Public broadband telecom centres from Trai
New Delhi: The chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), Mr. MS Verma, has recommended the setting up of high-speed access point on line of public call centres. These broadband access points, according to him, will provide content and information to the common man.

He stated that with universal service obligation expected to be completed by April 1, 2002, broadband public access points were going to be a reality.

He also stated that the digital divide created by the broadband will come in many layers. Broadband will not be about connectivity but it will be of quality, the success of broadband will depend on whether it is able to provide what we need.
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Due diligence for Iisco sell-off begins
Kolkota: With attempts being made over two decades to try and revamp the ailing Indian Iron and Steel Company, a recent attempt at doing so seems to be taking off. Three shortlisted parties are due to begin their due diligence process at the company.

The process was kicked off with TayzPromExports of Russia beginning its survey at the steel works in Burnpur. The other shortlisted bidders, Mitsui of Japan and Broken Hill Proprietory of Australia, are expected to carry out their due diligence exercise over the next few weeks.

For the first time, Steel Authority of India, the parent of Iisco, has offered to divest 51 per cent equity of the Burnpur-based steel company to the interested parties. If necessary an outright sale is also not ruled out by SAIL.

Besides, the latest tender has offered the interested bidders the right to develop and exploit the iron ore and coal mines of Iisco. The ore mines and collieries of Iisco were earlier under the management of SAIL’s raw material division and were hence excluded from previous offers for any strategic joint ventures for Iisco revamp.

The most attractive feature are the ore mines of Chiria and Gua are where a private investor are sure to strike gold. Both Chiria and Gua are said to have the richest iron ore deposits with high ferrous content and ore reserves in Chiria can alone last for another 200 years.
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