 |
|
Satyam joins mainframe migration alliance MUMBAI, Nov 23: Satyam Computer Services Ltd today announced it has joined the Mainframe Migration Alliance (MMA), created by microsoft and ......more Idea, Pepsi, SBI, Apollo, Kingfisher among sponsors of Goa IFFI NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Telecom player idea, soft drink major Pepsi and Apollo Victor hospitals are among the .....more Samsung to start 600 IT retail outlets by mid-2005 NEW DELHI, Nov 23: To emerge a leader in the Information Technology (IT) business in India, Samsung India Ltd will establish 600 .....more Planning Commission finalises schedule for state plan fixation NEW DELHI, Nov 23: The Planning Commission will kick of the annual plan exercise from November 30 for 2005-06 .........more |
|
Sap to snare peoplesoft clients with netweaver BANGALORE, Nov 23: The world’s largest business software maker sap today declared it would utilise its open integration and.........more India can accelerate process of tariff reduction: PM NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Expressing concern over the neglect of foreign trade and maritime sector, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India was in a position to bring down its tariff to.......more STC privatisation on the backburner: CMD Pandalai NEW DELHI, Nov 23: State Trading Corp of India (STC) CMD Aravind Pandalai today said the controversial proposal to.....more ITC will set up industry in Tripura to make agarbati stick AGARTALA, Nov 23: ITC Ltd has decided to set up an industry to produce incense sticks here and will soon sign a ........more |
Satyam joins mainframe migration alliance MUMBAI, Nov 23: Satyam Computer Services Ltd today announced it has joined the Mainframe Migration Alliance (MMA), created by microsoft and industry partners to enable customers using aging mainframe systems to move seamlessly to the more modern and flexible windows platform. "We are delighted to be a member of the mainframe migration alliance," Satyam vice president and head of the global microsoft mission Hari Natarajan said here today. Satyam’s high caliber microsoft .Net-based architectural capabilities, emphasizing prescriptive, re-usable .Net technologies, combined with extensive domain and migration best practices, will assist microsoft’s customers globally to have a positive experience migrating to more modern server platforms, Mr Natarajan said. He said the alliance underlines Satyam and microsoft’s commitment to ensure that approved best practices in mainframe migration reaches the customer community swiftly and efficiently. Leading provider of business solutions for various platforms ranging from mainframe to internet applications, Satyam has wide ranging expertise and experience in offering services to clients on and away from mainframes. Migration to newer and modern architectures is necessitated due to increasing maintenance and enhancement costs of existing platforms, market demanded flexibility and changing business models, diminishing Return on Investment(RoI) in the long term, and leveraging the broader technology spectrum. Informing this to Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE), the company officials said that the company has strong alliances with leading product vendors for tools and processes on both the mainframe and target platforms. This helps satyam follow a well-defined tool-based approach coupled with effective processes to shrink the migration timeline and deliver faster and better applications. Thus, the value proposition here points to the cost saving and reuse achieved and the RoI obtained. The alliance partners are rallying together to provide resources, tools and education to customers and an alternative solution to the mainframe. Thus, for customers, the alliance is a one-stop shop for all their requirements to migrate from mainframe to the windows platform. (UNI) |
 |
Idea, Pepsi, SBI, Apollo, Kingfisher among sponsors of Goa IFFI NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Telecom player idea, soft drink major Pepsi and Apollo Victor hospitals are among the leading business houses in India that will sponsor the 35th International Film Festival of India, 2004, being held in Goa this year for the first time. Major players in the Indian market like idea, State Bank of India (SBI), Apollo Victor hospitals, Pepsi, Chateau Indage, Kingfisher, Bacardi Breezer, Taj Marriot and Dcell-Lintas creative division have been roped in as sponsors for the the 35th IFFI, to be held in Panjim, the capital of Goa, from November 29 to December 9, the entertainment society of Goa, the organisors of the event, said here today. "IFFI is a very prestigious event for the people of Goa and to be chosen as a host is testimony that the state is an attractive and compelling destination for major events. We are pleased in partnering with some of the leading business houses and brands in the country for such a prestigious event, which has international appeal,"Mr Sanjit Rodrigues, the CEO of the Entertainment Society