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Press releases June, 2007
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 Press Releases
June,
2007 |
Press Information Bureau
Government of
India
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Date
Release
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29th June 2007 |
CENTRE
APPROVED FINANCIAL PACKAGE FOR THE TEA GARDENS: JAIRAM RAMESH
THIRTY TEA COMPANIES OF WEST BENGAL SIGNS IN SPTF
Jalpaiguri, June 29,
2007
Thirty tea companies of
West Bengal signed agreements for getting financial assistance under the
Special Purpose Tea fund Scheme (SPTF) for forty five tea gardens at a
Loan Agreement Signing Ceremony in Jalpaiguri today. This was the first
round for SPTF loans for West Bengal. Total investment covered by 45
agreements is Rs. 14.83 crore. The agreements were signed in presence of
the External Affairs Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of State for
Commerce Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister for Urban Development of West Bengal
Shri Ashoke Bhattacharya , Minister Shri Manohar Tirkey, Chairman of Tea
Board Shri Basudeb Banerjee and other dignitaries. The SPTF was launched
on 10 th January this year. The objective of the fund is to
extend financial support to the needy tea estates for undertaking
replanting, replacement planting and rejuvenation of old aged tea bushes.
2.12 lakh hactre will be covered over a fifteen –year period.
Government's contribution towards the programme for the five year period
is Rs. 567.10 crore by way of capital infusion of of Rs. 91 crore and
subsidy of Rs. 476.1 crore eqivalent to 25 percent of the projected
expenditure of Rs. 1904.4 crore. Since the SPTF was launched 512 gardens
owned by 303 tea companies in India showed expressions of interests. These
include 100 companies owning 129 tea gardens from West Bengal. Among these
companies 51 applied for loans for 81 tea gardens. Out of these 81
applications 45 tea gardens owned by 30 tea companies were found eligible
for assistance.
Speaking on the occasion
the Minister for external affairs Shri Pranab Mukherjee said that one hand
the production cost of the tea is increasing and on the other the quality
is decreasing. He said that
India
is lacking behind in the competition with
Kenya
and Vietnam due to prevalence of free trade regime as per WTO agreement.
Shri Mukherjee said that the technological upgradation and investment
needed for rejuvenation and replantation was not taken care of which
ultimately led to such unstable condition of the tea gardens. He thanked
Shri Jairam Ramesh for taking initiative for reopening the closed tea
garden. The Minister sought everybody's cooperation for bringing back the
past glory of the tea industry of West Bengal.
Terming today's function
as a major mile stone in the tea industry in
West Bengal
the Minister of State for Commerce Shri Jairam Ramesh said that this fund
will help in productivity enhancement. He informed that in future all the
308 tea gardens would be covered under the scheme. Shri Ramesh announced
that the center had approved financial package for the development of tea
gardens which would be notified in the next few days. The approved package
has four elements. (1). Conversion of loans to banks to term loans (2)
Waiver of all loans to Tea Board (3) Waiver of penalty of provident fund
and gratuity and (4) Soft loan for 5-6 years term. Shri Ramesh said that
in all over India 33 tea gardens were closed among them 14 were in
West Bengal, 17 in Kerala and 2 in
Assam, among them five
were reopened in Kerala and only one in
West Bengal. The Minster who visited seven tea gardens (Bharnobari,
Surendranagar, Chamurchi, Red Bank, Sumsing,
Raipur and Kalchini) of
Jalpaiguri in last three days said that he is convinced that the existing
owners of the closed tea estate will not do any good and new owners should
be found out. He said that section 16 D of the Tea Board Act should be
invoked to bring the new set of owners so that the thirteen closed tea
estate can be opened. The Minister said that they are trying to reopen
Chamurchi Tea Estate in the pattern of Durgabari Tea Estate of Tripura
where the workers of the tea garden are running the show. The Minister
said that in the 11 th five year plan Tea board has allotted Rs.
50 crore for social welfare of the workers of the tea gardens. In the last
five year plan it was only Rs. 5 crore the minister added. Shri Ramesh
said that the center is in the process of setting up of a tea park in this
region. The 100 acre park will have the facility of packaging, warehousing
and other facilities.
*******
SDG/:/…..spandey-dk/kol….(Centre
approved Financial Package_29June)
Information Division,
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Government of India
PH: 23063622 (UB), 23384462 (S.BIiswas-SB) ,23384798 (Nimish-SB)
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29th June 2007 |
New Delhi:
June 29, 2007
India and European Union (EU) formally launched negotiations on a broad
based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement in Brussels, yesterday.
The Indian delegation was led by Commerce Secretary Shri G.K. Pillai and
the EU delegation was led by Mr. Davis O'Sullivan, Director General,
European Commission.
The following
is the joint statement issued at the launch of negotiations:
“On
28th June 2007, the EU and India began negotiations on a
broad-based bilateral trade and investment agreement in Brussels,
Belgium.
These negotiations
are pursuant to the commitment made by political leaders at the EU-India
Summit held in Helsinki on 13 October 2006 to move towards negotiations of
a broad-based trade and investment agreement. There has already been
significant preparatory work. The EU-India High Level Trade Group has
been preparing the ground for these negotiations since October 2005 and
its report will form the basis for further deliberation.
The EU and
India expect to promote bilateral trade by removing barriers to trade in
goods and services and investment across all sectors of the economy. Both
parties believe that a comprehensive and ambitious agreement that is
consistent with WTO rules and principles would open new markets and would
expand opportunities for EU and Indian businesses.
The EU and
India are important trading partners and committed proponents of the
multilateral system. Both reiterated their belief in the primacy of the
multilateral trading system and reaffirmed their commitment to the DDA
round of negotiations”.
***********
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29th June 2007 |
KAMAL NATH
ASKS US INVESTORS TO AVAIL OPPORTUNITIES IN INDIA’S AGRICULTURE,
ENERGY, TOURISM AND OTHER SECTORS
New Delhi:
June 29, 2007
Shri Kamal
Nath, Minister of Commerce & Industry, has said that there is immense
scope to have greater trade, investment and technology cooperation between
India and USA.
While speaking at the Plenary Session on “Listening to one another – The
importance of a deeper trade relationship” of the US-India Business
Council (USIBC) at Washington on June 27, the Minister called for a
partnership between the two countries and hoped that US investors would
avail the growing opportunities available in India’s agriculture, energy,
tourism, civil aviation and other sectors.
Shri Kamal Nath informed that a majority of US firms in India have been
reporting double-digit year on year growth and highlighted the success of
companies like Coke, US based banks viz., Bank of America and Citibank, GE
etc., in India. The Minister also quoted a Goldman Sachs report
predicting that productivity growth will help India sustain an over 8%
growth for India until 2020 and become the world’s second largest economy
by 2050.
During the 2-day visit (27-28 June, 2007), Shri Kamal Nath had
three meetings with the
US Trade Representative,
Susan Schwab. He also met the US Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns,
US Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, US Commerce Secretary Carlos M.
Gutierrez and had a luncheon meeting with former USTR and World Bank
President-designate, Robert Zoellick. Shri Kamal Nath had also met the US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the margins of the USIBC meeting.
Shri Kamal Nath also spoke at the Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace on “The Doha Agenda - Delivering on Development”, yesterday. The
250-strong audience included members of government, think tanks, the
diplomatic community and the media.
********
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28th June 2007 |
SCOPE FOR GREATER TRADE, INVESTMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
COOPERATION
BETWEEN INDIA AND US IS IMMENSE: KAMAL NATH
ADDRESSES US-INDIA BUSINESS COUNCIL AT WASHINGTON
New Delhi:
June
28, 2007
Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce & Industry, has said that there is
immense scope to have greater trade, investment and technology cooperation
between India and USA. “The US is India’s largest trading partner and
foremost export destination accounting for 16.83% of India’s export and
around 6.34% of India’s imports in 2005-06”, he noted. While
speaking at the Plenary Session on “Listening to one another – The
importance of a deeper trade relationship” of the Indo-US Business Council
at Washington last evening, the Minister called for a partnership between
the two countries and hoped that US investors would avail the growing
opportunities available in India’s agriculture, energy, tourism, civil
aviation and other sectors.
