Only those unapproved colonies or buildings constructed before April 1 will be considered under the policy. This would be a big relief to about 5,000 colonies and 0.2 million individual plot-holders or building owners across the stateThe Punjab cabinet yesterday approved the policy for regularisation of unauthorised colonies and buildings under the Punjab Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2013.Only those unapproved colonies or buildings constructed before April 1 would be considered under this policy.Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said this would be a big relief to about 5,000 colonies and two lakh (0.2 million) individual plot holders or building owners across the state. The policy focuses on bringing all unauthorised colonies/buildings into the planning framework and to regularise development, which would further facilitate the smooth implementation of master plans across the state to ensure urban development in a holistic manner.Apart from thi

Punjab to regularise unauthorised colonies

BS Reporter

Odisha Power Generation Corp (OPGC) and NTPC Ltd are facing coal shortages at their coal-fired power plants in the state

OPGC, NTPC plants facing critical coal stock

In Andhra Pradesh, around 2,500 mechanised boats, 40 trawlers and over 10,000 catamarans are engaged in sea fishing with a total  shrimp catch at 40,000-45,000 tonne and 300,000 tonne of fishIn a major jolt to the mechanised boat operators and their marine catch, the seafood exporters of Andhra Pradesh have expressed their inability to take the former's material as exporters are now inclined towards procuring aqua-cultured shrimp, according to the Andhra Mechanised Fishing Boat Operators Welfare Association."Over the last several years, we have depended only on the seafood exporters to sell our shrimp catches. Now, they are not coming forward to take our material, at a time when there is a huge demand for marine shrimp in the international market," the association said.In Andhra Pradesh, around 2,500 mechanised boats, 40 trawlers and over 10,000 catamarans (small fishing boats) are engaged in sea fishing with a total  shrimp catch at 40,000-45,000 tonne and 300,000 tonne of fish."Tradi

Crisis grips Andhra mechanised marine boat operators

Business Standard

As part of its six-point programme on EE and EC (energy efficiency and energy conservation), the Andhra Pradesh government is planning to notify  the energy conservation building code (ECB code) for enhancing energy efficiency in all large buildings such as multiplexes, malls and hospitals, according to chief secretary and chairman of the State Energy Conservation Mission SECM) PK Mohanty."AnÂ ECB Code is in the offing forÂ incorporatingÂ energy efficiency components. The code will beÂ applicable to all non-residential buildings with more than 1,000 square metre of plot area or 2,000 square metre of built-up area, whichever is higher.Â Initially, a single-star energy conservation shall be made mandatory in respect of all these structures. Certification of energy conservation for these buildings will be issued by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)-empanelled architects," he said here on Sunday.The state government will be finalising a 'Green Factory Building Code' for promoting energ

AP set to notify GO on energy conservation building code

Liberty Videocon General Insurance Company Ltd, a joint venture between US-based Liberty Mutual Insurance Group and Videocon Industries Ltd, is targeting to achieve a premium of Rs 100 crore this year.The company expects to break-even in six years of operations, said a senior official from the company.The company, which had launched its operations with commercial products on January 2013 and motor insurance in February 2013, is also expected to expand its geographical presence from the present eight branches to 25 branches during the second year of operations.It has branches in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Chennai.Speaking to the reporters here, Roopam Asthana, CEO and director of Liberty Videocon, said: "Considering that the general insurance companies break-even at a gross premium of Rs 1,200 crore, the company expects to reach the mark in six years' time. The capital base of the company would be around Rs 600 crore by that time".Presently, the co

Videocon Insurance JV targets Rs 100-cr premium this year

The plant has been delivered ahead of the schedule and the entire output will be allotted to the Tamil Nadu state utilities at Rs 5.50 per kilowatt hourOPG Power Ventures has commissioned a new 80 Mw thermal power plant in Chennai. The company in a statement said the Chennai III plant has been synchronised and has become fully operational and the commercial sales have now begun.The power producer has agreed to supply the plant's entire output to the state utilities in Tamil Nadu at Rs 5.50 per kilowatt hour.According to OPG, the Chennai plant has been delivered ahead of the schedule and within the estimated budget. Chennai III is a replica of the two other plants on the site, and the company says the total capacity of the Chennai plant is now 234 Mw.Overall OPG's total operating capacity now stands at 270 Mw and it has a further 472 Mw in advanced construction.OPG is operating and developing power projects in India under the group's captive model with 270 Mw in operation. For the year

