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NPPA
revises price NEW DELHI, Aug 8: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised the price of bulk drugs sodium Penicillin G from Rs 1,094 per bu . ....more Rs
8000 cr financial NEW DELHI, Aug 8: For financial restructuring of cooperative banks, the Government has finalised a package of Rs 8,000 crore that will be issued .....more Dimension
data buys MUMBAI, Aug 8: South Africa’s Nedcor Bank Ltd, the majority stake holder in the Pune-based Nihilent Technologies, .....more Over
160 companies NEW DELHI, Aug 8: India Chem 2002, the largest international exposition on chemicals, petrochemicals....more |
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Left denies BJP charge NEW DELHI, Aug 8: Denying allegations that two senior Left MPs had misused their authority on allotment of petrol pump or LPG agency, CPI(M) .....more Higher
export target NEW DELHI, Aug 8: The Textile Ministry has set an export target of Rs 7680 crore for the fiscal year 2002-03 over Rs 6769.50 crore achieved last year. ....more Naik
asks his ministry NEW DELHI, Aug 8: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) members today submitted a petition to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee .....more Rs
242 crore IT project NEW DELHI, Aug 8: In an effort to take Information Technology (IT) to every doorstep, the Government has implemented a Rs 242 crore Community Information Centre (CIC) project comprising setting up of computer rooms in all the 487 blocks of the.....more |
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NPPA revises price of some drugs NEW DELHI, Aug 8: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised the price of bulk drugs sodium Penicillin G from Rs 1,094 per bu to Rs 1,207 per bu. The price of benzathine Penicillin G has gone up from Rs 2,582 per kg to rs 2,583 per kg and procaine Penicillin G from Rs 1,318 per bu to Rs 1,397 per bu. The prices have been revised under the provisions of drugs prices control order 1995 after taking into consideration the review order issued by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals. These penicillin bulk derivatives are manufactured in the country by Alembic Ltd, Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd and Wyeth Lederle. The revised notified price will become effective within two weeks from the date of notification in the official gazette. (UNI) |
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Rs 8000 cr financial package for State Cooperative Banks NEW DELHI, Aug 8: For financial restructuring of cooperative banks, the Government has finalised a package of Rs 8,000 crore that will be issued through bonds to those states which undertake reforms in the sector. Announcing the package here, Union Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh said the financial aid would be provided under the "carrot and stick policy" of the Government and states would have to pass a model cooperative law to be eligible for the funds. He said State Cooperative Banks would float bonds on which interest would be paid by the Centre and States in the ratio of 60:40. The money thus raised would be used for the banks’ capital restructuring. "The package is only for those states which will undertake cooperative reforms and free the sector from their shackles," the minister said. However, if due to certain reasons a state was unable to pass the requisite law it would still be eligible for funds under the restructuring plan, provided certain conditions were fulfilled, he said. Elections in cooperatives have been made mandatory. Those states which have nominated the officials in cooperatives will be kept out of the package. Furthermore, states should not impose rules and issue directives on the functional aspects of the cooperatives which should have the freedom to take administrative decisions such as hiring of personnel. (PTI) |
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Dimension data buys 37.45 pc stake in Nihilent from Nedcor Bank Ltd MUMBAI, Aug 8: South Africa’s Nedcor Bank Ltd, the majority stake holder in the Pune-based Nihilent Technologies, has divested half of its 74.9 per cent stake in favour of dimension Data Holdings PLC, a leading global technology services company. The divestment makes dimension data an equal stakeholder in Nedcor Bank (37.45 per cent each) with Nihilent, an India-based business consulting and solutions integration company. The remaining 25.1 per cent shares will continue to be owned by Nihilent employees, according to a dimension data release. Dimension data will nominate three members to Nihilent Technologies’s Board of Directors to assist in future global strategy and growth. There will be no change in management of Nihilent at the operational level, it said. Nihilent’s focuses its expertise in banking, finance, securities, insurance, logistics, retail and distribution. The strategic investment by dimension data in Nihilent technologies is part of the former’s ongoing global business strategy of enhancing its capability to design, deliver and manage applications that run on corporate IT-network infrastructures. This arrangement will take place globally with the exception of South Africa, it added. (UNI) |
