Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy today assured visiting Saudi delegation that the Government will extend all incentives and facilities to industrialists from Saudi Arabia.
The delegation included Abdul Rahman A.Al Rabuiah of Alrabiah Consulting & Engg Services, Saudi Arabaia, Tariq Mohammed Al Wabil, CEO, Alwabil, Nader Abu Eyta, Group Managing Director, Abueyta, Manas Gulf Group, Zaher S.Al-Munajjed, CBM Consultants for Business and Management among others.
The delegation gave a power-point presentation before the Chief Minister regarding the key economic factors and economic growth of Saudi Arabia and wanted the investments between the two to grow. The visiting team explained various business and investment opportunities in petro-chemical exports, agricultural expansion, gas production, telecom and IT sectors back home.
The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh provides immense opportunities in the areas of petro-chemicals, bulk drugs, pharmaceuticals, IT, BT, mining sectors for the Saudi investors and industrialists.
He said the State provides a number of investment incentives such as initial tax holiday, reimbursement of VAT, lowest power tariff and good infrastructure.
The Saudi delegation invited the Chief Minister along with industrialists from Andhra Pradesh to visit Saudi Arabia.
Success in my Habit
Friday, March 8, 2013
BS Enviro acquires 51% stake in Skywater India for water solutions
Hyderabad: BS Ltd through its subsidiary BS Enviro Solutions Ltd today announced the acquisition of 51 per cent stake in Harbinger Capital-promoted Skywater India, engaged in water solutions.
This acquisition enables the Hyderabad-based EPC, transmission and tower solutions provider to enter into water management business.
The company plans to invest about Rs 30 crore over the next two years in the venture, which offers water generating machines.
These water machines priced at about Rs 10 lakh, trap atmospheric water to generate ozone treated water from moisture in the air.
These machines convert water vapour in the air into fresh and clean water and can produce about 700 litres of to about 1200 litres per day.
Rajesh Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, BS Ltd, said that the company has diversified into water treatment, sewerage treatment and effluent treatment solutions. This acquisition will help the company offer water solution.
The company has installed more than 50 such machines in India and has bagged orders for 100 machines from Meghalaya Government and few other orders from Bihar and Karnataka.
These are ideally suited for remote locations, said Sanjay Sultania, Managing Director of the joint venture.
As a CSR initiative
There is no financial outgo for the company. It is a structured deal and the payout is based on growth capital, Sultania said.
Addressing a press conference, Agarwal said the product will also appeal to large entities looking at corporate social responsibility to offer drinking water to remote locations. These can be installed in a village without adequate drinking water supply.
Referring to the company, Agarwal said during the first nine months BS closed with revenues of Rs 1,460 crore and expects a turnover of Rs 1,800 crore and a profit of about Rs 65 crore during the current financial year.
The company shares closed at Rs 322, up two per cent on the BSE.
This acquisition enables the Hyderabad-based EPC, transmission and tower solutions provider to enter into water management business.
The company plans to invest about Rs 30 crore over the next two years in the venture, which offers water generating machines.
These water machines priced at about Rs 10 lakh, trap atmospheric water to generate ozone treated water from moisture in the air.
These machines convert water vapour in the air into fresh and clean water and can produce about 700 litres of to about 1200 litres per day.
Rajesh Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director, BS Ltd, said that the company has diversified into water treatment, sewerage treatment and effluent treatment solutions. This acquisition will help the company offer water solution.
The company has installed more than 50 such machines in India and has bagged orders for 100 machines from Meghalaya Government and few other orders from Bihar and Karnataka.
These are ideally suited for remote locations, said Sanjay Sultania, Managing Director of the joint venture.
As a CSR initiative
There is no financial outgo for the company. It is a structured deal and the payout is based on growth capital, Sultania said.
Addressing a press conference, Agarwal said the product will also appeal to large entities looking at corporate social responsibility to offer drinking water to remote locations. These can be installed in a village without adequate drinking water supply.
Referring to the company, Agarwal said during the first nine months BS closed with revenues of Rs 1,460 crore and expects a turnover of Rs 1,800 crore and a profit of about Rs 65 crore during the current financial year.
The company shares closed at Rs 322, up two per cent on the BSE.