of India said. While idea cellular, the numero UNO telecom service provider in Maharashtra and Goa, has been chosen as the official telecommunications partner for the event, SBI is the official banking and ATM parter. Pepsi has been chosen as the official soft drink for the 35th IFFI while Lintas creative division-dcell is providing the entire creative and branding solution for the event. In its new role as an IFFI sponsor, idea os offering its subcribers the entire IFFI schedule, which includes activities like beach screenings, pyrotechniques, Vintage car rallies, street plays, musical concerts and magic shows, ‘on their figertips’. In addition, the telecom player will install a ‘cell on wheels’, which will act as a buffer site to ensure smooth flow uninterrupted communication for the comfort of the people visiting the event. As the official banking parter, SBI will provide total financial solutions including foreign exchange. Besides, it would be stationing three mobile atm vans for providing easy access to cash across festival locations. The Apollo Victor hospital will provide complete medical assistance at festival venues like Kala Academy and the old GMC complex, as well as the Dabolim international airport. Special medical cells comprising of doctors, paramedics, nurses, emergency ambulance equipped with various medical equipment and necessary medications, would be set up at all locations of the festival. Chateau Indage, which is also sponsoring the event, will serve some the leading wines during the festival while Kingfisher would serve beer. Bacardi Breezer would provide the official ready-to-drink cruiser which would be exclusively sold during the beach screenings at Miramar beach. The entire event for IFFI, 2004 is being produced by 360 degree entertainment, Ipan is the official Pr partner and the national insurance company will provide complete insurance in cases of liabilities, public accidents, national calamities and accidental incidents for the event. From this year, Goa’s capital, Panjim has been chosen as the permanent venue for the International Film Festival of India. The Goa Medical College at Campal will be the administrative headquarters of the IFFI. The Kala Academy, upgraded for the festival, will be the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies and regular screenings. In addition, the 35th IFFI will feature special screenings on Miramar beach and a film bazaar for producers. (UNI) |
|
Samsung to start 600 IT retail outlets by mid-2005 NEW DELHI, Nov 23: To emerge a leader in the Information Technology (IT) business in India, Samsung India Ltd will establish 600 dedicated technology retail outlets — Samsung digiworld — across the country along with its partners by the first quarter of 2005. "These retail outlets, covering 24 cities, is just the first step towards the company’s massive plans for India in the coming year," Samsung south west Asia president K S Kim told reporters today. The company will also launch four new products including India’s first TFT-LCD TV monitor, world’s smallest digital multi-function device which can scan, print and copy at the same time and the thinnest mobile computing device in the coming months. With the new products and its focus on expanding its IT retail network, the company hopes to substantally increase its sales turnover in 2005. Samsung India’s research and development centres in Bangalore and Noida will also be beefed up to cater to the growing demand for high-end, technologically advanced products for the Indian and foreign markets. "Samsung aims to lead the digital convergence revolution through introduction of innovative digital products thereby creating an aspirational digital lifestyle for the average Indian consumer," Mr Kim said. The company will also launch a digital audia players, new range of personal laser printer platforms and a new range of multi-function printers in the coming year. Samsung India is a leading provider of high tech information technology, telecom, consumer electronics and home appliances products in the country. It holds number one market position in TFT LCD monitors, hard disk drives, optical media storage and CRT monitors. (UNI) |
|
Planning Commission finalises schedule for state plan fixation NEW DELHI, Nov 23: The Planning Commission will kick of the annual plan exercise from November 30 for 2005-06 where the Chief Ministers and the planning team meet to discuss priorities and fix the size of the state plans. The schedule of meetings for fixing up of annual plans has been finalised, with Tamil Nadu being the first state to meet Planning Commission deputy Chairman Montek Singh on November 30, 2004. To make the plan process more meaningful, the annual plan programme will be finalised before the budget 2005-06 so that the plan priorities are properly reflected. The detailed discussions with the Chief Ministers in this regard are to be completed before February, 2005. Normally, Chief Ministers and the deputy Chairman meet to duscuss priorities and fix overall size of the