Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das seeks Centre’s help in building road infra
Jharkhand today sought Centre’s help in building infrastructure in the state, specially the four-lanes of over 635 km National Highways at eight different stretches at the cost of about Rs 8,000 crore. Addressing the 22nd Eastern Zonal Council meeting held here under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Raghubar Das raised the matter and said proposals in this regard have been sent to the NHAI and the Road Transport and Highways Ministry. Asserting that being a land-locked state, Jharkhand requires very good road and rail infrastructure, Das requested the Centre to expedite the projects. For trade and commercial activities, the state is dependent only on roads. Most of the roads maintained by the NHAI have heavy traffic because of the mineral transports, he said. The Chief Minister also requested the Centre to bear the cost of operations of the CRPF deployed in the state to contain Left Wing Terrorism, as it is a national problem and urged that pending bills to the tune of over Rs 4,000 crore on this account be waived off. Das also raised the issue of distribution of liabilities and assets with Bihar, which according to him was not properly distributed during the bifurcation in the year 2000. The Chief Minister also said, “Bihar is like an elder brother to Jharkhand and we can have mutual differences, but that is not going to come in the way of extending development for the people.” Matt Kalil Jersey
Government may guide Electronics, Leather biggies to set shop in coastal SEZs
The government is considering to handhold some big players in the labour-intensive sectors like garments, leather and electronics to set up shops in coastal special economic zones (SEZs). The idea is to help them set up units at two-three ports, which are yet to be identified, so that these big players build an ecosystem where they create jobs and manufacture products that would cater to both domestic and export markets. A senior government official, privy to the recent high-level meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on employment generation, told ET that Niti Aayog has mooted this proposal as part of government’s strategy to speed up job creation. India is adding nearly 12 million people to the job market every year and more than 65% of its population is below the age of 35, a big demographic advantage for the nation that is aspiring to become human resource capital of the world. “Employment generation is one of the top priorities for PM. Hence, the government is exploring all possible ways to push for job creation in labour intensive sectors,” the official quoted above said on the condition of anonymity. According to the official, government’s premier think-tank Niti Aayog through a long presentation explained the scenarios existing in countries such as Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and outlined the initiatives in these nations that have translated in job creation following which it had recommended for a dedicated employment generation strategy. “The proposal is under consideration and soon the concerned ministries will work out the roadmap to identify the ports and players that could be given incentives to set up manufacturing units at these ports,” the official added. While the contours will be worked out over the next month, the initial plan is to allow products rolled out from these SEZs to be sold in the domestic market as well, unlike the existing provision where manufacturing units in the SEZs are exclusively producing for global market. This would be the first direct intervention by the government to help create jobs. In the last two years, the BJP-led NDA government has liberalised its foreign direct investment policy, indirectly creating opportunities for jobs creation in almost all sectors. Michael Pierce Womens Jersey
Roads, Railways & Power may get Rs 25,000 crore push
The government is mulling an additional Rs 25,000 crore allocation to roads, railways and power sectors over and above the allocation made to them in the Union Budget, potentially providing a mid-year boost to public spending. All three ministries — road transport and highways, railways and power — are currently in advanced talks with the finance ministry to secure additional allocation. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is also pushing for enhanced allocation in these sectors, which coupled with recent reforms, would boost the economic growth of the country. The finance ministry has asked the ministries to come up with the final list of projects that would be undertaken with additional budgetary funding, a senior government official said. The road ministry had soughtRs 15,000 crore as additional allocation, a senior official with the ministry said. However, it has been assured of Rs 10,000 crore by the finance ministry. The highway construction target for the current fiscal year has been set at 15,000 km (41 km a day), which would cost aroundRs 1.5 lakh crore. However, total allocation made to the ministry in the budget has been Rs 57,000 crore along with the permission to raise tax-free bonds worth