800 Mw Koldam to be operational next fiscal
New Delhi: State-owned power generator NTPC Ltd on Thursday started filling up the reservoir of its first hydro power project, the 800-Megawatt (Mw) Koldam in Himachal Pradesh. The 163-metre reservoir is likely to be filled over the next 11 months leading to the commissioning of the project next financial year.
“Koldam project, with four units of 200 Mw each, will provide peaking capacity to the Northern Grid and generate 3,054-Gw-hour electricity annually,” the company said in a statement.
The project was planned 12 years ago with an estimated investment of Rs 4,527 crore. However, delays on account of “geological surprises” led to an estimated 20 per cent cost overrun. “Koldam project, with four units of 200 Mw each, will provide peaking capacity to the Northern grid and generate 3,054-Gw-hour electricity annually,” the company said in a statement.
The project is located on Satluj river in Bilaspur district. Around 12 per cent of its power would be supplied to the host state for free. The rest would be transmitted to seven northern states. State-owned transmission utility Power Grid Corporation (PGCIL) is currently laying down the transmission network for the project. Thanks to the high silt content of the Satluj, the life of the reservoir is limited to 30 years.
NTPC is currently constructing 1,500-Mw hydro capacity, including 800-Mw Koldam, 520-Mw Tapovan Vishnugad and 171 Mw-Lata Tapovan in Uttarakhand, apart from an 8-Mw Singrauli hydro project in UP.
The company has installed capacity of 42,454 Mw, around 19 per cent of India’s total capacity. NTPC operates 16 coal-based and seven gas-based projects apart from six power stations in joint ventures
Success in my Habit
Monday, December 23, 2013
BlackBerry to set up enterprise solutions centres in India
New Delhi: BlackBerry has chosen India as the third country after the US and UK to set up enterprise solutions centres to educate corporate customers about various BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) 10 solutions, as the troubled smartphone maker eyes corporate clients in a market where it has lost a lot of retail share.
The company will set up two enterprise solutions centres in Mumbai and Gurgaon, Black-Berry India MD Sunil Lalvani told ET. Customers will experience BlackBerry's mobility management solutions, hosted and cloud-based options besides the enterprise server solutions at these centres that will also exhibit in-market smartphones, security architecture and ways of improving a company's productivity using these solutions.
"India is one of the fastest growing markets in terms of smartphone and mobile data adoption. This has directly impacted in the way Indian companies are adopting and implementing mobility solutions," Lalvani said. "We are seeing great traction for our enterprise offerings in the India market and are committed to grow our investments to support this."
These centres will also train BlackBerry Enterprise value added resellers and customers on deploying BES 10, and will offer courses to certify IT administrators managing a BES infrastructure or want to enhance their skills on BlackBerry Enterprise Solutions. BlackBerry has seen relatively better success in the enterprise segment while its market share in the consumer smartphone space has been falling drastically.
In an earlier interaction, BlackBerry spokesperson for India and Saarc, Varghese Thomas, had told ET that the company had seen significant uptake of BlackBerry 10 and BES10, particularly among the corporate segment in India.
The company will set up two enterprise solutions centres in Mumbai and Gurgaon, Black-Berry India MD Sunil Lalvani told ET. Customers will experience BlackBerry's mobility management solutions, hosted and cloud-based options besides the enterprise server solutions at these centres that will also exhibit in-market smartphones, security architecture and ways of improving a company's productivity using these solutions.
"India is one of the fastest growing markets in terms of smartphone and mobile data adoption. This has directly impacted in the way Indian companies are adopting and implementing mobility solutions," Lalvani said. "We are seeing great traction for our enterprise offerings in the India market and are committed to grow our investments to support this."
These centres will also train BlackBerry Enterprise value added resellers and customers on deploying BES 10, and will offer courses to certify IT administrators managing a BES infrastructure or want to enhance their skills on BlackBerry Enterprise Solutions. BlackBerry has seen relatively better success in the enterprise segment while its market share in the consumer smartphone space has been falling drastically.
In an earlier interaction, BlackBerry spokesperson for India and Saarc, Varghese Thomas, had told ET that the company had seen significant uptake of BlackBerry 10 and BES10, particularly among the corporate segment in India.
Carlyle Group invests in Global Health
Mumbai: Private equity major The Carlyle Group has made a strategic minority investment in Indian hospital and healthcare provider Global Health Private Ltd. The financial details of the investment were not disclosed.