Shri Kamal Nath informed that a majority of US firms in India have been
reporting double-digit year on year growth and highlighted the success of
companies like Coke, US based banks viz., Bank of America and Citibank, GE
etc., in India. The Minister also quoted a Goldman Sachs report
predicting that productivity growth will help India sustain an over 8%
growth for India until 2020 and become the world’s second largest economy
by 2050.
During the period April 2006-February 2007,
India’s exports to US was US $ 16.9 billion while imports
were valued at US $ 9.2 billion.
The US is also the most important destination of Indian investments
abroad. Major items of Indian exports to US are gems & jewellery ($
4.2 billion), RMG cotton including accessories ($ 2 billion), machinery &
instruments ($ 1.1 billion). Major import items from US are electronic
items ($ 1.4 billion), machinery except electric & electronics ($ 1.3
billion) and fertilisers ($ 0.7 billion).
In terms of foreign direct investment (FDI), the US is the second highest
foreign direct investor in India and FDI approvals of US $ 856 million was
accorded during the year 2006-07. Total FDI from USA since 1991 amounts
to US $ 5.9 billion.
(Value in
US $ million)
|
Year |
Exports |
%
Growth |
Imports |
%
Growth |
|
2001-02 |
8513.34 |
- |
3149.62 |
- |
|
2002-03 |
10895.76 |
27.98 |
4443.58 |
41.08 |
|
2003-04 |
11490.11 |
5.45 |
5034.86 |
13.31 |
|
2004-05 |
13765.75 |
19.81 |
7001.35 |
39.06 |
|
2005-06 |
17353.06 |
26.06 |
9454.74 |
35.04 |
SB/NR/MRS
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26th June 2007 |
KAMAL NATH UPHOLDS AGRI INTERESTS IN TRADE TAKS
New Delhi:
June
26, 2007
Making a strong pitch for farmers in the recent
trade talks among G-4 Ministers, Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce &
Industry, upheld India’s agricultural interests by refusing to compromise
on agriculture market access issues which would have adversely affected
the livelihood and food security concerns of the farmers.
Participating in the talks amongst the Trade
Ministers of G-4 (India, Brazil, EU and the US) in Potsdam (Germany), on
the modalities for Doha Round negotiations in the key sectors, Shri Kamal
Nath flagged in particular India’s sensitivities in the following core
areas:
i)
Overall proportionality of 2/3rd in the tariff reduction
commitment of developing countries vis-à-vis those taken by developed
countries in agricultural products’ market access with thresholds proposed
by the G-20.
ii)
Determining the appropriateness of the number of Special Products (SPs)
that could be self-designated through the application of an agreed list of
indicators, which are based on the criteria of food security, livelihood
security and rural development needs. On the treatment of SPs, India has
categorically rejected tariff rate quotas (TRQs) and has been supporting
the demand for exempting at least some SPs from any tariff cuts of the
Small, Vulnerable Economies (SVEs), which constitute more than half of the
G-33. (TRQs refers to a trading mechanism which provides for customs duty
at a certain rate on imports of a particular good upto a specified
quantity (in quota quantity) and at a different rate above that quantity).
iii)
A
Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) – which has price and import volume
triggers applied separately and whose parameters are more flexible than
those of the existing special agricultural safeguard which is used mainly
by the developed countries.
In industrial tariffs or non-agricultural
market access (NAMA), India has made it clear that the tariff reductions
by developing countries must be less than those of developed countries,
and the choice of the two Swiss coefficients, therefore, must uphold the
principle of “Less Than Full Reciprocity” (LTFR).
India has also been emphasising that the US
must reduce its overall trade distorting domestic agriculture support to
US $ 12.1 billion (as against the US offer of US $ 17 billion). Besides
this, India also wants tightening of the Green Box criteria to which
developed countries have been shifting the bulk of their domestic
support.
Shri Kamal Nath reiterated that the Doha Round
was not just about market access and that the development content of the
Round must not be lost sight of.
*******************
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25th June 2007 |
New Delhi:
June
25, 2007
Trade between India and Thailand has touched US $ 2 billion
in the first 8 months of the financial year 2006-07 (for which data is
available), indicating strong growth in bilateral trade relations between
the two countries. At a meeting here today between Shri Kamal Nath,
Minister of Commerce & Industry and the Commerce Minister of Thailand,
Shri Krirk-Krai Jirapaet, both the Ministers expressed satisfaction over
the growth in bilateral trade and reiterated their commitment to further
intensification of trade and economic relations between the two countries.
Bilateral trade between India and Thailand has shown phenomenal growth
over the last 5 years, both the Ministers noted.
Noting that Thailand has emerged as an important investor
in India and now ranks as the third largest investor in India from the
ASEAN region after Singapore and Malaysia, Shri Kamal Nath also
expressed satisfaction over the growth in Thai investment in India and
invited Thailand to explore more opportunities for joint ventures between
the two countries.
Referring
to the India-Thailand FTA, Shri Kamal Nath reiterated the need to
simultaneously conclude negotiations so that the Agreement could cover not
only Trade in Goods but also Trade in Services and Investment.
NB:
®
A Framework Agreement for India-Thailand Free Trade
Agreement were signed in 2003, under which 82 items have been placed under
an Early Harvest Scheme effective from 1st September, 2004 by
both the countries. Following this, trade between the two countries –
both exports and imports – have grown significantly.
®
India is of the view that a comprehensive package covering
trade in goods as well as trade in services and investment as part of the
Agreement would be beneficial to both sides.
Indo-Thai
Trade
®
Two-way trade between India and Thailand has more than
doubled from US $ 1 billion ($ 1056.22 million) in 2001-02 to US $ 2.2
billion ($ 2286.89 million) in 2005-06.
®
In 2005-06, Indian exports to Thailand stood at US $
1075.31 million, and imports from Thailand of US $ 1211.58 million.
®
Major items of Indian exports to Thailand are gems &
jewellery, non-ferrous metals, primary & semi-finished iron & steel and
oil meals. Major items of Indian imports from Thailand are electronic
goods, machinery and artificial resins / plastic materials.
********
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24th June 2007 |
JAIRAM LAUNCHES SPICES BOARD PROJECT IN KARBI
ANGLONG (ASSAM)
PRODUCER COMPANY MODEL ADOPTED TO BENEFIT TRIBAL GROWERS
New Delhi, June 24th, 2007:
Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce, today
launched a new initiative of the Spices Board in the Karbi Anglong
district of Assam, one of the most backward regions of the state populated
by the indigenous people belonging to the Karbi Tribe. This initiative
intends to start the organic cultivation of turmeric (haldi),
ginger (adrak) and chilli (mirchi) in the district on a
large-scale and to promote its processing and export as well. The Chief
Minister of Assam, Shri Tarun Gogoi was also present on the occasion of
the launch in Karbi Anglong.
Two companies have been set up as producers’ companies
under Section 581 of the Companies Act, 1956 --Coinonya Farms
Producers Company Limited for turmeric and Karbi Farms Producer Company
Limited for ginger and chilli. Producers’ Companies is a new provision in
the Companies Act which give primary producers’ the flexibility to
organize themselves as a normal company but on the basis of a one man-one
vote principle which is the essence of a cooperative institution.
Producers’ Company combines the economic advantage of a corporate entity
with the social benefits of a cooperative. Section 581 was introduced
into the Companies Act, 1956 in the year 2003.