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Over 160 companies confirm participation in India Chem 2002 NEW DELHI, Aug 8: India Chem 2002, the largest international exposition on chemicals, petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, will be held here from September 18 to 21 in which over 160 companies will participate. The event is being organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers and supported by 23 industry-related associations. The exhibition will feature a serious business platform for the gamut of chemicals, petroleum, pharmaceuticals and technology base within and outside the country. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will inaugurate the meet. Germany will be the lead country and participating companies will include Bayer, Degussa Hulls, BASF, Adams Armaturen, Beumer KG, Lutz Pumpen, Schwarze Alpine, Hans Turck GMBH and Co Kg, Krishnan Antioxidant, Orbit Research Associate, Samson Control, Wika Instruments, Manturbo, Netzsch, Rittal, Uhde and Waaree. Due to overwhelming response during India Chem 2000, the United States has come back as the guest country. A special pavilion of commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been created to promote business tie-ups between US and Indian companies. Maharashtra is the partner state and industrial promotion organisations will highlight various incentives offered by the state to the industry. Each sector of the exhibition will be in focussed and specially-designated areas to give the exhibition a sector-specific look. The Indian Chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry accounts for 12.5 per cent of the country’s total industrial production and 16.2 per cent of exports from the manufacturing sector. With a size of 28 billion dollars (about Rs 140,000 crore), it is one of the fastest growing sectors in the economy growing at an average of 12.5 per cent. Coinciding with the event will be India Latin America Health Summit to have an interactive platform for regulatory authorities of all concerned countries. The FICCI is also promoting delegations from SAARC countries to attend a special buyer-seller meet during the exhibition. (UNI) |
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Left denies BJP charge on pump allotment NEW DELHI, Aug 8: Denying allegations that two senior Left MPs had misused their authority on allotment of petrol pump or LPG agency, CPI(M) today charged the Government with leaking official documents to BJP to help it in its "mud-slinging" against the opposition. "On behalf of the Left parties and after having consulted my comrades — Basudeb Acharia (CPI-M) and Ajoy Chakraborty (CPI) — I totally deny any wrong-doings by them," veteran Marxist Somnath Chatterjee told a press conference here. He said Acharia had forwarded two letters - one a petition by group of villagers from Malda district of West Bengal requesting that an existing petrol pump should not be shifted and the other a request by the head of a society for mentally disabled children seeking exemption from payment of security deposit of Rs 22,000. Copies of the two letters were distributed at the press conference in which both the MPs were present. Chakraborty, he said, had signed on a request form issued by CRPF for the widow of a personnel who was killed in action by the People’s War Group in Andhra Pradesh. "If we try to help the poor and the needy, it cannot be construed as misutilisation of MP’s powers," Chatterjee said. Names of the two MPs were among a list of opposition MPs released yesterday at a press conference by BJP. Describing release of the list as "a sinister move of mud-slinging by a discredited outfit called NDA", he said Government documents on allotments were "unauthorisedly removed" and given to the party."By throwing muck at the opposition, they cannot wash away their monumental sins". Asserting that there was "total moral and political bankruptcy" in the Government, Chatterjee said "they are on the run. They are nervous because they have no answer (to the allegations on the pumps allotment issue) on merit". Alleging that the Government had so far not contacted the opposition to find a solution to the deadlock, he said it was the "bounden duty" of the Prime Minister to inform Parliament about full details of the issue, while reiterating the demand for removal of Petroleum Minister Ram Naik and punishment to the guilty. He said it was "amazing" that instead of the Government, the "replies are coming from BJP .... We have never seen such calculated indifference towards the prestige of Parliament". The CPI(M) leader said while most of the BJP allies had become "bonded labourers" of BJP, some of them like JD(U) leader Devendra Prasad Yadav and Samata Party’s Prabhunath Singh were "coming out" in the open on the issue.(PTI) |
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Higher export target for handicraft exports NEW DELHI, Aug 8: The Textile Ministry has set an export target of Rs 7680 crore for the fiscal year 2002-03 over Rs 6769.50 crore achieved last year. However, the exports have risen by a modest 0.12 per cent in dollar terms in the first four months April-July this fiscal. In rupee terms the growth was 4.52 per cent. As against 344 million dollar during April-July last year,the handicraft exports were 345 million dollar in the comparable period this year. In rupee terms the exports went up from Rs 1616 crore to Rs 1689 crore in the period under review. Textile Minister Kashiram Rana, inaugurating the new office of the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), said the past september 11 event in the US led to decline in the handicraft exports from India. However, he expressed the hope that the target for the current financial year would be achieved. EPCH Chairman Kamal Chandra Agrawal appealed to the Government to provide improved infrastructure like power, telecom and roads for increasing handicraft exports from India."We are confident that we can achieve the target of Rs 20,200 crore for the year 2010," he said. (UNI) |
