19.09.2006

MoD shoots down US encryption software
Afrmed forces officers have objected to the proposed use of bulk encryption units (BEU) software from CISCO for encrypting internal communications of the armed forces.

Product ads rules TV channels
The number of feature-based ads have shot up from a mere 164 to a whopping 1734 in the last two years in India. A growth of almost 1000%.
There are over 35000 ad spots across channels every day.

Beer business growth in India
In the first five months of FY 2006-07, the beer market has grown by 26%.

Cell cos to be taxed on international roaming services
Every call made in India by overseas visitors on roaming network will be chargeable to service tax
Telecom accounts for 45% of the total annual service tax collections.
The government collected about Rs. 11,000 cr in service tax from the sector last fiscal.
Out of the total telecom industry revenues of Rs. 60,000 cr, international roaming is just about Rs. 1,200 cr.

Graduation tourism turns new money-spinner
With more than 2 lakh Indian students traveling overseas to study every year, graduation tourism is picking up.
Of the 6 mln people going abroad annually, 55% are corporate travelers and 25% are leisure trip makers. The remainder are people visiting friends and family abroad for students.

India’s mortgage BPO biz to touch $1.1 bln by 2010
The total value of mortgage BPO delivered from India is estimated to jump to $1.1 bn by 2010 from just $100-150 mn at present.
The global mortgage BPO market is currently $10-11 bn with industry estimates pegging it about $22 bn by 2010.

As per WHO norms, one hospital bed is needed for every 300 lives.

Cos get closer to colleges to fill job requirements
Around 500,000 engineering and science students graduate each year from more than 1500 colleges across the country.
Only 30-35% of all graduates in the country can be productively employed by Indian IT companies, estimate HR professionals in IT companies.

BSNL, BEML among six new mini-ratnas
BSNL, BEML, Hindustan Latex, Engineering Projects India Ltd (EPIL), Rashtriya Ispat Limited (RIL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) are given the mini-ratna status.
The status given them the freedom to make investments up to Rs. 500 cr in both joint ventures or subsidiaries as well as on capital expenditure. This is without government nod.

Foreign banks are better off says RBI
For very Rs. 100 lent, public sector banks incur a 75 basis point higher cost compared to foreign banks.
Nearly 60% of the loan portfolios of most public sector banks are linked to their respective PLR.

Reduce the WPI weightage for sugar: argues Kushagra Nayan Bajaj
To survive Indian sugar industry needs to get a minimum margin of around Rs. 475 per quintal for converting sugarcane into sugar.
The private sector contributes 55.6% of the total sugar production in India.
The average Indian consumers 1.5 kg of sugar in a month.

Redefining NAM in the new world: MK Venu
Developing countries have accumulated fresh forex reserves worth over a trillion dollars in the past three to four years.
Trade among south-south countries has grown at about 15% annually in the past three years even as world trade has grown at a meager 5%.
Today 43% of all trade in the developing world is accounted for by south-south nations.

India a global auto manufacturing hub?
India is among the three largest manufacturers of compact cars, alongside Japan and Brazil.
In Japan the transit time from the factory to the ship is just 48 hours. For Maruti in India, it takes two months.
The total value of auto manufacturing is currently put at $34 bn. The newly proposed Automotive Mission Plan proposes to take it to about $145 bn by 2016.
The component industry is currently placed at $10 bn.

Let’s not gas around
The US produces approximately 25% global carbon emissions, even as it holds less than 5% of the worlds population.
Transportation sector accounts for 25% of GHG emissions worldwide.
Petroleum consumption globally is growing at 2% per year.

Videocon has SEZ dreams
Government sources say that the proposed 150 SEZs would give employment to over 7 lakh people. Investment in infrastructure alone would be about Rs. 4000 cr. in each of the 30 multi-product SEZs, thus accounting for a total investment of Rs. 2 lk crore.

Government told to wash its hands of NURM, secondary education
Finance Ministry raises concerns over projects with massive funding
58% of the 1.38 lk secondary schools in the country are run by the private sector.
The share of the private unaided schools has increased from 15% in 1993-94 to 24% in 2001-02.