The investment, which also included acquisition of a significant equity stake held by an affiliate of Avenue Capital Group, was made by Anant Investments. Anant Investments is an affiliate of Carlyle Asia Partners III, the PE firm said in a statement.
Led by cardiac surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan, Global Health operates a 900 bed hospital in the National Capital Region of Delhi. It provides super-specialty care in cardiology, neurology, gastro, liver transplant and orthopedics with prominent doctors in each field.
Global Health owns ‘Medanta-the Medicity’, a super-specialty hospital, in Gurgaon.
“We see high growth potential in the healthcare industry in India driven by improving income profiles leading to higher hospitalisation and treatment frequency. And the National Capital Region of Delhi, where Global Health is operating, has rapidly emerged as a healthcare hub,” said Neeraj Bharadwaj, Managing Director of The Carlyle Group.
Including this transaction, Carlyle has invested and committed about $1.1 billion in India as of September 30, 2013.
The investment, which also included acquisition of a significant equity stake held by an affiliate of Avenue Capital Group, was made by Anant Investments. Anant Investments is an affiliate of Carlyle Asia Partners III, the PE firm said in a statement.
Led by cardiac surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan, Global Health operates a 900 bed hospital in the National Capital Region of Delhi. It provides super-specialty care in cardiology, neurology, gastro, liver transplant and orthopedics with prominent doctors in each field.
Global Health owns ‘Medanta-the Medicity’, a super-specialty hospital, in Gurgaon.
“We see high growth potential in the healthcare industry in India driven by improving income profiles leading to higher hospitalisation and treatment frequency. And the National Capital Region of Delhi, where Global Health is operating, has rapidly emerged as a healthcare hub,” said Neeraj Bharadwaj, Managing Director of The Carlyle Group.
Including this transaction, Carlyle has invested and committed about $1.1 billion in India as of September 30, 2013.
Jute exports expected to rise 33% this year
Chennai: Exports of jute products from the country is expected to touch Rs 2,800 crore in value in 2013-14 on the back of an increase in demand from the West, said Beela Rajesh, Executive Director, Handloom Export Promotion Council, Ministry of Textiles.
In 2012-13, exports stood at Rs 2,094 crore.
The global jute import market, which went through a lean period from 2011 to mid-2012, is picking up again as top markets Europe and the US restarted buying.
Growing acceptance of jute bags as a personal accessory, and shopping bags made of the fibre for its eco-friendly nature, are brightening its prospects in the West, she said, adding that floor coverings, wall hangings, gunny bags, and gift articles are also being bought.
Data put up by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics says export of floor coverings totalled Rs 142.9 crore during April-September 2013,while jute Hessian bags touched Rs 405 crore and other jute products hit Rs 475.4 crore, signalling strong demand.
“Jute, originally, was not used for purposes beyond covering floors. But with treatment and printing, it looks and feels as good as fabric,” she said speaking at a buyer-seller meet organised by National Jute Board in association with Federation of Indian Export Organisations.
National Jute Board and Jute Product Development and Export Promotion Council, set up in 2011, are funding entrepreneurs interested in jute product manufacturing, and helping manufacturers upgrade facilities.
Traditionally based in West Bengal, the jute business is spreading to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
At the exposition, manufacturers from the South showcased printed wall hangings that were treated to smoothen the texture of the fibre, something that will find purchase in Western markets, said T. Ayyapan, Market Promotion Officer, NJB.
In 2012-13, exports stood at Rs 2,094 crore.
The global jute import market, which went through a lean period from 2011 to mid-2012, is picking up again as top markets Europe and the US restarted buying.
Growing acceptance of jute bags as a personal accessory, and shopping bags made of the fibre for its eco-friendly nature, are brightening its prospects in the West, she said, adding that floor coverings, wall hangings, gunny bags, and gift articles are also being bought.
Data put up by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics says export of floor coverings totalled Rs 142.9 crore during April-September 2013,while jute Hessian bags touched Rs 405 crore and other jute products hit Rs 475.4 crore, signalling strong demand.
“Jute, originally, was not used for purposes beyond covering floors. But with treatment and printing, it looks and feels as good as fabric,” she said speaking at a buyer-seller meet organised by National Jute Board in association with Federation of Indian Export Organisations.
National Jute Board and Jute Product Development and Export Promotion Council, set up in 2011, are funding entrepreneurs interested in jute product manufacturing, and helping manufacturers upgrade facilities.
Traditionally based in West Bengal, the jute business is spreading to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
At the exposition, manufacturers from the South showcased printed wall hangings that were treated to smoothen the texture of the fibre, something that will find purchase in Western markets, said T. Ayyapan, Market Promotion Officer, NJB.
