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Carbon group of NPL bags NEW DELHI, Sept 26: The prestigious process technology shield....more GM planning to introduce small,
super-luxury FRANKFURT, Sept 26: General Motor Corporation of the ...more IMF to extend special WASHINGTON, Sept 25: The International....more |
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G-24 seeks
direct and timly involvement of private sector to resolve
financial crisis WASHINGTON, Sept 26: The Group of 24 (G-24) nations which includes India, last...more Tea gardens facing JALPAIGURI (WB), Sept 26: Most of the marginal tea gardens ......more Trans Asian Chamber to MUMBAI, Sept 26: The newly-formed Trans Asian Chamber of.....more Many sectors paid high NEW DELHI, Sept 26: A few critical sectors in the country including....more |
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Carbon group of NPL bags CSIR technology award NEW DELHI, Sept 26: The prestigious process technology shield for 1999 for innovation in carbon technology with several advanced applications was bagged by the carbon group of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) here today. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Minister for Science and Technology presented the shield and individual awards to a six-member team of scientists led by Dr O P Bahl at a function here to mark the 57th foundation day of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). CSIR Director General Dr R A Mashelkar said the coveted award was given in recognition of the scientists’ sustained development of valuable knowledge base, expertise and several advanced carbon products of industrial, societal and strategic importance that had enabled India to move forward on the path of technological self-reliance. The minister also gave away technology prizes to four institutions for specific, innovative technological achievements that had sustained and visible impact. The prize comprised Rs One lakh to be shared among individuals/members of the group, a plaque and a citation to each member of the group. The technology prize for biological sciences was given to Director of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) Dr Sushil Kumar and his team for developing early maturing, disease and pest resistant menthol mint varieties Himalaya and Kosi- which had benefitted a large number of farmers in the Indo-gangetic plain. These varieties not only resulted in economic gains for the farmers, along with other traditional crops, but also enabled India to emerge as the largest producer of mint oil in the world after China. The prize for chemical technology was bagged by the Indian Institute of Petroleum(IIP), Dehradun, for developing innovative technology for propane deasphalting of petroleum residues. This energy efficient process is being used successfully by several refineries in the country. A team of scientists of the Structural Engineering Research Centre(SERC),Chennai, and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi got the prize for engineering technology. While SERC has pioneered development of advanced computational methodologies, modelling techniques and software for analysis and design of complex structures that are nationally and internationally recognised, the CRRI has developed socially relevant innovative techniques for utilising waste materials, especially flyash for road and embankment construction, which have since been adopted at several locations. (UNI) |
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| GM planning to
introduce small, super-luxury cars in India FRANKFURT, Sept 26: General Motor Corporation of the US is planning to introduce a small car and a super luxury saloon in India, a senior company executive said. Besides, its entire line-up of multi-utility vehicles and 4-wheel drives is also being studied to finalise a vehicle for India, Mr Kevin E Wale, executive-in-charge, operations, of General Motors Asia Pacific told here. This is as part of the company’s attempts to broadbase its product range in India to cover the entire strata of the pasenger car industry. "We are now present in the upper end of the mid-size segment with Astra and will be moving into the lower end of the segment by the year-end with Corsa. Once these models are in place, we are looking at expanding our product portfolio both ways...We are looking at a lower-end car to be positioned below the Corsa and a premium segment car above the Astra," Mr Wale said. GM is studying all the existing models in the company’s portfolio. "Once the product is identified, it would be modified to suit Indian driving conditions." GM is presently operating in India through a wholly-owned subsidiary — General Motors India Limited (GMIL). The Indian market, he said, has a great potential to become a production and sourcing base for GM vehicles, "but the success of these models in the domestic market would depend on a cheap price tag." Towards this end, GM is also planning to make India one of the production sites for its much-touted Asia car, which would be manufactured under a joint initiative with Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan. India, in fact, figures among the five nations which are being explored as possible bases for the Asia car, that would be positioned in the bottom-end or the small car segment of the passenger car market, Mr Wale added. The other nations include China, Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan. "This is as part of our initiative to develop and produce a car specially made for the Asian markets. We already have a strong relationship with Suzuki and wanted to take it further with the development of this new car." GM presently controls about ten per cent stake in Suzuki. Though both the partners have agreed to join hands for the project, the finer details on the nature of arrangement is yet to be worked out, Mr Wale said. "Besides, it is yet to be decided as to whose plant would be used in countries where both GM and Suzuki have separate subsidiaries, like in India." In India, GM has a wholly owned subsidiary while Suzuki has a 50-50 joint venture with the Government of India — Maruti Udyog Limited. "But, it is for sure that the existing facility of one of the manufacturers would be utilised as we are not looking at setting up a