India's first viability-gap funded transmission project inaugurated
Chennai: India’s first viability-gap funded, 99-km power transmission line project, in Haryana, was inaugurated on Monday. The 400 KV double circuit Jharli-Kabulpur-Rohtak line was built by a joint venture of Kalpataru Power Transmission and Techno Electric and Engineering Company.
The Rs 444-crore public-private-partnership project with the Haryana Government has received Rs 92 crore of viability gap funding from Government of India. The joint venture partners brought in Rs 76 crore of equity (51 per cent with Kalpataru) and raised debt of Rs 276 crore.
“The project will ensure a sustainable income flow of Rs 4.5 crore to the company as a unitary charge payable per month,” says a press release from Techno Electric.
The Rs 444-crore public-private-partnership project with the Haryana Government has received Rs 92 crore of viability gap funding from Government of India. The joint venture partners brought in Rs 76 crore of equity (51 per cent with Kalpataru) and raised debt of Rs 276 crore.
“The project will ensure a sustainable income flow of Rs 4.5 crore to the company as a unitary charge payable per month,” says a press release from Techno Electric.
Videocon to partner Nokia Siemens for 4G broadband network
New Delhi: Videocon Mobile Services on Monday said it plans to partner Nokia Siemens Networks to roll out fourth generation (4G) technology based broadband services.
Videocon had bagged spectrum in seven telecom circles, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (East and West), Bihar and Jharkhand at the auctions held in November.
Though this spectrum is in the 1800 MHz band, used till now for 2G mobile services, Videocon wants to deploy 4G-based broadband service. But the key issue here will be the availability of devices that supports 4G data on this spectrum band. Videocon is, therefore, planning to start offering data services instead of voice as this can be done through dongles.
Arvind Bali, Director and CEO, Videocon Mobile Services, said, “4G Network is capable of providing comprehensive Internet Protocol-based telecom solutions that allows voice, data and streamed multimedia services in a seamless manner at much higher data speed than the existing generation network including 2G and 3G.”
Videocon will be in direct competition to the likes of Reliance Industries backed Reliance Jio Infocomm and Bharti Airtel. While Airtel has launched 4G based broadband services in select areas of Bangalore and Pune, other operators are yet to start. High cost of devices and the cost of setting up a full mobile network are acting as dampeners.
Videocon had bagged spectrum in seven telecom circles, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh (East and West), Bihar and Jharkhand at the auctions held in November.
Though this spectrum is in the 1800 MHz band, used till now for 2G mobile services, Videocon wants to deploy 4G-based broadband service. But the key issue here will be the availability of devices that supports 4G data on this spectrum band. Videocon is, therefore, planning to start offering data services instead of voice as this can be done through dongles.
Arvind Bali, Director and CEO, Videocon Mobile Services, said, “4G Network is capable of providing comprehensive Internet Protocol-based telecom solutions that allows voice, data and streamed multimedia services in a seamless manner at much higher data speed than the existing generation network including 2G and 3G.”
Videocon will be in direct competition to the likes of Reliance Industries backed Reliance Jio Infocomm and Bharti Airtel. While Airtel has launched 4G based broadband services in select areas of Bangalore and Pune, other operators are yet to start. High cost of devices and the cost of setting up a full mobile network are acting as dampeners.
US glass major Corning to set up Rs 588-cr Pune facility
Mumbai: US-based specialty glass major Corning Inc has decided to invest about Rs 588 crore for setting up an optical cable manufacturing facility at Chakan near Pune.
It will provide employment to 270 persons.
The investment would be done through its Indian arm Corning Technologies India Pvt Ltd.
The Maharashtra Government has provided a window of five years for making the investment.
A senior Industries Department official said that the Maharashtra Government has decided to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company, which will enable the company to get a number of sops under the ‘Mega Projects Scheme’.
About 26 acres has also been allocated by the Maharashtra Industries Development Corporation for setting up the unit, the official said.
In this year, this is the second big ticket investment, which has been made in the State.
It will provide employment to 270 persons.
The investment would be done through its Indian arm Corning Technologies India Pvt Ltd.
The Maharashtra Government has provided a window of five years for making the investment.
