09.06.06
Posted in India, investment, SEZ, Government at 8:41 am by Mridul
Warehousing hub at Kandla
A Rs 200-300-crore warehousing hub is coming up outside Kandla Port. Jointly promoted by Kandla SEZ and IL&FS, the facility is said to be India’s first in scope and dimensions. Already about 20 plots have been allotted for warehouse facility outside the port for setting up container freight stations and warehouses. The port has also facilitated establishment of storage facilities for over 8 lakh kilolitres of liquid which are being operated by private parties. The liquid handling facilities connect the tank farms directly to oil jetties through pipelines.
Permalink
09.01.06
Posted in Review, India, Government, Oil news, Oil Prices at 8:21 am by Mridul
Government may revise the fuel prices quarterly
Indian government is planning to make a model in which the fuel prices in India at for the retail consumers will be revised in every 3 months. After seeing the steep rise and falls in the oil prices in the recent past, the government is planning to take such a decision.
Our Review: This would mean that the government would first study the oil prices in the previous quarter and then after studying the pattern, the fuel prices will be decided for the next quarter. One fine day we may see that everyday we’ll have to open the newspaper and see the oil prices for the day like it happens in Gold and Share markets.
Permalink
08.31.06
Posted in Review, News, India, investment, SEZ, Government, Prices, Real Estate at 11:40 pm by Mridul
SEZ: Is it Export promotion or Real Estate Promotion: says RBI
Now the SEZ fever has disturbed the (Reserve Bank of India) RBI too. The RBI has said that the SEZ policy 2005 sees to be more focused on the Real Estate promotion rather that Export promotion. In the recent reports, the RBI has said that “the tax breaks for the SEZ are only justifiable only if they establish forward or backward linkage with the domestic economy”.
Our review: If RBI is now in picture, then it’s a matter of concern. This will definitely ignite the political dispute for SEZ into the states also. The promoters who have already set up their plants in the existing operational SEZ must be the most happiest persons coz they would be affected by any the policy change into the SEZ act, since their units were set up in the SEZ which the old policy was in action.
Permalink
08.30.06
Posted in News, India, investment, SEZ, Government, Real Estate at 2:53 am by Mridul
Kerala inviting partners for SEZ in State.
The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) is inviting proposals, the real estate developers to partner into the SEZ that they are willing to set up in Kerala State. The corporation has acquired land in the Districts of Kannur, Kozhikode and Malappuram. KSIDC has acquired approximately 250 acres in each of the districts. The KSIDC has no problem setting up industries like textiles, garments, rubber products, healthcare, tourism, resorts, food processing etc.
Permalink
08.28.06
Posted in News, India, investment, Government, Real Estate at 6:03 am by Mridul
Industrial Model Town ; in Faridabad
THE HARYANA government has decided to set up an Industrial Model Town (IMT) in Faridabad. The Haryana Small Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC), entrusted with the task to develop the IMT, has started the process of acquiring 1,850 acres. According to Ballabgarh MLA M.S. Sharda Rathore, the state government issued a notification on July 31 empowering the HSIDC to acquire the land for the proposed IMT.
The Faridabad IMT would be on the pattern of Manesar in Gurgaon, she said. Both Indian and multinational companies will be provided industrial sites and facilities to set up pollution-free units. Sectors 66, 67, 68 and 69, situated across the Agra Canal in the Ballabgarh block, have been identified as the ideal location for the IMT in a preliminary survey
Permalink
08.25.06
Posted in Review, News, Government, Prices, Travel & Tourism, Real Estate at 4:00 am by Mridul
DDA bidding hotel lands at unreasonable prices
In a study of the land auctions to be done in Delhi for the Commonwealth games in 2010, The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has grand plans to cope with this shortfall, by carving out specific areas for building hotels. The DDA is looking to make at least Rs 2,669.13 crore - as indicated from the reserve price - from the auction of 10 hotel sites on September 25, 2006.
