Ajay Modi &Amp;Amp; Namrata Acharya

Stories by Ajay Modi &Amp;Amp; Namrata Acharya

Oil marketing cos to cut aviation fuel prices

Oil marketing cos to cut aviation fuel prices

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2009

Aviation companies are set to get a major relief from high aviation turbine fuel prices. Following a steep decline in crude oil prices, oil marketing companies are looking to cut ATF prices by 5-6 per cent, or Rs 2,000-2,500 a kl across various cities beginning Thursday, said industry sources.

Govt borrowings won't affect interest rates: FM

Govt borrowings won't affect interest rates: FM

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2009

Pranab Mukherjee has projected government borrowings of Rs 4.51 lakh crore for the current fiscal.

India to relaunch oil exploration bidding in Aug

India to relaunch oil exploration bidding in Aug

Rediff.com   22 Jun 2009

The government is planning to relaunch the eighth phase of bidding for oil and gas blocks under the New Exploration and Licensing Policy (Nelp-VIII) in the second week of August.

Banks prefer to sell NPAs for cash

Banks prefer to sell NPAs for cash

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2009

The long wait for realisation makes lenders averse to security receipt transactions. Instead, they have been insisting more on cash, even though valuations of bad assets are generally lower in case of cash deals than those involving SRs. While in deals involving SRs stressed assets are valued at 30 per cent on an average, in cash deals they are valued at 20 per cent, depending on the quality of the assets.

Cabinet likely to review fuel prices

Cabinet likely to review fuel prices

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2009

The Union Cabinet is likely to review prices of petrol and diesel as crude oil price continue to move northward.

IOC puts on hold its Haldia refinery plan

IOC puts on hold its Haldia refinery plan

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2009

Indian Oil Corporation, the country's largest oil marketing company, has put on hold its plan to set up a 15-million tonne refinery at Haldia due to the economic downturn.

Govt likely to double set price of natural gas

Govt likely to double set price of natural gas

Rediff.com   27 May 2009

The gas price revision will add to the bottomline of the two public sector companies -- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India Ltd -- and will also yield additional revenue for the central and state governments.

Cairn open to buying ONGC's 30% stake

Cairn open to buying ONGC's 30% stake

Rediff.com   15 May 2009

Cairn India is open to buying the 30 per cent stake that government-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation owns in its oil block in Rajasthan. Cairn India is the operator of the block, with 70 per cent ownership currently.

Oil surges to $60 but no price hike yet

Oil surges to $60 but no price hike yet

Rediff.com   14 May 2009

International crude oil prices crossed the $60 a barrel mark yesterday--up from a record low of $32.40 in December last year--on the back of improved sentiment over the economic recovery, especially in China and Europe.

Gold ETFs: Investors look away

Gold ETFs: Investors look away

Rediff.com   5 May 2009

"We are now looking at a new fund under the gold category, which will enable small investors to subscribe to the units from the offices of UTI, without even having a demat account," said sources at UTI Mutual Fund. "With the equity markets rising by almost 30 per cent between mid-March and April, investors are no longer interested in gold ETFs. Also most Indians prefer holding physical gold, rather than gold ETFs," said a broker.

Petronet explores 'gas swap' deal with RIL

Petronet explores 'gas swap' deal with RIL

Rediff.com   1 May 2009

Petronet LNG, which operates a recently expanded ten-million-tonne gas regassification plant in Dahej on the west coast, is exploring a swap option with the gas from the Krishna-Godavari field (K-G D6) on the east coast owned by Reliance Industries Ltd.

Govt may issue more oil bonds

Govt may issue more oil bonds

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2009

The ministry of petroleum has approached the finance ministry to seek permission to give additional bonds worth Rs 10,000 crore to the three public sector oil marketing companies --Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd--to help them close the last fiscal with a profit.

Petrol prices: Govt, private firms at war

Petrol prices: Govt, private firms at war

Rediff.com   13 Apr 2009

The Appellate Tribunal for Electricity has admitted the OMCs' plea challenging the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board's power to adjudicate on the matter.

Govt for duty-free import of 1mn tonnes of sugar

Govt for duty-free import of 1mn tonnes of sugar

Rediff.com   11 Apr 2009

To prevent sugar prices from becoming a tool in the hands of opposition parties in the parliamentary elections, the government has allowed government agencies like MMTC, STC, NAFED and PEC to import one million tonne of white sugar duty-free. The export obligation on raw sugar imports under open general licence scheme has also been removed.

SBI chairman hints at rate cut

SBI chairman hints at rate cut

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2009

State Bank of India, India's largest lender, may cut interest rates in the new financial year on the back of a lower-than-expected credit growth.

Crude oil reserve cost up 25%

Crude oil reserve cost up 25%

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2009

The initial cost of the reserve, expected to become operational by 2012, was estimated at Rs 2,400 crore (Rs 24 billion), excluding the cost of crude oil. Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd, special purpose vehicle that is implementing the project, has asked Engineers India Ltd to work on the revised cost," said sources. EIL is the management consultant for this project.

Share of govt banks in auto finance on the rise

Share of govt banks in auto finance on the rise

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2009

The share of government banks in auto finance has increased significantly in the last few months. In some cases, it has nearly doubled. The reason: these banks are offering cheaper loans than their private sector counterparts.

Inflation lowers, yet food prices remain high

Inflation lowers, yet food prices remain high

Rediff.com   16 Mar 2009

The food-price segment in the WPI has been growing at 8.3 per cent, much higher than the rise in the index for manufactured articles. In fact, segments like minerals and fuel have witnessed a decline in the WPI and have pulled the inflation down. The rise in food prices affects the common man more than the increase in prices of any other item.

Govt rice purchase may touch new record

Govt rice purchase may touch new record

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2009

Procurement by the end of this season is likely to touch a new record of 29-30 million tonnes, surpassing the earlier high of 28.4 million tonnes. The country's rice output in 2008-09 is also estimated at an all-time record of 98.89 million tonnes. Punjab has been the largest contributor to the rice stock at 8.38 million tonnes, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh. Procurement is up in all top-producing states except in Haryana and Chattisgarh.

Govt plans stimulus package for chemical industry

Govt plans stimulus package for chemical industry

Rediff.com   6 Mar 2009

The proposals under consideration include waiving the current 5 per cent Customs duty on naphtha and reducing the excise duty on mono ethyl glycol from 8 per cent to 4 per cent. The Cabinet secretariat has sought views from various ministries and departments for this package.