A senior Industries Department official said that the Maharashtra Government has decided to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the company, which will enable the company to get a number of sops under the ‘Mega Projects Scheme’.
About 26 acres has also been allocated by the Maharashtra Industries Development Corporation for setting up the unit, the official said.
In this year, this is the second big ticket investment, which has been made in the State.
India and Portugal sign Social Security Agreement
New Delhi: A Social Security Agreement (SSA) was signed by Shri Vayalar Ravi, the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Mr. Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of Portugal here today. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ravi said about 75,000 Indians are leaving in Portugal, most of them are working as professionals and self-employed. The bilateral Social Security Agreement is significant requirement from the futuristic point of view to take advantage of the emerging employment opportunities and to further strengthen the trade and investment between the two countries.
The Social Security Agreement between India and Republic of Portugal will provide the following benefits to Indian national working in Portugal:
• For short term contract upto 5 year, no social security contribution would need to be paid under the Portuguese law by the detached workers provided they continue to make social security payment in India.
• The above benefits shall be available even when the Indian company sends its employees to Republic of Portugal from a third country.
• Indian workers shall be entitled to the export of the social security benefit if they relocate to India after the completion of their service in Republic of Portugal.
• The self-employed Indians in Republic of Portugal would also be entitled to export of social security benefit on their relocation to India.
• The period of contribution in one contracting state will be added to the period of contribution in the second contracting state for determining the eligibility for social security benefits.
India has so far signed the SSA with seventeen countries viz. Belgium, Germany (Social Insurance), Switzerland, France, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, The Czech Republic, Republic of Korea, Norway, Germany (Comprehensive SSA), Finland, Canada, Japan, Sweden and Austria.
The Social Security Agreement between India and Republic of Portugal will provide the following benefits to Indian national working in Portugal:
• For short term contract upto 5 year, no social security contribution would need to be paid under the Portuguese law by the detached workers provided they continue to make social security payment in India.
• The above benefits shall be available even when the Indian company sends its employees to Republic of Portugal from a third country.
• Indian workers shall be entitled to the export of the social security benefit if they relocate to India after the completion of their service in Republic of Portugal.
• The self-employed Indians in Republic of Portugal would also be entitled to export of social security benefit on their relocation to India.
• The period of contribution in one contracting state will be added to the period of contribution in the second contracting state for determining the eligibility for social security benefits.
India has so far signed the SSA with seventeen countries viz. Belgium, Germany (Social Insurance), Switzerland, France, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, The Czech Republic, Republic of Korea, Norway, Germany (Comprehensive SSA), Finland, Canada, Japan, Sweden and Austria.
Kerala to open more Mobility Hubs
Kochi: Encouraged by the successful implementation of Vytilla Mobility hub, the State Government plans to set up similar hubs in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
State Transport Minister Aryadan Mohammed said the Government would also take steps to connect the Vytilla Mobility Hub with rail and water network. The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the first digital signage system at Vytilla Mobility Hub.
The State Motor Vehicles Department has introduced the signage system as part of its efforts to bring down the number of road accidents.
The digital signage system will provide details about road safety measures on display boards installed at the hub.
Silent videos of road accidents and the dangers in involved rash driving will be continuously played on the boards.
The Minister pointed out that the number of road accidents in the State is on the rise and awareness programmes are the need of the hour.
He also suggested introducing the system in KSRTC bus stations in the State.
State Transport Minister Aryadan Mohammed said the Government would also take steps to connect the Vytilla Mobility Hub with rail and water network. The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the first digital signage system at Vytilla Mobility Hub.
The State Motor Vehicles Department has introduced the signage system as part of its efforts to bring down the number of road accidents.
The digital signage system will provide details about road safety measures on display boards installed at the hub.
Silent videos of road accidents and the dangers in involved rash driving will be continuously played on the boards.
The Minister pointed out that the number of road accidents in the State is on the rise and awareness programmes are the need of the hour.
He also suggested introducing the system in KSRTC bus stations in the State.
Sri City to build eye care hospital, research facility
Chennai: Sri City, an integrated business city near Chennai, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Medical Research Foundation (of Sankara Nethralaya) to establish an eye care hospital and research facility inside the industrial complex.
The hospital is expected to benefit the people of the region and the employees of the industries inside Sri City.
