Govt dilly-dallies on CAS ordinance
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet might have offered its full support to timely implementation of conditional access system (CAS), but there is a snag. There is still delay in issuing an ordinance to bring broadcasters under the government's regulatory rule. The cabinet held informal discussions on the need to make broadcasters accountable in the 1 September rollout of CAS. Though he I&B ministry has planned certain legislative measures in this direction, it was decided to seek further legal counsel on some of the proposals. It was also clear that the government expected all parties to co-operate in a smooth rollout as planned. Though there were strong indications that the government had prepared an ordinance to empower itself to fix prices of pay channels, curb or ban advertisements on pay channels and unbundle weak and strong channels to protect consumer interest, there was no official confirmation on this move, reports say. While it is left to logical deduction that the minister for information and broadcasting, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who holds independent charge will attend a Cabinet meeting only if his subject is on the agenda, it is not clear whether the ordinance was slotted for discussion, if it was taken up and shot down or whether it was deferred. Official sources brushed aside the question by insisting that the minister could attend a cabinet meeting anytime for informal consultations. I&B sources told news agencies that all directives for implementation of CAS were being addressed to cable operators and consumers, excluding broadcasters. The two groups had pointed out this anomaly and therefore it was felt that broadcasters too should be brought into the legal ambit of the CAS regime. Meanwhile, the I&B ministry has granted another week's extension to Star News to continue its 24-hour news channels, while its application for uplinking under the new norms is processed. In its revised uplinking policy the government had made it mandatory for all news and current affairs channels to uplink from India and restructure its equity pattern in such a way that FDI is limited to 26 per cent. Star TV submitted its application a couple of the days before the 26 June deadline.
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Iffco plans mega diversification
New Delhi: Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative (Iffco) is planning mega corporate plan which target a group turnover of Rs 15,000 crore and an annual profit of Rs 1,500 crore by 2010. Towards this end, Iffco has set up a taskforce with the responsibility of drawing a framework covering various options that include diversification, acquisitions and mergers. The major proposed diversification activities include entry into the power, bio-fuels, petroleum, natural gas, and cooperative banking sectors.

Says Iffco managing director U S Awasthi: "The society is currently engaged in outlining new corporate plan — Vision 2010 — with a primary objective to realise the group turnover of Rs 15,000 crore and annual profit of Rs 1,500 crore by 2010." With the commencement of the Oman India Fertiliser Company, formed in collaboration with Kribhco and Omna Oil Company, and completion of the Iffco-Tokio General Insurance operation and ICS expnasion project, most of the milesstones under Mission-2005 have been achieved and the new corporate plan-2010 will be the society's new venture, says Awashti. Enactment of the Multi-State Co-op Societies Act of 2002 and the subsequent amendment of Iffco's bye-laws the society has repatriated Rs 115 crore to the government.
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