The two companies are located in Paroli and Rongmanpi
in the
Hamren sub-division of Karbi Anglong district. Each company has a
full-time chairman and managing director. The Spices Board owns 49% of
each company and its equity stake is Rs 1 crore in each company. Local
tribal farmers, mostly small and marginal, traditionally practicing
jhum cultivation own 51% in each company. Land owned by these
farmers have been transferred to these two companies as their contribution
to equity. 600 farmers own 51% of Coinonya Farms Producer Company Limited
and 400 farmers own 51% of Karbi Farms Producer Company Limited.
Each company will initially have a plantation area of 500
hectares which will be cultivated over a five year period, with 175
hectares being taken up in the first year itself. MOUs are being
signed with private companies for processing and marketing. The first such
MOU has already been signed by Coinonya Farms with Arjuna Natural Extracts
for extraction and marketing of turmeric products.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jairam Ramesh highlighted
the social and economic significance of the project. He reiterated his
commitment to giving a special and vastly expanded Northeast focus to
the Kochi-based Spices Board, particularly in the area of organic
spices which command a premium in world markets and in which the
northeastern states have a natural competitive advantage. These
include ginger where the Northeast already accounts for over 50% of the
country’s production, turmeric, chilli, black pepper, chilli and large
cardamom.
He stressed the need for value–addition and the need for
organizations like the producer companies established in Karbi Anglong so
that the benefits of export growth flow directly to tribal families.
He said that at present, the contribution of the Northeast to India’s
spice exports of about $ 800 million (in 2006/07) is very small but
there is great scope for increasing this contribution. For this, the Union
Ministry of Commerce is establishing cold storage facilities at
Guwahati, Aizawl, Imphal, Agartala and Dimapur airports and has announced
a subsidy scheme by which 90% of air freight to Kolkata airport and
50% of air freight to New Delhi and Mumbai airports from Northeast
airports for all horticulture products destined for exports is subsidized
by the Union government.
Shri Ramesh expressed the hope that
the Karbi Anglong initiative will be replicated in other parts of the
northeast. He congratulated Shri Donald Ingty, Commissioner of Customs in
Kochi
who spearheaded this project
for the benefit of the community to which he belongs and who sought out
the support of the Spices Board in this venture. He appealed to the state
government to improve road connectivity to and within Karbi Anglong
district and also improve the supply of electricity for the processing
units. He promised to take up the issue of improved telecom connectivity
with BSNL soon.
****
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22nd June 2007 |
FORMAL
APPROVAL GRANTED TO 36 SEZs; IN PRINCIPLE APPROVAL TO 9
BOARD OF APPROVAL FOR SEZs MEETS
New Delhi:
June 22, 2007
The Board of Approval
(BOA) of the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) met here today to consider
proposals for setting up of Special Economic Zones and also approve other
miscellaneous requests pertaining to SEZs. In this meeting, 53
applications for setting up SEZs were considered and 36 Formal
approvals and 9 In-principle approvals were granted.
Prominent among the Formal
approvals are:
Electronic Hardware SEZ by Foxconn India Developers Private Limited in
Tamil Nadu; Aviation Sector SEZ by GMR Hyderabad International Airport
Limited in Andhra Pradesh; One IT/ITES SEZ and one Gem and Jewellery SEZ
by Omnibus Industrial Development Corporation of Daman & Diu and Dadra &
Nagar Haveli; Three SEZs for Biotechnology, Light Engineering and
Pharmaceuticals by Navi Mumbai SEZ Private Limited in Maharashtra; IT/ITES
SEZ by Reliance Infocom Infrastructure Private Limited in Maharashtra and
six IT/ITES SEZs by Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu in various
Districts of Tamil Nadu and MAS Fabrics Textile SEZ in Andhra Pradesh
which is being developed with 100% FDI.
Prominent In principle
approvals granted are
: Electronics and Electrical SEZ, Engineering Equipment &
Components SEZ and a Multi Product SEZ by TIDCO in Tamil Nadu; Multi
product SEZ by DLF Limited in Rajasthan; Aerospace related industries SEZ
by KIADB in Karnataka.
With this set of
approvals, the total number of SEZs granted formal approval is 339 i.e.
339 SEZs are there with land and of these 126 have so far been notified.
Investment of 35145 Crores has taken place so far and current employment
in new SEZs is about 33000 persons. It is expected that by end of the
year additional employment in the new SEZs would cross 100,000.
The Chairman of BOA Shri
G.K.Pillai, apprised the Members of the Board that the Central Government
has issued certain instructions with regard to approval of SEZs and the
land acquisition for SEZs and the Chief Secretaries of all the State
Governments have been informed that the State Governments would undertake
acquisition of land for SEZs only when 100% of the owners give consent.
The State Government representatives were informed that if any proposal
for compulsorily acquired land comes up, the same would not be notified as
SEZ. It was also advised that to the extent possible, double crop and
multiple crop lands should not be acquired.
|
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Formal Approvals
in 22.06.2007 BOA |
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|
Sl. No. |
Developer
|
Location
|
State |
Product |
Area (hectares) |
|
1 |
Rudradev Township
Private Limited |
Solankurini Village
Madurai Taluk, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
30.82 |
|
2 |
Tandon Holdings
Private Limited |
Koorgalli,
Distt-Mysore, Karnataka |
KN |
IT/ITES, Hardware Park |
12.15 |
|
3 |
DLF Limited (DLFL) |
Industrial Estate,
Rai, Sonepat, Haryana |
HR |
Electronics Hardware and IT/ITES |
10.06 |
|
4 |
Parry
Infrastructure Company Private Limited |
Kakinada Town, East
Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh |
AP |
Food Processing |
101.175 |
|
5 |
Maharashtra
Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) |
Ranjangaon,
District Pune, Maharashtra |
MH |
Biotech and Related activities |
30 |
|
6 |
Maharashtra
Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) |
Chakan, District
Pune, Maharashtra |
MH |
Research and Development |
100 |
|
7 |
Foxconn India
Developers (P) Ltd. |
Papankuzhi and
Chittur, Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
Electronic Hardware |
11 |
|
8 |
GP Realtors Pvt.
Ltd. |
Phase II in the
villages of Ghata & Behrampur in district Gurgaon, Haryana |
HR |
Electronic Hardware and IT/ITES |
11.03 |
|
9 |
GP Realtors Pvt.