state plans during the period March to July-August. The discussions usually commence afer the budgeted figure on gross budgetary support for the plan in the central budget is announced and draft annual state plans from the State Government are received. Following the fixation of the overall plan size the practice has been that state plan advisers and State Government officers meet in a working group to finalise sectoral outlays of the annual plan. While there has been some improvement in the time frame for completion of discussions in the last few years, the exercise was still being completed well after the beginning of the financial year. By this time most states have already approved their budgets and begun implementation of the plan. Top sources in the Planning Commission say this problem has magnified in the current year owing to the elections and change in Government. The scheduled deputy Chairman- Chief Minister level discussions to finalise the annual plan 2004-05 could not be held for this reason. For most states, the Government’s budget for the current financial year has been approved and more than one third of the year has already elapsed, reducing the relevance of the exercise for finalisation of the exercise for annual plan 2004-05 , the sources said. Dr Ahluwalia has decided that for the annual plan 2004-05, it is not necessary for State Government to have a meeting at the commission level to finalise this year’s plan as considerable part of the year has already passed. Instead, the Commission’s aim is to finalise the state’s share in Central assistance arising out of this year’s Central Government’s budget within a month and then focus on advancing the time table for discussions of state’s annual plan 2005-06 so that these discussions take place early enough to influence the structure of the plan. The following is the time table for respective Chief Ministers meeting with Dr Ahluwalia Tamil Nadu— November 30, 2004 Tripura—December one, 2004 Jharkhand—December 1,2004 Mizoram— December 2,3004 Uttar Pradesh —December 3,2004 Arunchal Pradesh—December 7,2004 Nagaland—December 8, 2004 Delhi—December nine, 2004 Gujarat —December 15, 3004 Madhya Pradesh — December 17, 2004 Kerala — December 20,2004 Uttaranchal— December 28, 2004 Manipur—December 29, 2004 Sikkim January 3, 2005 Rajasthan—January four, 2005 Harayana— January five, 2005 Goa—January six, 2005 Maharshtra— January seven, 2005 Punjab —January 10, 2005 Orissa—January 11.2005 Bihar— January 12, 2005 West Bengal—January 13, 2005 Himachal Pradesh— January 18, 2005 Karnataka —January 19, 2005 Andhra Pradesh —January 20, 2005 Jammu and Kashmir—January 21, 2005 Andaman and Nicobar Islands—January 31,2005 Chattisgarh— February three, 2005 and Pondicherry—February 4,2005. (UNI) |
|
Sap to snare peoplesoft clients with netweaver BANGALORE, Nov 23: The world’s largest business software maker sap today declared it would utilise its open integration and application platform netweaver to exploit the uncertainty created by oracle’s long-running battle to take over peoplesoft. "The customer base of peoplesoft has been irritated for years now. It is an open secret," Mr Peter Zencke, a member of the sap executive board said at a press conference here. "There are definitely customers looking for alternatives. It is hard to maintain two products in parallel." The German multinational would be providing the alternative in the form of netweaver, which would help integrate the existing functionalities of its nearest competitor before a complete switchover to an all-sap offering, he said. "There is no way we can have a simple substitution it will have to be a step by step approach where peoplesoft first gets integrated with netweaver before a total changeover. This is something we are offering to clients," Mr Zencke observed. "Today we have about 1,000 referral customers for netweaver but we expect to see real growth happening in 2005, when thousands of netweaver projects will begin implementation," he said. Oracle, whose latest US dollar 9.2 billion bid for peoplesoft had been endorsed by 60 per cent of the latter’s shareholders, still faces opposition to the takeover by the peoplesoft board. In India, sap was engaged in discussions with IT consultants and independent software vendors and expected to appoint "hundreds" of partners in 2005, he stated. Sap, which had about 1,300 people in India, was on track with its expansion plans and expected to have nearly 2,100 employees in the next two years, Mr Zencke said. The company had so far invested 20 million euros in India and was expected to pump in a similar sum up to 2006, he added. (UNI) |
|