separate unit or venture for the purpose," Mr Wale added. He further stated that GM has no plans, for the present, to further hike its stake in Suzuki beyond ten per cent. Regarding GM’s Asian operations, Mr Wale said, the US-based car maker is looking at expanding its presence in the region by establishing greater linkages with the local carmakers. "We want to be a major player in this region and, towards this end, are eyeing greater partnerships in the region as also acquisitions." Besides, GM has already initiated a feasibility study to pick up a majority stake and management control in Daewoo Motor Corporation of South Korea. "If the deal comes through, it would mean a major asset to us as we would stand to gain from the strong presence that daewoo has in the Asian region. Besides, we can also utilise Daewoo’s small car line-up to our advantage." However, he declined to disclose any investment figure earmarked for the region. Regarding the company’s future plans for India, Mr Wale said General Motors was "very serious" about the country and is presently working towards introducing its second offering for the Indian roads - Corsa. The Corsa would be offered in the Indian market in a four-door notchback version and is expected to hit the streets by the end of this calendar year. GM expects Corsa to be a money spinning vehicle for the company and is targetting to drive into rural and semi-urban markets with the car. (UNI) |
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Enko Texofood to introduce packaged sugarcane juice MUMBAI, Sept 26: It is now turn of packaged sugarcane juice to hit the Indian market, which is already flooded with a wide variety of branded fruit juices of both international and domestic manufacturers. The Rs 75 crore Enkay Texofood, the makers of Onjus and life, is all set to introduce packaged sugarcane juice in the domestic market in the current fiscal, a top company official said. After revolutionising the domestic beverage industry with the launch of Tetrapack orange and Mango juices, we are now planning to introduce a 100 per cent sugarcane juice by March next year, Tulsi Goyal, managing director of Enkay Texofood told PTI. He claimed that Onjus was a market leader in its category and the Mango drink life, introduced six months ago, has already become number three behind Jumpin and Frooti. Goyal said Enkay, which diversified from textiles to fruit pulp and juices, expected the turnover of new business to rise to Rs 100 crore from Rs 75 last year. Another Rs 50-60 crore comes from its fruit pulp division, which exports pulp concentrates to babyfood manufacturers in Europe and North America, Goyal said. Goyal claimed that onjus was a mixture of imported fruit pulp from Florida citrus belt and Nagpur mandarin variety of oranges. Onjus was recently caught in a controversy with MRTPC issuing a notice of inquiry against the company for marketing the drink, which allegedly contained added sugar and beta carotene, as a natural orange juice. The notice was issued on a complaint filed by the Director General of Investigation and Registration (DGIR). Goyal said Nagpur oranges were very high in beta carotene, which is natural to the citrus family, and sugar content in oranges could range from nine to 13.5 per cent. Our tastes are very different and so is our perception of an orange juice as being orange in colour and not yellow, as in the case with all international 100 per cent orange juices, he said. Goyal said there was no standard for orange juice in India and the company was following codex standards, which are acknowledged worldwide. We process 18,000 tonnes of fruit for the export market at our US Food and Drug administration certified plant at Silvassa and supply to multinational brands like nestle, Heinz, Britannia and Pepsi, he said. Enkay Texofood, in which goyal holds 32 per cent stake, is likely to demerge the loss making textile division. Financial Institutions and FIIs hold 18 per cent stake in the company. (PTI) |
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G-24 seeks direct and timly
involvement of private WASHINGTON, Sept 26: The Group of 24 (G-24) nations which includes India, last night called for "direct and timely" involvement of the private sector in the prevention or resolution of the financial crises, thus, setting a limit on the role of International Monetary Fund(IMF). In a communique, issued after its day-long deliberations on the eve of the annual meeting of the interim committee, the policy-making body of the IMF, said the fund should be a "facilitator" and not an enforcer of relations between debtor nations and creditors. "In this regard, the major challenge for the international community is to develop a market-friendly strategy for involving the private sector in a manner that does not disrupt or unduly raise the cost of capital flows to developing countries," it added. The G-24 wanted the IMF to spell out certain guidelines on how the process should work instead of dealing with each case in a piecemeal way. Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who presided, became the first women to chair the group, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha was also present. In the light of the recent financial crises, Finance Ministers of the G-24" consider that the coordination of various elements in the process toward capital account liberalisation is of critical importance to minimise potential risks." These elements included a consistent macro-economic policy framework, a sound and well regualted doemstic financial sector and an appropriate contingency mechanism to deal with potential threats to sustainability of open capital accounts regimes. The group was critical of the limited applicability of the new Contingency Credit Line (CCL) established by the IMF to let countries with excellent economic policies pre-qualify for large-scale financial help. "We thought that the CCL would be readily available in the event of a crisis. This is not so. You have to establish your credit line first, "Sri Lankan Central Bank Governor Amaranda Jayawardena said. Asian and Latin American countries were expected to be the first to qualify for the programme, which hold the promise of cash if things go sour but does not involve regular payments. It noted that the volatility among three major currencies posed risk not merely to their respective economies but more so to others, particularly developing countries, and called for stronger international policy co-ordination to reduce such volatility and for closer surveillance of the major industrial countries, including on the international implications of their domestic polices. It welcomed the IMF proposal to implement off-marked gold transactions as a way to minimise the cost of increased reserve tranche positions on developing countries, it added. (UNI) |
