Party in banquet: 05/19/11

Nod for NLC's new power project

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared the proposal for setting up a Rs.5,907-crore lignite-based thermal power project by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) in Tamil Nadu.
“The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure has approved the proposal for installing 1,000 MW lignite-based thermal power project in Neyveli,” an official statement said.
Consisting of two units of 500 MW each, the power generated from the new project will cater to demand of the states in the southern part of the country. NLC is planning to set up the project in Cuddalore district of the state.
The project had also come up for discussion in the Public Investment Board in November last year.
The foreign exchange component of the power plant is Rs.969.81 crore. NLC is currently operating three thermal power stations at Neyveli and one at Barsingsar in Rajasthan with a total installed capacity of 2,740 MW.

Cryolor's unit to go on stream

Ravin Mirchandani CHENNAI: The new manufacturing facility set up by Cryolor Asia Pacific, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Cryolor S.A. of France, which is part of the Air Liquide Group, will go on stream on Friday. Air Liquide is a world leader in industrial gases, health and the environment, and is present in 80 countries.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Ravin Mirchandani, Managing Director, said the Rs.45-crore state-of-the-art facility, the first unit outside France, located at Melmaruvathur close to Chennai, would produce cryogenic storage equipment.
Spread over 15,000 sq. metre, the facility had production stages identical to its line in Europe. The Chennai unit was capable of manufacturing 300 cryogenic storage tanks a year with a capacity of 10,000-60,000 litres. The first consignment would be sent to Bhutan. The products manufactured from this facility would have 60 per cent indigenisation initially.
Mr. Mirchandani said 50 per cent of production from the Chennai unit would cater to the domestic market and the balance would be exported. Mr. Mirchandani said in the second phase, the company was planning to make Rs.23-25 crore additional investment towards expanding product range by manufacturing tankers to meet the requirements and expectations of industrial gas and LNG industry customers. The Indian subsidiary set a revenue target of Rs.60 crore by 2015.

Nod for NLC's new power project

Cryolor's unit to go on stream

Centre to sell entire stake in Scooters India

NEW DELHI: The Union Government on Thursday decided to revive the sick public sector undertaking Scooters India Limited (SIL), Lucknow, by selling its entire stake and its take-over through a joint venture.
Pressing with its Uttar Pradesh-centric approach what with the elections knowing the doors, the congress-led UPA government approved the proposal to induct a strategic partner by offloading the entire government equity of around 95 per cent with the balance remaining with banks, financial institutions, corporate bodies and others. The transfer of government equity would be done through the Department of Disinvestment after obtaining Parliament's nod to identify and induct a strategic partner.
Manufacturing three-wheelers under the brand name of Vikram, SIL has been recording operational losses since 2002-03 and net losses since 2006-07 due to inherent inefficiency and low productivity and inability to match the highly competitive market.
Net worth
With its net worth eroded at the end of the closure of audited accounts on March 31, 2008, the Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprise recommended the induction of a joint venture partner as the only way out to revive the unit.

Sensex gains 55 points

MUMBAI: Halting three-day falling trend, the Bombay Stock Exchange sensitive index, Sensex, moved up 55 points to 18141 on Thursday against 18086.20 on Wednesday as investors bought heavyweights at lower levels amid better fourth quarter results posted by L&T, easing food inflation and firm European cues.
After taking investor beating, recording steep slide in the last couple of sessions, ONGC gained 1.20 per cent to Rs. 277.30 because of buying at lower levels. Index heavyweight Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) gained 1.45 per cent to Rs. 914.90 for the same reason.
Food inflation, meanwhile, eased further to 7.47 per cent for the week ended May 7 on the back of slower rate of price hike of pulses, vegetables and wheat.
Rupee rises
The rupee ended higher by another 8 paise to finish at 44.97/98 against the dollar on Thursday on persistent selling of dollars by banks and exporters.
It closed at 45.05/06 on Wednesday.
The rupee resumed higher at 44.97/98 and moved up further to 44.90 before closing at 44.97/98. — PTI

Centre to sell entire stake in Scooters India

Sensex gains 55 points

DEPB scheme to end in June

NEW DELHI: Even as the Commerce Ministry, export organisations and various corporates have been pleading for continuation of the Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) scheme for some more time to ensure price competitiveness in global markets for Indian products, the Finance Ministry appears to have made up its mind on ending the tax rebate scheme from June 30.
In an apparent rejection of requests of various exporter organisations, Revenue Secretary Sunil Mitra said: “All exports will be zero-rated after Duty Entitlement Pass Book scheme ends. Two similar kinds of schemes cannot go on. It will save some revenue for the government”.
Under the 14-year-old DEPB scheme, exporters are accorded tax rebates on local levies on account of which the government has to forego revenue of about Rs.8,000 crore.
After repeated extension of the scheme on a yearly basis, the scheme is to come to an end next month.

