Indian air traffic grew at highest rate in the world in January: IATA
India beat all global markets in terms of domestic air traffic growth during the month of January, according to the International Air Transport Association, a global lobbying body. “January traffic soared 26.6%, marking the 15th consecutive month of 20%-plus annual growth. Demand is being stimulated by strong flight frequency,” IATA said in a statement. The fastest economic growth in the world, a growing middle class, rapid expansion by India’s carriers and the cheap airfares is pushing air traffic demand in India. China’s domestic traffic growth was not far behind, up 23.2% compared to January 2016. This was the strongest monthly growth since June 2010. Japan grew by 3.5% while Brazil contracted by 2%. Domestic air traffic in Australia grew by 1.1%, in Russia by 15.4% and domestic US by 3.5%. Geno Atkins Womens Jersey
India clears the decks for multi-modal transnational connectivity play
India is moving ahead with its plans of accessing transnational multi-modal connectivity. As part of this strategy, the Union cabinet on Monday approved the signing of the Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports (TIR) Convention by the government. The multilateral international transit treaty—Customs Convention on International Transport of Goods under cover of TIR Carnets—is also referred to as the TIR Convention and functions under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). India will be the 71st signatory to this international transit system, designed to facilitate the seamless movement of goods throughout these countries in Asia and Europe. Interestingly, the two countries which signed TIR before India were Pakistan (2015) and China (2016). Hence, India’s participation in TIR may also facilitate trade with its eastern and western neighbours. Viewed along with the Indian Railways’s plan of setting up a Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) route presented last week, these intermodal regional connectivity plays succinctly articulate India’s role in the proposed transportation architecture in the region and beyond. This comes against the backdrop of China’s ambitious “One Belt One Road” initiative aimed at connecting some 60 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe to boost trade and economic ties on the lines of the traditional maritime route. “(The TIR Convention) is to improve the international connectivity and movement of cargo across the countries in the multi-modal format. Goods can go from Mumbai or Kandla Port to Iran. From Iran they can go via rail or road to Central Asia or Europe,” a senior government official said, requesting anonymity. In response to Mint’s specific query on TIR Convention facilitating India’s trade relationship with Pakistan and China, a UNECE spokesperson declined to comment. “With regard to your specific questions, they mainly relate to issues subject to national law or bilateral or regional regulations. Therefore, the UNECE secretariat, which serves to facilitate the administration of the TIR Convention, is not in a position to provide you with specific answers,” the UNECE spokesperson said in an emailed response. The initiative comes at a time when India’s willingness to attend a meeting of Indus Water commissioners in Lahore later this month is being viewed as an indication that the two countries were ready to start re-engaging after a year of acrimony. The TIR Convention will help India move goods along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)—an ambitious multi-modal transportation established in 2000 by Iran, Russia and India to promote transportation cooperation. INSTC is to connect the India Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea through Iran and then onwards to St. Petersburg and northern Europe through Russia. To make the TAR route of Dhaka-Kolkata-Delhi-Amritsar-Lahore-Islamabad-Zahedaan-Tehran-Istanbul operational, a meeting of the chief executives of the railways of Iran, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey and India is to be held this month in India. “By joining the convention, the need for inspection of goods at intermediate borders as well as physical escorts en route shall be obviated due to reciprocal recognition of Customs controls. Customs clearance can take place at internal Customs locations thereby avoiding clearances at Border Crossing Points and ports that may often be congested. Movement under the TIR can be allowed by checking only the seals and the external conditions of the load compartment or the container thereby reducing border delays, transport and transaction costs thereby leading to increased competitiveness and growth for the trade and transport sectors,” the government said in a statement on Monday. Experts say that India is laying down the building blocks. “Economic integration is the only way forward. When economic interests converge, other things fall in place. That’s the reason why gas from India was intended to fuel Lahore’s kitchens,” said Saurabh Chandra, a former secretary in the department of industrial policy and promotion. India has been promoting a multi-modal transport strategy involving railways, highways and waterways. The government’s intent was articulated by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech last month, where he stressed upon the importance of an effective multi-modal transportation system for a competitive economy. India plans to develop Chabahar port in Iran, which will allow access to landlocked Afghanistan and energy-rich Central Asia through the Jawaharlal Nehru and Kandla ports on India’s west coast. In addition, India has built a 218km-road link connecting Delaram with Zaranj in Afghanistan, which is adjacent to Iran’s border. India has also been instrumental in the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, along with the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement. “The idea behind the TIR concept is easy and quick movement of cargo,” said another government official, who also declined to be named. Bobby McCain Womens Jersey