3 More Indian Institutes Sign MoU with the International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises
New Delhi: Three more academic institutes: (i) Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad; (ii) Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi and (iii) International Management Institute, New Delhi here today separately signed MoU with the International Centre for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE). The Acting Director General, ICPE, who is visiting India signed the MoU with the Heads of these Institutes in the presence of Shri Praful Patel, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), is currently the ex-officio President of ICPE Council. At the initiative of DPE, the academic / research ties between ICPE and some reputed Indian institutes have been strengthened.
ICPE was established in Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the initiative of the United Nations in 1974. Nineteen countries including India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are currently members of ICPE. One of the main objectives of ICPE is to promote and support enterprises in developing countries to foster their economic development, and in pursuit thereof share and undertake research, education, training, consultancy, documentation and publication of management related information.
It is expected that the signing of MoUs will go a long way in promoting professionalism and executive development in Public Enterprises of India and Slovenia, and will also open new avenues of co-operation and collaboration between them. The Heads of all three Institutes present for the signing of MoU with ICPE expressed the desire to have short-term and long-term courses with a part of the academic curriculum / research programmes shared by the Indian Institutes and part of the course be conducted in India. The Institute of Public Enterprises, Hyderabad, already has a Memorandum of Understanding with ICPE.
ICPE regularly conducts short-term and long-term courses, including a one year MBA programme. Government of India has regularly nominated government officers and public sector executives to attend the courses / programmes conducted by ICPE. Till date more than 600 officials / executives from India have successfully completed their MBA course from ICPE.
ICPE was established in Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the initiative of the United Nations in 1974. Nineteen countries including India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are currently members of ICPE. One of the main objectives of ICPE is to promote and support enterprises in developing countries to foster their economic development, and in pursuit thereof share and undertake research, education, training, consultancy, documentation and publication of management related information.
It is expected that the signing of MoUs will go a long way in promoting professionalism and executive development in Public Enterprises of India and Slovenia, and will also open new avenues of co-operation and collaboration between them. The Heads of all three Institutes present for the signing of MoU with ICPE expressed the desire to have short-term and long-term courses with a part of the academic curriculum / research programmes shared by the Indian Institutes and part of the course be conducted in India. The Institute of Public Enterprises, Hyderabad, already has a Memorandum of Understanding with ICPE.
ICPE regularly conducts short-term and long-term courses, including a one year MBA programme. Government of India has regularly nominated government officers and public sector executives to attend the courses / programmes conducted by ICPE. Till date more than 600 officials / executives from India have successfully completed their MBA course from ICPE.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Alstom bags €125 m order from BHEL
Alstom will co-operate with BHEL in conceptualising, designing, engineering and supplying two tower boilers and the complete lignite milling and firing equipment, and critical components, the company said in a statement.
The 1,000 mw green field NNTPP being developed by Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited, will be the first lignite –fired 1,000 mw power plant in the country and major source of power to the southern states.
US-based JDA Software plans to invest Rs 500 cr in India
The $1,065-million turnover company, with headquarters in Scottsdale, entered the Indian market with the acquisition of Manugistics Group, which has a product development centre in Hyderabad, for $210 million in 2006. It consolidated its India presence with the acquisition of i2 Technologies for about $600 million in 2010.
“Our aim is to mature from a software company to a solutions company in India, with products to suit different segments such as automotive and pharmaceutical. Currently, we have solutions that cover the entire supply chain structure from production level to warehousing, inventory management, distribution, transport management and networking development,” Abel A Correa, Vice-President (Product Development), told Business Line.
Part of the investment will go towards scaling up its existing R&D facility in India, which at present handles about 50-60 per cent of its global product research and development. “We are aiming to increase this share to 70 per cent by 2015,” he said.
To hire more
As it expands its product portfolio, the firm intends to expand its workforce from the current 1800 to 2,500 in the next two years. It is focussing on cloud-related products for the retail sector, as Indian retailers are beginning to seek third-party cloud services.
“Our focus in the next six months will be on cloud offerings, which would go beyond just offering to bank their (retailers’) software on our services. Our cloud services will seek to guide them on operating their software for optimising revenues,” Correa added.
It offers its products both as a package and individual services. “For example, we have a product just for shelf planning in retail stores. Our product will provide a 3-D walk through a proposed store and give out placement of products on a shelf, depending on its depth and width,” he pointed out
Biocon signs agreement with US-based Quark Pharma
Bangalore: Biotechnology company Biocon Ltd and Quark Pharmaceuticals Inc have entered into a tie-up for the discovery and development of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based medicines.