Ltd. |
Phase III in the
villages of Balola & Behrampur in district Gurgaon, Haryana |
HR |
Electronic Hardware and IT/ITES |
17.18 |
|
10 |
Ajanta Pharma
Limited |
Aurangabad |
MH |
Pharma |
100.43 |
|
11 |
Ajanta Pharma
Limited |
Aurangabad |
MH |
Biotechnology |
10 |
|
12 |
GMR Hyderabad
International Airport Limited |
Shamshadbad,
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh |
AP |
Aviation sector |
100 |
|
13 |
Uttam Galva Steels
Limited (UGSL) |
Khopoli, Taluka
Khalapur, District Raigad, Maharashtra |
MH |
Biotechnology |
10.66 |
|
14 |
Uttam Galva Steels
Limited (UGSL) |
Khopoli, Taluka
Khalapur, District Raigad, Maharashtra |
MH |
IT/ITES |
11.63 |
|
15 |
Mohan Investments
and Properties Private Limited |
Shijra Kilabandi,
Village Badshahpur, District Gurgaon, Haryana |
HR |
IT/ITES |
28.04 |
|
16 |
Mayar India Limited
|
Rakha, Rani Ka
Singolla, Nimoth, Tehsil Sohna, District Gurgaon, Haryana |
HR |
Biotechnology |
41.57 |
|
17 |
Raheja Haryana SEZ
Developers Private Limited |
Village Hamirpur,
Khatawas, Saidpur, Dhanawas and Wazirpur District Gurgaon |
HR |
Engineering |
102 |
|
18 |
Omnibus Industrial
Development Corporation of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Limited (OIDC) |
Khardpada, Naroli,
Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
DNH |
IT/ITES |
14.125 |
|
19 |
Omnibus Industrial
Development Corporation of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Limited (OIDC) |
Khardpada, Naroli,
Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
DNH |
Gems & Jewellery |
11.465 |
|
20 |
MAS Fabric Park
(India) Private Limited (MFP) |
Chintavaram
Village, Chillakru Mandal, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh
|
AP |
Textile and Apparel |
235 |
|
21 |
Zoom Developers
Private Limited |
Bada Bangarda,
Indore, Madhya Pradesh |
MP |
IT/ITES |
100 |
|
22 |
Navi Mumbai SEZ
Private Limited (Kalamboli - Bio-Technology Division) |
Kalamboli - Navi
Mumbai, Maharashtra |
MH |
Bio Technology |
63.74 |
|
23 |
Navi Mumbai SEZ
Private Limited (Kalamboli - Ligh Engineering Division) |
Kalamboli - Navi
Mumbai, Maharashtra |
MH |
:Light Engineering |
179 |
|
24 |
Navi Mumbai SEZ
Private Limited (Kalamboli - PharmaceuticalDivision) |
Kalamboli - Navi
Mumbai, Maharashtra |
MH |
Pharmaceuticals |
103.25 |
|
25 |
Reliance Infocom
Infrastructure Private Limited |
Dhirubhai Ambani
Knowledge City, Koper Khairne, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra |
MH |
IT/ITES |
18.26 |
|
26 |
Electronics
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) |
Perumbakkam and
Sholinganallur Village, Tambaram Taluk, Kancheepuram District, Tamil
Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
80.81.5 |
|
27 |
Electronics
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) |
Gangaikondan
Village, Tirunelveli Taluk, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu
|
TN |
IT/ITES |
40.48 |
|
28 |
Electronics
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) |
Navalpattu Village,
Tiruchirapalli Taluk, Tiruchirapalli District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
49.89 |
|
29 |
Electronics
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) |
Hosur Taluk,
Krlishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
70.08.5 |
|
30 |
Electronics
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) |
Jagir ammapalayam
Village, Salem Taluk, Salem District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
66.50.5 |
|
31 |
Electronics
Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) |
Ilandhaikulam
Village, Madurai North Taluk,
Madurai District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
11.70.5 |
|
32 |
Naya Raipur
Development Authority (NRDA) |
Naya Raipur,
Chhattisgarh |
CG |
IT/ITES-
Bioinformatics |
10.77 |
|
33 |
Estra IT Park
Private Limited |
Mount Poonamalee
High Road, Iyyapanthangal, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
IT/ITES |
10.189 |
|
34 |
CCCL Infrastructure |
Tuticorin, Tamil
Nadu |
TN |
Food Processing |
121.5 |
|
35 |
Shantineketan
Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. |
Bolpur,
Shantiniketan, W.B. |
WB |
IT |
80.334 |
|
36 |
Canton Buildwell
Private Limited |
Gurgaon, Faridabad
Road NCR of Delhi |
HR |
IT/ITES |
10 |
|
In-principle
approval in 22.06.2007 BOA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sl. No. |
Developer
|
Location
|
State |
Product |
Area (hectares) |
|
1 |
Ramky
Infrastructure Limited |
Mahishadal
P.S.Haldia, Purba, Midnapur, West Bengal |
WB |
Multiproduct SEZ for Pharma, Biotech &
Chemical |
1012 |
|
2 |
Amira Foods (India)
Ltd. |
Between Karnal and
Ambala Distt. Haryana. |
HR |
Agro Based |
101.981 |
|
3 |
Uttam Galva Group
through Uttam Galva Steels Limited (UGSL) & Uttam Power & Steel
Private Ltd. (UPSPL) |
Khopoli, Taluka
Khalapur, District Raigad, Maharashtra |
MH |
Integrated Steel SEZ |
100 |
|
4 |
Tamil Nadu
Industrial Development corporation |
Tiruvallur
District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
Electronics & Electrical |
120 |
|
5 |
Tamil Nadu
Industrial Development corporation |
Tiruvallur
District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
Engineering Equipment & Components |
133 |
|
6 |
DLF Ltd. |
Near Bhiwadi, Alwar District, Rajasthan |
RJ |
Multi-product |
2024 |
|
7 |
D.S. Kulkarni
Developers Ltd. |
Village Fursungi,
Taluka Haveli, District Pune, Maharashtra |
MH |
Multi services |
101.2 |
|
8 |
Karnataka
Industrial Areas Development Board |
Devanahalli Near
New International Airport, Bangalore, Karnataka |
KN |
Aerospace related industries
|
200 |
|
9 |
Tamil Nadu
Industrial Development Corporation Limited |
Virudhunagar
District, Tamil Nadu |
TN |
Multi Product |
1049 |
SB/NR/MRS
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22nd June 2007 |
WHY G-4
TALKS BROKE DOWN IN POTSDAM – NO COMPROMISE ON AGRI
MARKET ACCESS, SAYS KAMAL NATH
REITERATES INDIA’S COMMITMENT TO SUCCESSFUL
CONCLUSION OF DOHA ROUND
New
Delhi, 22 June, 2007
Shri Kamal Nath, Minister
of Commerce and Industry said today that the talks among the G-4 Ministers
broke down in Potsdam (Germany) on 21 June, 2007 because of the failure of
the developed countries to accept effective reductions in their
agricultural subsidies and at the same time, seeking additional market
access in the developing countries for their agricultural products,
including for their highly subsidized ones. “Agreeing to this would
have not only been against the mandate of the Doha Development Round, it
would have seriously jeopardized the livelihoods of the farmers of the
developing and least developed countries and threatened the food security
of many poorer nations”, Shri Kamal Nath said, emphasising that there was
no question of any compromise on agricultural market access issues which
would have affected our farmers.
The Trade Ministers of
G-4 (India,
Brazil, the EC and the US)
met in Potsdam 19-21 June 2007. This was the second meeting of the G-4
Trade Ministers since April 2007, when they had charted out a road map in
New Delhi for meetings among themselves to engage intensively on all the
important issues relating to the stalled Doha Round negotiations of the
World Trade Organisation (WTO). The Ministers had resolved then to try to
seek convergence on as many issues as possible by the third week of June,
so as to facilitate a consensus in the larger multilateral process in the
WTO.
On the
issue of market access in non-agricultural products or industrial tariffs,
the developed countries had proposed Swiss coefficients of 10 and 15 for
themselves and developing countries respectively, which would have led to
the former taking average tariff cuts in their industrial products of just
over 30%, while the developing countries would have had to reduce
their tariffs by more than 60% on an average. This could only have
helped the developed countries to make heavy inroads into the markets of
developing countries while offering negligible reciprocal gains to the
latter. It also held out the specter of deindustrialization of the
developing countries along with a reduction of foreign direct investment
flows into them. This was totally unacceptable to the developing
countries, as it would have led to increasing unemployment among their
workforce.
The developed
countries also expressed reluctance in allowing the reform of the current
regime of trade defence measures including anti-dumping and countervailing
duties, which have often been used unfairly by them against the developing
countries, in order to curb their export growth. The other major issue
was the unwillingness of the developed countries to accept the discipline
of the International Convention on Bio-Diversity in the arena of patents
and trademarks so as to allow untrammeled exploitation of traditional
knowledge and natural genetic resources, without prior consent or benefit
sharing with the community.
While
expressing his disappointment at the failure of the G-4 talks, Shri Kamal
Nath stated that the Doha Round had been announced as a Development Round
and had raised the expectations of the developing world that it would help
them tackle their problems of unemployment and poverty through increased
trade opportunities. However, the current aspirations of many of the
developed countries were totally oblivious to the development content of
the Round and were instead focused mainly on seeking greater market access
for their own products. The Minister expressed hope that
India, which was
a firm believer in a rule based, fair and transparent multilateral system
of trade, would work with other like minded countries-both developing as
well as developed, to bring about a successful conclusion of the Doha
Round, which was truly
reflective of the
development objectives of the Round.