DEPB scheme to end in June

BSNL synergising operations with MTNL

Launches special tariff plans for paramilitary forces

— PHOTO: V. V. Krishnan

R. K. Upadhyay (centre), Chairman and Managing Director, BSNL, with Raman Srivastava (left), Director General, Border Security Force (BSF) and R. K. Bhatia, Director General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. NEW DELHI: Newly-appointed Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) Chairman and Managing Director R. K. Upadhyay on Thursday said his company was working together with state-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) to streamline their businesses so that both organisations benefited from it.
“Synergies are being worked out and we would not wait for the whole lot of list to be worked out. As things come in our mind we will look at it (services). We will see that it will benefit both organisations without violating any TRAI norms besides benefiting customers,” Mr. Upadhyay told journalists here at the launch of special tariff plans for paramilitary forces.
Notably, the Centre is keen on merging BSNL and MTNL so that the functioning of the two loss-making telecom companies could be streamlined and their operating costs reduced. It will also help them provide pan-India services as MTNL operators only in Delhi and Mumbai. Recently, the Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE) had recommended that BSNL should merge with MTNL to help turnaround the loss-making telecom giant.
In 2009-10, BSNL reported a loss of Rs.1,823 crore while its revenue stood at Rs.32,046 crore, while MTNL's net loss in 2010-11 stood at Rs.2,826 crore, up 8.27 per cent from Rs.2,610.90 crore in 2009-10. Its total income rose to Rs.3,841.20 crore from Rs.3,781 crore in 2009-10. In 2005-06, BSNL had reported a net profit of over Rs.10,000 crore.
Talking about the new scheme, he said the two plans would offer paramilitary personnel free talk-time for 20 minutes on any two BSNL numbers throughout the country. This facility will be available free of cost even on roaming. Apart from this, the new plan will offer reduced calling charges of 20 paise per minute on any two BSNL numbers, be it mobile or landline for the jawans.
BSNL also announced an economical package for the personnel at fixed monthly charges of Rs.99, under which a paramilitary personnel can make calls at one paisa per second pulse besides other freebies. Under the plan for officers, they can avail themselves of unlimited free calls to any BSNL numbers within a circle.

Ras Al Khaimah invites Indian investment in infrastructure

Power, desalination, airports, ports and rail systems are the potential areas
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Business Park in Ras Al Khaimah RAS AL KHAIMAH (UAE): It may not be as well known tourist or investment destination like Dubai, yet this northern most state of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is positioning itself to become the bridge between the West and East markets. Close to 100 km from Dubai and 45-minute drive from its swanky international airport, RAK and its Free Trade Zone (FTZ) are on an overdrive to play the role of a facilitator between western nations and India/China.
RAK, one of the seven UAE states is beckoning Indian firms to participate in infrastructure development as $5 billion investment is expected in the region for building power plants, desalination plants, airports, ports, rail systems and the like.
“We are in between so we can bring together foreign and Indian firms as well as non-resident Indians. We can also play a big role in providing access to emerging markets of Brazil, Africa and countries like Iraq, Egypt and others needing reconstruction. Indian firms can grow internationally as there is lots of business to be done,” pointed out Oussama El Omari, Chief Executive Officer and Director General, RAK-FTZ, to a visiting group of journalists.
India is a key and best market for the FTZ and firms can invest in renewable energy like solar power. “We already have the largest floating platform for tapping solar energy. India too has lot of interest in solar energy and can take part in R&D,” he said. Current uncertain times in the neighbourhood also provided an opportunity to traders and businessmen as UAE was a safe place for investors with stable regimes.
RAK-FTZ ( www.rakftz. com) established a decade ago with 15 firms to begin with under the chairmanship of Sheikh Faisal Bin Saqr Al Qasimi has grown to 5,000 operating companies (10,000 took licences) of which more than 1,000 are Indian-owned for consulting, trading and commercial units. It has been adjudged as the ‘Best Emerging' free zone three years in a row by the Middle East Logistics Awards. The FTZ has specialised locations around RAK like the business park provided with plush offices equipped with state-of-the-art communications, industrial park close to Saqr port with warehousing and open plots to suit any requirement, technology park for automated manufacturing and the academy zone where some top academic institutions like BITS-Pilani have set up campus. Investors are being enticed with cent per cent ownership, 100 per cent capital/profit repatriation/importing labour, furnished offices and tax exemptions. “You can open an office in three days as registering is easy. It is also 30 per cent to 40 per cent cheaper to set up business here when compared with Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” averred Bissoon Surnam, Regional Manager (India), RAK-FTZ.
Visas number is dependent on the business licence taken with three years validity and licences have to be renewed each year. However, publishing, e-commerce and travel businesses are disallowed. Firms cannot sell directly in the UAE market but through a local agent.

