A-I to be allowed to raise Rs 7,400 cr. A Group of Ministers today recommended allowing airlines to import jet fuel directly, a move that would help them cut fuel costs by up to 20 per cent. The GoM also approved a plan to recast Air India’s debt of Rs 22,000 crore, and to allow the ailing national carrier to raise Rs 7,400 crore through government-guaranteed bonds or other means.

Promising to provide a level playing field to US companies on civilian nuclear deal, visiting foreign secretary Mr Ranjan Mathai has said India is willing to address their specific concerns within the framework of the law passed in this regard by Parliament. “We will provide a level playing field to US companies, and are prepared to address specific concerns of US companies within the framework of that law,” Mr Mathai said in his address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

NEW DELHI, 3 FEB: As Air India promised to pay Rs 28 crore dues by this evening, state-owned oil companies have resumed jet fuel supplies to the national carrier today. All the three oil companies ~ Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum ~ had jointly stopped aviation turbine fuel (ATF) supplies to Air India in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Trivandrum and Kochi from 4 p m on Thursday.

CHENNAI, 3 FEB: The DMK today charged the Centre and the AIADMK government with being “lethargic” in solving the Koodankulam nuclear plant row and raised the pitch on the Mullaiperiyar Dam issue demanding that Kerala restore the area, where the reservoir is located, to Tamil Nadu. The DMK general council ~ its top decision-making body ~ met here against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on 2G spectrum scam where the apex court had pointedly blamed former telecom minister Mr A Raja, its senior leader.

NEW DELHI, 31 JAN: The government today revised the economic growth rate for 2010-11 financial year slightly down to 8.4 per cent from the earlier estimate of 8.5 per cent. “The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at factor cost at constant prices in 2010-11 has registered a growth of 8.4 per cent over the previous year,” the Quick Estimates of economic growth released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MOSPI) said. “The major source of growth in the GDP has been from the services sector which has grown at the rate of 9.3 per cent.

DHAKA, 29 JAN: Bangladesh today signed a $1.5-billion deal with NTPC to build a 1,320 MW coal-fired power plant, the country's biggest, to help ease acute power shortage in the country. Bangladesh's state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) struck the 50:50 joint-venture deal with India's public sector power outfit NTPC. Under the pact, a JV company will be floated to install and operate the plant while PDB and NTPC will implement the $1.5-billion project.

New Delhi, 29 Jan: Concerned over poor budget allocation for the farm sector, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar today said it may be difficult to implement the proposed Food Security Bill without adequate funds to boost agri- output, a must for increased foodgrain requirement. “My grievance is only one ~ the total budgeted provision for entire agriculture ministry is Rs 20,000 crore. And subsidy is, as of today, Rs 65,000 crore. It might go to Rs 1 lakh crore in the current year.”

NEW DELHI, 17 JAN: Almost in line with the government’s estimate, a UN report has said that India’s economic growth rate will remain at 7.7 per cent in 2012 and 7.9 per cent in 2013. “India’s economy is forecast to expand at a pace similar to 2011 in the following two years... at 7.7 per cent in 2012 and 7.9 per cent in 2013,” the UN report on ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012’ said. The report cautioned: “The downside risks to the regional outlook have sharply increased in recent months... particularly in case of India.

NEW DELHI, 10 JAN: Describing the problem of malnutrition in the country as a national shame, Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh today said the government could not rely on the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) alone to tackle it. “...the problem of malnutrition is a matter of national shame. Despite impressive growth in our GDP, the level of under-nutrition in the country is unacceptably high,” Mr Singh said releasing a report on Hunger and Malnutrition here.

Hardening its stand, an anti-nuclear forum spearheading the stir against Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tirunelveli today said a series of protests had been planned there in the coming days, including a “wailing protest” on 30 January, death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
“We are fighting for our right to life and livelihood and we will continue doing it till its logical conclusion,” said Mr SP Udayakumar, coordinator of People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy,spearheading the five-month stir against KNNP. There was no change in demand for KNPP's closure,he said.