World Bank retains outlook on Indian economy
New Delhi: The World Bank has said its outlook for the fiscal 2005 on the growth rate of Indian economy would not change significantly, despite the damage caused by the tsunami.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry on `Development and Nationhood: An Indian Perspective', the World Bank Country Director, Michael Carter, told reporters that "we have not estimated the impact of Tsunami on the Indian economy. But we can say that it will not significantly change our outlook for fiscal 2005." Carter said that the tragedy was more a human one than an economic one.
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Montek:Economic reforms must be perceived as being inclusive
New Delhi: The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has said that the greatest challenge confronting the nation is to sell economic reform policies in a manner that individuals begin to perceive them as inclusive.

Lending a social dimension to Lord Meghnad Desai's plea for accelerated economic growth, within an overall social security system, the Deputy Chairman said, "the need of the hour is faster economic growth along with equality of opportunity to create wealth as `the tolerance of an unequal outcome' is higher when people at large began to think that development will bring some good to them."

Dr Ahluwalia was speaking at a national seminar on Development and Nationhood: An Indian Perspective, organised by FICCI and Sri Ram Centre for Industrial Research.

Earlier, Lord Meghnad Desai, Professor Emeritus, London School of Economics, traced the fragmentation of Indian politics to historically low rates of economic growth.

He said India needs a grand coalition designed to accelerate the rate of economic growth that widens the space in a non-State sphere that encourages and nurtures economic activities that produce surplus value, creates productive jobs and puts an end to competitive populism.

The seminar was chaired by Prof. Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate and Lamont University Professor of Economics, Harvard University, and addressed by Onkar S. Kanwar, FICCI President.
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Army planning to outsource select non-core activities
Kolkata: The Indian Army is exploring the possibility of outsourcing select non-core activities such as medical services and training with a view to cutting down on costs, according to Lt Gen Arvind Sharma, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command.

Speaking at a "Meet the Press" programme organised here on Monday by Press Club, Kolkata, Lt. Gen Sharma said, "studies" in this regard were currently being undertaken and a decision would be taken at an appropriate time.

The army, he said, would assist the civilian administration in building the infrastructure, especially road infrastructure that would be required to facilitate trade through the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. "We will take on the task if we are asked to do so. But we are not looking at such tasks from any business angle," he said.

On whether the number of troops would be reduced on the Indian side of the border on the Nathu La Pass once trade through the route commences, he said a decision in this regard would be taken at an appropriate time.
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TRAI for digitisation of cable industry by 2010
New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a consultation paper on digitisation of the cable industry, suggesting that digitisation should be completed between 2006 and 2010 under a proposed national plan.

According to TRAI after digitalisation, the cable TV service operators would not only provide additional services but also eventually converge and interconnect with telecom networks. "There is a need to look into the licensing requirements to provide services over such networks. Provision of licences could also simplify regulation as well as interconnection arrangements," it said

Highlighting the advantages of digitisation, the TRAI said cable operators would be able to carry more channels on the cable systems. They would be able to expand the market by carrying niche channels to meet the multi ethnic tastes of the viewers. The additional availability of channels would increase competition among broadcasters, improve audio and video quality and enable interactive services.

However, this would involve huge capital investments in upgradation of cable network. The subscriber too would have to invest in set-top boxes or digital receivers.
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Government sets up scientific advisory council
Ahmedabad: The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has announced the setting up of a Scientific Advisory Council chaired by Dr C.N.R. Rao. The Council will advise the Government in addressing the challenges facing Indian science.

Addressing the 92nd session of the Indian Science Congress at the Nirma University on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister said that the Government would ensure that a "supportive policy environment" is in place to give a boost to scientific activity in the country.

In an effort to improve people's health, especially in the rural areas, Dr Singh said that the Government is formulating programmes to launch a National Rural Healthcare Mission. He asked the scientific community to come forth with practical solutions to address the healthcare needs of the rural population.

The Government, he said, is ready to fund efforts to produce new drugs for the poor to correct the pharmaceutical companies' heavy slant towards profit-maximisation and asked the pharma companies to move from mere imitation to innovation.

Later, addressing presspersons here, he said that the Government would make an effort to "de-bureaucratise" the scientific institutions so that they could function independently and carry out research.
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Priority berthing for relief ships
New Delhi: The Shipping Ministry has directed all the major port trusts to give priority berthing to ships carrying relief material and also to waive port charges on such ships in the wake of the tsunami disaster.

The Shipping Secretary, D.T. Joseph said that such waiver would, however, be contingent upon a certificate issued by the Relief Commissioner stating that the material being carried is for relief purposes.

The Ministry has also directed the Shipping Corporation of India to evacuate tsunami-affected people from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands free of cost.

As per tentative estimates, the loss to port and shipping assets in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands has been pegged at more than Rs1,000 crore with Port Blair alone accounting for about Rs150-200 crore.
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AP: Rs400 crore rural broadband network project
Hyderabad: The State Cabinet has approved an Rs400-crore Andhra Pradesh broadband network project that seeks to connect all mandal headquarters and villages.

A consortium led by Aksh Broadband Ltd of Gurgaon will lay the network in two phases. In the first phase, it would spend Rs150 crore, enabling it to get an equity participation of Rs25 crore from the State Government. In the second phase, the consortium would tap financial institutions.

The consortium comprises Railtel Corporation of India Ltd, Tata Indicom, VSNL Ltd, Incable Network (Andhra) Ltd, Spectranet Ltd and Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd.

The proposed connectivity in Andhra Pradesh would offer broadband services with a minimum bandwidth of two mbps. The consortium would charge Rs300 fee for three months, reducing connectivity charges significantly. The Government would have no role in fixing the tariff.
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