It may be recalled
that prior to the
Potsdam meeting, Shri Kamal Nath had participated in the meetings of the
G-20, G-33 and NAMA-11 Ministers in Geneva on 11th June, 2007.
***
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21st June 2007 |
JAIRAM
RAMESH LAUNCHES GRAPENET SOFTWARE – TO PROVIDE COMPLETE TRACEABILITY FOR
GRAPE EXPORTS TO ADDRESS EU CONCERNS ON PESTICIDE RESIDUE AND QUALITY
New Delhi:
June 21, 2007
Shri Jairam
Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce, launched here today, a new
web-based software “GrapeNet” that will provide traceability regarding the
table grapes exported from India to European Union (EU). The software
developed by APEDA will help in raising the confidence of the importers
by enabling monitoring of pesticide residue and by achieving product
standardization and thus boost grape exports to EU.
The software
works on the regulations of tracing back to the origin of the produce in
the reverse order from shelf to farm at the click of a mouse at one’s
computer. “Now, the importers, export regulation authorities abroad
and in the country, in fact, anyone who will be using this software will
be able to access the information at one’s convenience at their tables
about any grape export transaction”, Shri Ramesh said.
By clicking the
phytosanitary No. or Agmark No. one can reach directly to the certificate
issuing authorities thereafter one can reach at the inspection reports
to laboratory analysis, certificate of residue analysis and the pack house
details, which are available in detail instantly. The software is
designed to reach at the root of any grape export transaction.
Traceability
has helped 40,000 grape farmers to come together and apply uniform farming
practices. There is complete accountability in the system and farmers
have earned 40% more value for their grapes. Export value has grown from 8
Euro to 11.5 Euro for a pack of 5 kg in 06-07.
The success
achieved in implementing the residue monitoring system and IT based
traceability procedure has enabled all stakeholders in India and importers
& supermarkets in the EU to develop considerable confidence in Indian
grapes with a result that export of table grapes from India has doubled
during the last three years. The present level of exports (2005-06) is
of the order of about 40 million Euros. About 55,000 MT of grapes were
exported in 2005-06 out of a total production of around 1.5 million
tones. 80% of exports were from Maharashtra alone.
Background Note
Subsequent to
issuance of 17 Rapid Alert Notifications by the European Commission on the
ground of detection of high levels of pesticide residues in Indian Grapes
exported during the 2003 grape season, APEDA had taken the following
initiatives to ensure grapes containing high residues of pesticides are
not exported. Following were the actions taken:
1. APEDA organized meetings
with the grape exporters, producers, Pune- based National Research Centre
for Grapes (NRC), testing laboratories, phytosanitary issuing
authorities and grape growing State Governments to implement a regulation
of export of fresh grapes through control of pesticides residues.
2. As a result of extensive
interactions and meetings with the grape exporters, laboratories, State
Governments and NRC for Grapes, a document pertaining to Regulation of
export of fresh grapes from India through monitoring of pesticide residues
was developed and submitted to Indian Embassy at Brussels on 15.7.2003 for
onward submission to European Union as there were repeated rapid alert
notifications and we were required to send an action taken report on an
urgent basis.
3. The testing laboratories
involved in testing of grapes for exports were requested to upgrade their
laboratories with the equipments like Liquid Chromatography - Mass
Spectrometry – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MSMS) and Gas Chromatography - Mass
Spectrometry – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MSMS).
4. National Referral
Laboratory was set up at NRC, Pune with the facilities of LC-MSMS and GC-MSMS
and other testing equipments.
5. Recognition of
horticulture produce packhouses was carried out by APEDA as per the
requirements of the document submitted to European Union. It is a
condition that export of grapes will be allowed only from the APEDA
recognized packhouses.
6. APEDA along with FICCI
has initiated a project for implementation and certification of Eurepgap
Standards in more than 300 grape orchards which will ensure adoption of
recommended cultivation, processing and packaging practices as required by
the EU markets.
7. As a result, during the
year 2004, there were no complaints of pesticide residues in the EU
market. It was; however, felt that APEDA should lead a delegation to
Brussels, Hamburg,
Rotterdam and London for having
discussions with respective officials of the government, plant quarantine,
laboratories, supermarkets and buyers. The objective was to generate
trust among the Europeans about the genuine efforts made by
India in improving the residue situation and that they should continue to
import grapes from
India. The visit was undertaken in April 2004 with the
result that the Europeans continue to import grapes from India, though
they still had apprehensions.
8. In the grape seasons of
2005 and 2006 also there were no complaints about pesticide residues APEDA
has also been interacting with the trade both in India and in
Europe and
based on discussions suitable improvements have been brought about in our
residue monitoring system. The salient features are as follows:
a) Farm registration was
introduced with periodic inspection as a compulsory
requirement before sampling for the purposes of residue analysis.
b) Agmark grading was introduced and this has
considerable improvement of grapes.
c) Partial traceability was introduced in 2006 grape
seasons, but during the 2007 a complete traceability was
introduced by us. This was done through web-basedsoftware developed by
APEDA. This is the most important
development, introduced for the first time in the country.
9. The website,
www.apeda.com, can be accessed by any registered importer in EU.
***********
SB/NR/MRS
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19th June 2007 |
NATIONAL MANUFACTURING PORTAL – V. KRISHNAMURTHY LAUNCHES
MAJOR INITIATIVE TO
MAKE INDIA’S SMES GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE THROUGH IT
New Delhi:
June 19,
2007
A National
Manufacturing Portal – the first of its kind in the country – was launched
at a function in New Delhi this morning 19th June, 2007 by Dr.
V. Krishnamurthy, Chairman, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council
(NMCC) as a major new initiative which will enhance the competitiveness of
India’s manufacturing sector especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
through the use of information technology and enable them to compete more
effectively in today’s globalised environment. The Portal (www.nmcc-vikas.gov.in
or
www.nmcc-vikas.in) has been created by NMCC with active support from
the Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt Limited as a part of the “ Project
Vikas” which is aimed at making the Indian SME sector competitive and to
help establish “Made in India” as a global brand.
Highlighting
the importance of the Portal, Dr. Krishnamurthy said:
“Through an
ICT based intervention model, Project Vikas will empower India’s SME
sector and give it a competitive edge in the global market. NMCC is
delighted to partner with Microsoft in this Public Private Partnership
endeavour to improve the overall competitiveness of Indian manufacturing
through skill enhancement. Project Vikas aims to develop knowledge
networks through the creation of R & D linkages, capacity building with
regional training institutes, sharing of best practices and enable linkage
with the SME cluster eco-system. We at NMCC are convinced that with
suitable inputs of information technology, the competitiveness of Indian
SMEs will significantly improve”.
Elaborating
on Project Vikas and partnership with NMCC as a model of Public-Private
Partnership, Mr. Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman/Microsoft Corporation (India)
Pvt Ltd said: “In today’s extremely competitive global environment, it is
imperative that the Indian manufacturing sector gears up and draws out a
winning strategy for making a global footprint while achieving domestic
successes. ICT can be a critical enabler for bringing about this leap into
the next phase of growth. Driven by this sentiment, we have worked with
the NMCC to deliver on our Project Vikas programme, which entails a
holistic and scalable five year action plan to enhance the competitiveness
of India’s SME sector by leveraging ICT”. Project Vikas fits in perfectly
with the Microsoft Unlimited Potential – its global commitment to close
the digital divide by creating new products and programmes that would help
bring social and economic opportunity to an estimated 5 billion people
across the globe who are currently not realising the benefits of
technology, he added.
