Dixit's funeral today
New Delhi: The funeral of National Security Advisor JN Dixit, who died of a massive heart attack on Monday, will be held in the capital today. Sri Lanka is sending its Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to India to attend the funeral.

Dixit was former envoy to Colombo and played a prominent role in the island's politics between 1985 and 1989, and was described by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a condolence message as "a very close, personal friend."
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Narayanan assigned duties of NSA
New Delhi: M K Narayanan, Special Advisor to Prime Minister, has been assigned the duties of National Security Advisor following the death of incumbent J N Dixit, according to an announcement by the Prime Minister's Office.

The announcement said that Narayanan will discharge the duties as NSA in addition to his existing duties until further orders. Narayanan, a former IB chief, is an expert in security matters and is a specialist in Sri Lankan affairs.
Dixit died on Monday following a massive heart attack.
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Govt invites bids for twenty oil blocks under NELP-5
New Delhi: India has put twenty oil and gas exploration blocks for bidding under the fifth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy.

The twenty blocks on offer include six deepwater blocks, two shallow water and twelve on-land blocks, according to the Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.

Of the deepwater blocks, two each are on the east and west coast and two in the prospective Andaman area.

The last date for bidding is May 31, 2005.

The shallow water blocks are on the west coast while the twelve on-land blocks are spread across eight basins -- Assam, Arakan, Cambay, Rajasthan, Kaveri, Ganga valley, Vindhya, Deccan Syneclise and Krishna Godavari.

Road shows to attract investors will be held in Delhi on January 18, London (January 20-21), Dubai (January 24-25), Houston (January 31 and February 1), and Calgary (February 3-4), while digital data rooms are being set up in Delhi, Houston, London, Calgary and Dubai.
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Assocham: Indo-Pak trade may touch $10 billion by 2010
New Delhi: The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) has estimated that trade between India and Pakistan can touch the $10-billion mark by 2010, compared to $345 million in 2003-04, provided the execution of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) was not thwarted and the trade basket stood diversified.

Trade between the two countries during April-July 2004 increased to $186 million, against $64 million in the year-ago period, the study said, adding that there was huge potential for bilateral trade to grow.

"India's export to Pakistan in April-July 2004 has shown a record 328 per cent increase, having gone up to $167 million from $39 million in the year-ago period," the Assocham President, Mr M.K. Sanghi, said in a statement.
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NTPC capital outlay for 2005-06 at Rs. 8,550 crore
New Delhi: The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has firmed up a capital outlay of Rs8,550 crore for the year 2005-06, which will be funded on a 70:30 debt-equity ratio, the company has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

The State-run power giant also announced that it has started scouting for gas overseas to ensure continuous supplies for its gas-based power plants. The company is also in the process of negotiating a loan of up to $45 million (about Rs198 crore) from the Swedish Export Credit Agency to part finance the second stage of the Sipat project, it told the BSE.

NTPC has also signed an MoU with the Central Electricity Authority under which the latter will provide design and consultancy services to the former for two run-of-the-river projects in Uttaranchal. While the 520-MW Tapovan Vishnugahad project will be built on Dhauliganga river in Chamoli district, the 600-MW Loharinag Pala will be on Bhagirathi river in Uttarkashi district.

The company needs gas for its combined cycle power plants at Anta (Rajasthan), Auraiya (Uttar Pradesh) and Kayamkulam. NTPC has mandated Reliance Industries (RIL) for Kawas and Gandhar power plants of 1,300 MW each in Gujarat. RIL will supply 13 million standard cubic metre of gas per day from its offshore finds in the K-G basin near the Andhra Pradesh coast.

The gas supplies are expected to begin from early 2007. RIL will supply gas at a rate of $2.97 per million British thermal unit (mmbtu).
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Indian roses seek market in Russia, Poland
Pune: The Pune-based Fila Rozil on Tuesday flagged off a consignment of one million rose plants for Russian and Poland markets. According to the company this was only a trial order and the value of the consignment was half a million euro.

The consignment consists of six varieties of Indian roses - red, pink, white, yellow, orange and shaded. These plants have been grown in Pune and Bangalore. These plants are to be delivered to a Dutch farmer, who will then supply them across the European Union.

The plants had gone through rigorous tests of acclimatisation as these plants had to survive in temperatures close to zero degree centigrade.
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