness the potential bamboo crop in the country has been launched by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC) in the Union Ministry of Agriculture. It is called the National Bamboo Mission. A sum of Rs.568.23 crore has been earmarked for the scheme for the Eleventh Five Year Plan, with one hundred per cent support of the Central Government.

Bamboo is a versatile and useful group of plants, capable of providing ecological, economic and livelihood security to people.  As per estimates, 8.96 million hectare forest area of the country contains bamboo amounting to 12.8 per cent of the forest cover. The country has the largest bamboo forests in the world.  Two-third of the growing stock of the bamboo in India is available in the north-eastern States.

India ranks second in the world in bamboo diversity with 136 species, while China with 300 species is leading in genetic diversity of bamboo.  Out of this, 58 species belonging to 10 genera are found in the north-eastern region.

The objectives of the NBM are to promote holistic growth of the bamboo sector through area-based regionally differentiated strategies; to increase the coverage of area under bamboo in potential areas; with appropriate varieties to enhance yields; to promote post felling management, processing and marketing.

It is also intended to promote bamboo shoots as nutritional supplement; to establish convergence and synergy among stake-holders for development of bamboo and bamboo- based products; to promote, develop and disseminate technologies; to generate employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled persons, especially unemployed youths.

The interventions for addressing the four major areas of bamboo development viz research, plantation development, post-felling management and marketing will vary among States and regions.

A mix of either and/or cooperatives, self-help groups, incorporated companies, individual entrepreneurs, State Government undertakings or any agency recognized for the purpose will be involved for ensuring proper delivery. The mission activities would be undertaken on the basis of properly identified compact areas to facilitate development of requisite infrastructure and intensive management.

For achieving the objectives of the mission it will be necessary for the States to remove restrictions coming in the way of development of bamboo, including amendment of the State Transit Rules under Indian Forest Act, 1927 to facilitate cultivation, felling and transport of bamboo and bamboo-based products.

Planting material will be arranged under the National Bamboo Mission for two categories of areas viz.  forest areas and non-forest areas. Under each category, there will be centralized nurseries (public/.private) and decentralized nurseries (mahila and kisan nurseries. 

In order to monitor the implementation of the NBM, a National Level Apex Committee under the Chairmanship of Union Minister of Agriculture and National Steering Committee headed by  the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, will be constituted.—INFA

Spotlight

New Delhi, 19 December 2007

INDIA WORLD’S THIRD LARGEST COAL PRODUCER

NEW DELHI, January 21 (INFA): Coal India Ltd. (CIL) is the single largest coal providing company in the world.  It produces about 84 per cent of the production in India.

During the last financial year for which latest figures are available, the CIL earned a profit of Rs.86.77 billion with a gross turn-over of Rs.340 billion. The company has proposed to produce 363.80 million tonnes of coal during the current financial year (2006-07).

With its mining operations spread across the country, Coal India operates through its seven subsidiaries and one mine planning and design institute with 79 areas and 465 mines (as on 1-04-2006) and 284 underground mines.

There are 144 opencast mines and 37 mixed mines and it owns 19 coal washeries.  There are 200 other establishments like workshops, hospitals and captive power plants.

The company employs 4,44,488 manpower (as on 1.11.06). This makes is the largest corporate employer in India.

The mission of the company is to produce the planned quantity of coal efficiently and economically with due regard to safety, conservation and quality.  Its vision is to be the most dominant energy supplier in India with best practices from mine to market.

Since the Nationalization, the Coal industry had traversed a path of unwavering progress.  The CIL is the apex body with seven wholly owned coal producing subsidiary companies and one consultancy company encompassing the whole gamut of coal extraction, identification of coal reserves, detailed exploration followed by projectisation, design and implementation and optimizing operations in its mines. ---INFA

STRENGTHENING ENERGY SECTOR

NEW DELHI, January (INFA): Sustained efforts are being undertaken by the Union Government to strengthen the energy sector with petroleum & natural gas at the forefront of the policy initiatives.  The India Hydrocarbon Vision-2005’ laid down the framework for this, with a view to achieving country’s long-term energy security.

The policy has triggered a more definitive paradigm shift towards free market and competition, with increasing private sector and overseas participation in all important segments of our hydrocarbon sector.

Ever more areas and opportunities for investment, technology and entrepreneurship are now open for the global players as well as for India’s own public and private sectors. Bulk of the oil & gas potential of the India basins still remain locked up.

The resounding success of these policy measures was already evident in the interest and confidence shown by the variety and numbers of participation in our recent new exploration licensing round.---INFA

Spotlight

New Delhi, 15  January 2007

NLC: A PIONEER IN ENERGY SECTOR

NEW DELHI, January 18 (INFA): The Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd. (NLC) a “Mini Ratna” public sector enterprise under the Union Ministry of Coal has completed 50 years of its pioneering work in the energy sector.

