NEWS – NOVEMBER 2007

• Reliance Energy transmission project gets CERC approval
  Mumbai, Thursday, November 01, 2007
• DoT accepts panel report on spectrum
  New Delhi, Friday, November 02, 2007
• Govt plans to allow 49% foreign holding in PSU refineries
  New Delhi, Saturday, November 03, 2007
• No respite on tariffs for private terminal operators
  Monday, November 05, 2007
• 11th Plan proposes relaxing FDI in retail, banking, insurance
  New Delhi, Wednesday, November 07, 2007
• Rajasthan, IL&FS ink water project deal
  New Delhi, November 08, 2007
• Welcome power exchange despite innate economic flaws
  New Delhi, Thursday, November 08, 2007
• Delhi’s power privatisation & public interest litigation
  Pradeep S Mehta, November 12, 2007
• Govt to usher in number portability in phases
  New Delhi, Tuesday, November 13, 2007
• Govt to auction spectrum for 3G, Wi-Max services
  New Delhi, Tuesday, November 13, 2007
• Combination drugs: Driven by science or commerce?
  Mumbai, Tuesday, November 13, 2007
• New biotech body to regulate GM produce
  New Delhi, Tuesday, November 13, 2007
• Four companies in fray for Navi Mumbai airport plan
  Mumbai, Wednesday, November 14, 2007
• Number portability issue hots up
  New Delhi, Wednesday, November 14, 2007
• Cipla gets another Govt notice on overcharging
  Mumbai, Thursday, November 15, 2007
• DoT to allow resale of int’l bandwidth; prices may fall
  New Delhi, Friday, November 16, 2007
• Centre mulling separate authority for expressways
  New Delhi, November 18, 2007
• GoM to study petro products retail pricing
  New Delhi, Wednesday, November 21, 2007
• Petroleum and natural gas: A regulator without resources
  New Delhi, Wednesday, November 21, 2007
• DoT to own an independent satellite
  New Delhi, Friday, November 23, 2007
• More powers for TRAI: The wait gets longer
  New Delhi, Friday, November 23, 2007
• Kerala industrial units’ plea against power tariff hike
  Kochi, Friday, November 23, 2007
• Ultra mega power developers should not bid for another project’
  New Delhi, Sunday, November 25, 2007
• NPPA issues notices for Rs 736 cr for overcharging
  New Delhi, Tuesday, November 27, 2007
• FDI cap in select aviation segments to be relaxed
  Mumbai, Wednesday, November 28, 2007
• Freight corridor okayed in principle
  Wednesday, November 28
• Regulator asks gas distributors to produce authorisation
  New Delhi, Friday, November 30, 2007

Reliance Energy transmission project gets CERC approval
Mumbai, Thursday, November 01, 2007

In a significant development, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has cleared the Reliance Energy Transmission Ltd’s (RETL, a subsidiary of Reliance Energy Ltd) transmission project with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore in the western region.

 
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DoT accepts panel report on spectrum
New Delhi, Friday, November 02, 2007

The government has accepted Telecom Engineering Centre’s report that has suggested tough norms for spectrum allocation to GSM operators, a move that may make it difficult for players like Airtel, Vodafone and Idea to get additional frequency.

 
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Govt plans to allow 49% foreign holding in PSU refineries
New Delhi, Saturday, November 03, 2007

The Government proposes to allow 49 per cent foreign investment in public sector oil refineries, in commodity exchanges, and in Credit Information Companies (CIC). In the civil aviation sector, foreign direct investment up to 74 per cent in non-scheduled airlines, chartered airlines and cargo airlines is likely to be allowed.

 
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No respite on tariffs for private terminal operators
Monday, November 05, 2007

Even as the Government readies new upfront tariff setting and bidding norms for public-private-partnership (PPP) projects at major ports, there will be no respite for some private container terminal operators who have questioned the existing tariff setting guidelines. This is because the new norms (as specified by a Task Force) would not apply to the current lot of port operators who would continue to be guided by the agreements that they had entered into.

