Power-sharing formula being worked out
New Delhi: The mood in the National Democratic Alliance is for the existing senior ministers to hold on to their portfolios. As such, Yashwant Sinha is likely to retain finance, L.K. Advani home and Jaswant Singh external affairs.

A broad outline for power-sharing is now being worked out by prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The Telugu Desam party, which continued to say it will only lend support to the government from the outside, is likely to be given speaker's position in the Lok Sabha. A TDP man was speaker in the 12^th Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, the situation in Maharashtra, where no party has a majority in the newly elected state assembly, continues to be fluid. The Nationalist Congress Party is holding the trump card, and is being wooed by the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine for support.

Although the Congress has 77 seats in the 288-member house, and is the largest party in the state legislature, it cannot form a government on its own. Similarly the Sena BJP alliance has 126 members, well short of the required 145.
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Powertech India 99
Mumbai: Powertech India 99, an exhibition and conference on the power sector, is being held in Mumbai from 10 October.

The ministry of power sponsors Powertech India 99. It will display some of the latest technologies, plant and machinery and services for the development of power and related sectors.
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Rise in bank credit
Mumbai: The Indian banking sector has seen a rise in credit to the commercial sector during the second half of September 1999. As of the 15 days ended 25 September 1999, non-food credit growth was Rs.4,062 crore. The year-on-year growth during from the corresponding period in the the previous year was 14.4 per cent compared to the 15.6 per cent growth during the corresponding previous fortnight.
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UTI Bank, Citibank launch card
Mumbai: UTI Bank and Citibank have launched a co-branded credit card, targeted at customers of the Unit Trust of India, Life Insurance Corporation of India and General Insurance Corporation.

Around 19 centres in the country, apart from 28 UTI Bank branches, will sell these cards, which carry the logos of both UTI Bank and Citibank. The card comes with a household insurance cover. The reward programme that Citibank has for its existing credit card customers will also be available to holders of the co-branded card.
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