The NLC is now poised for a rapid growth in the mining and power generation capacity and is expanding its activities not only at Neyveli but also in other parts of the country.  It is also venturing in new projects with fuels other than lignite.

During the year 2005-06, Lignite production was 20.44 million tonnes and power generation was 16242 million units, both surpassing the target. Lignite production of 3.74 million tonnes from mine-IA achieved during the year is the highest for any year since inception---25% more than the designed capacity of 3 million tonnes.

During 2006-07, up to November last, Lignite production of 12.426 million tonnes and power generation of 9745.55 million units have been achieved. Net profit for the year 2005-06 was Rs.702.35 crores and NLC paid a dividend of 20% on paid up capital for the year 205-06.

Besides, under MoU evaluation system, based on the provisional results, the NLC has been rated at excellent level for the year 2005-06.

Mine-II Expansion and linked TPS-II Expansion of 500 MW, Barsingsar Mine project and linked Thermal Power Station are under implementation and are scheduled to be commissioned in June 2009.

With the commissioning of new projects, the NLC’s lignite mining capacity will be increased from the present level of 24 million tonnes to 30.6 million tonnes and power generation capacity from 2490 mega watt to 3240 mega watt by 2009-10.

Several projects are proposed to be taken up by the NLC during the 11^th Plan period. They are coal-based thermal power plant at Tuticorin with a capacity of 1000 MW as a joint venture with Tamil Nadu Electricity Board is being submitted to Government for approval; a 15 MTPA coal mine under joint venture with MCL and a 2000 MW power plant in Ib valley in Orissa and Jayamkondam Lignite Mine-cum-Power Project and Riri Project.

The NLC has been ranked in 190^th place as announced by Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings. It has won the ‘SCOPE Meritorious” award for “Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsiveness” for the year 2004-05. ---INFA

 
TOP RATING FOR TELUGU CHANNEL

HYDERABAD, January 18 (INFA): Zee Telugu channel closed the year 2006 with top ratings, thanks to the screening of major hit Telugu movies of 2006.  The channel has acquired satellite rights for four out of six hit movies.

It had introduced Math-a-Fun, a course in Vedic Mathematics for the first time on TV every Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm, to help school children to overcome fear of maths.---INFA

New Delhi, 17 January 2007

Spotlight

New Delhi, 15  January 2007

TELANGANA STATEHOOD DEMAND PICKS UP

NEW DELHI, January 16 (INFA): The demand for Statehood of the Telangana region is fast picking up, even among the leaders of the ruling Congress in the region.

In fact, several Congress MLAs and other leaders of the party have in a meeting decided to impress upon Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy the need to consider the separate Statehood demand.

The latest situation has arisen after the resounding victory of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) Chief, Chandrasekhar Rao’s in the recent Lok Sabha byelection for the Karimganj seat.  Rao won by a record margin of 2,01,562 votes.

The byelection, remember, was caused by Rao’s resignation from the Manmohan Singh cabinet and withdrawal of the TRS support to the UPA Government at the Centre.

The Chief Minister, who has been on his Government’s development efforts in the region to counter the Statehood demand, has now been alarmed because more and more Congress leaders from the region may join forces with the TRS. This has forced Reddy to finally acknowledge the strong sentiments for a separate State.

Politically dominated by the Reddy and Kamma communities, another OBC in the State is backing the Telangana demand in an effort to refashion the caste equations in Andhra politics. They feel that both the Reddys and Kammas would lose their hegemony to the numerically sizeable OBC lobby in the new dispensation.

The man really left out in the cold is Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR).  A staunch supporter of united Andhra, YSR was forced to admit that his party is not opposed to Telangana. YSR tried to pitch the development agenda against the Telangana card, but positive agendas never work in Indian elections.  His hands were also tied by indications from the Congress headquarters that it was not opposed to Telangana.

The CM’s hour of reckoning may not have yet arrived, but now onwards his clout will be seen to be diminished. Strangely enough, but in the Congress tradition, this comes just as he completes half his term. 

Chandrababu Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party is largely an Andhra area outfit, will have to make inroads by floating a sub-unit catering basically to Telangana area issues. In other words, the TDP will have to adopt a “run with the hare, hunt with the hounds policy”.

In the last two years, Rao has not distinguished himself in taking up the Telangana issue with zeal.  In the coming months too, he need not exert himself too much.  With the thinking in the Congress headquarters that if Telangana is created the honours must go to the Congress, Rao would not have to do much.  Since most of the electorate cast their vote actually for Telangana and nominally for him, he will not have to lead the movement. The movement will push him and egg him on.---INFA