Don't expect an ID card from Nilekani
The National Authority for Unique Identity, headed by Nandan Nilekani, will aim at providing a unique number to all Indians, but not smart cards.It's another matter that various ministries may, for their various purposes, choose to issue biometric cards using this unique number. But the Nilekani team itself will focus simply on ways to give all citizens a unique number, and let others issue cards for purposes they think fit.
Weak monsoon may hit rural growth plans
With foodgrain stocks at a record 32.9 million tonnes, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's chief concern over a wayward monsoon is its likely impact on the rural economy, critical to UPA-2 's efforts to rev-up growth, rather than fears of a shortfall in supply of foodgrains. Aware that food security is a politically volatile issue, the PM and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar have stressed there are sufficient foodstocks to face a drought. With the possibility that speculation could drive up prices and spur hoarding, they have clamped down on wheat and rice exports and promised swift intervention to stabilise wholesale and retail rates.
Cheaper products eat into HUL marketshare
Hindustan Unilever (HUL), India's largest consumer products company, is losing its grip in the market for almost everything from soaps and shampoos to toothpastes and skin-creams. The company has lost value market share across product categories by up to 6% year-on-year during April-May, according to numbers released by market research firm A C Nielsen. This despite Nielsen updating its audit panel and increasing the sample size under pressure from HUL and other big consumer product companies.
Tata Nano to hit road by month end
Tata Motors will deliver the first batch of its affordable car, Nano, during the last week of July, officials close to the development said. Ratan Tata, chairman of the company, is expected to hand over the keys to the first Nano customer. The auto major has already begun dispatching the vehicles to dealers across the country after sending allotment letters to the first hundred thousand customers.
India wants "terrorism infrastructure" dismantled
India's prime minister said on Wednesday "the infrastructure of terrorism" must be dismantled, remarks clearly directed at rival Pakistan. Manmohan Singh is to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Thursday on the sidelines of a summit in Egypt of the Non-Aligned Movement, the latest high-level bilateral talks between the two nations that are aimed at defusing tension.
US hopes to unveil defense, nuclear deals in India
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hopes to unveil agreements that would help U.S. firms sell sophisticated arms and nuclear power plants to India when she visits next week, a U.S. official said on Wednesday. One would be an "end-use monitoring" agreement under which the United States would have the right to make sure U.S. arms sold to India are used for their intended purpose and that the technology does not leak to third countries.
Stimulus packages yielding results
The Government said the four stimulus packages amounting to Rs 2.18 trillion have started showing results in terms of recovery in economic activities in many crucial sectors. Output of major steel producers in the country posted a growth rate of 13 per cent in June this year, cement production increased by 13.1 per cent and the automobile sales rose 17.4 per cent in June, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Rajya Sabha while replying to a debate on Budget 2009-10.
No comments:
Post a Comment