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Tea gardens facing acute problem JALPAIGURI (WB), Sept 26: Most of the marginal tea gardens are facing acute problem in maintaining despatches as per recommendation of the Ahuja Committee, according to West Bengal Tea Association. Sources said the Siliguri tea auction centre was not allowing the producers to permit any lot of tea below 30 bags which was causing concern to the small and marginal tea gardens in the state. The tea production in the state this year was less due to various reasons including eleven days strike in July last for which many gardens had to slash their tea bushes to maintain quality causing less availbility of finished tea. Therefore, compulsion on small and marginal tea gardens to maintain the Ahuja recommendation, the outlets of tea through auction for such tea gardens will severely affected resulting shortage of cash in flow to meet the statutory payments, sources added. (UNI) |
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Trans Asian Chamber to focus in growth areas MUMBAI, Sept 26: The newly-formed Trans Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will focus extensively in high growth areas in its aim to enhance cooperation among Indian business houses and their counterparts in Kazakistan, Mongolia, Russia, China, Combodia, Palestine, Israel and Norway. This was disclosed here by the convenor of the recently-formed chamber Sanjay Bhide. Plenty of opportunities exists in these countries and the aim should now now be to promote exports in these countries, he said, adding, we would like to encourage Indians to travel to uncommon countries to explore new markets. Apart from the aim of promoting trade and commerce among these countries, the chamber will also strive to increase cultural exchange among these nations. We will also try to promote work culture among the labour force in India and other developing countries, he said. Mr Bhide, who was also instrumental in forming the Indo-Mongolian chamber, which has now now completed five years of its existance, further claims that the Trans Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the first international chamber having head office in India. Also the chamber will monitor fair business practices between developing countries and developed nations. Mr Bhide, who is an architect by profession said that there are huge markets like China, Russia and East Europe, but there is no single impartial agency which has a very specific focus. He said that this chamber, which now now enjoys the membership of 300 industrialists, will be able to bridge the existing gap. He said the chamber will act as a common platform of professionals with businesspersons from developing countries and developed countries coming together in the genuine interest of mankind, beyond short-time gains and greeds. Meanwhile, Mr P N Devrajan has been appointed as the founder-president of the chamber. (UNI) |
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Many sectors paid high for Y2K
compliance NEW DELHI, Sept 26: A few critical sectors in the country including civil aviation had to pay high amounts to vendors to make some of their equipment with embedded systems (ES) Y2K compliant — a price for late start in compliance efforts and lack of effective negotiation skills, says a report on Y2K problems in ES. Describing high price demands by many vendors to rectify Y2K problems as unacceptable, the Indian report, part of a detailed report on Y2K problems in ES in Asian nations, says an international court of arbitration should be set up to deal with such matters even after the Y2K deadline is over. Lack of an international code of conduct on the responsibilities of vendors has resulted, at times, in exploitation of users of es equipment, it says. Some es equipment from Russia posed special problems as either experts in vendor organisations who wrote the programmes codes had quit or documentation on hardware was bad, sources in the Department of Electronics (DoE) told PTI. The Asian report would be presented at the three-day Asian regional meeting of Y2K coordinators starting at Toky today, S Ramakrishnan, head of DoE’s Y2K cell who represents India in the group, said. Embedded systems are devices used to control, monitor or assist operation of equipment, machinery or plants in a cost-effective manner. They are generally in the form of microelectronic chips such as built-in microprocessors, timers and controllers. The Asian report is the result of efforts by a four-member group on embedded systems, which include Japan, Korea and Phillipines, set up by the UN working group on informatics at the UN national Y2K coordinators’ conference at New York in June this year. The group was coordinated by the World Bank-funded International Y2K Coordination Centre (IYCC) in Washington. Sectors like space and atomic energy, which have excellent in-house expertise, received better coordination from vendors than sectors like power which had weaker and fragmented efforts. Bargaining effectively and quickly with domestic and foreign vendors in sectors like power that has 24 state units and other organisations, is unmanageable if not impossible, the Indian report says. But certain sectors like telecommunications have bargained excellently, DoE sources said. Unlike the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, which have taken a coordinated approach to deal with defence vendors, Indian defence sector has dealt with the vendors independently, the report says. Embedded systems, in general, would not pose a major problem to India as many critical sectors were fully geared up to tackle the problem and many more were in the process of solving, Ramakrishnan said. (PTI) |
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