One million more go globe trotting in 2008-09.
NPC is facing protests from farmers who are refusing to make way for the Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion) project, the first major initiative after the civilian nuclear agreement between India and the US.
Reliance Industries has already stepped up gas production from 28 mmscmd in June to about 36-37 mmscmd now. The production will soon reach 42 mmscmd once the supply to the Dabhol power plant is increased in the first week of October, said a company official.
The revival has been such that denim players are experiencing a tsunami of orders. Arvind Limited, India's largest denim producer based in Ahmedabad, has its hands full with export orders. The firm has a denim production capacity of 75 lakh (7.5 million) metres a month.
A delegation led by Clinton Foundation Chairman Ira Magaziner met Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other top government officials to discuss their plans to set up a 3,000-5,000 Mw solar park. "The Clinton Foundation is keen on signing an MoU for this project anytime next week. The investment for the project could be close to $10 billion, depending on the size of the project," a top government official said.
"We have signed an MoU with Cisco to make an investment in GIFT and help us evolve our technology platform. The American giant is likely to invest over $2 billion in the project," a top government official of GIFT said. Cisco is also expected to pick up some stake in the project. However, the details are still being worked and it will take about three-four months to finalise the deal, the official added.
The equations would take change completely in case a third front forms the government. Many experts feel that banking, insurance and healthcare will not be impacted whoever forms the government.
"Surat had 2,500 to 3,000 diamond-cutting and polishing units operational before Diwali. However, only 1,000 units were able to start operations after the vacation," said CP Vanani, president, Surat Diamond Association. Confirming that 500 units had re-opened this month, he said 1,500 units were now back in business.
RIL is aiming to revive its 350-odd outlets in Gujarat and Maharashtra by the end of April, followed by the rest of the country. The company may sell only these two products for some time. The company had closed all its 1,400-odd retail outlets through the country last year, after sales dropped drastically due to its inability to match the subsidised prices offered by state sector oil marketing companies.
Political observers feel that Kodnani's arrest will help the Bharatiya Janata Party project a more 'secular and fair' image.
ONGC has qualified for final bidding of the first phase of the bioremediation project, worth $3 billion. The total project, to be funded by the World Bank, was likely to cost up to $40 billion, said sources. This project was first floated in 2006 and is aimed at cleaning the huge oil spills created during the war, which was fought after Iraq occupied Kuwait. OTBL is hopeful of bagging this project.
In a bid to increase efficiency, telecom major Vodafone Essar is set to relocate over 1,500 of its employees to Ahmedabad from all over the country.
Tata Motors' Nano, the small car seen as a symbol of India's expertise in frugal engineering, is likely to be launched on March 3. Billed as the world's cheapest, the small car's first recipients may be celebrities, including political leaders, social workers, sports stars and film stars.
For the first time since its inception in 2006, the Board of Approval on special economic zones in its next meeting in March will take up a proposal from a developer to merge these tax-free industrial enclaves for exports.
Gujarat is already among the top four states using renewable energy, having an installed capacity of about 1,400 Mw. The state government has recently come out with a separate solar power policy under which it proposes to purchase 500 Mw of solar power every year at an agreed cost.
G-VIC is inspired by global high technology innovation clusters such as the Silicon Valley in the US, Hsinchu in Taiwan, Tsukuba in Japan and Sofia Antipolis in France. It has been conceptualised and is led by leading professionals from diverse fields. The company, chaired by former central vigilance commissioner N Vittal, is in close talks with international firms to partner the project.
Tatas' drive into Sanand area for their Nano project has given a major fillip to Mumbai-based real estate major K Raheja Corp to set up its support infrastructure projects in the area.
The International Finance Corporation is the private sector arm of the World Bank GSPC Gas, which is in the business of distributing natural gas to households and vehicles in Gujarat, has lined up an initial investment of $140 million for laying new pipelines for gas and building the infrastructure needed for gas distribution in cities. It may use the IFC fund to partly finance this expenditure.
The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad has awarded Hyderabad-based Sarovar Park Plaza, a subsidiary of Sarovar Hotels, a long-term contract to provide management-backed hospitality services.
Though most people expected Tata Motors to select either Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka for its Nano project, it was clear that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had done the impossible and coming from nowhere bagged the prestigious project.