Opinion
Appeal
The legacy of IPA, founded by Nikhil Chakravartty, the doyen of journalism in India, to keep the flag of independent media flying high, is facing the threat of extinction due to the effect of the Covid pandemic. Only an emergency funding can avert such an eventuality. We appeal to all those who believe in the freedom of expression to contribute to this noble cause.Cabinet Clears New Telecom Policy
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the National Telecom Policy 2012 that aims to do away with roaming charges, introduce a pan-India mobile permit that will enable mobile phone firms to offer all communication services, allow operators to share and trade spectrum and facilitate consolidation in the...
GDP Growth Shocks At 5.3 Per Cent
NEW DELHI: In what came as a shock to even the most pessimistic,India’s economy expanded at just 5.3% during the last quarter of 2011-12, the slowest pace since the corresponding quarter of 2002-03, as manufacturing contracted and agricultural growth plateaued. With a decline in growth for the fourth straight...
Coal Ministry Identifies 54 Blocks for Allocation Through Auction
NEW DELHI: Amid controversies over allegations of irregularities in allocation of coal mines, the Coal Ministry has identified 54 blocks to be allocated to various sectors, including power, steel and cement, through auction route. Of 54 coal mines, a maximum of 16 have been earmarked for the power sector,...
State-Run Oil Companies Deferred Petrol Price Cut Decision Due To BJP-Led Bharat Bandh
NEW DELHI: State oil companies have deferred their decision to cut petrol rates from Thursday mid-night despite softening of international prices of the fuel as the move would give “undue credit” to BJP, government and industry officials said. “Petrol prices would have reduced from June 1 in the normal...
M&M to invest R2,500 crore in group firms, acquisitions by FY15
Mumbai: India’s largest tractor and utility vehicle maker, Mahindra & Mahindra , will invest R2,500 crore in next three years until fiscal 2015 in group companies and for acquisitions, Pawan Goenka, president (automotive and farm equipment) said a day after the company announced its financial results. “The money will...
IRDA issues draft norms on health insurance
MUMBAI: In a bid to strengthen the health insurance industry, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has laid down terms and conditions for health insurance such as entry age, claim settlement period and specific reasons for denial of claim. The regulator has said that companies will have to...
India Invests Heavily In UAV Technologies
India’s armed forces are set to become highly reliant on unmanned aerial systems by 2030, according to a scientist with the country’s Defence Research and Development (DRDO). ‘By 2030, the percentage of the manned fleet will have been reduced significantly,’ said Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat, scientific advisor and secretary...
Who Killed The Rupee?
By Nantoo Banerjee A national currency is a national pride. But, not in India. Not, at least, since its independence. In 1947, one Indian rupee (INR) was equivalent to one British pound. Today, the buying rate is around Rs. 89 for a UK pound. The rate is dropping almost...
Indian JV In Bangladesh Facing Opposition
From Ashis Biswas KOLKATA: A major controversy has erupted in Bangladesh about the proposed joint venture power station in the Southwest region, close to the Sunderbans. The National Thermal Power Corporation of India and the Bangladesh Power Development Board recently finalised an agreement to build a 1320 megawatt coal-based...
Congress Is In A Mess Over Jagan Arrest
By Kalyani Shankar The CBI arresting the YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy has made him a national hero. The public, instead of seeing him as a villain, who allegedly made illegal money, looks at him with sympathy. This is the second big blunder the Congress has committed after...
Rahul Wants To Dilute Congress Gerontocracy
The Congress President Sonia Gandhi will leave for a medical check up in mid-June to US. And before leaving she is expected to hand over charge to Rahul Gandhi. The Gandhi scion has already started the process of a reshuffle. He is meeting MPs for wider consultation. There is...
FinMin Shuts Mutual Funds Out Of New Tax-Free Equity Plan
NEW DELHI: The finance ministry has rejected a Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) proposal to market Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS) through mutual funds, indicating such a move would contradict the principle of deepening capital markets by attracting new retail investors. Sebi had suggested to the...
India Inc's Sales Growth Rate At 10-Quarter Low
MUMBAI: The fourth-quarter sales growth at 10.3 per cent for manufacturing and software services companies (excluding oil marketing companies, refineries and banks) confirm a demand slowdown for India Inc. The sales growth rate has been a 10-quarter low, dragged by slowdown in the key sectors — capital goods, construction,...
Incumbents May Pay Market Rate For 2G Waves
NEW DELHI: The government plans to ask all mobile phone companies to pay auction-discovered price for the 2G spectrum they hold for the remaining period of their licences, as it seeks to create a level playing field, said a top telecom ministry official. The move will send shockwaves among...
Govt Switches On, Lifts Coal Mining Hurdles
NEW DELHI: The government has removed roadblocks to coal mining by leading business houses and taken the first step to relax scrutiny of corporate expenditure on oil and gas fields, in a burst of action that has cheered investors and industrialists in the languishing energy sector. A group of...
Power Demand Crosses 5000 MW On Wednesday
NEW DELHI: Power consumption in the city touched an all-time high of 5,155 MW at 3.23pm on Wednesday afternoon. The previous record was recorded less than a week ago on Friday. Power sector experts attributed the growing demand for electricity to the rising mercury and noted a trend in...
Robust Q4 Nos: State-Run Oil Companies May Cut Petrol Price By Rs 2/Litre From June 1
NEW DELHI: State-run oil companies are ready to cut prices of petrol by about Rs 2 per litre after reporting strong earnings, signalling a surprise turnaround in the sector that scared investors with talk of astronomical losses from subsidised fuel sales. Oil marketing companies could cut retail price of...
State-run insurers asked to raise premiums
NEW DELHI: The finance ministry has asked state-run general insurers to increase premiums on health insurance, motor and other policies, and refrain from undercutting each other to get new business. In a recent letter to National Insurance, Oriental Insurance, New India Assurance and United India Insurance, the ministry laid...
