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PM dedicates Nathpa-Jhakri project to the nation

     Jhakri (HP): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today dedicated the 1500 MW Nathpa-Jhakri Hydel power project to the nation but cautioned against the mindset of free power as it would hinder country's electricity generation capacity. "Giving free power will not help in self-sufficiency in power generation and it could be an obstacle in additional power generation. While the demand for electricity in the country is increasing, power cuts are assuming alarming proportions," said Singh while dedicating the mega power project to the nation which would give a boost to the power supply to the northern grid. Union Power minister P M Sayeed and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh accompanied the Prime Minister. Singh asserted that the country was in need of raising its power generation potential as the demand for electricity was growing every day. He felt that electricity was a facilitator to industrialisation and is very important for growth of agriculture also. The PM called the State Electricity Boards (SEBs) to improve their performance, otherwise "our target of increasing electricity generation will not be fulfilled." He said that his government would make all efforts to meet its target of providing electricity to every village in the next four years under the Bharat Nirman Yojna. Singh also extended his helping hands to the Himachal Pradesh and assured the state of all help to tap its potential of generating at least 10,000 mw in the next two-three years.

     The 1500MW, Nathpa Jhakri Hydro-electric Power Project (NJHPP) is located in the upper reaches of the river Satluj in the south west of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh. The Project stretches over a length of about 50 kms from the Dam site at Nathpa in district Kinnaur to the Power House at Jhakri in district Shimla, on the National Highway-22, which also connects the rail head to the Project. NJHPP has several unique features and is totally underground except for its Dam and the Pot Head Yard. Besides providing 1500 MW of valuable peaking power to the Northern Grid, NJHPP will generate 6700 Million Units of electrical energy in a 90% dependable year. The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had laid the foundation stone of the Nathpa-Jhakri project, under the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Ltd in 1989. It took almost 17 years to complete this six-unit 1500 MW venture, with each unit of 250 MW capacity.

12 killed in a cement factory roof collapse in Tamil Nadu (Go To Top)

     Chennai: At least 12 persons were killed and over 20 were injured when the roof of a cement factory in Dalmiapuram near Tiruchirappalli collapsed. The tragedy occurred in a division of the 70-year old Dalmia Cement Bharath Ltd around 1.15 PM. According to the police, tweleve bodies have been found so far but the causualty is expected to touch at least 20. The injured are recuperating in various hospitals in the town. Rescue operations are going on with the police and fire service personnel and factory's security staff making their best efforts to calm the situation.

EPF Board approves 9.5 per cent interest rate (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Caught in a piquant situation with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram pitching for 9.5 per cent for the year the Central Board of Trustees of EPF today recommended 9.5 per cent interest rate. Labour Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said after a marathon five- hour long meeting of the Central Board of Trustees of Employees Provident Fund that the new interest rate would cause the Board's exchequer a deficit of Rs 716 crore. The Fund serves a base of four subscribers for 2004-05. The shortfall, however, would be met from the Special Reserves of about Rs 950 crore. The Board in its last meeting had recommended an interim rate of 8.5 per cent. The fund with a corups of Rs. 1,40,000 crore gets its return to the tune of 7 to 8 per cent from special deposit schemes. The option for the Trustees were either to seek the Finance Ministry to bail out by subsidies or get its green signal to investment options from the market to meet the shortfall. The finance ministry had already refused to allow the fund to be invested in equities and or other avenues to generate higher returns. Alternatively, the Fund has to dip its hands into unclaimed deposits, which runs into Rs. 1000 core or the reserve fund to the tune of Rs. 500. This was the second time the Trustees met to consider this issue. After its meeting last month, Chairman of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of Employees Provident Fund Organisation, K Chandrasekhar Rao had made it clear that if it was unable to meet the shortfall, the Finance Ministry would have to chip in with necessary resources. Left leaders have hailed the EPF board recommendation saying that it was in conformity with the assurance given by the prime minister. "We welcome the decision. It is in conformity with the assurance given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. All necessary steps should be taken to make the proper corrections in the imbalance of accounts, if there is any," Dasgupta, the all India General Secretary of CPI labour wing AITUC, told reporters in Kolkata. Left parties had pitched in to restore the status quo. CPI national secretary D. Raja had said a decision to scale down the interest rate was taken by the UPA government and it should "restore the status quo" to protect the interests of about 4 crore employees, who do not have any other social security scheme.

WB arbitrator on Baglihar to begin work on June 9 (Go To Top)

      Islamabad: The World Bank arbitrator Raymond Lafitte, appointed last month to sort out differences between India and Pakistan over the Baglihar Dam issue, would begin his work on June 9, and holds talks with the two nations for two days. India is constructing the Baglihar Dam on the river Chenab, while Pakistan opposes it saying that the dam was too high and could damage vast areas lying in its territory. The WB, which is a signatory to the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 between the two nations, had appointed Prof. Lafitte as a neutral expert. Quoting Pakistan government sources, The Dawn reported that Lafitte has asked both the countries to send their teams to finalize procedure of the proceedings during the two-day meeting. The Ministry of Water and Power, the Foreign Office, the Law Ministry and Pakistan's Commissioner to the Indus Commission would hold a meeting in a couple of days to finalize a strategy and select a team to represent Pakistan before the neutral expert, the report said adding that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz is expected to preside the meeting. The Swiss professor has about 17 publications on dams and hydroelectric power plants to his credit.

People below 25 not being issued UK visa: British HC (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: The British High Commission has stopped issuing visas to those persons who are below the age of 25 and have no relatives in the United Kingdom (UK). This was stated by British Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan Simon Butt while speaking to businessmen at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Friday. They issued about 150,000 visas every year and found about 250 applications with fake documents which were referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Dawn quoted Butt as saying. The deputy high commissioner said the UK had provided 236 million pounds assistance to Pakistan that would be disbursed in three years. This assistance will be spent on economic reforms, health and education sectors, he added.

UK resumes military aid to Nepal (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: Britain has decided to resume non- lethal military assistance to Nepal on humanitarian grounds. According to The News, prior to the February 1 royal takeover, the British government had planned in January to "gift" a package of military equipment to Nepal under its "Global Conflict Prevention Pool" to help the Royal Nepalese Army combat the escalating Maoist insurgency. The equipment, worth 1.34 million pounds, comprised non-lethal aid like surveillance helicopters with night flying capability and communications enhancements, 40 general purpose Land Rovers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal equipment and vehicles.

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