 
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11th Plan proposes relaxing FDI in retail, banking, insurance
New Delhi, Wednesday, November 07, 2007

The Eleventh Plan draft document has built a strong case for relaxing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in key sectors like insurance, private banking, single brand retailing and broadcasting.

 
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Rajasthan, IL&FS ink water project deal
New Delhi, November 08, 2007

Jaipur, Rajasthan State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation Ltd (RIICO) today signed a memorandum of agreement with Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) to form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for establishing an integrated water supply project for supplying water to the upcoming textile park in Soniyana village in Chittorgarh district and industries in Bhilwara.

 
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Welcome power exchange despite innate economic flaws
New Delhi, Thursday, November 08, 2007

There’s a welcome paradigm shift underway in the power sector, in terms of market design. Reports say that the Indian Energy Exchange Ltd (IEX) is all set to start a nationwide market for trading in electricity. A power exchange (PX), akin to stock and commodity bourses, acts as a platform for buying, selling and trading in electricity. Currently, there is no such exchange in India and electricity is traded bilaterally at mutually agreed rates, with trading margins much regulated.

 
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Delhi’s power privatisation & public interest litigation
Pradeep S Mehta, November 12, 2007

Alas, in India, the word privatisation sounds foul and so we call it disinvestment. In the current government, there is much less appetite today than in the past due to political economy constraints. The latest to hit the headlines is the privatisation process of the Delhi power sector. It was challenged by Gajendra Haldea, a civil servant, who filed a writ petition before the Delhi High Court, as soon as the privatisation happened in 2002. The scathing judgment stopped at undoing the privatisation, as the clock cannot be turned back. An appeal before the Supreme Court is yet to be resolved.

 
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Govt to usher in number portability in phases
New Delhi, Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Mobile subscribers will soon be able to change their operator without having to change the phone number. Despite opposition from the operators, the Minister of Communications, Mr A. Raja, has decided to introduce mobile number portability in phases, starting with the four metros.

 
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Govt to auction spectrum for 3G, Wi-Max services
New Delhi, Tuesday, November 13, 2007

In yet another blow to the existing GSM operators, the Communication Ministry has decided to auction spectrum for third generation (3G) mobile services and wireless broadband services through technologies such as Wi-Max.

 
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Combination drugs: Driven by science or commerce?
Mumbai, Tuesday, November 13, 2007

You do not need a sten-gun to tackle an ant, is how a Mumbai-based doctor describes a combination medicine that packs, without compelling reason, several medicines into a single pill. Take for instance, analgesic pill that combines paracetamol + diclofenac sodium + amoxicillin + cloxacillin + pantoprazole + lactic acid bacillus + serrapeptase. Was this seven-in-one pill backed by sound scientific reason or created with a commercial intent is a question that throws up as many answers as there are combinations in the drug.

 
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New biotech body to regulate GM produce
New Delhi, Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The government on Tuesday announced it would set up a regulatory body to approve and provide single window clearance of genetically modified products and processes. The National Biotechnology Regulatory Authority would be an independent, professionally run body and would help biotechnology industry achieve the size of $7 billion by 2010 as against $2.3 billion currently.

 
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Four companies in fray for Navi Mumbai airport plan
Mumbai, Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Three foreign Companies and one from Mumbai have lined up for drawing up the master plan for the development of the Rs 4,000-crore Navi Mumbai Airport. The state-run City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has received initial bids for the appointment of prime consultant from UK’s Scott Wilson, US-based Louis Berger, Singapore’s Maunsell and Mumbai-based Mott McDonald.

 
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Number portability issue hots up
New Delhi, Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Union Government’s announcement to introduce the number portability facility for the benefit of subscribers has further intensified the tussle between GSM and CDMA mobile operators. While their fight over spectrum allocation continues, the number portability issue will only complicate things.