Karnataka may build new city to decongest Bengaluru
Call it an over-ambitious or non-implementable project, the Karnataka government is thinking of developing a new city in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) to decongest Bengaluru. The plan is to relocate at least 20 lakh of the state capital’s population to the new city. Urban development minister R Roshan Baig told reporters on Tuesday that the city will be developed on 11,000 acres of abandoned mining land in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), around 100 km from Bengaluru. To meet the drinking water needs of the city, desalination plants will be set up and sea water from Mangaluru will be brought to KGF through Yettinahole project pipelines. This is on the lines of the Tamil Nadu government’s proposed desalination plants to cater to the drinking water requirements of Chennai city. The neighbouring state has proposed to set up Minjur desalination plant and Nammeli desalination plant at a cost of Rs 515 crore and Rs 871 crore respectively. Global tenders will be called for designing the city. It will be developed by launching a special purpose vehicle by roping in private investors. The cost will be known only after a detailed project report is prepared by a global agency, he added. Over the last 15 years, the Centre has been planning to revive a cluster of colonial-era gold mines as there were reports that deposits worth Rs 14,000 crore are left. The government’s move has come as a surprise for those within the government and also activists who have been fighting for its revival. Baig said the state decided to develop a new city after all efforts to revive the mines went in vain. He said the Centre has agreed to hand over the land and the assets of the Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML), a public enterprise that shut down in 2001. The BGML closed down as the gold ore reserves got exhausted after 150 years of continuous and heavy extraction. Speculations were rife earlier that there’s a possibility of KGF turning into Bengaluru’s next landfill. On January 31 last year, a daylong bandh was observed in KGF to protest any such possible moves. The Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) had reportedly put forward the option of dumping Bengaluru’s trash near Marikuppam in Bangarpet taluk of Kolar district. Karnataka has also proposed four desalination plants at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore. These plants will be established in Udupi (Rs 735.30 crore), Mangaluru (Rs 2,533.61 crore), Saligrama (Rs 76.71 crore) and Kundapura ( Rs 154.42 crore) with the joint venture of Israel-based IDE and Vagas of Indian firm. This apart, six clusters, including Devenahalli, Doddaballapur, Harohalli, Dobbespet and Bidadi around Bengaluru will be developed as satellite towns. Baig said the work on Devanahalli is expected to be taken up soon by taking a loan of Rs 400 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) though the estimated cost of developing the town would be Rs 2,800 crore. A proposal for developing the town will be placed before the Cabinet soon, he added. Hayes Pullard Womens Jersey
India may make local steel use mandatory in govt infra projects
India may soon mandate the use of local steel in government infrastructure projects worth billions of dollars, sources said, pitching it as a WTO-compliant protectionist measure aimed at further cutting cheap imports, mainly from China. The government expects the move to boost sales of local companies such as JSW Steel and Tata Steel, and eventually attract global steelmakers such as ArcelorMittal and POSCO to invest in the country, five steel ministry sources told Reuters. India, the world’s third largest steel consumer, has budgeted a record $59 billion for 2017/18 for steel-intensive infrastructure projects such as ports, roads, railways and power. “The preference in procurement will enhance demand and thus production. Definitely it is ‘Make in Steel’ and thus ‘Make in India’,” Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh told Reuters. “It is preference with no compromise on quality and competitive pricing. To use domestic produce is an acceptable norm.” Analysts said a similar proposal by US President Donald Trump requiring the use of domestic steel to build two energy pipeline projects could violate international trade laws, but Indian officials say their plan will fall within WTO rules. A government document on the proposal, seen by Reuters, cites an article under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of the World Trade Organisation, allowing an exception to “procurement by governmental agencies of products purchased for governmental purposes and not with a view to commercial resale or with a view to use in the production of goods for commercial sale”. Abhijit Das, head of the New Delhi-based think-tank Centre for WTO Studies, said the provision had been invoked by the United States in the past and India could do the same. The protectionist move would, however, shrink foreign companies’ sales in the world’s fastest growing steel market. Japan has already threatened to take India to the WTO over some recent steel restrictions. Boost production, cut imports India wants to nearly triple its production capacity by the next decade and acquire technology to produce higher value products including automotive steel. “Current level of capacity utilisation of domestic steel producers is below 80 per cent,” said Sanak Mishra, secretary-general of the Indian Steel Association in New Delhi. “If demand picks up on account of increased government