'Prices can be adjusted now. The government can even temporarily cut taxes'.
It may come as a surprise to many, but Indian Railways under Mamata Banerjee has witnessed a marked improvement in its safety performance than what was recorded during the tenure of her predecessor, Lalu Prasad.
With the Indian Railways registering better-than-expected growth in traffic operations this financial year on the back of a revival in the economy, its gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to cross the 9 per cent mark by the end of this financial year. This could lead to a rise in the freight rates of some commodities, say officials in the ministry.
Under the plan being worked out, the labour component of the railway projects, which include the expansion of train lines or conversion of line gauge, would be funded from NREGS, as most of these projects require a large labour force and generate employment opportunities in rural areas.
The first cargo of 25,000 tonnes of Euro-IV grade diesel from RIL's refinery at Jamnagar was shipped by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd on Friday, said an informed source. This is also the first coastal supply of Euro-IV diesel for the Indian market.
Retail prices of sugar dipped 6 per cent after the government announced a slew of measures on January 13. Prices of grain and pulses have remained unchanged.
The recommendations forwarded by the consultant will be put up for discussions among trade bodies and port authorities.
Among the proposals considered today includes a project to construct a railway link between Rohanpur and Singhabad to facilitate transit traffic from Bangladesh to Nepal through India. Railway ministry sources indicated that the ministry had no objections to opening the additional transit route to Bangladesh.
New government policy on biofuels may consider financial incentives. Indian Oil Corporation, the country's biggest oil marketing company, is looking to acquire 50,000 hectares of wasteland in Uttar Pradesh for plantation of non-edible oilseeds, such as jatropha and karanjia, that are used for biodiesel production.
Under political pressure, the Centre had to drop a proposal which made the state government pay for the difference between the fair and remunerative price fixed by the Union government, and the state advisory rate.
Industry experts say that even though international companies face problems in setting up new projects on their own, given the problems associated with acquiring land and rehabilitating the displaced people, their keenness to become a part of the growing Indian market remains intact.
The sugar industry is all set to challenge the recent amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, which seeks to introduce a fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane, besides absolving the government of a Rs 14,000-crore levy price obligation arising out of several court rulings.
Overall, the railways intend to build 66 MFCs at a cost of Rs 8 crore (Rs 80 million) each. MFCs would provide rail users with facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants, book stalls, telephone booths, medicine and variety stores, budget hotels and underground parking.
Contrary to expectations, the revised fare structure under the 'Tatkal' scheme of the railways has given a boost to the ticketing earnings of the railways.
It not only wants the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to rework the under-recovery figure for the current year but has also decided to look at the issue of oil subsidies only in February 2010, when the next Budget will be announced.
A senior official at the ministry said: "Our revenue earnings have been better than the 7 per cent growth we had estimated. Revenue from freight traffic has registered a strong growth rate. If the trend persists, we are likely to earn more than the revenues estimated earlier this year."
They want more cash, forex, higher bond coupons and increase in market prices for petrol, diesel, LPG.
An official spokesperson of Oerlikon Graziano said, "In the domestic market in India, we have good order position, while in Europe and the US, due to the overall recession, things are a little slower. The Graziano management has taken a decision to grow its business in the Indian market."
Financial losses at nearby units in crores, air quality severely affected
A government that limits its role to regulation would be a great enabler for agricultural growth.
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