BSNL synergising operations with MTNL

Launches special tariff plans for paramilitary forces

— PHOTO: V. V. Krishnan

Ras Al Khaimah invites Indian investment in infrastructure

Power, desalination, airports, ports and rail systems are the potential areas
PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Food inflation eases further

Moderation in the prices of pulses, wheat and vegetables

NEW DELHI: In what the government on Thursday sought to describe as “a declining trend”, food inflation eased further to its 18-month low at 7.47 per cent for the week ended May 7 from 7.70 per cent in the previous week following a moderation in the prices of pulses, wheat and vegetables.
Considering that food inflation, as measured by the wholesale price index (WPI), around the like week last year was at a high of over 22 per cent, the government may have reason to derive some satisfaction. Economic analysts, however, warned against any complacency, especially as the price spiral in non-food items continues to rule at higher levels to provide no comfort to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ease on its hawkish policy stance.
Commenting on the WPI data, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: “Both on food inflation and overall wholesale price index (WPI), there is a declining trend”. Pointing out that inflation had come down in all three segments — primary articles, food and non-food items — he was, however, quick to add: “I do not give much credibility to weekly fluctuations or monthly fluctuations. We shall have to take an overall view”. For a major part of 2010, food inflation had remained in double digits and signs of moderation were visible only from March this year. In view of this statistical effect, prices of pulses eased by 8.87 per cent during the week on a year-on-year basis. Likewise, vegetables and wheat also turned cheaper by 3.61 per cent and 0.06 per cent, respectively. However, as pointed out by the RBI in its annual monetary policy review, it is the core (non-food) inflation that remains a matter of concern and which is why overall inflation is projected to remain at near 9 per cent during the first-half of the fiscal year before easing to around 6 per cent.

Food inflation eases further

Moderation in the prices of pulses, wheat and vegetables

Leyland profit zooms 49 %

— Photo: Bijoy Ghosh

Aiming high: Vinod K Dasari (right), Managing Director, Ashok Leyland with K . Sridharan, Chief Financial Officer, at a press conference, in Chennai on Thursday. CHENNAI: Ashok Leyland could report a significant improvement in its performance in the year ended March 31, 2011, by gaining market share in all the segments and in all regions and retaining leadership position in the passenger segment. The company registered a rise of 53.5 per cent in its sales turnover at Rs.11,117.71 crore against Rs.7,244.71 crore in the previous financial year. The net profit has risen by 49 per cent to Rs.631.30 crore from Rs.423.67 crore. The higher net profit was achieved despite an increase in financial expenses to Rs. 163.66 crore (Rs.81.13 crore) and in depreciation to Rs.276.43 crore (Rs.204.11 crore).
The company announced a dividend of Rs. 2 per share (of the face value of Re.1) against Rs.1.50 in the previous year.
‘Watershed year'
Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, said 2010-11 was a watershed year for Ashok Leyland with production hitting an all-time high with highest domestic and export volumes. The company could increase its number of products during the year by launching 746 products. While domestic volumes jumped 45 per cent to 83,800 vehicles from 57.947 units, exports surged by 72 per cent to 10,306 numbers (5,979 vehicles), Mr. Dasari said. The commendable performance at the market place translated into all-round market share gains for the company. In the medium and heavy commercial vehicles segment, Ashok Leyland's share rose by 2.4 percentage points to 26 per cent, Mr. Dasari said.
The company's de-risking strategy of developing non-cyclical businesses paid rich dividends with spare parts and defence posting 20 per cent growth over last year. The company formed a subsidiary ‘Ashok Leyland Defence Systems' to build on the company's pre-eminent status of being the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army and to also address opportunities in overseas defence markets for tactical vehicles. A memorandum of understanding was signed with Krauss-MaffeiWegmann of Germany to develop advanced defence systems.
The company's Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) facility went on stream with an initial capacity of 2,000 vehicles per annum. To meet the increasing domestic demand the company ramped up production at the Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) plant by achieving 60 per cent of capacity by March.
Mr. Dasari said the current year would be a year of growth and consolidation in quest of its vision to be among the global top ten in trucks and top five in buses.

