There are opportunities to repeat the success of NTP '99 with 3G and Broadband Wireless Access, says Shyam Ponappa.
Four new players will be given spectrum along with one existing operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam or Mahanagar Telephone Nigam - in their respective circles.
Dabhol is part of Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt Ltd.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who heads an Empowered Group of Ministers on Special Economic Zones, is likely to consult Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve the dispute between finance and commerce ministries over tax exemption for export profits from the zones.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the purchase of 68 aircraft by the country's flagship carrier Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Thursday.
The Empowered Group of Ministers headed by Pranab Mukherjee has cleared the Food Security Bill, paving the way for Right to food to be made a fundamental right backed by legal provision. The bill is strongly supported by Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
A bill to allow the private sector to mine six atomic minerals, including lithium, and deep-seated minerals like gold and silver was approved by the Lok Sabha on Friday.
The Inter-Ministerial Group on restructuring of Delhi and Mumbai airports asked global consultant ABN-AMRO to shortlist the bidders, ten of whom have expressed interest in modernising these airports, by Thursday.
With huge stocks and a possible record output this year, the Centre will soon take a decision whether to allow export of wheat, which was banned in early 2007, Food And Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said here on Thursday
The government holds 89.5 per cent stake in NTPC and it plans to dilute five per cent stake constituting 41.22 crore (412.2 million) shares through its proposed FPO.
Within days of approving a price formula for gas to be produced by Reliance Industries, the government said on Friday it will ask the Mukesh Ambani company to prioritise fuel sales to fertiliser plants, city gas and existing power plants.
An empowered group of ministers on April 9 decided to give any unutilised KG-D6 gas to steel plants who are currently not being supplied their full share of administered price fuel, official sources said. After gas-based steel plants, allocations would also be made to existing gas-fired power plants and to other power plants, including captive power plants depending upon the availability of the unutilised gas.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has asked Communications Minister Andimuthu Raja to complete the auction of the third generation (3G) spectrum within the agreed deadline (February 15), so that the revenue from it can be reflected in the Union Budget for 2009-10. Mukherjee had earmarked Rs 30,000 crore as revenue from 3G auction, which has already been delayed by a year, in the Budget.
The much awaited auction of spectrum for 3G mobile services is likely to be delayed by more than a month and may commence from the first week of March next year -- schedule for which is to be announced soon.
The Empowered Group of Ministers to examine the minimum area required for setting up Special Economic Zones is likely to hold its first meeting on Wednesday.
The Department of Telecommunications is scheduled to auction 3G spectrum starting January 14.
RIL had sought 11.80 million standard cubic meters per day of KG D-6 gas to meet feedstock requirement at its twin refineries but it got only 2.34 mmscmd.
The empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on gas headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday decided that gas allocation from RIL's D-6 block will be made to power projects subject to availability and without prejudice to court decisions, according to a government release.
The government told the court that price of gas, determined by an empowered group of ministers, is applicable to all the buyers, whether they are government companies or private. The government will file an affidavit to this effect on Tuesday.
The Empowered Group of Ministers looking into the Dabhol power project fiasco is likely to meet on Friday to discuss ways to restart the plant that has been lying idle for over three years.
At least clear zones where firms have own land, says minister.
If approved, many proposals will have a significant impact on the SEZ policy, which came into force in February 2006. A crucial finance ministry proposal -- to be discussed by the group -- is imposing an export obligation in excess of 50 per cent on developers and units that will be eligible for duty and tax benefits.
The rehabilitation policy, which is being currently formulated by the Ministry of Rural Development, is unlikely to affect the special economic zones already approved by the government.
Government sources on Thursday confirmed that the EGoM would meet on August 27. The EGoM, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to discuss various issues, including the amount of 3G spectrum to be auctioned, annual spectrum charges, the number of operators in each telecom circle and the reserve price for 3G and broadband wireless services, sources said.
The meeting of the empowered Group of Ministers on Dabhol Power, scheduled for October 8 to discuss ways and means of reviving the troubled 2,184 MW power project in Maharashtra, has been postponed.
As many as 237 formally-approved zones are pending final notification, while another 81 fresh proposals are waiting to be approved.
A key meeting of senior United Progressive Alliance government ministers and political parties, including the Congress and its Left allies, failed to secure a political consensus on the showpiece Special Economic Zones initiative.
The Empowered Group of Ministers, which had its third meeting on Wednesday morning was near unanimous on the need to honour the government's commitment allowing marketing and price freedom to investors investing in oil and gas hunt.
Land acquisition for special economic zones is stuck because of a year-old directive by the Empowered Group of Ministers that bars state governments from carrying out compulsory acquisition of land for the zones.
Petroleum ministry rejects conclusions of two reports ahead of EGoM.
The commerce ministry had, in March, put on hold this change in the SEZ rules.
The Parliamentary Committee on Special Economic Zones on Friday said no further SEZs should be notified unless the law is amended to include changes pertaining to land acquisition.
New Delhi The government has decided not to sell the Dabhol power plant, which has been struggling thanks to huge debts it owes to the contractors.
The empowered group of ministers, however, decided to allocate the initial 40 million standard cubic metre per day of gas from KG-D6 basin to the existing power and fertiliser plants and proposed units like the captive power plant at Nagothane did not figure in the scheme of things. A company spokesperson confirmed the scrapping of the project.
Hearing the petition by Tata Power against a decision of the Empowered Group of Ministers to allow use of coal from the captive mines for Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project to other projects, the Court did not give a stay and fixed the next date for hearing on February 24.
The government will not stop companies from filing fresh applications seeking permission to set up special economic zones. However, it will not process any fresh applications until it clears the backlog of over 360 pending proposals.
The empowered group of ministers, headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had imposed a 5000 hectare ceiling on SEZs last year following widespread protests over land acquisition. The meeting of the eGoM, scheduled for February 4 to review the land ceiling was cancelled.
Fresh notifications and approvals for setting up Special Economic Zones are being put on hold till an Empowered Group of Ministers looking into the matter takes a final view, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
eGOM is likely to reconsider the 5000 hectre SEZ land ceiling limit in the coming month.
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