India can accelerate process of tariff reduction: PM NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Expressing concern over the neglect of foreign trade and maritime sector, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India was in a position to bring down its tariff to the levels prevailing in the ASEAN countries to spur investment and trade. "There has been a neglect of ship-building, a neglect of ports, and above all a neglect of foreign trade," he said after releasing a commemorative postage stamp on the pioneer of India’s transport business Walchand Hirachand. The Prime Minister said for the last ten years, successive Finance Ministers have said India’s tariff levels should move down and approach ASEAN levels. "We have moved a great deal in this direction", he said adding "I believe we can accelerate this process now and take steps to enable a closer interaction between our economy and the economies of the ASEAN region". "I would like to see India emerge as a major trading nation and a maritime power. To this end we must modernise our maritime infrastructure. We must also modernise our mindset," he said. "If Walchand Hirachand was here today, he may well mock at what he may regard as a new-born enthusiasm for maritime activity, for this was in fact his obsession over three quarters of a century ago", the Prime Minister said. He said India’s policy did neglect the external dimensions of economic engagement for far too long and the country began the process of reversing this neglect a decade ago. "Perhaps the process has had its setbacks and proceeded in fits and starts", he said adding, however, today there was a nationwide consensus and an awareness that this was the direction in which India must move. Singh also asked the political leadership at the state level, especially in developing states, to pay closer attention to the requirements of enterprise so that "we can take modern industry and enterprise to newer regions". Singh said visionaries and entrepreneurs like Venu Srinivasan of TVS group of companies, Narayana Murthy of Infosys, Aziz Premji of Wipro and Ramalinga Raju of Satyam were joining the ranks of Hirachands, Birlas, Tatas, Ambanis, Munjals and the Ranbaxy group to drive private enterprise. Former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and BJP leaders Pramod Mahajan and former Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie were present on the stamp release function to mark the 121st birth anniversary of Hirachand. (PTI) |
|
STC privatisation on the backburner: CMD Pandalai NEW DELHI, Nov 23: State Trading Corp of India (STC) CMD Aravind Pandalai today said the controversial proposal to privatise the international trading house has now been put on the backburner. "We have not heard anything about it (privatisation) for quite some time. The UPA Government has said profit-making companies will not be privatised. We are a profit-making and dividend-paying company whose share with a face value of Rs 10 is quoted at Rs 130. So I don’t think we should worry about it," he told reporters here. The Government owns 91.03 per cent stake in STC, which reported a turnover of Rs 8349 crore and earned a net profit of Rs 20 crore during the last fiscal. The other 9 per cent of the equity was sold by the Government in 1991-92 to financial institutions and mutual funds who have since off-loaded part of the equity to the public. "STC privatisation is on the backburner now," he said after signing an MoU with Hyundai India telecom vice chairman and MD Vijay R Singh to provide Rs 200 crore assistance for importing mobile handsets into India over the next one year into India. "Business companies are growing firms and continue to grow. Their objective is to provide value to stakeholders. Moreover, ownership is for others to decide," Mr Pandalai added. The previous BJP Government had cleared a proposal to disinvest 65.02 per cent stake in STC to a strategic buyer. However, in keeping with the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP), the UPA Government has initiated review of disinvestment of Central Public Sector units under the administrative control of the ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises. The UPA Government has also decided to wind-up the disinvestment commission. However, a body to advise the Government on disinvestment, among other things, would be re-invented through the formation of a Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE), to be set up soon. "Generally, profit-making companies will not be privatised," the NCMP had said. (UNI) |
|
ITC will set up industry in Tripura to make agarbati stick AGARTALA, Nov 23: ITC Ltd has decided to set up an industry to produce incense sticks here and will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tripura Government. Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury said here today that all required raw materials, including high quality bamboo, are available in the state to produce the incense sticks. At present Tripura had been supplying 25 per cent of the country’s total requirement of incense sticks. A high-level delegation from ITC recently visited the state and held discussions with the State Government officials in this regard. (UNI) |
|
