Rural poverty declines more than urban
New Delhi: Poverty in India declined by 4.3 pc to 21.8 pc in 2004-05 from 26.1 pc in 1999-2000, according to a report of the National Sample Survey (NSS) released by the Planning Commission today.

However there were still 238.5 million living in less than desirable conditions.

The decline in poverty was comparatively higher in rural areas where the percentage of people living below the poverty line fell to 21.8 pc (2004-05) from 27.1 pc (1999-00). In urban areas, the percentage of people living below the poverty line fell to 21.7 pc (2004-05) from 23.6 pc (1999-00), according to the NSS estimates based on the Mixed Recall Period (MRP)- consumption distribution data.

The number of people living below the poverty line was estimated at 238.5 million - 170.3 million in rural areas and 68.2 million in urban areas - out of the over one billion population.

The level of poverty, based on the Uniform Recall Period (URP)-consumption distribution data, declined to 27.5 pc in 2004-05 from 36 pc in 1993-94.
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Oil ministry pushes for ethanol, bio-diesel imports
New Delhi: The petroleum ministry is putting pressure on local ethanol producers by announcing ethanol imports for blending with petrol. The ministry is going against the earlier policy of relying on local production. It is also in favour of allowing import of bio-diesel.

The ethanol-blending programme, to be rolled out in the country from November 2006, has been a non-starter, with just about 10 states freezing contracts with ethanol suppliers.

The main issue of contention is the price. This is despite the fact that at a time consensus on the price of ethanol seemed to be emerging between oil firms and the Indian Sugar Mills Association.

The ethanol suppliers now are asking for Rs26-27 per litre of ethanol, while the oil companies are working on an all-India reference price of Rs21.50 a litre.

If bio-fuels are imported it would dilute the bargaining power of the local units, besides ensuring supply.

The sugar industry says at 5 per cent blending, the country would require 682 million litres of ethanol in 2006-07, and the demand could rise to 1.3 billion litres with 10 per cent blending.

According to industry estimates, India currently has about 120 ethanol-producing distilleries, which can manufacture 1.2 billion litres of ethanol every year.
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International long-distance calls to become cheaper
New Delhi: Telecom tariffs are likely to fall further with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) announcing a 36 per cent decrease in the access deficit charges (ADC), a levy paid by telecom operators to subsidise rural telephony in the country.

The total subsidy amount has been brought down from Rs 3,200 crore in 2006-07 to Rs2,050 crore for 2007-08. The biggest impact of this will be on the outgoing international long-distance (ILD) segment, as the levy of 80 paise per minute has been removed, which means that consumers can make ILD calls at rates cheaper to that extent.

Hence, a call to the US, which cost Rs7.20 a minute till now, will be available for Rs6.40 from April 1 when the revised charges take effect.

However, the impact on domestic calls will be marginal even though TRAI has reduced the levy on local and STD calls by half, from 1.50 per cent of the operator's annual revenues from domestic calls to 0.75 per cent.
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M.P. farmers prefer to sell wheat to private companies
Chennai: Wheat procurement for buffer stocks has hit a hurdle in Madhya Pradesh with farmers preferring to sell their produce to private companies than Central agencies because the prices offered by private traders are higher than the minimum support price (MSP) offered by the procurement agencies say wheat farmers in MP.

While prices are ruling at Rs940-50 a quintal in mandis in Madhya Pradesh, the agencies procuring wheat for buffer stocks are offering Rs750 as MSP plus Rs100 a quintal bonus that was cleared by the Centre last week. The Centre plans to procure 150 lakh tonnes for buffer stocks.

The other reason is the Centre's directive to the Railways not to provide wagons for transporting private trade consignments.

Trade sources said wheat could be currently procured from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat only. However, Gujarat has come up with the stock limit order where agencies can't purchase more than 5,000 tonnes in one stroke. And to move wheat out of the state the State Government has to be informed leading to a delay of two days. This is also a reason why private traders are swarming the mandis in Madhya Pradesh.

Wheat prices have begun to move up after the Centre announced the Rs100 bonus over and above MSP last weekend. In New Delhi market, wheat (dara) was quoted at Rs1,045-1,055 a quintal on Wednesday against Rs1,030 on March 16, when the bonus payment was announced.
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Defence personnel opt for corporate careers with help of XLRI
Jamshedpur: Defence personnel studying at Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur, are readying to take up a corporate career.

A post-graduate certificate in business management for the armed forces at XLRI is a six-month programme designed to help officers fit into managerial roles in the corporate world. The first batch of retiring defence officers is already halfway through and 62 officers are expected to enter the corporate world by June this year.

The course has been designed by XLRI at the instance of the directorate general of resettlement, ministry of defence. The batch comprises lawyers, engineers, commerce and finance graduates from the armed forces.
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