SEZs to get Rs 26,000 cr

IN PARLIAMENT TODAY

Nearly 10 companies, which were given the approval for setting up special economic zones in the country, were likely to invest about Rs 26,000 crore in SEZs, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath told the Lok Sabha today.

These included Nokia India Private Ltd, Hewlett Packard (India) Software Operations Private Ltd, Wipro, Reliance Industries, Biocon, Mahindra and Mahindra, Reliance Energy Generation Ltd, Adani Group and Ranbaxy laboratories, he added.

Showcause to Hindu, Stardust, ITC

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry E V K S Elangovan said showcause notices have been issued to the publishers of The Hindu, Star Dust, Overdrive and cigarette manufacturers ITC, Gold Flake and Phillip Morris for violation of the Tobacco Products (prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution) Act, 2003.

'FDI in tobacco won't be encouraged'

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said the government was not encouraging foreign direct investment in the tobacco sector due to public health considerations.

Govt working at amending Boiler Bill

The government is preparing a revised Bill for amending the Boiler Act. The Bill was earlier introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 1994, Kamal Nath, Commerce and Industry Minister said.

Patel to seek Cabinet nod on regulator

The civil aviation ministry would soon approach the cabinet to seek its nod on the proposed airport economic regulatory authority and introduce a Bill later in Parliament, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel told the Lok Sabha today.

Textile exports to US face non-tariff barriers

"Textile exports to the US are facing some non-tariff barriers like labelling and marking requirements, compliance with labour and environmental standards, security parameters and verification of visas among others," Textile Minister Shankersinh Vaghela told the Rajya Sabha today.

Talks with Gulf council on FTA

The trade and economic relations committee, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has given the commerce and industry the go-ahead to negotiate on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Co-operation Council, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry EVKS Elangovan said.

Nathpa Jhakri suffers Rs 355-cr loss

The 1,500-Mw Nathpa Jhakri hydel power plant has suffered losses of about Rs 355 crore since its commissioning in 2003, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi informed the Rajya Sabha. This was due to closure of the plant because of a high level of silt in the Satluj, he said.

24.5 lakh landline surrenders

State-owned telephone service providers BSNL and MTNL have seen about 24.5 lakh landline phone surrenders this fiscal till October 31, 2005, Shakeel Ahmad, minister of state for information technology and telecom, told the Lok Sabha.

Trai proposal turned down

The government has turned down the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's recommendation of setting up an ombudsman to address consumers' grievances, Information Technology and Communications Minister Dayanidhi Maran said.