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Naik asks his ministry to examine NDA petition NEW DELHI, Aug 8: The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) members today submitted a petition to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Petroleum Minister Ram Naik to review the allotment of petrol pump and LPG distributorships made between 1983 and 1999. Mr Naik has ordered his ministry officials to examine the petition. Talking to reporters after a meeting with NDA members (mainly from the BJP), the minister said they had submitted a two-page petition to him requesting that the Government should investigate how Congress supporters and workers were able to get distributorships during that period. The members’ unscheduled meeting was held at the Parliament house office of the Petroleum Minister after Mr Vajpayee directed the delegation to meet Mr Naik and hand over a copy of the petition submitted to him. The delegation members said Mr Vajpayee has assured them that he would consider their request. The petition to the Prime Minister assumes significance in view of the petrol pump controversy, which has resulted in a deadlock in the proceedings in both houses of Parliament for the fifth day today. More than 25 MPs met the Prime Minister. They included Mr Shivraj Singh, Mr Rasa Singh Rawat, Mr Suresh Chandel and Mr Virendra Kumar. Mr Naik said the Government was committed to implementing the Prime Minister’s directive of cancelling the allotment of 1,134 retail outlets of petrol, kerosene and LPG. The ministry was in touch with the Law Department and was taking all steps for cancellation of the allotments, he added. Meanwhile, oil companies had filed more than 1,425 caveats with High Courts and the Supreme Court to ensure that they do not pass ex-parte orders. Indian oil has filed more than 525 caveats while BPCL and HPCL have filed 400 caveats each in various courts. The caveats have been filed specifically against every dealer whose distributorship has been cancelled by the Government. Mr Naik assured the people that the oil companies have been directed that the supply of petrol, diesel, kerosene and lpg should not be disturbed due to the cancellation of a large number of dealerships. However, he apprehended that LPG consumers might face problems if 1,688 lpg agencies were cancelled. More than 90 per cent of the allottees had already commenced operation, resulting in wiping out of the entire waiting list of LPG consumers in the past two years. (UNI) |
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Rs 242 crore IT project for North-East, Sikkim NEW DELHI, Aug 8: In an effort to take Information Technology (IT) to every doorstep, the Government has implemented a Rs 242 crore Community Information Centre (CIC) project comprising setting up of computer rooms in all the 487 blocks of the north-eastern states and Sikkim. The project has been conceived in response to the Prime Minister’s call for "freedom from distance." The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had already given its nod to the project in February and in six months, the project has been implemented throughout the north-east. The project will be inaugurated on 17th August, 2002 at Guwahati. Sources in the ministry said in one stroke, an IT infrastructure has been provided at the village level in the north-east which even IT savvy states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu do not have. The CICs have been set-up taking into consideration the convenience of the rural masses of the region. They are located in the Block Development Office (BDO) complex and in schools and libraries. These computer rooms will also be provided with VSAT connectivity and the centre will also bear the satellite charges and remuneration. While the day to day expenses of electricity and stationery will be borne by the State Governments, a nominal user charge would also be fixed — Rs 10 to Rs 20 for an hour’s access to internet. These centres will be manned by local youngsters who have rudimentary knowledge of computers. These operators have been trained by professionals of National Informatic Centre, which is taking care of providing the necessary software and also installing the hardware and VSATs. Another novel feature of the Community Information Centres (CICs) is that the content of the programme is in the local language. Although the IT infrastructure at village level has been readied, it is also crucial to utilise it to the hilt and this will be done through creating awareness. The CIC enables the user to get hold of Government gazettes, Government services rules, TA rules etc. Also procured from the net will be the prevailing prices of agricultural commodities in the nearby grain, vegetable and fruit markets, latest farming methods, addresses of where more information can be had or what better inputs can be used to improve farming prospects, telemedicine, diagnostic and consultative views and general health care information. The user can also get hold of information regarding status for railways, air and bus reservations, CBSE, ICSE results, college admissions and courses offered, daily news, newspapers and magazine articles. Sources add that in places where newspapers from the state capital take more than a day to reach or where national newspapers just don’t reach, making information on world events accessible is a major move by the Government. Application forms — for employment card, for leave, registration for fair price shops, for small family schemes, pension schemes, medical certificates and so on — can also be downloaded. The CICs will also be one step shops for availing Government services. These can become centres where telephone, water and electricity bills can be paid or birth and death certificates can be obtained or land records, property registration can be done. This project is crucial for the north-east, according to IT and Communication Ministry sources, because each year the centre spends more than Rs 1000 crore on the development of the region. The funds from non-lapsable post for development of north-east is Rs 10,000 crore per year. "But since people there still have complaints and are distrustful of Government motives and actions, the CISs can help overcome the problem," a Government official told UNI. He said CICs will also be a restraining factor on the administration which will have the feeling of a citizen watchdog keeping an eye on its working and hence will try to give a more honest and transparent performance. While the 30 CICs which were set up in the pilot phase are being used by people mostly for internet and e-mail facilities, CICs have the potential to become a catalyst for spearheading it revolution in these states. (UNI) |
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