spending on infrastructure and government mandates the use of domestic steel in such projects, the domestic steel producers are fully capable of raising the production level.” The proposal to use local steel, which will not be applicable to smaller projects, will be taken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet in a month, two of the sources said. Modi, under pressure to create millions of jobs, wants steel to contribute heavily to the government’s target of raising the share of manufacturing in the economy to 25 per cent by 2022 from 17 per cent now, according to a steel ministry document seen by Reuters. “In the absence of domestic capacity, India would have to largely rely on China for its steel requirement since it is the only country with adequate surplus capacity to meet India’s requirement,” said the document. “For a strategic product like steel which has uses in defence and infrastructure sector, this is a worrying proposition.” Debt burdens Most Indian steel companies are so saddled with debt, however, that large-scale expansions will be difficult, analysts say. The steel industry contributes 29 per cent of overall banking sector bad debt of around $135 billion, according to government data. Most companies have reported losses as prices fell after imports into India more than doubled to 13 million tonnes in 2015/16 from the levels of 2013/14. China contributed to more than a third of the imports. Following some restrictions on imports, April-to-January shipments into India fell a third to around 6 million tonnes. “The steel ministry has found an innovative way of clearing the bad debt by ensuring procurement,” said one of the sources. “When we say we will give preference to Indian steelmakers, the fence-sitters (among foreign steelmakers) will gear up to start investing in India.” Global companies including POSCO have made multiple field visits over the past few months but have not committed to any new projects in India. Steel ministry officials have also unsuccessfully courted Hyundai Steel, including offering them a strategic stake in SAIL’s money-losing units, over the past months. POSCO and Hyundai Steel declined to comment about their India investment plans. Su’a Cravens Authentic Jersey
Hyderabad, Delhi airports ranked high in service quality
Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd and Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, both managed by GMR-led consortium, have secured top rankings in airport service quality by the Airports Council International. While Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has become world’s number 2 airport in the over 40 million passengers per annum (mppa) category, Hyderabad airport was ranked number 1 in the 5-15 mppa category in the Airports Council International 2016 rankings. DIAL ranking DIAL’s score increased from 4.96 in 2015 to 4.99 in 2016 that helped IGIA scale over several other airports and attained the second position globally, after Incheon, South Korea. Delhi Airport joined the club of international airports handing over 40 MPPA. I Prabhakara Rao, CEO, DIAL, said in a statement, “We are now geared to undertake the expansion works at Delhi airport. IGIA Master Plan-2016 will further enhance the experience of our passengers.” Hyderabad tops The ASQ awards are presented to those airports whose customers have rated them the highest during the year. Delhi Airport is served by 11 domestic and 51 foreign carriers with average of 1,124 flight movements a day. The Montreal (Canada)-based Airports Council International survey in the 5-15 million passengers per annum category shows Hyderabad Airport has steadily improved its score from 4.4 in 2009 to 4.9 in 2016, measured on scale of 1 to 5. SGK Kishore, CEO, GHIAL, said in a statement, “We plan to go for expansion of the airport, where it can enhance its capacity to meet 20 MPPA.” Mark Scheifele Womens Jersey
Aadhaar is now must for free LPG connection under PMUY scheme
The government has made having an Aadhaar card must for poor women to avail of free cooking gas (LPG) connection under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. While the government in October last year had made the unique identification number mandatory for everyone to get LPG subsidies, it has now extended the same for free cooking gas connections to women of BPL households. The government had last year launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana to provide 5 crore poor women with free LPG connections in three years with a view to providing clean cooking fuel. “Individual beneficiary desirous of availing the benefits under the scheme (PMUY) is hereby required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo Aadhaar authentication,” said a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Those below poverty line (BPL) women looking to avail free LPG connection but do not have the Aadhaar number, have been asked to apply for it by May 31. Once enrolled for Aadhaar, the beneficiary can apply for free LPG connection by providing the enrolment ID slip or a copy of such a request. Such application will have to be accompanied by one of the government identification documents like bank passbook with photograph, election voter ID, ration card, permanent account number (PAN), passport, driving licence, kisan photo passbook or a certificate of identity having a photo issued by a gazetted officer on an official letterhead, it said. The ministry has asked state-owned fuel retailing firms to facilitate enrolment of beneficiaries for biometric identification number, Aadhaar. In October last year, the government had made Aadhaar mandatory for availing of cooking gas (LPG) subsidies. The government currently gives 12 cylinders of 14.2—kg each at subsidised rates per household in a year. The subsidy on every cylinder is transfered in advance directly into bank accounts of individuals, who then buy the cooking fuel at market rates. The ministry notification issued on March 6 stated that the use of Aadhaar as identity document for delivery of services or benefits or subsidies simplifies the government delivery processes, brings in transparency and efficiency, and enables beneficiaries to get their entitlements directly to them in a convenient and seamless manner. “Aadhaar obviates the need for producing multiple documents to prove one’s identity,” it said. Riley Nash Jersey
