Sreelatha Menon &Amp; Ajay Modi In New Delhi

Stories by Sreelatha Menon &Amp; Ajay Modi In New Delhi

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.

Follow the manifesto, don't forget the CMP

Follow the manifesto, don't forget the CMP

Rediff.com   18 May 2009

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.

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.

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.

The success story of rural BPOs

The success story of rural BPOs

Rediff.com   27 Apr 2009

A district collector's experiment in Tamil Nadu is showing the way for more rural BPOs even in times of recession.

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.

Why this eye hospital is a case study at Harvard

Why this eye hospital is a case study at Harvard

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2009

Sanskara Eye Care's model of charging fee from only 20 per cent of the patients is sufficient to make each hospital self-sustaining in three to five years. But is not the only source of its sustenance. In the US, children are donating their pocket money towards eye surgery in these hospitals. It is $30 for a surgery, says founder R V Ramani.

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.

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.

Goa polls head for five-star controversy

Goa polls head for five-star controversy

Rediff.com   7 Mar 2009

If there is one state where environmental issues spill over into active politics and can rewrite the destiny of political parties, it is Goa. And history threatens to repeat itself in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections for two seats, over a government ordinance concerning a Supreme Court order on the demolition of illegal structures built by hotels.

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.

Import nuke bombs easily through Indian ports

Import nuke bombs easily through Indian ports

Rediff.com   4 Mar 2009

India's sea ports do not have equipment to detect radioactive or contaminated consignments, exposing the country to security and safety risks, besides damaging reputation of goods manufactured in the country.

Oil firms request RBI to resume oil bonds' buy

Oil firms request RBI to resume oil bonds' buy

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2009

The first phase of SMOs was undertaken by RBI in June last year. The second phase, which began in November 2008, ended in the first week of January this year. Under the arrangement, RBI bought oil bonds from these companies and issued them dollars to import oil. Other than the RBI, the Life Insurance Corporation of India is another major subscriber to such bonds and certain quantities are also traded in the market.

A house of my own

A house of my own

Rediff.com   9 Feb 2009

Rented housing and fixed rents, like it's in developed countries, could be one way to ensure that everyone in cities has a roof over his head.

Oil marketers plan 3-fold hike in outlets

Oil marketers plan 3-fold hike in outlets

Rediff.com   4 Feb 2009

After a year of sluggish growth in fuel retail outlets, the three state-run oil-marketing companies--Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation--have chalked out aggressive plans for expansion in the next financial year. They will be commissioning over 2,100 outlets in 2009-10--over three times what they added in the current year--at an investment of about Rs 1,200 crore.

Balrampur Chini hauled up for fudging accounts

Balrampur Chini hauled up for fudging accounts

Rediff.com   4 Feb 2009

The ministry of corporate affairs has begun prosecuting directors of Kolkata-based Balrampur Chini Mills, India's second-largest sugar company, for not complying with accounting standards and Schedule V1 (Section 211) of the Companies Act. The prosecution has been initiated after inspection under the Companies Act.