Leyland profit zooms 49 %

— Photo: Bijoy Ghosh

Michelin's Chennai unit on track

The plant will have an annual capacity of two million tyres

BERLIN: The manufacturing facility of French tyre major Michelin in India near Chennai is on track and the first phase of operations will commence from 2012 November, Michelin's Head of global operations for the truck tyre business Pete Selleck said on Thursday.
Rs.4,000-crore plant
The Rs.4,000-crore plant near Chennai for truck tyre production is among the three major global expansion projects that the company has taken up, the other two being in China and Brazil. “Though the plant will have an annual capacity for two million tyres, we will start production of about 3 lakh tyres initially,” Mr. Selleck told presspersons on the sidelines of ‘Challenge Bibendum', a sustainable mobility event organised at the historic Templehoff Airport in Berlin.
The plant would ultimately employ about 1,500 people, he said, adding that it was meant to cater to the Indian market. “About 100 engineers of the 250 appointed in India are being trained at various facilities across the globe”.
“We will continue to import truck tyres to India till 2015 after which the company will meet its requirement locally,” he said.
Indian operations presently contribute to about one per cent of Michelin's income worldwide, and is expected to contribute to the company's revenue substantially in the next ten years, Mr. Selleck, added.
According to Mr. Selleck, the current rate of radialisation of truck tyres in India is about 15 per cent while it is about 50 per cent in the other two major emerging markets — China and Brazil.
“We are currently talking to original equipment manufacturers in the country to expand the market reach and expect a significant share from the replacement market”.

Michelin's Chennai unit on track

The plant will have an annual capacity of two million tyres

L&T Q4 net up at Rs.1,686 cr

Completion of several expansion projects is under way

Board recommends Rs.14.50 dividend
Order book stands at Rs.1,30,217 crore

— PHOTO: PAUL NORONHA

INTENSE COMPETITION:A. M. Naik (right), Chairman, and Y. M. Deosthalee, Whole-time Director & Chief Financial Officer, L&T, at a press conference in Mumbai on Thursday. MUMBAI: Infrastructure major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) on Thursday reported a 17.25 per cent growth in standalone net profit at Rs.1,686.21 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2011, against Rs.1,438.10 crore in the year-ago period. However, the net profit could have been flat had there not been an exceptional gain of Rs.226.77 crore achieved out of the sale of its investment in an associate company.
The board has recommended a dividend of Rs.14.50 per share of Rs.2 each for 2010-11.
During the quarter, net sales stood at Rs.15,078.39 crore against Rs.13,374.89 crore, a growth of 12.73 per cent.
Gross revenues from the engineering and construction segment grew by 12.85 per cent to Rs.13,664.31 crore, while its electrical and electronics segment reported a meagre growth of 1.32 per cent at Rs.1,001.39 crore.
However, for the whole of 2010-11, the standalone net profit fell by 9.54 per cent to Rs.3,957.89 crore due to an 18.58 per cent increase in tax outgo to Rs.1,945.86 crore. In 2009-10, the company had posted a standalone net profit of Rs.4,375.52 crore.
On a consolidated basis, the net profit went down by 18.24 per cent to Rs.4,456.17 crore in 2010-11 from Rs.5,450.74 crore in 2009-10.
In a separate statement, the company said that its order book amounted to Rs.1,30,217 crore as of March 31, 2011, due to an increase of about 27 per cent in order inflow during the January-March quarter.
Outlook
Giving its outlook for the current year, the company said that completion of several expansion projects was under way and it would strengthen the company's position of pre-eminence in various business verticals.
However, it added that “intense competition and spiralling input costs might exert some pressure on the operating margin going forward”. — PTI