OPG Power commissions 80 Mw Chennai thermal unit

Tamil Nadu chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today asked the Centre to rollback the petrol prices. In a statement, she said instead of resorting to frequent hikes in petroleum prices, the Centre should take steps to explore new oil and gas fields and control the falling Rupee.Jayalalithaa also asked the Centre to change the way fuel prices were fixed. It may be noted that petrol prices were hiked by Rs 2.54 per litre on Saturday, the second increase this month, as a falling Rupee made imports costlier."Considering the welfare of the nation, the Centre should take steps to change the way petrol prices are fixed. The government should also explore oil and gas fields in the country and prevent depreciation of the Rupee against the US Dollar," she said.The chief minister said that the increase in petrol price will lead to a further increase in the prices of essential commodities, depreciate the value of the Rupee and erode the Indian economy.On petroleum minister M Veerappa Moily's statement t

Jayalalithaa for rollback of petrol price hike

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has assigned CDM Smith, a US-based company that provides integrated solutions in environment, energy and transportation, to carry out a detailed survey for the forecast of reduction of carbon emission along the metro alignment from the year 2018 to 2048.The study would give an idea about the probable reduction in the daily use of vehicles due to commencing of metro and how much pollution would come down as a result of this.Â This will help KMRLÂ in earning carbon credits. The scope of workÂ includes study about multimodal integrated approach with buses, boats,Â auto rick-shaws etc and about integrated ticketing linked with metro development.

Kochi Metro assigns consultant for carbon emission reductions

Alarmed by a sharp rise in power consumption in the state, Kerala government is seriously considering clean energy alternatives to overcome widening power deficit in the state.In this regard, minister for Power and Transport Aryadan Mohammed today said, although Kerala generates 28 times more power than it did six decades ago, the sharp rise in consumption is the biggestÂ concern in the energy sector. The number of consumers has increased by a massive 100-fold during this period."At this rate our power deficit will only widen in the future. If we cannot address the issues of energy availability and pricing urgently, we are headed for an even bigger crisis. We have projects with a total capacity of around 700Mw, awaiting environmental clearances. Environment degradation is a genuine concern and we must do all we can to minimise the impact on it. However, it is vital that these energy projects get off the ground if we are to sustain economic development, he added.Addressing the inaugural

Kerala to focus on clean energy to avert power crisis

The Hyderabad-based company's group insurance segment currently contributes Rs 150 crore

Shriram eyes Rs 500 cr from group insurance

Press Trust of India

Subsidy burden could rise to Rs 1,200 crore

Dairies seek extension of milk subsidy to private players

Chief minister Siddaramaiah said there was a deficit in inflows and storage level in reservoirs in state and hence it was not feasible for sharing Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu.Karnataka today asserted it has never violated any Supreme Court order on the Cauvery water sharing issue and rejected the Tamil Nadu's contention that it had committed contempt of court."Karnataka government has not violated the Supreme Court order on Cauvery issue. I have never said that I will not release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told repor-ters at Davanagere, some 265 kms from here. Siddaramaiah said there was a deficit in inflows and storage level in reservoirs in Karnataka and hence it was not feasible for sharing Cauvery water with Tamil Nadu."There is hardly any water available in Kabini, Cauvery, Hemavathy and Varahi dams in the state. In this context is it feasible for us to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu? We have placed these details before the apex court as well,

State hasn't violated SC order on Cauvery: CM

Move is aimed at check-mating mafia which has been mining sand unchecked from rivers and lakes