Sri City Sankara Nethralaya will commence its services in the next three months with a 20-bed hospital and an operation theatre to perform surgeries. A full-fledged specialty eye care hospital, spread over 10 acres, will be built in three years.
“We intend to ensure quality and affordable eye care services to the poor and needy. As the full-fledged eye care hospital is expected to be completed in a period of three years, any complicated surgeries that require post-surgery back-up can be offered by Sankara Nethralaya Chennai till then,” said S.S. Badrinath, Chairman Emeritus, Sankara Nethralaya.
Ravindra Sannareddy, MD, Sri City, said, “Thousands who travel to Chennai, Coimbatore or Pondicherry for their eye care need will be benefited, henceforth.”
Sri City is an emerging business city, located 55 km from Chennai.
It houses a special economic zone, domestic tariff zone and a free trade warehousing zone, built in partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Sri City is home to over 80 industries from 24 countries.
Started in 1976, Sankara Nethralaya is a well-known not-for-profit eye hospital in Chennai.
The hospital is expected to benefit the people of the region and the employees of the industries inside Sri City.
Sri City Sankara Nethralaya will commence its services in the next three months with a 20-bed hospital and an operation theatre to perform surgeries. A full-fledged specialty eye care hospital, spread over 10 acres, will be built in three years.
“We intend to ensure quality and affordable eye care services to the poor and needy. As the full-fledged eye care hospital is expected to be completed in a period of three years, any complicated surgeries that require post-surgery back-up can be offered by Sankara Nethralaya Chennai till then,” said S.S. Badrinath, Chairman Emeritus, Sankara Nethralaya.
Ravindra Sannareddy, MD, Sri City, said, “Thousands who travel to Chennai, Coimbatore or Pondicherry for their eye care need will be benefited, henceforth.”
Sri City is an emerging business city, located 55 km from Chennai.
It houses a special economic zone, domestic tariff zone and a free trade warehousing zone, built in partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Sri City is home to over 80 industries from 24 countries.
Started in 1976, Sankara Nethralaya is a well-known not-for-profit eye hospital in Chennai.
Essar plans port for its African steel plant
Mumbai: The Essar group is planning to expand its presence in the African continent by setting up a 10-million tonne (mt) port in Mozambique, at a cost of $275 million (Rs 1,496 crore).
“As a group, we look at various growth opportunities but would not like to comment on any specific ones at this point in time,” Essar said, in response to an email sent on the development. The port project work is to be undertaken by the group’s African subsidiary, Essar Africa Holdings, and is not a part of the group’s Essar Ports. “The project is currently on the drawing board,” said a senior company official.
This port will facilitate exports from Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO), a Zimbabwe-based company it acquired in 2010. Essar spent $750 million for a 56 per cent stake in the company. The group had plans to bring back iron ore from the Zimbabwe company to India.
A port in Essar’s African portfolio would add to its many businesses in the continent. Essar Energy holds 50 per cent interest in the Kenya Petroleum Refinery at Mombassa. It also has telecom operations in Kenya under the brand name Yu, with over three million subscribers.
However, this port will not cater exclusively to ZISCO and Essar. “Mozambique has a lot of coal resources, and that will also be another major source of cargo,” said the official.
When Essar Africa took over the company, ZISCO was a distressed asset. It planned to invest yet another $400 million (Rs 2,176 crore) into the company and get it back to production. The operating levels of the plant were very low. This is apart from developing the vast iron deposits of the company.
While working on the blue print of ZISCO’s revival plan, Essar planned to bring back some iron ore to its Gujarat steel plant, if there was an excess after feeding ZISCO and the local market.
“We have an 80 per cent stake in the minerals joint venture with the government of Zimbabwe and we are allowed to export excess iron ore after feeding ZISCO and the local market,” Firdhose Coovadia, resident director of Essar (Middle East & Africa), had told Business Standard in an interview earlier.
Last year, the company had said they planned to start steel production at ZISCO in 12-15 months time, from the date of getting all the necessary approvals. When acquired, ZISCO was a defunct state-owned steel company which owed its employees $20 million (Rs 108 crore) in wages. The total liabilities of this one-mt capacity steel plant were over $340 million (Rs 1,849 crore).