L&T Q4 net up at Rs.1,686 cr

Completion of several expansion projects is under way

Board recommends Rs.14.50 dividend
Order book stands at Rs.1,30,217 crore

— PHOTO: PAUL NORONHA

Four policemen killed in Naxal attacks

NAGPUR: Four policemen, including a commander of an anti-Naxal force and two special police officers, were killed and two injured in Naxal attacks in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Thursday.
— PTI

Four policemen killed in Naxal attacks

Posco land acquisition continues despite protest

PARADIP: Land acquisition for Posco's mega steel project continued for the second day on Thursday, despite protest and road blockade by agitators.
Thirty-two persons were taken into custody for trying to disrupt the work, which resumed on Wednesday after a gap of nine months, the police said.
Activists of the United Action Committee, who had earlier backed the project, were taken into custody as they blocked the route to Gada Kujanga, opposing the work.
UAC president Anadi Charan Rout was among the villagers arrested.
They were released after officials completed the day's work at the villages.
“We are supporters of the project. But we will oppose the land acquisition work till our demands are fulfilled,” Mr. Rout said after his arrest. — PTI

Money-laundering case against Kalmadi

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money-laundering case against the dismissed CWG Organising Committee chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, for the financial dealings during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
— PTI

Posco land acquisition continues despite protest

Money-laundering case against Kalmadi

Shrinking land, water scarcity, virus haunt TTD cows

TIRUPATI: The cows housed in the ‘Sri Venkateswara Go Samrakshanasala', the dairy farm of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), are a beleaguered lot, dogged as they are by three major problems, viz., shrinking land, water shortage, and viral attack.
At its inception in 1956, the dairy farm had 400 acres to house 200 cows. In sharp contrast, it now has 1,100 animals and the land has shrunk to hardly 70 acres, thanks to the ‘magnanimity' of the TTD's successive chiefs in doling out chunks of land to educational institutions and housing colonies for employees.
Twenty acres of land has recently been alienated to develop yet another housing colony, leaving little moving space for the poor TTD animals.
While the tube wells have dried up, all the fifteen bore-wells but one have dried up. The TTD is considering moving the animals to the Hathiramji Mutt-owned landed property abutting Dalavai Cheruvu tank in Perumallapalle on the city outskirts, while plans are afoot to sink eight new bore-wells near the Cherlopalle-Srinivasa Mangapuram Road for dedicated water supply.

Bench extends stay in case against Alagiri

MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday extended until May 25 the stay on the investigation conducted by Keezhavalavu police near here into an assault case registered against Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers M.K. Alagiri and many other Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam functionaries on the basis of a complaint lodged by Tahsildar M. Kalimuthu (since suspended) on April 1.
Justice B. Rajendran extended the interim stay, granted by another judge on May 4, after Government Advocate T.R. Janarthanan sought time to file a vacate stay petition. The stay was granted pursuant to a writ petition filed by Mr. Kalimuthu claiming that he had actually filed a false complaint against the Minister “under the orders of his superiors and forceful directions of the police personnel.”
The petitioner had sought for a direction to transfer the case to “some other neutral agency or officer outside Madurai district.” When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, Mr. Justice Rajendran wondered how such a direction could be passed by invoking Article 226.

Shrinking land, water scarcity, virus haunt TTD cows

Bench extends stay in case against Alagiri

Huge dolmen discovered

HYDERABAD: A recent discovery by a freelance archaeologist of a huge dolmen, stated to be the biggest of its kind in South India and dating back to the Iron Age (between 1,000 B.C. to 500 B.C.) at Pandavulametta, Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, was confirmed by the State Archaeology department.
In what could be described as serendipity, the discovery of the “megalithic sepulchral monument” was chanced upon by a freelance archaeologist and former Deputy Director, Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, K. Venkateswara Rao, who used to frequently visit Jaina site at Dannanapeta and Pandavulametta.
The discovery of the structure was later confirmed by a team of archaeologists led by P. Chenna Reddy, Director, Department of Archaeology & Museums, Andhra Pradesh government.
A dolmen is an ancient burial place, built in a rectangular shape with an opening and covered by a huge capstone. The discovery gained a lot of significance as it is the biggest dolmen reported from A.P., measuring 36 feet in length and 14 feet in breadth with a thickness of two feet. The single largest capstone weighed more than 50 tonnes.

