License plates on Indian roads to get facelift

NEW DELHI, Feb 19: After the cars, it is time now for the license plates on the Indian roads to get a facelift.

Going by the way talks are proceeding between the Centre and a German firm — Erich Utsch KG, number plates of all vehicles would become more flashy and the bland black background would be a thing of the past.

And, according to the company, these new license plates would not only improve the face value of the cars but also go a long way in containing detailed information about the owner, his tax arrears and whether the vehicle’s insurance premium has been deposited or not.

The company had displayed these license plates at the recently concluded Automechanika 1999. It is also in the process of setting up a joint venture with the Delhi-based Metro Paints Private Limited for producing these hi-tech license plates in the country.

A Memorandum of Understanding for the same has already been inked by the two partners and the plant is being set up in Delhi.

"The one million Deutsche Mark project would be set up in a 50-50 joint venture. To start with, we are looking at introducing just the license plats in India. But over the next five years, we will be getting all our business arms, including the venture to make markings and road signs, documentation and registration papers and even speeed detection equipment to India," Mr Peter Bilabel of the Export Department of Erich Utsch told newspersons here late last night.

On the talks with the Centre for changing the look of vehicle registration plates, Mr Bilabel said, "we have suggested five different looks for number plates here and removal of the black background. The black background absorbs the light and does not reflect it back as a result the vehicle is not visible unless one is dangerously close to it. Even while detecting the number plates after an accident, it is almost impossible to read the numbers here with the kind of plates available."

The company, he said, has suggested putting black numbers of white backdrop for private vehicles, black numbers on a yellow background for public vehicles, black on red for police vehicles, white on red for Government vehicles (administration) and black numbers of blue for diplomats.

"The proposal is pending approval from the Government. But till the time we get the approval, we will be producing the normal black plates from our venture," he added.

The company, Mr Bilabel said, is planning to make available the license plates directly through the companies or dealerships. "No where in the world do you have vendors sitting on pavements making number plates for you. This increases the risk of fake plates coming on to stolen vehicles and makes detecting them all the more difficult."

Talks have already been initiated with Maruti Udyog Limited and the company is close to signing a deal with the automobile giant for providing the license plates.

The license plates to be produced under the venture, Mr Bilabel said, would also have graphic emblems, a state specific identity and additional security elements such as holograms, laser and ultra violet codes for protection against forged number plates.

Under the joint venture, the company has offered the Union Government to set up a nationwide central car registration system as prevalent worldwide.

Besides, the company would also be providing a comprehensive security concept, registration marking and monitoring technology, a new element for vehicle identification. "A sticker having the vehicle registration number is provided inside the windshield of the vehicle. If the number plat of the car is stolen, identification of the vehicle is still possible as electronic monitoring system installed on roads including live cameras will be able to identify the cars."

Meanwhile, Metro Paints has joined hands with another German company Joschu Group to make road markings and reflector paints with an average life of three to five years. The unit for this venture is being set up at Alwar, in Rajasthan. (UNI)

Japan-aided project faces rough weather

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Feb 19: Uncertainty looms large over the implementation of a Rs 1,785.45-crore mega water supply project in Kerala with the State Government and the Japanese funding agency pitted against each other over the selection of consultants for the project which is to benefit four million people.

The project is now mired in controversy and has assumed political overtones. The Congress -led opposition took the Marxist-led Left Democratic Front Government to task in the State Assembly this week for the delay in the inauguration of work on the project even two years after the agreement was signed in 1997. A Congress member, Dr M A Kuttappan, had gone to the extent of alleging that the son of Chief Minister E K Nayanar was manipualting things in such a way as to ensure that a UK-based consultancy firm was selected for preparing detailed designs, estimates and other preparatory works.

"The Kerala water supply project" is proposed to be implemented by the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) with assistance from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) to benefit Thiruvananthapuram, Meenad in Kollam, Cherthala in Alappuzha district, Kozhikode and Pattuvam in Kannur district.

The delay in the finalisation of consultants for the project was the result of a bone of contention between the OECF and the Kerala Government with regard to the inclusion of a Japan consultancy along with four other consultancies shortlisted by the Kerala Water Authority which, according to the agreement, had the responsibility to shortlist and select the consultants through a due process and later get the concurrence of the OECF. The office of the Irrigation Minister V P Ramakrishna Pillai today dismissed as "unmitigated lies" the allegations about the consultant selection process.

"The Government has been trying to ensure that the selection of consultants is fair and transparent. At the same time, the government is very keen to go ahead with the implementation of this mega project in the critical water supply sector," sources in the minister’s office said.

Explaining the sequence of events since 1997, sources said the OECF guidelines stipulated that a short list of consultants should be prepared by the KWA from among which a consultant would be finally selected. The guidelines also added that such a shortlist should normally consist not less than three and not more than five consultants.

The KWA invited offers to ensure the maximum possible competition in the selection of consultants. In response, 36 offers were received, including two from Japanese companies. After evaluation, the board of the KWA approved a shortlist of five consultants. This list did not include any Japanese company.

When this shortlist was intimated to the OECF, it insisted that the two Japanese companies which had submitted offers should be included in the list. "This is contrary to their own guidelines, which stipulate that they have no approved list of consultants," sources said. (UNI)

AEPC for duty free import of machinery to modernise units

NEW DELHI, Feb 19: The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has called for duty free import of machines for dyeing, printing and processing the fabrics to improve quality of Indian garments in international markets.

Also, the threshold limit of Rs One crore under the Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme must be scaled down to Rs 50 lakh, AEPC Chairman Bharath Goyal said in a pre-budget memorandum to Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha.

To supplement the industry’s efforts in upgrading its technology for increasing productivity and meeting international standards, the import of machinery should be otherwise allowed with a favourable duty structure on the pattern applicable to leather industry — that is five per cent customs duty, five per cent special customs duty, zero per cent additional duty and four per cent Special Additional Duty.

As the manufacturer-exporter of knitted garments are mostly having in-house facilities right from fabric making till the garment production including dyeing and printing process, they should be allowed to import not only the machines related to garment and knitwear making, but also for dyeing, printing and bleaching processes once the letter of intent or industrial licence or SSI certification mentions the products to be manufactured by such exporters as knitted garments.

Mr Goyal said garment exports rank as one of the largest foreign exchange earners for the country. With the formation of World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be put into effect from January 1, 2005, it is expected that there would be free market in the textile trade and its impact on readymade garment sector would result in stiff competition and market opportunities. The AEPC Chairman said increasing competitiveness would require complete modernisation of the garment industry as well as supporting and ancillary industries like textiles, processing and trimmings/embellishments.

"Simultaneously, there would be need to simplify and liberalise policy and procedures relating to export and import of this commodity."

Mr Goyal said the Government must adopt a duty free passbook scheme for garment exporters instead of present cumbersome and time-consuming procedure involved in the advance licencing scheme.

Besides, the limit of Rs 36,000 or ten samples may be made applicable on consignment basis and not on yearly basis as is applicable in the United States and Canada where samples valued at 800 US dollars and 500 canadian dollars are allowed to be imported. It may be made applicable in case of imports by courier as well and cover import of garment samples, sample fabrics and sample trims.

Mr Goyal said excise exemption made available on production of processed knitted and crocheted fabrics of cotton should be extended to all other fibres, including manmade fibres as well.

The sanction to credit, he said, may be given immediately upon filing the application by an exporter and funds may be made available when required but within the overall credit sanctioned so that interest is paid only for the period that funds remain in an account.

These steps are essential to increase unit value realistion by exporters, besides boosting India’s share in global apparel markets, Mr Goyal said. (UNI)

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