Delhi at present is short of approx 22000 rooms for the Commonwealth Games and the DDA has planned to auction many sites. Most of these sites are actually not located at nice location from the tourist point of view. The sites at Shalimar Bagh and Wazirpur will not be preferred by tourists visiting Delhi during the Commonwealth Games, as they are not in proximity to the airport and popular tourist spots. So how these hotel even after getting the lands at such high prices will break even. The DDA should think over these facts and should think on making these hotels viable. If the cost of land and Building will be high, then it will affect the average room rate (ARR) of the Hotels which will directly affect the guest for the Commonwealth Games.
Permalink
Posted in Review, India, investment, SEZ, Act, Government, Information Technology, Real Estate at 3:44 am by Mridul
SEZ Caps: Central and State governments stands against each other.
So the SEZ war is on between the Central and the State Governments. PRESSURE is building on the central government from states for removal of the ceiling on SEZs by the empowered group of ministers (eGoM). The EGoM, which is meeting on Wednesday to review the cap, has to take the crucial decision on whether to maintain the cap at the original level, increase it, or do away with it.
State Ministers, Sharad Pawar, TJayanidhi Maran, Naveen Patnaik have been writing to the Central Government for this issue. They have asked the Government that the SEZ proposals for Maharashtra cannot be accommodated if the ceiling is not removed leading to loss of potential investment. With the commerce department formally approving 46 new SEZ proposals on Tuesday, the limit of 150 imposed by the EGoM has been exhausted, which has brought the State Ministries to react against the EGoM. The Orissa CM pointed out that his state, which had become an important investment destination for minerals and metals, IT and IT-enabled services, would lose out if the SEZ cap was not removed. He said Orissa was not as fast as many other states in getting sanctions and there should be fair and equal opportunities for all states in the sanctioning process.
Permalink
08.23.06
Posted in News, India, investment, Government, Real Estate, FDI at 10:51 pm by Mridul
FDI norms for Real Estate Development in India can be eased
Government of India is planning to ease the entry of the foreign investors in the country. The norms which were earlier being set by the Indian government were difficult so that the overseas Real Estate Developers cannot get into the market easily. But this news will not bring a cool breath to the Overseas Real Estate Developers.
The norms which were being set earlier:
For Commercial Development: A minimum area of 50000 sq mts.
For Residential Development : A minimum area of 10 Hectares.
These norms are now eased to 10000 sq mtr for the commercial and 10 Acres for the residential projects. Investors are not allowed to repatriate original investments before three years of completion of minimum capitalization. However in special cases, the foreign investor can be permitted to exit early but with prior FIBP approval.
Permalink
08.20.06
Posted in News, India, Government, Oil news at 6:17 am by Mridul
ONGC planning two refineries
NEW DELHI: ONGC, the country’s largest oil producer, is planning to build two refineries, minister of stole for petroleum and natural gas Dinsha Patel said on Thursday. ONGC has been trying to boost its refining capacity to ensure better margins and make up for a fall in domestic crude output. Patel said ONGC is examining the feasibility of setting up a refinery in Kakinada. It’s also exploring the techno-economic feasibility of setting up a well head refinery for processing crude oil discovered by Cairn Energy and ONGC in Rajasthan.
Permalink
08.19.06
Posted in Review, News, India, investment, SEZ, Service Tax, Exemptions, Act, Government at 6:17 am by Mridul
Service Tax breaks to SEZ in pipeline
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is now planning to give service tax breaks to the companies opting to set up their units in the Special Economic Zones around the country. The companies which are already exempted from Service Tax in these SEZ’s are the companies that provide the services within the Special Economic Zone. Now the service providers having their units in SEZ will get this benefit too if this notification is issued. The export promotion council for EOUs and SEZ’s has taken up the issue with the government saying that “The SEZ Act clearly states that so long as a service is related to an authorised operation in an SEZ, exemption from service tax should be provided irrespective of where it is rendered.
Our Review: See, the Act is under and with the Government only and we feel that this Act is going to face amendments soon. How could be the finance ministry be happy with the Act when there is nothing that the government is getting from it. If it was upto the government, they would act as a sleeping partner in all the commercial activities going in the country.
Permalink