PC sales cross 5mn units
New Delhi: The personal computer market comprising desktops and notebooks jumped 32 per cent, clocking 5.04 million unit sales during 2005-06. Moreover the sales figure is expected to cross the six million mark in 2006-07. Desktop sales crossed 4.6 million units, registering an annual growth of 27 per cent during 2005-06. However, sales projections for 2006-07 are pegged at 5.6 million units , and the growth rate this year is likely to be relatively lower at 21.7 per cent.

During 2005-06, the notebook segment emerged as a star performer with shipments exceeding 0.43 million (4.3 lakh) units growing 144 per cent over 2004-05, according to the Industry Performance Review released by the hardware association Manufacturuers Association for Information Technology (MAIT).

The proportion of smaller lesser known regional brands and unbranded systems reduced from 41 per cent of the total PC sales in 2004-05 to 37 per cent in 2005-06, although in absolute terms they registered a growth of 14 per cent.

Branded players who played an aggressive pricing game mostly cannibalised the assembled PC market. The proportion of Indian brands grew from 24 per cent in 2004-05 to 28 per cent, a growth of 48 per cent. The market share of MNCs remained constant at 35 per cent, although in absolute terms, they posted an annual growth of 27 per cent.

75 per cent of the total PC consumption was to the business segment, while households, with sales growth of 33 per cent, accounted for 25 per cent of the market. The top 4 metros accounted for 33 per cent of the total PCs purchased.
Back to News Review index page  

Railways to carry more passengers
New Delhi: Railways will soon be able to carry more people as it is set to add 290 coaches across 152 trains, including Rajdhanis. Following the addition of coaches, these trains will be able to carry at least 100 passengers more. The railways have also reduced the travel time for 140 long-distance trains.

Coaches have been added to tackle the huge waiting list on popular long-distance trains.

The railways plan to extend platforms at over 550 stations in order to accommodate these longer trains.

Addressing a press conference here, Railway Board Chairman JK Batra said the travel time had been reduced by one hour for 85 trains, by 60-120 minutes for 31 trains and by 120-300 minutes for 16 trains. For another eight trains, the travel time has been reduced by more than five hours.

Following the increase in speeds, the railways have rationalised their time-table. The new timings are expected to come into effect from July 1.

"We have tried to strike a balance between adding coaches to existing trains and running new trains using these spare coaches," he said, adding that the railways now had 343 spare coaches.

The four Garib Rath trains announced by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad would start service on October 2. These would be fully air-conditioned and the charges would be less than 25 per cent of the current third-a/c ticket charges, Batra said.
Back to News Review index page  

MP govt to set up ultra mega power project
Bhopal: The MP government is setting up a 4,000-Mw ultra mega power project in the Sidhi district and is acquiring a total of 1,400 hectares of agriculture and forest land for the purpose.

The Power Finance Corporation's subsidiary Sasan Power, a shell company for executing the project, will get the land only if it offers at least one job to the families who lose their land to the project.

The state government does not have land in Sidhi and is acquiring land at a market value of Rs98 crore. Areas of 915.79 hectares and 427.67 hectares will be acquired on behalf of Sasan Power. An area of 100 hectare is forest land, which requires the necessary permission will also be acquired. The cabinet has cleared the project. The state government will reportedly share 2,000 Mw of power from the Rs15,000-crore project.

The state government has cleared the proposal to acquire land for the project on the condition that the company will deposit 10 per cent of the total cost of land on prevailing market rates to award compensation and another 10 per cent for administrative expense.
Back to News Review index page  

MSEB willing to buy Dabhol power at Rs5 a unit
New Delhi: The Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) says it will be willing to buy power from Ratnagiri Gas and Power Ltd's (RGPL) Dabhol plant at around Rs5 per unit, if naphtha continues to be used as fuel. The operations of the plant will commence in October after a three-month shutdown beginning July 1. The plant will stop production not only because of its naphtha stock being exhausted but also the MSEB's unwillingness to buy its costly power.

RGPL may buy gas from the spot market when the plant starts operations in October.

Shell recently approached RGPL for sale of natural gas at rates lower than naphtha and the company is studying the offer. If the Dabhol plant is run on natural gas, there will be a significant fall in the price of power.

RGPL is constructing a terminal at Dahej, located adjacent to the plant. The terminal may be completed by March 31, 2007. It is also expected that gas sourced from Qatar will be available to RGPL by March 2007.
Back to News Review index page