Highlights of
the National Manufacturing Portal include:
Knowledge base on different manufacturing sectors/sub-sectors; Resources
on Indian and international clusters; intellectual property rights (IPR)
information to achieve niche competitiveness; Know the Micro Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through MSME Data Bank; Latest articles and
publications in the area of competitiveness; Market information to improve
market access; Credit and finance related areas for SMEs including various
policies, schemes etc; Empowering SMEs through ICT – such as how to
analyse ICT needs at firm and cluster levels-A to Z. IT and VAT handbooks
on hardware and software, important forms for taxes etc; Database of
different clusters, updated directory information and applications to find
companies and clusters on India map; Central and state government
Industrial Acts, policies, schemes, incentives etc for the manufacturing
sector; and related useful links.
In his
special address, Mr. V. Govindarajan, Member Secretary/NMCC, stated that
the National Strategy for Manufacturing drawn by the NMCC has been
accepted by the Government for implementation and that enabling SMEs to
achieve competitiveness through ICT was one of the key elements of this
strategy. He further indicated that the NMCC has been engaging with all
the Ministries as well as with state governments concerned in firming up
the programme of action and implementing the strategy. The industry
associations are also involved in the implementation of their side of the
programme. Specific issues requiring immediate action have been taken up
through the institutional mechanism of the High Level Committee on
Manufacturing set up under the Chairmanship of the Hon’ble Prime Minister
through the Empowered Sub-Committee of the HLCM for resolution of the
policy issues etc.
*****************
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18th June 2007 |
New Delhi:
June 18 2007
A bilateral trade target of US $ 10 billion
annually in goods and US $ 10 billion in services, set by the India-Canada
CEOs Roundtable at its first meeting in New Delhi last March, was
reaffirmed by participants at the second meeting of the Roundtable which
was held in Montreal today. Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce &
Industry, who participated in the Roundtable along with the Prime Minister
of Quebec Mr. Jean Charest, told the CEOs that India and Canada must seize
this opportunity to significantly increase two way trade and investment
flows and suggested that alongside the target of US $ 10 billion each
annually in bilateral goods and services trade to be achieved in 5 years,
India and Canada should work to achieve US $ 5 billion a year in bilateral
investment flows by 2012. He also expressed the hope that the completion
of the Doha Round of WTO negotiations would go a long way in liberalising
and enhancing trade and investment flows between the two countries.
“It is heartening that in the last few months, Indian investment in
Canada has picked up substantially. Last February, the Aditya Birla
Group company Hindalco acquired Novelis for around US $ 6 billion. In
April, the Essar Group acquired Algoma Steel for US $ 1.7 billion. Last
year, the Tata Group had acquired Teleglobe, a telecommunications company,
and the Birlas Minacs Worldwide, a BPO firm. This trend is likely to
continue. I also hope that more Canadian companies will invest in India,
to exploit the synergies that exist between the two sides”, the
Minister said.
Referring to the economic scenario in India, Shri Kamal Nath informed the
Canadian CEOs that the Indian economy had grown by 9% and the aim was to
take this growth to 10% in the next couple of years. “Growth of
this magnitude would unleash demand of various kinds. We are now faced
with the need for better infrastructure, particularly power, roads,
energy, environmental technology and raw materials. This would also
open-up new opportunities for Indian and Canadian companies to work
together in these critical areas. In this context, the recent visits to
India by the Minister for International Trade, Mr. David Emerson, and the
Canadian Infrastructure delegation, were very useful. We need more such
visits from both sides”, he said.
Earlier, Shri Kamal Nath, who is on an official
visit to Canada from 16-18 June, had bilateral meetings with Mr. David
Emerson, Minister of International Trade, Canada; and Mr. Dalton McGuinty,
Premier of Ontario, besides bilateral interaction with the Premier of
Quebec. India and Canada have also concluded negotiations for a
Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement to provide an impetus to the
two-way investments, Shri Kamal Nath said.
**********
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18th June 2007 |
New
Delhi:
June 18 2007
Shri
Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for Industry, has said that India’s
economic growth story was unique in as much as overall economic growth had
been achieved in the country consistent with the Government’s commitment
to social justice and inclusive agenda. The Minister while delivering the
keynote address at a session on “Rapid emergence of India and China as
global economic powers and their impact on the developed world” at an UBS
CEO Forum in Florence, Italy, yesterday said
that growth in the emerging economies has positively impacted on
consolidation of the developed economies themselves by spurring demand and
supply, ensuring economies of scale, increasing the global labour force
and ensuring a coherence in the global development agenda.
The
Minister stated that the embrace of the market economies by India and
China will make possible emergence of an international treaty based regime
towards a fully integrated global economy. He appealed to the investors to
consider the resilience of India’s democratic institutions as the nation’s
strength and rejected the debate between democracy and freedom as spurious
exercise.
Infrastructure development in India requires an estimated expenditure of
550 billion dollars in the medium term, and at least one third of the
resources can be obtained through FDI. “The manufacturing sector in
India was likely to grow by 12 percent per annum by 2010 which could
generate additional 1.6 million jobs every year. The UPA Government under
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was committed to ensuring distributive
equities by enlarging opportunities for wealth generation and without
compromising human dignity and moral integrity. Further, the SEZ policy in
the country was being fine tuned to ensure transparency and employment
opportunities for those who were displaced from the land for developmental
projects”, he said.
Later,
answering questions from the participants, Shri Kumar stated that the
National Rural Guarantee Programme, the Bharat Nirman Programme and the
Urban Renewable Programme in addition to a host of other initiatives were
intended to generate large-scale employment for the unemployed youth of
India.
Other key
participants in the Session included Shri Mukesh Ambani, CMD,
Reliance Industries, Shri Sanjay Chandra, MD, Unitech Limited, Dr
Fu Yuning, Director & President, China Merchants Group, Eddie Wang,
President, China Minsheng Banking Corporation.
**********
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13th June 2007 |
GRANT OF PATENTS ON YOGA BY UNITED STATES PATENT AND
TRADEMARK OFFICE – THE
FACTUAL POSITION
New Delhi:
June 13
2007
There are reports in the print and electronic media raising concerns on
grant of patent on Yoga postures by the United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO).
The matter was checked up with First Secretary for Intellectual Property,
US Embassy, New Delhi, who has reported that USPTO was not able to
identify a single patent directed on yoga poses. The Controller General
of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CMPDTM) has also informed that
preliminary search of USPTO database indicates that there is no patent on
yoga postures per se. Patents granted by USPTO mostly include devices and
accessories in Yoga. It is estimated that 131 patents have been granted
in USPTO on yoga subject and there are 3700 trademarks which have been
listed in the database of registered and pending trade marks by USPTO.
Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,
who is the nodal Department for Yoga, have already written to Indian
Ambassador in Washington to take all necessary steps to address the issue
of misappropriation of Indian Yoga system through USPTO.
**********
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13th June 2007 |
New Delhi: June 13 2007
Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce & Industry, today
announced a package of wide ranging measures to counter the negative
impact of rupee appreciation on India’s exports. Following extensive
interaction with a high-level delegation of the Federation of Indian
Export Organisations (FIEO) and all Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) led
by the FIEO President, Shri G.K. Gupta, the Minister announced the
following measures:
1.
Ministry of
Commerce would recommend to the Ministry of Finance the following:
(a)
Duty
Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) and Duty Drawback rates may be enhanced by
5%.
(b)
Rate of
interest on pre-shipment and post-shipment credit be reduced for exporters
to 6%. (At present, the rate of interest charged is in the range of 9 to
11%).
(c)
Exchange
Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) Accounts may be made interest bearing.
(As on date, EEFC Account deposited is stated as current account and
interest on it discontinued since 2000).
(d)
Scheduled
Commercial Banks may be mandated to meet 15% export credit disbursement
target.