Lack of director puts cultural centre in a spot

THANJAVUR: The South Zone Cultural Centre here has been functioning without a Director for the last 11 months.
The post has remained vacant since the departure of K.V.Giridhar, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer, in June 26. In between, Leela Samson, Director of Kalakshetra, was given additional charge as the Director of the centre. Ms.Samson who handled the post for three months, soon opted out.
Sources here say that there have been no takers for the job, in spite of the Union Ministry of Culture sending circulars to officials to take up the post. An advertisement in the newspaper yielded no results.
With Thanjavur residents, artistes and staff of the centre demanding for a permanent fixture for the post, the Deputy Secretary of Governor is temporarily handling the centre's affairs.
A total of 280 programmes were conducted in a year when Mr.Giridhar was the Director. Hardly 10 programmes have been conducted in the last 11 months. Major programmes such as the Salangai Natham festival in which arts and crafts from various parts of India will be showcased, cannot be held this year.

Huge dolmen discovered

Lack of director puts cultural centre in a spot

Alagappa University gets a facelift

— Photo: L. Balachandar

IMPOSING:Workers giving finishing touches along the driveway to Alagappa University in Karaikudi. SIVAGANGA: The sprawling campus of Alagappa University has got a new look thanks to a massive facelift programme being undertaken at a cost of around Rs.7 crore.
The buildings, which were constructed by the late Alagappa Chettiar in the 1950s with the main building of the university having been constructed in 1985, have been renovated. Besides undertaking repair works, all buildings were repainted in light sandal and white colour. Repairs have also been undertaken at hostels for men and women, staff quarters among other buildings.
S. Sudalaimuthu, Vice-Chancellor, told The Hindu that the university had about 470 acres and compound walls had been constructed around the campus at a cost of Rs.1.5 crore. Encroachments had been removed.
Approach roads for staff quarters and other buildings had been re-laid at a cost of about Rs.1 crore. Alagappa Model school, with one the oldest buildings in the campus, had also been given a facelift. All furniture and fittings of the university were repaired or given a new look with a coat of paint and varnish.

Alagappa University gets a facelift

— Photo: L. Balachandar

Rangasamy has betrayed AIADMK

CHENNAI: Irked by the new Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy's move to form a government on his own, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and All India Anna DMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Thursday alleged that Mr. Rangasamy had betrayed her party, his alliance partner in the just-concluded elections.
She declared that her party would act as “constructive Opposition” in the Puducherry Assembly. In a statement here, Ms. Jayalalithaa said Mr. Rangasamy's decision to form the government “independently” showed that he was not steady to his text. Mr. Rangasamy, who had alleged ahead of the elections that the Congress had betrayed him, had done the same now to the AIADMK, she said.
Ms. Jayalalithaa recalled that she had campaigned for Mr. Rangasamy's All India NR Congress as part of her election tour. Besides, a manifesto was released for Puducherry on behalf of the AIADMK. “The people voted in favour of the AIADMK-NR Congress alliance reposing faith in the promises of the AIADMK and myself and thus the alliance had a phenomenal victory in the polls.”
As soon as the alliance emerged victorious, “apart from thanking the people of Puducherry, I also congratulated Mr. Rangasamy, who was about to take over as Chief Minister.
However, Mr. Rangasamy didn't have the heart to greet me after I was elected the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,” she said. She lamented that Mr. Rangasamy did not even inform her about forming the government with the help of an Independent MLA who had fought against an AIADMK candidate, forgetting that it was with AIADMK's help that he had secured the victory. “This is against dharma and amounts to betrayal of AIADMK.”
She announced that her party would act as a “constructive Opposition” in Puducherry, criticising the ruling party in case of authoritarianism, foibles in governance and its programmes and policies and also when citizens are deprived of their rights and assets.

