Emerging as the single largest export zone in the country, the Jamnagar SEZ has seen its export nearly touch Rs 80,000 crore (Rs 800 billion) till March 2010.
The Gujarat International Finance Tec-City project in near-coma It was once seen as Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's reply to then counterpart Vilasrao Deshmukh's plans for a finance city in Mumbai.
UK-based INEOS, the world's third largest chemical company, is exploring the possibility of setting up a catalyst unit at the Dahej Special Economic Zone in Gujarat.
Bosch Rexroth (India) Ltd, a subsidiary of German automation giant Bosch Group, a drive and control solutions for industrial applications, has bought private land near the Tata Nano site in Sanand recently with plans to set up its second manufacturing unit in the state.
ONGC has about 1,200 drilling wells in Mehsana. The new location will require about 500 wells to be drilled and the estimated investment for this would be about Rs 500 crore, industry sources said. ONGC has completed the seismic study of the area and will start drilling once it gets the requisite permissions.
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 move to extend the income tax benefits enjoyed by units covered by the Software Technology Parks of India Act and those set up in export oriented units by another year -- up to March 31, 2011 will benefit around 6,000 STPI units and 2,486 EoUs. In its budget-related wish list, the commerce ministry had recommended a three-year extension of the scheme, while the industry has been asking for five.
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.
Government officials said the Asean FTA, as well as a similar pact with South Korea involving free trade of goods, services and investment, could be signed on the sidelines of the summit of Asean nations, scheduled in October this year. The India-South Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is also ready for signing, sources added.
As part of its fiscal tightening measures, the finance ministry has asked all government departments not to seek any increase in their allocations for 2009-10 over and above what has already been provided for in the Interim Budget presented on February 16.
Developers will now be able to get their land classified as an SEZ at the initial stage of approval by submitting legal documents that prove land ownership. With exports falling sharply in the last six months, faster development of SEZs is seen as one way of increasing overseas sales of Indian goods and services, an official said.
Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Suresh D Tendulkar, as well as other member of the apex panel submitted their resignation on Tuesday.
This meant targets set for primary school admissions, assured income for every family and roads, water, housing and electricity. And yearly spending of over Rs 1,20,000 crore (Rs 1,200 billion), up from Rs 36,000 crore (Rs 360 billion) in the last year of the National Democratic Alliance government.
The Planning Commission's term runs concurrently with that of the government. The commission, whose inputs are vital on important policy related matters, is likely to have new faces when the new team is announced, said a top government functionary who had earlier worked in the apex planning body.
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.
India's exports have declined for the seventh consecutive month in April.
India Inc's initiative to adopt Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the country is facing problems because of low level of cooperation on the field as well as red-tapism, industry lobby groups have claimed.