Financial bids for airports to be opened after Jan. 29
New Delhi: The management of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has assured its agitating workers that the financial bids for modernisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports would not be opened before January 29.

Workers protesting against the proposed privatisation, have threatened to go on flash strike that would paralyse air services. They say the modernisation work of these two profit-making airports should be given to AAI, and not to private parties.

The trade union leaders say there is lack of transparency in the bidding process, and say the bids should not be opened before January 31 and the workers should be taken into confidence before the financial bids are opened.
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Inflation rises to 4.40 pc
New Delhi: Inflation based on rise in wholesale prices, rose to 4.40 per cent for the week ended January 14 against 4.24 per cent during the first week of this calendar year.

While prices of most food items declined those of manufactured products, which have highest rate of over 63 per cent in wholesale price index, rose.

WPI (base 1993-94)- based inflation rate stood at 5.48 per cent during the year-ago period.

Among food products, prices of Arhar declined by 4 per cent, fish-marine by 2 per cent and food and vegetables, barley and tea by one per cent each.

However, the prices of eggs, wheat and moong moved up by one per cent each.

Among manufactured products, prices of zinc ingots jumped up by 24 per cent while trimethotrim climbed up by 20 per cent and lead ingots soared by 16 per cent.

However, prices of air conditioners declined by 19 per cent while those of bottles and hydrogenated vanaspati fell by 3 per cent each.

In fuel category, aviation turbine fuel became cheaper by 5 per cent.
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Japan may invest in W Bengal
Kolkata: A Japanese delegation met the chief minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and expressed its interest in exploring trading and other investment opportunities in West Bengal.

The state commerce and industry minister, Nirupam Sen, said that the number of Japanese companies operating in India had gone up to 330 in the last few years.

Though West Bengal has been successful in attracting the single largest foreign direct investment in the country there has not been any significant rise in the number of Japanese companies investing in the State.

Sen urged Japan to lend support in revamping and modernising power distribution sector in the State. The State Government has also sought Japanese support in creating physical infrastructure such as roads and mono-rail.
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India, Saudi Arabia sign strategic energy pact
New Delhi: India and Saudi Arabia have entered into a strategic energy partnership called the `Delhi Declaration', that is based on "complementarity and interdependence" to ensure increased crude supplies and formation of joint ventures in upstream and downstream projects. The two sides have agreed to ensure "reliable, stable and increased" volume of crude oil supplies through "evergreen" long-term contracts.

The Saudis have agreed to increase investments in India in oil refining, marketing and creation of storage facilities, and have also agreed that the two sides would cooperate in setting up ventures for gas-based fertiliser plants in Saudi Arabia.

The joint ventures between Indian and Saudi companies would be both in the public and the private sectors and projects could be set up in third countries as well.

The agreement has said that both countries would strive to increase cooperation in the field of technology, especially in information technology, agriculture, biotechnology and non-conventional energy.

India on its part has agreed to set up an ICT Centre for Excellence in Saudi Arabia and institutes of higher learning, involving both education and research in the field of technology.

India would also offer opportunities for Saudi students to pursue post-graduate and doctorate level studies in technical institutions in India, and enhance cooperation in human resources development related to telecommunication.
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TN to take over MSOs in stages
Chennai: The Government of Tamil Nadu will acquire cable television operations in the State in stages, chief minister of Tamil Nadu, J. Jayalalithaa, announced in the state assembly.

The state assembly approved the Tamil Nadu Acquisition, Transfer and Taking Over of the Administration of Cable Television Network (Including Multiple Service Optical Transport System) Bill, 2006.

The proposed law on cable television networks envisages acquiring the operations of eight large Multi-System Operators (MSOs) including Sumangali Cable Vision (SCV), a unit of the Sun TV network, and Hathway of the Rajan Raheja group.

The law would take effect in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchi, Tirunelveli and Salem.

Ms Jayalalithaa said that the law was aimed at correcting the imbalances and deficiencies in service offered by the MSOs. It would also be implemented in stages in other places.

She said there are over 14,000 cable television operators and 45 lakh connections in TN. But some companies have a virtual monopoly over the operations. This was against public interest as television was an integral part of life that was important for information and entertainment.

She was answering points made by the opposition DMK and Congress (I), which questioned the powers of the State Government to enact such a legislation. The DMK felt that the law was vindictive and targeted at specific companies.
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