(e)
Notify the
Service Tax Exemption / Refunds for exports announced in the Foreign Trade
Policy 2007 without further delay.
2.
All arrears
of TED (Terminal Excise Duty) & CST (Central Sales Tax) reimbursement
would be cleared by 30th June, 2007 and the Ministry of Finance
will be requested to provide additional funds, if necessary.
3.
Export Credit
& Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) will reduce its premia rates by upto 10% to
make exports more competitive.
A Committee is also being
set up to assess job losses due to rupee appreciation and loss of export
orders, Shri Kamal Nath said.
While
agreeing with exporters that rupee appreciation was currently a major
problem, Shri Kamal Nath exhorted the exporting community to look at it
also as an opportunity to enhance their competitiveness and to look at
new markets. “Rupee rise is no doubt a problem, but it is also an
opportunity for all of you to move towards greater efficiency, reducing
costs and enhancing competitiveness. Whether rupee rises or not, new
competition in global markets is a fact of life which has to be
addressed. You must also look at new markets. I am confident that the
resilience of our exporters will enable us to tide over the problems
caused by rupee appreciation and achieve the export target of US $ 160
billion set for the year 2007-08”, he said.
In his presentation to the Minister, President/FIEO said
that the exporting community had been badly hit due to the sharp
appreciation of the Indian rupee over a short period of time. “We
have reached a stage where we have stopped entering into new contracts.
This will be reflected in sharp dip in exports from July onwards. Many
of small exporters of traditional items in price sensitive segments have
already closed their factories”, he said. Due to the impact of the
appreciating rupee, secondary data on different sectors reveals that
export realizations have fallen by 12% for chemicals, 6.0 to 6.5% for
textiles and exports are likely to dip by 20 – 25% for processed food and
agro-products, electronics & electrical items and steel products.
Hardening of interest rates have further impinged export growth in a
inherently high transaction cost economy like India, he added.
“The
loss of exports will have serious implications for employment
opportunities and we are likely to lose 40 lakh jobs this year. The wages
will also be squeezed with drop in export value on account of Rupee
appreciation and increase in inputs cost due to inflation and firming up
of international metal prices”,
FIEO President said.
NB:
Rupee appreciation is assessed to have been caused by : (1) Withdrawal of
RBI intervention on purchase of US dollar from April 2007 onwards to
moderate inflationary tendency; and (2) Slowdown in US economy
depreciation US dollar.
Impact of
rupee appreciation has led to (a) imports becoming cheaper; and (b)
exports becoming costlier and less profitable. The sectors affected
primarily due to rupee appreciation relate to export products with low
value addition; those with less import contents e.g., leather, textiles
etc; exports to the US; and exports by small & medium enterprises (SMEs).
************
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12th June 2007 |
NO DILUTION OF SPs AND SSMs - FOOD AND LIVELIHOOD SECURITY
OF PRIME CONCERN, SAYS
KAMAL NATH
ATTENDS DEVELOPING COUNTRY MEETINGS IN GENEVA
New Delhi:
June 12,
2007
Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, has emphasized the
importance of Special Products (SPs) and Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM)
for protecting the food security and livelihood security needs of India
and strongly reiterated that “the issue would not be allowed to be diluted
in any way by the developed countries to satisfy their demand for
additional market access in the developing country markets.” He was
speaking at the meeting of the G-33 – a grouping of countries with
defensive interests in WTO agriculture negotiations. There was a general
consensus among the 46 Member countries of the G33 to engage
constructively with the developed countries on Indicators, which would
yield the number of Special Products required by a developing country.
Apart from
the G-33 meeting, the Strategic meetings of the G-20 and the NAMA 11
Groups of developing countries were also held in Geneva yesterday. The
G-20 and G-33 meetings were attended by Shri Kamal Nath and the Trade
Ministers of many developing countries, including Brazil, Argentina,
Indonesia, South Africa, Tanzania, Bolivia and senior officials.
The G-20
meeting took stock of the latest offers on Agriculture subsidies and
market access tabled by the US and the EC and concluded that there was
hardly any movement in their positions from July 2006, when the Doha Round
talks has to be suspended because of an impasse on these issues.
The Members reiterated their commitment to the G-20 proposal of seeking
effective and substantial cuts in the agriculture subsidies of the
developed countries. They also emphasized that the developing countries,
by agreeing to the principle of two-thirds overall proportionality in
tariff cuts, were making an ambitious offer. However, this ambitious offer
had to be met with an equally ambitious one from the developed countries –
an expectation which was still to be fulfilled. The Members also noted
that while the developed countries were very ambitious in seeking a
drastic reduction in tariffs on industrial products (NAMA) in the
developing countries, they were reluctant to follow the same principle for
agricultural products in their own countries. This was leading to a
palpable imbalance between agriculture and NAMA, which was contrary to the
Doha Round mandate.
The NAMA 11
meeting was chaired by the Commerce Minister of South Africa and attended
by the Commerce or Trade Ministers of Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia
and the senior officials of Venezuela, Namibia, Egypt, Tunisia and the
Philippines. The Trade Ministers of China and Pakistan also attended the
meeting. All the participants stressed on the need for a balanced and
fair outcome in NAMA negotiations, rejecting the developed country
proposal of a Swiss coefficient of 15 for the developing countries.
They said it was inappropriate for the developed countries to place such
extreme demands on the developing countries, in effect asking them to pay
for the entire Round. They sought greater flexibilities for the
developing countries to accommodate their development needs. Calling for
a correction of the past imbalances in the multilateral trading system,
they said that a successful outcome of the negotiations is only possible
if the Round delivers on its development objectives. On Sectoral
initiatives, a key demand of the US in this Round, it was pointed out that
these initiatives were a voluntary modality to meet supplementary
ambitions of the participants, that is cuts in addition to that achieved
through the application of the formula.
********
SB/NR/MRS
Back
|
|
11th June 2007 |
Index of
Six Infrastructure Industries (Base: 1993-94=100) April 2007
PRESS NOTE
The Index of Six core-infrastructure industries having a
combined weight of 26.7 per cent in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
with base 1993-94 stood at 225.5 (provisional) in April 2007 and
registered a growth of 7.4% (provisional) compared to a growth of 7.3 % in
April 2006. During April-March 2006-07, six core-infrastructure
industries registered a growth of 8.6% (provisional) as against 6.2%
during the corresponding period of the previous year.
Crude Petroleum
Crude petroleum production (weight of 4.17% in the IIP)
registered a growth of 1.4%
(provisional)
in April 2007 compared to a negative growth rate of 1.8% in
April 2006. The Crude petroleum production registered a growth of 5.5%
(provisional) during April-March 2006-07 compared to (-) 5.2% during the
same period of 2005-06.
Petroleum Refinery Products
Petroleum refinery production
(weight of
2.00% in the IIP) registered a growth of 15.1%
(provisional)
in April 2007 compared to
growth of 13.1% in April
2006. The
Petroleum refinery production
registered a growth of 12.3% (provisional) during
April-March 2006-07 compared to 2.1% during the same period of 2005-06.
Coal
Coal production (weight of 3.22% in the IIP) registered a
growth of 0.5%
(provisional) in April 2007 compared to a growth rate 3.4% in April 2006.
Coal production grew by 6.0% (provisional) during April-March 2006-07 compared to an
increase of 6.6% during the same period of 2005-06.
Electricity
Electricity
generation (weight of 10.17% in the IIP) registered a
growth of 8.7%
(provisional) in April 2007 compared to a growth rate 5.9% in April 2006.
Electricity
generation grew by 7.3% (provisional) during April-March 2006-07 compared to 5.1%
during the same period of 2005-06.
Cement
Cement production
(weight
of 1.99% in the IIP)
registered a growth of 5.1%
(provisional)
in
April 2007 compared to 12.2% in
April 2006. Cement Production
grew by 9.1% (provisional) during April-March 2006-07 compared to an
increase of 12.4% during the same period of 2005-06.