“As a group, we look at various growth opportunities but would not like to comment on any specific ones at this point in time,” Essar said, in response to an email sent on the development. The port project work is to be undertaken by the group’s African subsidiary, Essar Africa Holdings, and is not a part of the group’s Essar Ports. “The project is currently on the drawing board,” said a senior company official.
This port will facilitate exports from Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO), a Zimbabwe-based company it acquired in 2010. Essar spent $750 million for a 56 per cent stake in the company. The group had plans to bring back iron ore from the Zimbabwe company to India.
A port in Essar’s African portfolio would add to its many businesses in the continent. Essar Energy holds 50 per cent interest in the Kenya Petroleum Refinery at Mombassa. It also has telecom operations in Kenya under the brand name Yu, with over three million subscribers.
However, this port will not cater exclusively to ZISCO and Essar. “Mozambique has a lot of coal resources, and that will also be another major source of cargo,” said the official.
When Essar Africa took over the company, ZISCO was a distressed asset. It planned to invest yet another $400 million (Rs 2,176 crore) into the company and get it back to production. The operating levels of the plant were very low. This is apart from developing the vast iron deposits of the company.
While working on the blue print of ZISCO’s revival plan, Essar planned to bring back some iron ore to its Gujarat steel plant, if there was an excess after feeding ZISCO and the local market.
“We have an 80 per cent stake in the minerals joint venture with the government of Zimbabwe and we are allowed to export excess iron ore after feeding ZISCO and the local market,” Firdhose Coovadia, resident director of Essar (Middle East & Africa), had told Business Standard in an interview earlier.
Last year, the company had said they planned to start steel production at ZISCO in 12-15 months time, from the date of getting all the necessary approvals. When acquired, ZISCO was a defunct state-owned steel company which owed its employees $20 million (Rs 108 crore) in wages. The total liabilities of this one-mt capacity steel plant were over $340 million (Rs 1,849 crore).
NERC and ESSO-MoES to strengthen UK-Indian collaboration in Earth Sciences and Environmental Research
New Delhi: The Natural Environment Research Council of the UK (NERC) and the Earth System Science Organization, Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Republic of India (ESSO-MoES) have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate cooperation between the UK and Indian earth system science and environmental research communities.
The UK and India have shared interests and strengths in research on meteorology, climate variability and change, oceanography, hydrology, cryosphere, natural hazards and biodiversity. The new MoU will encourage collaboration in these areas by promoting information sharing and identification of new opportunities for collaborative activities such as networking, exchange of scientific and technical capability, and co-funding new research through joint calls. The MoU will be put to immediate effect.
On this occasion Shri S. Jaipal Reddy, Union Minister for Earth Sciences and Science & Technology expressed the hope that the strong bond established between ESSO and NERC will further strengthen by signing of the MoU. He said this kind of bilateral cooperative agreement will help us to improve the forecasting capability of various weather and climate related phenomena and natural hazards through sharing of knowledge, expertise and experience.
The UK delegation head Mr. Phil Newton said this MoU is a sign of our commitment to work strategically in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing us. I am delighted that we are now strengthening our relationship.
The MoU agreed today will deepen the NERC- MoES partnership, enabling the two countries to build strategically on current collaborations.
It may be noted that the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is mandated to provide the nation with best possible services in forecasting the monsoons and other weather/climate parameters, ocean state, earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems through well integrated programmes. The Ministry also deals with science and technology for exploration and exploitation of ocean resources (living and non-living), and play nodal role for Antarctic/Arctic and Southern Ocean research. The Ministry mandate is to look after Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean Science & Technology, cryosphere and geosciences in an integrated manner. The Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) was established in October 2007 to address holistically various aspects relating to earth processes for understanding the variability of earth system. The overall vision of the ESSO is to excel in knowledge and technology enterprise for the earth system science realm towards socio-economic benefit of the Indian sub-continent and in the Indian Ocean region. Further information is available at http://www.moes.gov.in .