Rupee weakens further against USD in early trade MUMBAI, Nov 23: The rupee weakened once again early today on renewed dollar demand after the US currency staged a brief relief rally following its recent slide to record lows against major global rivals in generally quiet but slightly nervous trade at the interbank foreign exchange market. Opening distinctly weak at 45.0650/0750 per dollar, the rupee later dipped to 45.09/10 per dollar, sharply lower from the overnight five-and-half month closing peak of 45.0350/0450. Fresh dollar demand at sharply lower level amidst rising global crude oil prices exerted renewed pressure on the rupee, but there are adequate local dollar supplies to absorb the buying. Possible month-end dollar demand emerging early also weighed on the rupee value, a dealer said. Oil prices rebounded above 49 dollar a barrel and clawed towards USD 50 a barrel on heightened concerns over low supplies of winter. US light crude for January delivery climbed to USD 49.25 a barrel in late Monday trade. The dollar’s brief overnight rally from recent record lows have led local operators to cover short dollar position at current lucrative levels. A fresh rise in global oil prices has also fuelled dollar demand from oil companies, another dealer said. In cross currency trades, the euro was quoted at Rs 58.55/58, pound sterling at Rs 83.58/60 and the Japanese yen (100) at Rs 43.55/58. (PTI) |
|
Singapore expecting record number of Indian tourists SINGAPORE, Nov 23: Singapore Minister for Education Tharman Shanmugaratnam has said that the country was expecting a record number of Indian tourists this season. Indian tourists in Singapore had grown by at least eight per cent every year for the last decade and was expanding by a double-digit rate in recent years, he said while speaking at the annual function of the Indian restaurants association late yesterday. He noted that the Singapore Tourism Board had undertaken an Indian cuisine study to understand Singapore’s Indian restaurant sector, the business environment for the local Indian restaurateurs as well as the profile and needs of the Indian visitors. "The study showed that the profile of the Indian visitor is evolving. There is a growing number of Indian visitors who shop not just at little India but also in Orchard road," he said. As such, there is an opportunity for Indian restaurateurs to consider expanding their businesses beyond the traditional locations to Orchard road and Marina centre so as to tap this evolving Indian market, said Mr Shanmugaratnam, referring to Singapore’s two most popular tourism hubs. "Equally important, we have to stay alive to trends in the non-Indian tourist market. Singapore’s uniqueness is that it offers all its visitors a multi-cultural experience. We are receiving more well-travelled visitors, who are more cosmopolitan and open to diverse cultural experiences, and keener to sample different ethnic cuisines," he said. Mr Shanmugaratnam also called on the Indian restaurants to do more to develop and market an appetising and health-oriented Indian cuisine, aimed at the growing market of health-conscious individuals, local and foreign. "Health and personal well-being will be a growing business for many years to come,"he said. He urged the country’s enterprises to build strong Singapore brands and take them overseas, and cited an example of Komala’s restaurant, one of the oldest retaurants in Singapore which has franchised its south Indian vegetarian meals as Indian fast food concept in India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Oman. The Singapore Government and agencies like the Singapore Tourism Board will do their part to encourage the development of the Indian food and beverage sector, he said. "The singapore food festival-2005 will showcase the country’s unique food delights, including our local Indian and vegetarian cuisines," he added. (UNI) |
|
Survey of Dimapur Kohima Railway project completed KOHIMA, Nov 23: The survey for linking this state capital town with Dimapur through rail lines has been completed and the ambitous project is awaiting review and approval, official sources said quoting the Chief Secretary, P Talitemjen. Reviewing the progress of work undertaken by various departments at the monthly review meeting of heads of departments and secretaries here recently, the Chief Secretary said the Government had projected the state’s annual plan outlay for 2005-06 at Rs 591 crore. On implementation of the Prime Minister’s package for Nagaland, Talitemjen expressed satisfaction at the progress of various schemes under the largesse, particularly creation of employment in agri and allied sectors, capacity building exercises in service sectors and training in areas of specialisation. The Chief Secretary also asked heads of departments executing Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) to promptly furnish utilisation certificates to facilitate availing the next intalments. Development Commissioner Lalhuma regretted that although the North Eastern Council (NEC) had earmarked certain schemes for Nagaland during the current fiscal, the departments concerned were yet to submit project proposals. He asked them to do the needful as soon as possible, the sources added. (PTI) |
|
|
