India improves power capacity in 2007

Indo-Asian News ServiceSaturday, December 29, 2007 (New Delhi):India added a total of 9,050 MW power generation capacity this year between January 1 and December 14 - 8 per cent below the country's electricity requirement, the power ministry said.This includes 6,645 MW of thermal, 2,185 MW hydro and 220 MW of nuclear power, the ministry said in a yearend statement on its performance.In the same period, 33 more power projects with 21,424 MW generation capacity were taken up for implementation, the ministry said on Friday.This comprises 21 thermal and 12 hydropower projects with capacities of 17,634 MW and 3,790 MW respectively, the statement added.India produces a total of 138,251 MW of electricity. Of this, thermal power accounts for 89,275 MW, hydro 34,680 MW, nuclear 4,120 MW, and renewable sources for 10,175 MW, according to latest statistics available with the ministry.India must add 73,000 MW power generation capacity by March 2012 if it is to meet the growing electricity demand-supply gap.

Survey: India upbeat in business

Sunday, December 30, 2007 (New Delhi):Riding on expectations of higher growth, increased inventory levels and greater employment generation, business confidence for the period starting October till end of the current fiscal is upbeat, says a survey by a leading Indian industry chamber.This is much higher than the same survey conducted for the period April-September 2007-08, the survey by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) indicated.The CII business confidence index (CII-BCI) showed the current situation index (CSI) and expectations index (EI) was higher among non-manufacturing firms as compared to manufacturing firms.As many as 59 per cent of the respondents indicated the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate to be around 9 per cent, while 22 per cent indicated 9 to 9.5 per cent.About 87 per cent of firms expressed plans to increase investment during October March 2007-08 and 59 per cent have revealed capacity utilization in the range of 75 to 100 per cent."While expectations on capacity utilisation are normal, inventory levels are on higher side," CII said in a statement.A large number of firms also expressed their decision to increase the value of production. About 66 per cent of the companies surveyed have already increased their scale of production during the first half of 2007-08.All these are expected to generate considerable employment by the second half of the upcoming financial year.Despite a surging rupee against the weakening dollar, exports would continue to increase. However, the sector continues to face procedural delays, which acts as long-standing hurdle for exporters, which raises transactions costs and needs to be addressed urgently, the chamber said.

Ratan Tata to retire after 1 lakh car launch

NDTV CorrespondentSunday, December 30, 2007 (New Delhi):India has been waiting since long for Tata’s dream Rs one-lakh car launch. But the proposed launch on January 10 at auto expo show in New Delhi is going to be special for some other reason also. The Head of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata would like to retire from active business life after his dream project gets a successful launch. Tata told a newspaper recently that the launch of the small car would be a best time for him to exit from the business world.Tata Motors, the giant automobile group of more than Rs three trillion market value, is scheduled to unveil the vehicle, which is popularly called as the "People's Car".The Cornell-trained architect Ratan Tata helped in designing the car and aimed to attract the middle class to get off their motorbikes and turn into cars.Marketing the car as the world’s cheapest mass-produced car, Tata recently said that the car would not pollute more than a motorcycle.However, the rival carmakers are not really persuaded about the safety and emission standards of the car, at that price.

Bilawal Bhutto named chairman of PPP

Barkha Dutt, Munizae Jehangir
Sunday, December 30, 2007 (Larkana)
Reports suggest that former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's son Bilawal Bhutto has been named the chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).Bhutto's husband Asif Zardari, Abdul Makhdoom Fahim, deputy leader of PPP and Shah Mehmood Qureshi have reportedly been named co-chairmen of the party.Fahim was widely known as Benazir's right hand man. He led the party in Benazir's absence, from 1999 to October 2007. A Benazir loyalist, Fahim is the quintessential party man, who never wavered in his loyalties towards his leader in all these years. He was in the same vehicle as the now departed leader, at the time she was assassinated.Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Bhutto's close aide Sherry Rehman had told NDTV that PPP cannot thrust party leadership on Bilawal.Rehman had said that Bilawal was keen to complete his studies but that does not rule him out. Even if he is chosen, there might be someone who will take over for some time. A special memorial service, called the soyem, took place for the slain former Pakistan premier in her ancestral village in Larkana in Sind, on the fourth day after her death.Family politicsWhile all eyes are on Bilawal Bhutto, his estranged cousins Fatima and Zulfikar Bhutto junior are slowly building up their political profiles.The children of Benazir's brother Murtaza have often been publicly critical of Benazir's politics.However, speaking exclusively to NDTV's Managing Editor Barkha Dutt in Larkana in Pakistan, Fatima Bhutto says she mourned her aunt as a family member but would express her political differences through her writing instead of party politics