PHDCCI sets agenda for Punjab
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — The PHDCCI has made wide-ranging suggestions for integrated development of food processing and agro-based industries.


Haryana IT policy on anvil
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala said today that having announced a new industrial policy, the State Government was now formulating an ambitious information technology policy.

Roadshow for Ikon
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — As many as 120 Ford Ikon bookings have been received by the local Ford India dealer, Excel Automotives, so far and car deliveries will start in the third week of this month.

Darbari Seth dies in London
NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — Mr Darbari Seth, one of the Tatas’ luminaries, died early today in London following a heart attack.

1 lakh join BP drive
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — Bharat Petroleum has introduced eco-friendly engine oil for two/three-wheelers branded as Glide Gold, which meets Japanese Automotive Society specifications.

TV sets today, computers tomorrow
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 — Internet penetration in the country will be driven by software entrepreneurs who would bring the much-needed funds to take care of the pressing infrastructural needs, Dr Vinton G Cerf said today.

Dr Cerf, regarded as “father of Internet”, was delivering the keynote address at the Convergence India ’99 here.

Dr Cerf, co-designer of Transmission Control Protocol/ Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), the computer language that gave birth to Internet, said venture capitalists in India would need to immune themselves against risk factors involved in investing in “seed companies”.

Unlike banks, which have a non-experimental attitude while investing in companies, venture capitalists in India would need to take failures and successes in their stride, Dr Cerf added.

“Once the first milestone of Internet penetration is crossed, the Government would need to address various Net-related issues like considering a comprehensive regulatory authority for the Internet,” he said.

Owing to the significant economic and social implications of the Net, the regulations will need to be formed such that they do not merge with other disciplines of communication like telecom and broadcasting, he said, adding that “instead the other media would need to be deregulated as they merge into the Internet backbone”.

Minister of State for Communications Tapan Sikdar said that with rapid technological advancement, the day is not far off when all television sets of today could turn into personal computers (PCs).

“If I say that in 10 years all television sets will turn into personal computers with a larger screen and smaller key board, I will not be wrong,” he said in his inaugural address.

He said convergence is the buzz word in communication technology the world over and has been brought to the end user mainly due to progress made in the wireless technology.

STD rates to be cut: The Department of Telecom Services (DTS) will slash STD tariffs and strengthen the optical fibre backbone for long distance telephony to offer more affordable and better services to the consumer.

“STD calls will cost much lesser from May next year after long distance telephony is privatised,” Secretary DTS Pradhan S Saran told PTI after the inauguration of Convergence India ‘99.

PHDCCI sets agenda for Punjab
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — The PHDCCI has made wide-ranging suggestions for integrated development of food processing and agro-based industries. In a note submitted to the Punjab Government, Mr Ashok Khanna President, PHDCCI has said the supply of raw materials — fresh fruits and vegetables for the agro processing units can be improved if proper drainage system is developed and the dependence on rain is minimised. The range of horticulture produce should be diversified and supply of quality seeds of exportable products should be ensured.

Special infrastructure facilities required by the agro processing industry for its perishable goods like the cold chain system consisting of pre-cooling facilities, cold storages, refrigerated transportation and refrigerated outlets need to be developed in addition to the other basic infrastructure facilities like the road and rail networks, effective communication system, power and water supply and trained manpower.

The Punjab Government should also repeal the cold storage order on lines of the Central Government to remove the superfluous regulatory controls for obtaining licence for construction/expansion of cold stores.

The government should develop a comprehensive post harvest handling system.

The government should announce a package of incentives for private sector to make large scale and long term capital investment to incorporate modern technologies in the food processing industry.

The present tax structure of wheat products needs to be changed for encouraging value addition to local produce for effectively tapping the domestic and international markets. Purchase tax of 4 per cent on wheat products which go into inter-state moment should be reduced.

Japanese aid: The Japanese Government has given a grant of Rs 21 lakh to the PHD Rural Development foundation for equipping the Primary Health Centre at Kufri in Himachal Pradesh.

An agreement to this effect was signed by the Japanese Ambassador, Mr Hiroshi Hirabayashi and Dr B. Sarkar, Executive Director, PHDRDF & Family Welfare Foundation, in New Delhi today.

Mr Ashok Khanna appreciated the Japanese Government’s support to the Chamber’s endeavour in setting up the health care centre which would cover 25 villages of Shimla district, benefiting more than 50,000 people.

Notice to CBI in PNB case

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (PTI) — The Delhi High Court has sought replies from the Centre on a plea seeking removal of Punjab National Bank Managing Director Rashid Jalani from office following registration of a case against him by CBI recently.

Issuing notices to Home Ministry, Secretary Banking in Finance Ministry, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the CBI, a Division Bench comprising Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice S.K. Agarwal in an order passed yesterday said the replies by all the respondents should be filed by January 25, 2000, the next date of hearing.

The notices were issued on a petition by the All India Lawyers Forum for Civil Liberties (AILFCL) which said that despite CBI registering an FIR against Jalani and some other bank officials for allegedly causing “wrongful loss” worth Rs 13 crore to the bank, they were allowed to continue in office.

Haryana IT policy on anvil
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala said today that having announced a new industrial policy, the State Government was now formulating an ambitious information technology policy.

The Chief Minister was addressing captains of industry and representatives of financial institutions at a seminar on investment opportunities in Haryana organised by the CII at Mumbai.

He invited private sector participation in the development of industrial estates and software parks.

The Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) is prepared to invest in Haryana to develop infrastructure in the State in a big way.

The Director of the HDFC, Mr Heeranandwani, who called on Mr Chautala, assured him all help in making Haryana a fast developing State.