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is the UK's main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. NERC’s work covers the full range of atmospheric, Earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic science, from the deep oceans to the upper atmosphere and from the poles to the equator. NERC coordinate some of the world's most exciting research projects, tackling major issues such as climate change, environmental influences on human health, the genetic make-up of life on Earth, and much more. NERC is a non-departmental public bodyand receives around £370 million of annual funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
RCUK India is a representative office for NERC in India. They also represent the other six UK Research Councils in India. RCUK India was established in 2008 with an aim to bring about a step change in research partnerships between the two countries and make it easier for the best researchers in the UK and India to develop high-quality, high impact research partnerships. Since its launch RCUK India has facilitated joint research collaboration between the UK, India and third parties to the value of over £100 million compared with £1 million in 2008.
Over the last two years NERC and ESSO-MoES have built a strong partnership to support collaboration between UK and Indian scientists to address environmental change. In 2012 the two establishments jointly funded five collaborative research projects for Changing Water Cycle programme. These projects are providing information to improve to forecasts and management of changes to rainfall, river flows and groundwater in the dynamic and vulnerable South Asian region. The programme is expected to generate and put into practice new knowledge on changing water cycle. NERC and ESSO are also currently collaborating in the Belmont Forum call to support international research on the challenges of Water Security and Coastal Vulnerability.
The UK and India have shared interests and strengths in research on meteorology, climate variability and change, oceanography, hydrology, cryosphere, natural hazards and biodiversity. The new MoU will encourage collaboration in these areas by promoting information sharing and identification of new opportunities for collaborative activities such as networking, exchange of scientific and technical capability, and co-funding new research through joint calls. The MoU will be put to immediate effect.
On this occasion Shri S. Jaipal Reddy, Union Minister for Earth Sciences and Science & Technology expressed the hope that the strong bond established between ESSO and NERC will further strengthen by signing of the MoU. He said this kind of bilateral cooperative agreement will help us to improve the forecasting capability of various weather and climate related phenomena and natural hazards through sharing of knowledge, expertise and experience.
The UK delegation head Mr. Phil Newton said this MoU is a sign of our commitment to work strategically in addressing some of the biggest challenges facing us. I am delighted that we are now strengthening our relationship.
The MoU agreed today will deepen the NERC- MoES partnership, enabling the two countries to build strategically on current collaborations.
It may be noted that the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is mandated to provide the nation with best possible services in forecasting the monsoons and other weather/climate parameters, ocean state, earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena related to earth systems through well integrated programmes. The Ministry also deals with science and technology for exploration and exploitation of ocean resources (living and non-living), and play nodal role for Antarctic/Arctic and Southern Ocean research. The Ministry mandate is to look after Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean Science & Technology, cryosphere and geosciences in an integrated manner. The Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) was established in October 2007 to address holistically various aspects relating to earth processes for understanding the variability of earth system. The overall vision of the ESSO is to excel in knowledge and technology enterprise for the earth system science realm towards socio-economic benefit of the Indian sub-continent and in the Indian Ocean region. Further information is available at http://www.moes.gov.in .
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is the UK's main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. NERC’s work covers the full range of atmospheric, Earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic science, from the deep oceans to the upper atmosphere and from the poles to the equator. NERC coordinate some of the world's most exciting research projects, tackling major issues such as climate change, environmental influences on human health, the genetic make-up of life on Earth, and much more. NERC is a non-departmental public bodyand receives around £370 million of annual funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
RCUK India is a representative office for NERC in India. They also represent the other six UK Research Councils in India. RCUK India was established in 2008 with an aim to bring about a step change in research partnerships between the two countries and make it easier for the best researchers in the UK and India to develop high-quality, high impact research partnerships. Since its launch RCUK India has facilitated joint research collaboration between the UK, India and third parties to the value of over £100 million compared with £1 million in 2008.
Over the last two years NERC and ESSO-MoES have built a strong partnership to support collaboration between UK and Indian scientists to address environmental change. In 2012 the two establishments jointly funded five collaborative research projects for Changing Water Cycle programme. These projects are providing information to improve to forecasts and management of changes to rainfall, river flows and groundwater in the dynamic and vulnerable South Asian region. The programme is expected to generate and put into practice new knowledge on changing water cycle. NERC and ESSO are also currently collaborating in the Belmont Forum call to support international research on the challenges of Water Security and Coastal Vulnerability.
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