Rangasamy has betrayed AIADMK

Jayalakshmi may get the nod

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is under pressure to include K.T. Jayalakshmi, the lone woman MLA in the UDF, in his Cabinet. The Congress high command, according to party sources, is keen on giving representation to women and if it has its way, Ms. Jayalakshmi, who won from Mananthavady (Scheduled Tribe), will get a ministerial berth on her first outing as a legislator.
She is known to be a staunch supporter of Mr. Chandy. Her name has been bracketed together with T.N. Pratapan and N. Sakthan on the list prepared by him for the approval of the high command.
Several women's and tribal organisations have come out in support of inclusion of Mrs. Jayalakshmi and have sent fax messages to Congress president Sonia Gandhi urging her to intervene in the ministry-making process.
The party leadership is in fact in a Catch-22 situation. Ms. Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been taking conscious decisions to provide sufficient political space for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes in the party's organisational setup, not to mention women in general. Sources said Mr. Gandhi was insisting that Ms. Jayalakshmi be included in the Cabinet.
The UDF's problem is that it will have to face up to a strong Opposition, led by V.S. Achuthanandan, on the floor of the Assembly. Quite a few leaders believe that only MLAs with parliamentary experience can face the strong Opposition, which has 68 members, in the House.
Mr. Chandy is unlikely to be given much option in this regard, according to sources. It is also possible that Mr. Chandy will have to include A.P. Anil Kumar, the SC/ST Welfare Minister in his earlier Cabinet, in this team.
This will enable him to achieve the factional balance in distribution of berths and take the credit for including representatives from both the Scheduled Caste and Tribes. Out of the ten Ministerial berths for the Congress in the UDF, five each will be shared by the factions headed by Mr. Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala. The Chandy nominees, including the Chief Minister, are K.C. Joseph, K. Babu, Aryadan Mohammed and Ms. Jayalakshmi. If she is not included, Mr. Pratapan or Mr. Sakthan will get a chance.
The nominees of Mr. Chennithala are C.N. Balakrishnan, Adoor Prakash, V.D. Satheesan, V.S. Sivakumar, and A.P. Anil Kumar.

Rs. one crore work under way at Sikkal temple

NAGAPATTINAM: The famed Navaneetheshwara Swamy Temple housing the celebrated Sikkal Singaravelavar shrine in Sikkal is getting more infrastructural facilities, thus providing fillip to religious tourism in the district.
Works to the tune Rs.99.66 lakh have been taken up at Sikkal as part of a project funded by the State Department of Tourism, with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) as the executing agency.
Three rest sheds
The project envisages three pilgrim rest sheds (mantaps) at a cumulative cost of Rs.86.10 lakh. The three sheds, one each on the east, north east and the front of the temple, will house about 3,000 pilgrims. The eastern mantap is estimated at Rs.28.56 lakh, the north-eastern one at Rs. 31.24 lakh and the one on the front at Rs.26.30 lakh.
The centuries-old temple, celebrated by the Thevaram saints, attracts an annual pilgrim population of two lakhs, which includes a pilgrim influx during the week-long ‘kanda sashti' festival in October and the float festival during ‘thaipoosam' in January. “Over 50,000 pilgrims visit the temple in a single day for ‘vel' ceremony at the Singaravelavar temple, and the sashti festival receives lakh pilgrims every year.
The rest mantaps would help accommodate the pilgrims,” says R. Rajendran, Executive Officer, Sikkal temple. The project also includes a toilet block housing six toilets and six bathrooms, at a cost of Rs.5.23 lakh; an overhead tank of 10,000 litre capacity under construction at an estimated cost of Rs.1.83 lakh; and high-mast lights at a cost of Rs.6.50 lakh.
Speaking to The Hindu, Collector C. Munianathan pointed out that the infrastructural fillip to the temple would spur religious tourism in the district. “The temple, one of the oldest places of worship in the region, is significant as a pilgrim centre, alongside Velankanni and Nagore, and in many ways were markers of communal harmony,” Mr. Munianathan said.
According to Kodhandaraman, Assistant Commissioner, HR and CE, toilet block and the overhead tank works were nearing completion. As of date, roof centring works, under way at the three mantaps, are scheduled to be completed by mid-June.