The Managing Director of Reliance Capital also called on Mr Chautala and expressed his desire to invest in the projects of information technology.

The Commissioner and Secretary, Industries and Environment, Haryana, Mr P.K. Chaudhery, informed the potential investors about the creation of an economic development board under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister. The new industrial policy also aimed at promoting balanced growth of primary, secondary and tertiary sectors, he added.

The Chairman of the CII (Northern Region), Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, complimented Mr Chautala for embarking upon the challenge to introduce second-generation economic reforms at the State level within a few weeks of his taking over as Chief Minister.

The Deputy Chairman, CII (Northern Region), Mr Vinayak Chatterjee, sought immediate formation of the Infrastructure Development Fund as promised.

Those who attended the seminar included Ms Lalita D. Gupte, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer ICICI, Mr Dhanendra Kumar, Additional Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Mr Sanjay Bahadur, Managing Director, Unitech Prefab Ltd., Mr Hidehiro Ishiura, Director General, Japan External Trade Organisation,Mr Cyrus J. Guzder, Chairman and Managing Director, AFL Limited, Mr Surinder P. Kanwar, Vice-Chairman and MD, Bharat Gears.

Darbari Seth dies in London

NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (UNI) — Mr Darbari Seth, one of the Tatas’ luminaries, died early today in London following a heart attack.

Mr Seth (79) is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, Manu Seth, who took over as Managing Director of Tata Chemicals after his father’s retirement.

A chemical engineer from the University of Cincinnati, USA, Mr Seth who had a 50-year-long association with the Tatas had retired as Chairman of Tata Chemicals and had remained Director of Tata Sons till 1995.

Known to be one of the key advisers of JRD Tata, Mr Seth left Tata Sons when new retirement norms were enforced in the group.

He established the well-known Tata Energy Research Institute and was Chairman of the TERI Governing Council till his death.

Roadshow for Ikon
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — As many as 120 Ford Ikon bookings have been received by the local Ford India dealer, Excel Automotives, so far and car deliveries will start in the third week of this month. Priced at Rs 4.92 lakh in the city. Ikon was displayed at a roadshow in Kisan Bhavan here today. The roadshow, sponsored by Excel Automotives and co-sponsored by Goodlass Nerolac, ICICI and FCI, was aimed to provide public exposure to the new car. Another roadshow will be held at Bathinda on December 16, according to Lt-Col G.S. Sekhon, General Manager, Excel Automotives.

Incan boss free, staff in trouble
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 8 — The Incan Employees Welfare Association has demanded that the proprietor of Incan Mutual Benefit Limited be brought to book and made to comply with the order passed by the Company Law Board, Northern Bench, directing him to repay the depositors money and interests within a stipulated time period.

At a press conference organised by the association here today, Col Daljit Singh, President, and Col Prithipal Singh, General Secretary of the Association, complained that the employees of the company were being victimised by depositors and the law enforcing agencies for cheating and fraud ever since the company had gone underground in March, 1999. They said that almost a hundred criminal cases had been registered against the company employees working in over 107 branches in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh. While the main accused, Manjit Singh Aujla, was free and “enjoying pleasures of life”.

Various association members said that over the years Aujla had siphoned off the money collected through this Nidhi non-banking finance company and diverted this money to his other concerns which included a fertiliser company at Rajpura and had purchased properties in Tamil Nadu.

The employees, mostly retired defence personnel, lamented that they had lost their life’s savings invested in the company.

Incan Mutual Benefit Limited had its operations in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh and more than 50,000 depositors had lost their money. A case of a depositor ending his life on account of losing his hard-earned money too had been reported.

Among those who were Lt Col (retd) Tarsem Singh, Regional Manager, Jalandhar, and Mr Amarjit Singh, Assistant General Manager, Ludhiana.

1 lakh join BP drive
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 — Bharat Petroleum has introduced eco-friendly engine oil (2T) for two/three-wheelers branded as Glide Gold, which meets Japanese Automotive Society specifications.

The oil PSU has started a sales promotion campaign in Chandigarh offering prizes and gifts, which include sun glasses, cameras, and an LML scooter through daily, weekly and monthly draws of lots.

About 1 lakh scooterists have already participated in this campaign. A draw was held here today by Area Marketing Manager A.K. Gupta.

Accutrend TG
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 (TNS) — Nicholas Piramal India has launched in India a Roche Diagnostics Germany product called Accutrend GCT Instrument, a portable small automated lipid analyser which measures cholesterol in three minutes, glucose in 12 seconds and triglycerides (TG) in less than three minutes. The instrument cost Rs 13000.

VDO plans
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 (TNS) — VDO India Limited today announced the company would invest over Rs 180 million on its Indian operations. Mr Mathias Huettenrauch, Executive Director, VDO India said fresh investments will be made in the three phases on upgrading existing manufacturing facilities and introducing leading edge technologies to the Indian markets.

ICICI Bank
JALANDHAR, Dec 8 (FOC)— The ICICI Bank today opened its first branch in the city. Mr P.H. Ravi Kumar, Senior Executive Vice President and Head Corporate Banking of ICICI said that with the opening of the fifth branch in Punjab the number of bank branches rises to 69 branches in the country.

AirTel
NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (TNS) — Cellular service provider, AirTel has won the award for the Best Cellular Service in the country for the third time in a country-wide opinion poll.

Alcatel
NEW DELHI, Dec 8 (TNS) — Alcatel had launched its new One Touch Easy dB GSM mobile handset at France India 2000 exhibition here.

R.S. Hugar
CHANDIGARH, Dec 8 (TNS) — Mr R.S. Hugar, CM of Corporation Bank has been conferred with the award of “Best finance man of the year 1999” by the National Foundation of Indian Engineers (NAFEN).