.
Finished (carbon) steel
Finished (carbon) Steel production
(weight of 5.13% in the IIP)
registered a growth of 8.4%
(provisional)
in April 2007 compared to 10.1% (estimated) in April 2006.
Finished (carbon) Steel production grew by 10.9% (provisional) during April-March 2006-07
compared to an increase of 11.2% during the same period of 2005-06.
N.B: Data are provisional. Revision has been made based on
revised data obtained.
|
PERFORMANCE OF SIX INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRIES
April 2007
(Weight in IIP: 26.68 %) |
|
Base Year: 1993-94 |
|
Sector-wise Growth Rate (%) in Production |
|
Sector |
Weight (%) |
Ap-06 |
Apr-07 |
Apr-Mar
05-06 |
Apr-Mar
06-07 |
|
Crude
Petroleum |
4.17 |
-1.8 |
1.4 |
-5.2 |
5.5 |
|
Petroleum Refinery Products |
2.00 |
13.1 |
15.1 |
2.1 |
12.3 |
|
Coal |
3.22 |
3.4 |
0.5 |
6.6 |
6.0 |
|
Electricity |
10.17 |
5.9 |
8.7 |
5.1 |
7.3 |
|
Cement |
1.99 |
12.2 |
5.1 |
12.4 |
9.1 |
|
Finished steel (carbon) |
5.13 |
10.1 |
8.4 |
11.2 |
10.9 |
|
Overall |
26.68 |
7.3 |
7.4 |
6.2 |
8.6 |
|
Source
of data: Concerned Ministries/Departments/Organization(s)
|
|
Month |
INDEX |
Growth Rates (%) |
|
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
April |
195.8 |
210.0 |
225.5 |
7.3 |
7.4 |
|
May |
200.9 |
215.2 |
|
7.1 |
|
|
June |
196.7 |
211.9 |
|
7.7 |
|
|
July |
193.3 |
214.1 |
|
10.8 |
|
|
August |
198.4 |
211.3 |
|
6.5 |
|
|
September |
192.9 |
213.2 |
|
10.5 |
|
|
October |
207.3 |
227.7 |
|
9.8 |
|
|
November |
202.4 |
221.6 |
|
9.5 |
|
|
December |
214.7 |
233.0 |
|
8.5 |
|
|
January |
219.6 |
237.6 |
|
8.2 |
|
|
February |
205.2 |
220.6 |
|
7.5 |
|
|
March |
231.3 |
254.5 |
|
10.0 |
|
|
Apr -Mar |
204.9 |
222.6 |
--- |
6.2 |
8.6 |
CRUDE PETROLEUM PRODUCTION
|
|
Weight: 4.17% |
|
Month
|
Production (in Thousand tonnes) |
Growth Rates (%) |
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
April |
2802 |
2752 |
2790 |
-1.8 |
1.4 |
|
May |
2830 |
2857 |
|
1.0 |
|
|
June |
2792 |
2826 |
|
1.2 |
|
|
July |
2751 |
2863 |
|
4.1 |
|
|
August |
2411 |
2702 |
|
12.1 |
|
|
September |
2572 |
2813 |
|
9.4 |
|
|
October |
2679 |
2928 |
|
9.3 |
|
|
November |
2563 |
2815 |
|
9.8 |
|
|
December |
2642 |
2924 |
|
10.7 |
|
|
January |
2770 |
2901 |
|
4.7 |
|
|
February |
2542 |
2666 |
|
4.9 |
|
|
March |
2844 |
2934 |
|
3.2 |
|
|
Note:
1. Cumulative total may not tally with monthly
total;
2. Production data and Growth rates are provisional.
Source: Ministry of
Petroleum & Natural Gas
|
OUTPUT OF PETROLEUM REFINERY
PRODUCTS
|
|
Weight: 2.00% |
|
Month
|
Output (in Thousand Tonnes) |
Growth Rates (%) |
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
April |
8947 |
10118 |
11651 |
13.1 |
15.1 |
|
May |
9624 |
10784 |
|
12.1 |
|
|
June |
9896 |
10940 |
|
10.5 |
|
|
July |
10096 |
11370 |
|
12.6 |
|
|
August |
10042 |
11257 |
|
12.1 |
|
|
September |
9776 |
11083 |
|
13.4 |
|
|
October |
9719 |
11473 |
|
18.1 |
|
|
November |
9853 |
11467 |
|
16.4 |
|
|
December |
10754 |
11423 |
|
6.2 |
|
|
January |
10857 |
11854 |
|
9.2 |
|
|
February |
10098 |
11241 |
|
11.3 |
|
|
March |
11089 |
12577 |
|
13.4 |
|
|
Note: 1. Cumulative total may not tally with monthly total
2. Output and Growth rates are provisional.
3.
The figure are estimated on the basis of data
on refinery production (in terms of crude throughput)
Source: Ministry of
Petroleum & Natural Gas
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COAL PRODUCTION
|
|
Weight: 3.22% |
|
Month
|
Production (in Million tones) |
Growth Rates (%) |
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
April |
30.50 |
31.53 |
31.69 |
3.4 |
0.5 |
|
May |
30.67 |
33.15 |
|
8.1 |
|
|
June |
28.54 |
31.95 |
|
11.9 |
|
|
July |
28.14 |
31.12 |
|
10.6 |
|
|
August |
29.03 |
29.09 |
|
0.2 |
|
|
September |
29.42 |
29.23 |
|
-0.6 |
|
|
October |
32.96 |
33.65 |
|
2.1 |
|
|
November |
34.69 |
36.38 |
|
4.9 |
|
|
December |
38.39 |
39.50 |
|
2.9 |
|
|
January |
38.32 |
42.15 |
|
10.0 |
|
|
February |
36.90 |
39.35 |
|
6.6 |
|
|
March |
43.82 |
48.49 |
|
10.6 |
|
|
Note :
1. Cumulative total may not tally with monthly
total
2. Production data and Growth rates are provisional.
Source : Department
of Coal |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ELECTRICITY GENERATION
|
|
WEIGHT: 10.17% |
|
Month
|
Generation (in Gwh) |
Growth Rates (%) |
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
April |
50413.2 |
53394.9 |
58026.7 |
5.9 |
8.7 |
|
May |
52942.6 |
55630.8 |
|
5.1 |
|
|
June |
50948.9 |
53450.6 |
|
4.9 |
|
|
July |
49781.1 |
54224.2 |
|
8.9 |
|
|
August |
52145.2 |
54295.8 |
|
4.1 |
|
|
September |
48694.5 |
54289.3 |
|
11.5 |
|
|
October |
52217.7 |
57292.5 |
|
9.7 |
|
|
November |
49405.3 |
53721.3 |
|
8.7 |
|
|
December |
52257.1 |
57095.6 |
|
9.3 |
|
|
January |
53759.6 |
58320.6 |
|
8.5 |
|
|
February |
50225.4 |
51902.3 |
|
3.3 |
|
|
March |
54719.9 |
59075.3 |
|
8.0 |
|
|
Note : 1. Cumulative total may not tally with monthly
total;
2. Generation and Growth rates are provisional.
3. Electricity generation data includes also imports
from
Bhutan
Source: Ministry of Power |
CEMENT PRODUCTION
|
|
Weight: 1.99% |
|
Month
|
Production (Thousand Tonnes) |
Growth Rates (%) |
|
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|
April |
12240 |
13730 |
14430 |
12.2 |
5.1 |
|
May |
12630 |
13490 |
|
6.8 |
|
|
June |
12010 |
13410 |
|
11.7 |
|
|
July |
11160 |
12720 |
|
14.0 |
|
|
August |
11160 |
11480 |
|
2.9 |
|
|
September |
10845 |
12630 |
|
|