Jayalakshmi may get the nod

Rs. one crore work under way at Sikkal temple

Chandy seeks Rs.375-crore aid for endosulfan victims

Cabinet expansion likely on May 23
Chandy to meet Sonia Gandhi today

Warm reception:Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy being greeted by NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Thursday and sought Central assistance of Rs.375 crore for disbursing compensation to the victims of endosulfan. The government has plans to build a super specialty hospital for them in Kasaragod district.
Mr. Chandy, who arrived in Delhi on Thursday after taking charge as the Chief Minister, said that he intended to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday and was hopeful that the names of his Cabinet colleagues from the Congress would be finalised then. The Cabinet expansion would most likely be on May 23.
“I am meeting Ms. Gandhi tomorrow. I will be meeting her political secretary Ahmed Patel. A decision on the Ministers from the Congress is expected after that,” he told the media here.
Mr. Chandy, who met Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary in charge of Kerala Madhusudhan Mistry, said a thorough discussion was held in Kerala on who should be included in the ministry. Asked whether there would be new faces in his ministry, he said he did not want to discuss in public the deliberations he had with his party leader.
To another question, Mr. Chandy said he had no apprehension about the continuation of his government for the full five-year term in view of the wafer thin majority enjoyed by the United Democratic Front.
Regarding his meeting with Dr. Singh, he said: “The National Human Rights Commission has recommended several measures for helping endosulfan victims. We have accepted those proposals. I urged Dr. Singh to allocate Rs.375 crore as Central assistance for those affected by the pesticide.”
He also took up with the Prime Minister the issue relating to implementation of the Kochi metro project on the lines of the Chennai and Bangalore metros and better compensation for those whose land were being acquired by the National Highways authorities for road projects.
When pointed out that the Planning Commission was opposed to the implementation of the Kochi metro on the lines of the Chennai metro, he said he had taken up the demand and he would wait for the Centre's response.
Mr. Chandy called on Defence Minister A.K. Antony, Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, and others and discussed the Cabinet expansion.

Labour Welfare Organisation gives hope to wards of beedi workers

TIRUCHI: The Labour Welfare Organisation of the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment disbursed education scholarship and attendance incentive to the tune of Rs. 19 crore to about 1.40 lakh school and college going wards of beedi workers in the state during last year.
While education scholarship ranging from Rs. 250 to Rs. 8,000 per annum is provided to both boys and girls, the attendance incentive is given only to girl students of classes from V to VIII.
The Labour Welfare Organisation provided an annual scholarship of Rs. 250 to students of classes from I to IV; Rs. 500 to students of classes V to VIII; Rs. 700 to students of class IX; Rs. 1,400 to students of class X; and Rs. 2,000 to students of classes XI and XII. The department provided every year Rs. 3,000 to the wards of beedi workers pursuing diploma, under graduate and post graduate courses and Rs. 8,000 to those pursuing professional courses.
The total annual family income should not exceed Rs.10,000 per month for getting the education scholarship, D. Job Prince, Deputy Welfare Commissioner, Labour Welfare Organisation, Tirunelveli, told ‘The Hindu'.
To check the practice of girls in the school going age getting engaged in beedi rolling and encourage them to attend the schools, the Department is providing attendance incentive to the girls of classes V to XII. An incentive of Rs. 440 is given to each beneficiary at the rate of Rs. Two per day and is given to a maximum of 220 days.
During last year, education scholarship and attendance incentive worth Rs. 19 crore was disbursed to about 1.40 lakh beneficiaries of Tirunelveli; Vellore; Tiruvannamalai; Tiruchi, Erode, and Salem districts and Chennai city.
Mr. Job Prince said while scrutinising the applications for incentive and scholarship, the department noticed that some of them who were not involved in beedi rolling had applied for the same. To check this, from the academic year 2010-11, the wards have been directed to produce the beedi workers pass books and provident fund receipts to the officials when they come for verification of the applications. The scholarship will be sanctioned only if these documents were produced by the applicants, Mr. Job Prince said. The official will undertake the verification of the applications after duly informing the school authorities to enable the students to remain well prepared to produce the same, he added.

Chandy seeks Rs.375-crore aid for endosulfan victims

Cabinet expansion likely on May 23
Chandy to meet Sonia Gandhi today

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