Government toughens bidding norms for shipping projects

October 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu says his country is interested in participating in India's roads and highway projects, but finds the bidding clauses too complex to encourage international players. "Infrastructure is one area where we are very much interested to participate, especially the roads and highways project in India.

October 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The cabinet Thursday approved amendments in the mega power policy to encourage setting up of new power plants. According to the new norms, the states that control the power distribution network can also buy electricity from mega power plants.

July 25th, 2009 SHIMLA - Himachal Pradesh, which has a potential to generate 20,416 MW hydroelectric power, has decided to set up 50 new micro hydel projects with the help of small players. "The government has identified 50 mini hydroelectric projects across the state ranging up to 5 MW.

July 23rd, 2009 SHIMLA - Mumbai-based ship building major ABG Shipyard Ltd has been allotted three hydroelectric projects in Himachal Pradesh after global bidding, an official said Thursday. "The government has allotted three out of five major hydropower projects to ABG Shipyard Ltd of Mumbai.

July 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Very small dust particles that lodge inside the lungs were at a level above prescribed norms in residential areas of 86 out of 125 Indian cities last year, according to data collected by the government. Called Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), these particles of dust and soot are known to cause respiratory diseases.

July 14th, 2009 SHIMLA - Himachal Pradesh Tuesday asked mini hydropower project producers to provide funds for the development of the areas where the power plants have been commissioned, a government spokesperson said. "The state government decided that all private power producers generating hydroelectricity up to 100 KW (0.1 MW) will have to provide three percent of the income generated from the project to the local gram panchayat for the first 12 years and six percent thereafter.

July 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - More public-private partnership (PPP) projects for building ports, revised guidelines for port operations, and speedier acquisition of ships and equipment are some of the targets set by the shipping ministry in its 100-day agenda unveiled Wednesday. Five more PPP projects are likely to be awarded, including coal terminals at Paradip and Mormugao ports and container terminals at Ennore and Tuticorin, according to the agenda released by Shipping Minister G.K.

July 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Government on Wednesday said it would award six shipping projects worth 3,319.14 crore rupees in next 100 days. These would be developed on the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.

June 27th, 2009 CHENNAI - The shipping ministry, in its 100-day plan to be announced shortly, will address the issues dogging projects being promoted in public-private-partnership (PPP), Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan said here Saturday.

June 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - After road transport ministry, it is now the turn of the shipping ministry to demand a separate financing arm. "The ministry has submitted a proposal to the finance ministry to form a Shipping Finance Corp," said a ministry official.

May 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Reliance Power, an energy generation firm in the Anil Ambani group, has signed pacts with the Arunachal Pradesh government for four hydro-electric power projects in state with a combined capacity of 2,520 MW. 'We won the projects through the competitive bidding process of the Arunachal Pradesh government.

March 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - About 40 percent of the country's road projects put up for competitive bidding have found no takers due to the economic slowdown, a Planning Commission member said here Friday. 'Of the 60 road projects that had been put up for competitive bidding, 40 percent received no bids,' Planning Commission member Kirit Parikh said.

February 9th, 2009 KOLKATA - The shipping ministry is preparing a document on the financial requirements of the industry, which will be submitted to the finance ministry next month, a top official said here Tuesday. 'Call it a growth package.

January 27th, 2009 SHIMLA - Acting tough against errant private power producers, the Himachal Pradesh government has cancelled allotment of seven mini hydropower projects, an official said Wednesday. 'The government has cancelled the allotment of seven micro hydropower projects allotted across the state.

January 1st, 2009 CHENNAI - India's insurance watchdog Friday offered life insurers, and more particularly the private life insurers, a mega New Year gift by easing solvency norms for the third time in recent days. Solvency margin is the excess of assets that a life insurer has to maintain over its liabilities.