Bijith R, Prashant Sahu &Amp; Surajeet Das Gupta

Stories by Bijith R, Prashant Sahu &Amp; Surajeet Das Gupta

CEOs made to sweat more for money: Spencer Stuart

CEOs made to sweat more for money: Spencer Stuart

Rediff.com   27 Jan 2009

As companies find themselves in the midst of an unprecedented meltdown, the role and expectations from CEOs are changing, according to Spencer Stuart, one of the largest global recruitment agencies for senior directors and CEOs. It has made these findings from recruitments undertaken in India across sectors like financial services, telecommunications and FMCG, amongst others.

Govt mulls 'golden share' in infra projects

Govt mulls 'golden share' in infra projects

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2009

The 'golden share', which will be owned by the government, will ensure that it has a say in all major decisions taken by the private concessionaire. It will also obviate the need for the government to invest in the equity of the company. The proposal has been mooted by the Planning Commission in the new model concession agreement that it has developed for the infrastructure sector. The agreement has been circulated among various stakeholders for consultation.

Chandra-promoted firm's fund-raising plan rejected

Chandra-promoted firm's fund-raising plan rejected

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2009

It has rejected a proposal by Subash Chandra-promoted Wire and Wireless India, which has sought permission to issue partly paid-up equity shares, pursuant to its rights issue. WWIL is in the cable network business. The shares were to be issued to non-residents, which also included FIIs, venture capital funds, multilateral and bilateral development financial institutions, and eligible NRIs for cash aggregating up to Rs 450 crore (Rs 4.5 billion).

IFC shareholder rebels against Raghav Bahl

IFC shareholder rebels against Raghav Bahl

Rediff.com   17 Jan 2009

The dispute involves a UK-based hedge fund, Altima Partners, and the company's principal promoter Raghav Bahl, founder and largest shareholder of Network18, the broadcasting group which runs TV channels such as CNBC-TV18, Colors and Awaaz.

3G spectrum auctions may be delayed again

3G spectrum auctions may be delayed again

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2009

Auctions for spectrum for 3G or third-generation telecom services could be delayed from an already rescheduled date of January 30 after the Department of Telecommunications sought legal opinion on whether it should send the finance ministry's suggestion on doubling the reserve price back to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for its endorsement.

3G spectrum row: DoT offers a compromise

3G spectrum row: DoT offers a compromise

Rediff.com   7 Jan 2009

Will scrap bid if it falls below government's revenue expectations.

Slowdown hits goods transport business

Slowdown hits goods transport business

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2009

The economic slowdown has taken off the road nearly a quarter of the total trucks in the country. In fact, the number is as high as 80 per cent in the mining belts of Karnataka, Orissa and Chhattisgarh.

Top companies give NHAI bidding a miss

Top companies give NHAI bidding a miss

Rediff.com   27 Dec 2008

Inadequate funding and non-viability of some projects have forced several leading infrastructure development firms to stay out of bidding for over 13 highway projects worth over Rs 12,500 crore (Rs 125 billion).

Six-year-old Bajaj dispute set to end

Six-year-old Bajaj dispute set to end

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2008

Bajaj family members are in the final stages of reaching a peace formula to their six-year-old dispute over the division of group companies and assets. Sources familiar with the developments said an announcement can be expected in the next 10 days, but did not want to divulge details.

Railways need more land for freight corridor

Railways need more land for freight corridor

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2008

Nearly three years after RITES, the consultancy arm of Indian Railways, prepared a preliminary project alignment design for the proposed dedicated freight corridor project, the railways are demanding 42 per cent more land for the project than what was previously envisaged.

Hyundai to lay off 2,000 temporary workers

Hyundai to lay off 2,000 temporary workers

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2008

Korean car maker Hyundai Motors India Ltd said it will have to lay off 2,000 temporary workers, about one-fourth of its labour force, to tide over a decline in car sales. The company employs over 8,400 workers, of which around 3,300 are temporary.

DLF-led consortium sole bidder for Gurgaon metro

DLF-led consortium sole bidder for Gurgaon metro

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2008

This is the second project in the country in which a metro rail project is being undertaken through a PPP model after the 71-kilometre Hyderabad metro project was won by Maytas Infrastructure. According to industry sources, infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro had also initially shown interest for the project, but backed out finally.

Highway toll set to go up

Highway toll set to go up

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2008

Highway users will have to shell out more toll for using the roads that are constructed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme.

Hill & Knowlton Asia gets nod to set up Indian arm

Hill & Knowlton Asia gets nod to set up Indian arm

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2008

This is the first time Hill & Knowlton, part of the WPP group that has several joint ventures in advertising, is venturing into India in this area. The Hong Kong-based company has presence in more than 41 countries across the globe. The PR business has been attracting the attention of international agencies and many have already set up JVs or signed partnerships with Indian players.

Most transactions made without PAN

Most transactions made without PAN

Rediff.com   9 Dec 2008

More than half the transactions under four of eight categories tracked under a scheme to reduce tax evasion lack a "valid" identification number issued by the Income-tax (I-T) Department.

New Delhi station revamp runs into fresh trouble

New Delhi station revamp runs into fresh trouble

Rediff.com   4 Dec 2008

Only 13 infrastructure companies attended the pre-bid conference at Rail Bhawan, compared with over 25 companies that had earlier submitted RFQs to the railways. Out of those 25, the railways had prepared a list of 13 companies which were technically qualified for the project. However, the RFQ was cancelled and a new set of documents was prepared.

Viability norms for road projects may be eased

Viability norms for road projects may be eased

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2008

The government aims to make highway projects more attractive to the private sector by raising the approved or sanctioned cost of all projects to be implemented under the private-public partnership mode by 15 per cent.

50% of fishing vessels:western coast unregistered

50% of fishing vessels:western coast unregistered

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2008

Over 50 per cent of the fishing vessels operating near the major ports on the country's western coast are unregistered, posing a threat to India's maritime security.

Few takers for highway projects

Few takers for highway projects

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2008

The government's ambitious highway projects under the public-private partnership mode are in serious trouble. Construction companies have either not put in bids or have withdrawn from 20 such projects, which fall under the build, operate and transfer scheme.

Siva to exit Tata Tele, Temasek too may sell

Siva to exit Tata Tele, Temasek too may sell

Rediff.com   15 Nov 2008

Days after NTT DoCoMo of Japan announced that it will buy 26 per cent in Tata Teleservices for $2.7 billion, NRI businessman C Sivasankaran has decided to put on the block his eight per cent stake in the company.