 
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Cipla gets another Govt notice on overcharging
Mumbai, Thursday, November 15, 2007

Drug-maker Cipla has received a Government notice demanding Rs 24.23 crore, inclusive of interest for alleged overcharging by the company on antibiotic ciprofloxacin during the period April 2006 to March 2007.

 
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DoT to allow resale of int’l bandwidth; prices may fall
New Delhi, Friday, November 16, 2007

After number portability and integrated mobile directory enquiry service, the department of telecommunications (DoT) has accepted another consumer-friendly recommendation of the Trai on allowing resale of international bandwidth.

 
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Centre mulling separate authority for expressways
New Delhi, November 18, 2007

In what could be a major impetus to the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP), the Centre is mulling over a proposal of having a separate authority for governing the development of expressways in the country. To be set up on the lines of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the authority, according to highly placed sources in the road transport and highways ministry, is being planned with the aim of reducing the burden of the NHAI, which has its hands full with implementing four- and six-laning of highways under the NHDP.

 
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GoM to study petro products retail pricing
New Delhi, Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A decision on retail prices of petroleum products could be a month away. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, today said that he has constituted a Group of Ministers to examine the issue and report back to the Union Cabinet within one month.

 
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Petroleum and natural gas: A regulator without resources
New Delhi, Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) may be overseeing one of the more affluent industries, but the Board itself is functioning like a pauper. The Board, which was constituted in June and put out its first draft regulation on city gas distribution last week, functions practically without any resources or infrastructure.

 
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DoT to own an independent satellite
New Delhi, Friday, November 23, 2007

Telecom operators going for satellite-based services will get a big boost as the department of telecommunications (DoT) has decided to own an independent telecom satellite. The officials have deliberated the proposal at length and now modalities need to be formulated. At present, the department of space and any telecom operator owns all satellites or broadcaster requiring the same have to apply with it.

 
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More powers for TRAI: The wait gets longer
New Delhi, Friday, November 23, 2007

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s hopes of getting more teeth and autonomy anytime soon seem to be fading away with the Ministry of Communication deciding to refer the issue to an inter-ministerial group for consultation without setting any timeframe for a final decision. TRAI had written to the Ministry seeking additional powers and more operational freedom by amending the TRAI Act, 1997.

 
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Kerala industrial units’ plea against power tariff hike
Kochi, Friday, November 23, 2007

Several industrial units in Kerala have urged the State Government to reconsider the proposal for power tariff hike as the manufacturing industry here is already reeling under severe strain caused by the burgeoning energy costs. Any increase in power tariff will lead to a collapse in several sectors, they said.

 
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Ultra mega power developers should not bid for another project’
New Delhi, Sunday, November 25, 2007

A Parliamentary Committee has suggested that developers of ultra mega power project (UMPP) who have already bagged one project should not be allowed to bid for another on the basis of the same balance sheet on which the earlier project was won.

 
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NPPA issues notices for Rs 736 cr for overcharging
New Delhi, Tuesday, November 27, 2007

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) increased market surveillance has led to demand notices worth Rs 736 crore being sent to manufacturers of scheduled drugs for charging above the Government notified prices during the current fiscal year.

 
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FDI cap in select aviation segments to be relaxed
Mumbai, Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in certain specific sectors of the aviation industry including maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities, pilot training schools and cargo operations is in for a revamp, with the government planning to increase the FDI limit in these sectors from the current 49% soon.

 
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Freight corridor okayed in principle
Wednesday, November 28

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday gave in-principle approval to the dedicated multi-modal high axle load freight corridor (DFC) project on the eastern and western corridors involving an estimated cost of Rs 28,181 crore.

 
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Regulator asks gas distributors to produce authorisation
New Delhi, Friday, November 30, 2007

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has asked gas distribution Companies like Indraprastha Gas and Mahanagar Gas to show the government authorisation by which they began retailing CNG and piped gas in cities like Delhi and Mumbai.

 
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