California-based Quark Pharma develops RNA interference-based treatments for chronic and acute diseases.
This treatment involves a biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression by causing the destruction of specific RNA molecules used to treat conditions such as glaucoma.
This collaboration will enable Biocon to co-develop, manufacture and commercialise QPI-1007, a novel siRNA drug candidate for ophthalmic conditions, for India and other markets, according to a company statement.
siRNA are molecules and understanding the way these molecules work is important for validating the functioning of genes which would help in disease-causing genes.
The company did not disclose the financial details of this transaction.
Biocon Chairperson and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said: “Quark is the world leader in this technology and their joint development efforts on QPI-1007, targeting ocular neuroprotection, aims at providing relief to several patients suffering from serious ophthalmic conditions.”
Markets cheered this development and the stock closed at Rs 439, a 12 per cent increase over its previous closing.
According to the company, glaucoma affects 12 million people accounting for 12.8 per cent of blindness affecting people.
California-based Quark Pharma develops RNA interference-based treatments for chronic and acute diseases.
This treatment involves a biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression by causing the destruction of specific RNA molecules used to treat conditions such as glaucoma.
This collaboration will enable Biocon to co-develop, manufacture and commercialise QPI-1007, a novel siRNA drug candidate for ophthalmic conditions, for India and other markets, according to a company statement.
siRNA are molecules and understanding the way these molecules work is important for validating the functioning of genes which would help in disease-causing genes.
The company did not disclose the financial details of this transaction.
Biocon Chairperson and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said: “Quark is the world leader in this technology and their joint development efforts on QPI-1007, targeting ocular neuroprotection, aims at providing relief to several patients suffering from serious ophthalmic conditions.”
Markets cheered this development and the stock closed at Rs 439, a 12 per cent increase over its previous closing.
According to the company, glaucoma affects 12 million people accounting for 12.8 per cent of blindness affecting people.
British Council offers scholarships worth £ 1 million for Indian students enrolling in British universities
Lucknow: With falling enrollment of Indian students in UK universities, the British Council has come out with the largest ever scholarship program for local students. The British Council will offer around 370 scholarships worth almost £ 1 million in the coming months for Indian students interested in pursuing undergraduate and post graduate courses in Britain said Director, Education and Society, British Council, Richard Everitt.
He said that there was dip in the number of Indian students enrolling in UK based institutions during the last two years. This was largely due to the falling rupee which made pursuing education in UK costlier but also students having more options to study in different countries abroad.
"But we want to encourage more students from India to enroll in UK because they are talented and the two countries share a long history. Students from India bring new perspective , intellect and hard work and also add to the cultural life in the campus. This is our largest ever scholarship program for India and will continue for two years" said Everitt.
Currently there are about 31,000 Indian students in UK with nearly two thirds pursuing post graduate courses. 30 of the world's top 200 universities are in the UK.
Everitt said that there is no cap on the number of students coming to UK for studies and they are given visa's easily. He said that counseling is offered for selecting courses, institutions and adjusting to life in a foreign country. Also, career option are also discussed with students, Everitt said.
He said that there was dip in the number of Indian students enrolling in UK based institutions during the last two years. This was largely due to the falling rupee which made pursuing education in UK costlier but also students having more options to study in different countries abroad.
"But we want to encourage more students from India to enroll in UK because they are talented and the two countries share a long history. Students from India bring new perspective , intellect and hard work and also add to the cultural life in the campus. This is our largest ever scholarship program for India and will continue for two years" said Everitt.
Currently there are about 31,000 Indian students in UK with nearly two thirds pursuing post graduate courses. 30 of the world's top 200 universities are in the UK.
Everitt said that there is no cap on the number of students coming to UK for studies and they are given visa's easily. He said that counseling is offered for selecting courses, institutions and adjusting to life in a foreign country. Also, career option are also discussed with students, Everitt said.
Bilateral currency swap arrangement between the Reserve Bank of India and Bank of Japan enhanced from US$ 15 billion to US$ 50 billion
New Delhi: The Government of India today approved the enhancement of the bilateral currency swap arrangement between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Bank of Japan from US$15 billion to US$ 50 billion. The terms of the Agreement have been agreed between the Indian and the Japanese side in this regard. The Government of India has authorized Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to sign the agreement.
This measure will further strengthen the bilateral financial cooperation between Japan and India.
This measure will further strengthen the bilateral financial cooperation between Japan and India.
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