Boeing pitches B737 MAX 10 to Indian operators
Boeing(BOE, Chicago O’Hare) has pitched its proposed B737 MAX 10 project to two of India’s largest operators of the B737 Family of jets, SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int’l) and Jet Airways (9W, Mumbai Int’l), Dinesh Keskar, the US manufacturer’s Senior Vice President (Sales – Asia Pacific & India), has told Reuters. As such, according to the report, Boeing has pitched to the two Indian operators as a means of determining market receptiveness to the aircraft, which is aimed at the A321neo niche. According to Keskar, the MAX 10 would be ideally suited to Indian carriers running frequent shuttle flights between the country’s main hubs. “If you are flying to the metros this (737 MAX-10) will be a perfect airplane, because runways are long, demand is there, frequency is already there,” he said. According to Boeing, the B737 MAX 10 will feature a 66-in. fuselage stretch, or two seat-rows, on the B737 MAX 9. Seating a total of 230 in a single class configuration, the upgraded CFM International Leap 1B-powered twinjet could make its debut as early as 2020. Joseph Noteboom Authentic Jersey
Govt says renewable energy capacity grew 26 per ccent in Apr-Jan
Generation of renewable energy grew 26 per cent in Apr-Jan 2017 as compared to that of previous corresponding period. Generation of power from renewable sources grew to 55,518.3 units in Apr-Jan as against 70,129.15 units during the same period last year. “Strong focus on renewables is driving up total electricity generation figures. In 2017 alone, for Apr-Jan 17, electricity generation growth was 5.04 per cent excluding generation from renewable sources. However, if renewable generation is included then total generation for the same period became 6.25 per cent,” the government said in a release. During the same period, generation from conventional sources grew over 5 per cent to 922,299.71 units from 968,780.44 units a year back. Conventional sources of energy account for over 70 per cent of India’s current energy mix. In February alone, generation from conventional sources of energy stood at 3.57 per cent. “February 2016 was a leap year with 29 days and February 2017 had only 28 days. The extra generation of 1 day in February 2016 affected the February 2017 figure by 3.57 per cent. Had February 2017 also had 1 extra day the increase in electricity generation from conventional sources would have been 3.52 per cent,” the release said. The government wants to take up the renewable energy capacity of the country to 175 Gigawatts by 2022 with solar alone accounting for 1 GW. Shea Weber Womens Jersey
Renewables purchase obligations: CERC to make it easier for discoms
The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has proposed to decrease the floor prices of renewable energy certificates (RECs), making it easier for the state discoms to meet their renewable energy purchase obligations (RPOs). For solar, the proposed floor price is R1,000 per REC, substantially lower than the current rate of R3,500. For non-solar RECs, the proposed floor price has been suggested to be R1,000, down from the current R1,500. The proposed reduction in REC floor prices are in line with the fall in renewable energy costs. REC mechanism is a market-based instrument to promote renewable energy and facilitate compliance of RPOs. It aims to address the mismatch between availability of renewable energy resources in the states and the requirement of the obligated entities to meet their RPOs. One REC is treated as equivalent to 1 Mwh of green electricity. RPO mandates that all electricity distribution licensees should purchase or produce a minimum specified quantity of their requirements from renewable energy sources. The state electricity regulatory commissions fix the minimum RPO for the states. The forbearance prices of RECs, or the upper price limit at which the RECs can be traded, have also been proposed to be cut. Forbearance prices for solar RECs may be slashed by more than half to R2,500 from R5,800. The same for non-solar RECs may come down to R2,900 from R3,300. Nick Cousins Jersey
Brazil to auction power transmission licenses on April 24 requiring $4.2 billion investment
Brazil’s energy regulator Aneel said on Tuesday it will auction next month new licenses to build and operate 7,400 kilometers (4,598 miles) of power transmission lines requiring up to 13.1 billion reais ($4.2 billion) in investment. In a statement, the regulator said the power lines would pass through 20 Brazilian states and should enter operation in the five years after the auction, scheduled for April 24. Power generator Engie Brasil Energia SA and distributor Energisa SA have already expressed interest in bidding. President Michel Temer launched an infrastructure concessions program on Tuesday aimed at raising 45 billion reais ($14.4 billion) in investments in roads, port terminals, railways and power transmission lines. Industry analysts expect the power transmission licenses auction to be successful, following good results for another sale in October. The companies that acquired licenses last year included Brookfield Asset Management Inc, Equatorial Energia SA , Cteep Companhia de Transmissao de Energia Eletrica Paulista and EDP Energias do Brasil SA. ($1 = 3.1194 reais) Hayes Pullard Authentic Jersey