Rs 15,000 crore. The ministry hopes to raise the remaining amount through funding from Life Insurance Corporation and Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and by leasing out its completed projects to private equity firms and pension funds. Despite 21 policy changes in recent months, private sector investment is yet to pick up in the roads sector. According to the road ministry official, the additional allocation would be used for four laining the existing highways and for upgrading the state highways into national highways. The railways ministry, which is facing its worst ever financial crunch due to falling revenues and increased project costs, is likely to get an impetus of Rs 12,000 crore. “The additional gross budgetary support (GBS) is likely to be used for clearing stuck projects, upgrading and modernizing the safety of railway lines and decongesting some of its routes. Some high traction electrification projects could also be taken up,” a senior railway board official said. The Railways has a target of constructing 7 km of rail lines per day. In the current year, it has received Rs 45,000 crore as gross budgetary support (GBS) and its total Plan outlay for the year is Rs 1.21 lakh crore. The ministry would also have to bear the burden of the seventh Pay Commission and its wage bill would go up by at least Rs 29,000 crore due to this. The power ministry is hopeful of getting Rs 3,000 crore. It has a target of electrifying at least 14,000 villages across the country. Justin Smoak Jersey
Airports Authority of India again rejects Changi Airport plan for Jaipur, Ahmedabad airports
For the second time, state-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has rejected Singapore’s Changi Airport proposal to operate and maintain Jaipur and Ahmedabad airports after finding the latest plan “unfeasible”. Now, AAI would move ahead with steps to start the international bidding process for choosing the entities to operate and maintain the two domestic aerodromes. The proposal to rope in Singapore’s Changi airport for the projects was floated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the island nation last November. The revised plan from Changi Airport, owned by the Singapore government, also sought a “higher” quantum of revenue in managing Jaipur and Ahmedabad aerodromes. This is “unfeasible” and not commercially viable for AAI, a source close to the development said. Oliver Ekman-Larsson Jersey
Seaplane awaiting airworthiness certificate
seaplane flown in from USA to the State six months ago for operating services within and outside the State is awaiting a key clearance from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The 10-seater amphibian aircraft, brought by a State-based aviation group, is parked in Kochi. It has received Indian registration and is awaiting airworthiness certification from the DGCA. The certification is part of the mandatory procedures for the operators in the aviation sector and it was expected within a month or so, an official of the aviation group told The Hindu . The commercial operations might begin soon after receiving the certification. The operator will meet the Ministers concerned in the Left Democratic Front government to discuss matters pertaining to flight operations. The previous government had issued guidelines for receiving early bird incentives and the operator will be eligible for them, being the first carrier in the category. The government had guaranteed a certain share of seats on regular flights, subject to certain conditions. The setting up of waterdromes and other infrastructure would also have to be ensured before commencement of operations. The original plan of the government was to enable operation of flights in the Kollam-Alappuzha sector. The Alappuzha waterdrome spot was changed from Punnamada to Vattekayal by an official committee set up by government after objections were raised by fishermen on the original landing spot. The seaplane operator is planning to operate flights from Kochi to Lakshadweep initially. Kenny Vaccaro Womens Jersey
Duty-free shops at airports now out of FSSAI purview
As per Hindustan Times, food, drinks and other edibles sold at duty-free shops at all airports will no longer need an approval stamp from India’s top food regulatory body. In a decision taken last month, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has exempt these retail outlets at airports from following country’s food import regulations. A notice in this regard was uploaded on the FSSAI website. “We heard their side carefully and after a thorough consultation with our experts came to this decision that those outlets being customs-bound and are not technically importing any items directly on the Indian soil, will not be subject to FSSAI inspection and licensing processes,” said Pawan Agarwal, CEO, FSSAI. “… it was decided that duty free shops would be outside the ambit of food safety standards Act 2006 and regulations made there under till the time import regulations are finally notified,” read the FSSAI notice. Ali Marpet Jersey
CIAL sets target of Rs.3,000-cr. turnover
Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) will diversify its services and expand its electricity generation business, among other activities, to achieve the target of Rs.3,000 crore turnover by 2023. The airport operator’s business target has been made public in its ‘vision mission document’ presented before the State government recently. The company has said that the business of operating other airports too is within its vision. Sources said that CIAL would leverage its subsidiaries to achieve the business target. Twenty per cent of the targeted revenue would come from aero-related business; 30 per cent from non-aero areas of activities and 50 per cent from non-aviation business over the next seven years. CIAL is the first company in the country in public-private partnership to build and operate a greenfield airport and the presentation made before the State government by the CIAL management said it had the competence to take on any challenge. CIAL, which generates 15.2 MW of solar energy now to make its current operations power-neutral, will achieve its target of generating 30 MW of solar power by the end of the current year. Together with solar power, work is in progress on building eight small hydro-electric power generation facilities across Kerala. Wayne Gretzky Jersey
DGCA orders Indigo not to train pilots in one stimulator in overseas training centre
Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered budget carrier IndiGo not to train its pilots on one of the two simulators at an overseas training centre following an inspection of the facility and the subsequent detection of the malfunctioning in one of the two such machines last month. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has, however, not withdrawn approval granted to the training organisation for imparting training to the Indian pilots, a senior DGCA official said. “There are two simulators at UK based training organisation. One was found erratic. DGCA has asked Indigo not to train pilots on erratic simulator,” the official said. The approval granted to the organisation, however, continues, the official said. Besides IndiGo, other domestic carrier Jet airways and a some British airlines also use the facility to impart simulator training to their pilots. When contacted, IndiGo said the regulators decree will not have any impact on its training programme as a major portion of training to its pilots is conducted at the Dubai facility of the same organisation. “This restriction will not impact IndiGo as we primarily conduct a major portion of our training at CAE-Dubai. The simulators used by IndiGo at CAE Dubai have been evaluated and cleared by DGCA vide OC (Office Circular) 1 of 2016,” IndiGo said in a statement. Filip Chlapik Jersey
SpiceJet’s Red Hot Spicy Low fare Deal, a lie?
A passenger consumer rights body in a first of its kind has registered a complaint at the ministry of civil aviation questioning fares availability as was advertised by low-cost carrier, SpiceJet. The “Red Hot Spicy” Airlines had announced five-day sale one-way, base fare of Rs 444 for its Jammu-Srinagar, Ahmedabad-Mumbai, Mumbai-Goa, Delhi-Dehradun and Delhi-Amritsar routes as reported by The Times of India. “Fares would vary from sector to sector, depending on the travel distance and flight schedules, and timings are subject to regulatory approvals and changes,” SpiceJet said, maintaining that the seats would be only available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Complaints were registered soon on the same offer, as many visited the airline’s website. “We started getting complaints from 10.20am, stating that no such fare was available even for a short distance of less than 500km,” said Sudhakara Reddy, president, Air Passengers’ Association of India (APAI). Joe Young Jersey
Reliance oil imports for May down 13.2% year-on-year
Reliance Industries Ltd, owner of the world’s biggest refining complex, imported 13.2 percent less oil in May compared with a year earlier, as it shut a crude unit at its 580,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery for three weeks, according to tanker arrival data from trade sources and ship-tracking services on the Thomson Reuters terminal. Reliance, which has a diversified crude slate and shifts purchases to maximise revenue, bought 1.15 million bpd last month, a decline of 4.5 percent from April. Last month, Reliance received about 98,700 bpd oil and condensate from Iran after skipping purchases from Tehran in the previous month. The Indian conglomerate in March resumed purchases from Tehran after a six-year gap. Reliance is looking for long-term supplies from Iran. The share of Latin American and African oil in Reliance’s overall imports declined in the first five months of 2016, as the company shifted away from dated-Brent linked oil to Middle Eastern grades, the data showed. The share of Middle Eastern crude in Reliance’s overall imports rose to 59 percent in January-May 2016 from about 43 percent a year ago, the data showed. During the same period, African grades accounted for about 5 percent of the crude purchased, compared with about 13 percent a year earlier, while the share of Latin American oil slipped to about 33 percent from 43 percent. Mike Smith Womens Jersey