State proposes new sand policy

The company intends to utilise the proposed funds to scale up its capacity to 30,000 litre per day, besides setting up dilution-cum-bottling plants in Gujarat and UttarakhandNanoCoat Chemtech, a Hyderabad-based start-up engaged in the research and development (R&D) and commercialisation of nano-materials that are directed towards innovative applications in healhcare, infrastructure and energy sectors, is looking at raising close to Rs 20 crore to fuel its capacity expansion plans.We are planning to raise the funds through a private equity placement. We should be closing the deal in the next financial year, Baskaran A, managing director of NanoCoat, told Business Standard.The nine-month-old company, which had raised its first round of funding from Arun Reddy, an angel investor based out of New York, currently manufactures 10,000 litre of nano-material concentrate per day from a leased facility in Hyderabad.The company intends to utilise the proposed funds to scale up this capacity t

NanoCoat to raise Rs 20 cr to fund capacity expansion

The government has planned to ensure supply of 4 million tonne of chemical fertilisers to the farmers during the ongoing Kharif season

Andhra receives record rainfall

Against the backdrop of the severe drought in several parts of the state prior to this monsoon, Maharashtra Government is preparing a water policy on the lines of the National Water Policy. The National Water Policy (NWP) stipulates that state policies should be drafted/revised in accordance with it, a senior official said. The government has invited comments/ suggestions from various societies working in different sectors, NGOs and other water users for the modification of the present State Water Policy which has been in existence since 2003, he said. NWP was first framed in 1987 and modified in April 2002. It requires that every state formulate its own water policy backed by an action plan. Departments involved in revision of state water policy include Water Resources Department, Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Environmental Department and Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority (MWRRA).

Maharashtra to have new water policy

The Maharashtra government has issued a circular to all district offices of Child Welfare Committee with suggestions and guidelines on checking sexual and physical abuse of minor inmates in shelter homes.This was informed to the Bombay High Court by Advocate General Darius Khambata earlier this week during hearing of a suo moto PIL on a news report, which highlighted alleged sexual abuse of 35 girl inmates in a Nashik shelter home. The issue came to notice in April after the inmates sent a letter to NGO Childline alleging sexual and physical harassment by a trustee and four other male employees. "A circular has been issued to all district offices of the CWC regarding modalities on how such children shelter homes should be conducted and the role of CWCs. A district- wise committee shall also be formed which will conduct surprise inspection on shelter homes," Khambata said.

Govt issues circular to check abuse of minors at shelter homes

Delhi has had the highest number of swine flu patients this year while Gujarat has seen maximum deaths due to the disease among the states, according to official statistics.According to Health Ministry, a total of 4,811 cases were reported in the country this year till June five with Delhi topping the list with 1,506 cases.Gujarat follows Delhi with 1,027 cases reported during the period followed by Punjab with 845.Though Delhi registered the highest number of cases, the deaths were 16. Gujarat topped in this category with 194 deaths due to swine flu.A total of 597 people have died due to the deadly disease, a senior Health Ministry official said.Rajasthan recorded the highest number of deaths after Gujarat with 162 followed by 83 deaths in Maharashtra.The others states which recorded substantial number of cases included Rajasthan with 845, Haryana 448, Punjab 183 and Madhya Pradesh 103.States like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Miz

Delhi has highest swine flu cases, Guj records maximum deaths

The Australian government may seek public opinion once again, if required, before giving environmental clearance to Adani Group's proposal to build a rail line to transport coal from its Carmichael Coal Mine in Queensland to port.The initial public opinion sought for the project was open till June 14 and the proposal is being studied under National Environment Law, said an official of the Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC)."The Department is currently looking at the Adani North Galilee Basin rail proposal to see whether it needs to be assessed under national environment law."If it does need approval under national environment law, it will be subjected to a thorough environmental assessment that will include another opportunity for public comment," the spokesperson of DSEWPC said in an emailed response.In a referral of proposed action (an environmental assessment) submitted to the Ministry, Adani said it proposed to build 300

Aus govt may seek public opinion again on Adani rail project

Industry players push for export orders as fall in rupee will help increase margins

Yarn exporters to make most of rupee depreciation

Move aimed at ensuring quality production

Tea Board moots mapping of tea factories

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